The Juggernaut has recently found redemption in X-Men lore, which isn’t too dissimilar to the redemption found by a founding X-Man many years prior. And their new-found friendship is redefined by the unspeakable acts of heinous atrocities committed by both in their respective pasts.
Juggernaut’s new friend and ally in the X-Men is Jean Grey, something that was highlighted during the most recent Hellfire Gala. Before the chaos and the bloodshed ensued (courtesy of Nimrod and Orchis), the Juggernaut was voted onto the official X-Men lineup for that year. Upon accepting this honor with a broad smile on his face, Cain Marko looked over at Jean Grey, and the two shared a genuine moment of mutual happiness.
Not only that, but Jean offers Juggernaut support and endorsement leading up to the final vote, saying he’s come a long way since his vicious debut, and that – if he won – he’d have earned his spot on the proper X-Men squad without question. These are the tell-tale signs of a budding friendship, though the curious sudden support on Jean’s part may not have been as unprompted as it initially seemed. In fact, it’s all too possible that Jean was speaking just as much about herself when complimenting the Juggernaut’s redemption as she was about Marko.
Jean Grey & The Juggernaut Have Both Committed Genocide
X-Men #135 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne & New Excalibur #15 by Frank Tieri and Jim Calafiore
When Jean Grey was possessed by the Phoenix Force and became the villainous and cosmically powerful Dark Phoenix, she went on a rampage across the galaxy that resulted in her consuming a life-giving star. That star acted as the sun for the D’bari’s homeworld, and without it, that entire race was utterly obliterated.
Similarly, when Cain Marko first became the Juggernaut, Cyttorak put him to the test to see if he was truly worthy of being the demon-king’s avatar on Earth. So, Cyttorak tells the Juggernaut to decimate an entire village filled with men, women, and children. The Juggernaut killed every one of them without hesitation, effectively wiping an entire culture off the face of the Earth.
X-Men Comics Need To Explore Jean Grey & Juggernaut’s Dark Connection
Both Jean Grey and the Juggernaut committed genocide when they were filled with cosmic power, and both have done everything they can to make up for that, despite knowing they’ll never really be able to. Jean was possessed by the Phoenix, who merely wanted to restore itself to full power with the energy of a star, while the Juggernaut was possessed by the essence of a malevolent deity with a bloodlust matched by nothing else in existence. Neither should have to shoulder the entire weight of these actions themselves, as they weren’t entirely in control when they happened. But, they both know that they were the cause of a level of pain and suffering no other ‘villain-turned-hero’ has been responsible for, regardless of the details surrounding their individual experiences. And now, Marvel Comics has a brilliant opportunity to explore this side of both X-Men members, allowing them to delve into their shared pain as their blossoming friendship continues to bloom.
Even if Marvel Comics decides to move past these ugly truths and shameful histories, just the fact alone that both Jean Grey and the Juggernaut have experienced the same level of shame and need for redemption following their respective acts of genocide gives this newfound friendship a much darker meaning in X-Men lore.
