Kavita Rao
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Dr. Kavita Rao is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, associated with the X-Men. She first appeared in and featured prominently in the first story arc of Astonishing X-Men in 2005.
[edit] "Hope" in Astonishing X-Men
Dr. Rao is a world-renowned geneticist from India who developed a serum (later called "Hope") which could "cure" mutants, turning them into normal humans.
Hundreds of mutants immediately signed up for the procedure at Benetech (the corporate backer of her research). The X-Men debated the merits of the cure and the significance of labelling the mutant condition a disease. The chance at shedding his "beastly" appearance and avoiding any further secondary mutations held significant appeal for Hank McCoy (aka Beast) and he considered taking the serum.
It was later revealed that Rao had been working for the alien Ord of the Breakworld who also had in his custody Colossus who was, at that time, thought to be dead. The X-Men defeated Ord and Benetech, and Ord was delivered into the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D. Dr. Rao's work was destroyed by Wolverine, leaving Hank with the last sample of "Hope".
[edit] Other media
In the 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand, Kavita Rao was played by Iranian-American actress Shohreh Aghdashloo. This is despite claims made by Aghdashloo in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that she would be playing Dr. Cecilia Reyes. Raph Winter, producer of all three movies, subsequently stated that Aghdashloo would be playing Rao.
In the film (as in the comic), Rao is the inventor of the mutant cure, which she created with the DNA of Leech. Towards the end of the movie, she is killed by Quill
