Xavin: Difference between revisions

'''Xavin''' is a [[fictional]] [[superhero]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. The character appears in the series ''[[Runaways (comics)|Runaways]]''. Xavin is [[gender-fluid]] (made more prominent due to their shape-shifting abilities) with seemingly no preference toin which pronouns are used for themselves ("they/them" pronouns are used throughout the article for clarity's sake). They are a [[Super-Skrull#Other Super-Skrulls|Super-Skrull]] in training, created by author [[Brian K. Vaughan]] & artist [[Adrian Alphona]], and debuted in ''Runaways'' vol. 2 #7.<ref name="firstappearance"/> Although Alphona was the series's artist at the time, artist [[Takeshi Miyazawa]] first drew the character on print. When Xavin first appeared to the Runaways, they took on the form of a black male, but changed into a black female just for the sake of [[Karolina Dean]], a lesbian whom they were to marry.<ref name="Vol2#8">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #8. Marvel Comics.</ref> Xavin is often seen as a male, simply to be "intimidating".<ref name="Vol2#25">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #25. Marvel Comics.</ref> Xavin, often called "Xav" for short, is known for their obtuse and warlike personality.<ref name="Vol2#29">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #29. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref name="si1">''Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers''. Marvel Comics.</ref> They had originally found it hard to fit in with the Runaways due in part to Xavin's constant gender switching and unfamiliarity with Earth values and norms, though through proving their loyalty to the group, found acceptance.<ref name="Vol2#24">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #24. Marvel Comics.</ref> TheyXavin areis the child of the Skrull Prince De'zean.<ref name="Vol2#8"/>

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 to 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, trying to convince Karolina to be their bride, 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"/>

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 themselfthemselves a runaway when they reveal their identity to Geoffrey 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 by their love for Karolina.<ref name="Vol2#19">''Runaways'': Volume 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 arrive to arrest Karolina.<ref name="Vol3#2">''Runaways'': Volume 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 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 Kl'rt 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-like, rash attitude,<ref name="Vol2#20">''Runaways'': Volume 2, #20. Marvel Comics.</ref> something that irritates the other Runaways,<ref name="si1"/> particularly Victor, whowhom 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 themself 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>

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 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 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's Runaways Season 2|website=[[ComicsBeat]]|date=January 24, 2019|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126002209/https://www.comicsbeat.com/actress-clarissa-thibeaux-marvels-runaways-interview/|archive-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 his 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>