It’s been nearly 20 years since the X-Men franchise began back in 2000, almost single-handedly kicking off this whole superhero blockbuster craze. Over the course of two decades, there have been a lot of X-movies — some good, some bad, all pretty weird in one way or another. X-Men: Dark Phoenix is, by all appearances, the final installment in this incarnation of the franchise, and it goes out with a sense of finality and closure. Unlike the Phoenix referred to in the film’s title, it’s pretty much guaranteed that none of these specific characters or storylines will be picked up in a future film. If you’re hoping for a sequel to come along and elaborate on any of the dangling plot threads, you’re out of luck, friend. Fortunately, we’re going to try and do what the never-coming sequel won’t: figure out just what it all meant when the credits rolled. Here’s a spoiler filled explanation for the ending of X-Men: Dark Phoenix. During the final battle between Jean Grey and the evil alien played by Jessica Chastain, the villain says, “Your emotions make you weak.” Jean replies, “No, my emotions make me strong.” After that, she goes full Super Saiyan, flies into the sky, and blows up the bad guy, along with herself. The moment is one of the few times Jean seems to have full control over herself, her powers, and her desires. From the moment she first appears, she’s unsure of just about everything. When she’s in the
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