Xavin
Xavin | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Runaways (vol. 2) #7 (August 2005)[1] |
Created by | Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Xavin |
Species | Skrull |
Place of origin | Tarnax VII |
Team affiliations | Runaways |
Notable aliases | Prince Xavin General Xavin |
Abilities |
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Xavin is a
Xavin was portrayed by Clarissa Thibeaux in the second and third seasons of the Hulu television series Runaways, which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Publication history
Xavin first appeared in Runaways (vol. 2) #7 (August 2005), and was created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona. They are introduced as a Skrull prince, the child of De'zean of the Skrull Royal Family on the planet Tarnax VI, and they are meant to marry Karolina to bring peace to their two warring alien species.[7]
As members of the Runaways, they appeared in the comic book Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers, which involves both the Runaways and Young Avengers teams.[8]
In the short lived third volume of the Runaways, they were forced to leave the team and was last seen being taken from Earth in Majesdanian custody.[7]
Fictional character biography
History
When Xavin journeys to Earth to find
During the wedding ceremony, a fight breaks out between the two races, and Xavin and Karolina barely escape before Majesdane is destroyed.[9] They return to Earth, where they help rescue Molly Hayes from the New Pride.[9] Xavin impersonates Nico and takes a bullet for her, distracting Geoffrey Wilder long enough for Nico to untie Molly and escape.[10] Xavin survives the attack by shape-shifting their organs out of the way.[10]
Secret Invasion
When the Runaways return from a trip to the past, Xavin learns they are in the most heated phase of the Skrull Invasion.[5] Instead of fighting, they knock out their teammates and attempt a peaceful settlement of the war, reasoning that the Skrulls are "religious extremists".[5] Their attempts at peace fail, and they're informed that the Runaways are targeted for execution.[5] They urge Nico to take the rest of the team and hide, and in a last-ditch effort to halt the invasion, they flee to search for Hulkling, former Skrull King and enemy of the religious extremist Skrulls' Queen, Veranke.[11] They find Hulkling injured, targeted for assassination by Veranke herself.[11] By siding with Hulkling, they are branded as a traitor too.[11]
As a fugitive
Weeks later, Xavin better adjusted, refraining from insulting Victor and becoming closer to Molly (the only teammate other than Karolina to always refer to Xavin as female). However, Xavin is still more-or-less an outcast to the other members. Like the other Runaways, Xavin is an orphan (they told the group when they first appeared that their parents were dead because of the aliens' war). They also call themselves runaway when they reveal their identity to Geoffrey Wilder.[10] Xavin joins the group but has trouble adjusting to their new surroundings and getting along with their new teammates, particularly Victor, whom they often offend with condescending remarks about robots. Although they are aggressive and headstrong, Xavin is motivated to protect their new home of their love for Karolina.[12] Xavin usually reverts to the male Skrull form when in battle, insisting that it adds to a more intimidating persona, despite Karolina thinking that it is sexist, yet still spends some time in the male human form as well.[3] However, during their trip to 1907, it was revealed that when they lose control or are under emotional pressure, the female form was the one to which they would revert, something that made Karolina very happy.[4]
Departure
In Runaways' "Dead Wrong" story arc, a group of surviving Majesdanians arrives to arrest Karolina.[13] After they repeatedly attack the Runaways, Xavin realizes that the aliens won't stop until they get Karolina. Karolina apparently leaves the group with the Majesdanians, but the Runaways, except Nico, are later shocked to find the real Karolina knocked out. Xavin shapeshifted into Karolina's form and took her place to take all the punishment for their species' war. Kissing Karolina, Xavin whispers their love and departs the group.[14] Their fate is unknown.
Powers and abilities
Xavin, being a
Personality
Xavin is known for their warlike, rash attitude,[16] something that irritates the other Runaways,[5] particularly Victor, towards whom they had a strong animosity towards because being an android, Victor would have been hardwired to cook and clean on their planet.[2] Although Xavin often demonstrates strong, general-type behavior, there are periods when they accidentally show they barely have any more experience than the other Runaways; for example, they once stretched themselves from one building to another just to get to the other side instead of simply creating a force-field bridge, only realizing the alternative after it was pointed out to them by Molly.[3][17]
Reception
In 2008, Xavin was named the fourth (out of ten) best Skrull characters in an article published on Marvel's official website.[18]
Gender identity
Due to Xavin often changing through their three main forms, (human female, human male, and true Skrull form) both characters within the series and fans[19] question the nature of their gender. As a Skrull, a race of shapeshifters, Xavin stated "for us, just changing our gender is no different than changing our hair color",[2] implying that Skrulls have fluid gender identities. When asked by Molly about why they don't stay in female form all the time, Xavin replied that it was simply their nature to do so and doesn't see a problem in it,[20] though it causes Xavin to start questioning their own nature. Although Karolina does truly love Xavin, even so much as to deny Xavin disguised as Nico due to loyalty,[21] she does become depressed when Nico questions Xavin's true gender. In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways, Xavin is mostly male, but female briefly.[15] In (vol. 3) #1, Xavin is only male, but in (vol. 3) #2, Xavin is only female.[13][22] Karolina is fixed on the idea that Xavin is female, and that Xavin isn't pretending to be a woman, just learning to be human.[3] During an argument with Karolina, Xavin loses control and changes form into their female form, and Karolina takes that to mean Xavin's true form is a female.[4] However, on his blog, the artist Humberto Ramos notes that he was instructed to draw Xavin taking different genders depending on the situation, even when not plot-necessary.[23]
Relationships with other Runaways
Due to their war-like, yet rash attitude,[16] Xavin often irritates the other Runaways.[5] They often believed that Victor was supposed to be hardwired to know everything, due to Viktor being a cyborg. In their first appearance, they called Victor a "toy".[2] Xavin met Karolina after Karolina suffered rejection from Nico, her crush, for some time.[1] When Xavin expressed no concern about changing physical appearance from male to female to please her, Karolina began a relationship. Xavin once took the form of Nico to please Karolina, but Karolina rejected them as Nico because they had earned her loyalty and reassured Xavin that she loved them as they are.[21] At times, they still suspect Karolina has lingering feelings for Nico.[24] Later on, during an argument, Xavin subconsciously reverted to their female human form, which both surprised and pleased Karolina, who had earlier expressed some lingering doubts about Xavin's true gender.[24]
Besides Victor, Xavin strongly infuriates Nico and often questions Nico's leadership decisions.[16] Xavin grew to respect Nico's leadership, telling her how much they've learned from her.[25][14]
In other media
Xavin appears in the second season of
References
- ^ a b c d Runaways (vol. 2) #7. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Runaways (vol. 2) #8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c d Runaways (vol. 2) #25. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Runaways (vol. 2) #29. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c d e f g Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Runaways (vol. 2) #24. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Bustle. Archived from the originalon April 13, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ George, Richard (March 13, 2008). "Exclusive Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 2) #17. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Runaways (vol. 2) #18. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 2) #19. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Runaways (vol. 3) #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 3) #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Runaways (vol. 2) #20. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Xavin
- ^ Morse, Ben (2008-12-08). "Take 10: Skrulls". Marvel. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ Runaways/Young Avengers #3 Archived February 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Runaways (vol. 2) #22. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 2) #23. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Runaways (vol. 3) #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Xavin's true gender on Humberto Ramos' blog Archived September 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 2) #30. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Runaways (vol. 2) #21. Marvel Comics.
- ComicsBeat. January 24, 2019. Archived from the originalon January 26, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Nickell, Ramsey (director); Tracy McMillan (writer) (December 21, 2018). "Last Waltz". Marvel's Runaways. Season 2. Episode 11. Hulu.
- ^ a b Webb, Jeffrey (director); Quinton Peeples (writer) (December 21, 2018). "Split Up". Marvel's Runaways. Season 2. Episode 13. Hulu.
- ^ Madigan, James (director); Quinton Peeples (writer) (December 21, 2018). "Last Rites". Marvel's Runaways. Season 2. Episode 7. Hulu.
- ^ Surjik, Stephen (director); Warren Hsu Leonard (writer) (December 21, 2018). "Earth Angel". Marvel's Runaways. Season 2. Episode 12. Hulu.
- ^ Webb, Jeremy (director); Russ Cochrane (writer) (December 13, 2019). "Rite of Thunder". Marvel's Runaways. Season 3. Episode 4. Hulu.
External links
- Xavin at Marvel Database