The X-Men confront the Hellfire Club in a violent psychic showdown as the secret society pushes Jean Grey closer to unleashing the Phoenix within her. Manipulated by promises of unlocking godlike power, Jean’s mental state wavers between control and catastrophe. Cyclops struggles to hold the team together while attempting to reach Jean emotionally before she loses herself completely. Wolverine, Storm, Beast, and Colossus battle through the Club’s enhanced operatives as the full extent of the Hellfire conspiracy comes into focus.
This chapter escalates the Phoenix tension in the Ultimate Universe, setting the stage for the catastrophic fallout in the next arc.