Do we like them?

Do we like Jean Grey?

A character from X-Men (1963–present)

Our score: 8 out of 10. Yes, we'd back her. She's kind, brave and loyal to her team, even though her huge power makes her the most dangerous person in the room.

Jean Grey first appeared as Marvel Girl in The X-Men #1 (1963), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. She is one of the five original students of Professor Charles Xavier's school for mutants. Her main powers are telepathy and telekinesis. She is warm, principled and often acts as the team's heart.

Her best-known stories involve the Phoenix Force, an immense cosmic power that is linked to her. The comics have kept changing how the two are connected. Because of this, Jean is both one of the X-Men's most trusted heroes and one of the biggest risks to them.

We score her an 8. Her intentions are nearly always good, and she gives a great deal to protect others. The only deduction is for the destruction that follows when her power overwhelms her. The Dark Phoenix saga (Uncanny X-Men #129–138, 1980) is the key example. In it she is manipulated into becoming a threat, and the story ends in tragedy. Her story has since returned to the same themes many times, including resurrections and new versions of the character.