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Background Guide

Joint Mission Phoenix Dear Delegates,

2 Hello and welcome to GatorMUN XV! My name is Maya Kelly and I am super excited to be your director for the Joint Mission Phoenix committee! I am a sophomore Animal Science major here at the University of Florida. After graduation, I am going to pursue my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree. In addition to my love for animals, I also have a passion for cultures and international relations, which is where my love for Model UN comes from.

All my life, I have had a love of superheroes in both the Marvel and DC Universes, so the inspiration for this committee has been with me since my childhood. From waking up early and staying up late to watch cartoons to reading comics and going to see any related movies, I could never get enough. The various storylines were inspiring to me because they showed diversity, people prospering regardless of the boundaries set in front of them, and organizations of people working together to fight for the greater good of the world. I also admired the powerful and resilient characters who have shown me to never be afraid to fight for what I believe in and to never give up when things get tough. All the characters are unique in their powers and backgrounds and all face problems that are easily relatable to things that have happened in history and are currently going on in the world today.

The problem crafted for this specific committee is centered around how two different organizations want to handle the . Because of their varying perspectives and leadership, the and the X-Men maintain a rocky relationship. Both teams have their own ways of trying to solve the issue at hand, while the other is an interfering factor that causes the plan to fail. With all of the arguing and fighting between the two teams, they fail to realize that they are both fighting for a common future. The final result is going to affect both the Avengers and the X-Men, so all decisions made need to be in consideration of the impact on everyone.

It is up to each of you as members of both organizations to figure out how to solve the crisis in the most effective way possible and to not just follow everything you have previously seen in various movies, comics, or shows. Position papers are not required for this committee, as you are all characters that already have backstories and personalities that are essential to overcoming the Phoenix Force. I urge each of you to spend time researching your character, so you can accurately represent them throughout the time of this conference. Keep in mind that your handling of the Phoenix Force will impact people all over the world, so be mindful and treat all decisions with the utmost care. I expect all of you to come together and find a solution without destroying the world as we know it. If you have any questions about the committee or research, don’t be afraid to contact me via email at [email protected].

Good luck to you all, and I look forward to witnessing the outcome of this committee!

Sincerely,

Maya Kelly

Crisis Director Rules of Procedure 3 Quorum A majority of voting members answering to the roll at each session shall constitute a quorum for that session. This means that half plus one of all voting members are physically present. Quorum will be assumed consistent unless questioned through a Point of Order. Delegates may request to be noted as “Present” or “Present and Voting.”

Motion to Set Speaking Time This motion must accompany any motion for a Moderated Caucus. In a Motion to Set Speaking Time, a delegate may also specify a number of questions or comments to automatically affix to the Speaking Time. These designated questions or comments may also have Speaking Time or Response Time (in the case of a question) limits, but these are not required. The Director may rule any Motion to Set Speaking Time dilatory. This motion requires a simple majority. Any delegate may make this motion between formal speakers in an effort to change the Speaking Time.

Motion to Suspend the Rules for the Purpose of a Moderated Caucus This motion must include three specifications a. Length of the Caucus b. Speaking Time, and c. Reason for the Caucus During a moderated caucus, delegates will be called on to speak by the Committee Director. Delegates will raise their placards to be recognized. Delegates must maintain the same degree of decorum throughout a Moderated Caucus as in formal debate. This motion requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Suspend the Rules for the Purpose of an Unmoderated Caucus This motion must include the length of the Caucus. During an unmoderated caucus, delegates may get up from their seats and talk amongst themselves. This motion requires a simple majority to pass. The length of an unmoderated caucus in a Crisis committee should not exceed fifteen minutes.

Motion to Suspend the Meeting This motion is in order if there is a scheduled break in debate to be observed. (ie. Lunch!) This motion requires a simple majority vote. The Committee Director may refuse to entertain this motion at their discre- tion.

Motion to Adjourn the Meeting This motion is in order at of the last committee session. It signifies the closing of the committee until next year’s conference.

Points of Order Points of Order will only be recognized for the following items: a) To recognize errors in voting, tabulation, or procedure, b) To question relevance of debate to the current Topic or c) To question a quorum. 4 A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker if necessary and it is to be used sparingly. Points of Inquiry When there is no discussion on the floor, a delegate may direct a question to the Committee Director. Any question directed to another delegate may only be asked immediately after the delegate has finished speaking on a substantive matter. A delegate that declines to respond to a question after a formal speech forfeits any further questioning time. The question must conform to the following format: Delegate from Country A raises placard to be recognized by the Committee Director. Committee Director: “To what point do you rise?” Country A: “Point of Inquiry.” Committee Director: “State your Point.” Country A: “Will the delegate from Country B (who must have just concluded a substantive speech) yield to a question?” Committee Director: “Will the Delegate Yield?” Country B: “I will” or “I will not” (if not, return to the next business item) Country A asks their question (it must not be a rhetorical question.) Country B may choose to respond or to decline. If the Delegate from Country B does not yield to or chooses not to answer a question from Country A, then he/she yields all remaining questioning time to the Committee Director.

Points of Personal Privilege Points of personal privilege are used to request information or clarification and conduct all other business of the body except Motions or Points specifically mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.

Please note: The Director may refuse to recognize Points of Order, Points of Inquiry or Points of Personal Privilege if the Committee Director believes the decorum and restraint inherent in the exercise has been violated, or if the point is deemed dilatory in nature.

Rights of Reply At the Committee Director’s discretion, any member nation or observer may be granted a Right of Reply to answer serious insults directed at the dignity of the delegate present. The Director has the ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY to accept or reject Rights of Reply, and the decision IS NOT SUBJECT TO APPEAL. Delegates who feel they are being treated unfairly may take their complaint to any member of the Secretariat.

Directives Directives act as a replacement for Draft Resolutions when in Crisis committees, and are the actions that the body decides to take as a whole. Directives are not required to contain operative or preambulatory clauses. A directive should contain: a. The name(s) of the author(s), b. A title, and c. A number of signatories/sponsors signatures’ necessary to introduce, determined by the Director A simple majority vote is required to introduce a directive, and multiple directives may be introduced at once. Press releases produced on behalf of the body must also be voted on as Directives. Friendly Amendments Friendly Amendments are any changes to a formally introduced Directive that all Sponsors agree to in writ- 5 ing. The Committee Director must approve the Friendly Amendment and confirm each Sponsor’s agreement both verbally and in writing.

Unfriendly Amendments Unfriendly Amendments are any substantive changes to a formally introduced Directive that are not agreed to by all of the Sponsors of the Directive. In order to introduce an Unfriendly Amendment, the Unfriendly Amendment must the number equivalent to 1/3 of Quorum confirmed signatories. The Committee Director has the authority to discern between substantive and nonsubstantive Unfriendly amendment proposals. Plagiarism GatorMUN maintains a zero-tolerance policy in regards to plagiarism. Delegates found to have used the ideas of others without properly citing those individuals, organizations, or documents will have their creden- tials revoked for the duration of the GatorMUN conference. This is a very serious offense. Crisis Notes A crisis note is an action taken by an individual in a Crisis committee. Crisis notes do not need to be intro- duced or voted on, and should be given to the Crisis Staff by sending the notes to a designated pickup point in each room. A crisis note should both be addressed to crisis and have the delegate’s position on both the inside and outside of the note. Motion to Enter Voting Procedure Once this motion passes, and the committee enters Voting Procedure, no occupants of the committee room may exit the Committee Room, and no individual may enter the Committee Room from the outside. A member of the Dias will secure all doors.

• No talking, passing notes, or communicating of any kind will be tolerated during voting procedures. • Each Directive will be read to the body and voted upon in which they were introduced. Any Proposed Unfriendly Amendments to each Directive will be read to the body and voted upon before the main body of the Directive as a whole is put to a vote. • Delegates who requested to be noted as “Present and Voting” are unable to abstain during voting proce- dure. Abstentions will not be counted in the tallying of a majority. For example, 5 yes votes, 4 no votes, and 7 abstentions means that the Directive passes. • The Committee will adopt Directives and Unfriendly Amendments to Directives if these documents pass with a simple majority. Specialized committees should refer to their background guides or Committee Directors for information concerning specific voting procedures. Roll Call Voting A counted placard vote will be considered sufficient unless any delegate to the committee motions for a Roll Call Vote. If a Roll Call Vote is requested, the committee must comply. All delegates must vote: “For,” “Against,” “Abstain,” or “Pass.”

During a Roll Call vote, any delegate who answers, “Pass,” reserves his/her vote until the Committee Director has exhausted the Roll. However, once the Committee Director returns to “Passing” Delegates, they must vote: “For” or “Against.” Accepting by Acclamation 6 This motion may be stated when the Committee Director asks for points or motions. If a Roll Call Vote is requested, the motion to Accept by Acclamation is voided. If a delegate believes a Directive will pass without opposition, he or she may move to accept the Directive by acclamation. The motion passes unless a single delegate shows opposition. An abstention is not considered opposition. Should the motion fail, the commit- tee will move directly into a Roll Call Vote. Positions 7 Anthony “Tony” Stark, Known all across the world as the infamous Iron Man, Tony Stark is the CEO of and has obtained multiple PhDs from MIT in various fields. Tony doesn’t have any superpowers, but he created the Iron Man suit to use in battle with various types of weaponry and flying capabilities. He is a well-known super-genius, expert engineer, and skilled businessman. Tony is a trained marksman, and has been tutored in martial arts by , Black Widow, and Black Panther. He is also one of the former directors of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Benjamin “Ben” Grimm, The Thing As one of the founding members of the , Benjamin Grimm, along with the other founders, was exposed to a high level of cosmic radiation that caused them all to mutate. Ben’s mutation gave him a smooth rock-like epidermis that prevents him from aging and allows him to resist physical injury. His mutation also gives him superhuman strength and stamina. Ben is gifted in hand-to-hand combat and, before he mutated, Ben was an Air Force pilot and was trained as an astronaut.

Clinton “Clint” Barton, When Clinton Barton was a child, his parents died in a car accident, and he spent time in numerous foster homes before he and his brother decided to join a traveling circus. After leaving the circus, he partnered up with Black Widow, but later turned in his life of crime to join the Avengers. Although Clint does not have superpowers, he is a skilled archer, marksman, and martial artist. For a period of time, Clint used the guise of Ronin and joined the New Avengers, but he eventually went back to being Hawkeye.

Daniel Rand, As the wielder of the power of Iron Fist, Daniel has presented himself to the Avengers to aid in their battle against the Phoenix Force. His powers allow him to use mystical chi to expand his capabilities to a superhuman level. Over the years, he has also learned how to use these powers for other things like dimensional travel, energy regeneration, mind fusion, and hypnotism. Daniel is a skilled martial artist and master of meditation and knows how to locate various pressure points on the human body. He is also the CEO of Rand Corporation, a multi-million dollar conglomerate.

Henry “Hank” McCoy, Known to be one of the eight smartest people in the world, Hank McCoy is one of the founding members of the X-Men. He uses his knowledge in his various fields of expertise to help the X-Men and has created many useful tools for them as well, such as Cerebra and a time traveling device. As a member of the X-Men, he is known as Beast due to his unusually large hands and feet, blue fur, and ape-like physical abilities.. Hank is very skilled in hand-to-hand combat and is an expert tactician, which has helped the X-Men win many battles in the past.

Matthew Murdock, Daredevil Matthew Murdock, better known as Daredevil, obtained superhuman senses after being exposed to a radioactive isotope. He is also an expert in martial arts and weapons, a skilled marksman, and a master acrobat. Matthew has a passion for law and justice, so it is not surprising that professionally, Murdock spends time as a prosecuting attorney and spends his spare time mentoring Blindspot. He is also a former faction for and he’s an associate of the . Natasha Romanova, Black Widow In her younger years, Natasha Romanova was abducted and presented to the Hand, where she became 8 their Master Assassin until she was rescued by Captain America, Logan, and Ivan Petrovitch. She learned espionage and combat in the Red Room. While there, Natasha was also given a Russian serum that prolonged her life and youthful appearance. She is a very skilled fighter with the help of her martial arts, marksman and acrobatic skills. Natasha is an expert tactician and her multilingual capabilities help her go undercover for S.H.I.E.L.D. She is also a talented hacker, and uses her gifted intellect to help her tactician capabilities. Natasha was also a member of the Black Ops unit for the Secret Avengers.

Peter Parker, Spider-Man At the age of 15, Peter Parker was bitten by an irradiated spider that altered his chromosome power and gave him unique abilities. The bite gave him spider-like abilities that allow him to climb walls, heal himself, and sense danger. Peter used to work as a photographer for the , but currently works as a scientist at Horizon Labs. He is also a member of the Fantastic Four and in his career, Peter has fought alongside every hero located in Manhattan.

Steve Rogers, Captain America Steve Rogers, more commonly known as Captain America, is known all over the world for being genetically enhanced with a Super-Soldier Serum that gave him superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, and accelerated healing. After he was recovered from the Arctic Ocean, Steve has frequently worked as an intelligence operative for S.H.I.E.L.D., and he serves as the liaison for relations with the Avengers. He is known for his shield and his expert martial arts skills. Steve is also an expert marksman and is skilled with all kinds of weapons and various vehicles, as well.

T’Challa, Black Panther As the King of , T’Challa is the leader of the most advanced people in the world, and has access to all of their resources. He received a PhD in Physics from Oxford University and is known as one of the eight smartest people in the world. As a superhero, T’Challa is known as Black Panther, and he was given powers and enhanced human abilities from the goddess Bast. As Black Panther, he is able to recall all of the knowledge, strength, and experiences from the previous Black Panthers. T’Challa is also known as the King of the Dead, and is an expert martial artist who is a skilled tracker, inventor, marksman, and acrobat.

Thor Odinson of As the Crown Prince of Asgard, has a lot of experience with other realms and interdimensional travel. He is known for his strength and his Warhammer, , which has the ability to open passageways between space and time and to bend elements to its master’s will. Thor has the ability to speak in all the languages of the Nine Realms, which has helped him in relations with other planets. He is also a very accomplished warrior in Asgard and is resistant to the mental influence of other beings.

Amara Aquilla, In Amara’s childhood, her father sent her to live in the jungles outside of to protect her from the immortal . Amara was found by the while she was hiding in the jungle; however, both parties were then captured by soldiers from Nova Roma. During a fight with Selene, Amara was pushed into a pit of lava and it awakened her mutant powers. She then left for the United States with the New Mutants and joined Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Amara has also spent time at the Massachusetts Academy with the Hellions. Along with her powers to create flames and project heat, Amara also has the ability to move tectonic plates and telekinetically project blasts of magma at her targets. Erik Lehnsherr, Former leader and founder of the Brotherhood and , Erik Lehnsherr has had a rough life that has led him to working hard to fight for mutants’ rights. With the more he did, Erik grew to have more influence 9 over his fellow mutants as a leader. His mutation gives him the ability of magnetokinesis, which allows him to control all forms of magnetism and manipulate ferrous metals. Erik has also trained himself to be resistant to telepathy and created a helmet to protect himself from probes. Even though Erik didn’t have the opportunity to seek a higher education, he has a genius intellect and is very knowledgeable on the subjects of mutation and genetic engineering.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, After being mind controlled by Synne, Elizabeth Braddock’s psychic abilities started to grow. For a short period of time, she took over the role of for her twin brother, and later joined the X-Men when he returned. Elizabeth was killed during a mission with ’s X-Treme X-Men and was resurrected by her brother Jamie. Elizabeth’s psychic abilities allow her to track other mutants, use mind control, and create a psychic . Elizabeth is a skilled martial artist and an expert in telepathic combat. She carries a katana which she channels psionic energy through in battle.

James Proudstar, Warpath James and his brother John grew up on an Apache reservation in Arizona. John was recruited for the X-Men and was killed on his first mission. When James’ powers came, he joined the Hellions and eventually became their leader. After a while of being leader, James quit and, soon after, joined the New Mutants under ’s leadership and later X-Force. Warpath is a mutant who has superhuman strength, speed, stamina, invulnerability, and healing abilities. He also has abilities that were activated by and is an expert tracker and hunter.

Lorna Dane, After Lorna accidentally killed her parents in a plane crash when she was an infant, she had her memories erased by Mastermind and was sent to live with her mother’s sister-in-law. She thought they were her real parents until she turned twenty, when she met and eventually joined the X-Men. She also spent time on the X-Factor as co-leader with Alex and on Genosha helping to keep order and training with her biological father Magneto. Lorna is a mutant with the ability to manipulate magnetic fields just like her father.

Megan Gwynn, Megan’s super powers manifested at a young age when she was almost hit by a car. She enrolled in the Xavier Institute and was assigned to the Paragons training squad. On one of her missions, Megan gave a portion of her soul to Darkchylde, and that hole was filled with black magic, giving her the ability to do magic. Along with Megan’s wings, she produces a hallucinogenic that puts her victims through a powerful visual and auditory hallucination. Using her magical aptitude, Megan knows a teleportation and sleeping spell, and promised to teach her more in the future.

Ororo Munroe, Storm Ororo Munroe was orphaned at the age of 5, and spent her younger years as a thief in Cairo. Her abilities to control the weather emerged when she was traveling across the Sahara Desert, and, after a few more years of moving across Africa, she was recruited to the X-Men by Charles Xavier. During her time with the X-Men, she became the leader of the and, later on, led a team of X-Men as a global police force called the X-Treme Sanctions Executive. Ororo descends from a long line of African priestesses, which gives her the potential to wield magic. She can also resist telepathic advances. Remy LeBeau, Raised by a gang of street thieves, Remy Lebeau started out his career as a thief at a young age. After being 10 kicked out of the Thieves’ Guild, Remy traveled the world and eventually got recruited for the X-Men by Storm. Remy LeBeau has the power to transform an object’s potential energy into kinetic energy, thus giving it an explosive effect. He also has hypnotic charm and still has additional abilities gained from his time as one of the Horsemen of the . As the former Horseman of , Gambit has the ability to make air poisonous, resist psychic manipulation, card imprisonment, and more. Gambit is a master thief, combatant, and marksman, and he normally has playing cards and spikes on him at all times.

Robert “Bobby” Drake, Iceman Bobby is a former member of the Champions of Los Angeles and the Defenders. He has powers that allow him to control his internal and external temperatures, thermal , hydrokinesis, and cryokinesis. He can become an organic-ice form, make ice clones of himself, and spread his consciousness through ice. Bobby was recruited for the X-Men by Scott Summers and became the second member of the original X-Men. He was also one of the founding members of the X-Factor.

Roberto “Bobby” da Costa, Bobby’s powers first manifested during his championship soccer when he accidentally hurled a kid off of him with his superhuman strength. After he was targeted by the , Bobby decided to stay with Charles Xavier and join the New Mutants. During a trip to Asgard, he befriended the Warriors Three and considered staying in their realm, but later decided to return to Earth. Bobby has the ability to absorb solar radiation and channel it to give him the ability to fly, increase his strength, project dark plasma energy, and project heat.

Warren Worthington III, Angel Born into wealth, Warren Worthington III was one of the founding members of the X-Men. After both of his parents’ deaths, he inherited their wealth and his father’s membership to the Hellfire Club. Warren is a mutant and has the ability to fly with the use of his large feathered wings extending from his back. He is skilled in aerial hand-to-hand combat, as well as regular combat, and is also a decent . Warren is the chairman of Worthington Industries, an international corporation with holdings in aviation technology and experimental alternative fuels. Origins of the X-Men and Avengers 11 Since the creation of the Avengers and the X-Men, both groups have overcome many battles to become the well-known superhero organizations they are. Both organizations are known for fighting for people’s safety against mutant, alien, and human villains all across the world. Many of the Avengers’ and X-Men’s members have history with both organizations, either as members or through encounters as they fight crime. Although they were created for unique reasons, both teams are on a mission to make the world a safer place for all of its inhabitants.

The Avengers was originally created as a taskforce to fight against , who was trying to trick his brother, Thor. The founding members who fought against Loki are Ant-Man, , Iron Man, Thor, and . Since then, the team has had many different members and leaders, but it still serves the purpose of protecting Earth from domestic and extraterrestrial threats. The Avengers is recognized as a nonprofit organization funded by Tony Stark’s Maria Stark Foundation, and the team is recognized by the United Nations as a peacekeeping force.

The X-Men started out as a group of five teenagers who were still learning how to control their unique abilities. They were formed and led by a paraplegic telepath named Charles Xavier, who wanted to help them learn how to develop their powers and use them to protect the world. Mutants all over the world are feared and hated, and Xavier wanted to change the world’s perception of mutants. The founding members of the team were Scott Summers, Bobby Drake, Jean Gray, Hank McCoy, and Warren Worthington III. Xavier continued to recruit more students and founded an institution called Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. He funded the school with his family’s fortune and the patents he created. Important People Hope Summers was the first new mutant born after -Day. After her birth, the town she was in was attacked and she was saved from the Purifiers by Cable. He said she was the messiah that was sent to save both mutant and humankind. She was later kidnapped by the and taken to who was disguised as . Mystique used her to heal the mutant from a coma, and, after a huge battle, Scott Summers decided it would be better for Hope to go with Cable into the future. After spending years with Cable in the future, Hope returned to find the Xavier Institute in . , a robot mutant exterminator, found out about her return and began hunting her down. Cable sacrificed himself to save Hope, who then turned her sorrow into and destroyed Bastion and his companions by herself. After finding out who her biological parents were, Hope went on different missions to stabilize the powers of a group of mutants known as “the Lights.” Hope is the vessel that the Phoenix Force came back to Earth to use as a host.

Charles Xavier, Professor Charles Xavier discovered and learned how to control his telepathic abilities at a young age. He graduated from Oxford University with Ph.Ds. in genetics and biophysics. Xavier could do many things with his telepathic abilities, including mind alteration, telepathic illusions, and mind transferal. He created the original team of X-Men and used his experience as a mutant to help others develop their abilities. Xavier also has the ability to use a device called “” to find mutants all over the world.

James “Logan” Howlett, 12 James Howlett, better known by the name Logan, is a mutant with the ability to have bone claws extend from the back of his hands. Logan’s claws were changed to , an indestructible metal, when he was kidnapped and experimented on by the Project. Thanks to his healing abilities, Logan has a slower aging process that has prolonged his life and saved him from many near-death experiences. He has been a member of the Avengers and X-Men, but he is currently helping both sides with regards to the issue with the Phoenix Five.

Samuel “Sam” Alexander, Nova Samuel Alexander was searching for his missing father, Jesse Alexander, when he hit his head as he fell off of his skateboard. He woke to find and , who were also searching for his father and his helmet. After they found the helmet, Gamora and Rocket Raccoon trained Sam to be a Nova. Before the Avengers and the X-Men got into their conflict over the Phoenix Force, Sam was going around trying to warn different planets of its approach. He barely escaped Birj with his life while trying to convince to leave the planet. Sam fled to Earth to warn them next, but ended up crashing into a plane. Before he passed out due to his injuries, he only had enough energy to tell the Avengers “It’s coming.”

Wanda Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff gained her abilities when she and her twin brother, Pietro, were experimented on as babies. Wanda’s abilities allow her to use chaos magic to manipulate and warp reality. She is considered to be one of the most powerful beings in the universe. In addition to being an altered human being, Wanda was also trained in sorcery by Agatha Harkness, which helped her to have better control over her abilities. Although there are still some harsh feelings towards Wanda due to her removing mutants’ powers on M-Day, she is still a great resource for the Avengers. History of the Phoenix and

The Phoenix Force is a cosmic entity that represents life that has not yet been born. It was created from the universe and it is an indestructible, immortal, and changing manifestation of life. The Phoenix destroys things that are not evolving in the universe, and is one of the most feared creations in the universe. The Phoenix Host has five “Lights” that help to control the Phoenix’s power. The Phoenix Force was called to Earth by Jean Grey. Jean Grey telepathically linked her mind to her dying friend, and was dragged to the “other side” with her. The Phoenix used its energy to break the connection and continued to keep watch on Jean as she grew older.

Later on in life, when Jean was dying on a space shuttle, her mind called out to the Phoenix. It told her that if she took its hand, she could have what her heart most desired, and when she complied, she fell into a coma. The Phoenix took Jean’s form, memories, and personality, and used its’ powers to help her friends return home. Jean’s body stayed in a coma-like state for years at the bottom of Jamaica Bay, and the Phoenix took Jean’s place. The Phoenix was assessed at the Mutant Research Center by Moira MacTaggert and was said to be too strong to control. To help with this, the part of Jean inside the Phoenix created mental blockers to reduce the level of power she could control at once.

Mastermind, with help of ’s psionic device, convinced the Phoenix into thinking it was Lady Grey, and joined the Hellfire Club as their Black Queen. The X-Men came to rescue her, and Scott Summers lost a psychic battle with Mastermind. His “death” broke the control they and Jean had over the Phoenix, which resulted in the Phoenix leaving for the heavens. With the human emotions clouding its judgement, the Phoenix became Dark Phoenix, it’s most powerful and destructive form. To satiate its hunger, Dark Phoenix flew to another galaxy and consumed its star. Once it returned to Earth, Charles Xavier put the mental blockers back into the Phoenix’s mind. 13

Many witnessed the power of the Dark Phoenix and an intergalactic council decided that the Phoenix must be destroyed for the universe to continue to live. The Shi’ar Empress, Lilandra, came to Earth and proclaimed that the Phoenix would have to die. Charles challenged her to a duel, naming the X-Men as his champions and Lilandra named her Guard as hers. The Imperial Guard quickly went through the X-Men, with Scott and the Phoenix as the last ones standing. Scott was hit by a stray bolt causing the Phoenix to go dark again. Lilandra ordered them to destroy the solar system, but Charles ordered the X-Men to subdue Dark Phoenix. For a brief moment, they had it, but it fled into a back alley with Scott close behind. Dark Phoenix subdued Scott and used an ancient weapon to atomize herself, causing the death of the Phoenix version of Jean Grey.

The Phoenix has had other hosts before it came back to Earth to claim Hope Summers. These hosts are Madelyne Pryor (Jean’s clone) and (Jean’s daughter from an alternative universe). It was later revealed that Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force are a single bound entity, and the Phoenix told Charles Xavier that “Jean is the only house where I live.” She was the closest thing it could find to a physical embodiment.

Phoenix Five Members Scott Summers, Scott Summers was the first mutant Charles Xavier recruited to be a member of the X-Men. His mutant ability is powerful, ruby-colored optic blasts that come from his body metabolizing ambient energies. Due to a childhood injury, Scott is unable to control his optic blasts and has become reliant on ruby quartz sunglasses and visor to help him control it. Scott already has a history with the Phoenix Force that took part of his first love’s, Jean Grey’s, consciousness and replaced her for a period of time.

Emma Frost Emma Frost is a mutant whose telepathic powers are strong enough to rival Charles Xavier’s, which include astral projection, power inhibition, pain inducement, and mind control. Frost went through a secondary mutation that allowed her to transform into an organic diamond form that gives her superhuman strength and durability, and psychic immunity.

Namor McKenzie McKenzie is an Atlantean who is the illegitimate child of Princess Fen. His unique powers come from him being a mutant Atlantean hybrid, but his ability to fly isn’t a feature from either set of DNA. Namor can breathe underwater, communicate telepathically with all form of marine life, and heal at an accelerated rate when in contact with water. He also has the ability to the characteristics of all undersea creatures, and to extinguish himself when set aflame.

Illyana Rasputina, Illyana Rasputina has the ability to control stepping discs that allow people to travel across interstellar distances or through time. She is also the sorceress supreme of the Limbo dimension she uses for teleportation. Her magic is a mixture of white and black magic, and her powers are unrivaled when she is in Limbo, but limited to simple spells, astral projection, mystical sense, and summoning her Soulsword when she is on Earth. Illyana has psionic shields that cannot be penetrated and she gains mystical armor the more she uses her magic. 14 Piotr “Peter” Rasputin, After Peter Rasputin saved his sister Illyana from a runaway tractor, he was recruited by Charles Xavier to help save the original X-Men from a sentient island of Krakoa. Peter has the ability to instantaneously transform into an organic steel form. With this transformation, he also has superhuman strength, stamina, and durability. Important Places and Things to Know

Wakanda and the Creation of the Black Panther The Kingdom of Wakanda is a small nation located in North East Africa, and it remained isolated from the rest of the world for many centuries. Its largest city and capital is Birnin Zana. Wakanda is known for being the most technologically advanced country in the world.

Ten thousand years ago, a meteorite containing vibranium, a sound and energy absorbing metal, arrived in the region and the people started using it to material. They soon figured out, however, that the mineral has a side effect that causes people to mutate into “Demon Sprits.” The tribe’s leader Bashenga prayed to the Panther God to give him the strength to defeat these spirits, thus creating the first Black Panther and uniting all of the tribes to create the nation of Wakanda. Years later, Wakanda’s leader T’Chaka continued to hide the country from the outside world, but he sold off small amounts of vibranium to various sellers and sent the country’s best scholars to study abroad. These scholars came back and helped to make Wakanda one the most technologically acvanced countries in the world. T’Chaka was later killed by , passing on his reign to his son, T’Challa, the current leader of Wakanda and Black Panther.

Wakanda’s major resource is vibranium, and it is sold at $10,000 per gram, which has helped to keep the country economically stable. Wakanda has an advanced military, navy and air force, and the king is protected by his own set of skilled female warriors known as the Dora Milaje. The country also has its own intelligence agency known as the Princess Regent Intelligence Division Executives (P.R.I.D.E.). Wakandans developed their technology independently from the rest of the world. Their computer technology is so advanced that it is impossible to hack, but they have taken the time to learn about the technologies used around the world. They do not use fossil fuels, but instead use eco-friendly alternatives. Wakanda also has a school dedicated to teaching metahumans on the island.

K’un Lun The city of K’un-Lun lies in the K’un Lun Mountains, one of the longest mountain chains found in Asia. All immortal Iron Fists come from this city and it is currently protected by its champion Iron First, Daniel Rand. K’un-Lun is one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, and they all appear in the earthly dimension periodically. Every city has its own champion to represent it in a tournament every 88 years, and the winning city gets to appear every 10 years instead of 88. The current Iron Fist is also a member of the Avengers, so he is known to go back and forth between the dimensions.

Utopia used to be an orbital space station used by Magneto. There were several levels on the former space station such as an observation deck, hangar bays, and medical facilities. It also had technology to keep it concealed, but was destroyed in a battle with the original X-Men. Years after its landing on Earth, it was put under use by Cyclops, who decided to move the mutant population there as a way to avoid further persecution from the government, , and the agency he leads called H.A.M.M.E.R. The X-Men use the powers of Storm and Iceman to help with water supplies and started a farm, but have been getting regular supplies delivered until it is running properly. Magneto was helping to keep the island afloat, but after it became too tiring, they asked for the help of Namor, who built New Atlantis under it to serve as 15 a large pillar. The X-Men have been attacked several times on this island by many of their enemies, but they continue to reside there.

Sentinels Sentinels are robots designed by Dr. , who used them to hunt down mutants. Trask eventually realized that all mutants were not a threat and helped the X-Men destroy the , but he died in the process. After the explosion, many more Sentinels and Master Molds were created. Trask had a son, Larry, who was unaware that he was a mutant thanks to a medallion his father gave him. Larry created another line of Sentinels, but was later killed by his own creations when he took off his medallion. Scott eventually convinced the Sentinels that the sun was the cause of mutation, so they flew away on a mission to destroy it. Sentinels have had many other reawakenings, but the current version has the ability to detect the X-gene that gives mutants their powers, fly, become invisible, and utilize superhuman strength.

S.H.I.E.L.D. The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division is a United Nations sanctioned body used for international peacekeeping, law enforcement, and counterterrorism. Their director reports to the World Security Council, and the organization was originally founded to combat technologically advanced threats around the world. The organization was planned out by veteran spy and soldier , and he called it the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-enforcement Division as a branch of the government. The plans for the organization were found by members of the UN, who later gave it to the government to help fight against the criminal organization without Fury’s knowledge. He was later informed of its creation and became the operational head of the agency. The identities of the founders were kept secret from him, so he serves as the highest ranking agent in S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. has helped the world through many different conflicts since its creation, especially against Hydra and H.A.M.M.E.R. After the Siege of Asgard, Steve Rogers helped to rebuild the organization from the ground up and passed on the directorship to . Background Information It’s Coming As the Avengers were about to start a meeting, a spaceship crashed to the ground in New York City after colliding with an airplane and a building. The team safely landed the plane and stopped the falling debris from killing civilians. After ensuring the civilians were safe, the Avengers opened the spaceship’s door to reveal an injured Nova. Before falling unconscious, Nova mysteriously told the heroes, “It’s coming.” The Avengers began to search the galaxy for what could possibly be the “it” Nova was speaking of. Before long, Thor and Tony Stark found the Phoenix Force heading towards Earth.

The Phoenix Awakens Steve Rogers and Tony Stark called a meeting to inform the president about the approaching sentient force heading towards the planet and the Avengers’ plans for handling the crisis. Unfortunately, an alarm programmed by Stark to go off if there is a flare in Phoenix energy went off in the middle of their explanation. Unbeknownst to them, this flare was set off by Hope Summers in Utopia. During her training with Scott Summers, Hope was pushed too far, causing her inner Phoenix Force to show itself. Steve Rogers met with Logan Howlett to discuss this mysterious phenomena, before heading to Utopia to put Hope under protective custody. Let the Fighting Begin 16 With Scott Summers’ and Steve Rogers’ differing opinions on how to handle the Phoenix Force, the duo began to argue over whether or not Hope should embrace her . Chaos soon followed after Summers attacked Rogers, and the Avengers retaliated against the mutants on Utopia. Wolverine used the fighting as a distraction in order to sneak into the Academy where Hope was being hidden in an attempt to kill her, but the Phoenix Force inside her severely burned Wolverine and she escaped Utopia alive. Wolverine soon regained consciousness and was informed by Spiderman of the X-Men’s surrender. The Avengers were then teleported off of Utopia by Magik.

Searching for Hope Steve Rogers contacted Rachel Summers and asked her to use Cerebra to track down Hope. Rachel relayed to Rogers how Hope scattered her location to five places around the world. Unknown to Rogers, she also contacted Scott Summers to give him the same information, leading to both the X-Men and the Avengers to race against each other to find Hope. The Avengers split up to investigate the various locations in search of Hope, while Logan Howlett admitted to his attempt on Hope’s life to Rogers. Howlett wasn’t willing to follow Rogers’ orders to protect Hope, so the Avengers kicked him off the helicarrier. Now stranded in Antarctica, Howlett successfully tracked Hope’s location. Hope convinced Howlett to work with her in order to embrace the Phoenix Force, and they left Antarctica to obtain a spaceship. During the frantic search for Hope, the team of Avengers sent to deep space to fend off the approaching Phoenix Force proved ineffective. It seemed as if the approach was inevitable.

Avengers vs. X-Men All Around the World Emma Frost used to power up Cerebra to aid in her search for Hope. With Cerebra, she saw the fighting occurring between the Avengers and X-Men at the five places where Hope’s location was given. Frost figured out that Hope wasn’t actually in any of these locations and eavesdropped on Steve Rogers’ and Tony Stark’s conversation to determine Hope’s whereabouts. During the confrontations all over the world, Hope and Logan Howlett broke into A.I.M. to steal a spaceship, before heading to the moon. When they arrived, the Avengers were already waiting for them, courtesy of Howlett tipping Rogers off. Shortly after Rogers informed Hope that the Avengers weren’t going to allow her to embrace the Phoenix Force, the X-Men appeared. As both sides prepared to begin fighting once more, Thor came crashing to the surface of the moon, closely followed by the Phoenix Force.

The Creation of the Phoenix Five Just like on Earth, the Avengers and X-Men fought viciously on the moon, but, off to the side, Hope was beginning to have problems controlling the Phoenix Force. She asked the two teams to cease fighting, but, after her request was ignored, she commanded they stop along with a of the Phoenix Force. She begged Logan Howlett to kill her before it was too late, but Scott Summers shot Howlett away from her and the fighting commenced again in full force. Somewhere else on the moon, and Tony Stark were finishing up a machine in hopes that it would destroy the Phoenix Force. Hope’s power continued to grow, and the effects of the Phoenix Force was reaching mutants in various places on Earth. Stark fired the machine around the same time that Hope rejected the Phoenix. The machine dispelled the Phoenix Force from Hope and into five mutants: Scott Summers, Namor, Emma Frost, Colossus, and Magik. These mutants became known as the Phoenix Five. With Hope in tow, the Five disappeared from the surface of the moon, leaving the two teams in the wake of their devastation. The Phoenix Five Change the World Charles Xavier appeared on Utopia to speak to Scott Summers about his newly obtained powers. Summers 17 described how he and his fellow members of the Phoenix Five were working to transform Earth into a better place to live for everyone, mutant and human alike. Hope second guessed her choice to reject the Phoenix Force, but Summers told her that she didn’t deserve the power and that the Five would accomplish so much more than she.

On K’un Lun, Kei Lung met with an old man who told him the need of the help of Iron Fist to be able to fight the Phoenix Five. The Five met with countries around the world to explain to them that they have provided the world with everything it needed to survive, but it must live without violence. The Avengers then met at the White House to discuss the seriousness of these demands and to figure out how they were going to handle it. Elsewhere, Wanda Maximoff had a vision of the deaths of many of her fellow X-Men. The Avengers still thought that Hope was the key to figuring out the Phoenix Force and craft another plan to find her. The team infiltrated Utopia, but Summers and Emma Frost came to stop them. Maximoff told the two that she saw the consequences of their actions, and convinced Summers to let the Avengers leave with Hope. After the team left, Summers told Frost about how mankind was against them improving the world and how they sent their heroes to take away mutants’ future. He told her that he will no longer tolerate the things that were being done against them, and then declared, “No More Avengers.”

No More Avengers The Phoenix Five went on a hunt to find the Avengers and Wanda Maximoff, whom they considered to be the real threat. The Five sealed off the and attempted to make the Avengers out as global terrorists. The Phoenix Five also began imprisoning members of the Avengers after defeat in battle. As the Five engaged in battles with the heroes, Tony Stark began to collect data from each of the fights.

Magik found Maximoff eventually and attempted to kill her. However, Clint Barton created a distraction in order to allow Maximoff to escape, but got burned by the from the Phoenix himself. The Phoenix Five took Barton back to their headquarters to heal him from his severe wounds and threw him in the dungeon once done with the task. Magik told the Five of her encounter with Maximoff and described that the Scarlet Witch was out to hurt them all.

The Avengers set up base in Wakanda where they analyzed the data Stark collected from the previous encounters with the Five and they began to plan their next course of action. T’Challa recommended that Stark search for the solution to the Phoenix Force in the spirit realm.

The Silence Before the Phoenix Storm The Avengers set out to buy T’Challa and Tony Stark more time to develop their weapon to combat the Phoenix Force. Hope told the team that Wanda Maximoff was the only thing the Five would respect in battle because of their fear of her. As a way to use this fear against the Phoenix Five, Doctor Strange gave the Avengers an enchanted necklace that gives the bearer the appearance of Maximoff. The team decided to use the necklace selectively, so the Five wouldn’t realize it was a ruse.

During a battle with Colossus and some other X-Men, Sharon Carter used the necklace to cause the X-Men to fall back. However, both Emma Frost and Scott Summers had eyes on Maximoff in the Ukraine and the Arctic Circle respectively as well. The Five figured out the real Maximoff wasn’t at any of the locations and, in reality, she was battling Namor, whom she injured and sent back to Utopia. The rest of the Phoenix Five returned to Wakanda and explained to Namor that they were slowly breaking down the Avengers’ defenses, but Namor refused to settle. Frost agreed with Namor about attacking 18 Maximoff and told him that Maximoff was located in Wakanda.

Stark finally collected enough information from the Phoenix Five to notice that their energies were connected, but as he was about to tell the Avengers, appeared in Wakanda. He told the team that K’un Lun was a safe place for them to keep Hope and to train her to be a vessel for the Phoenix. The Avengers sent Wolverine and Hope to K’un Lun before everyone else, and, just as the rest of the team was about to travel to the ancient city, one of T’Challa’s citizens came to give them news. He says that Namor has arrived in Wakanda and has officially declared against the Avengers.

Due to Namor’s declaration of war on Wakanda, select members of the Avengers and X-Men have been selected to come together to work against the Phoenix Five. Everyone on this mission believe that the Phoenix Five are overstepping their bounds and are willing to put their differences aside to fight for the greater good of the world. This operation has been titled Joint Mission Phoenix and each member was selected for the resources they could provide to the mission. Everyone in attendance has an important role to play, and it is up to each individual to efficiently work together to successfully complete this mission. Conclusion

When the Phoenix Force came hurtling towards Earth, it was seeking out its predestined vessel, Hope Summers. But, as a result of the actions of the Avengers and X-Men, the Phoenix Five was created. These individuals’ surge of power gave them the opportunity to help mutants and shape the world into what they thought would be best, though it would ultimately end up going against countries’ sovereignty all across the world. As the Phoenix Five do as they please, the Avengers are working together to protect the world against their self-righteous intervention. After a few conflicts, several members of the Phoenix Five now feel attacked by the Avengers’ actions, which eventually led to Namor’s stand against his fellow Phoenix Five members. Because of the Phoenix Five’s reckless actions, the Avengers and the remaining members of the X-Men have decided to come together figure out how to defeat the Phoenix Five and save the world from the Five’s power hungry endeavors. Just as they are starting their first meeting, Namor declares war on Wakanda, forcing their operation to abruptly go underway.

Important Points Some things I want delegates to focus in committee are the importance of communication and group collaboration. It is impossible for one organization to single-handedly defeat the Phoenix. The two groups need to come together to use the expertise and resources of both teams to find a probable solution for the Phoenix Force. For the joint task force to be successful, they not only have to work against the Phoenix Five, but also against the government that is controlling the Avengers. Collectively working on all of these things is essential for Joint Mission Phoenix to effectively be able to contain the Phoenix Force and ensure the safety of Earth’s inhabitants. Works Cited 19

Aaron, Jason, Bendis, Brian Michael, Brubaker, Ed, Fraction, Matt, Hickman, Jonathon (w), Romita Jr., John (p), and Hanna, Scott. Avengers vs. X-Men #0-7 (Mar.-Oct. 2012), .

“Avengers vs. X-Men (Event).” Marvel Database. Wikia Inc., n.d. Web. .

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