HOPE SUMMERS

The child was first referenced in X-Men: Messiah CompleX #1. She was not named Hope until Cable (2nd series) #10, after her late adoptive mother. Her birth name was revealed in Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #526.

Hope's childhood contains a number of missing years. According to Cable's narrative count, Cable (2nd series) #12 is shortly after Day 1543 of his efforts, making Hope roughly four years old. This fits with the stated two years they spent in New Liberty, #7-10, and the two years since her mother died mentioned at the start of #11. However, the narration in #11 also began referring to Hope as seven years old. Issues #11-12 led directly into Messiah War, which covered slightly more than 32.5 hours. Immediately after Messiah War, in #16, Hope is referred to as NINE years old.

Hope was specifically designed by the Phoenix Force to restart mutant evolution on Earth. Following AvX #12, mutants no longer require Hope's touch to manifest their abilities. It's unknown if the subliminal connection between Hope, her Lights, or the mutant population in general remains.

The mystery of Hope's birth father was nearly revealed to be Enigma, the Dominion incarnation of Nathaniel Essex who existed outside of time and space. To prevent Essex from impregnating Louise Spaulding, a Phoenix-empowered Jean Grey went back in time and effectively arranged for a "virgin birth" of the Mutant Messiah. At the conclusion of the battle with Enigma, Hope then sacrificed herself to give birth to the first spark of the Phoenix Force, an ontological paradox closing the loop between Hope, Jean, and the Phoenix.