XS (character)

XS
File:XSPhilMoy.png Art by Phil Moy
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Legionnaires #0 (October 1994)
Created by	Tom McCraw Jeff Moy
In-story information
Alter ego	Jenni Ognats
Team affiliations	Legion of Super-Heroes
Abilities	Superhuman speed, stamina and durability; incomplete self-molecular control; time and dimensional travel

XS (Jenni Ognats) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the future of the DC Comics universe. A member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, she is the granddaughter of Barry Allen (the second Flash), and first cousin of Bart Allen (the second Kid Flash).

Character biography

Despite being the granddaughter of Barry Allen (the Flash) and the daughter of Dawn Allen (one of the Tornado Twins), Jenni Ognats did not at first display any signs of super-speed. However, the Dominators, knowing her family heritage, captured her. At the sight of seeing her father, (Jeven Ognats of Aarok) tortured, her latent super-speed powers activated. She managed to escape with her father before stray fire from the Dominators caused their base to explode.

After this, she checked herself into a laboratory to help her learn to coordinate herself at super-speed. Once she learned control, she was drafted into the Legion of Super-Heroes. She eventually learned to overcome her initial fear and nervousness, while she developed crushes on Cosmic Boy and, later, M'Onel, and eventually dated Dyrk Magz.

During the Legion's first trip to the 20th century, XS was separated from them. She met her cousin Bart Allen (Impulse), becoming a good friend. She revealed how she was participating in an archeological dig in the future. XS fought side by side with Impulse and other speedsters during the events of Dead Heat. Afterwards, the 27th century Flash fixed her grandfather's cosmic treadmill, enabling her to go home. Unfortunately, she overshot, encountering two further future incarnations of the Legion before returning. Impulse left her a goodbye note in the building she was participating in excavating.

XS was one of the Legionnaires left behind after many of her teammates were lost, causing the team to be forcefully disbanded. She traveled to Xanthu with her teammate Star Boy, where she found herself caught in a war between Xanthu and Robotica. While the two Legionnaires managed to save millions of lives by distracting Robotica long enough for the surviving Xanthians to escape off-planet, the two remained trapped there for months thereafter, until rescued by their returned teammates.

XS and her version of the Legion were removed from mainstream DC continuity in the Teen Titans/Legion Special. In Infinite Crisis #6 (May 2006), they were revealed to be alive on in the parallel universe containing "Earth-247".

The Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds miniseries reveals that the Tornado Twins and their family members (including XS) originated on the same Earth as the post-Infinite Crisis version of the Legion (which was introduced in "The Lightning Saga"). Thus, continuity revisions have been made: after Barry Allen's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Twins and their families became the target of Professor Zoom, who was attempting to sabotage Don Allen and Meloni Thawne's marriage. Both families escaped to Earth-247 and the Twins died soon after in unknown circumstances. Both cousins were reunited with their grandmother Iris, and both also rapidly aged to teenagers within days. Presumably, XS's rapid-aging stabilized under her own volition, as she never showed signs of it during her tenure with the Legion.

XS is used by Brainiac 5 to revive her cousin, Bart Allen, culling his spirit from the Speed Force. The two then team up against Superboy-Prime.

After the battle with Superboy-Prime and his Legion of Super-Villains, XS resigns from the Earth-247 Legion. Bart asks her to join him in the 21st Century, but she decides to stay in the 31st Century with the post-Infinite Crisis Legion to locate any of their surviving relatives. Her friend and teammate, Gates, also decides to stay to accompany her.

Powers

XS possesses Speed Force-based powers like the other members of her family (Barry Allen, Bart Allen, Wally West, and Iris West). She can run at near-light speeds, vibrate through solid matter, and even time travel and cross dimensions by altering her molecular vibrational frequencies.

Note

A super-speedster character called Rush appeared one year before XS in Legion of Super-Heroes (v.4) #51. Rush never appeared again and could be considered the prototype for XS.

Other Media

XS made a cameo in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Dark Victory" Pt. 1.

External links

• Unofficial XS (Jenni Ognats) Biography
• History & Significant Appearances
• Museum of Black Superheroes Entry
• A Hero History Of XS