.gif)
Indra (comics)
Encyclopedia
Indra is a fictional character
who currently appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics
. A teenage mutant
, Indra attended the Xavier Institute
before its closing and is a member of the X-Men's training squad. He first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #7.
Paras Gavaskar is an Indian
mutant teenager. After enrolling at the Xavier Institute, Gavaskar was assigned to Alpha Squadron
, a training squad mentored by Northstar
; he was a top achiever in his classes. Indra and his fellow team members Anole
, Loa
, Rubbermaid
, Network
and Kidogo
suffered a great loss when they were told that Northstar had been killed in the line of duty. The Alpha Squadron was unaware of Northstar's resurrection. Following the assumed death of Northstar, Karma
was their advisor.
, almost all of the Institute's students were depowered
, which led to the dissolution of the school's training squads. Indra was one of only twenty-seven students not to have lost his mutant abilities.
He participated in Emma Frost's Battle Royale which determined who will train to be an X-Man. Later, forty-two of Indra's former classmates died when their bus was attacked by William Stryker
, an anti-mutant crusader.
and was held in Limbo with most of the other students. When X-23
orchestrated an attempt at escaping, Indra was beaten badly by the demon S'ym when the attack failed.
After returning home, Indra discovers that he is the youngest mutant on the planet, and may become the last mutant on the planet, excluding Franklin Richards
, Molly Hayes
, Tito Bohusk and (technically) the Stepford Cuckoos
, and the most likely to be targeted.
Paras later relocates to San Francisco along with all the other X-Men. Soon, the city goes into a state of chaos due to the anti-mutant and pro-mutant movements. Cyclops sends Rogue
, Gambit
and Danger to find any missing students, Paras being among them. Rogue finds some beaten H.A.M.M.E.R. agents and after absorbing their memories to see if they know where Paras is, it is revealed they attacked him when he was trying to go home to check on his friends. In self defense, he attacks them and knocks them out.
This act of self defense causes Paras to have an internal crisis, believing that he violated the most important tenet of his Jain faith—absolute nonviolence. Attempting to access his powers causes him great pain, which Paras believes is divine punishment for betraying his beliefs. Rogue attempts to counsel him, suggesting that his inability to access his powers is psychosomatic. Rogue confronts him with the fact that he chose the codename Indra, the Hindu god of war, despite his pacifist beliefs, and states that she believes he did so out of belief in his own potential. She further states that rather than embrace that potential, he is choosing to back away from it. This causes Paras to lose control, claiming that his Indra form is "not him" before his powers fully remanifest, now as a sophisticated full suit of armor and weaponry.
, Rogue and Magneto
bring Indra along with fellow students Anole
and Loa
back to Indra's home in Mumbai
to visit his family. Unknown to anyone at the time, Indra's parents planned for him to take his comatose brother's place in an arranged marriage. The X-Men and students visit a local market where strange storms have been placing people, including Indra's brother, in comatose states. During one such storm, the mutants come across a young girl who tells them her name is Luisa and that she's a new mutant with the ability to paint with light. They don't have time to question her before Sentinels
arrive to capture her. Anole and Loa manage to finish the Sentinels off, and the X-Men take Luisa back to Indra's family home, where the unruly girl, while flirting with Indra, infuriates his father by creating a light painting of her and Indra in a nude embrace and kissing Indra in his room.
After being questioned by Magneto, Luisa reveals her name is really Luz, she's not a mutant and she is from somewhere called Quitado; a high-tech floating city where she was a student meant to be a part of a device called Angelfire. At that moment, The Children of the Vault attack Indra's family home. Indra is attacked by a member of the Children of the Vault who enters his body and causes him severe physical pain. After Luz gives herself up, the Children of the Vault take Rogue and Magneto back to Quitado. Indra plans on going after them but his father demands he stay and marry instead. Indra then asks for Vaipala to marry him that day to which she agrees so he can go save his friends afterwards. During the ceremony, Vaipala reveals she is actually Luz, having switched places with her during the attack.
Suiting up and disobeying his father and leaving Luz behind because she doesn't want to go; Indra, Loa and Anole go after the Children of the Vault when Luz changes her mind and catches up, together forming a plan. Sneaking into Quitado, Luz hands herself over while Indra, Loa and Anole get away with Rogue, Magento and an unconscious Vaipala. During the escape, Indra attacks Olvido in order to protect Rogue. When she goes to point it out to him, he tells her not to talk about it because he has sinned. Returning home, Indra turns his back on his family and religion because the path of non-violence isn't the way of fighting against evil.
Initially, his armor was scaled and plated, similar to a pangolin
exoskeleton
. Though he religiously believes in absolute non-violence, he is later forced to act in self defense and attack a corrupt military officer, resulting in an internal struggle that causes him to lose access to his powers. When trying to access his armor plating, he experiences great pain and believes this to be a punishment from the Yakshas for his transgression. After receiving mentoring from Rogue, who believes that Paras chose to name himself after the Hindu god of war for reason, Indra's powers return significantly changed and stronger than before. His armor takes the form of a full-body, Hindu-stylized suit of armor. He is also able to psionic generate similarly stylized weaponry, such as sword
s and dagger
s, around him out of the air for offensive use. The armor and weaponry he generates is indigo like his skin.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who currently appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. A teenage mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
, Indra attended the Xavier Institute
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
before its closing and is a member of the X-Men's training squad. He first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #7.
Alpha Squadron
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
mutant teenager. After enrolling at the Xavier Institute, Gavaskar was assigned to Alpha Squadron
Alpha Squadron (comics)
Alpha Squadron is a former team of mutants in the comic book series New X-Men: Academy X, in the Marvel Universe. They are students of the Xavier Institute and are instructed by members of the X-Men...
, a training squad mentored by Northstar
Northstar
Northstar is a fictional character, a superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the twin brother of Aurora. Through his mutation, Northstar gains superhuman powers, which he uses for the betterment of society...
; he was a top achiever in his classes. Indra and his fellow team members Anole
Anole (comics)
Anole is a fictional mutant superhero in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis and first appeared in issue #2 of New Mutants vol. 2 . A student at the Xavier Institute and junior member of the X-Men, Anole is one of the few openly gay characters in the Marvel...
, Loa
Loa (comics)
Loa is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mutant, Loa is a student at the Xavier Institute. She made her debut in New X-Men: Academy X #5.-Before Xavier's:...
, Rubbermaid
Rubbermaid (comics)
Rubbermaid is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #20 .-Jeffrey Garrett:...
, Network
Network (comics)
Network is the name of three unrelated fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One is a teleporting villain, the others are both superheroines with the power to communicate with and/or manipulate machines.-Network :...
and Kidogo
Kidogo
Kidogo is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a student at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning and first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #12 ....
suffered a great loss when they were told that Northstar had been killed in the line of duty. The Alpha Squadron was unaware of Northstar's resurrection. Following the assumed death of Northstar, Karma
Karma (comics)
Karma is a fictional superheroine from Marvel Comics created by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.Karma is a mutant endowed with the ability to seize control of another's mind, though she has sometimes been depicted with other more extensive psionic abilities...
was their advisor.
M-Day
Following the events of House of MHouse of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, almost all of the Institute's students were depowered
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, which led to the dissolution of the school's training squads. Indra was one of only twenty-seven students not to have lost his mutant abilities.
He participated in Emma Frost's Battle Royale which determined who will train to be an X-Man. Later, forty-two of Indra's former classmates died when their bus was attacked by William Stryker
William Stryker
Col. William "Bill" Stryker, M.D. is a fictional comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Brent Anderson, he first appeared in the 1982 graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills.Rev...
, an anti-mutant crusader.
Quest for Magik
Indra was captured by BelascoBelasco
Belasco is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character's first appearance was in Ka-Zar the Savage #11; he was created by Bruce Jones and Brent Anderson.-Fictional character biography:...
and was held in Limbo with most of the other students. When X-23
X-23
X-23 is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring the X-Men. X-23 is a female clone of Wolverine.-Publication history:...
orchestrated an attempt at escaping, Indra was beaten badly by the demon S'ym when the attack failed.
After returning home, Indra discovers that he is the youngest mutant on the planet, and may become the last mutant on the planet, excluding Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
, Molly Hayes
Molly Hayes
Molly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
, Tito Bohusk and (technically) the Stepford Cuckoos
Stepford Cuckoos
The Stepford Cuckoos are a set of fictional mutant psychically linked quintuplets . They are students at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning and appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics...
, and the most likely to be targeted.
Messiah Complex and Utopia
When Predator X attacks the Institute, Surge leaps to the defense of Indra, Trance and Wolf Cub, protecting them from the beast.Paras later relocates to San Francisco along with all the other X-Men. Soon, the city goes into a state of chaos due to the anti-mutant and pro-mutant movements. Cyclops sends Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
, Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
and Danger to find any missing students, Paras being among them. Rogue finds some beaten H.A.M.M.E.R. agents and after absorbing their memories to see if they know where Paras is, it is revealed they attacked him when he was trying to go home to check on his friends. In self defense, he attacks them and knocks them out.
This act of self defense causes Paras to have an internal crisis, believing that he violated the most important tenet of his Jain faith—absolute nonviolence. Attempting to access his powers causes him great pain, which Paras believes is divine punishment for betraying his beliefs. Rogue attempts to counsel him, suggesting that his inability to access his powers is psychosomatic. Rogue confronts him with the fact that he chose the codename Indra, the Hindu god of war, despite his pacifist beliefs, and states that she believes he did so out of belief in his own potential. She further states that rather than embrace that potential, he is choosing to back away from it. This causes Paras to lose control, claiming that his Indra form is "not him" before his powers fully remanifest, now as a sophisticated full suit of armor and weaponry.
Collision
Following Second ComingX-Men: Second Coming
"Second Coming" is a crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics that ran through the most of the X-Men comic books from March to July 2010.-Publication history:...
, Rogue and Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
bring Indra along with fellow students Anole
Anole (comics)
Anole is a fictional mutant superhero in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis and first appeared in issue #2 of New Mutants vol. 2 . A student at the Xavier Institute and junior member of the X-Men, Anole is one of the few openly gay characters in the Marvel...
and Loa
Loa (comics)
Loa is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mutant, Loa is a student at the Xavier Institute. She made her debut in New X-Men: Academy X #5.-Before Xavier's:...
back to Indra's home in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
to visit his family. Unknown to anyone at the time, Indra's parents planned for him to take his comatose brother's place in an arranged marriage. The X-Men and students visit a local market where strange storms have been placing people, including Indra's brother, in comatose states. During one such storm, the mutants come across a young girl who tells them her name is Luisa and that she's a new mutant with the ability to paint with light. They don't have time to question her before Sentinels
Sentinel (comics)
Sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots, appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 .According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate...
arrive to capture her. Anole and Loa manage to finish the Sentinels off, and the X-Men take Luisa back to Indra's family home, where the unruly girl, while flirting with Indra, infuriates his father by creating a light painting of her and Indra in a nude embrace and kissing Indra in his room.
After being questioned by Magneto, Luisa reveals her name is really Luz, she's not a mutant and she is from somewhere called Quitado; a high-tech floating city where she was a student meant to be a part of a device called Angelfire. At that moment, The Children of the Vault attack Indra's family home. Indra is attacked by a member of the Children of the Vault who enters his body and causes him severe physical pain. After Luz gives herself up, the Children of the Vault take Rogue and Magneto back to Quitado. Indra plans on going after them but his father demands he stay and marry instead. Indra then asks for Vaipala to marry him that day to which she agrees so he can go save his friends afterwards. During the ceremony, Vaipala reveals she is actually Luz, having switched places with her during the attack.
Suiting up and disobeying his father and leaving Luz behind because she doesn't want to go; Indra, Loa and Anole go after the Children of the Vault when Luz changes her mind and catches up, together forming a plan. Sneaking into Quitado, Luz hands herself over while Indra, Loa and Anole get away with Rogue, Magento and an unconscious Vaipala. During the escape, Indra attacks Olvido in order to protect Rogue. When she goes to point it out to him, he tells her not to talk about it because he has sinned. Returning home, Indra turns his back on his family and religion because the path of non-violence isn't the way of fighting against evil.
Powers and abilities
Indra possesses retractable sectional armored plates that he uses to cover himself in protective armor. His skin is violet and his hair is red-purple; he has a red-purple tilak-like marking on his forehead, though this marking may be cosmetic and not part of his mutation.Initially, his armor was scaled and plated, similar to a pangolin
Pangolin
A pangolin , also scaly anteater or Trenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family and one genus of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with...
exoskeleton
Exoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
. Though he religiously believes in absolute non-violence, he is later forced to act in self defense and attack a corrupt military officer, resulting in an internal struggle that causes him to lose access to his powers. When trying to access his armor plating, he experiences great pain and believes this to be a punishment from the Yakshas for his transgression. After receiving mentoring from Rogue, who believes that Paras chose to name himself after the Hindu god of war for reason, Indra's powers return significantly changed and stronger than before. His armor takes the form of a full-body, Hindu-stylized suit of armor. He is also able to psionic generate similarly stylized weaponry, such as sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s and dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s, around him out of the air for offensive use. The armor and weaponry he generates is indigo like his skin.