On the Marvel side, Captain America's persuasion campaign finally brought everyone into alignment. They called in the Fantastic Four and Black Bolt, and Professor X brought Cyclops and Jean Grey.
For a moment, heroes gathered in force, yet no one could agree on how to fight the decisive battle.
Thea threw another wrench into the debate. She wanted to revive Galactus.
"I can't figure out his life-form structure. Does anyone here know how to bring him back?" She addressed the Marvel locals.
Her gaze moved across Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Professor X, Doctor Strange, and Black Bolt. Beyond the Avengers, these five had quietly formed their own shadow council, the Illuminati. Every one of them was a member, and they had access to intelligence the Avengers never saw.
Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four and arguably the smartest man in the room, studied her with open curiosity. Thea could read it in his eyes: he hadn't fully committed to trusting the Justice League.
"Galactus is unpredictable. Can you guarantee he'll fight on our side?" Reed asked.
Galactus wasn't Thea's pet. She had no idea what he'd do.
She shook her head. "I can't. I don't even know his history. All I know is that our combined strength isn't enough to take on Krona. We need allies. Krona killed him, which makes him a natural one."
"Even with all these forces assembled, you still can't defeat this Krona?" Professor X spoke gently, warm enough to make anyone feel at ease. A deeply refined old man. A bald, deeply refined old man.
Thea respected her elders, but she also needed to make a point. She glanced around, then waved Thor over from across the room, where he was drinking.
Thor looked confused. What did she want?
Thea pointed at him. "He's supposed to be one of the strongest on your side, and he couldn't handle a single move from Krona."
The subtext wasn't subtle: your strongest can't take one hit, and I lasted a full minute. Doesn't that make me kind of impressive?
Every member of the Illuminati caught the implication instantly. Iron Man had been in that fight too, which lent the claim additional weight.
"I have reservations about reviving Galactus." Mister Fantastic had dealt with Galactus and the Silver Surfer before; he had more context than anyone present.
"How about this: we treat it as a last resort. We don't even know if it's possible. Consider it an attempt with no guaranteed outcome." Professor X smoothed things over.
Thea didn't push. Forget Galactus, let him keep lying there. She'd just spotted a far better target.
She pointed at Jean Grey, who sat on a sofa across the room, seemingly lost in thought. "That woman's power is terrifying. If she joins the fight, I'd be confident we can win."
Every member of the Illuminati sucked in a breath at the same time.
The choices were: let Krona fuse both universes and trigger a cosmic explosion, unleash the Dark Phoenix to destroy the universe, or let Galactus eat it. Three options, each worse than the last.
Even Professor X's expression shifted. He had no idea how to respond to this woman from another world. The Phoenix Force inside Jean Grey was beyond her own control.
Thea watched them exchange glances. She didn't argue, didn't leave. Just sat and waited.
The Phoenix Force was an unexpected windfall. She'd been run ragged by Krona all day, and the thought of the Phoenix Force hadn't crossed her mind until she saw Jean Grey.
Even at this distance, Thea could sense it. That power was the embodiment of cosmic life and cosmic emotion. The Phoenix Force was like the universe's own child. Its reach spanned from one-dimensional to ten-dimensional space. It was immortal and capricious, and no human mind could hope to contain it.
Most other powers would stop functioning the moment they left Marvel for DC. The Phoenix Force wouldn't. It was an omniversal-grade power. What Jean carried didn't even qualify as the tip of the iceberg. If Thea could study it up close, the benefits would be enormous.
Faced with Thea's proposal, the Illuminati didn't bother with denials, refusals, or "you must be mistaken." These were the elite of humanity's elite. Their pride wouldn't let them lie to her face.
Professor X spoke again. "I don't know what you've sensed, but Jean's power is dangerous. She can't control it herself. I'd advise against this approach."
"I can help her control it. We're visitors here. The power stays with her. If your world faces another crisis down the line, she'd be a critical asset, unless you believe her heart isn't on the side of justice."
Professor X fell silent. At her core, Jean wasn't evil. But she could manifest an evil persona, so claiming she was purely righteous felt dishonest.
"The universe is on the verge of collapse. My family is on the other side, and I don't want complications any more than you do. But her power matters to both universes. Why not hear what she thinks?" Thea retreated a step in order to advance.
When it came to personal freedom and autonomy, Professor X couldn't make this call for her. He exchanged a few words with Jean through their telepathic channel, and the woman in question rose and walked over. In her thirties, poised and intelligent, she carried herself with quiet grace.
Everyone knew they'd spoken telepathically, but Professor X repeated the question aloud for the group.
Cyclops, who harbored unusually deep feelings for Jean, watched her anxiously, wondering what she'd decide.
"Is the crisis really this severe?" As one of the original X-Men, Jean had a strong sense of the bigger picture. Her question cut straight to the heart of it.
The Illuminati's eyes landed on Iron Man. At a moment like this, an insider's judgment carried the most weight.
Iron Man didn't hesitate. He nodded. Doctor Strange followed up immediately. "The London Sanctum lost contact one minute ago. The fusion of both universes is accelerating."
"Then I'm in. Tell me what to do." Jean's voice was steady.
Thea raised a hand. In an instant, the group found themselves suspended among the stars of the cosmos. Countless points of light streaked past on all sides, the universe seemingly running at dozens of times its normal speed. Galaxies whirled, and the surrounding vista blazed with impossible brilliance.
She would've preferred to pull Jean aside privately, but she knew that wasn't an option. She had to bring the Illuminati, Cyclops, and Thor along.
They were all elite among elites. No gasping or gawking, though Cyclops was visibly tense.
"Jean, do you understand your own abilities?"
"Not really. I know it's called the Phoenix Force, and there's a second personality inside me. She might understand it better, but I don't. Also, you can call me Jean. My friends do." Jean was calm. She'd faced enough hardship in her life to have the courage to make a choice, even one that might cost her her life.