Madelyne always bore a striking resemblance to the (then) presumed deceased Jean Grey. Numerous individuals mistook her for Jean reborn. To make matters more suspicious, Madelyne's mind was closed to Professor X and she was the sole survivor of a mysterious plane crash, which occurred at the exact moment the Dark Phoenix committed suicide on the Moon, or so she thought. In reality, she was a clone of Jean created by Mister Sinister. Mr. Sinister found that a union between the X-Men, Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), would produce a powerful mutant. Sinister hoped he could control such a mutant and use it to defeat Apocalypse.