Jean Grey and Emma Frost are two of the most powerful mutants in the world, crucial members of the X-Men, and among the most easily recognizable characters in the Marvel Universe. Their legacies are already cemented in the minds of millions of fans who've been following their stories for decades.
Emma and Jean share a particularly contentious relationship in the comics. Although it began due to their respective relationships with Scott Summers, the rivalry evolved, becoming its own thing independent of Scott. It doesn't define their characters, but the feud does play a significant role in their overall stories.
Jean And Emma Met During The Dark Phoenix Saga
As arguably the most iconic X-Men story of all time, "The Dark Phoenix Saga" still holds up to this day. The plot follows Jean Grey's acquisition of the Phoenix Force and her subsequent corruption under its influence.
Emma Frost, at the time the White Queen of the Hellfire Club, plays an infamous role in the story, aiding Mastermind to manipulate Jean through illusions that ultimately enable the Dark Phoenix's rise. Although Emma's role in the story is somewhat limited, she still plays a pivotal role in Jean's corruption, cementing her early position as an antagonist to the X-Men.
Phoenix Almost Killed Emma
Before Phoenix becomes Dark Phoenix, she engages in a psychic battle with Emma. The conflict arises when the Hellfire Club attempts to recruit Kitty Pride, aka Shadowcat, into their ranks. They also seek to capture to torture the X-Men, including Cyclops, Colossus, Storm and Wolverine.
Comic book fans know Jean Grey is very powerful, especially when the Phoenix Force is by her side. The battle leaves Emma on the verge of death. Desperate, she launches another attack against the X-Men but once again fails and is believed dead by the team. However, she survived, albeit comatose and under Sebastian Shaw's care.
Scott Cheated On Jean With Emma
Once Emma joins the X-Men, she's ready to cause all kinds of trouble. Frustrated and going through a rough patch in his marriage to Jean, Scott seeks council and receives it from Emma. She develops a rather unhealthy attraction to him in the process.
What follows is one of the weirdest relationships in X-Men comics as Scott and Emma enter into a psychic affair. The whole thing goes on for a while, even though Scott becomes increasingly more tortured because of it. The romance ultimately ends in a somewhat soapy way.
Jean Discovered Scott And Emma's Affair
During her time with the X-Men, Emma takes a group of telepathic quintuplets, the Stepford Cuckoos, under her wing. After a riot breaks in the mansion, one of the girls, Sophie, dies. The others blame Emma for it. Angered and grieving, they seek retaliation by revealing Emma's affair with Scott to Jean.
In a scene straight out of a soap opera, Jean catches Emma and Scott right in the middle of their mental affair. Enraged, she unleashes the dormant Phoenix Force and uses it to overpower and humiliate Emma. Afterward, the X-Men find Emma in diamond form, shattered and on the brink of death. Jean then becomes the prime suspect in the attempted murder.
Murder At The Mansion
Bishop and Sage take the lead in the investigation into the assault. Feeling guilty and realizing that Emma did fall in love with Scott, Jean uses her powers to reassemble Emma. She later explores Scott's mind with his permission, learning that he and Emma never engaged in physical contact. Jean remains bitter, though, and Scott flees the mansion in shame.
Once she fully awakes, Emma identifies her would-be killer as Esme of the Stepford Cuckoos. Still angry at Sophie's death, Esme manipulated fellow student Angel Salvadore into shooting Emma with a diamond bullet.
Jean Gives Scott Her Blessing To Date Emma
Throughout her comic book run, Jean Grey dies a lot. The second time she dies, she leaves behind a broken-hearted Scott, who considers quitting the X-Men just like he did the first time he believed her dead. However, his exit from the team would've provoked one of the most destructive alternate timelines in X-Men comics.
Seeing this, a resurrected future Jean, now the White Phoenix of the Crown, goes back to the past to visit Scott. She tells him it's OK for him to move on and even encourages him to pursue a relationship with Emma, recognizing the love between them.
Emma Was The Phoenix's Temporary Host
During the famous Endsong story, the Phoenix force is back with its shenanigans. It comes back to Earth and resurrects a reluctant Jean Grey, bonding with her yet again. She takes Wolverine to the North Pole and asks him to kill her, but he only weakens Jean and the Phoenix.
The X-Men arrive to prevent the Phoenix from strengthening, and the Force briefly possesses Emma. Even though she's unable to manipulate it, Emma is capable of containing it, albeit briefly. Jean recovers and resorbs the Force, ascending to become the White Phoenix of the Crown. She then leaves for the White Hot Room, bidding Scott one last goodbye.
They Are Both Omega-Level Mutants
Jean and Emma are among the most powerful mutants in the entire Marvel Universe. They are both Omega-level mutants, capable of performing telepathic feats that put them near Charles Xavier's level. Both have also served as hosts of the Phoenix Force, although Emma had to share it with four others, forming the famous Phoenix Five. On the other hand, Jean is capable of enduring the Force by herself.
Adding to their might, Jean and Emma also have considerable abilities beyond their telepathy. Jean is also an empath with impressive telekinetic powers. For her part, Emma can transform into her famed diamond form, which provides her with enhanced strength and durability.
They Are Both Members Of Krakoa's Quiet Council
In Xavier's mutant nation of Krakoa, Jean and Emma are both part of the island's governing body, the Quiet Council. Emma is part of the Council's Spring Section, representing Krakoa's economic interests. She serves as White Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company and is a chief ambassador for Krakoa within the United Nations.
For her part, Jean, now going by Marvel Girl, is a member of the Summer Section, along with Nightcrawler and Storm. They represent the more empathetic and level-headed side of mutant society as a whole.
They Made Their Peace In Krakoa
Throughout their comics history, Jean and Emma have been on opposite sides nearly every time they face each other. Whether as romantic rivals or as literal enemies, they end up fighting each other more often than not. However, once they're both in Krakoa, they let bygones be bygones and form an unlikely friendship.
During the celebration in honor of Krakoa becoming an official nation, Jean and Emma even share a beer and a few laughs, to the surprise of everyone on the island. It's a brief moment of genuine happiness for the mutant community and a sign of hope for rivalries around the Marvel Universe. For, if Emma and Jean can become friends, then anyone can.