Xavin: Difference between revisions

|debut = ''[[Runaways (comics)|Runaways]]'', (vol. 2) #7. (August 2005)<ref name="firstappearance">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #7. Marvel Comics.</ref>

|powers = Superhuman* strengthCosmic and durability<br>Shapeshifting<br>Flight<br>Fireray manipulation<br>Elasticity<br>Invisibility<br>Force field projection

Xavin was portrayed by Clarissa Thibeaux in the second and third seasons of the [[Hulu]] television series ''[[Runaways (TV series)|Runaways]]'', which is set in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]].

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 Dean|Karolina]] in order to bring peace to their two warring, alien species.<ref name="Bustle">{{cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/who-is-xavin-in-the-runaways-comics-the-new-character-is-the-mcus-first-gender-fluid-superhero-15558189|title=Who Is Xavin In The 'Runaways' Comics? The New Character Is The MCU's First Gender-Fluid Superhero|last=Grubbs|first=Jefferson|website=[[Bustle (website)|Bustle]]|date=December 21, 2018|accessdateaccess-date=July 12, 2019|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413082937/https://www.bustle.com/p/who-is-xavin-in-the-runaways-comics-the-new-character-is-the-mcus-first-gender-fluid-superhero-15558189|archivedatearchive-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

As membermembers of the Runaways, they appeared in the comicbookcomic book ''[[Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers]]'', itwhich involves both the Runaways and [[Young Avengers]] teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/13/exclusive-secret-invasion-runawaysyoung-avengers-interview|title=Exclusive Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers Interview|last=George|first=Richard|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=March 13, 2008|accessdateaccess-date=July 12, 2019|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813061123/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/13/exclusive-secret-invasion-runawaysyoung-avengers-interview|archivedatearchive-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref>

In the short lived third volume of the ''Runaways'', shethey were forced to leave the team and was last seen being taken from Earth in Majesdanian custody.<ref name="Bustle" />

When Xavin journeys to Earth to find [[Karolina Dean]], they reveal to Karolina that their parents had one more large secret. [[The Deans]] had been exiled from their planet Majesdane for criminal activities. They traveled to Earth where they encountered Xavin's father, Prince De'zean of the Skrulls, who was going to rule the planet.<ref name="Vol2#8"/> The Deans had stopped the destruction but gave the Skrulls the location of another, more valuable planet: Majesdane.<ref name="Vol2#8"/> In order toTo prove they weren't lying, they gave Prince De'zean's child their child's hand in marriage.<ref name="Vol2#8"/> The Deans had believed that Xavin would die in the new Skrull/Majesdanian war. Xavin later arrived on Earth in order to marry her and hopefully stop the fifteen-year war between their races.<ref name=" Vol2#8"/> Xavin encountered Karolina shortly after her romantic advances were rejected by [[Nico Minoru]].<ref name="firstappearance"/> Xavin, tryingtried to convince Karolina to be their bride,. He fought and pursued her, in the form of a human male.<ref name="Vol2#8"/> Karolina revealed that she is not attracted to men and doesn't want to live a lie,. butBut Xavin altered their form to that of a human woman and persuaded her to leave Earth with the new female version of Xavin.<ref name="Vol2#8"/>

During the wedding ceremony, a fight breaks out between the two races, and Xavin and Karolina barely escape before Majesdane is destroyed.<ref name="Vol2#17">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #17. Marvel Comics.</ref> They return to Earth, where they help rescue [[Molly Hayes]] from the New [[Pride (comics)|Pride]].<ref name="Vol2#17"/> Xavin impersonates Nico and takes a bullet for her, distracting [[Geoffrey Wilder]] long enough for Nico to untie Molly and escape.<ref name="Vol2#18">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #18. Marvel Comics.</ref> Xavin survives the attack by shape-shifting their organs out of the way.<ref name="Vol2#18"/>

When the Runaways return from a trip to the past, Xavin learns they are in the most heated phase of the Skrull Invasion.<ref name="si1"/> Instead of fighting, they knock out their teammates and attempt a peaceful settlement of the war, reasoning that the Skrulls are "religious extremists".<ref name="si1"/> Their attempts at peace fail, and they're informed that the Runaways are targeted for execution.<ref name="si1"/> 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]].<ref name="si2">''Secret Invasion'': Runaways/Young Avengers''</ref> They find Hulkling injured, targeted for assassination by Veranke herself.<ref name="si2"/> By siding with Hulkling, they're are branded as a traitor too.<ref name="si2"/>

Weeks later, Xavin better adjusted, refraining from insulting Victor and becoming closecloser 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 themself athemselves runaway when they reveal their identity to GeoffryGeoffrey Wilder.<ref name="Vol2#18"/> 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 byof their love for Karolina.<ref name="Vol2#19">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #19. Marvel Comics.</ref> 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.<ref name="Vol2#25"/> However, during their trip to 1907, it was revealed that when they lose control or isare under emotional pressure, the female form was the one to which they would revert, something that made Karolina very happy.<ref name="Vol2#29"/>

In ''Runaways''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "[[Dead Wrong (comics)|Dead Wrong]]" story arc, a group of surviving Majesdanians arrivearrives to arrest Karolina.<ref name="Vol3#2">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 3,) #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> 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.<ref name="Vol3#6">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 3,) #6. Marvel Comics.</ref> Their fate is unknown.

Xavin, being a [[Skrull]], has the [[Skrull]]'s natural ability to [[shapeshift]].<ref name="Vol2#8"/> Xavin was a [[Super-Skrull]] in training, meaning they can manifest the powers of the [[Fantastic Four]]: [[Mr. Fantastic]]'s ability to stretch and contort his body into any shape imaginable, [[Invisible Woman]]'s power to render herself invisible, and the ability to create force fields, [[Human Torch|the Human Torch]]'s fire-control and flight and [[Thing (comics)|the Thing]]'s superhuman strength and resistant rock-like hide.<ref name="si1"/> The Super-Skrull KKl'lrtrt is one of Xavin's idols.<ref name="cw1">''Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways''. Marvel Comics.</ref> As stated by Xavin, they are still a Super Skrull in training, so they can only use their Fantastic Four abilities one at a time; at one point, when Xavin was bombarded with high -frequency sounds, they lost control of their powers and burnt up the [[Griffith Observatory]].<ref name="Vol2#19">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #19. Marvel Comics.</ref> Finally, in (vol. 3,) #2, they used all their powers at once in anger.<ref name="Vol3#2">''Runaways'': Volume 3, #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Xavin is known for their war-likewarlike, rash attitude,<ref name="Vol2#20">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #20. Marvel Comics.</ref> something that irritates the other Runaways,<ref name="si1"/> particularly Victor, whotowards whom they had a strong animosity towards because being an android, Victor would have been hardwired to cook and clean on their planet.<ref name="Vol2#8"/> Although Xavin often demonstrates a 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 themselfthemselves 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.<ref name="Vol2#25"/><ref name="comicvine">[http://www.comicvine.com/xavin/29-1944/ Xavin]</ref>

In 2008, Xavin was named the fourth (out of ten) best [[Skrull]] characters in an article published on Marvel's official Web sitewebsite.<ref name="take10skrulls">{{cite news|url=http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.6273.Take_10~colon~_Skrulls!|title=Take 10: Skrulls|last=Morse|first=Ben|date=2008-12-08|publisher=Marvel|accessdateaccess-date=2009-03-01}}</ref>

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<ref>[http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=442 Runaways/Young Avengers #3] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221073928/http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=442 |date=February 21, 2009 }}</ref> 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",<ref name="Vol2#8"/> 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,<ref name="Vol2#22">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #22. Marvel Comics.</ref> 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,<ref name="Vol2#23">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #23. Marvel Comics.</ref> she does become depressed when Nico questions Xavin's true gender. In ''[[Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways]]'', Xavin is mostly male, but female briefly.<ref name="cw1"/> In (vol. 3,) #1, Xavin is only male, but in (vol. 3) #2, Xavin is only female.<ref name="Vol3#2"/><ref name="Vol3#1">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 3,) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> 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.<ref name="Vol2#25"/> 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.<ref name="Vol2#29"/> 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.<ref>[http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/5459.htm/ Xavin's true gender on Humberto Ramos' blog] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922195302/http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/5459.htm/ |date=September 22, 2008 }}</ref>

Due to their war-like, yet rash attitude,<ref name="Vol2#20"/> Xavin often irritates the other Runaways.<ref name="si1"/> 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".<ref name="Vol2#8"/> Xavin met Karolina after Karolina suffered rejection from Nico, her crush, for some time.<ref name="firstappearance"/> When Xavin expressed no concern ofabout changing physical appearance from male to female to please her, Karolina began a relationship. Xavin once took the form of Nico in order to please Karolina, but Karolina rejected them as Nico because they had earned her loyalty and reassured Xavin that she lovesloved them as they are.<ref name="Vol2#23"/> At times, they still suspect Karolina has lingering feelings overfor Nico.<ref name="Vol2#30">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #30. Marvel Comics.</ref> 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.<ref name="Vol2#30"/>

Besides Victor, Xavin strongly infuriates Nico and often questions Nico's leadership decisions.<ref name="Vol2#20"/> Xavin grew to respect Nico's leadership, telling her how much they've learned much from her.<ref name="Vol2#21">''Runaways'': Volume(vol. 2,) #21. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref name="Vol3#6"/>

Xavin appears in the second season of ''[[Runaways (TV series)|Runaways]]'' portrayed by Clarissa Thibeaux, with other actors and actresses occasionally portraying them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/actress-clarissa-thibeaux-marvels-runaways-interview/|title=Interview: Clarissa Thibeaux Talks Playing Xavin in Marvel’sMarvel's Runaways Season 2|last=|first=|website=[[ComicsBeat]]|date=January 24, 2019|accessdateaccess-date=July 12, 2019|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126002209/https://www.comicsbeat.com/actress-clarissa-thibeaux-marvels-runaways-interview/|archivedatearchive-date=January 26, 2019}}</ref> This version is a Xartan, a being with the ability to shapeshift, presenting as numerous people before adopting a female body.<ref name="Season2#11">{{cite episode|title=Last Waltz|series=Marvel's Runaways|credits=Nickell, Ramsey (director); Tracy McMillan (writer)|network=[[Hulu]]|airdate=December 21, 2018|season=2|number=11}}</ref><ref name="Season2#13">{{cite episode|title=Split Up|series=Marvel's Runaways|credits=Webb, Jeffrey (director); Quinton Peeples (writer)|network=[[Hulu]]|airdate=December 21, 2018|season=2|number=13}}</ref> They are first named in "Last Rites" as one of the aliens on Jonah's ship, before it is blown up by Pride.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Last Rites|series=Marvel's Runaways|credits=Madigan, James (director); Quinton Peeples (writer)|network=[[Hulu]]|airdate=December 21, 2018|season=2|number=7}}</ref> They begin telepathically conversing with Karolina before adopting the appearance of a charitable stranger and briefly interactinteracting with her while shopping.<ref name="Season2#11"/> Xavin fully reveals themselfthemselves to Karolina at the end of "Earth Angel" as her betrothed.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Earth Angel|series=Marvel's Runaways|credits=Surjik, Stephen (director); Warren Hsu Leonard (writer)|network=[[Hulu]]|airdate=December 21, 2018|season=2|number=12}}</ref> They tell Karolina they stowed away on a ship that carried Karolina's biological father, "Jonah", and his family of exiled Gibborim royal magistrates for the purpose of fulfilling an uncertain prophecy that she believes they are a part of that will unite two worlds and bring peace to the universe. Xavin stays at the hostel where she speaks with [[Leslie Dean]] and reveals to her that she is pregnant with Jonah's heir and that he and his family have inhabited other bodies, later revealed to be [[Stacey Yorkes]], [[Tina Minoru]], [[Victor Stein]], and one unknown party ([[Alex Wilder]]). They try rescuing Karolina from Victor/Jonah, but they are overpowered. They regroup at the hostel with Leslie, Alex, Molly, and Nico to plan out how they will rescue their friends from Jonah.<ref name="Season2#13"/> She makes her last appearance in the third season, episode "Rite of Thunder", where Leslie gives birth to a baby named Elle Dean, and Xavin takes her in and raises her as her own and goes off into space.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Rite of Thunder|series=Marvel's Runaways|credits=Webb, Jeremy (director); [[Russ Cochrane]] (writer)|network=[[Hulu]]|airdate=December 13, 2019|season=3|number=4}}</ref>