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In Phoenix Song: Echo #3, the latest breakout star of the MCU just discovered that she has an ability that makes her an even more powerful hero.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Phoenix Song: Echo #3, available now from Marvel.
Ever since becoming the latest human host of the Phoenix Force, Echo (aka Maya Lopez) has been struggling with her place in the universe, as well as what to do with the incredible power at her command. Not only that, but the ancient, malevolent being known as the Adversary has been hunting her ancestors through time in the hopes of claiming the power of the Phoenix for itself. Chasing the Adversary through the ages has been one of the greatest challenges Maya has ever faced, but it has also brought her face-to-face with the one person who can show her true the depths of her power in Phoenix Song: Echo #3 (by Rebecca Roanhorse, Luca Maresca, Kyle Charles, Carlos Lopez, Bryan Valenza, and VC’s Ariana Maher).
Maya Lopez has followed the Adversary across centuries, although she has been unsuccessful in her attempts to stop it so far. Even worse, her closest ally has been grievously wounded by their enemy just as they arrived in the middle of Cahokia almost a thousand years in the past. In spite of how bad the situation appears, Maya’s journey has finally brought her exactly where she needs to be. It is there in the ancient Americas that she find a sympathetic and understanding ear in the form of Ohoyo Luak, the Phoenix of the era. Ohoyo might not be familiar with the Adversary specifically, but she has a much better understanding of the powers of the Phoenix and its power to overcome death.
After Maya explains her current situation to her ancient predecessor, she is met with unexpected laughter. Ohoyo explains that Maya shouldn’t be running from her problems in the first place, even if she is a comparatively infantile Phoenix at the moment. Maya’s fears over what would happen if she were to lose control and harm someone are easily eschewed by the power she controls, at least as far as Ohoyo is concerned. Not only does the ancient Phoenix tell Maya that she could raze entire civilizations with ease, but she also assures her that she has the power to resurrect the dead.
Maya Lopez is not the first human host of the Phoenix Force, and she has yet to display the power of those who have come before her. When the Phoenix first appeared back in 1976’s X-Men #101 (by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum), it arrived in the form of Jean Grey. Not long after its introduction, the Phoenix began displaying its impossible power by saving the team from what should have been certain death. Unfortunately, it would also display its propensity for destruction as the Dark Phoenix by literally consuming an entire star and the surrounding, inhabited worlds.
While the Phoenix Force has had dozens of other hosts in the years since its introduction to the Marvel Universe, Jean Grey has always been the most iconic and capable wielder of its power. This was due in no small part to just how adept Jean was at harnessing the Phoenix from the outset, something she has even tried to share with Maya. Of course, it wasn’t Maya’s prowess with controlling cosmic beings that drove the Phoenix to choose her as its host. Rather, it was her ability to adapt under extreme circumstances. Now that she knows just how powerful she actually is, not to mention that she can help repair whatever damage she causes while unleashing it, Maya could quite possibly become the greatest Phoenix of all time.
If Maya Lopez can a way to fully tap into the power of the Phoenix, the Adversary would be no match for her. Unfortunately, her hesitance and reluctance to fully explore her powers has thus far inhibited her. Ohoyo has now given Maya a better understanding of what she is capable of, most importantly letting her know that the damage the power of the Phoenix causes is ultimately repairable. This should allow Maya to set her reservations about her new powers aside in favor of defeating the Adversary and its plans for her family.
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