What if Storm had the power of Phoenix? From Marvel Comics' What If Vol. 2 #79

🔥 Rising from the Ashes (Goddess Edition)
This week the Phoenix Force skips Jean Grey entirely — and the weather will never be the same.

Ep. 180 What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?

from What If...? Vol. 2 #79 ("What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?")

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We're diving into Earth-9590, where the Dark Phoenix Saga's shuttle crash goes very differently: Jean Grey is knocked unconscious, Ororo Munroe takes the controls, and what walks out of the wreckage calls itself Storm — but is it? We explore a world ruled by a weather goddess turned benevolent dictator, why the Phoenix Force always needs a face to wear, and how Kitty Pryde becomes the unlikely key to the truth.

Along the way we talk Storm's icon status (and why the screen keeps failing her), the anatomy of a Phoenix story, and creators Sarah Byam and Franchesco's one-issue trip to a colder, stranger Earth. Then we wrap by pondering Jean Grey's blockbuster moment — Sadie Sink's mystery-shrouded debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, villain-era Jean, and what it means for the MCU's X-Men to begin with the most powerful mutant of all.

Reading / Watch List:

• What If...? Vol. 2 #79 — "What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?" (Marvel, Nov 1995)
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)

Mentioned / Related Episodes:

• Ep. 7 — What if Storm stayed a thief?
• Ep. 172 — What if Jean Grey was resurrected instead of Colossus?

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Creators and Guests

Host

Guido A. Sanchez

author✍️ educator🤓// collector + fan of comics, books, antiques, ephemera, movies, music // podcast🎙️Dear Watchers //❤️🏳️‍🌈🇨🇺// QUEER MYTHOLOGY 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️book out now // The Substrate on Substack

Host

Robert

Queer Nerd for Horror, Rock N Roll and Comics (in that order). Co-Host of @dearwatchers a Marvel What If and Omniverse Podcast

What is Dear Watchers: an omniversal comic book podcast?

Dear Watchers is a comic book podcast taking you through the omniverse where your Watchers Guido and Rob explore a different multiverse each episode, from Marvel’s What If to DC’s Elseworlds and far beyond. Join as we discuss the stories that were inspired by and take inspiration from each episode's alternate universe. Includes special episodes with guest creators, scholars and fellow podcasters to share their favorite trips to the multiverse and help ponder the possibilities of what lies ahead for comics and storytelling. For bonus episodes: www.ko-fi.com/DearWatchers