As AXE: Judgment Day races toward the final issue of the core event series, October 5's AXE: X-Men #1 fills in the next part of the chapter with a team of X-Men, Eternals, and Avengers infiltrating the Celestial's colossal body to try and save or revive the people already killed by its judgment to destroy the Earth.
In the story from lead AXE: Judgment Day writer Kieron Gillen, artists Francesco Mobili and Frank Martin, and letterer Clayton Cowles, Jean Grey takes center stage, facing judgment from the Celestial, and proving that she just might be the most powerful mutant psychic in existence.
Spoilers ahead for AXE: X-Men #1
While the newly birthed Celestial conducts its cleansing of the Earth and its entire population, a team of some of its creators and several powerful mutants, including Tony Stark, Sersi and Ajak of the Eternals, Mister Sinister, and Wolverine and Jean Grey of the X-Men try to make their way to its power core, which Ajak calls its "God-Heart," fending off the antibody creatures it generates to repel them.
Jean leads the way, psychically probing the Celestial's mind, which she says is more powerful than anything she's ever seen. As the team reaches the God-Heart, it's guarded by a massive energy core, which Jean must telekinetically shield her colleagues from. While she holds it apart, the Celestial returns her psychic assault, choosing this moment to test her worthiness.
The Celestial torments Jean over the destruction of an entire galaxy caused by the Dark Phoenix, which possessed her at the time, with Jean begging forgiveness and lamenting that she feels no act of heroism can ever redeem her.
Despite her resistance, the Celestial agrees, giving Jean the thumbs down - for which Wolverine comforts her, pointing out the Celestial's hypocrisy in condemning Jean in the midst of its own attempt to destroy an entire world.
Angered and traumatized by the Celestial's judgment, Jean lights up with psychic energy, instantly vaporizing an entire wave of antibody creatures, and vowing to fully annihilate the Celestial.
And despite their resignation at Jean's oath of vengeance against the Eternals' new god, even Ajak is forced to admit that Jean does indeed have the power to psychically challenge the Celestial, as demonstrated by her ability to telekinetically control its God-Heart.
Just as Mister Sinister points out in the story, there's no better argument for Jean's Omega-level psychic power than her fight with the Celestial - which proves that she's one of, if not the, most powerful psychics in the entire Marvel Universe, mutant or otherwise.
AXE: Judgment Day #6, the final issue of the core event series, goes on sale October 27.
Stay up to date on all the new X-Men comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond.
