Deathbird
Deathbird is a female comic extraterrestrial supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Cal'syee Neramani
During her time as Regent, she learnt of Shi’ar shipping lanes being attacked by Brood raiders. Thus, she was dispatched with a detachment of the Imperial Guard to investigate the attackers. In their mission, their scoutcraft came under attack from Skrulls but they were saved by a Kree vessel under the command of Zen-Pram. Deathbird was saved by the actions of legendary Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell. She was returned to her ship and departed though in reality she was looking for missing Kee Grand Admiral Devros in the hope of capturing him and extracting information from his mind. (Untold Legend of Captain Marvel v1 #2) Sometime afterwards, Deathbird’s ship recovered the last survivors of the ‘Pama’ who had narrowly escaped the Brood. At first, the Shi’ar Regent was tempted with capturing the few surviving Kree for interrogations but Deathbird was impressed at the actions of Mar-Vell with her deciding to return them to Kree-Lar. (Untold Legend of Captain Marvel v1 #3)
Though first born of the Aerie, her fury caused her to commit the gravest of sins where she killed one of her sisters. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10)
After a while of her wandering across the universe, Deathbird found herself on Earth. She somehow became indebted to MODOK, the former leader of AIM, and ended up working as his bodyguard in return. MODOK had recently lost control of AIM and he wanted to gain control of one of the facilities again. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10) Whilst in service to M.O.D.O.K., she was dispatched by him to deal with the superhero known as Ms. Marvel. Whilst on an errand for MODOK, Deathbird spotted Ms. Marvel flying through New York and took the opportunity to dish out some revenge. She ambushed Ms. Marvel and proved a deadly opponent, thanks to her talons and energy javelins. A brutal mid-air battle took place in which Deathbird believed she had killed Ms. Marvel and she reported the news to MODOK. (Ms. Marvel v1 #9) However, her opponent had survived and ambushed MODOK and Deathbird when they stormed the AIM base. However, MODOK managed to get into a rocket that would fire him into space and he abandoned Deathbird when she became embroiled in a fight with Ms. Marvel once more. Deathbird’s berserker fury took over and she was so intent on killing Ms. Marvel that she didn’t notices the rocket preparing for launch. She was seemingly killed when she flew into the flames coming from the thrusters. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10)
Due to Deathbird’s physiology, however, she managed to survive the blast and spent the next few months recuperating. Her partnership with MODOK apparently dissolved and she soon decided to find a way to get off the planet. She hired some mercenaries and stole some high-tech equipment in order to build a device to get her home. However, she couldn’t stand to leave without settling her score with Ms. Marvel and once again ambushed the woman as she was flying through New York. The two found themselves evenly matched but Ms. Marvel eventually came out on top. Although Deathbird escaped, the tussle with Ms. Marvel caused the hero to track Deathbird down and interrupt her theft of the electronic equipment she required. Yet another aerial fight broke out, during which some civilians were put in danger. Ms. Marvel broke off the fight to help them and was surprised to receive help from Deathbird. Cal’syee explained that the civilians were innocents and she held a code of honor that would not let them come to harm. That said, the moment the civilians were safe, Deathbird immediately attacked Ms. Marvel once more. In the end, Deathbird was forced to fly away after realizing her plan to steal the equipment was foiled. (Ms. Marvel v1 #22)
Deathbird survived the detonation of the Nega-Bomb which killed billions of Kree and devastated many of their worlds with her reviving an unconscious Captain America by providing CPR. Initially, she came to believe that her sister had ordered the detonation of the superweapon but came to learn that this was actually part of the plot of the Supreme Intelligence. The Supremor had detonated the weapon as part of his own scheme in breaking the Kree's evolutionary stagnation with the death of thousands being deemed an acceptable sacrifice. The Avengers then battled the Supreme Intelligence and seemingly destroyed him for the crimes he had committed against his people. In the aftermath, Majestrix Lilandra arrived on the Kree homeworld where she declared the war over and the Shi'ar the victors of the conflict. Thus, by right of conflict, she absorbed the devastated territories of the Kree into the Shi'ar Imperium where she appointed her sister Deathbird as Viceroy over this region of space. Lilandra had done so thinking that this would prevent Deathbird from plotting to take throne by her by assigning her duties in keeping the Kree in-line. (Avengers v1 #347)
She came to lead a rebellion against Majestor Gladiator's rule and came to learn that her sister Lilandra had a daughter with Charles Xavier with the unhatched offspring pledged to the royal line. Thus, she sought to claim the egg in order to legitimise her own rule against Gladiator with her facing opposition from the X-Men Rogue and Gambit. (Mr. and Mrs. X v1 #3)
Afterwards, Gladiator decided to step down as ruler of the Shi'ar empire and instead have Princess Xandra become the new empress on account of her lineage. However, the young girl was not mature enough for the position and it was decided that she needed a teacher. Thus, Gladiator ordered for Deathbird's exile to end and that she be returned to Chandilar to serve as regent as well as mentor to her niece. Unknown to anyone, elements within the Shi'ar Imperial Guard opposed this plan and dispatched the Shi'ar Death Commandos to eliminate her. She was only saved by the intervention of the New Mutants whereupon she was escorted back to the Shi'ar homeworld. It was there that the treachery of Oracle was exposed but Xandra decided that the guardsman's punishment was to help train her to be a better ruler. Thus, Oracle and Deathbird were appointed as the advisors to Xandra in order to better prepare her to serve as a ruler of the Imperium. (New Mutants v4 #7) She continued her duties to her niece until one day she was kidnapped from the royal wing. To prevent chaos from falling on the empire, Deathbird contacted the X-Men where Cyclops used a Krakoan gateway to travel to Chandilar. Once there, they helped uncover a spy within the Imperial court with this being a kidnapped Stygian where they learnt that the recent galactic resurgence had led to discontent on Stygia. A malcontent group then formed where it was led by a religious zealot who sought to topple their Shi'ar rulers and intended to murder Xandra. They were prevented by the X-Men along with support from Smasher who then captured the rebel Stygians. Restored to her throne, peace was returned to the Shi'ar Imperium where Deathbird decided to use her own fortune to help the disaffected on Stygia whilst Xandra punished Urr by forcing him to become a politician representing his world in the Imperial court. (X-Men v5 #17)
Overview
Personality and attributes
She claimed she was born cursed with a berserker fury leading to her only living to kill others. This resulted in her being torn apart by the pain caused by the fury. A common feature was her unleashing a scream when attacking that was like a hunting cry of a hawk or eagle. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10)
Powers and abilities
As such, she had wings allowing her to fly alongside her increased strength and durability that could match a super-powered being or Kree warrior. (Ms. Marvel v1 #9) Her wings were a living part of her yet a blow from them was like being hit by tempered steel. The spurs on her pinions could be flexed and made as deadly as her talons. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10) Her wings could be used in close-quarter combat as she could flex them to send her opponents flying away from her. (Ms. Marvel v1 #9) In closed surroundings, she said that her fighting power was halved but out in the open she had room to manoeuvre and strike with her power unhindered. (Ms. Marvel v1 #10) She also possessed fiery sharp razor sharp claws that she could savage her foes and easily slice through chimneys. (Ms. Marvel v1 #9)
According to the historical records, Deathbird’s martial experience was unparalleled in the House Neramani. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #345)
By her wrist, there were a number of small cylinders that she could activate where they enlarged to become spears which she could throw with precision. Alternatively, she could hold two of these energy javelins whose points when connected could unleash an energy beam against her target and was able to kill some foes. (Ms. Marvel v1 #9)
Notes
- Deathbird was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum where she made her first appearance in Ms. Marvel v1 #9 (September, 1977).
Alternate Versions
- In X-Men: The End v1 #1 (2004), an alternate version of Deathbird was shown to exist on the world designated as Earth-41001. On this world, she and Bishop had a daughter together who was named Aliyah Bishop who was named after her paternal grandmother.
In other media
Television
- In X-Men, Deathbird made a number of appearances in the 1990s animated television series where she was voiced by an uncredited actress. This version, following Lilandra Neramani's ascension to the throne, sought to overthrow her and install herself as Majestrix. In the process, she allies with Apocalypse, who is later revealed to have been using her for his own plans and abandons her.
- In X-Men '97, Deathbird appeared in the setting of the revival animated television series starting in the episode "Lifedeath - Part 2" where she was voiced by actress Cari Kabinoff.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Deathbird appeared as a boss level antagonist in the video game where she was voiced by actor Nika Futterman.
Appearances
- Ms. Marvel v1: (1977)
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- Avengers v1:
- Untold Legend of Captain Marvel v1:
- X-Men v2:
- Mr. and Mrs. X v1:
- New Mutants v4:
- X-Men v5: (2021)
External Links
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