Emma Frost

Emma Frost
Art by Andy Park
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Uncanny X-Men #129 (January 1980)
Created by	Chris Claremont John Byrne
In-story information
Full name	Emma Grace Frost
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	X-Men The Cabal Xavier Institute Hellfire Club Hellions Generation X Dark X-Men Frost International Phoenix Five
Notable aliases	The White Queen, The Black Queen
Abilities	Vast telepathic abilities, including mind control, memory alteration, and astral projection Capable of shapeshifting into a solid diamond with superhuman strength, stamina, psychic immunity, and durability

Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 (January 1980), and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. Emma Frost, also known as the White Queen, has evolved from a supervillain and foe of the X-Men, to becoming a superhero and one of the X-Men's most central members and leaders.

Frost belongs to a subspecies of humanity called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. She is an urbane telepath with a well-noted, dry wit.

The character appears in many adaptations of the X-Men properties, such as video games, animated programs, and live-action films. January Jones portrayed Emma Frost in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class. Other portrayals of the character include actress Finola Hughes in the 1996 film Generation X.

Publication history

From her initial appearance as the White Queen of the Hellfire Club, Frost appeared as an X-Men villain over the years. Emma Frost first appeared in the famous storyline "The Dark Phoenix Saga", in Uncanny X-Men #129. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. Claremont was inspired to create the Hellfire Club after seeing the episode "A Touch of Brimstone" from the television show The Avengers,^[1] where spy duo John Steed and Emma Peel infiltrate a criminal, hedonistic, underground society. Emma Frost was specifically inspired by Emma Peel, played by actress Diana Rigg, who famously dons a provocative corset, collar, and boots and becomes the "Queen of Sin".^[2]

After The Dark Phoenix saga, Emma Frost frequently appeared in other storylines in Uncanny X-Men and the original volume of the New Mutants alongside her Hellions.

In March 1986, Tom DeFalco, Mary Wilshire, and Steve Leialoha were the creative team for the four issue Firestar miniseries, where Emma predominantly appeared alongside her Hellions. This series showcased Frost as the main villain as she attempted to turn Angelica Jones into her own personal weapon.

After recovering from a coma and aiming to redeem herself upon the knowledge that her Hellions had been slaughtered, Frost played a pivotal role in the Phalanx Covenant, which saw her team up with Banshee, Jubilee, and Sabretooth in an attempt to save the next generation of mutants. This led to her becoming a main character of the spin-off series Generation X which began in November 1994 under the creative eyes of Scott Lobdell, Chris Bachalo, and Mark Buckingham. The series ended after over 75 issues (and several one-shots and miniseries) with Brian Wood, Ron Lim, Sandu Florea, and Randy Elliott ending the series. The series offered glimpses into her past before her days in the Hellfire Club, as well as introducing her sisters Adrienne and Cordelia.

After the series ended and all the X-Titles were revamped, in 2001 Frost appeared in New X-Men as a teacher for the mutant population of Genosha, which was then controlled by Magneto. After a Sentinel strike leveled the island nation, the X-Men found Frost amidst the rubble with a "secondary mutation" which hardened her skin to a diamond-like density. Using Frost as a character was suggested to writer Grant Morrison on his website by a fan. While Morrison initially had no plans to use her, the death of the character Colossus left Morrison with an opening.^[3] He created Emma's secondary mutation – a super strong diamond form – as a replacement for Colossus' powers and added her to the cast.^[4] Subsequently, Frost joined the X-Men. This would lead to her instigating an affair with fellow X-Man Cyclops, who was having marital difficulties with Jean Grey. This series also provided further glimpses into her past, introducing her father Winston Frost and her brother Christian.

In August 2003, writer Karl Bollers penned an ongoing series showcasing her origins titled Emma Frost. The series, which lasted for 18 issues, began during her days as a private school student and ended before her days as a Hellfire Club member. It expanded on the role of her father Winston and her brother Christian, also exploring the early days of her two sisters. Later Marvel issues would expand Emma's character history by depicting her as having past romantic histories with prominent Marvel characters, such as Iron Man and Prince Namor.^[5][6]

Under Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, Emma was featured in the third volume of Astonishing X-Men. She was a major character in the ongoing series, specifically during its third arc, "Torn," in which the authenticity of her allegiance to the X-Men was explored. She also frequently made guest appearances in other Marvel titles, New X-Men in particular. The reduced presence of X-Men founder and former headmaster Charles Xavier in recent years has intensified her importance as one of Marvel's foremost telepaths.

Background explored

In a flashback story told by Frost in Generation X #24, Frost details a time she spent in a mental institution after being sent there by her parents. However, the short-lived Emma Frost series depicted Frost's early years differently, having her leave home and attend college. The series was supposed to cover Frost's life from high school until her first appearance as the White Queen, however, it was canceled at issue #18. Generation X #-1 showed the first meeting of Emma Frost, Banshee, and the Dark Beast, taking place after the events depicted in the Emma Frost series.

In X-Men: Deadly Genesis, Frost is shown after the events of Generation X #-1 working as a stripper at the Hellfire Club before rising to the rank of White Queen. Frost is approached by Professor X and Moira MacTaggert to join a new team of X-Men along with other characters introduced in the series. The task proves harder than first anticipated and Xavier is met with great resistance from Frost. The event is then mentally erased from everyone's minds by Xavier.

Fictional character biography

Early life

Emma Frost was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to the wealthy Winston and Hazel Frost; she is the third of four children, which include her older brother, Christian Frost, her older sister Adrienne Frost and her younger sister Cordelia Frost. Winston is cold, ruthless, and domineering, often imposing impossibly high standards on his children, while Hazel abuses prescription drugs to cope with the tensions of her household. Thus, Frost obtains no emotional support from her parents or her sisters, but gets along with her brother Christian.

At her school, Frost is ruthlessly bullied by her peers but finds support in teacher, Ian Kendall. When her telepathic powers manifest, Frost is able to read the minds of others and glean information. Frost becomes a tutor to the other students and Ian recommends her to be a teacher, something Frost's father refuses. On her way home from school one day, Frost's car breaks down and Ian gives her a ride home. After reading his thoughts and learning that he thinks she is beautiful and intelligent, Frost kisses him. Her sister Adrienne records it and her father uses the evidence to get Ian fired. Frost begins to fight back by blackmailing her father. Intrigued by her actions, Winston offers her the family fortune but Frost rejects his offer and decides to make her own way in life.^[7]

After a period of homelessness, Frost meets and falls in love with a young man named Troy, who agrees to let her live with him. She learns that he owes a large amount of money to a local mobster named Lucien. In order to save Troy's life, Frost agrees to participate in a fake kidnapping scheme in an attempt to extort the remainder of Troy's debt from her father. However, this soon turns into a real kidnapping and Troy is killed while valiantly attempting to save Frost from an enraged Lucien. Using her powers, Frost turns the thugs against one another and then forces the remaining henchman to free her.

Frost takes the ransom money and enrolls in Empire State University.^[8] There, she begins to learn about mutants for the first time and meets fellow telepath Astrid Bloom, who becomes her friend and mentor. Frost later learns that Astrid has been secretly manipulating events. Furious, she attacks Astrid telepathically and leaves her comatose. Frost is later invited to the Hellfire Club,^[9][10] an underground elite society. Frost discovers the plans of Edward Buckman and Steven Lang to destroy all mutants. Alongside Sebastian Shaw, Lourdes Chantel, and Harry Leland, Frost battles Lang's Sentinels. Frost kills Buckman and the Council of the Chosen, then – along with Shaw – takes control of the Hellfire Club, setting themselves up as Lords Cardinal of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.^[11]

White Queen of the Hellfire Club

As White Queen of the Hellfire Club, Frost held many titles, one of which was Chairman of the Board and CEO of Frost International, which helps to fund the activities of the Lords Cardinal. Frost also becomes the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and headmistress of the Massachusetts Academy, a school for mutants which serves as a counterpoint to Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Frost and the Club's agents later attempted to recruit Kitty Pryde for the Massachusetts Academy, and capture (and personally torture) several members of the X-Men, including Storm, Colossus, Wolverine, and Phoenix. Frost engages Phoenix in a psychic battle in which she is overpowered and on the verge of being killed. Frost launches a last-minute attack that led the X-Men to believe she had committed suicide,^[12] though in truth, she was comatose and recovering from Phoenix's attack under the care of Sebastian Shaw.^[13] In another encounter with the Hellfire Club, Frost telepathically forces Kitty Pryde's parents to transfer her from Xavier's to the Massachusetts Academy. She then switches minds with Storm in order to defeat the X-Men from within their own ranks, however, the process is soon reversed and the two are restored to their respective bodies.^[14] She was later temporarily rendered comatose by Mastermind.^[15]

The Hellions

During her time with the Hellfire Club, Frost continues to run the Massachusetts Academy and mentors the mutant team known as the Hellions. Frost attempts to recruit several gifted youngsters to her cause: Firestar,^[16] Doug Ramsey and again Kitty Pryde, all of which result in altercations.^[17] Alongside the Hellions, Frost encounters the Hellions' rival team, Xavier's New Mutants, several times.^[18] When the New Mutants are later killed and resurrected by the Beyonder, they are left traumatized and withdrawn. Frost offers her assistance in telepathically restoring them to their former selves. She then coerces their headmaster Magneto into allowing them to join the Massachusetts Academy.^[19] With Shaw and Selene, Frost invites Magneto to join the Hellfire Club...^[20] Alongside the Hellfire Club, Frost battles the High Evolutionary's forces to rescue Magma,^[21] helps Magneto search for the New Mutants when they had gone missing, encounters the effects of the Inferno, and eventually forms an alliance with Selene and Magneto to oust Shaw from the inner circle.^[22]

Losing the Hellions

When the time traveling mutant Trevor Fitzroy unleashes the mutant-hunting robots called the Sentinels on Frost and her Hellions, Frost places herself in a psychic coma in order to survive the ordeal. Her students however, are not as lucky and are killed in action.^[23][24] Frost later awakens in the Xavier Academy. Disoriented, she switches minds with Iceman and escapes but is overcome with grief when she discovers the deaths of her students. Professor Xavier is able to coax Frost to switch back.^[25]

Generation X

Frost later teams up with the X-Men to defeat the Phalanx, and in the process, rescue a select group of teenage mutants who become a superhero team known as Generation X,^[26] to whom Frost and Banshee becomes mentors at the reopened Massachusetts Academy. After Frost's business ventures take a bad turn, she seeks help from her estranged sister Adrienne, who is a psychometrist. Adrienne offers financial assistance but secretly plots against Frost and plants a bomb at the school, resulting in the death of Synch.^[27] Frost tracks down and kills Adrienne,^[28] but after returning to the Academy, grows increasingly distant from her students in an effort to hide her crime. When the students learn what Frost did, the students become estranged from her, and Generation X disbands.^[29]

Joining and leading the X-Men

In dealing with the emotional fallout from the murder of her sister, Frost travels to the mutant haven island of Genosha, where she teaches at a mutant school until a genocidal Sentinel attack kills most of the island's inhabitants; Frost survives due to the sudden manifestation of her secondary mutation: the power to transform herself into a flexible, near-invulnerable, diamond-like substance. After being rescued Frost joins the X-Men and takes on a teaching position at Xavier Institute.^[30] She mentors a group of telepathic quintuplets, the Stepford Cuckoos, who quickly become her prized pupils. Frost and the Cuckoos prove themselves when they help fight and defeat Charles Xavier's evil twin sister Cassandra Nova. As a member of the X-Men, Frost begins counselling Cyclops over his marriage with Jean however, this soon turns into a psychic, non-physical, sexual relationship.^[31][32]

While quelling a riot at the school, one of the Stepford Cuckoos, Sophie, is killed and the others reject Frost's mentorship, blaming her for the death. They attempt to get revenge by telepathically contacting Jean about Frost's and Cyclops' psychic affair.^[33] In the aftermath of the riot, Jean catches Frost and Summers in bed together in their minds. In a rage, Jean unleashes her reignited Phoenix powers and psychically humiliates Frost. Afterward, Frost is found physically shattered in her diamond form.^[10] As Bishop and Sage investigate the crime, Jean uses her increasingly growing Phoenix powers to reassemble Frost's body, acknowledging that Frost has genuinely fallen in love with Scott. Revived, Frost is able to name her attempted murderer – Esme of the Stepford Cuckoos, who had mind-controlled fellow student Angel Salvadore into shooting Frost in her single flaw with a diamond bullet, under the direction of Xorn.^[34]

Upon Jean's death, Cyclops moves on with his life with Frost. Despite the criticism from their teammates and family members, Cyclops and Frost become lovers, and the two take over the school after Professor Xavier steps down;^[35] Frost becomes co-headmistress with Cyclops and adviser to a new team of Hellions.^[36] She develops an antagonistic relationship with fellow teacher Kitty Pryde^[37] and the alternate reality daughter of Jean and Cyclops, Rachel Grey, however, a truce is reached when Frost offers to help Rachel hone her telepathic abilities.^[38][39]

"Decimation"

Following the "Decimation" storyline, the student population drastically decreases, and Frost, without consulting Cyclops, decides to revamp the entire workings of the school.^[40]

Phoenix Warsong

During the 2006 miniseries X-Men: Phoenix - Warsong, it is revealed that Frost's ova are the genetic templates used to clone thousands of identical female telepaths, five of which had become the Stepford Cuckoos.^[41] The encapsulated offspring begin to refer to Frost as "mother" – a title whose usage she later accepts.^[42] In the end, the Phoenix (inhabiting the body of Celeste Cuckoo) destroys the thousands of additional clones, Frost is pained by the loss of her cloned children and declares revenge against the Phoenix.^[43]

Astonishing X-Men

In the series Astonishing X-Men, a flashback shows that Frost's survival of the destruction of Genosha was due to Cassandra Nova creating Frost's secondary mutation as part of a scheme to infiltrate the X-Men as a sleeper agent.^[44] A guilt ridden Frost creates psychic manifestations of a new Hellfire Club and proceeds to take down the X-Men one by one by showing them their deepest fears. Later on it is revealed that Frost's survivor's guilt is being exacerbated by Cassandra Nova who had placed a glimmer of her mind in Frost's before being trapped in the body of Stuff, and that Nova had even tricked Frost into thinking that she had been complicit in the destruction of Genosha.^[45] Kitty with aid from Cyclops, Blindfold, Hisako Ichiki, and Frost herself eventually prevent Nova from transferring her mind into Hisako. Everyone present is then suddenly teleported onto a S.W.O.R.D. ship headed towards the Breakworld.^[46] The arc concludes with Kitty trapped in the bullet heading towards Earth and the team trying to find various ways to save the Earth and save Kitty. Frost keeps in telepathic contact with Kitty, trying to reassure her, even offering to psionically sedate her. Kitty sacrifices herself, phasing the bullet through Earth. In the aftermath, the X-Men are uncertain of Kitty's fate, believing her to either be dead or at least phased into part of the runaway bullet. Frost is devastated.^[47]

"Civil War"

During the 2006-2007 storyline "Civil War", Frost, during a conversation with Iron Man, announces that the Xavier Institute and the X-Men will not support the Superhuman Registration Act and remain neutral, as she fears that the registration of mutants would put them in more danger.^[5]

"Messiah Complex"

During the 2007–2008 storyline "Messiah Complex", Frost is part of the team that investigates the detection of a new mutant in Alaska.^[48] She also defends the X-Men from the Marauders and the telepathy of Sinister and Exodus.^[49] Frost is last seen with Cyclops' team of X-Men looking for Cable and then tracking down the Marauders with the Cuckoos.^[50] Later when X-Force arrives at the Marauders' hideout, Frost takes out Harpoon.^[51] During the final battle on Muir Island, she faces Exodus, stalemating him in a telepathic duel, until Dust was able to enter his body and scour his lungs with her sand form, incapacitating him.^[52]

"Divided We Stand"

In the 2008 storyline "Divided We Stand", Frost and Scott vacation in the Savage Land but soon leave to answer a distress call by Archangel from San Francisco.^[53] The couple saves San Francisco from an out of control Martinique Jason.^[54] Afterwards, the Mayor of San Francisco welcomes the X-Men with open arms as their new super-hero team and Frost and Cyclops send out a telepathic message to all remaining mutants throughout the world, informing them that San Francisco is now considered a sanctuary for the remaining mutants in the world.^[55]

Manifest Destiny

In the 2008–2009 storyline "Manifest Destiny", a new anti-mutant group calling themselves the "Hellfire Cult" appears in the Bay Area, committing various anti-mutant hate crimes. They are led by Frost's former pupil, Empath, as well as a mysterious red-haired dominatrix telepath who calls herself the Red Queen. After Empath discloses his experience of lusting after Frost during his days at the Massachusetts Academy, the dominatrix takes on Frost's appearance.^[56] While investigating the Hellfire Cult's base, Cyclops is seduced by the Red Queen. Later while at a Dazzler concert, Scott reveals that the Red Queen is none other than his dead ex-wife Madelyne Pryor.^[57]

Frost also expresses doubts about whether or not she deserves to be an X-Man, only to have veteran X-Man Wolverine assure her that she has earned her place on the team.^[58] Later, when Xavier attempts to warn Cyclops about his recent encounter with Sinister, Frost manages to enter the Professor's mind undetected. During the course of their encounter, Frost forces Xavier to relive each of his mistakes and morally ambiguous decisions made under altruistic pretenses. It is also revealed that while Frost is just as angry with Xavier as Cyclops is, she also wants to help him move on with his life. Frost points the Professor in a new direction by forcing him to relive the death of Moira MacTaggert and reminding him of her last words.^[59][60]

"Secret Invasion"

In the 2008 storyline "Secret Invasion", Frost is seen fighting the Skrulls in San Francisco during the invasion.^[61] There, the Skrulls set up a telepathy-blocking "wall" throughout the globe. Emma channels the Cuckoos' telepathy into her own using Cerebra in an attempt to locate the source of the psi-blockade but is left comatose.^[62] The Cuckoos tell Cyclops that Emma is dead, unaware that Emma's telepathic mind is continuing to battle the psychic team of Skrulls. Setting a series of traps through misdirection, Emma manages to break free and shut down the psi-blockade.^[63] Following the Skrulls' defeat, she is introduced as a member of a secret cabal, consisting of herself, Norman Osborn, Doctor Doom, Loki, Namor and the Hood, who are manipulating events in their favor.^[64]

"Dark Reign"

In the 2008–2009 storyline "Dark Reign", Frost, after waking from a vision about the Sentry, is invited to join Norman Osborn's Cabal.^[65][66] At the meeting, it is revealed that she and Prince Namor share a romantic history. During her days as the White Queen, Sebastian Shaw sent Frost to convince Namor to join the Hellfire Club. Instead, Namor took her to his kingdom and they began a relationship. Believing Frost to have betrayed him for Namor, Shaw sent a reprogrammed sentinel to Atlantis, attacking the two and destroying the kingdom. When Namor confronted Shaw for his treachery, Sage took a telepathic hold of Frost, erasing her memories of Namor, who vowed revenge on Shaw. In the present, Frost reveals that after her initial battle with the Phoenix she pieced her memories of Namor back together. She makes a pact with him, seducing Shaw and using her telepathy to make Namor believe she has executed him, while secretly telepathically incapacitating Shaw. Per their deal, Namor vows to protect mutant-kind as his own people, while Frost, more determined to fill her role as a leader of mutant-kind, contacts Scott to have Shaw captured by the X-Men for "crimes against mutant-kind."^[6] Approaching him later in his cell, Frost reveals that she has captured Shaw for Namor and on the basis that the Sentinels he commissioned were ones later used by Cassandra Nova to destroy Genosha. She sentences him to remember nothing but the faces of the Genoshan victims using her telepathy.^[67]

Sisterhood of Mutants

The Red Queen, along with her magically-powered Sisterhood of Mutants attack the X-Men with the end goal of locating Jean Grey's corpse. Lady Mastermind ambushes Frost nullifying her mind with a mixture of magical and psychic chaff. Frost has a vision telling her to prepare for future events involving the Phoenix Force and eventually breaks free.^[68] She defeats the Mastermind sisters and later attacks the rest of the Sisterhood at their base with the X-Men.^[69]

Dark X-Men

Frost is appointed by Norman Osborn to lead his new team of "Dark X-Men". Each member is hand-picked by Norman but Frost has Namor added to the team for her own reasons.^[70] The team debuts to the public as the official "X-Men" maintaining high public approval through Osborn's careful media strategy. They oust the original X-Men, portraying them as a dangerous militia.^[71] Meanwhile, Frost discovers that Osborn is working with the Dark Beast, torturing apprehended mutants and feeding their powers into a machine that empowers Weapon Omega.^[72] Cyclops sends X-Force on a strategic evacuation of the mutant prisoners, resulting in a planned confrontation with the Dark X-Men. As the teams prepare to face off, Frost then reveals her role as a double agent, defeating the Dark X-Men with Namor's assistance. She extends an invitation to Cloak and Dagger to join the true X-Men as they teleport to the newly created island base Utopia. Upon learning of this, Norman orders his Dark Avengers and Dark X-Men to go after Frost, Namor, and Scott.^[73] During the final battle, Frost distracts the godlike Sentry by separating the Void persona from his Bob Reynolds persona. Doing so allows the Sentry to regain control and flee the battle, however, Frost cannot contain the Void and it chases after the Sentry, though a sliver of it remains within her body.^[74] Frost is forced to remain in Diamond Form in order to prevent the sliver of the Void from utilizing her omega level psychic abilities.^[75] Eventually it came to the decision to extract the Void. With Professor X's aid, they bridged Cyclops' mind to Frost. However, the Void instead took over his body, only for Scott to contain it within an inescapable prison in his mind.^[76]

Necrosha

Frost, Sebastian Shaw and Donald Pierce are targeted by Selene for betraying her years ago in her plan to ascend to godhood. Additionally, Selene is also angry over Frost using the Black Queen moniker when she was leading the Dark X-Men. She resurrects the Hellions and sends them to attack and taunt Frost.^[77]> Their appearance is enough, to leave Frost in a horrified state of shock and guilt. Once Selene's inner circle appears on Utopia Frost recognizes Blink and stops Wolverine from killing Wither. However, in the aftermath Selene's inner circle succeed in capturing Warpath, injuring Angel and ruthlessly killing Onyxx and Diamond Lil before returning to Necrosha. Frost recognizes that the threat will not end until Selene and her inner circle are permanently stopped, and orders X-Force to travel to Necrosha and kill them all, including Wither.^[78]

"Second Coming"

During the events of the 2010 "Second Coming" storyline, Frost acts as moral support to Scott as well as the prime means of communication between Scott and his Alpha Roster of X-Men.^[79] When Rogue becomes aware that she has an empathic connection to Hope, she contacts Frost for help, Frost finds that the bond is not telepathic in nature. Along with all the other telepaths among the X-Men, Frost is affected by the psionic backlash when Bastion shuts Cerebra down and informs Scott that Ariel has died in a missile strike.^[80] Frost takes part in the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge and watches with concern as Hope manifests the Phoenix Force energy signature.^[81]

After the battle is over, the students have a bonfire to try to relax. As Frost stands around in her diamond state, she sees the Phoenix Force manifest around Hope, prompting her to remember that the Phoenix had told her to "prepare". Horrified, she runs after Scott to tell him about what she saw and what she remembered. Finding him in Cerebra, Scott tells her five new mutants have manifested their powers across the globe.^[82]

"Avengers vs. X-Men"

In the 2012 storyline "Avengers vs. X-Men", Frost is one of the five X-Men taken over by the power of the Phoenix Force after it is fractured by Iron Man.^[83] Under its influence, she finds and kills a man who committed a hit and run against a mutant over a decade earlier.^[84] During the final showdown against the Avengers and the X-Men, her portion of the Phoenix is violently taken by Cyclops.^[85] Frost is taken into custody by the Avengers and survives an assassination attempt by members of the Purifiers.^[86]

All-New X-Men

Frost is rescued from prison by Cyclops and Magneto, but it is revealed that her time as a Phoenix has rendered her telepathy erratic at best.^[87] Despite her resentment of Cyclops' recent actions she consents to depart with him to resume his mission to protect mutants.^[88] Frost has trained in secret and obtained full control over her telepathy again. She is the current acting tutor for the Stepford Cuckoos and Jean Grey in the use of their powers.^[89][90]

All-New, All-Different

Following Secret Wars and the restoration of Earth-616 prior to the Incursions, Emma Frost is among a small team of X-Men that come into contact with the Terrigen mists at Muir Island, where they found Jamie Madrox dead on the facility grounds. Discovering that the Terrigen Mist cloud was toxic to mutants Scott and Emma formulate a plan to extinguish one of the Inhumans' Terrigen cloud. And while they are able to hold off the Inhumans just long enough to neutralize the green cloud, Cyclops is apparently killed by Black Bolt in self-defense. However at Scott's funeral, Alex is seen afar speaking to Emma that something does not make sense, leading to Emma filling Alex in on some unrevealed details. Black Bolt did not kill Cyclops, in fact, he never made it out of the facility at Muir Island, as he suffered an immediate reaction to the Terrigen mists, dying in Emma Frost's arms. Since then Emma has been projecting him to everyone else to fulfill Scott's wish.^[91]

Powers and abilities

Emma Frost is a mutant of enormous telepathic ability,^[92] and is also capable of transforming into an organic diamond state with enhanced strength and durability which suppresses her telepathy. Additionally Frost has been a host to the Phoenix Force and was classified as an Omega-level mutant when she went to shut down the Avengers Academy as one of the Phoenix Five.^[93]

Telepathy

Frost has been classified as an "Omega-Class telepath",^{[94][95][96][97]} capable of extraordinary psionic feats, including the telepathic standards of: broadcasting and receiving thoughts, mind-control, altering perceptions and memories, psychic shielding, astral projection, mind switching, brain engram modification, mental sedation, and induction of mental pain via touch.^{[38][59][60][62][63][98][99][100][101][102][103]} She is also able to boost or activate a mutant's powers through accessing their brain's neurological pathways, and can communicate across global distances unaided.^{[38][59][60][62][63][98][99][100][101][102][103]} Her abilities have been stated to rival those of Charles Xavier himself.^[60] Additionally, she has also been referred to as a "psi of the highest order," been ranked among the five most skilled telepaths on the planet,^[100] has demonstrated the ability to stalemate Exodus,^[104] and overcome telepaths, such as Nate Grey,^[98] Kid Omega, and Rachel Summers, through greater power, experience and skill.^{[38][39][105]}

Diamond form

At the moment of the destruction of Genosha, Frost manifested a secondary mutation giving her the ability to transform her body into organic diamond.^[10] In this form, Frost is translucent and retains mobility while being nigh invulnerable, and able to support incredible amounts of weight.

Emma's diamond body is virtually tireless as she does not produce fatigue poisons and has no need for water or food.^[106] She is also numbed from emotion, pain and empathy, impervious to cold,^[107] and resistant to heat in this form.^{[108][109][110]} Furthermore, in this form she has no need to breathe.^[111] Despite this high level of invulnerability, her diamond form has a single molecular flaw, which if exploited – such as being shot with a diamond bullet – can cause her body to shatter.^[10]

In this diamond state Frost is unable to access her psychic powers due to suppression by her diamond form's adamantine luster.^[112] As a result, Emma is also granted total telepathic immunity while in diamond form.^[108][113] Her diamond form is also stated to emit low-level ultraviolet light, causing it to glow in darkness.^[112]

Frost's diamond form also grants her superhuman strength. She has been shown to manhandle Warpath,^[114] and has sent Lady Mastermind flying through a wall with a single punch.^[115]

Innate traits and expertise

Frost has a gifted intellect with college degrees in multiple fields, including a Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in Business Administration from the prominent Marvel Universe's Empire State University. A superb businesswoman, Emma Frost for many years was founder and CEO of Frost Enterprises, a major multinational conglomerate headquartered in New York City that rivaled Stark Enterprises and Worthington Industries and specialized in shipping, aerospace engineering and new technology R&D.

Frost is also a highly capable planner, an electronics expert, and can invent machines that grant various psionic abilities, such as "Multivac", a mutant locater capable of monitoring the psionic levels of mutants; the "Hallucinator" used to induce hypnotic hallucinations to brainwash others; the gun-like device that enabled her to exchange minds and powers with Storm; and the Mindtap mechanism which enhanced and enabled her Hellfire cohort Mastermind to project his illusions directly into the mind of the Phoenix.^{[12][112][116][117][118]}

Frost is well versed in medical disciplines such as neurology, biochemistry, pathophysiology and genetics. This has allowed her to medically cure Polaris from an array of infectious diseases and examine Iceman's brain physiology.^[119][120] Additionally, Frost has also been shown to bootstrap her own brain chemistry to counter a neurotoxin.^[116]

Telekinetic potential

On occasion, it has been hinted that Frost is also a latent telekinetic. Jean Grey's displaced psyche was able to use Frost's brain to generate a telekinetic force field and fly.^[121] During the Onslaught Saga, Frost unwittingly levitated several kitchen utensils while having a bad dream.^[122] When the mutant Synch "synched" with Frost's powers, he was able to use them to levitate several objects and individuals in the room. This phenomenon is then referred to as telekinesis and credited to Frost's psi powers.^[123]

Resources and anonymity

Frost possesses vast wealth as the owner of several multibillion-dollar conglomerates; Frost International, Frost Enterprises and Meridian Enterprises.^[124][125] Additionally, Frost has also made investments in oil companies, Stark Industries, Wakandan Airways, Ben Nishmura's gamma research, Reed Richards' patent for unstable molecules and Cummings Aeronautics helicarrier project.^[125][126] Furthermore, as CEO Frost International Frost has access to various technologies either designed by herself,^[112] or made through acquisitions of corporations such as LaNeige Industries which specialises in trans-dimensional travel and weaponry.^[127]

Frost's wealth and legal resources (Brooke & Webster esq plc)^[128] affords her a degree of anonymity over the digital medium. This has been shown to extend to databases owned by the Avengers,^[129] and the Sentinel Bastion.^[130] Furthermore, several injunctions have been in place to prevent any discussion or referencing of Frost or her moniker the "White Queen" on any public networks.^[128]

As a member of the Phoenix 5, Frost at one point telepathically scanned every single superhuman and human mind on the planet digging for the darkest of secrets and information.^[131]

Attire and paraphernalia

Frost regards her revealing attire as battle armour which may give her a psychological edge against any opponent.^[132] Additionally, Frost considers high-heeled footwear as vital to her attire,^[133] and has demonstrated balance and proficiency with them in hand-to-hand combat.^[134] Frost has to maintain a careful balance between her fashion sensibilities and being on the battlefield as this has on one occasion hindered her mobility on mountainous terrain.^[135]

Other versions

In addition to her mainstream incarnation, Emma Frost has been depicted in other fictional universes.

Age of Apocalypse

In the "Age of Apocalypse" storyline, Emma Frost never joined the Hellfire Club and is a member of the Human High Council. She had the portions of her brain that granted her telepathy removed in order to join the ranks of the Council.^[136]

It has since been revealed by Doom that the lobotomy only temporarily removed Emma's powers and it was a matter of time before Emma recovered her telepathy once again. When her powers returned, she joined Weapon Omega's reign, and has since been named Queen of Latveria.^[137]

Age of Ultron

Emma Frost appears in Age of Ultron as one of the few superpowered humans hiding in the tunnels beneath Central Park.^[138] She mourns Cyclops's death and helps Iron Man examine Spider-Man and Hawkeye for nanotechnology which may have been secretly been inserted by Ultron, and is present when the team makes a plan to have one person get captured in order to find Ultron on the inside.^[139]

She journeys to the Savage Land with the rest of the heroes under Invisible Woman's invisibility field and Storm's mist. Upon arriving she scans Luke Cage's mind in New York informing the others that he survived the nuclear blast and that Ultron is using Vision as a conduit to control the world from the future. It is also hinted that her powers are still broken and not fully recovered from the merge with the Phoenix but improved significantly.^[140] When Wolverine and the Invisible Woman go to the past and kill Hank Pym, the current reality is wiped out and replaced with an alternate one.^[141]

Age of X

In the "Age of X" reality, Emma Frost is shown as an inmate of Fortress X's X-Brig since her powers of telepathy prevented X from altering her memories.^[142]

Days of Future Past

In this reality, Emma was the former White Queen of the Hellfire Club, but retreated to a technological base off the coast of India after a majority of the mutant population was wiped out. She sold her telepathic abilities in services of mutant leaders and was eventually approached by Jubilee and Magneto to save Wolverine, who was mind-wiped by the Hellfire Club's Red Queen, Psylocke. Emma managed to restore Logan's mind and joined Magneto and Jubilee in defeating Psylocke and the Hellfire Club's plans for world domination. They continued to operate out of Emma's base with other members as the "X-Men" while Emma attempted to rehabilitate Psylocke back to the side of good.^[143]

Earth-889

In Earth-889, a steampunk era, Emmeline Frost leads the "X-Society" which consists of herself, Scott, Beast, and Logan. The X-Society is heralded as a society of adventurers and called upon by the New Albion (an antiquated name for California) police to assist and investigate various occurrences. Emma consistently refuses Scott's proposals of marriage citing class differences and her desire to avoid "tedious scandal." During an investigation of parallel events of those in Astonishing X-Men's Earth-616, the X-Society pursue Subject X, who causes the Hindenburg disaster and the X-Society are blamed for the deaths of its passengers. In response, the government places the X-Society under house arrest, causing Emma to consider moving away to Europe and accepting Scott's offer of marriage.^[144] She later reappears in the Astonishing X-Men story "Exalted". She is one of many mutants captured across different universes by a deluded version of Charles Xavier known as Savior. The mutants are used as living batteries to keep Savior's Earth from breaking apart, a process which eventually kills them. Emmeline is revealed to have accepted Scott "Scottie" Summer's marriage proposal in her home dimension, but the X-Society were all captured by Savior. Scottie died in the energy machine and Emmeline regrets having never told Scott how much she loved him. She and the remaining alternate reality X-Men escape from the machine and join the captured 616-Universe Cyclops in stopping Savior. They send Cyclops back to his home universe and decide to find a way to fix the Earth now that Savior's energy machine has been destroyed.^[145] Forming a new team, Emmeline and the other dimensionally-displaced X-Men were part of the 2012 title X-Treme X-Men, written by Greg Pak.^[146]

Exiles

In a reality visited by the Exiles, Warlock's techno-organic virus and the Legacy virus interacted in a way to cause 75% of the population to turn into techno-organic beings known as Vi-Locks, including humans and super-beings. The remaining heroes banded together to fight the Vi-Locks and find a cure. Emma, while using a wheelchair, served as the heroes' chief means of communication by using her telepathy, since all other forms of communication were monitored by the Vi-Locks.^[147]

House of M

When the Scarlet Witch changes reality into one where mutants are the dominant species ruled by the House of M, Emma Frost is a child therapist (one of her clients being Franklin Richards who was traumatized after his family died in a spaceship crash) and married to Scott Summers, a pilot. She is later sought after by Wolverine and reminded of the true reality by Layla Miller. Along with other "reawakened" heroes, she leads a confrontation against the House of M in an attempt to restore reality. Only those heroes shielded by Doctor Strange's magic and Emma's telepathy remembered the events of House of M after reality was restored.^[148]

Marvel Adventures

Emma Frost appears in Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #53 as the best friend of mutant Sophia Sanduval, also known as Chat, and mostly uses her powers for personal gains. She is also one of the few people who knows Peter Parker's identity as Spider-Man and grows interested in him. She uses her telepathic powers and briefly takes on the alias "The Silencer" to see what Peter is capable of.^[149] Chat begins dating Peter afterward. After Chat discovers Emma's schemes, Chat seeks Spider-Man's help, leading to a confrontation between him and Emma. Eventually, Emma confesses her crush on Peter, which she began to have after first looking into his mind and realizing his earnest heroic beliefs and motives. She also reveals that she had caused everything in an attempt to break him and Chat up, feeling that she could neither date Peter while he was with Chat, nor could she spend time with Chat like she used to. By breaking them up, Emma hoped that at least she could reclaim Chat's friendship. She makes up with Chat, who still believes her to be good, and allows herself to be arrested, while Peter and Chat go on a date.^[150]

Marvel Noir

In the Marvel Noir universe, Emma is the warden of Genosha Bay, a 1930s prison where the world's most dangerous sociopaths are held without trial or due process. As a nod to the risque nature of the mainstream White Queen and the Hellfire Club, this version of Emma has a bondage fetish, relishing being tied up during a prison break and telling her captor "tighter please".^[151]

New Exiles

After the New Exiles land on the world of warring empires, they encounter Dame Emma Frost, head of Britain's Department X and founder of Force-X. Emma uses a wheelchair in this reality as well.^[152]

Old Man Logan

In a reality where villains have won and divided up America amongst themselves, Emma Frost marries Doctor Doom in order to ensure the survival of her species. Together with Doctor Doom, they rule a sector of what once was the United States of America, the only place on Earth where mutants can live without fear of persecution. She sends her lover Black Bolt to save Logan and Hawkeye from a Venom-possessed Savage Land T-Rex. She uses her telepathy to make herself look young.^[153]

Powerless

In a reality without superpowers or superheroes, Emma Frost appears as one of William Watts' therapy patients. She mentions having issues with her mother, as well as being upset about Scott choosing Jean over her.^[154]

Prelude to Deadpool Corps

Deadpool visits a world where Emma Frost runs an orphanage for girls that includes kid versions of Jean Grey and Rogue. Here she is pursued romantically by this world's Professor Xavier, who runs an orphanage for troubled kids. During a dance hosted by the two orphanages, Xavier tries but fails to win Emma's affection.^[155]

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel series, Emma Frost is a former student, and girlfriend, of Professor Charles Xavier; in charge of the Academy of Tomorrow and is secretly a part of the Hellfire Club that is trying to separate the Phoenix from Jean. This version of Emma Frost is pacifistic, able to develop a diamond skin, non-telepathic, and until recently dressed much more conservatively than her mainstream counterpart. As a member of the Hellfire Club however, she has been seen wearing her traditional White Queen garb.^[156]

Magneto has her killed in Ultimatum along with the rest of the Academy of Tomorrow except for Havok.^[157] Multiple Man was seen remorsefully holding her corpse.^[158]

What If? Astonishing X-Men

In the 2010 What If? Astonishing X-Men one-shot "What if Ord resurrected Jean Grey instead of Colossus?", Jean Grey's resurrection causes friction with Emma, who believes her presence and history with the Phoenix will ensure the X-Men's demise. The two women discover that the Breakworld has predicted that Phoenix will destroy their planet. Under the deception of the psychic remnant of Cassandra Nova, Emma extracts hidden vestiges of the Phoenix Force from the remaining Stepford Cuckoos, killing them and granting her the powers of the Phoenix so that she may free Cassandra from her prison, no longer requiring Shadowcat. Emma kills Ord, destroys the Breakworld, and confronts the X-Men, killing Beast. Emma reveals her fear that Jean will proceed to take everything—including Scott—away from her now that she has returned. S.W.O.R.D. intercedes and intends to kill Emma for the destruction of the Breakworld. Jean realizes that it is actually Cassandra Nova controlling Emma. Scott manages to reach Emma with his love and she gains enough control to allow the X-Men a chance to kill her and stop Cassandra. Shadowcat pulls out Emma's heart, but is also killed when the Phoenix Force explodes from Emma's body.^[159]

X-Campus

A teenaged version of Emma appears as Sebastian Shaw's girlfriend and one of the students at the Worthington Academy, a school for mutants shown in the X-Campus limited series.^[160]

Young X-Men "End of Days"

In a dystopic future depicted in the final two issues of Young X-Men, an aged Emma Frost (now going by the codename "Diamondheart") is one of only four remaining mutants on "Xaviera", a former mutant safe-haven independent state and utopia. She remains on a team of X-Men with Graymalkin, Wolverine, Anole and an incapacitated and greatly aged Ink, whom she often hopes will speak. Dust suddenly appears, now greatly changed in her appearance and persona with altered powers, and proceeds to confront and easily kill each member. Emma attempts to fight her, but is quickly suffocated by Dust's whirlwind.^[161]

In other media

Television

• Emma Frost, as the White Queen, is a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men (1989) animated television pilot, voiced by Susan Silo. In addition to her telepathic abilities, she displays the ability to create "psy-bolts" – sometimes called "psionic energy spears" or "psychic harpoons" – that can damage physical objects, similar to her character's abilities in early comics. Also in this series, she is able to fly.

• Emma Frost first appears in cameos in the X-Men animated series (1992–1997), during the episode "The Phoenix Saga - Part IV". She is again featured as the White Queen of the Inner Circle Club in "The Dark Phoenix Saga". During this series, she is a powerful telepath. It revealed that she snuck into the X-Mansion and read the Xavier files on Jean Grey/Phoenix. She later aids the Inner Circle in tricking Jean Grey (now Dark Phoenix) into joining them. Frost is also shown using a telepathic machine (similar to Cerebro) in order prevent Professor Xavier (who was using Cerebro) from locating Jean Grey. Emma also appears again amongst the captured telepaths in the "Beyond Good & Evil" plot. She was voiced by Tracey Moore.

• Emma makes her first major non-supporting and non-cameo character role in Marvel Animations' Wolverine and the X-Men, voiced by Kari Wahlgren. She is depicted as both a member of the X-Men team as well as an integral addition to the main cast of the series. Much like her other animated incarnations, Emma displays her abilities as an enormously strong and powerful mutant telepath and empath throughout the course of the show. However unlike her other appearances, Emma also displays her mutative signature ability to shift into a solid, hardened diamond form. Like her portrayal in the comics, she develops a strong and deep romantic affection for Scott/Cyclops. In the three-part episode "Foresight", it is revealed that she is also a member of the Hellfire Club (called the Inner Circle) in their plot to extract the Phoenix Force, though she believes that the group intends to destroy the Phoenix Force to save humanity and is shocked to hear that they intend to harness the Phoenix Force for their own purposes. Emma later ultimately sacrifices herself to prevent the Phoenix Force from causing destruction, releasing it into space; the effort causes her to turn into her diamond form and then shatter, with her last words being "Scott, forgive me".
• Emma also appears as a major character in the twelve-episode X-Men anime (part of the Marvel Anime) series, voiced by Kaori Yamagata in the Japanese version and by Ali Hillis in the English Dub. She is initially introduced as a psychic specter seen by Cyclops while trying to help Jean Grey in her Dark Phoenix form, which ultimately ends in Jean's death. This leads Cyclops to strongly believe Emma had something to do with Jean's death. Emma is next seen trapped in stasis and after being freed by the X-Men, aiding them, and offering them access to her mind to clear up Cyclops's suspicions, she is offered a place on the team along with Armor. Like her main comic book counterpart Emma is a mutant telepath who underwent secondary mutation to obtain her diamond form abilities. She was also a member of the Anime Universe's Hellfire Club, referred to as the "Inner Circle", but left for moral reasons to continue to her own educating of mutant children. Whilst her personality remains refined and confident like her comic book personality, Emma's personality in the anime series is considerably warmer, kinder and more understanding; she is also maternal, especially in her dealing with Hisako/Armor.

Film

• Emma Frost appears in the 1996 live-action television movie called Generation X, portrayed by Finola Hughes.
• Emma Frost was originally written to appear in director Bryan Singer's third X-Men film and be portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, but after Singer left the project, the character was not carried over to the eventual third film X-Men: The Last Stand".^[162][163]
• In the 2009 feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Tahyna Tozzi portrayed Kayla Silverfox's sister, who used Emma Frost's diamond skin ability, but showed no sign of telepathy. Although a trailer for the film identified the character as "Emma Frost,"^[164] in the finished film, she was credited only as "Kayla's sister/Emma".^[165] With the later introduction of an adult Emma Frost more reminiscent of the comics character in the X-Men: First Class movie (see below), this character was established to not be the movie universe's version of the character, with producer Lauren Shuler Donner identifying the First Class character as "the real Emma Frost", and unconnected to the character who appears in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.^[166]
• January Jones plays Emma Frost/The White Queen in X-Men: First Class, released by Fox on June 3, 2011.^[167] She is a powerful telepath as well as possessing her diamond skin, and is the consort of Sebastian Shaw, the villainous leader of the Hellfire Club who seeks to start a nuclear war between the Soviet Union and United States. This would eradicate all non-mutant life and mutate any survivors, leaving the Hellfire Club to rule over this new world order. Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr, and their team of teenage mutants thwart their plan, and Emma is incarcerated, though she is freed by Lehnsherr, who is now known as Magneto, at the end of the film. In this film, she is able to completely block Xavier from using his telepathy on her and Shaw, create illusions, perform mental torture, as well as sense the initial activation of Cerebro from thousands of miles away. While in diamond form, she shows absolute immunity towards psychic attack and has enhanced strength, durability, and reflexes, able to easily cut through glass and glacial ice, catch a throwing knife, and punch Magneto off a boat and into the sea. However, Erik uses his powers to choke her with a metal bar to get information out of her while in her diamond form. This caused massive cracks in her body while in that form, and after she reverts to flesh and blood, he implies a single tap should be enough to shatter her completely should she morph.
• In X-Men: Days of Future Past, Magneto lists Emma Frost as one of the many mutants who died between 1962 (X-Men: First Class) and 1973 (the main setting of X-Men: Days of Future Past),^[168] being one of the mutants tortured and experimented on by Trask Industries.

Video games

• Emma Frost (as the White Queen) is a boss character in the video games The Uncanny X-Men (1989) for NES, X-Men: Madness in Murderworld (1989), and Konami's X-Men (1992).
• Emma Frost is a playable character in X-Men Legends (2004) and is a non-playable character in the sequel X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), voiced by Bobby Holliday.
• Emma Frost is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, voiced by Grey DeLisle. She has telepathic powers and her diamond form as well. Notable powers she has are the ability to turn into her diamond form and reflect the sun's light into a beam, as well as shoot three psychic discs.^[169]
• Emma Frost is a non-playable character in X-Men: Destiny, voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
• Emma Frost appears as a limited time unlockable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. During the Special Ops 3 Mission: Avengers vs. X-Men, she gets possessed by a fragment of the Phoenix. Her Phoenix costume is also unlockable. During the period of December 26, 2012 - January 2, 2013, Frost was available to unlock again.
• Emma Frost is a playable character in the MMORPG Marvel Heroes,^[170] voiced again by Kari Wahlgren.^[171]
• Emma Frost appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes,^[172] voiced again by Kari Wahlgren.^[173] She is a playable character having the ability to mind control and turn into her diamond form (this trait is used to regenerate health).

Motion comics

Emma Frost appears in the Astonishing X-Men motion comic voiced by Erica Schroeder.

Reception

Emma Frost is one of Marvel and the comic industry's most popular characters.^{[174][175][176]}

Depictions of women's sexuality in comics

The character's sexualized depiction and often antagonistic personality are also frequently cited as her most recognizable and appealing character attributes.^{[174][175][176][177][178]} Within analysis of sexualized depictions of women in comics, Emma Frost is often described as an exception to criticisms of over-sexualization of female characters, despite her highly sexualized depiction, noting that her depiction is consistent with her characterization.^[179] The character has also been described as an example of the diversity of women's sexuality in Chris Claremont's work in writing women characters, described as a depiction of a sexually empowered woman recognizing oppressive sexual norms and using them to her advantage, rather than directly rejecting them.^[180]

References

External links

• Emma Frost at the Marvel Universe
• EmmaFrostFiles.com A resource site for Emma Frost
• UncannyXmen.net Spotlight on Emma Frost
• Marvel's Top 10 Heroes of 2007 - 9th Place: Emma Frost