Spoilers ahead for Eternals Celestia #1!
The Phoenix Force is one of the most powerful forces in the Marvel Universe, one capable of destroying whole solar systems. The mention of the Phoenix Force can send the X-Men and the other heroes of Earth scrambling, as they know what this amazing power is capable of. Now, in Eternals: Celestia #1, Marvel has revealed that the Phoenix Force may be just one of several “cosmic powers” at work in the Marvel universe. The issue is on sale now in print and digital.
The Phoenix Force first appeared in 1976’s Uncanny X-Men #101, possessing Jean Grey. Representing the entirety of the multiverse’s psionic energy, the Phoenix Force travels the cosmos seeking out hosts. These hosts gain the fabulous powers of the Phoenix Force, but it ultimately can take its toll on the user. While the Force has been traditionally associated with Jean Grey, it has recently bonded with Echo, of the Avengers. Marvel has also revealed that a young mutant named Firehair (who bears a strong resemblance to Jean Grey) was the Phoenix Force’s first human host; Firehair is also a member of the Avengers of One Million BC. The mythology of the Phoenix Force is further expanded in Eternals: Celestia #1, written by Kieron Gillen, with art by Kei Zama, inks by Zama and John Livesay, colors by Matthew Wilson and letters by Clayton Cowles.
Ajax, the sole member of the Eternals to be able to commune with the Celestials, finds herself facing the Avengers of One Million BC, Firehair among them. Ajax scans each member of the team, and in her assessment of Firehair, recognizes her as an avatar of the Phoenix Force. Ajax then calls the Force “one of the primordial cosmic powers of life.” The issue never reveals how Ajax was able to recognize the Phoenix Force, but it makes it clear that there there is more than one Force in the universe.
The issue does not elaborate on what the other “primordial forces” are, but given that the Phoenix Force represents creation and rebirth, perhaps the other forces represent different aspects of the universe as well? Is there a Phoenix Force equivalent for death? Or for love? Creation, love, and death are some of the most powerful motivators in the universe and have led to numerous wars and countless innovations - drives perfect to have their own versions of the Phoenix Force. The question then becomes: where are the hosts for these forces? Marvel could potentially do some major retconning here, by showing existing characters as avatars for the other primordial forces, but that remains to be seen.
Since the Eternals returned in a grand fashion earlier this year, their title has showcased some truly dazzling world-building, both within the Eternals themselves and the larger Marvel Universe as well. Now, their latest revelation upends everything readers knew about the X-Men's Phoenix Force, revealing there are others just like it.