.gif)
Lifeguard (comics)
Encyclopedia
Lifeguard is a comic book
character
, a superhero
in the Marvel Comics
universe
, associated with the X-Men
. Created by writer Chris Claremont
and artist Salvador Larroca
, she first appeared in X-Treme X-Men
#6 (December 2001).
She is a mutant
, gaining whatever superhuman abilities are needed in a life-threatening situation. She and her brother Slipstream
were briefly members of the segment of X-Men featured in the series X-Treme X-Men.
Heather and Davis Cameron
were a lifeguard and a surfer, respectively, living in Surfers Paradise in Australia
. Unbeknownst to them, their father is an underworld crime lord known as Viceroy, and upon his death they were attacked. Together with Storm and Neal Shaara
(the new Thunderbird), they managed to defeat their attackers. Heather discovered she was a mutant with the power to manifest whatever was necessary to save the life of someone in danger around her, including her own. Her power enabled her to manifest wings, golden armor, the ability to breathe underwater, and many other less noticeable adaptations. Heather soon joined the splinter team of X-Men, and formed a romance with Thunderbird.
During a mission to infiltrate the ship of the intergalactic warlord, Khan
, Heather's appearance changes to resemble the alien Shi'ar
race, and it was theorized that she and Davis had some Shi'ar
heritage. Jean Grey
notes that the cranial markings on her head and the crest of feathers she had manifested indicated Heather is of Shi'ar royal ancestry. Also, an entry from Destiny
's diary seems to imply that Heather and Davis were "Mothered by War," or Deathbird
. The entry shows a picture of Deathbird and some of the X-Treme team. Her brother, unable to see past her new, alien appearance, leaves the team. Lifeguard and Thunderbird travel in search of him.
. However this only lasted weeks, as there was a synchronized attack on several of the X-Corporation offices after the catastrophic events of M-Day
, leading Cyclops
to call for the disbanding of all offices.
Heather is one of a handful of mutants to have retained her powers in the wake of House of M
. Still involved with Thunderbird III she wasn't active in any X-Men roster, though the 198 Files verified her location as residing at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
.
). In all of her appearances, she has only been shown to use this ability while defending herself and others.It is as yet unknown if she's able to use this ability for her own protection. She has a moderate level of control over this power and has sometimes been able to trigger it at will, although she has not displayed any control over the transformations or powers she manifests. So far, Heather has only manifested physical changes such as extra arms, armored skin, wings, and a mermaid tail.
In her most recent appearance, she appeared to be locked into her final transformation of gold skin, wings, and claws; still unable to control her powers and possibly unable to transform any further or reverse the change.
in the Shi'ar
Imperium. She is ultimately killed sacrificing herself for Aliyah.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character
Character (arts)
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...
, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the 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...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, associated with the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. Created by writer Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and artist Salvador Larroca
Salvador Larroca
Salvador Larroca is a Spanish comic book artist, primarily known for his work on various X-Men titles.-Early life:Salvador Larroca was born and raised in Valencia, Spain.-Career:...
, she first appeared in X-Treme X-Men
X-Treme X-Men
X-Treme X-Men was a comic book published by Marvel Comics from 2001 through 2004. All 46 issues of the series were written by Chris Claremont. The first 24 issues were drawn by Salvador Larroca, and the final 22 issues were drawn by Igor Kordey....
#6 (December 2001).
She is a 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...
, gaining whatever superhuman abilities are needed in a life-threatening situation. She and her brother Slipstream
Slipstream (comics)
Slipstream is a fictional character in Marvel Comics universe. He is a superhero associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, he first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #6 ....
were briefly members of the segment of X-Men featured in the series X-Treme X-Men.
X-Treme X-Men
Slipstream (comics)
Slipstream is a fictional character in Marvel Comics universe. He is a superhero associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, he first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #6 ....
were a lifeguard and a surfer, respectively, living in Surfers Paradise in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Unbeknownst to them, their father is an underworld crime lord known as Viceroy, and upon his death they were attacked. Together with Storm and Neal Shaara
Neal Shaara
Neal Shaara, also known as Thunderbird, is a Marvel Comics superhero, who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Leinil Francis Yu, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #100 ....
(the new Thunderbird), they managed to defeat their attackers. Heather discovered she was a mutant with the power to manifest whatever was necessary to save the life of someone in danger around her, including her own. Her power enabled her to manifest wings, golden armor, the ability to breathe underwater, and many other less noticeable adaptations. Heather soon joined the splinter team of X-Men, and formed a romance with Thunderbird.
During a mission to infiltrate the ship of the intergalactic warlord, Khan
Khan (comics)
Khan is a fictional villain associated with the X-Men. He first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #10 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca.-Fictional character biography:...
, Heather's appearance changes to resemble the alien Shi'ar
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
race, and it was theorized that she and Davis had some Shi'ar
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
heritage. Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
notes that the cranial markings on her head and the crest of feathers she had manifested indicated Heather is of Shi'ar royal ancestry. Also, an entry from Destiny
Destiny (Irene Adler)
Destiny is a Marvel Comics fictional character, known as an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141...
's diary seems to imply that Heather and Davis were "Mothered by War," or Deathbird
Deathbird
Deathbird is a fictional character. She is a Marvel Comics supervillainess, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel #9....
. The entry shows a picture of Deathbird and some of the X-Treme team. Her brother, unable to see past her new, alien appearance, leaves the team. Lifeguard and Thunderbird travel in search of him.
The Xavier Institute
Months later, Lifeguard and Thunderbird returned to the X-Men, apparently not locating Slipstream. Together with Thunderbird, she joined the X-CorporationX-Corporation
The X-Corporation is a fictional institution from the X-Men comic book series by Marvel Comics. This organization was created to ensure the protection of mutant rights throughout the world due to the increasing number of mutants....
. However this only lasted weeks, as there was a synchronized attack on several of the X-Corporation offices after the catastrophic events of M-Day
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...
, leading Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
to call for the disbanding of all offices.
Heather is one of a handful of mutants to have retained her powers in the wake of House of M
House 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...
. Still involved with Thunderbird III she wasn't active in any X-Men roster, though the 198 Files verified her location as residing at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
Utopia
Heather later resurfaces after the events of Schism as a member of Cyclops' street team with Boom Boom and Dazzler in San Francisco and UtopiaUtopia (comics)
"Utopia" is a 2009 comic book crossover story arc written by Matt Fraction and published by Marvel Comics, starring the X-Men and the Dark Avengers...
.
Powers and abilities
Heather's mutant power allows her body to react to any threat by transforming or manifesting a power to deal with the situation (similar to that of the X-Men's DarwinDarwin (comics)
Darwin is a mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in X-Men: Deadly Genesis #2, and was created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pete Woods. Darwin was one of the "Missing X-Men"...
). In all of her appearances, she has only been shown to use this ability while defending herself and others.It is as yet unknown if she's able to use this ability for her own protection. She has a moderate level of control over this power and has sometimes been able to trigger it at will, although she has not displayed any control over the transformations or powers she manifests. So far, Heather has only manifested physical changes such as extra arms, armored skin, wings, and a mermaid tail.
In her most recent appearance, she appeared to be locked into her final transformation of gold skin, wings, and claws; still unable to control her powers and possibly unable to transform any further or reverse the change.
X-Men: The End
Lifeguard appears in X-Men: The End as a protector of Aliyah BishopAliyah Bishop
Aliyah Bishop is a fictional comic book character in the X-Men mythos. She first appeared as an illustration in one of Destiny's Diaries in X-Treme X-Men #10, and was created by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca.-Fictional character biography:...
in the Shi'ar
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
Imperium. She is ultimately killed sacrificing herself for Aliyah.
External links
- MarvelDatabase:Lifeguard
- MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Lifeguard
- Lifeguard on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki
- UncannyXmen.net Character Profile on Lifeguard