Xavin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Xavin
Xavin displaying his abilities on the cover of Runaways, volume 2 #20. Art by Jo Chen.
Publisher Marvel Comics First appearance Runaways, volume 2 #7 Created by Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona
Characteristics Alter ego Xavin Species Skrull, from Tarnax VII Affiliations Runaways Abilities Shape-shifting, the powers of the Fantastic Four (Currently only able to use one power at a time)

Xavin is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Comics comic book series Runaways. Xavin is a Skrull who is training to become a Super-Skrull.

[edit] Character History

The child of warlords, Xavin grew up in the midst of intergalactic war between the Skrulls on Tarnax VII and another alien race, the Majesdanians. Little is known about Xavin's childhood, save that when he was five years old he witnessed the slaughter of an entire Majesdanian family. When Xavin cried, his father, Prince De'zean, punished him by leaving him with the corpses for days.

Years later, the now-orphaned Xavin journeys to Earth to find Karolina Dean, a Majesdanian whose parents betrothed her to him, assuming that Xavin and his parents would perish while fighting the Majesdanians. Utilizing his shapeshifting powers, Xavin takes the form of a black human male in hopes of being "pleasing" to Karolina.

Xavin meets Dean shortly after her romantic advances are rejected by her friend Nico Minoru. Xavin, trying to convince Karolina to be his bride and return to unify their homeworlds, fights and pursues her runaway friends. Xavin finally tells Dean that he won't force her to marry him, but he hopes that she will come with him to witness the animosity between their two races. He says that if their marriage might end the war between the Skrulls and the Majesdanians. Dean reveals that she is not attracted to men and doesn't want to live a lie, but Xavin alters his form to that of a human woman and persuades her to leave with him.

During the wedding ceremony, a fight breaks out between the two races, and Xavin and Karolina barely escape before the planet is destroyed. They return to Earth, where they help Dean's friends rescue their friend Molly Hayes from the new Pride. Xavin impersonates Minoru and takes a bullet for her, distracting Geoffrey Wilder long enough for Minoru to untie Hayes.

Xavin joins the group but has trouble adjusting to his new surroundings and getting along with his new teammates, particularly Victor, whom he often offends with condescending remarks about robots. Though aggressive and headstrong, Xavin is motivated to protect his new home by his intense love for Karolina. Though he spends most of his "down time" in female form, Xavin usually reverts to his male Skrull form when in battle, and spends some time in his male human form as well.

In Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways, Noh-Varr, a Kree from an alternate reality, breaks Xavin's neck, and the Skrull was presumed dead. Xavin later rights his broken neck and attacks his captor, escaping a prison facility with Karolina, Wiccan and Hulkling.

[edit] Powers

Xavin, being a Skrull, has the species' natural ability to shape-shift. Xavin was also a member of a Super-Skrull-training program to create a new generation of Skrull warriors. As such, Xavin has several other powers, including those of the Fantastic Four: stretching, super-strength, resistance, invisibility, energy shield creation, pyrokinesis, and self-immolation. He is only able to control one power at a time.