Sabra (comics)
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| Sabra | |
 Sabra from Union Jack #1, art by Mike Perkins. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Incredible Hulk vol. 1 #256 (August 1980) |
| Created by | Bill Mantlo (writer) Sal Buscema (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Ruth Bat-Seraph |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Team affiliations | Mossad X-Corporation |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, durability and the ability to heal Anti-gravity devices with the ability to fly Wrist gauntlets that fire plasma bursts and paralyzing quills |
Sabra (Ruth Bat-Seraph) is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Incredible Hulk vol. 1 #250, (August 1980), and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. "Sabra" means both a native of Israel and a kind of prickly pear.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Ruth Bat-Seraph was born near Jerusalem, Israel. Raised on a special kibbutz run by the Israeli government after her power manifested, Ruth was the first superhuman agent created to serve the Mossad (the Israeli Secret Service). Her first public act as Sabra was to battle the Incredible Hulk, whom she mistakenly believed was working with Arab terrorists operating in Israel. Some years later, Sabra's young son was killed in a terrorist attack. She disobeyed orders in order to bring her son's killers to justice.
A dispute with the Hulk again would be intensified as Sabra's powers had temporarily stolen his voice, making it seem as if he were still a near-mindless monster. The two would work through their differences and attempt to search for a child who was foretold to become a genocidal maniac.
Sabra would later find herself fighting the New Warriors while under the mental influence of a mysterious, unexplained force.
Years later, Sabra found herself caught up in the events of the anti-mutant campaign known as Operation: Zero Tolerance. It was at this time Sabra fought alongside the X-Men and began to subscribe to the philosophies of Charles Xavier. Sabra was formerly a member of the X-Corporation's Paris branch. She accompanied Charles Xavier and other X-Men members to Genosha, after it was demolished by Sentinels.
Sabra is one of a handful of mutants to have retained their powers after the effects of M-Day.[1]
Ruth is later seen, under request from the British Government, to aid Union Jack against a terrorist attack on London.[2] She comes into conflict with the new Arabian Knight because of cultural differences, but they begrudgingly work together, paralleling her relationship with the first Arabian Knight during the Contest of Champions.
[edit] Civil War/The Initiative
It is later revealed that Sabra has formed a policing force against unruly mutants. This team is fronted by Bishop with additional team mate Micromax (formerly of Excalibur). Sabra is therefore associated with Iron Man's pro-registration side in Marvel's Civil War, an uncommon role for a mutant.[3]
Ruth has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who may be a part of the Initiative.[4] [5] Why she has registered under SHRA, since she is a foreign national, is still to be determined.
[edit] Powers and abilities
- Sabra's mutant power has enhanced all of her body's physical abilities, such as strength, speed, agility, reflexes, endurance, and stamina, to superhuman levels. She can withstand impacts up to high caliber rifle fire. Her various costumes, usually based on the design or colors of the Israeli flag, contain anti-gravity devices that grant her controlled flight and wrist gauntlets that can fire plasma bursts and paralyzing quills.
- She is also able to charge other individuals by transferring to them her own life energy, in the process enhancing their physical state of health (she has twice used this ability to save dying individuals) and granting them low-level super-powers, which are apparently at random and otherwise unrelated to Sabra's own mutant powers (such as the wind-generating powers given to a woman who took the costumed identity Windstorm). The recipient retains their new powers until Sabra herself decides to withdraw them by retrieving her life energy. Her standard power levels drop when she gives away her life energy (she has been shown losing up to half her natural physical power), but they return to normal once she takes back her life energy.
- In addition to her superhuman abilities, Sabra possesses the standard weapons and combat training given to members of the Israeli military.
- It should be noted that some accounts indicated that none of Sabra's powers are mutant in origin, but instead granted through an Israeli project similar to the American Super-Soldier program that created Captain America, but as of the moment she is still considered a genetic mutant by the US Government.
[edit] Other media
[edit] Films
- In X2 her name was seen on a screen among a list of other mutants when Mystique hacks the system of William Stryker for information on different mutants.
[edit] Partial list of appearances
- The Incredible Hulk 250, 256, 279, 386-387
- Contest of Champions 1-3
- New Warriors 58-59, 66
- X-Men 67-69, 72-73, 111, 131-132
- Excalibur 120-121
- The Uncanny X-Men 366-368, 379
- Civil War: X-Men 1-4
- Union Jack (vol. 2) 1-4
- The 198 Files one-shot
- All New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z 9
- Excalibur (vol. 2) 5
- X-Men Millennial Visions one-shot
- Marvel Super-Heroes Summer Special 1991
- Avengers / JLA 4
[edit] References
- ^ The X-Men: 198 Files
- ^ Union Jack #1
- ^ Civil War: X-Men #1
- ^ Avengers: The Initiative #1
- ^ Avengers: The Initiative #1 Character Map
