Marvel Brings Back a Controversial X-Men Villain Just To Kill Her
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Hellions #4!
Madelyne Pryor is a clone of the X-Men's Jean Grey. After the events of the Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean Grey was thought to be dead, and her partner Cyclops became romantically involved with a pilot named Madelyne Pryor. It just so happened that Madelyne looked like a carbon copy of Jean Grey. Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor married and they had a son, Nathan Summers. Jean Grey was later revived, making Madelyne a more mysterious and controversial character.
Jean's revival caused some major issues with Madelyne and Scott's relationship. Madelyne was revealed to be a creation of Mister Sinister. She was made to be an exact clone of Jean Grey. Scott's bond with Jean drove Madelyne mad. The clone courted Alex Summers, Scott's brother. She also made a deal with demon spirits to gain more power. After her new upgrade, she recreated her identity as The Goblin Queen. Since then, Madelyne Pryor has died and returned to life only to disappear into obscurity, until now.
Madelyne Pryor, aka The Goblin Queen, has returned to the pages of X-Men comics in Jonathan Hickman's X-Men run. This time, she is the antagonist of The Hellions, the strangest X-Men team ever put together. The original team includes Mister Sinister, Havok, the new Psylocke, Wild Child, Scalphunter, Empath, Nanny, and Orphanmaker. Madelyne Pryor is one of the few mutants that is excluded from the mutant community of Krakoa, a safe haven for all mutants (even previous villains). The Goblin Queen planned to invade Krakoa with an army of clones to forever change the environment of those who denied her asylum, but in Hellions #4 by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia, Madelyne dies for good.
Madelyne has Cyclops' brother Havok in her clutches. Havok, still emotionally attached to his seducer, seems at ease before Madelyn's death. Though her initial pursuit of Havok was only to get back at Cyclops, they have a strong and interesting relationship dynamic. Madelyne is shot dead before Havok's eyes by Greycrow. Greycrow ends Madelyn's plot to siege Krakoa and saves many mutant lives but ends the life of Havok's love.
Havok learns that reviving Madelyne would violate the resurrection protocols set in place by the higher powers in Krakoa. Even considering Cyclops's longstanding relationship with The Goblin Queen, Scott refuses all of Alex's pleas to revive her. This makes Madelyn not only one of the few mutants excluded from Krakoa but also one of the few mutants who does not get the opportunity to be resurrected after death. The tragic life of Madelyne Pryor ended just as randomly as it began many years ago. She died as an outsider to both mutant and human society.
Hellions #4 by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia is available now.