Jean Grey
(Gisted profile)
Context
Jean Grey is one of the core X-Men characters. She was part of the original, 1963 team as Marvel Girl. Later on she was the main character in the Dark Phoenix Saga, one of the landmark 1980s comic book story arcs.
This is a gisted profile for Jean. Ideally it’ll be succeeded by a series of era-specific profiles.
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Background
- Real Name: Jean Grey.
- Other Aliases: Marvel Girl, Ms. Psyche, Phoenix IV, Miz Destiny, Black Queen I, Dark Phoenix, Redd Dayspring.
- Marital Status: Married.
- Known Relatives: Dr. John Grey (father), Elaine Grey (mother), Sara Grey-Bailey (sister, deceased), Paul Bailey (brother in law), Gailyn Bailey (niece), Joey Bailey (nephew), Scott Summers (aka Cyclops, husband), Christopher Summers (aka Corsair, father-in-law), Katherine Anne Summers (mother-in-law, deceased), Alexander Summers (aka Havok, brother-in-law), the Phoenix entity (aka Phoenix II, duplicate of her filled with some of her essence, deceased), Madelyne Pryor (aka Goblin Queen, genetic clone, deceased), Nathan Christopher Summers (aka Cable, stepson and unofficially adopted son), Rachel Summers (aka Phoenix III aka the Mother Askani, daughter in an alternative timeline), Nate Grey (aka X-Man, son in a destroyed alternative timeline).
- Group Affiliation: The X-Men, The X-Corporation, Former member of the X-Terminators, X-Factor I, the Hellfire Club inner circle and the Seven Brides of Set. She is One of the Twelve, too.
- Base Of Operations: Xavier Institute of Higher Learning at Salem Center, NY or mobile.
- Height: 5’6″ Weight: 115 lbs. Age: Late 20s.
- Eyes: Green Hair: Red
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Powers and Abilities
As a telepath, Jean Grey can read minds, project thoughts and illusions into others’ heads and teach herself and others languages and skills mentally from other people nearby.
Her low-level active telepathy includes sensing the presence of sentient life in the vicinity, as well as pinpoint mutants. She is a master of mental combat and defense, and can even enter the astral plane at will.
Her telekinetic abilities allow her to levitate herself, other living beings and inanimate objects, as well as project powerful shields or bolts of pure telekinetic force. Her many years of experience as an X-Man has taught her many different uses of her base powers, and she is one of the most prominent telepaths of the Marvel Earth.
Jean also has acquired skills within suck diverse fields as modeling, public speaking, unarmed combat, first aid, biology, physics, driving and piloting. In addition to her powers and skills, her warmth, insight and will to fight for Xavier’s dream are among her greatest assets.
Description
Jean Grey is a shapely built woman, often considered very beautiful, with chiselled features and long red, wavy hair. Thick lips and deep green eyes complete the striking picture she presents; and so Jean very often (unwillingly) draws a lot of unwanted attention from the opposite sex.
Currently, she is often seen in a leather-based X-Men uniform. Her presence is strong and confident, and her body language is non-threatening and kind. It is clear that she is out there to help people.
Personality
The picture Jean presents to the world is calm and cool with great self-esteem. She is emotionally strong, practical, and a steady presence to her team-mates. She also has a passionate side that can appear in battle, which makes her a dangerous opponent.
Jean has a warm heart and will, without doubt, help those in need, treating humans and mutants alike. There is no doubt that she would selflessly give her life for her comrades or to save mankind/mutantkind. In fact, once when she did exactly that, it lead to the creation of the Phoenix entity on Earth.
To her friends, Jean is a steady anchor that can be trusted at all times.
Relationship
Just as Jean hid her love for Scott as a teen, she must forever conceal her strong feelings for another X-Man: Wolverine. Tempering telepathy and telekinesis with warmth and compassion, Jean secretly hungers for an equally passionate partner.
And while she remains faithful to her husband, part of her seeks something more than Scott’s detached devotion. Wolverine is Cyclops’ opposite in every way, matching Scott’s stoicism and grace under fire with an animal passion and killer instinct that mask the heart of a poet.
When Cyclops is worlds away, lost in his own agenda, Wolverine stands by Jean in the here and now. Logan shares Jean’s feelings, but knows that Scott is the one for her. To the other X-Men, the unsaid attraction between Logan and Jean reads as a deep, binding friendship.
More than a costumed adventurer, Jean is mentor to a new generation of mutants. As headmistress at Xavier’s School, she teaches a motley crew of troubled teenagers to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind, and hone their strange abilities in preparation for the day when mutants are Earth’s dominant species.
Quotes
“In my worst nightmare, I am myself. Not the Phoenix. Not Madelyne Pryor. Not even Marvel Girl. I’m just Jean Grey – one of the most powerful psis on the planet. The frightening thing is, in my dream, I’m not afraid to lose myself in my mutant ability. I cut loose. Completely. That’s my worse nightmare.”
DC Universe History
I’ve no idea; despite her status as a major X-Man, she, as a character, holds a low-key status and doesn’t have any clear DCU Connections. Just use Kansas Jim’s Secret DCU History and insert her just as she is.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Jean Grey (mid-2000s)
| Dex: 05 | Str: 03 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Responsibility of Power |
| Int: 08 | Wil: 08 | Min: 10 | Occupation: X-Man, Teacher |
| Inf: 07 | Aur: 08 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 022 | HP: 080 |
Powers:
Adaptation: 06, Comprehend Languages: 08, Detect (Mutants): 05, Force Field: 07, Flight: 06, Hypnotism: 06, Life Sense: 10, Mental Blast: 10, Mental Illusion: 08, Mind Field: 08, Mind Probe: 11, Telekinesis: 11, Telepathy: 14, Spirit Travel: 04
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Comprehend Languages, Flight, Mind Field and Spirit Travel is Usably by Others (+5).
- Hypnotism has its Range increased by 4 APs (+1).
- Force Field, Flight and Mental Blast are Elementally Linked to Telekinesis (-1).
- Adaptation, Comprehend Languages, Detect, Life Sense, Mental Illusion, Mind Field, Mind Probe and Spirit Travel are Elementally Linked to Telepathy (-1).
- Adaptation can only Target Skills (-1) that require no physical training (-1).
- Adapted Skills and Comprehended languages must be possessed by a mind-read character within Telepathy Range in order to be Adapted or Comprehended (-1 each).
- Spirit Travel is a Minor Marginal Power (-1).
Skills:
Accuracy (Mental Blast, Telekinesis): 10, Artist (Modeling): 04, Charisma: 07, Martial Arts: 05, Medicine (First Aid): 04, Scientist: 04, Vehicles: 05
Advantages:
Attractive, Iron Nerves, Languages (Japanese, Russian), Leadership, Scholar (Psionics).
Connections:
X-Men (High), Xavier Institute for Higher Learning (High), X-Corporation (High), Scott Summers (Cyclops, High), James Logan (Wolverine, High).
Drawbacks:
Dark Secret (Mutant, previously only), Married (Scott Summers aka Cyclops, 0 HPs).
The Phoenix Entity
The cosmic entity known only as the Phoenix currently resides within Jean Grey. The entity can be summoned when really needed, upon which Jean has access to some of the powers of the entity herself.
In game terms, activating the abilities of the Phoenix Entity is done by paying a fee, once only for that entire scene, equal to the cost of a Seriously Marginal Power.
The following changes occur upon doing so : All of Jean’s Mystical Stats temporarily increase by 1 AP each and she has free access to the following, demonstrated Powers — Control: 12, Energy Absorption: 12, Mental Illusion: 12, Mind Blast: 12, Pyrotechnics: 08 and Power Reserve (All Powers): 05.
The full extent of abilities gainable from Jean’s connection to the Phoenix entity is currently unknown. The Phoenix entity is likely to become part of a major subplot/adventure later on.
Jean Grey and her power fluctuations and growth
Jean Grey has greatly varied in power levels over the years. The reason for this is two-fold ; first, her two-sided nature of powers, i.e. telekinetic and telepathic powers, and secondly, the involvement in her life by the Phoenix Entity.
When Jean first started as a student at Xavier’s many years ago her Telepathy power was mentally blocked by Xavier for her own protection. As an effect, most of her powers were also neutralized and she only had access to the basic telekinetic set of her powers for several years.
During the early years, she only had access to Telekinesis and thus Force Shield (which later evolved into Force Field), Flight and Mental Blast.
The classic Jean Grey, as she was presented in the early issues of “The Uncanny X-Men” was less powerful than she currently is, and had her Physical Stats 1 AP lower, her Mental and Mystical Stats 2 APs lower, and her Powers 3 APs lower, while her HP rating was only set at around 45-50 HPs total.
Later on
Later on, her Telepathy returned and she grew in experience with using it, consequently learning a large set of telepathic based powers until she reached her current level. The Phoenix Entity had access to supercharged versions of all Jean’s powers and more.
When Jean awoke from the coma she was placed in, when the Phoenix Entity took over her identity, she possessed only her basic, rudimentary set of telekinetic powers. Later on, her full telepathic powers returned again, and currently, as the Phoenix Entity has become involved in her life again, she’s more powerful than ever before.
Jean’s power fluctuations and involvement with the Phoenix entity are excellent material for Power Complications and Personality Subplots, respectively.
Combat on the Astral Plane
Combat on the other-dimensional realm known as the Astral Plane is engaged by entering the realm by use of the Spirit Travel/SL:Spirit Travel Power. In the Marvel Universe, telepaths/mentalists can engage in mental combat there.
This allows them to use all of their powers, while being immune to all physical attacks (only Mental and Mystical attacks can be initiated) by initiating contact by use of the Telepathy Power.
The combat will visually appear, to the combatants and any onlooker, as if the Force Manipulation Power or Physical Combat was used, even though Mind Blast, Mind Field etc. are really being used. This combat also includes Mind-to-Mind battle as described under the Telepathy Power, with ability to attack and defend using Mental Attributes.
An important note is that on the Astral Plane you cannot break Telepathic contact once established, unless you first leave the Astral Plane.
Being killed on the Astral Plane means being killed in real life as well, with the character’s soul being trapped in an eternal limbo, and the physical body left dead behind. Due to this extremely unpleasant ending, mental combat on the Astral Plane is rarely initiated (as it basically is once a Telepathic link has been established).
Source of Character: X-Men Comics.
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet, Craig Clark, John Colagioia, Phil Dixon, marvel.com (Personality).