Warning: contains spoilers for A.X.E. X-Men #1!Marvel just set up a perfect new mythological codename for an original X-Men hero, right on the heels of their decision to abandon their original name for good. What's more, this new name comes direct from a Celestial committed to judging all mankind, and may help to set a recent change to X-Men/Avengers lore in stone.
The hero in question is Jean Grey, formerly known as both Marvel Girl and Phoenix, but currently going by her human name in the comics. Jean has had a complicated history with codenames, ever since it was revealed that her 'Phoenix' persona connected her to a cosmic force of destruction which used her to wipe out countless lives. Jean has used the 'Phoenix' name since, but left it behind as part of X-Men's new 'Krakoan Era,' returning to her original Marvel Girl codename. This was especially appropriate as the Pheonix Force found a new host in the Avengers' Echo, with Marvel making some major moves to transplant the Phoenix over from the X-Men's corner of the universe to the Avengers (including hints the Phoenix is Thor's true mother.)
Recently however, Jean also declared she was lives taken by her Dark Phoenix form, comparing her to the Celestials themselves and describing her as "a Red Dragon."
Will X-Men's Jean Grey Become Red Dragon?
It's a fascinating reference, as the name would have a lot of significance for Jean were she to take it on. With or without the Phoenix, Jean has displayed pyrokinetic abilities, with fiery manifestations used to indicate the extremes of her power. Jean is also the iconic leader of the modern X-Men Red - a team and series which explored her heroic potential separate to the Phoenix Force, and which remains a fan-favorite. Different traditions employ the imagery of a red dragon in different ways, but one commonality is a surprising sense of positivity - the red dragon is powerful, but it's also bound up in ideas of ion and creation. As an ultra-powerful fire-wielder looking to differentiate herself from the Phoenix, it would make sense for Jean Grey to take the Celestial's insult and wear it as a badge of honor.
Marvel Girl No More
It wouldn't be out of character for Jean to simply keep using her human name, but there are a few reasons to suspect she won't. First, the Krakoa Age has seen mutants celebrate their own culture separate to humanity, making the symbolic use of 'mutant names' more important than ever. Second, Marvel seems to be repositioning Jean Grey as a major frontline hero, giving her a prominent role in recent events King in Black and Judgment Day not just among the X-Men, but among its entire roster of heroes, suggesting a cool superhero name is more appropriate now than ever. Finally, Jean's rejection of her Marvel Girl name was tied to her seeming redemption for her crimes as the Dark Phoenix. With the Celestial arguing nothing can redeem her, it makes sense that Jean would pivot to a name that speaks to her unique moral status.
Only time will tell if the Progenitor's 'Red Dragon' insult was ing imagery or the start of a new era for Jean Grey, but there's no doubt the X-Men's powerhouse psychic could live up to the fiery implications of the title.
