Wolfsbane (Marvel)

Wolfsbane in X-Men: Blue v1 #23.

Wolfsbane is a female comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.

Biography

Rahne Sinclair in New Mutants v1 #95.

Origin

Rahne Sinclair was a female human Mutant born in the modern age on Earth. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4) Her mother was a sex worker who lived in the port of Ullapool in Scotland. Rahne's mother died in childbirth with Reverend Craig becoming the child's guardian. (Excalibur v1 #93)

Rahne Sinclair was born and raised in the wild northwest highlands of Kinross, Scotland by her adoptive father, Reverend Craig. Craig was a stern Presbyterian reverend of the hellfire-and-brimstone school, who had made saving the soul of Rahne’s mother a project of his. Unknown to all, Craig was the one who impregnated Rahne’s mother, a lady of the night. Rahne’s mother died during childbirth and Craig took the child as a ward of the church, never admitting to anyone the truth of her parentage. Rahne’s upbringing was cold and loveless and she was raised to live in the fear of the Lord. Reverend Craig's treatment of Rahne during her first fourteen years was harsh, instilling a strict religious and traditionally Catholic moral code into her from a young age to compensate for his own lapse in character which led to her conception. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4)

When Rahne first developed her mutant power of lycanthropy, she was mistaken for a werewolf. A group of terrified, religious locals believed that she had been possessed by the devil. Led by Reverend Craig, they chased Rahne across the Scottish highlands. At the end of the chase, Rahne fell unconscious and reverted to her naked human form at the feet of Dr. MacTaggert, who saved her from the mob. Doctor MacTaggert became a surrogate mother to the young mutant and took her under her protection, then took Rahne to America, to be schooled by Professor Charles Xavier. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4)

Overview

Personality and attributes

Human form in New Mutants v2 #6.

Rahne's mother was noted to had red hair where she operated as a sex worker. (Excalibur v1 #93)

Reverend Craig had hounded her dreams for as long as she could remember. (Excalibur v1 #93)

In terms of faith, she was born a protestant of the Scots Presbyterian denomination. (Excalibur v1 #93)

Her adoptive father was a deeply religious man named Reverend Craig Sinclair. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4) Craig Sinclair resided in the rugged landscapes of the north highlands of Ullapool, Scotland, where the winds whispered tales of both beauty and turmoil. Despite the tranquil setting, Craig's soul harbored a tumultuous storm of inner conflicts. Seeking solace and redemption, he pursued the path of faith, becoming a Presbyterian minister. However, his journey toward spiritual tranquillity was marred by a shadowed alley he frequented, where he sought fleeting moments of solace with local sex workers. (New Mutants v2 #11)

Dr. MacTaggert, recognizing the potential within Rahne and driven by a sense of duty and compassion, assumed the mantle of surrogate motherhood. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4)

Powers and abilities

Werewolf form in X-Factor v1 #208.

Wolfsbane is a mutant with the ability to transform into a wolf at will, while retaining her human intelligence, or into a transitional form which combines human and lupine aspects.

As such, her powers were those of lycanthropy with it not being magical in nature, but instead a complex biological function involving the mutant X-gene. She can change into a humanoid lupine form resembling a werewolf, or become an actual wolf.

In either form, Wolfsbane has enhanced senses of hearing, sight, and smell, animal-like strength, agility, and reflexes; razor-sharp talons and fangs; and bestial instincts. In lupine form she can also see into the infrared and ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, thereby enabling her to perceive heat patterns and to see in the dark.

In lupine form, Rahne had an empathic link with Danielle Moonstar. (New Mutants v1 #21)

Rahne would later gain a Secondary Mutation that was an additional ability induced in her. In her wolf form, Rahne's entire fingers become elongated, bony claws. In addition to taking on a wolf-like form, Wolfsbane also gained the ability to split herself into an entire pack of five canines (X-Men: Blue v1 #7)

Notes

• Wolfsbane was created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod where she made her first appearance in Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #4 (November, 1982).

Alternate Versions

• In Excalibur v1 #94 (1995), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in a Days of Future's Past variant reality that was designated as Earth-9620 in the Multiverse.
• In X-Men: Age of Apocalypse v1 #1 (2005), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in the Age of Apocalypse reality that was designated as Earth-295 in the Multiverse.
• In Mutant X v1 #26 (2000), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in the Mutant X reality that was designated as Earth-1298 in the Multiverse.
• In Ultimate X-Men v1 #43 (2004), an alternate version of Rahne Sinclair appeared in the Ultimate Marvel reality that was designated as Earth-1610 in the Multiverse.
• In Fantastic Four: House of M v1 #1 (2005), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in the House of M reality that was designated as Earth-58163 in the Multiverse.
• In Age of X: Historical Log v1 #4 (2011), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in the Age of X reality that was designated as Earth-11326 in the Multiverse.
• In X-Tinction Agenda v1 #1 (2015), an alternate version of Wolfsbane appeared in the Battleworld domain reality that was designated as Earth-24201 in the Multiverse.

In other media

Television

• In X-Men, Wolfsbane appeared in the setting of the 1990s animated television series in the episode "Cold Comfort". This version was shown as being a member of X-Factor.

Appearances

• Marvel Graphic Novel: (1982)
• New Mutants:
• X-Force:
• X-Factor:

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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