Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor-Summers
A clone of Jean Grey created by Mister Sinister, Madelyne Pryor married Scott Summers and gave birth to Nathan (the future Cable) before learning the truth of her origins. Driven mad by Cyclops abandoning her to rejoin Jean Grey in X-Factor, she became the Goblin Queen during Inferno, nearly sacrificing her own son to open a demonic gateway over Manhattan. She has returned repeatedly as both villain and antihero, and the Krakoan era gave her a full resurrection and redemption arc, leading the Dark X-Men and finally stepping out from Jean Grey's shadow.
Appearances Over Time
Most Appearances By Series
The Uncanny X-Men (1981) 47 issues
X-Man (1995) 40 issues
X-Factor (1986) 17 issues
Cable (1993) 7 issues
Inferno (2015) 5 issues
X-Men: Blue (2017) 5 issues
New Mutants (2020) 5 issues
X-Men Classic (1990) 5 issues
Hellions (2020) 5 issues
Dark X-Men (2023) 5 issues
Event Participation
The Uncanny X-Men #168
April 1983
Madelyne Pryor occupies a complicated space in X-Men lore, with fans often sympathetic to her tragic treatment as Scott Summers' abandoned wife yet divided on her villain turns. Her Inferno arc and transformation into the Goblin Queen remain iconic, though debate persists over whether writers have done right by her character. The Krakoa era and X-Men '97's "Lifedeath" episode sparked renewed interest, with many hoping her recent anti-hero positioning finally gives her agency beyond being Jean Grey's clone.
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor-Summers
Chris Claremont, Paul Smith