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The X-Men #138

Oct 1980
Chris Claremont, John Byrne

The X-Men #138 cover

Story Name:

Elegy


Synopsis

The X-Men #138 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 3.5 stars

We open upon Jean Grey’s funeral, Cyclops thinking about the words he said to her not too long ago, about not being able to handle losing her. And now he has. The rest of the attendees are equally despondent, Scott, Iceman, Angel, and Beast on one side, Charles Xavier, Wolverine, Colossus, and Storm on the other, in addition to Jean’s family. Scott thinks of simpler times, when Jean first joined the X-Men, and their first battle with Magneto. He continues to reflect on the X-Men’s history, using his relationship with Jean as a focal point running throughout. Scott thinks of Angel, and how he once cared for Jean as well, reflecting on his own feelings for Jean and how he initially couldn’t handle them, choosing instead to emotionally cut himself off.

Scott continues to trace the X-Men’s history, reminiscing on their first battles with Juggernaut and Sentinels, and a host of other enemies. He then comes to a significant moment in his and Jean’s shared history, during a party for Iceman’s 18th birthday. Scott and Jean wandered off alone, talking for hours and during this fateful night, the two finally admitted their love for each other. Scott thinks about how not long after, the X-Men received new uniforms and seemingly lost Professor Xavier. He remembers more run-ins with Magneto, meeting Polaris and his brother Alex becoming Havok. Scott reflects on Beast and his transformation, the formation of the new team and what it really means to be an X-Man, questioning if this could possibly be the life any of them had imagined for themselves.

He finally comes to the last number of months. Jean’s transformation into Phoenix, their battles with the Imperial Guard and Magneto, and the months spent thinking the other was dead flash through his mind. He remembers the last week or so, being captured by the Hellfire Club, Jean’s transformation into Dark Phoenix, and finally her sacrifice. Scott, filled with pain, shares his grief with Jean’s parents, before Lilandra gifts them with a holempathic matrix crystal of Jean, allowing them to see and feel a 3D hologram of her any time they wish. Nightcrawler jumps down from the tree he had been watching everything from and Scott announces that he’s leaving the X-Men. Xavier is unsurprised and Scott admits he has a lot of things to work through now, not knowing where life will take him, but determined to live, as a complete human being, for Jean’s sake. We then get a small epilogue, as Kitty Pryde arrives at Xavier’s school, wondering why no one is there to greet her, promising a new chapter in which the X-Men will never be the same!


 

Review / Commentaries


The X-Men #138 Review by (September 18, 2024)

Review: Showcasing Jean Grey’s funeral, this issue acts as an epilogue of sorts for the Dark Phoenix Saga. This issue is mostly a recap of the X-Men’s history up to this point, presented through Scott reminiscing upon the X-Men’s history, with his relationship with Jean as a focal point throughout. Given that it’s just Cyclops recapping the story up until now, in more detail than you’d expect, this issue is naturally extremely wordy. Though mostly the comic equivalent to a clip-show episode, there are a couple of key important things for the future. Firstly, Cyclops decides to leave the X-Men, understandably having some things to work out emotionally, though the comic will continue to pop in on him every now and then so it’s not like he’ll be completely gone. Second, Cyclops’ replacement is all set with Kitty Pryde set to join, arriving at the mansion while everyone is still out at the funeral. Kitty’s arrival turns the page on a new chapter for the X-Men, and a whole bunch of even more classic stories!

Comments: According to Jean’s headstone, she was 24 years old at the time of her death.



> The X-Men comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

John Byrne
Terry Austin
Glynis Wein
John Byrne (Cover Penciler)
Terry Austin (Cover Inker)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Angel
Angel

(Warren Worthington III)
Beast
Beast

(Henry Phillip McCoy)
Colossus
Colossus

(Piotr Rasputin)
Cyclops
Cyclops

(Scott Summers)
Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde

(Kate Pryde)
Lilandra
Lilandra

(Lilandra Neramani)
Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler

(Kurt Wagner)
Professor X
Professor X

(Charles Xavier)
Storm
Storm

(Ororo Munroe)
Wolverine
Wolverine

(James Howlett)



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