The X-Men's Rachel Summers is finally reclaiming her heritage as a host of the Phoenix Force. The daughter of Cyclops and Phoenix from a dystopian future timeline, Rachel Summers has long been considered one of the most powerful mutants of all time. She was actually the first mutant to be identified as an Omega-level - a fact Jonathan Hickman ignored when he relaunched the franchise back in 2019. Rachel's power comes from the fact Jean Grey had been replaced by the Phoenix in the timeline where she was born; she is the literal child of the Phoenix.
This has given Rachel a remarkably close bond to the Phoenix Force, and she became host to its full power for some years. Most Phoenix avatars struggle to deal with the power they possess, and wind up going full Dark Phoenix. Rachel, however, is a remarkable exception; although she was tempted, she resisted. Oddly enough, this fact too has generally been neglected by Marvel, in various Phoenix-focused storylines. When the Phoenix Force arrived on Earth in Jason Aaron's Avengers run, the Avengers ignored Rachel's experience, turning to others for advice and guidance about how to manage the Phoenix. It was a frustrating omission, underlining the lack of familiarity many writers have with Rachel.
It seems writer Tini Howard has remembered Rachel's connection to the Phoenix Force, though. Marvel has published a preview for Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1, an issue featuring Rachel as a major supporting character; she and Captain Britain are an item, after all. It seems Rachel's powerset is expanding, allowing her to draw Phoenix fire from across the multiverse - a power so effective it destroys a Fury, one of the most dangerous mutant-hunting androids in X-Men history.
How Rachel's New Phoenix Powers Work
Rachel's powers bind her to the multiverse itself, allowing her to manipulate time and even travel across the dimensions. It's important to remember the Phoenix Force is a multiversal entity; according to the X-Men: Phoenix Force Handbook, the Phoenix is the embodiment of all the psychic energy that exists in the entire multiverse. It plays a crucial role in the multiverse, pruning entire timelines where evolution and change has slowed to a crawl. It really is fire and life incarnate.
This means Rachel Summers is becoming more powerful than ever before. This is the first time any character has ever been shown tapping into Phoenix fire without a direct connection to the entity, and it suggests Rachel's bond with the Phoenix is closer than ever before. It's an absolute delight to see this neglected X-Men character finally getting the chance to shine, demonstrating the kind of powers readers had always believed she possessed.