Starbolt

Starbolt (sometimes known as Bolt) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a member of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #107. He acts as an enforcer of law in the Shi'ar Empire and is part of the royal guard.

Fictional character biography

Starbolt in a panel from Uncanny X-Men vol.1 #157 (May, 1982). Art by Dave Cockrum.

Starbolt is a warrior serving in the Royal Elite of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, a multi-ethnic group of super-powered alien beings who act as enforcers of the laws of the Shi'ar Empire. Part of the division of the Imperial Guard known as the Superguardians, Starbolt was amongst the first of the Imperial Guard encountered by the team of superhuman mutant adventurers known as the X-Men who sought to rescue the Princess-Majestrix Lilandra from her insane brother, then-Majestor D'ken. Following the orders of their emperor, the Guard clashed with the X-Men on a nameless Shi'ar Empire planet and was on the verge of winning when the band of interstellar freebooters known as the Starjammers arrived to turn the tide of battle in the X-Men's favor. During the clash, Starbolt became enraged when he saw the feral X-Man Wolverine attacking his teammate and then-lover Oracle. After Starbolt flash-fried him, Wolverine quickly took the two lovers out of the fight by slamming them into each other.^[1]

Deathbolt is featured prominently in an adventure set early in his career; the Guard and the current ruler of the Shi'ar empire are set upon by Skrull assassins and are rescued by the hero later known as Captain Marvel.^[2]

Starbolt was also one of eight Imperial Guardsmen chosen to battle the X-Men in a trial by combat over the fate of Phoenix, a primal force of the cosmos that had assumed the form of the X-Man Jean Grey.^[3]

Soon after, Starbolt was amongst those few Imperial Guard members who opposed the treacherous Shi'ar High Council member Lord Samédàr who was aiding an attempted coup of the Shi'ar throne by Deathbird. Even after many of the Guard chose to side with Samédàr, Starbolt remained steadfast in his loyalty to then-Empress Lilandra.These Imperial Guard members went on a mission to find Lilandra, and joined with Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde in battling Samédàr's renegade Imperial Guardsmen. Starbolt was captured, but was freed on Lilandra's command.^[4]

Later, after the formerly-exiled Deathbird had usurped the Shi'ar throne, Starbolt was amongst those Imperial Guard members who clashed with the British team of costumed adventurers known as Excalibur and the Starjammers over the fate of the then-bearer of the cosmic Phoenix Force, the alternate future daughter of Jean Grey named Rachel Summers.

Much later, the intergalactic teleporter Lila Cheney transported the X-Men to the Shi'ar Empire at the behest of then-Empress Deathbird. On Deathbird's behalf, Starbolt and the Imperial Guardsmen battled the X-Men and Starjammers, but the X-Men had arrived in Shi'ar space just in time to see Lilandra regain her throne. Not all was as it seemed, however, as in reality a group of Warskrulls, using technology to allow them to duplicate superpowers, had captured and impersonated the X-Men's founder, the telepathic Professor Charles Xavier, using his telepathy to control Lilandra and the Imperial Guard, including Starbolt. After the ruse was discovered by the X-Men and all the Warskrull impostors were exposed, Lilandra settled matters with Deathbird, discovering her sister did not want the throne anymore.^[5]

During the war between the Shi'ar and Kree Empires, Starbolt was part of a small team of Guardsmen who were charged with preventing the member of the Earth team of super-powered beings known as the Avengers named Quasar from retrieving the legendary Nega-Bands of the Kree warrior Captain Marvel, which had been stolen. Starbolt battled Quasar and Her in space during the Kree-Shi'ar War, although Starbolt was defeated and captured by Quasar.^[6]

Subsequently, Starbolt was amongst those Imperial Guard members who defended Lilandra against an assassination attempt by the Kree Ronan the Accuser and his unwilling agents, the royal family of the Earth race known as the Inhumans. He survived the Imperial Guard's battle with Vulcan.^[7]

He was one of the view selected to explore 'the Fault', but was killed by a creature in the Fault during 'Realm of Kings'.^[8]

Powers and abilities

Starbolt is an alien whose entire body is composed of an unknown form of ultra-energy that resembles fire, and whose head is perpetually engulfed in a plume of the same unknown energy. As a result, Starbolt is able to channel this energy into producing heat and light, resembling flames from all portions of his body without harm to himself. He can fire powerful bolts of this concussive force energy from his hands. He has the ability to generate plasma, which can be mentally controlled by him. The temperature of the plasma ranges from 200 degrees to over 1,000,000 degrees. Starbolt cannot be injured by fire, plasma, heat, or radiation, and can survive unprotected in the vacuum of outer space. Using fire and air currents with his ability of self-levitations, he can fly at super sonic speeds (600 to 1,000 mph). Starbolt's "flames" do not require the presence of oxygen, and can exist in the vacuum of space.

Other media

Television

• In the X-Men Animated Series, Starbolt appears in The Phoenix Saga and The Dark Phoenix Saga alongside the rest of the Imperial Guard.

Video games

• Starbolt appeared as a boss in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Beau Weaver. He aids Deathbird in staging a Coup d'état against Lilandra and fights the heroes alongside Warstar.

Inspiration

Several of the members of the Imperial Guard are at least partly based on members of the DC Comics team Legion of Super-Heroes. (Dave Cockrum, co-creator of the Guard, also had a long run as artist on the Legion.) Starbolt appears to be a homage to LSH member Sun Boy.

References

External links

• Starbolt bio at Marvel.com
• Starbolt at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe