Warning! Spoilers ahead for Avengers #39.
In Marvel Comics' latest issue of Avengers, the origins of the Earth's very first host for the Phoenix Force are revealed. Living in the world's primordial years, a young girl going by the name Firehair transforms into Lady Phoenix after a great tragedy and loss. However, rather than use the Phoenix Force and its massive destructive power, she chooses to wield it as a force for good and change. She also travels the stars in search of other powerful beings like herself, seeking to create a new tribe and team of like-minded allies: The ancient and first Avengers of 1,000,000 B.C.
Having been abandoned by her original tribe, Firehair was raised by wolves until she was eventually found by a telepathic mutant she called Highwalker, (as he floated above the ground). Highwalker took her to his own tribe, a group of prehistoric mutants living together as the Tribe Without Fear. Over time, Firehair's own telepathic abilities manifested on the same night the tribes of man came to attack. This was due to their fear of mutants, proving that the hatred of mutantkind is as old as the dawn of mankind. In the aftermath, Firehair's entire tribe was slain, leaving her alone once more. However, she was then transformed, being chosen by the Phoenix Force to be its new host.
Now wielding the power of the Phoenix Force, Firehair considers using it to completely wipe out mankind before it could even have the opportunity to expand and evolve further. Despite being full of vengeance and hatred for the cruelty she has been shown, one of the wolves that raised her appears, reminding her of the small kindnesses she been offered in spire of that cruelty. In that moment, Lady Phoenix determines to be better than a mere destroyer with her fire. Instead, she chooses to find others with power akin to her own, forming a team to save the world from itself. At the end of the issue, she's seen starting with Odin, and the King of Asgard becomes her first recruit for the Avengers of 1,000,000 B.C.
Having Lady Phoenix exist as the instigator for the creation of Earth's Mightiest Heroes is pretty incredible, and could indicate the reason why the current Avengers will soon find themselves wielding the Phoenix's power in future issues from writer Jason Aaron, now that the Phoenix Force has returned to Earth once more. The Phoenix Force will apparently be searching and testing the Avengers, looking to find the host that's best-suited to weld its awesome power.
It will be interesting to see if more details from the other primordial Avengers come to light as Aaron's run continues. The origins of the first Ghost Rider and his woolly mammoth would certainly make for an interesting read, as would any of the other members like the first Black Panther or Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme. In any case, readers now know how the First Phoenix and First Avengers came to be. Now, it's time to discover who the new Phoenix will be among the current Avengers as Aaron's run heads for its Enter the Phoenix arc.