Kendra Saunders
Kendra Saunders is a female comic superhero that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Kendra Shiera Saunders was the granddaughter of Speed Saunders and was the grand-niece of Shiera Sanders Hall. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) Her parents were noted to be Michael Saunders and Trina Saunders. (JSA v1 #22) Following her parents murder, she began to self-harm and became suicidal with her attempting to kill herself. Kendra began to fall into a downward spiral afterwards with her getting into trouble with the police. (JSA v1 #21) As she was left an orphan, she was sent to a series of youth facilities during her formative years. This left her with a troubled childhood and saw her having to take refuge on the streets. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) A year ago, she attempted to commit suicide again and took a large number of pills where she suffered a near-death experience and woke up in the hospital with her grandfather there for her. (JSA v1 #21) Her grandfather had found her and took her under his wing as he became aware of her secret destiny to become a superhero. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) When she was 16 years old, she became pregnant and had a daughter but was not ready to look after a child who she gave up for adoption. (JSA: All Stars v1 #2) By the time she was 17 years old, she was said to had been in trouble with a number of people and she decided to commit suicide. Her grandfather found her and took her quickly to the doctors where she was pronounced dead in the night. Ten minutes later she revived though her grandfather Speed noticed that her eye colour had changed and he came to realise that the soul of his cousin Shiera Sanders had reincarnated in Kendra's body. Her grandfather did not reveal his belief to her and she believed she was still Kendra Saunders. (JSA v1 #22) At 19 years of age, she spent six months training in the wings worn by the Shiera Sanders. It was then she received a message from her grandfather that it was time for her to debut as the new Hawkgirl. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) Her first mission was to recover the Fate-Child that was born in Vancouver where she took the new born child from the hospital with her being seen by members of the Justice Society of America. In a panic, Hawkgirl fled with the child but was stopped by Hourman where she revealed that she had been sent to protect the Fate-Child from the Dark Lord who then struck with it being revealed that their attacker was Mordru. (JSA v1 #2)
Kendra then attended the press conference as the Justice Society was announced to the world when they came under attack from Black Adam who had returned from space. He went on a rampage and easily overpowered the team of superheroes. However, Doctor Fate took with him Kendra and Hourman as they travelled back to the point in time when Black Adam was gifted his powers by the Wizard. Doctor Fate then channelled the magical lightning through Kendra that went into the present day to strike Black Adam thus turning to his mortal form as the criminal Theo Adam who was knocked out leading to his arrest. (JSA v1 #6)
She decided to fly in order to come to terms with her conflicting memories when she was met by the angel Zauriel. He used his insight to determine that the soul of Kendra Saunders had actually passed away back when she committed suicide back when she was 17 years old and that it was the soul of Shiera Sanders that inhabited her body. Kendra rejected this and wanted to be left alone as she came to struggle with her sense of identity as she went to her parents grave. The Justice Society then arrived where they attempted to help her but she rejected their help and sought to escape them. It was then that her body was engulfed with energy and she was transported to the planet Thanagar. (JSA v1 #22)
Whilst falling, Carter freed himself where he took the harness of a Dark Wingman to save himself and then Kendra. An angry Kendra punched Hall and told him never to do something like that again. After freeing the rest of the Justice Society, they confronted Onimar Synn where Carter stated that they needed an act of deep emotion to allow him to take control of Nth Metal to defeat their foe. Thus, he asked to kiss Kendra and in the passionate embrace it gave him the power to subvert control of the Nth Metal from Onimar thus defeating the demon. This allowed Thanagar to be freed and the heroes then returned to Earth where Kendra told Carter that she was not Shiera and that she needed space. (JSA v1 #25) He later brought her flowers as he attempted to court her which frustrated Kendra as she felt that he was giving her things that Shiera liked whereas she felt she was someone else. She confessed her frustration to Sandy where she came to kiss him. (JSA v1 #26) This was an impulsive act of her wanting to get involved with anyone but Hawkman. She was later present during the Justice Society's vote for a new leader with Mr. Terrific being elected but shortly afterwards the team was abducted by Roulette. (JSA v1 #27)
Hawkgirl was among the number of heroes defeated by the White Martians invading Earth. The Martians were eventually driven off by the Justice League. (JLA v1 #58)
At Star-Spangled Kid’s insistence, Hawkgirl and the Justice Society attended Young Justice’s Justice for All rally in Washington, as did Old Justice, the Titans and JLA. It was interrupted by Klarion, who magically de-aged Hawkgirl and most of the heroes into children. Doiby Dickles pulled out an extraterrestrial aging gun to return the heroes to their proper age, but another of Klarion’s spells intercepted his shot. The result was that the younger heroes present were aged to adulthood, but the other heroes remained children. (Young Justice: Sins of Youth v1 #1)
Doiby tried using his new raygun on Hawkgirl and the other heroes affected by Klarion’s spell but it had no effect. Since the heroes’ ages were skewed by a combination of magic and science, they would need Klarion’s cooperation to undo the transformation. The heroes attacked Agenda’s headquarters in Alaska, where Superboy, Superman, Wonder Girl and Wonder Woman were being held hostage. The hq was defended by the Junior Injustice Society, but the heroes prevailed, forced the Agenda to flee, and freed the prisoners. They then forced Klarion to team with Doiby and return everyone to their proper age. (Young Justice: Sins of Youth v1 #2)
During the Imperiex War, Hawkgirl, the Justice Society and the JSA reserves were given a mission by President Luthor to disrupt Imperiex’s link to his ship’s power supply. The JSA not only cut off Imperiex from his power, but they managed to blow up his ship as well. (JSA: Our Worlds at War v1 #1)
The Justice Society invited Martian Manhunter to their headquarters for a training session, and Manhunter easily dispatched Hawkgirl and the other new JSAers. Kanto and a squad of Parademons attacked JSA headquarters. Kanto exposed Star-Spangled Kid to the living death, stealing her soul and leaving her body in a coma, and took the soul back to Apokolips. Martian Manhunter and the JSA went to Apokolips to reclaim the Kid’s soul, and allowed themselves to be captured by the Parademons. while Manhunter found Kanto, bested him in combat and learned that Darkseid was using the Kid’s soul in the D.E.M., a techno-organic device that bonded with the Source Wall an used her soul to relay information back to him about the Source. Manhunter freed the JSA and Dr. Fate linked his soul with the Kid, allowing him to pull her from the Source and reunite her with her body. (Martian Manhunter v2 #19)
Afterwards, an argument broke out between Hawkman and Sand over the latter kissing Hawkgirl. In response, Kendra made it clear she was not going to date either one of them, and told them to grow up and stop bickering with each other. (JSA v1 #31) Hawkgirl and the JSA then welcomed Johnny Thunder to JSA headquarters as he claimed to have had a miraculous recovery from Alzheimer’s. In truth, it was the Ultra-Humanite in possession of Thunder’s body. (JSA v1 #32)
Following a mission, the Justice League vanished from the world and a T-Sphere made by Batman arrived with a pre-recorded message asking for Hawkgirl and Captain Marvel to become the members of the new League as replacements. Kendra was told that the decision was hers to make and she gladly accepted membership on the team. She joined her new teammates on-board the Justice League Watchtower to witness the recording of Batman and meet their leader Nightwing. (JLA v1 #69) They were then deployed globally to respond to various mystically generated natural disasters. (JLA v1 #71)
Afterwards, she was given a formal invitation to join the new incarnation of the Justice League of America. (Justice League of America v2 #7)
One night when they slept together, she called out Carter Hall's name with this act hurting Roy who left leading to a strain on their relationship. (Justice League of America v2 #27)
Their relationship fractured when after a mission together they defeated the Fadeaway Man and Kendra compared Red Arrow strategy with Carters. This caused Roy to snap and he told her that when she figured out if she wanted to be with him then she can see him otherwise they were not going to see each other. (Justice League of America v2 #30)
She went to Stonechat Museum to find Carter angry over a conversation he had with his friend Ray Palmer who wanted to see his ex-wife Jean Loring despite her murder of Sue Dibny. During their argument, the pair talked about their relationship with Kendra stating that she did not wish to be beholden to destiny over the love shared in their past lives. She also showed concern for him as she had become increasingly more violent and recognised that Hawkgirl in the past was able to calm him down but she had no memory of those times. Kendra attempted to calm Carter down and hinted that she did love him which was when she was speared from behind by a resurrected Sue Dibny accompanied by her husband Ralph with the two having been reanimated as members of the Black Lantern Corps. The Black Lantern Elongated Man attempted told Carter that Kendra hated him but with her dying breath she refuted that and said that she did love him before she died. Shortly afterwards, Carter himself was similarly killed by the two Black Lanterns who consumed the pairs hearts leading to them being chosen by black rings and turned into the latest members of the Black Lantern Corps. (Blackest Night v1 #1)
With the power of the White Lantern, all those that had been killed were restored to life including Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Carter had turned to Hawkgirl who said that she had the full memories of her past as she had been restored to Shiera Hall with the two embracing one another. (Blackest Night v1 #8)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Long ago, she and Carter Hall had been stabbed with an Nth Metal dagger causing them to reincarnate over the centuries. Together, they worked as partners and sought a coming disaster that Carter believed would arise from the Dark Multiverse. Kendra came to head the Blackhawks where she took the identity of their leader Lady Blackhawk. After Carter disappeared, Kendra came to fear his warnings about the Nth Metal and destroyed her gear that contained it including the wings as she devoted her time in stopping the coming prophecy about the Dark Multiverse. (Dark Nights: Metal v1 #1)
She came to be a member of the new Justice League where she was still coming to terms with her status as a superhero with metallic wings. (Justice League v4 #2)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Originally, she was said to possess green eyes like Speed Saunders son but after her 'death' she awoke and her eye colour had changed to brown with this being an indicator of Shiera's soul awakening in her body. (JSA v1 #22) Following being taken in by her grandfather, she underwent training in her flight harness as she took the superhero identity of Hawkgirl. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) After the Flashpoint, she began to operate in the identity of Lady Blackhawk. (Dark Nights: Metal v1 #1)
Kendra stated that she had a hard time in opening up to other people. (Justice League of America v2 #25) She was shown to have a tendency to push people away and rejecting friends in times when she was scared and wanting to run away. (JSA v1 #21)
Her troubled past had seen her engage in self-harm and had attempted suicide leading to a number of distinctive scars that she tried to hide. (JSA v1 #21)
Due to her experiences, she came to not believe in God as she felt that a deity that allowed bad things to happen to people meant He did not care for them and therefore people should not care for Him. (JSA v1 #21)
Tulips were Kendra's favourite flower. (JSA v1 #26) She found her able to fly to be a liberating experience where she left all her problems back on the ground. Thus, being unable to fly was the worst feeling she had experienced and felt suffocated in such a state. (JSA v1 #63)
In relation to Carter Hall, she could not handle entering a relationship with him as she felt there was such expectations with her being a reincarnation of Shiera. However, she lacked any of the memories and emotional connection with her not wanting to be bound by fate to him. She even sought to be involved with anyone else so that she could avoid being in a relationship with Hawkman. (JSA v1 #26) She was shown to had been attracted to Roy Harper with this being mutual between the pair leading to the two sleeping with one another. (Justice League of America v2 #12) When she started her relationship with Roy, she initially thought of it as a fling and rebound romance. However, in time, she came to care for him and had hoped that she was his future whilst Carter was her past. Despite that, the pair began to have fights with one another as she felt that Roy did not know how to open up his feelings to her. (Justice League of America v2 #25) Their relationship became strained after one night when they slept together only for Kendra to call out Carter Hall's name. (Justice League of America v2 #27)
Her parents were Michael Saunders and Trina Saunders. (JSA v1 #22) When she was 16 years old, she became pregnant and had a daughter who she gave up for adoption with the child being named Mia. She was not ready to have had a child and believed it was the right thing to do. Despite that, she made regular visit to see her daughter who resembled herself and her own mother. The child was not, however, aware of the fact that Kendra was her actual mother. (JSA: All Stars v1 #2)
Kendra began to experience dreams of past lives and came to mix memories of them. According to Zauriel, she had actually died in her last attempt and that another old soul resided in her body. (JSA v1 #21)
Powers and abilities
During her suicide attempt, Kendra had died with the soul of Shiera Sanders awakening in her body. (JSA v1 #22)
Initially, she was provided by a winged harness made of Nth Metal that allowed her to float and fly. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1)
Similar to her great-aunt, she had a love of archaic weaponry and excelled in hand-to-hand combat. (JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1)
Hawkgirl's newest mace was made from Nth Metal and the weapon could change into whatever form she desired. (Hawkgirl v2 #6)
Notes
- The Kendra Saunders Hawkgirl was created by James Robinson, David S. Goyer and Stephen Sadowski where she made her first appearance in JSA Secret Files and Origins v1 #1 (August, 1999).
Alternate Versions
- In Gotham City Garage v1 (2017), an alternate world was shown with the character being known as Kendra Blackhawk who appeared in the setting. She was shown to been a child during the war that devastated Earth with her being saved by the Blackhawk Squadron. Kendra was aged 8 at the time and was taken in by the Blackhawks where they trained her to be one of them leading her to attaining the rank of Corporal. Kendra became friends with the resistance crew known as the Gotham City Garage who opposed the despotic rule of Lex Luthor. When the Garage faced attack, she attempted to convince the Blackhawks to lend aid but their leader refused as he saw it as a losing battle. As a result, Kendra resigned her commission and decided to aid her friends by herself.
In other media
Television
- IN DC Super Hero Girls, the Kendra Saunders Hawkgirl appeared in the animated television series where she was voiced by actor Nika Futterman,
- In the Arrowverse, the Kendra Saunders Hawkgirl made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In The Flash, Kendra Saunders made her first appearance in the live-action television series where she appeared in the episode "Fast Enough" and was portrayed by actor Ciara Renée.
- In Arrow, Kendra Saunders appeared in a guest role in the live-action television series in the crossover episode "Legends of Yesterday" with her being portrayed again by actor Ciara Renée.
- In Legends of Tomorrow, Kendra Saunders appeared as a cast member in the live-action television series where she was portrayed once more by actor Ciara Renée.
Appearances
- JSA Secret Files and Origins v1: (1999)
- JSA v1:
- JLA v1:
- Hawkgirl:
- Justice League of America v2:
- JSA: All Stars v1:
- Blackest Night v1:
- Dark Knights: Metal:
- Justice League v4:
- Justice League Annual v4:
- Hawkgirl v2:
External Links
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