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Ariel (comics)
Encyclopedia
Ariel is a fictional character
, an extraterrestrial
mutant
in the Marvel Comics
Universe. Her first appearance was in Fallen Angels
(1st series) #1. The character appeared to have died in X-Men Legacy #235, published in 2010, although an interview by writer Mike Carey in March of 2011 suggests that she may have survived.
(1st series) #1 (April 1987), and was created by Mary Jo Duffy (writer), and Kerry Gammill
(artist).
The character subsequently appears in Fallen Angels #2-8 (May-November 1987) and again much later in X-Men: Legacy #226 and 235. She appeared to have been killed in X-Men Legacy #235, but writer Mike Carey later stated that he deliberately wrote that scene the way he did so that it would be possible that she could have survived.
Ariel received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
#1.
On Earth, Ariel encountered the mutant criminal known as the Vanisher
and joined his group of adolescents who worked for him as thieves. Eventually this group became the team of young superhumans known as the Fallen Angels
. Though Ariel made no secret of her alien origins, she withheld the true nature of her mission from most of her teammates, except for the apparently powerless Chance
, whom Ariel promised an undisclosed payment in exchange for Chance's assistance. Using her ability to bend space, Ariel transported the Fallen Angels to a distant world, where they encountered Devil Dinosaur
and Moon-Boy. Again through the use of Ariel's powers, the Fallen Angels returned to Earth, joined by Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy as new recruits to the team.
Finally, Ariel transported the Fallen Angels to her home planet under the pretense of a "vacation", but after a period of being treated as honored guests, the Angels were captured for use in the Grove natives' experiments in mutation. Ariel was shocked to discover that Chance, who had become her friend as well as co-conspirator, was among the prisoners, having been found to be an emerging mutant with the power to enhance or nullify other mutants' abilities. When pushed to choose between her friendship and loyalty to her people, Ariel left Chance to her fate, only to be rewarded for her racial loyalty with imprisonment; Ariel had also been identified as a mutant, the first one of her race, and thus doubly valuable as a test subject. She was determined to have the power to subtly influence minds and compel others to obey her commands. After the Fallen Angels escaped captivity, Ariel used her power (bolstered by a show of force from Devil Dinosaur) to compel Unipar, the leader of the Coconut Grove, to let them return to Earth.
Wanting nothing more to do with her own people after her mistreatment at their hands, Ariel accompanied the Fallen Angels to Earth and continues to be a member of the team.
Ariel resurfaced during the Utopia
crossover between the X-Men line and the Dark Avengers. She appears during X-Men: Legacy #226 as an ally of the X-Men, volunteering her help during the riots to transport injured mutants back to Graymalkin Industries
. During the events of Second Coming
Cyclops
assigns Ariel as teleporter for the X-Men's Alpha team, following the disappearance of Magik
during battle. While traveling with Wolverine and X-23 in search for Hope, their car was shot by a missile. Wolverine and X-23 survived due to their enhanced healing factors, but Ariel was believed to have been killed.
Her return to the X-Men started in the "Regenesis" story arc.
In addition, Ariel is the sole mutant member of her race, possessing the mutant ability to cause others through psionic means to believe what she says or to do what she tells them, whether they would otherwise voluntarily wish to do so or not.
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...
, an extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
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...
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. Her first appearance was in Fallen Angels
Fallen Angels (comics)
Fallen Angels is a team of fictional comic book superhuman teenagers in the Marvel Comics universe. The team's only appearances were in the Fallen Angels eight-issue limited series, written by Jo Duffy, which ran from April 1987 to November 1987....
(1st series) #1. The character appeared to have died in X-Men Legacy #235, published in 2010, although an interview by writer Mike Carey in March of 2011 suggests that she may have survived.
Publication history
Ariel first appeared in Fallen AngelsFallen Angels (comics)
Fallen Angels is a team of fictional comic book superhuman teenagers in the Marvel Comics universe. The team's only appearances were in the Fallen Angels eight-issue limited series, written by Jo Duffy, which ran from April 1987 to November 1987....
(1st series) #1 (April 1987), and was created by Mary Jo Duffy (writer), and Kerry Gammill
Kerry Gammill
Kerry Gammill is an American artist who has worked in the fields of comic books, special effects, storyboards, and character designs.-Early life:...
(artist).
The character subsequently appears in Fallen Angels #2-8 (May-November 1987) and again much later in X-Men: Legacy #226 and 235. She appeared to have been killed in X-Men Legacy #235, but writer Mike Carey later stated that he deliberately wrote that scene the way he did so that it would be possible that she could have survived.
Ariel received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#1.
Fictional character biography
Ariel is an extraterrestrial native to the world known as the Coconut Grove, home of a culture devoted to the pursuit of pleasure.On Earth, Ariel encountered the mutant criminal known as the Vanisher
Vanisher
The Vanisher is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain of the Marvel Universe, and an opponent of the X-Men. The Vanisher is one of the X-Men's oldest enemies having first appeared in X-Men #2...
and joined his group of adolescents who worked for him as thieves. Eventually this group became the team of young superhumans known as the Fallen Angels
Fallen Angels (comics)
Fallen Angels is a team of fictional comic book superhuman teenagers in the Marvel Comics universe. The team's only appearances were in the Fallen Angels eight-issue limited series, written by Jo Duffy, which ran from April 1987 to November 1987....
. Though Ariel made no secret of her alien origins, she withheld the true nature of her mission from most of her teammates, except for the apparently powerless Chance
Chance (comics)
Chance is the name of two unrelated fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. The first is a mercenary and enemy of Spider-Man, the second a mutant who originally appeared in Fallen Angels vol. 1 #1.-Chance :...
, whom Ariel promised an undisclosed payment in exchange for Chance's assistance. Using her ability to bend space, Ariel transported the Fallen Angels to a distant world, where they encountered Devil Dinosaur
Devil Dinosaur
Devil Dinosaur is a Marvel Comics character who resembles a red Tyrannosaurus rex. He first appeared in Devil Dinosaur #1...
and Moon-Boy. Again through the use of Ariel's powers, the Fallen Angels returned to Earth, joined by Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy as new recruits to the team.
Finally, Ariel transported the Fallen Angels to her home planet under the pretense of a "vacation", but after a period of being treated as honored guests, the Angels were captured for use in the Grove natives' experiments in mutation. Ariel was shocked to discover that Chance, who had become her friend as well as co-conspirator, was among the prisoners, having been found to be an emerging mutant with the power to enhance or nullify other mutants' abilities. When pushed to choose between her friendship and loyalty to her people, Ariel left Chance to her fate, only to be rewarded for her racial loyalty with imprisonment; Ariel had also been identified as a mutant, the first one of her race, and thus doubly valuable as a test subject. She was determined to have the power to subtly influence minds and compel others to obey her commands. After the Fallen Angels escaped captivity, Ariel used her power (bolstered by a show of force from Devil Dinosaur) to compel Unipar, the leader of the Coconut Grove, to let them return to Earth.
Wanting nothing more to do with her own people after her mistreatment at their hands, Ariel accompanied the Fallen Angels to Earth and continues to be a member of the team.
Ariel resurfaced during the Utopia
Utopia (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...
crossover between the X-Men line and the Dark Avengers. She appears during X-Men: Legacy #226 as an ally of the X-Men, volunteering her help during the riots to transport injured mutants back to Graymalkin Industries
Graymalkin Industries
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe Graymalkin Industries is the undercover name for X-Men new headquarters in San Francisco following their departure from their former X-Mansion, destroyed during Messiah Complex. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men...
. During the events of Second Coming
X-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:...
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...
assigns Ariel as teleporter for the X-Men's Alpha team, following the disappearance of Magik
Magik (comics)
Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...
during battle. While traveling with Wolverine and X-23 in search for Hope, their car was shot by a missile. Wolverine and X-23 survived due to their enhanced healing factors, but Ariel was believed to have been killed.
Her return to the X-Men started in the "Regenesis" story arc.
Powers and abilities
Like all members of her extraterrestrial race, Ariel can bend space so that she can create a space warp connecting two points that may otherwise lie great distances apart. There are no known limits on the range that Ariel's space warps may cover; she has created warps that enabled her to travel over interstellar distance from one planet to another in distant solar system. However, Ariel needs an actual doorway that can be opened and closed to serve as a focal point for her power. In addition, there must be another doorway at the receiving end of the warp. By stepping through the doorway, one journeys through the space warp that she has created.In addition, Ariel is the sole mutant member of her race, possessing the mutant ability to cause others through psionic means to believe what she says or to do what she tells them, whether they would otherwise voluntarily wish to do so or not.