Phoenix in popular culture
Encyclopedia
The phoenix
has proved an enduring allegorical
symbol, symbolizing rebirth, renewal or uniqueness and often appears in modern popular culture
.
World of Warcraft
, a phoenix by the name of Al'ar is a boss, and is available as a mount for players upon defeating its master, Kael'thas Sunstrider.
In the popular MMORPG Rift (video game) the logo for the Defiant faction is a Phoenix. This is also true for the Galactic Republic in Star Wars: The Old Republic
.
In the MMORPG Guild Wars
, you can tame a Phoenix inspired by Chinese mythology in the Factions Campaign. You can also tame a Rainbow Phoenix after accumulating a certain amount of titles.
In the MMORPG RuneScape
, there is a quest in which the player must assist a mortally wounded Phoenix in her rebirthing ritual, after which the player may return each day and "kill" her, so that her life may be extended further. In return, the Phoenix will give the player five of her feathers, which can be used to summon the Phoenix as a familiar.
Phoenix is a recurring summon in the Final Fantasy
series. It generally deals fire damage to the enemy and resurrects any fallen party members at once, and on occasion will raise its summoner upon KO. Phoenix has also appeared as a Boss character in the series from time to time, or simply as a non-playable character that cannot be fought. The item commonly used for returning a character to life during battle is also called a Phoenix Down.
In the Sega Genesis game Shining Force II, a Phoenix joins the team, initially as an assisting A.I.-controlled character and later becoming a full member. He specifically features the great offensive, defensive, and mobility characteristics expected of such a legendary creature, as well as self-regeneration should he fall in a battle. He serves Volcanon, the god of the flying creatures, who appears to have the form of a massive bird, possibly a Phoenix as well.
The Digimon
Hououmon and Zhuqiaomon are based on the phoenix, with the latter being based directly on Suzaku. Birdramon and Saberdramon also take design cues from the phoenix.
In the English translation of the popular Nintendo DS
series Ace Attorney, the main character for the first three games is named Phoenix. This has a double meaning in that no matter how doomed his cases may appear, he always seems to make an amazing comeback, as if to rise from the ashes.
In the online anime-based community, Gaia Online
, there is a Monthly Collectible called the Phoenix Circlet, which can be worn as a circlet, collar, and other such poses.
In Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade
there is a Phoenix creature that is immune to Fire magic and has a chance to resurrect itself when killed.
The Egyptians in Age of Mythology
can summon a Phoenix if they worship Thoth
. The unit is a slow, 800-pound eagle-like red and gold bird which breathes fire on ground units. The in-game description gives it the pseudo binomial nomenclature
name Aquila inferna and quotes a passage from "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
" regarding the bird.
In the game Blue Dragon for Xbox 360 a central character, Kluke, has a shadow resembling a phoenix.
Some fans of the game Zoo Tycoon 2
have created the phoenix for download, with the appearance of a secretary bird
.
The game Sonic Unleashed
has Sonic the Werehog battle the Dark Gaia Phoenix, a normally benevolent bird possessed by the game's main villain, Dark Gaia. In the 360 and PS3 versions of the game, the boss has three life bars that must be depleted before victory is achieved, and each time the Dark Gaia Phoenix revives itself, its health bar is longer, and its flames are more intense.
In the game, League of Legends
, Anivia is a cryophoenix that is a playable champion. She controls the powers of ice instead of the typical fire.
The game Thunder Force VI
has a ship called RVR-00 "Phoenix".
In MMORPG Lineage 2 there is a Phoenix Knight player character class. Phoenix Knights have a special ability to revive themselves after death, they are also granted a fire bird summon called "Imperial Phoenix".
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
has proved an enduring allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
symbol, symbolizing rebirth, renewal or uniqueness and often appears in modern popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
.
In literature
- Classical references to the phoenix include the early Christian Apostolic Father 1 Clement, the Greek historian HerodotusHerodotusHerodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
, TacitusTacitusPublius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
and OvidOvidPublius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
. - William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
frequently mentions the bird in his plays. He also wrote the poem The Phoenix and the TurtleThe Phoenix and the TurtleThe Phoenix and the Turtle is an allegorical poem about the death of ideal love by William Shakespeare. It is widely considered to be one of his most obscure works and has led to many conflicting interpretations. It has also been called "the first great published metaphysical poem". The title "The...
.
- In certain works of RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
literature, the phoenix is said to have been eaten as the rarest of dishes – for only one was alive at any one time. JonsonJonsonJonson is a surname, and may refer to:* Ben Jonson , English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor* Gail Jonson , former medley and butterfly swimmer* Mattias Jonson , Swedish professional football player...
, in Volpone (1605), III, vii. 204-5 writes: 'could we get the phœnix, though nature lost her kind, shee were our dish.' Another mention of the phoenix as a culinary delicacy occurs in John WebsterJohn WebsterJohn Webster was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi, which are often regarded as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. He was a contemporary of William Shakespeare.- Biography :Webster's life is obscure, and the dates...
's The White DevilThe White DevilThe White Devil is a revenge tragedy from 1612 by English playwright John Webster . A notorious failure when it premiered, Webster complained the play was acted in the dead of winter before an unreceptive audience. The play's complexity, sophistication and satire made it a poor fit with the...
(1612). - Edith Nesbit's famous children's novel, The Phoenix and the CarpetThe Phoenix and the CarpetThe Phoenix and the Carpet is a fantasy novel for children, written in 1904 by E. Nesbit. It is the second in a trilogy of novels that began with Five Children and It , and follows the adventures of the same five protagonists – Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and the Lamb...
is based on this legendary creature and its friendship with a family of children. - D. H. LawrenceD. H. LawrenceDavid Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
frequently used the phoenix as a symbol for rebirth in life. The Cambridge Edition of the Letters and Works of D. H. Lawrence carries the motif on its covers. - In Robert E. HowardRobert E. HowardRobert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
's tale of King ConanKing ConanKing Conan is a collection of five fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard featuring his seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, first published in hardcover by Gnome Press in 1953. The stories originally appeared in the 1930s in the fantasy magazine Weird Tales...
of AquiloniaAquiloniaAquilonia is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, part of the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in mountainous terrain in the eastern part of Avellino, at an elevation of 750 m...
, "The Phoenix on the SwordThe Phoenix on the Sword"The Phoenix on the Sword" is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine December 1932. The tale was a rewrite of the unpublished Kull story, "By This Axe I Rule!" with long passages being...
", the supernatural scribe Epimetreus inscribes a mystical Phoenix symbol on the blade of Conan's broadsword, to aid against a supernatural enemy. - The 1957 children's novelChildren's literatureChildren's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
David and the PhoenixDavid and the PhoenixDavid and the Phoenix is a 1957 children's novel about a young boy's adventures with a Phoenix. It was the first book written by American Edward Ormondroyd, a tale of friendship between two different species, a young boy and a magical bird, beginning with David's education in the ways of the...
features the phoenix as a main character. - In C. S. LewisC. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
' book, The Magician's NephewThe Magician's NephewThe Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
, a phoenix guards an EdenGarden of EdenThe Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
-like garden. It also appears later in The Last BattleThe Last BattleThe Last Battle is the seventh and final novel in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. It won the prestigious Carnegie Medal in Literature in 1956.-Plot summary:In The Last Battle, Lewis brings The Chronicles of Narnia to an end...
. - The phoenix was also famed for being a symbol of the rise and fall of societySocietyA society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
, Montag and Faber in Ray BradburyRay BradburyRay Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. The novel presents a future American society where reading is outlawed and firemen start fires to burn books...
. The pattern of an over complacent and abusive society's destruction yielding a fresh new start was compared to the Phoenix's mythological pattern of consumption by flame, then resurrection out of ashes. - Sylvia PlathSylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
also alludes to the phoenix in the end of her famous poem "Lady Lazarus." - J. K. RowlingJ. K. RowlingJoanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
's Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
novels feature a phoenix, named Fawkes.) In Harry Potter's world, phoenixes can carry enormous weights, and their song is said to strike fear into the hearts of the impure and courage into those who are pure of heart. The tears of the phoenix can heal severe poisoning, and other illnesses and injuries. The presence of a phoenix reinforces the underlying theme of overcoming death by embracing life found throughout the series, and many of the traits of the phoenix follow closely with the myth. - In Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's short story "Firebird", a party of Epicureans finally answer the question of what happens when a Phoenix is roasted and eaten; you burst into flames, and 'the years burn off you'. This can kill those who are unexperienced, but those who have swallowed fire and practised with glow-worms can achieve an immensely satisfying eternal youth. - In Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's novel Carpe JugulumCarpe JugulumCarpe Jugulum ) is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett, the twenty-third in the Discworld series. It was first published in 1998....
, the search for the phoenix forms an important side plot. - In Phoenix Rising, by Karen HesseKaren HesseKaren Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings.-Life:...
, Trent mentions the Phoenix several times while he's lying in bed, and one time or two the main character questions Trent about the Phoenix and its background. - In Steven BrustSteven BrustSteven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
's books set in the world of DragaeraDragaeraDragaera is the fictional world in which a series of novels by Steven Brust is set. The word "Dragaera" can refer to the planet, the Dragaeran Empire, or its former capital, Dragaera City.-Species:...
, the House of the Phoenix is linked biologically to the phoenix and metaphorically to the theme of rebirth. PhoenixPhoenix (novel)Phoenix is the fifth book in Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series, set in the fantasy world of Dragaera. Originally published in 1990 by Ace Books, it was reprinted in 2002 along with Taltos in the omnibus The Book of Taltos...
and The Phoenix GuardsThe Phoenix GuardsThe Phoenix Guards is the first novel in the Khaavren Romances, a fantasy series by Steven Brust set in the fictional world of Dragaera. The novel is heavily influenced by the d'Artagnan Romances written by Alexandre Dumas...
are the titles of two of Brust's books, in the Vlad Taltos series and the Khaavren RomancesKhaavren RomancesThe Khaavren Romances are a series of fantasy novels written by Steven Brust and set in the fictional world of Dragaera. The novels are swashbuckling adventure stories involving war, intrigue, and romance...
, respectively. - In Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
the Phoenix is used as a summoning power, usually deals a small amount of damage while resurrecting any dead characters. Phoenix Down is an item in Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
which is used to resurrect a dead character. Phoenix Pinion is an item used in Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
which is used for various reasons in many different final fantasy games. - In DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
, Phoenixmon and Birdramon are based on a Phoenix in design with the former being named after the creature. - In PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, MoltresMoltresis a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Moltres first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and later in subsequent sequels. Moltres is one of the three winged mirages, along with Articuno and Zapdos...
and Ho-Oh are PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
designed after the creature. - In Saint SeiyaSaint Seiya, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, the Phoenix cloth belongs to the most powerful Bronze Saint of AthenaAthena (Saint Seiya)The Greek goddess is one of the main characters in the Saint Seiya series, a manga authored by Masami Kurumada, which was later adapted to anime and originated three other spin-off manga.Kurumada created her character based on the Greek goddess of the same name...
, Phoenix IkkiPhoenix Ikkiis a character from Saint Seiya, a manga written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada which was later adapted to anime. Ikki is the Phoenix Bronze Saint and older brother of Andromeda Shun...
. It can repair itself indefinitely. - In the popular comic series X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
the phoenix is imaged as a cosmic force. The power of Phoenix is most associated with the X-Man Jean GreyJean GreyJean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
by making her its host and granting her the power of a phoenix.
In music
- In Mozart's opera Cosi Fan TutteCosì fan tutteCosì fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
, a faithful woman is said to be as hard to find as the mythological Phoenix. - The second track of Pyramaze's Immortal album is named "Year Of The Phoenix".
- Phoenix was the intended title of The ByrdsThe ByrdsThe Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
's 1970 album (Untitled). - Transsylvania PhoenixTranssylvania PhoenixTranssylvania Phoenix is a Romanian rock band formed in 1962 in Timişoara by guitarists Nicu Covaci and Kamocsa Béla. Guitarist Claudiu Rotaru, vocalist Florin "Moni" Bordeianu and drummer Ioan "Pilu" Ştefanovici completed the early lineup...
is the name of a RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n rock band with folkloric lyrics. - The British band Queen'sQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
logo has a picture of a Phoenix on the top part. The logo was designed by their singer, Freddie MercuryFreddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
. - In the Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
song "Grey Seal" a phoenix bird is mentioned: "If the phoenix bird can cry then so can I" - Rock groups 30 Seconds to Mars30 Seconds to Mars30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
and lostprophetsLostprophetsLostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
both have a phoenix as their official logo. - PhoenixPhoenix (band)Phoenix is a Grammy Award winning French indie rock band from Versailles, founded by Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.-Formation and early years:...
is the name of a FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
indie pop–rock band. - La FeniceLa FeniceTeatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
("The Phoenix") is a famous OperaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
house in VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which burned down twice in 1836 and in 1996 only to be rebuilt, likening it more closely to its mythical namesake. - The alternative rock band LiveLive (band)Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
makes reference in the song The Dolphin's CryThe Dolphin's Cry"The Dolphin's Cry" is a song by the alternative rock band Live. It was released as the first single from their fourth studio album The Distance to Here in 1999. The song was co-produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads.-Music video:...
saying "this phoenix rises up from the ground, and all these wars are over". The Phoenix is used in this context to help symbolize the cycles of love and sexual union being reborn over and over again. - The American white power hard metal band Bound for Glory in the chorus of The Iron Eagle Flies Again sings " From the fire the winged one emerges/Into the endless night/The rubbles of old/Turns to streets of gold ..."
- The Band Senses FailSenses FailSenses Fail is an American post-hardcore band from Ridgewood, New Jersey. Formed in 2002, the line up initially consisted of vocalist Buddy Nielsen, drummer Dan Trapp, guitarists Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki and being completed by bassist Mike Glita. The band quickly issued their debut EP, From...
has at the end of their song (Bite To Break Skin) the Verse. "The phoenix will die inside the firestorm" - One of progressive rock band Wishbone AshWishbone AshWishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
's most famous songs is entitled Phoenix, which tells of a Phoenix being reborn from the ashes. - The underground hip hop group the Unspoken HeardUnspoken HeardThe Unspoken Heard is the hip-hop collaborative of rapper Asheru and producer Blue Black. The group is often referred to as Asheru & Blue Black of the Unspoken Heard. They began getting significant recognition in underground hip-hop around the turn of the millennium...
mentions the phoenix in the song "Dream Birth." - The band AFI (band)AFI (band)AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
has a song and EP titled The Days of the PhoenixThe Days of the Phoenix"The Days of the Phoenix" is a song by American rock band AFI. It was the only single released from their fifth studio album The Art of Drowning in 2000.-Background:...
. - Christian rock band Kids in the WayKids in the WayKids in the Way is a rock band from Noblesville, Indiana. The band was formed in 1997 under the name Serenity, and later disbanded in mid-2007. The band recently reunited and is currently on tour in Germany entitled Back in the Game Tour.-Biography:...
has a song "Phoenix with a Heartache" on their Safe from the Losing Fight album. - On the album I've Been Expecting YouI've Been Expecting YouI've Been Expecting You is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams.-Success:Williams and Chambers started the writing process of the album in Jamaica in the spring of 1998. I've Been Expecting You was released in October 1998. It debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart,...
by Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, a song called "Phoenix From The Flames" is the fourth track. - Phoenix is the title song of a 1979 double-platinum album by American singer-songwriter Dan FogelbergDan FogelbergDaniel Grayling "Dan" Fogelberg was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music...
; the cover features a representation of a phoenix bird. - The DropperThe DropperThe Dropper is an album by experimental jazz fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood.-Track listing:#"We Are Rolling" – 7:04#"Big Time" – 3:23#"Fèlic" – 3:21#"Partido Alto" – 5:42#"Illinization" – 2:31#"Bone Digger" – 2:22#"Note Bleu" – 3:01...
, an album by the experimental jazz-fusion trio Medeski, Martin & Wood, features a phoenix as part of the cover art. - The metal band TriviumTrivium (band)Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
mention 'Phoenix' and 'ascending above the ashes of the world I once knew' in the song "Ascendancy" and a reference to Judas is also made in the same song. - In the Girls AloudGirls AloudGirls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
song "Call the ShotsCall the Shots"Call the Shots" is a song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fourth studio album Tangled Up . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania...
", the phoenix and its powers of re-creation are mentioned: "Out of the fire that burns inside me / A phoenix is rising". - French House Music Duo Daft PunkDaft PunkDaft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
has a song called "Phoenix". - Finnish power metal band StratovariusStratovariusStratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
has a song called "Phoenix" from their album Infinite. - In "Right Between The Eyes", a song by alternative rock band GarbageGarbage (band)Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
on their album Bleed Like MeBleed Like MeBleed Like Me is the fourth studio album recorded and produced by alternative rock group Garbage. It was released in April 2005 by Warner Bros...
, lead vocalist Shirley MansonShirley MansonShirley Anne Manson is a Scottish recording artist and actress, best known internationally as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage. For much of her international career Manson commuted between her home city of Edinburgh to the United States to record with Garbage but now lives and...
sings, "Stick it to them like a phoenix rise." - In the Diamonds from Sierra LeoneDiamonds from Sierra Leone"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" is a Grammy-winning song by American rap artist Kanye West. It was released on July 4, 2005 as the lead single of his second studio album, Late Registration. The song contains a sample of the theme song for the 1971 James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever as performed by...
remix by Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
raps "people lined up to see the Titanic sinkin' instead we rose from the ashes like a phoenix". - In Thou Shalt Always KillThou Shalt Always Kill"Thou Shalt Always Kill" is a 2007 song by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip.The song comprises an electronic dance beat with the vocals taking the form of a satirical rant at aspects of modern British culture. The pivotal message is to "think for yourselves" rather than to follow current trends or get...
by Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius PipDan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pipdan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip are a hip-hop duo, combining electronic beats with sung, spoken, and rapped lyrics. The pair are Daniel Stephens , and David Peter Meads...
, Scroobius Pip raps "Thou shalt spell the word 'phoenix' P-H-E-O-N-I-X not P-H-O-E-N-I-X, regardless of what the Oxford English DictionaryOxford English DictionaryThe Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
tells you. - The Finnish singer Tarja TurunenTarja TurunenTarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
has a song called "My little phoenix" from her album My winter storm. - Cannibal OxCannibal OxCannibal Ox, also known as CanOx, is an abstract hip hop duo from Harlem, New York City. Its members include Vast Aire and Vordul Mega. They are often accompanied by DJ Cip-One...
refers to themselves as phoenixes in the song "Scream Phoenix" on their debut album The Cold VeinThe Cold VeinThe Cold Vein is the debut album by American hip hop duo Cannibal Ox. It was produced by El-P and released on his Definitive Jux label on May 15, 2001 .-Release:...
. - Ani DiFrancoAni DiFrancoAni DiFranco is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.-Biography:...
's song (covered by Alana DavisAlana DavisAlana Davis is an American singer-songwriter. Her father, Walter Davis, Jr., was an African-American pianist who played alongside such jazz greats as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie....
) "32 Flavors32 Flavors"32 Flavors" is a song, written and performed by Ani DiFranco. The song was later covered by Alana Davis. The title of the song is a pun on Canton, Massachusetts-based ice cream store Baskin-Robbins and its well-known "31 flavors" slogan.-Ani DiFranco version:...
" contains the line "God help you if you are a phoenix and you dare to rise up from the ash; a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy while you are just flying past" - The Deb TalanDeb TalanDeborah Ruth "Deb" Talan is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for being in the folk-pop duo The Weepies.-Early life and career:...
song "Ashes On Your Eyes" has the chorus, "You are a phoenix with your feathers still a little wet/baby, the ashes just look pretty on your eyes." - The song "Emancipate" by KelisKelisKelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
from her 2010 album "Flesh ToneFlesh ToneFlesh Tone is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Kelis, first released on May 14, 2010. Recorded while the singer was an unsigned artist and while pregnant with her first child, the record is an ode to motherhood and is a distinct departure from the urban sound of her previous...
" includes the lyric "Like the phoenix from the ashes / Or a sunrise off in the distance / I'll try again / I'll try again / I'll try again / we'll try again" - The longest music video in history, "RunawayRunaway (Kanye West song)"Runaway" is a single by American recording artist Kanye West, released as the second single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It features a guest verse from rapper Pusha T of Clipse. The single debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.A 35-minute short film...
" by Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, primarily focuses around a phoenix who has fallen to Earth and after being discriminated against, she bursts into flames to return to her original world. - Additionally, the West album from which Runaway was taken, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", features cover art that depicts West engaging in sexual intercourseSexual intercourseSexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with an armless human female represented as a phoenix.
In art
- The Phoenix has been in a numerous times the main motive for collectors’ coins and medals, one of the most recent one is the famous Belgian 10 euro silver coin 60 years of peace. The obverse depicts the Phoenix as a representation of a new Europe, post 1945.
- Sculptor Theodore Roszak used the phoenix as inspiration for his 1958 "Night Flight." The phoenix can be found in much of ancient Eastern artwork from Sung Dynasty vases to Greek coloseums.
- In the tapestry in the Chamber of the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, an oil canvas mural painted by the Norwegian artist Per Krogh, the Phoenix is central. It represents a symbol of the world being rebuilt after the Second World War. Above the dark sinister colours at the bottom different images in bright colours symbolizing the hope for a better future are depicted. Equality is symbolized by a group of people weighing out grain for all to share.
In film and TV
- In the daytime soap opera Dark ShadowsDark ShadowsDark Shadows is a gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements...
, the character of Laura Murdoch Collins returns to Collinsport, Maine after a ten-year absence to gain custody of her son from her estranged husband, Roger. It is revealed that Laura is an "immortal phoenix" in human form and is nearly at the end of her 100-year lifespan, as she is granted in this storyline. To make a successful completion of the reincarnation process, she must bring another person - her son - into the fire with her. The character of Laura the phoenix is reincarnated a few times into the plotlines of the show, with later episodes showing her to be a worshipper of the god RaRaRa is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
, which may explain the lack of survivors of those she brings into the fire with her, reframing her victims as a divine sacrifice for favor and power rather than as companions for eternity.
- In the television series CharmedCharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
a line of power-binding witches are called "The Phoenix". They share the same ability to rise from their ashes.
- In the 1978 anime Battle of the PlanetsBattle of the PlanetsBattle of the Planets is an American animated television adaptation of the Japanese anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman . Of the 105 original Gatchaman episodes, 85 were used in the Battle of the Planets adaptation, produced by Sandy Frank Entertainment...
(the American dub of Kagaku ninja tai Gatchaman), the main ship of the G-Force team is named Phoenix. It is an amphibious craft capable of flying, underwater travel and minor spaceflight, and serves as a travelling dock for each of the team members' individual vehicles. Of particular relevance is the Fiery Phoenix mode in which the ship takes the form of a giant, flaming bird with tremendous destructive potential.
- In the short-lived (4 episodes) 1982 sci-fi television series The Phoenix, Judson ScottJudson ScottJudson Earney Scott is an American stage, film and television actor. He has appeared in a number of science fiction productions, especially within the Star Trek franchise, as well as V and three episodes of The X-Files....
played a fugitive ancient astronaut named Bennu (the Egyptian name for the Phoenix) who used the sun's rays to charge a phoenix-emblazoned medallion that provided special powers he used to save those he befriended on his journeys.
- In the Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
universe, Phoenix is the name given to the first man-made spacecraft to travel faster than light. It is named Phoenix because in the Star Trek timeline, the Earth was still recovering from the ravages of World War Three, and represents a reborn and bright future for humanity. There was also a Federation Starship called the U.S.S. Phoenix.
- In the animated series Conan the AdventurerConan the Adventurer (animated series)Conan the Adventurer is an American animated television series adaptation of Conan the Barbarian, the literary character created by Robert E. Howard in the 1930s. Produced by Jetlag Productions and Sunbow Productions, the series debuted on September 12, 1992, ran for 65 episodes and concluded on...
Needle is Conan's fledgling phoenix sidekick. He possesses the ability to enter flat surfaces and magically transforms into a phoenix design (although he needs all his magical tail feathers to accomplish this feat, and loses this power if he loses one of them). He spent most of his time on Conan's shield as a phoenix design. When in public Needle, who has the ability to speak, is often asked to impersonate a parrot in order to not arouse suspicion, an act which he greatly resents.
- In the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of...
, based on the book The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
by C. S. Lewis, a phoenix bursts into flame and flies low over the grass in front of the White Witch's lines, forming a wall of flame to guard Peter's retreat to safer ground.
- In the Yu-Gi-Oh!Yu-Gi-Oh!is a Japanese manga created by Kazuki Takahashi. It has produced a franchise that includes multiple anime shows, a trading card game and numerous video games...
Trading Card Game, one of the more popular cards is called Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, and has what is fundamentally a phoenix-like "rebirth" power-whenever it is destroyed by some sort of card effect, it is revived from the Graveyard (discard pile). It is worth noting that NephthysNephthysIn Egyptian mythology, Nephthys is a member of the Great Ennead of Heliopolis, a daughter of Nut and Geb. Nephthys was typically paired with her sister Isis in funerary rites because of their role as protectors of the mummy and the god Osiris and as the sister-wife of Seth.Nephthys is regarded as...
is an Egyptian goddess, drawing on the Egyptian symbolism and theme of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. Aside from the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, there is also Cyber Phoenix, which grants power after its destruction in battle by way of an extra card draw. Many other Phoenix cards also have a similar birth of either power after death, or recursion after being destroyed. The Winged Dragon of Ra, one of the Egyptian God Cards illegal in normal play, was used in the anime/manga to transform into its "Phoenix" mode. The Harpy Lady cards used a "Phoenix Formation" magic card in the anime/manga as well.
- In a Japanese series Honey Honey no Suteki na BoukenHoney Honey no Suteki na Boukenis a shōjo manga by Hideko Mizuno first published in 1966 and made into a 29-episode anime TV series in 1981 by Kokusai Eiga...
, a famous jewel burglar uses the name Phoenix.
- In the anime series BeybladeBeybladeis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Aoki. Originally serialized in CoroCoro Comic from 2000 to 2002, the individual chapters were collected and published in 14 tankōbon by Shogakukan...
, characters battle using a form of spinning top, many of which contain "bit-beasts" which are based on animals including mythological creatures. One such bit-beast is named Dranzer and is based on the Phoenix.
- In the Super SentaiSuper SentaiThe is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
and Power RangersPower RangersPower Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
franchises, there have been many mechaMechaA mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
and ZordZordIn the universe of the television series Power Rangers, Zords are colossal mechanical or bio-mechanical robotic vehicles. When monsters grow to incredible sizes, usually the only way the Power Rangers can fight them is by summoning and piloting these robots...
s based on the phoenix. In Gosei Sentai DairangerGosei Sentai Dairangeris a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the seventeenth production in the long-running Super Sentai franchise of television tokusatsu dramas produced by Toei Company, following Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. It was originally broadcast from February 19, 1993 to February 11, 1994...
(footage used in the second season of Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
), the HououRanger controlled Legendary Chi Beast Star Phoenix, which became the Pink Power Ranger's Firebird Thunderzord was based upon the phoenix. However, both of these are based on the Chinese phoenixFenghuangFenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be...
. In Chōriki Sentai Ohranger (footage used in Power Rangers: ZeoPower Rangers: ZeoPower Rangers Zeo is an American superhero television series and the second installment of the Power Rangers franchise that is a continuation of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, that aired in 1996. It is based on the Super Sentai series Chōriki Sentai Ohranger...
), OhRed piloted the SkyPhoenix, which became Zeo Ranger V – Red's Zeozord V. In Seijuu Sentai GingamanSeijuu Sentai Gingamanis a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is Toei's 22nd entry of the Super Sentai television series. The series aired from February 22, 1998 to February 14, 1999 airing alongside Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack...
(footage used in Power Rangers: Lost GalaxyPower Rangers: Lost GalaxyPower Rangers Lost Galaxy is the fifth television series and seventh installment of the Power Rangers franchise that aired in 1999. It featured familiar elements from previous incarnations. It is based on the Japanese Super Sentai television series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman...
), the mecha GigaPhoenix was at one time StarBeast GigaPhoenix a blue phoenix before it was mechanized. This became the Stratoforce Megazord which was formally the Phoenix Galactabeast before it became a zordZordIn the universe of the television series Power Rangers, Zords are colossal mechanical or bio-mechanical robotic vehicles. When monsters grow to incredible sizes, usually the only way the Power Rangers can fight them is by summoning and piloting these robots...
.In Hyakujuu Sentai GaorangerHyakujuu Sentai GaoRangeris Toei's twenty-fifth production of the Super Sentai television series airing in 2001 and celebrated the franchise's 25th anniversary. Its footage was used in the 2002 American series Power Rangers Wild Force and was later dubbed in 2010 as the retitled Power Ranger: Jungle Force for South Korean...
(footage used in Power Rangers Wild Force) The mecha Gaofalcon is meant to resemble a phoenix, especially when she flies out of a volcano and is covered in flames. In In Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (footage used in Power Rangers Ninja Storm) The red ranger's hawk zord's main attack engulfs it in flames and flies around an enemy, meant to resemble a falcon. Mahou Sentai MagirangerMahou Sentai Magiranger, is Toei Company's twenty-ninth production of the Super Sentai television series. The action footage was used in Power Rangers Mystic Force and both shows had scenes simultaneously shot in New Zealand...
(footage used in Power Rangers: Mystic ForcePower Rangers: Mystic ForcePower Rangers Mystic Force is an American television series, and is part of the Power Rangers franchise. As with all Power Rangers series, the show is adapted from a series in the long-running Japanese tokusatsu franchise, Super Sentai...
) MagiRed's power comes from the Phoenix and had both a Majin (humanoid) and Majuu (animal) Phoenix form, entitled MagiPhoenix and MagiFirebird (the latter is based on the Chinese phoenix). These forms became the Red Mystic Ranger's Mystic Phoenix and Mystic Firebird Mystic Titan forms. In Juken Sentai GekirangerJuken Sentai Gekirangeris Toei Company's thirty-first entry in the Super Sentai franchise. Production began on September 29, 2006 with principal photography beginning on October 6, 2006. It premiered on TV Asahi on February 18, 2007, and concluded its airing on February 10, 2008...
, Rinjuu Chameleon Fist User Mele is reborn as a Genshou and gained Genjuu Phoenix Fist after Long infused her with Gengi. After certain events, she voluntarily expelled her Gengi and lost her Genshou form permanently. In Tensou Sentai GoseigerTensou Sentai Goseigeris the title of Toei Company's thirty-fourth entry in its long-running Super Sentai Series of Japanese tokusatsu television series. It joined Kamen Rider W as a program featured in TV Asahi's Super Hero Time programming block, until the premiere of Kamen Rider OOO...
, Gosei pink's main mecha is a phoenix like fighter jet.
- In the X-Men series, the character Jean GreyJean GreyJean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
, who was thought to have perished, eventually resurfaces as the new character Phoenix. In the film series, the second movie ends with Jean Grey's apparent death, followed by the third film resurrecting her as Phoenix (see also Comics, below)
- In Fantasia 2000Fantasia 2000Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the 38th feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and a sequel to 1940's Fantasia...
, a Phoenix-like fire bird comes alive to the music of The FirebirdThe FirebirdThe Firebird is a 1910 ballet created by the composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer Michel Fokine. The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird of the same name that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor....
Suite by Igor StravinskyIgor StravinskyIgor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
. Fiery destruction is followed by glorious renewal.
- In Kamen Rider RyukiKamen Rider Ryukiis a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the twelfth installment in the Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and it was shown on TV Asahi from February 3, 2002 to January 19, 2003. The catchphrase for the series is...
, a Rider by the name of Kamen Rider Odin has a phoenix Contract Monster named Goldphoenix. Even his weapon, the GoldVisor, carries the design of a phoenix.
- In Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
, Stefano DiMeraStefano DiMeraStefano DiMera is a fictional character, a villain on the American soap opera Days of our Lives. Created by head writer Pat Falken Smith, he is portrayed by Joseph Mascolo...
is referred to as the Phoenix.
- In the manga and anime series Fushigi YugiFushigi Yugi, also known as Curious Play, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yu Watase. Shogakukan published Fushigi Yûgi in Shōjo Comic in its original serialized form from May 1992 through June 1996. Viz Media released the manga series in English in North America starting in 1999...
, the main character is drawn towards a historic fairy tale book which is ruled by four gods; the god that lured her to the book (and the god that seems to inundate the side of good in the series) is a phoenix named Suzaku that the main character is destined to summon primarily to save its land from war.
- In the anime series Kaleido StarKaleido Staris an anime series produced by Japanese studio Gonzo Digimation Holding. The series was created by Junichi Sato, who also directed the first season, and written by Reiko Yoshida...
, the second OVA is named "The legend of Phoenix". One of the characters, Layla Hamilton, talks about her past, and then about her present life, mentioning that her mother, which died, used to read her "The legend of Phoenix" when she was little. Relying on this, she discovers true strength in being the same as a phoenix, always reborning from her ashes.
- In the anime series BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
, the Soul Society uses a weapon called the Sōkyoku for execution, which is a halberd that when released takes the shape of a phoenix (Kikōō) used to destroy a soul on contact. Also, in the spin-off game, Shattered Blade, the main antagonist uses a weapon called Fénix, which is SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for phoenix.
- The British television series Phoenix Nights part-written by and starring comedian Peter KayPeter KayPeter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
centres around a Northern club called The Phoenix which is rebuilt after a fire.
- On the show John DoeJohn DoeThe name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...
, John sees a lot of phoenix images & a statuette in red and someone tells him that he is the phoenix.
- In the animated series, Storm HawksStorm HawksStorm Hawks is an animated television series created by Asaph "Ace" Fipke and made by Nerd Corps Entertainment in conjunction with Cartoon Network and YTV. It premiered on Cartoon Network on May 25, 2007. It started to air on YTV in September 2007. It started to air on Cartoon Network in the UK on...
, the phoenix is portrayed as a giant flaming bird capable of breathing fire.
- In the animated series Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, the pilot episode (even though it aired third) was named "Phoenix", as was the doomed ship of the episode's protagonist, Zachary Foxx. Appropriately, the character's life as an ordinary Ranger and family man was destroyed by an attack from his nemesis. At the end, he is "reborn" as a cyborg leading an experimental team.
- An episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy features a phoenix, which was hidden in a giant box of the fictional cereal "Frosted Golden Apple Scraps". The characters keep trying to kill it but constantly reappears in a burst of fire.
- In the anime Flame of ReccaFlame of Reccais a manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai, which was adapted into an anime series spanning forty-two episodes by Studio Pierrot. The series has also been adapted into two video games; Flame of Recca for the Game Boy Advance and Flame of Recca Final Burning for the PlayStation...
, Recca's elder brother Kurei possesses the black flame in the original form of a phoenix which is considered as a sacred flame. - The Phoenix is the symbol for the Twelve Colonies of Kobol in the Reimagined Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
- In the anime One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, Usopp has an attack called "Hissatsu Hi no Tori Boshi" (必殺火の鳥星(ファイアーバードスター), Sure-Kill Fire Bird Star) that, when fired, takes the form of a bird made up of fire. Also Whitebeard Pirate Commander Marco has the power of a Mythical Zoan devil fruit that lets him become a Phoenix.
- During the first part of the series finale of Avatar: the Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
, the main Antagonist, Fire Lord Ozai, declares that he will both end and win the 100 years war with the world by burning most of the Earth Kingdom to the ground via the power of a comet called Sozin's Comet (Ozai's Grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin). He also stated that he will have a new world rise from the ashes of the old, having only a Fire Nation world. He then dubs himself the Phoenix King (complete with a golden Phoenix motif for armor and having a phoenix in his banners), to compliment his sinister plan and to make himself ruler of the entire world.
- In both the 1965 and 2004 versions of "Flight of the Phoenix", a small cargo aircraft carrying some people and cargo crashes in the Sahara Desert after a violent sand storm forces them to land. The aircraft is wrecked but one passenger proposes to rebuild the aircraft with the one remaining engine and eventually the airplane flies again. The aircraft is "reborn" just like the mythical phoenix creature.
- In the Stargate universe, Phoenix is the name of a Daedalus-class battlecruiser which belong to the Tau'ri before being rename General Hammond. It also appears in an alternate timeline
- In the Japanese anime Saint SeiyaSaint Seiya, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
, the character Ikki was born under the Phoenix constellation and inherited the mythical bird's power of rebirth.
- In the anime "Bakugan Battle BrawlersBakugan Battle Brawlersis a Japanese action adventure anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec under the direction of Mitsuo Hashimoto. The story centers on the lives of creatures called Bakugan and the battle brawlers who possess them...
", a character named Shun Kazami owns the Bakugan "Skyress" which was based on a phoenix.
- In the animated series GargoylesGargoyles (TV series)Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
, a magical shield amulet known as The Phoenix Gate can transport the user through time by thinking of another place and time and chanting in Latin, "Burn down the walls of time and space!" The emblem on the shield is a gold phoenix against a blue sky.
- In the children's movie Big Bird in ChinaBig Bird in ChinaBig Bird in China was a 1983 special produced by the Children's Television Workshop and CCTV. It was originally broadcast on May 29, 1983 on NBC. The special was based on the popular television series Sesame Street...
, Big Bird and his dog Barkley travel to China to seek FenghuangFenghuangFenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be...
, the Phoenix bird of China, also called "the Empress of the Southern Skies". They must seek her out with the help of a young Chinese girl, the monkey king, and four clues on an ancient scroll. When they find her, Big Bird asks her to tell him all about China, but she says that she had planned all along for him to learn about China by seeking her. She then sings the song he had heard of in a story, that she supposedly had sung to demons who stole the sun (for it was her job to carry the sun into the sky every dawn).
- In the animated TV series My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, one of the episodes is based around a phoenix named Philomena
As mascot/symbol
- The City of Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, USA has the creature on the city seal and Flag.Oldpanther 16:10, 31 March 2011 (UTC) - The City of Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, USA, uses its namesake creature in the city's flag, and as the city's logo.
- The city of San Francisco, California has a phoenix on its flag, symbolizing the city's rise from the ashes of multiple fires and earthquakes from the mid-19th century through 19061906 San Francisco earthquakeThe San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
.
- The phoenix figures as a supporter on the coat of armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, signifying its rise from the ashes after heavy bombing in World War II. It is also the logo of Coventry UniversityCoventry UniversityCoventry University is a post-1992 university in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the institution's name was changed from Coventry Polytechnic to Coventry University...
. Similarly, the phoenix is the symbol of Caen University, symbolizing its revival after its complete destruction in 1944. ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, England, also has this connection with the phoenix after the Exeter Blitz on 4 May 1942.
- Since 1999 the Phoenix has been the mascot of Elon UniversityElon UniversityElon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes...
in Elon, NC. The choice came from the fact that in 1923, a fire destroyed most of the campus, including school records, classrooms, the library, and the chapel. Soon after the fire, the university trustees began planning to make Elon "rise from the ashes" and the five buildings constructed to replace those lost currently form the academic center of the school. In addition to this the school's colors are maroon and gold, to match the Phoenix's plumage.
- The Phoenix is the official mascot of Franklin W. Olin College of EngineeringFranklin W. Olin College of EngineeringThe Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is a private undergraduate engineering college located in Needham, Massachusetts , adjacent to the Babson College campus. Olin College is noted in the engineering community for its youth, small size, project-based curriculum, and large endowment funded...
. In 2002, the Olin Partners and Virtual Olin Partners selected the phoenix as the school's mascot. This mascot, sometimes unofficially called "Frank," represents Olin's willingness to reinvent itself, just as the phoenix is reborn from its ashes.
- The Phoenix is the mascot of the University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. An earlier institution by the same name, now known as Old University of ChicagoOld University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago, now known as the Old University of Chicago , was a school founded by Baptists in Chicago in 1857...
had been founded (on a different site) by Stephen Douglas in 1859, but closed by 1889; the phoenix was chosen as a mascot of the new university to symbolize its rise from the ashes of the old. The phoenix also symbolized the city of ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's rebirth following the Great Chicago FireGreat Chicago FireThe Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
in 1871.
- The Phoenix is also the mascot of Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, which adopted the Phoenix as its first ever mascot in June 2006. The name of their mascot is Phineas the Phoenix.
- The original seal of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VirginiaWilliamsburg, VirginiaWilliamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, designed by George WytheGeorge WytheGeorge Wythe was an American lawyer, a judge, a prominent law professor and "Virginia's foremost classical scholar." He was a teacher and mentor of Thomas Jefferson. Wythe's signature is positioned at the head of the list of seven Virginia signatories on the United States Declaration of Independence...
bore an image of a Phoenix. The seal was used by the College from 1783 to 1929. The first connection between the College and the Phoenix occurred in 1705 after the Wren BuildingWren BuildingThe Wren Building is the signature building of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. Along with the Brafferton and President's House, these buildings form the College's Historic Campus....
, the oldest academic building in continuous use in America, first burned to the ground. James Blair, the founder of the College, promised that William and Mary would be like a phoenix, rising from the charred shell of the old Wren Building. His portrait at the College has a phoenix rising from the base of the Wren in the background. There is also an engraved bronze image of a Phoenix located on Landrum Drive between old campus and new campus. The monument was donated by the class of 1932 in honor of the College's 275th anniversary. The Queen’s Guard at the college has a phoenix, modified to suggest the American eagle, on a field of ermineErmine (heraldry)Ermine is a heraldic fur representing the winter coat of the stoat . Many skins would be sewn together to make a luxurious garment, producing a pattern of small black spots on a white field...
as their insignia.
- The Phoenix is the official mascot of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
- It is also the symbol for three fraternities, and one sorority. The phoenix of Alpha Sigma PhiAlpha Sigma PhiAlpha Sigma Phi Fraternity is a social fraternity with 71 active chapters and 9 colonies. Founded at Yale in 1845, it is the 10th oldest fraternity in the United States....
represents the fraternity's refounding in the early 1900s. For Sigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
, it signifies the rebirth of chapters as members leave and new ones are initiated, For Alpha Theta Sigma, it symbolizes eternal existence of the Organization. The Phoenix of Alpha Sigma AlphaAlpha Sigma AlphaAlpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
recognizes the sorority's reorganization in 1914.
- The University of Southern QueenslandUniversity of Southern QueenslandThe University of Southern Queensland is based in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. The institution was established in 1967 as the Queensland Institute of Technology...
features a Phoenix on its coat of arms, with the motto Per Studia Mens Nova, Latin for "Through study the mind is renewed".
- Following a fire that destroyed the Paddington tram depotPaddington tram depot fireThe Paddington tram depot in Brisbane, Australia was destroyed by fire on the night of 28 September 1962, one of the largest fires in Brisbane's history. Sixty-five of Brisbane's trams were destroyed...
in 1962, the Brisbane City Council constructed eight trams from material salvaged from the ruins of the depot. The livery of these trams featured a small picture of a phoenix underneath the motormanMotormanA motorman is the person who operates an electrified trolley car, tram, light rail, or rapid transit train.The term refers to the person who is in charge of the motor in the same sense as a railroad engineer is in charge of the engine. The term was gender-neutral...
's windows, to signify that these trams had "risen from the ashes".
- Grey CollegeGrey College, DurhamGrey College is a college of the University of Durham in England. Although it was originally planned that the college was to be named Oliver Cromwell College, this proved too controversial and it was instead named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Minister at the time of the...
of the University of Durham has adopted the Phoenix as its unofficial mascot since its founding in 1959. This was due to the devastation by fire of the then main building of the college, Elvet, just months before the opening.
- The Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
's 79 squadron, flying Hawk 127 aircraft in the lead in fighter trainer role, has a phoenix on its crest which symbolizes squadron's many re-incarnations.
- The 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron of the US Air Force at Hurlburt Field, Florida, has the phoenix on its unit emblem.
- Cypriot football team of Anorthosis Famagusta has Phoenix as its sign along with part of the Greek flag. Both symbolize Greek ethnicity in the island.
- A Phoenix dubbed "Cedrus" was chosen as a logo and mascot of the 6th Francophone games held in LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
- Wellington Phoenix FCWellington Phoenix FCWellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League. Ricki Herbert has been the coach since the club's inception to the A-League in July 2007. The current club captain is...
is a professional football club based in Wellington, New Zealand, competing in the Australasian A-League.
- The name of the pod that was made to rescue 33 men in the 2010 Copiapó mining accident2010 Copiapó mining accidentThe 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known as the "Chilean mining accident", began in the afternoon of Thursday, 5 August 2010 as a significant cave-in at the troubled 121-year-old San José copper–gold mine. The mine is located deep in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest and harshest...
in Chile on Oct. 13, 2010.
- GM's Pontiac FirebirdPontiac FirebirdThe Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
sported a decal of a huge phoenix on the hood of its Trans Am model. Although it came in vogue in the early seventies, the decal stayed as a cornerstone of the styling until the early eighties before it was phased out.
- The Pontiac PhoenixPontiac PhoenixIn 1980, the Phoenix was downsized and moved to front wheel drive, and was available as 2-door coupe or a 5-door hatchback. The base, LJ, and SJ models were still available for this generation...
was a compact car sold from 1977 to 1984 by the Pontiac division of General Motors.
- Dallas based Tex-Mex chain El FenixEl Fenix (restaurant)El Fenix is a popular chain of Mexican restaurants in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, . The name is Spanish for "the phoenix", the legendary bird which, according to mythology, arose from its own ashes. The chain has its headquarters in Dallas....
is named for the bird.
Comics
- In the canon of comic author Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
the phoenix is often featured as both a literal and symbolic character. Most prominently in the 12 volume series Hi no ToriPhoenix (manga)is a manga series by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka considered Phoenix his "life's work"; it consists of 12 books, each of which tells a separate, self-contained story and takes place in a different era. The plots go back and forth from the remote future to prehistoric times. The cycle remains unfinished...
in which the phoenix is an all knowing cosmic force which connects the string of cultural, physical, and spiritual deaths, rebirths, reincarnations and transmigrations throughout the series.
- In the classic animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
franchise, Science Ninja Team GatchamanScience Ninja Team Gatchamanis a 5-member superhero team that is composed of the main characters in several Japanese anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida and originally produced in Japan by Tatsunoko Productions and later adapted into several English-language versions...
, the most spectacular power the superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
has is the ability to temporarily transform their aircraft, The God Phoenix in a massive phoenix-like bird of flame to escape danger.
- The character Phenix in ExtinctionersExtinctionersExtinctioners is a science fiction, action and adventure comic book created, written and drawn by Shawntae Howard that features a superhero theme, but uses anthropomorphic animals as its main characters.- Plot and setting :...
is an anthropomorphic phoenix who acts as a team leader. There are a number of phoenixes in the series, each representing a different element; Phenix is one of two who represent fire. In the comics, the symbol of the phoenix itself is an embodiment of hope and life.
In games
In the popular MMORPGMMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, a phoenix by the name of Al'ar is a boss, and is available as a mount for players upon defeating its master, Kael'thas Sunstrider.
In the popular MMORPG Rift (video game) the logo for the Defiant faction is a Phoenix. This is also true for the Galactic Republic in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic, abbreviated as TOR or SWTOR, is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe. Currently in development by BioWare Austin and a supplemental team at BioWare Edmonton, the game was first announced on October 21, 2008, at an...
.
In the MMORPG Guild Wars
Guild Wars
Guild Wars is an episodic series of online 3D fantasy role-playing games developed by ArenaNet and published by NCsoft. Although often defined as an MMORPG the developers define it as a CORPG due to significant differences from the MMORPG genre. It provides two main modes of gameplay—a cooperative...
, you can tame a Phoenix inspired by Chinese mythology in the Factions Campaign. You can also tame a Rainbow Phoenix after accumulating a certain amount of titles.
In the MMORPG RuneScape
RuneScape
RuneScape is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in January 2001 by Andrew and Paul Gower, and developed and published by Jagex Games Studio. It is a graphical browser game implemented on the client-side in Java, and incorporates 3D rendering...
, there is a quest in which the player must assist a mortally wounded Phoenix in her rebirthing ritual, after which the player may return each day and "kill" her, so that her life may be extended further. In return, the Phoenix will give the player five of her feathers, which can be used to summon the Phoenix as a familiar.
Phoenix is a recurring summon in the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series. It generally deals fire damage to the enemy and resurrects any fallen party members at once, and on occasion will raise its summoner upon KO. Phoenix has also appeared as a Boss character in the series from time to time, or simply as a non-playable character that cannot be fought. The item commonly used for returning a character to life during battle is also called a Phoenix Down.
In the Sega Genesis game Shining Force II, a Phoenix joins the team, initially as an assisting A.I.-controlled character and later becoming a full member. He specifically features the great offensive, defensive, and mobility characteristics expected of such a legendary creature, as well as self-regeneration should he fall in a battle. He serves Volcanon, the god of the flying creatures, who appears to have the form of a massive bird, possibly a Phoenix as well.
The Digimon
Digimon
, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
Hououmon and Zhuqiaomon are based on the phoenix, with the latter being based directly on Suzaku. Birdramon and Saberdramon also take design cues from the phoenix.
In the English translation of the popular Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
series Ace Attorney, the main character for the first three games is named Phoenix. This has a double meaning in that no matter how doomed his cases may appear, he always seems to make an amazing comeback, as if to rise from the ashes.
In the online anime-based community, Gaia Online
Gaia Online
Gaia Online is an English-language, anime-themed social networking and forums-based website. Gaiaonline was founded in 2003. but the name was changed to GaiaOnline.com in 2003 from go-gaia by its owner, Gaia Interactive...
, there is a Monthly Collectible called the Phoenix Circlet, which can be worn as a circlet, collar, and other such poses.
In Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade
Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade
Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade is the first of two expansion packs for the turn-based strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic III. It was developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released by the 3DO Company in 1999....
there is a Phoenix creature that is immune to Fire magic and has a chance to resurrect itself when killed.
The Egyptians in Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology , is a mythology-based, real-time strategy computer game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
can summon a Phoenix if they worship Thoth
Thoth
Thoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
. The unit is a slow, 800-pound eagle-like red and gold bird which breathes fire on ground units. The in-game description gives it the pseudo binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
name Aquila inferna and quotes a passage from "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
John Mandeville
"Jehan de Mandeville", translated as "Sir John Mandeville", is the name claimed by the compiler of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, a book account of his supposed travels, written in Anglo-Norman French, and first circulated between 1357 and 1371.By aid of translations into many other languages...
" regarding the bird.
In the game Blue Dragon for Xbox 360 a central character, Kluke, has a shadow resembling a phoenix.
Some fans of the game Zoo Tycoon 2
Zoo Tycoon 2
Zoo Tycoon 2 is a video game in which the player may create and operate a zoo by managing its finances, employees and animal exhibits. The goal is to become a "zoo tycoon". Originally released for Windows, Zoo Tycoon 2 is also available for Windows Mobile, PDA, Mac OS X and Nintendo DS...
have created the phoenix for download, with the appearance of a secretary bird
Secretary Bird
The Secretarybird or Secretary Bird is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Sahara...
.
The game Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed , is a video game and the 11th installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for multiple platforms...
has Sonic the Werehog battle the Dark Gaia Phoenix, a normally benevolent bird possessed by the game's main villain, Dark Gaia. In the 360 and PS3 versions of the game, the boss has three life bars that must be depleted before victory is achieved, and each time the Dark Gaia Phoenix revives itself, its health bar is longer, and its flames are more intense.
In the game, League of Legends
League of Legends
The BetFred League of Legends was a darts tournament featuring some of the legends of the game of darts which commenced in May 2008. The tournament is broadcast on Setanta Sports in the United Kingdom....
, Anivia is a cryophoenix that is a playable champion. She controls the powers of ice instead of the typical fire.
The game Thunder Force VI
Thunder Force VI
is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up video game released for the PlayStation 2 on October 30, 2008. The director is SEGA employee Tetsu Okano, who has previously worked on Segagaga, Astro Boy: Omega Factor and Gunstar Super Heroes. The game was licensed by Twenty-One Company's Tecnosoft...
has a ship called RVR-00 "Phoenix".
In MMORPG Lineage 2 there is a Phoenix Knight player character class. Phoenix Knights have a special ability to revive themselves after death, they are also granted a fire bird summon called "Imperial Phoenix".