The X-Men are trapped by the Hellfire Club, who have orchestrated their funding from the start to prepare Jean Grey to accept the Phoenix Force. They plan to serve this God for eternity, but their arrogant belief that they could predict its actions proves wrong. Before the X-Men can properly deal with the fallout of that event, they learn that Beast has unwittingly and/or unwillingly given all of their secrets to the Brotherhood, who have since returned Magneto to his former self.