In 1980, we kinda thought that the good guys were always going win. Sure, there had been losses, and Thunderbird had died, but we honestly didn’t think that things would ever go so badly that a hero would take their own life to save the universe. Then there was Jean Grey.
In the final issue of “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” the X-Men fought the Imperial Guard on the Blue Area of Earth’s moon to prevent them from executing Phoenix, whom they (rightly) regarded as a danger to the galaxy. Even though Professor X had installed a series of psychic circuit breakers in Jean’s head to prevent her from becoming Dark Phoenix, the danger was there.
In the midst of combat, Cyclops went down, and Dark Phoenix returned. Professor X forced his defeated X-Men awake, and they raced to stop Jean. Colossus found himself unable to deliver a death blow, but his shot to Jean’s jaw shook her up.
She ran, and Cyclops followed. Jean froze Scott with her powers, then killed herself with a Kree laser cannon to ensure that she couldn’t endanger the universe.
Let us assure you: this was a stone cold shock. The death of Jean resonated in the X-titles for years. It would be five years before Jean returned, and sure, its impact has been diminished by repeat performances but this was a stunner, and one with lasting effects that still resonate in the Marvel Universe.
The story itself forms the basis of the upcoming X-Men film Dark Phoenix.