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Willow (Dreadstar)
Encyclopedia
Willow is a fictional character
in the space opera
Dreadstar
, created by Jim Starlin
. She was introduced in the first issue of Dreadstar's regular series and had her origin told in issue 2.
who has the ability of sensing and commanding computers and robotic devices as well as sentient minds. She used a "seeing-eye monk" named Rainbow as her eyes as she could telepathically see what the monkey saw.
As first seen in Dreadstar #1, Willow was part of a team informally known as "Dreadstar and Company," spearheaded by Vanth Dreadstar
and Syzygy Darklock
and composed also of the catman Oedi. Soon the low-brow merchant alien Skeevo would join them. At that point in time their main goal was to defeat Lord Papal and his Church of Instrumentality in order to restore peace to the Empirical Galaxy.
In her origin story in Dreadstar #2 it was revealed that her father had raped her as a child. This rape caused her to continue to see herself as a child even as an adult. While trying to train her in the use of her telepathic powers Syzygy Darklock realized this fact and showed her her inner light in an attempt to try to heal her. However, Willow embraced her inner light too fully too soon and was blinded as a result.
As the story progresses, Willow and her team gain and lose new members and go though a number of great successes and spectacular losses. Jim Starlin (her creator and writer of the series up until #40) put a lot of emphasis on her character, giving her strong emotional issues to deal with (including a dramatic rape
), involving both her parents as well as Vanth Dreadstar himself (whom she falls in love with, despite not being reciprocated) and a character from her past, Doc Delphi.
Lord Papal is eventually defeated, and they gain a new ally in former foe Ultraviolet. Not all changes are positive however, and Willow eventually chooses to take over the new government's main computer, renouncing her body and leaving a copy of her own personality to travel with her friends to a new galaxy in order to have new adventures.
The fate of the original Willow in her new guise as the sentient government computer is never revealed; her travelling copy, however, eventually decides to take over the soulless body of a later recruit, Iron Angel, initially in order to help against a resurrected Lord Papal. She decides to keep that body and begins to romance Vanth Dreadstar anew. While in Iron Angel's body she becomes pregnant with Vanth's child.
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...
in the space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
Dreadstar
Dreadstar
Dreadstar was the first comic series published by American publisher Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics, in 1982. It was centered on Vanth Dreadstar, sole survivor of the entire Milky Way galaxy, and an ensemble cast of crewmates, including cyborg sorcerer Syzygy Darklock, and their struggle...
, created by Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
. She was introduced in the first issue of Dreadstar's regular series and had her origin told in issue 2.
Character history
Willow is a cybernetic telepath, a rare kind of telepathTelepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
who has the ability of sensing and commanding computers and robotic devices as well as sentient minds. She used a "seeing-eye monk" named Rainbow as her eyes as she could telepathically see what the monkey saw.
As first seen in Dreadstar #1, Willow was part of a team informally known as "Dreadstar and Company," spearheaded by Vanth Dreadstar
Vanth Dreadstar
Vanth Dreadstar is a fictional comic book character created by Jim Starlin. According to the new Overstreet Price Guide, Dreadstar was originally introduced in Epic Illustrated magazine #3 . His first "solo" appearance was in Epic Illustrated #15 . Dreadstar's sword's first appearance was in Epic...
and Syzygy Darklock
Syzygy Darklock
Syzygy Darklock is a fictional character in the space opera comic book series Dreadstar created by Jim Starlin. He first appeared in the 1981 graphic novel The Price, which was originally published in black and white in Eclipse Graphic Album Series #5 . It was reprinted, with colorized artwork, in...
and composed also of the catman Oedi. Soon the low-brow merchant alien Skeevo would join them. At that point in time their main goal was to defeat Lord Papal and his Church of Instrumentality in order to restore peace to the Empirical Galaxy.
In her origin story in Dreadstar #2 it was revealed that her father had raped her as a child. This rape caused her to continue to see herself as a child even as an adult. While trying to train her in the use of her telepathic powers Syzygy Darklock realized this fact and showed her her inner light in an attempt to try to heal her. However, Willow embraced her inner light too fully too soon and was blinded as a result.
As the story progresses, Willow and her team gain and lose new members and go though a number of great successes and spectacular losses. Jim Starlin (her creator and writer of the series up until #40) put a lot of emphasis on her character, giving her strong emotional issues to deal with (including a dramatic rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
), involving both her parents as well as Vanth Dreadstar himself (whom she falls in love with, despite not being reciprocated) and a character from her past, Doc Delphi.
Lord Papal is eventually defeated, and they gain a new ally in former foe Ultraviolet. Not all changes are positive however, and Willow eventually chooses to take over the new government's main computer, renouncing her body and leaving a copy of her own personality to travel with her friends to a new galaxy in order to have new adventures.
The fate of the original Willow in her new guise as the sentient government computer is never revealed; her travelling copy, however, eventually decides to take over the soulless body of a later recruit, Iron Angel, initially in order to help against a resurrected Lord Papal. She decides to keep that body and begins to romance Vanth Dreadstar anew. While in Iron Angel's body she becomes pregnant with Vanth's child.