If you’re a fan of Marvel Comics, you surely know who the X-Men are. And if you know who the X-Men are, then you surely know about Jean Grey, if only by name. Arguably the most prominent member of the team that isn’t named Wolverine, Jean is one of the team’s founding members, debuting in the Silver Age of Comics as Marvel Girl before eventually adopting her civilian name as her superhero persona.

Being one of the most popular comic book characters means Jean is never far away from the conversation. However, as with many other figures from the medium, her history is long, complicated, and often bats—t crazy, to the point where even many hardcore comic book fans have trouble keeping up. This list will offer ten key details about Jean Grey’s comic book journey, for no particular reason other than a desire to honor one of Marvel Comics’ most important and powerful female characters.

Jean Is an Omega-Level Mutant

Image via Marvel Comics

Let’s start with something simple and mostly well-known by both fans and casuals: Jean Grey is an Omega-Level mutant, meaning she has almost limitless potential. In the comics, the term is used for those mutants whose powers reach “an undefinable upper limit of that power’s specific classification.” In other words, it’s mutants whose powers can not be surpassed.

It’s important to note that the Omega classification only applies to one power. In Jean’s case, she’s an Omega-level telepath, but not a telekinetic. There can also be multiple Omega-level mutants for one power. For example, Jean, Charles Xavier, and Kid Omega are all Omega-level telepaths.

Jean Has a Clone

Image via Marvel Entertainment

If you’re a fan of X-Men ’97, you might already know who Madelyne Pryor is. For the uninitiated, let’s begin. Following Jean’s death, the villain Mr. Sinister creates a clone of Jean Grey named Madelyne Pryor with the intention of marrying her to Scott and producing a powerful mutant child. Because Scott is apparently clueless to the fact that this woman looks exactly like his presumably death former love, he marries Madelyne and indeed has a son with her, Nathan, AKA Cable.

Once Jean returns to life, Scott goes back to her, and Madelyne descends into madness, becoming the Goblin Queen. She plays a key role in the demonic invasion of Earth during the Inferno storyline before ultimately committing suicide in an attempt to take down Jean. If any of this made you feel bad for Maddie, then congratulations, you’re probably in the right. Few Marvel characters have ever been so mistreated, honestly.

Chris Claremont Changed Jean for the Better

Image via Marvel Comics

Debuting in the Silver Age of Comics, Jean was introduced as something of a damsel in distress. Her powers had a clear ceiling, causing her to faint in exhaustion. It was up to the other five male X-Men to save the day and, often, Jean. If you’re wondering how that looked, take a look at the ’90s animated show, which also made Jean useless, constantly falling, screaming, or getting shot at while everyone else around her did the heavy lifting.

Then came Chris Claremont, one of the most legendary X-Men writers who completely rehauling the team in the ’70s. It was he who took Jean and completely evolved her character, turning her from the weakest member of the X-Men to the strongest. Claremont created many of the best-known aspects of Jean’s characterization, including the Phoenix Saga (more on that later). He did a lot for the X-Men overall, but his part in Jean’s story is perhaps more notable.

Jean Is a Professional Model

Image via Marvel Comics

Most superheroes have secret identities and try to lead normal, civilian lives. The X-Men are usually depicted as either students or teachers at Xavier’s school, but Jean actually had a brief stint as a professional model. When the X-Men disband following an FBI order, Scott and Jean get regular jobs to make ends meet in New York City (fun fact: Scott becomes a radio news broadcaster).

The side hustle doesn’t last, and it’s not long before Jean and Scott are back in the X-Men. Still, it’s always fun when superheroes try to lead normal lives, only to realize they either can’t or don’t want to. Because Jean has always been portrayed as something of a role model, she naturally excels as a model. Maybe, in an alternate timeline, she’s gracing the cover of Vogue instead of constantly dying.

Jean Has Died Many, Many Times

Image via Marvel Comics

And speaking of deaths, Jean has had a lot of them. Comic book characters usually die, but Jean has done so more than the average hero. Jean’s first major death happened in Uncanny X-Men #100, succumbing to radiation while sacrificing herself to save her fellow X-Men. It’s here that the Phoenix Force enters the chat, duplicating her body while preserving the original in a cocoon at the bottom of a lake.

From there, Jean would keep on dying and resurrecting. She dies after the Phoenix Force corrupts her. She then dies after taking a bullet from a Magneto clone. She also vanishes after a certain Mad Titan snaps his fingers and perishes at the hands of Sentinels during an attack on the ORCHIS station. Most recently, she died at the 2023 Hellfire Gala, when ORCHIS launched a devastating mutant attack. At this point, it’s become a recurring joke that Jean Grey dies, but you have to admire her ability to keep coming back, especially because she’s resurrected herself through sheer force of will at least once.

Jean Was Snapped by Thanos

Image via Marvel Comics

Speaking of the Mad Titan himself, yes, Thanos did snap Jean Grey out of existence in the 1991 event Infinity Gauntlet. If you’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War (and considering you’re reading this article, I’m going to go on a limb and say you have), then you’re familiar with the gist of it. In the comics, Thanos means to impress his long love, Mistress Death, and thus uses the Infinity Gauntlet to both secure power and impress her.

Jean is among the Mad Titan’s many casualties, although the characters don’t exactly die here; rather, they’re wiped out. Similar to the MCU, Thanos’ actions are reversed, so Jean comes back alongside all those who vanished. Jean plays absolutely no role in the storyline, and we only know she disappeared because of her face in a poster of those missing. However, it’s a cool easter egg for MCU fans.

Jean Is Strong Enough to Defeat Galactus

Image via Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Universe, few characters are stronger than Galactus. The World Eater is a powerful cosmic entity, often described as the “physical, metamorphosed embodiment of a cosmos.” He eats planets to sustain his life force and possesses powers beyond most humans’ comprehension. Although he’s usually represented as a villain of the Fantastic Four, Galactus has fought many other Marvel heroes.

In one memorable instance, Jean used Galactus’ own force against him, constructing a giant fist (lol) that knocked Galactus on his back and scared him enough to not only leave her alone but also spare the star he was planning to consume. The fact that Jean could single-handedly defeat Galactus by using his own force against him proves just how resourceful and capable she is. When ascending to higher planes of existence, such as the White Phoenix of the Crown, Jean is also objectively more powerful than Galactus, so there’s that.

Jean Can Reshape Reality

Image via Marvel Comics

Jean has many powers, especially when bonded with the Phoenix Force. She infamously consumed a star once, and has shown abilities that transcend even the normal understanding of mutation. On one memorable occasion, Jean literally reshaped reality to create an alternate timeline for Moira MacTaggert, one of the X-Men’s longest-running allies.

After Moira was retconned into being a mutant with reincarnation abilities, and because no one stays fully good in the world of comics, she became evil and an accomplice of the multiversal AI villain Enigma. She is eventually redeemed, though, and Jean creates an alternate timeline where Moira doesn’t have her mutation. We’re talking about manipulation on a molecular level here — Scarlet Witch who?

Xavier Had a Creepy Crush on Jean

Image via Marvel Comics

Charles Xavier is creepy — there’s really no way around it. The man is a sanctimonious creep with an alarming lack of respect for other people’s physical and mental boundaries. Xavier has crossed so many lines throughout his comic book history that they might as well be dots to him. Arguably, one of his worst hours came with the reveal that this fully grown man harbored a crush on his teenage student.

As previously mentioned, Jean was the only female member of the original X-Men, and at some point, each of her male teammates expressed a romantic interest in her, including Xavier (again, it was the ’60s). However, Xavier was his teacher, and that makes it far more problematic. During an infamous storyline, Onslaught, the entity created through the mix of Xavier and Magneto’s consciousnesses, showed Jean a glimpse into Xavier’s romantic feelings for her. It’s weird, unnecessary, and casts a very ugly shadow over what once was a rather wholesome mentor-mentee dynamic.

Jean and the Phoenix Force

Image via Marvel Comics

Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force are as inseparable as Wallace and Gromit. Their connection has been retconned multiple times, beginning with Jean being a mere host of the Phoenix to her becoming its cosmic counterpart and physical manifestation. Now, it’s commonly accepted that Jean is the Phoenix’s one true host, even if they can revert to being separate if the storyline demands it.

When fully bonded, Jean adopts the White Phoenix of the Crown persona, becoming a being with power over creation itself. We’re talking about literal gods here — the White Hot Room, the Phoenix’s home dimension, literally exists outside of the multiverse. Jean and the Phoenix Force are two of the most fascinating and complicated beings in the entire Marvel Universe, and while their bond keeps changing, one thing remains certain: they are far more powerful than you could ever imagine,

Jessi Draper dropped a bombshell on Stassi Schroeder when she claimed that Scheana Shay tried to get cast on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

“I have tea for you about Scheana,” Jessi, 34, told Stassi, 38, in the season premiere of House of Stassi, which aired on Wednesday, July 29. “She told me she is walking away from Bravo completely.”

Scheana, 41, allegedly pitched herself for Jessi’s show, with the Hulu personality adding, “And then [Scheana] goes, ‘So do you have any events coming up? [My husband] Brock [Davies] was Mormon so maybe I can come be on your show.’”

Stassi, for her part, wasn’t surprised about Scheana’s alleged career plan.

“Scheana loves the spotlight,” she said in a confessional. “I would be more surprised if she didn’t try to get on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

She continued: “I can’t get away from this woman. Scheana will 100 percent show up at my funeral and make it about her.”

Scheana was previously an original cast member on Vanderpump Rules, helping launch the show by sitting down with Brandi Glanville on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2013.

While Scheana went on to be a main cast member for 11 seasons, she stepped back after season 12 featured an entirely new cast from Lisa Vanderpump‘s restaurant SUR.

“We all were kind of in a place where we’re like, ‘OK, if it continues, great.’ I did think there was more story to tell. We’ll just be telling that somewhere else now,” she said during a December 2024 episode of her “Scheananigans” podcast. But I think the women were kind of ready to move on to another platform to tell our stories.”

Scheana said she thought she could show her life elsewhere, adding, “I’m not distraught. I wasn’t shocked at all. I think the men — minus Brock — from what I’ve heard, took it the hardest. Definitely not the women.”

At the time, Scheana maintained that the news about season 12 didn’t come as a surprise to her.

“Any sad feelings that I have about not returning for season 12 are mostly not being able to work with that crew anymore. I loved the crew that we’ve had and hopefully, we’ll be able to work together on other projects because we became like a family,” she continued. “So that was definitely the hardest part. And the whole thing was bittersweet. It’s sad to say goodbye, but excited for the new servers and the next chapter of their lives.”

Advertisement

Related: ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Then vs. Now: How Cast Looked Pre-Hulu Show

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives fans have watched the cast change on and off screen before the series even debuted. Season 1 of hit reality series, which follows a group of Mormon mom influencers, debuted on Hulu in September 2024 following star Taylor Frankie Paul‘s “soft swinging” sex scandal. “We’re not all swingers,” Whitney […]

Scheana was looking forward to new ventures — including appearances on VPR’s spinoff The Valley. (She ultimately didn’t join the cast in season 3 unlike fellow former VPR star Lala Kent.)

“I am excited for new opportunities ahead outside of Vanderpump Rules, but I’m also a nostalgic person and it’s never easy to say goodbye,” she concluded. “Lala and I had a good cry about it on the podcast, something that was such a big part of my life for so long. But also I think it was time. Honestly, it all feels right. It’s still all happening. It’s just happening a little differently.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Stassi, meanwhile, led Vanderpump Rules for eight seasons before she was fired in 2020 alongside Kristin Doute following controversy with their former costar Faith Stowers.

“I wasn’t going to let Vanderpump Rules be my legacy. I’m at a completely different place in my life now,” she told Glamour on Tuesday, July 28, about returning to reality TV with House of Stassi. “I’ve always been vocal about how I haven’t had that many great experiences with therapy. Reality TV is my therapy. Having these conversations, working through them, talking them over and over again. … Reality TV, for better or worse, is therapeutic for me. I love it.”

House of Stassi is streaming Thursday, July 30, on Hulu.

Jerry O’Connell‘s recent comments about his past romance and breakup with Giuliana Rancic have prompted the TV personality to offer her own perspective. The pair dated in the early 2000s before eventually parting ways, which Rancic detailed in her 2015 memoir. Now, she is adding more context to their relationship and sharing how traumatizing the split was for her.

On July 28, Giuliana Rancic told her more than 2 million Instagram followers to stay tuned to her podcast, “Bill and Giuliana: The Podcast,” where she would share details about her relationship with Jerry O’Connell more than two decades ago. “The [teapot emoji] will be served tomorrow… and you’re invited,” she teased.

The episode, titled “Unfuzzing Memories (Part 1),” dropped on July 29. Together with her husband, Bill Rancic, and other friends, Giuliana shared her side of the relationship and eventual breakup. She dated O’Connell from 2003 to 2004.

Giuliana cited O’Connell’s recent statement that he couldn’t recall the exact words he used when he called off the relationship, as previously reported by The Blast. She said the actor’s memories were a bit “fuzzy.” Moreover, she felt the actor “downplayed” the seriousness of their relationship.

“For a year and a half, except for the one breakup, we were together 24/7 every day, every night,” adding they exchanged “I love yous.” “It was a real relationship,” Giuliana said.

Advertisement

One Incident Left Giuliana ‘Crying Hysterically’

In the podcast, Giuliana discussed one devastating incident in the relationship that left her in tears. O’Connell had been overseas shooting the movie “Fat Slags” with Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, and Giuliana saw photos of the co-stars leaving a restaurant hand-in-hand.

She broke down in tears and fell to the ground “crying hysterically,” saying the incident was “so upsetting” and “devastating.” She confronted him about it, but claims O’Connell had nothing to say except, “Yeah, sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. I screwed up.”

The two briefly broke up, and Giuliana claims the actor asked her to take him back, saying the fling with Halliwell was “the biggest mistake” of his life.

The TV Personality Said Jerry O’Connell Was Dismissive

Giuliana and O’Connell reconciled, but it wasn’t long before they broke up for good. She recalled the incident leading up to the split, saying she had not seen the actor for several days and was trying to get a hold of him.

Giuliana headed to his home, where she claimed O’Connell wouldn’t face her and broke up with her from his balcony. “He broke up with me from a balcony, and I honestly thought it was because he was just, like, over it,” she said. She described the incident as “traumatizing,” and she recalled O’Connell turning around and closing the door as she went to her car.

Advertisement

It wasn’t until recently that Giuliana learned O’Connell had another woman in his home when he broke up with her.

Jerry O’Connell Admitted He Was A ‘Terrible Boyfriend’

Giuliana was prompted to share her side of the story after O’Connell admitted to being a “terrible boyfriend” on Kelly Ripa’s podcast, “Let’s Talk Off Camera.” In the episode, Ripa brought up a detail from Giuliana’s memoir in which she claimed the actor broke up with her via the intercom.

“Nope, sorry homegirl. Things change, but you take care, OK?” O’Connell allegedly said. It was then that the actor said he didn’t recall his exact words, but he also didn’t dispute the manner in which he broke up with her.

He further elaborated on the relationship and breakup, saying that at that point, their relationship was not going well. O’Connell then revealed the reason for his behavior, sharing that another woman was in his condo at that time.

Giuliana Rancic Invited Jerry O’Connell To The Podcast

Giuliana said the podcast episode comes from “a place of love,” and she appreciated that her ex-boyfriend is “an open book.” She also revealed that producers of the podcast sent an invite to the actor to join the discussion, but he declined.

The TV personality added, “At the end of the day, I truly believe everything happens for a reason. We are both happily married now, we both have great families, and we are both exactly where we’re meant to be.”

Advertisement

O’Connell is happily married and shares two daughters with Rebecca Romijn. Giuliana, meanwhile, is married to Bill Rancic. Interestingly, it was O’Connell who first introduced Bill to Giuliana.

On her new reality show, Stassi Schroeder got brutally honest about how she thought Vanderpump Rules protected the men over the women.

“I loved Vanderpump Rules but it also is literally what we’re gonna have PTSD about and have to talk to therapists about for the rest of our life,” Stassi, 38, told Katie Maloney in the series premiere of Freeform and Hulu’s House of Stassi.

Stassi called the Bravo show out, adding, “It was always, ‘Make the girls look psychotic, make the girls look like they have issues. They covered for the boys, they covered for the men.”

In a confessional Stassi elaborated on her “mixed feelings” for the show that made her a household name.

Related: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast: Then and Now

While some things never change, the cast of Vanderpump Rules is used to a shake-up … and a touch-up. Vanderpump Rules was introduced to Bravo viewers during a special episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in January 2013. Season 1 starred Lisa Vanderpump, Stassi Schroeder, Scheana Shay, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval […]

“I’m so appreciative of it, and it’s given me so many opportunities. But it normalized so much darkness,” she continued. “It rewarded so much darkness until it didn’t. And then coming back to reality TV, I’m like, ‘Are you being a dumb bitch?’”

Stassi continued: “I’m scared of reality TV but it’s all I know. I love it but I’m also traumatized by it. But I can’t stay away from it. But I was not gonna let Vanderpump Rules be my legacy. I had to make this happen. I had to.”

Stassi made her reality TV debut as a contestant on season 8 of The Amazing Race. She also starred on the short-lived show Queen Bees, which aired two years before Stassi took a job as a waitress at Vanderpump’s SUR restaurant.

It didn’t take long for Stassi to become the fan favorite on Vanderpump Rules after it premiered in 2013. While documenting her life for the hit Bravo series, Stassi started to expand her empire by releasing her first book, Next Level Basic: The Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook, in 2019.

Advertisement

Related: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast’s Dating History

When viewers were introduced to staff at Lisa Vanderpump‘s restaurant during Vanderpump Rules‘ 2013 premiere, it was clear everyone was intertwined in one another’s love lives. From Stassi Schroeder‘s rocky relationship with Jax Taylor, which took a turn when he hooked up with her best friend Kristen Doute, to Peter Madrigal’s casual connections to several […]

The following year, however, Stassi was fired from Vanderpump Rules alongside Kristin Doute at the end of season 8 following controversy with their former costar Faith Stowers. She has since authored a second book, Off With My Head, and shifted her focus to her podcast.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

“Even when I started Vanderpump Rules, the goal was then to always do something even bigger after that,” Stassi told TV Insider earlier this month. “Granted, Vanderpump Rules was huge. We didn’t even know how big it was. We still, I don’t think, understand how big it was or whatever, but I never thought it would be Vanderpump Rules or nothing. Anyone who goes on Bravo, they’re like, ‘Oh, I want to get a spinoff out of this.’ Everyone will tell you that. And so it was always like, ‘OK, what can I do after this?’”

In her personal life, Stassi found love with Beau Clark. The couple exchanged vows in 2020 before welcoming daughter Hartford in 2021. Two years later, Stassi and Beau expanded their family with son Messer.

House of Stassi premieres Thursday, July 30, on Hulu.

It’s been over a month since Chris Brown and Usher gagged fans with their ‘R&B Tour’ kickoff. While the ‘U Got It Bad’ singer has dealt with a lil’ drama onstage, Brown’s is playing out in the courtroom — both in the U.S. and overseas. Now, his latest Instagram Story message is turning heads. It comes just days after reports revealed that his ex-housekeeper is seeking to enforce her $13 million judgment by any means, including tapping into his joint tour profits and royalties.

RELATED: Chris Brown Reportedly Receives Sentencing Date After Pleading Guilty In 2023 London Nightclub Attack (VIDEO)

Chris Brown’s Message Talks Of “Trusting The Process”

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (July 29), Breezy shared a cryptic message in his usual text-on-black-screen style. He didn’t provide any context behind the message. However, fans began speculating his post could be connected to his life offstage and in the courtrooms.

“Life gonna always push and pull you in different directions,” Chris Brown wrote. “JUST REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE! Trust the process.” 

Ex-Housekeeper Wants Her $13M From Breezy By Any Means

According to court documents pulled by Billboard, Maria Avila isn’t playing any games when it comes to collecting her $13 million check from Chris Brown. As previously reported, on June 30, a jury ruled in her favor after she sued the singer in 2021. She walked away with a $12.9 million judgment after Breezy’s 200-pound dog mauled her while cleaning his home in 2020.

Last week, in a court filing, Avila and her lawyer alleged that Brown has yet to make any payments toward the judgment. Additionally, the docs claim they’ve “repeatedly attempted to communicate with [Chris Brown’s] attorneys regarding payment, but those communications have gone unanswered.” 

As a result, Avila wants a judge to intervene by cutting into his ‘R&B Tour’ profits, including for the accumulating daily interest. How? She wants the judge to freeze the singer’s touring accounts. If the amount in the accounts doesn’t settle the $12.9 judgment, she’s recommending the court pulls the coins from his music royalties, licensing revenue, merchandising and sponsorship deals, per Billboard.

Aside from Avila, Brown is also responsible for paying her sister $885,000 for emotional distress. She was present on the day of the attack. Avila’s husband was also awarded $50,000 in the final verdict.

Breezy Faces Sentencing In London Attack (UPDATE)

Avila’s filing isn’t the only court update Chris Brown has received in the last week. On Friday (July 24), he pleaded guilty in his London case. He accused of assaulting a producer named Amadou Diaw in a nightclub in 2023 and causing great bodily harm. Brown was arrested last summer in the case, but authorities allowed him to go on a $6.75 million bail bond. He was granted bail again last week, but will be back in court in October for sentencing.

Meanwhile, his tour partner Usher is out here clocking the girls who think they’re bigger than the program. Recently, he appeared to respond to a fan he booted from his performance in Nashville over the weekend after her limited participation. He also sent a warning to any other fans planning to take the stage and took aim at the idea of “pretty privilege.”

RELATED: Wayment! Usher Seemingly Responds To Woman’s “Pretty Privilege” Remarks After Booting Her Off Tennessee Stage (VIDEOS)

Diddy‘s release date has reportedly been updated following his alleged fight in Fort Dix prison.

RELATED: Social Media Users Are Goin’ OFF With Reactions To Alleged Footage Of What Appears To Be Diddy & Daphne Joy’s Apparent Explicit Encounter With Another Man

Diddy’s Release Date Is Reportedly Updated Following Alleged Prison Fight

According to an exclusive report published by TMZ on Wednesday, July 29, the Federal Bureau of Prisons website has updated Diddy’s release date to January 24, 2028. Per the outlet, it remains unclear what prompted Diddy’s release date to be updated – once again.

To note, social media users reacted to the update in TMZ’s comment section on X, formerly known as Twitter.

More On Diddy’s Alleged Prison Fight

To note, the update arrives on the heels of Diddy reportedly being thrown into solitary confinement within the last two weeks. As The Shade Room previously reported, on July 24, TMZ reported that on a recent date,  the 56-year-old got into an argument with another inmate. This, reportedly, because the inmate “dissed” him. Subsequently, the pair got into a scuffle in which Diddy allegedly “held his own.”

This, before the altercation was broken up by prison staff, and Diddy was placed in solitary confinement.

His Previous Release Date

Before this alleged altercation, it was reported that Diddy was slated for prison release on February 23, 2028. If the alleged altercation indeed took place, it remains unclear why the 56-year-old’s release date moved closer.

RELATED: Whew! Diddy Reportedly Placed In Solitary Confinement Following Alleged Fight With Inmate

9-1-1 Season 8 had one of the strangest emergencies in the series’ history: a tornado of killer bees (colloquially dubbed “bee-nado”). With roughly 14.8 million of them swarming Los Angeles, the first responders get creative as they deal with situations they could’ve never been trained for. Along with this unique premise, the Season 8 premiere also sees Police Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) tasked by the FBI to transport an inmate back to Los Angeles to testify in a sex trafficking case. Seems easy enough for her, until it’s revealed that the prisoner she’s escorting is Dennis Jenkins (Glenn Plummer), the man who killed her fiancé, Emmett Washington (Jeff Pierre). What makes matters even worse is that, in exchange for his cooperation, Dennis will be granted early release.

Athena begrudgingly accepts the job because Dennis won’t testify if she doesn’t escort him. Despite the palpable tension from Athena, she protects Dennis from a group of hitmen who want him dead due to some information he has on his Jeffrey Epstein-like former cellmate. When they switch flights to evade these killers, a large swarm of bees causes their plane to collide with a light aircraft, setting up the events of Season 8, Episode 2, “When the Boeing Gets Tough…” Although 9-1-1 Season 8 starts off on a lighter note, writers Tim Minear and Ted Griffin subvert expectations and deliver a stressful but inspiring story in its second episode.

Athena Grant Straps In for One of the Best ‘9-1-1’ Episodes

9-1-1 Season 7’s big emergency featured Athena and her husband, Robert “Bobby” Nash (Peter Krause), trapped on a sinking cruise. Despite them having marital issues moments beforehand, this catastrophe brought them closer than ever. But in Season 8, Episode 2, they’re physically thousands of miles away from each other as Athena worries for her life. The collision with the small aircraft knocks out the pilot and co-pilot of the plane Athena is on, leaving her as the only one capable of landing the plane. However, just because she’s a first responder doesn’t automatically mean she’s a pilot all of a sudden. Realizing that she might not make it, she tries to call Bobby, but his new job as a tech advisor on a TV set keeps him occupied. Even with a short voicemail, Bassett’s line delivery is enough to pack in just how much Athena loves Bobby.

A flight trainer, Jimmy (Anthony Azizi), gets on the line with Athena to guide her through landing the plane. It’s fine, though; he’s done this many times… with students on flight simulators. Luckily, a young boy, Gem (Carter Young), is a big fan of planes and helps Athena find the right buttons to stabilize the Boeing, even with the gaping holes in it. The tender moments between Gem and Athena provide a much-needed balance through the many wild events of the episode. After finally hearing Athena’s voicemail, Bobby goes full knight-in-shining-armor mode and takes a firetruck with Buck (Oliver Stark) to the airport. It’s unclear what Bobby plans to do, but his heroic drive is in high gear to do whatever he can to help Athena. While Athena and Bobby’s relationship has been through ups and downs, 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 2 was a nice reminder of how much they care for one another.

‘9-1-1’ Season 8 Episode 2 Shows That Anyone Can Be a Hero

Before attempting to fly the plane, Athena admits to the passengers that she’s afraid and tells them not to panic and help however they can. Thanks to Maddie’s (Jennifer Love Hewitt) help, she connects Eddie (Ryan Guzman), Hen (Aisha Hinds), and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) to the passengers over the phone and guides them through triage. Even with the limited amount of resources, the 118 paramedics rely on their quick thinking to come up with temporary solutions for the injured victims. Even in the face of danger, the passengers are able to step up and be capable first responders. Who would’ve thought a concept as silly as bee-nado would be the cause of one of the best episodes of 9-1-1?

“When the Boeing Gets Tough…” continued the series trend of using multi-episode emergencies to test the characters in uniquely dire situations and showcase what makes each of them special. It remains one of the better disaster episodes of the recent seasons, especially when compared to the cruise ship or Athena and Hen’s trip to space, which felt far more isolated. Although a majority of the characters don’t physically interact with one another, the power of communication is on full display.

LeToya Luckett side-stepped questions during a livestream on Saturday, July 25. The artist was celebrating the 20th anniversary of her single ‘Torn,’ and she avoided talking about radio stations being warned not to play her music after she left Destiny’s Child.

RELATED: Mathew Knowles Claims Destiny’s Child Is Dropping New Music & We Can’t Even! (VIDEO)

LeToya Luckett Avoids Destiny’s Child Drama During Livestream

During an Instagram livestream with former manager Terrance Ross, he brought up the issue of radio stations being threatened for playing Luckett’s solo music. Ross didn’t name names, but Luckett was a member of Destiny’s Child before she was allegedly fired by Beyoncé’s dad, Mathew Knowles. According to Billboard, Knowles was the group’s manager at the time, and Luckett sued him over wrongful termination.

Ross claimed that radio stations received phone calls saying that if they played ‘Torn,’ they wouldn’t receive records from “this group anymore.”

“I can’t speak on that,” Luckett replied. ‘I’ll let you speak on that.”

“When your record went to radio,” Ross recalled. “There was a call put in that if you play that record, if you play that record, you won’t get no more records from this group.”

“But you know what? God be the glory,” said Luckett.

“That record fought through that,” he added. “There was a mandate called up to the radio stations.”

@throne_of_queenb added, “Mathew is definitely messy!

User @victoria399751 wrote, “I don’t care I still feel they was jealous of Latoya from jump.”

@swaggerboi305 wrote, “Now I’m finna go listen to TORN! and get some play time up! 😌😏😁🎶🎼🎵.”

RELATED: Yikes! Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s House Damaged After Driver Crashes Gates, Officials Explain What Happened

After HBO Max purged most of its Cartoon Network titles over the past couple of years, Tubi has stepped in of late to play host to the banner’s animated classics. Earlier this year, the free ad-supported streaming platform made a deal to pick up the rights to over 100 shows from the Warner Bros. vaults as part of its “cartoon era,” from Justice League to Dexter’s Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and much more. The move came after the platform found a massive audience for animation upon saving the Looney Tunes library last year, and ever since, the deals have kept coming. Its biggest splash came in March, however, when it greenlit Yokoso Scooby-Doo!, the first-ever Scooby-Doo anime series produced by WB that will take the titular Great Dane and his best pal, Shaggy, on a foodie adventure for the ages in Japan. Frank Welker and Matthew Lillard are even back to lend their voices to the Tubi exclusive.

Until that series arrives, the streamer still has more of the classics to dole out. While Batman: The Brave And The Bold, Krypto the Superdog, Pinky And The Brain, and more will be cycling out of Tubi’s catalog soon, a third wave is coming, starting August 1, to fill that hole. Among those is a former Cartoon Network staple that is now notoriously difficult to stream, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, as well as its holiday special, Billy & Mandy Save Christmas. It’ll be accompanied by another forgotten gem of the era, ¡Mucha Lucha!, and the short-lived but fondly remembered Freakazoid!, created by the accomplished duo of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

Most of the programs arriving come from the Kids WB block and were previously announced as part of the massive collection acquired by Tubi. However, this wave also included the animated Beetlejuice series, which capitalized on the success of the Tim Burton classic to become a megahit on Fox Kids following the Deetz family and the Ghost with the Most himself. Ahead of HBO Max’s new Lanterns series, the streamer is also giving viewers a chance to catch up on Green Lantern: The Animated Series, which came from some of the same voices behind the classic Batman and Superman: The Animated Series. Also included are the Looney Tunes: 3D Shorts and Codename: Kids Next Door – Operation Z.E.R.O. to round out the selection.

Tubi’s Animation Era Is Just Getting Started

Tubi’s push into animation has been a golden opportunity to revisit Cartoon Network’s Golden Age with entire Saturday morning blocks released for free so far. However, the plan goes beyond breathing new life into old favorites. The platform has slowly been pushing into original animation to bolster its library. Their latest attempt in that realm, the starry adult animated comedy Breaking Bear led by Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Josh Gad, recently made an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to promote its two-episode premiere on July 24, and this Friday, July 31, will see the remainder of its eight-episode first season drop for free. With Yokoso Scooby-Doo! also on the way, Tubi clearly has its sights set on becoming an animation destination in an increasingly expensive streaming world.

The next wave of Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation shows arrives on Tubi starting August 1. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on all the titles coming to free streaming throughout the year.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

2001 – 2007-00-00

Network

Advertisement

Cartoon Network

Directors

Robert Alvarez, Maxwell Atoms, Eddy Houchins, Sue Perrotto, Brian Sheesley, Russell Calabrese, Brian Hogan, Kris Sherwood, Phil Cummings, Randy Myers, Dave Brain, Matt Engstrom, Pat Shinagawa, Gordon Kent, Robert Hughes

Advertisement

Writers

Gord Zajac, Alex Almaguer, C.H. Greenblatt, Mike Diederich, Brett Varon, Nina G. Bargiel, Jeremy J. Bargiel, Craig Lewis, James Silverman, Zena Leigh Logan, Aaron Springer, Tim McKeon, Jeff Prezenkowski, Richard Steven Horvitz, Amy Keating Rogers, Jackie Buscarino, Kristen Lazarian, Tom Warburton, Rachael MacFarlane, Anna Chambers, Rob Desales

Advertisement

• 

  Greg Eagles

  Advertisement

  Lord Pain (voice)

• 

  Richard Steven Horvitz

  Plain Cow (voice)

  Advertisement
• 
• 

  Vanessa Marshall

  Irwin (voice)

  Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement