Xavin: Difference between revisions
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==Gender issue== |
==Gender issue== |
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Due to Xavin often changing through his/her three main forms, (human female, human male, and true Skrull form) both characters within series and fans<ref>[http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=442 Runaways/Young Avengers #3]</ref> question the nature of her gender |
Due to Xavin often changing through his/her three main forms, (human female, human male, and true Skrull form) both characters within series and fans<ref>[http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=442 Runaways/Young Avengers #3]</ref> question the nature of her gender. As a Skrull, a race of shapeshifters, Xavin stated "for us, just changing our gender is no different than changing our hair color",<ref name="Vol2#8"/> implying that Skrulls change their looks often. When asked by Molly about why she doesn't stay in female all the time, Xavin replied that it was simply her nature to do so and doesn't see a problem in it,<ref name="Vol2#21">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #21</ref> though it causes Xavin to start questioning her own nature. Although Karolina does truly love Xavin, even so much as to deny Xavin disguised as Nico,<ref name="Vol2#22">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #22</ref> she does become depressed when Nico question's Xavin's true gender. In ''[[Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways]]'', Xavin is mostly male, but female briefly.<ref name="cw1">''Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways''</ref> In vol. 3, #1, Xavin is only male, but in vol. 3 #2, Xavin is only female.<ref name="Vol3#1">''Runaways'': Volume 3, #1</ref><ref name="Vol3#2">''Runaways'': Volume 3, #2</ref> Karolina is fixed on the idea that Xavin is female, and that Xavin isn't pretending to be a woman, just learning to be human.<ref name="Vol2#25">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #25</ref> During an argument with Karolina, Xavin loses control and changes form into her female form, establishing that Xavin's true form is a female, making Karolina happy.<ref name="Vol2#29">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #29</ref><ref>[http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/5459.htm/ Xavin's true gender on Humberto Ramos' blog]</ref> |
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==Relationships with other Runaways== |
==Relationships with other Runaways== |
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Revision as of 23:02, 5 November 2008
| Xavin | |
|---|---|
 Xavin, displaying her abilities. Art by Jo Chen. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Runaways, volume 2 #7.[1] |
| Created by | Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Xavin |
| Species | Skrull |
| Place of origin | Tarnax VII |
| Team affiliations | Runaways |
| Abilities | Shape shifting Elasticity Superhuman strength Invisibility Force field projection Fire manipulation |
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7.[2] Xavin had first appeared to the Runaways, taking on the form of a black male, but changed into a black female just for the sake of Karolina Dean, a lesbian to which she was to marry.[3] Regardless, Xavin is also often seen as a male, simply to be "intimidating".[4]. Xavin, often called "Xav" for short, is known for his obnoxious and warlike personality.[5][6][7] He had originally found it hard to fit in with the runaways because of her constant gender switching, and adapted to the group fairly slowly.[8] He is the son of the famed Skrull Prince De'zean.[3]
Fictional character biography
History
When Xavin journeys to Earth to find Karolina Dean, he reveals to Karolina that her parents had one large secret. The Deans had been exiled from their planet Majesdane for criminal activities, so they traveled to Earth, where they encountered Xavin's father, Prince De'zean of the Skrulls, who was going to rule Earth.[3] The Deans had stopped the destruction, but gave the Skrulls the location of another, more valuable planet: Majesdane, their own home planet, which had exiled them.[3] In order to show their willingness to prove they weren't lying, they gave Prince De'zean their daughter's hand in marriage.[3] The Deans had, privately, believed that Xavin would die in the new Skrull/Majesdanian war. He arrives to Earth in order to marry her and hopefully, that would stop the fifteen year-long war between his and her races[3] Xavin encounters Karolina shortly after her romantic advances are rejected by Nico Minoru.[2] Xavin, trying to convince Karolina to be his bride, fights and pursues her.[3] Karolina reveals that she is not attracted to men and doesn't want to live a lie, but Xavin alters his form to that of a human woman and persuades her to leave with the new female version of Xavin.[3]
During the wedding ceremony, a fight breaks out between the two races, and Xavin and Karolina barely escape before Majesdane is destroyed.[9] They return to Earth, where they help rescue Molly Hayes from the New Pride.[9] Xavin impersonates Nico and takes a bullet for her, distracting Geoffrey Wilder long enough for Nico to untie Molly and escape.[9] She survives the attack, shape-shifting the organs out of the way.[9]
Personality
Xavin is known for her war-like, yet rash attitude,[10] something that irritates the other runaways,[6] particularly Victor, who she had a strong animosity towards because being an android, Victor would have been hardwired to cook and clean on her planet.[3] Although Xavin often demonstrates a strong, General-type behaviour, there are periods when she accidently shows she barely has any more experience than the other runaways; more notably a time when she stretches herself from one building to another just to get to the other side, instead of simply creating a force-field bridge.[4][7]
Secret Invasion
When the Runaways return from a trip to the past, Xavin learns she is in the most heated phase of the Skrullian Invasion.[6] Instead of fighting, she knocks down her teammates, and attemps a peaceful settlement of the war, reasoning that the Skrulls are "religious extremists".[6] Her attempts at peace fail, and she's furthermore informed by that the Runaways, as every other superhuman being, are targeted for execution.[6] She urges Nico Minoru to take the rest of the team and hide, and in a last ditch effort to halt the invasion, she flees to search for Hulkling, former Skrull King and enemy of the religious extremist Skrulls' Queen, Veranke.[11] She finds Hulkling injured, targeted for assassination by Veranke herself.[11] By siding with Hulkling, she's branded as a traitor too.[11]
As a fugitive
Weeks later Xavin is more well adjusted, refraining from insulting Victor and becoming close to Molly (the only teammate other than Karolina to always refer to Xavin as female). However, Xavin is still more or less an outcast to the other members. Like the other Runaways, Xavin is an orphan (he told the group when he first appeared that his parents were dead because of the aliens' war). He also calls himself a runaway when he reveals his identity to Geoffry Wilder. Xavin joins the group but has trouble adjusting to his/her new surroundings and getting along with his/her new teammates, particularly Victor, whom he/she often offends with condescending remarks about robots. Although he/she is aggressive and headstrong, Xavin is motivated to protect his/her new home by his/her love for Karolina. Xavin usually reverts to the male Skrull form when in battle insisting that it adds to a more intimidating persona, despite Karolina thinking that it is sexist, yet still spends some time in male human form as well. However durring their trip to 1907 it was revealed that when she loses control the female form was the one she would revert to when under emotional pressure, something that made Karolina very happy.
Powers and abilities
Xavin, being a Skrull, has the Skrull natural ability to shape-shift.[3] Xavin was a Super-Skrull in training, meaning she can manifest the powers of the Fantastic Four: Mr. Fantastic's ability to stretch and contort his body into any shape imaginable, Invisible Woman's power to render herself invisible and ability to create and force fields, the Human Torch's fire-control and flight and the Thing's superhuman strength and resistant rock-like hide.[6] Unsurprisingly, the Super-Skrull K'lrt is one of Xavin's idols.[12] As stated by Xavin, she is still a Super Skrull in training, so she can only her Fantastic Four abilities one at a time; at one point, when Xavin was bombarded with high frequency sounds, she lost control of her powers and burnt up the Griffith Observatory.[13] Finally, in vol. 3, #2, she all her powers at once in anger.[14]
Gender issue
Due to Xavin often changing through his/her three main forms, (human female, human male, and true Skrull form) both characters within series and fans[15] question the nature of her gender. As a Skrull, a race of shapeshifters, Xavin stated "for us, just changing our gender is no different than changing our hair color",[3] implying that Skrulls change their looks often. When asked by Molly about why she doesn't stay in female all the time, Xavin replied that it was simply her nature to do so and doesn't see a problem in it,[16] though it causes Xavin to start questioning her own nature. Although Karolina does truly love Xavin, even so much as to deny Xavin disguised as Nico,[17] she does become depressed when Nico question's Xavin's true gender. In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways, Xavin is mostly male, but female briefly.[18] In vol. 3, #1, Xavin is only male, but in vol. 3 #2, Xavin is only female.[19][14] Karolina is fixed on the idea that Xavin is female, and that Xavin isn't pretending to be a woman, just learning to be human.[4] During an argument with Karolina, Xavin loses control and changes form into her female form, establishing that Xavin's true form is a female, making Karolina happy.[5][20]
Relationships with other Runaways
Due to her war-like, yet rash attitude,[10] Xavin often irritates the other Runaways.[6] She often believed that Victor was suppose to be hardwired know everything, being an android. In her first appearance, she called Victor a "toy".[3] Xavin met Karolina after Karolina suffered rejection from Nico, her crush for many months.[2] When Xavin expressed no concern of changing physical appearance from male to female to please her, Karolina began a relationship. Xavin once took the form of Nico in order to please Karolina, but Karolina rejected her as Nico and reassured Xavin that she loves her as she is. Later on, during an argument, Xavin subconsciously reverted back to female human form, which both surprised and pleased Karolina, who had earlier expressed some lingering doubts about Xavin's true gender.[21]
References
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #7
- ^ a b c Runaways: Volume 2, #7
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Runaways: Volume 2, #8
- ^ a b c Runaways: Volume 2, #25
- ^ a b Runaways: Volume 2, #29
- ^ a b c d e f g Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers
- ^ a b Xavin
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #23
- ^ a b c d Runaways: Volume 2, #17
- ^ a b Runaways: Volume 2, #20
- ^ a b c Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers
- ^ Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #19
- ^ a b Runaways: Volume 3, #2
- ^ Runaways/Young Avengers #3
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #21
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #22
- ^ Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways
- ^ Runaways: Volume 3, #1
- ^ Xavin's true gender on Humberto Ramos' blog
- ^ Runaways: Volume 2, #30