Darkstar (Marvel Comics)

Darkstar first appeared in The Champions #7 (Aug. 1976), and was created by Tony Isabella and George Tuska.{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=99}}

She became a regular character in Champions for the remainder of the series' brief run, though she never joined the titular supergroup. A memo from series writer Bill Mantlo revealed that he intended for her to be a "floating" member who would come and go from the book as the occasion called for.{{cite journal |last=Walker |first=Karen |date=July 2013 |title='We'll Keep on Fighting 'Til the End': The Story of the Champions |journal=Back Issue! |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |issue=#65 |pages=17–23}}

Laynia Petrovna and her twin brother Nikolai Krylenko are born in Minsk. After growing up, she becomes a special operative, working for the Soviet government.

Darkstar is a member of a Soviet super-team recruited to bring Black Widow back to the USSR.{{Cite comic|Title = The Champions|Issue = #7|Date = Aug. 1976| Publisher = Marvel Comics}}{{Cite web |last=Flavell |first=Leah |date=2019-12-12 |title=Black Widow: 10 Marvel Characters From The Comics Who Could Show Up |url=https://www.cbr.com/black-widow-movie-marvel-characters-comics-appear/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=CBR |language=en-US}} However, she decides to switch sides and then fights alongside the Champions.{{Cite comic|Title=The Champions|Issue=#10|Date=Jan. 1977|Publisher=Marvel Comics}}{{Cite comic|Title = The Champions|Issue = #11| Date = Feb. 1977|Publisher = Marvel Comics}}{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Andrew |date=2017-03-17 |title=10 Most Interesting Marvel Superhero Teams You've Never Heard Of |url=https://whatculture.com/comics/10-most-interesting-marvel-superhero-teams-youve-never-heard-of |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=WhatCulture.com |language=en}} She helps the Champions on a few more missions before returning to Russia.Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #17 (April 1978)

Darkstar becomes a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers with her brother Vanguard (Nikolai Krylenko) and the Crimson Dynamo. The Soviet Super-Soldiers battle Iron Man and Jack of Hearts on the moon but wind up helping them against renegade Rigellians led by Commander Arcturus.Iron Man #109, 112. Marvel Comics.

Later, Darkstar and Vanguard are sent along with new Soviet Super-Soldier Ursa Major by the KGB to defeat Presence. They learned that Sergei is their father and that Professor Phobos has exploited the Super-Soldiers. Darkstar helps free Sergei and Tania Belinsky's Red Guardian, and defeats Phobos.The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #258–259. Marvel Comics.

The Soviet Super-Soldiers are then sent by the Soviet government to Khystym to battle the Gremlin. They fight the Space Knights Rom and Starshine, but later, ally with them against the Dire Wraiths. The Super-Soldiers befriend the Gremlin instead of fighting him.Rom #45-46. Marvel Comics.

Afterward, the Soviet Super-Soldiers agree to help bring Magneto to justice. They fight the Avengers but turned against the Crimson Dynamo when it is revealed that he had been manipulating events.X-Men Vs. Avengers #1–3. Marvel Comics.

Darkstar, Vanguard, and Ursa Major defect to the United States seeking political asylum. They arrive at Avengers Island to ask for Captain America's help. They are beaten nearly to death by the Supreme Soviets, who had disguised themselves as members of the Avengers. The comatose subconscious minds of the Super-Soldiers form a "Great Beast" that follows the Supreme Soviets back to the USSR and tries to kill them. Captain America's negotiation skills were successful in convincing the Great Beast to back off, leading to the recovery of the three Super-Soldiers who had previously been injured and unconscious.Captain America #352–353. Marvel Comics.

The Soviet Super-Soldiers are captured and returned to the Soviet Union. They are rescued by Blind Faith and the Exiles (not to be confused with the reality-hopping team the Exiles), whom Darkstar joins.Soviet Super Soldiers #1 (Nov. 1992). Marvel Comics.

When the Supreme Soviets (who changed their name to People's Protectorate) are rechristened the Winter Guard, Darkstar was recruited back into the team.Iron Man Vol 3 #9-10 When the team disbanded, Darkstar and Vanguard joined the Russian mutant team Siberforce, and later joined forces with their father, the Presence.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2013}}

When Vanguard dies on the Starbrand mission led by Quasar, Darkstar and the Presence decide to kill Quasar, who allows them to believe that they have succeeded while he had left Earth.Quasar #60. Marvel Comics.

Darkstar joins the Paris branch of X-Corporation in France, in which she is possessed by Weapon XII, a creation of the Weapon Plus Project, and subsequently killed by Fantomex.{{Cite comic|Title=New X-Men (2001 series)|Volume=|Issue=#130|Date=Oct. 2002|Publisher=Marvel Comics}} A funeral is held at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where she was buried.New X-Men #131 She is temporarily resurrected through the Transmode Virus to serve in Selene's army of deceased mutants during their assault on Utopia.X-Force vol. 3 #21 (Jan. 2010). Marvel Comics.

A new, red-haired Darkstar named Sasha Roerich who is genetically modeled to resemble Petrovna first appears as a member of the Winter Guard.{{Cite comic|Title=Hulk: Winter Guard|Volume=|Issue=#1|Date=Dec. 2009|Publisher=Marvel Comics}} After being altered again by The Presence, she is transformed into a tentacled Darkforce beast before being killed by Red Guardian.

With Sasha's death, Reena Stanicoff takes over the role. She is killed during an attack on Winter Guard headquarters by a Dire Wraith who assumes her form.{{Cite comic|Title = Darkstar & The Winter Guard|Volume = |Issue = #3|Date = Aug. 2010|Publisher = Marvel Comics}} Although the Winter Guard fends off the attack, her death is covered up by the government.

The Dire Wraith who assumes Reena's form is eventually overwhelmed and taken over by Darkforce energy. Petrovna seizes control of the creature and resurrects herself. She reunites with her brother Vanguard and returns to active duty alongside her brother and Ursa Major.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=September 2010}} She fights Hyperion.{{Cite comic|Title = Age of Heroes|Volume = |Issue = #3|Date = Aug. 2010|Publisher = Marvel Comics}} She is later blasted into space with other members of the Winter Guard by the Intelligencia, but manages to survive.The Amazing Spider-Man #676. Marvel Comics.

Darkstar is present when the Winter Guard is reassembled.Avengers vol. 8 #10. Marvel Comics.

In the 2017 Iceman series, Darkstar joins the other Champions at a reunion to remember Black Widow after her death during the Secret Empire series.{{cite comic| writer=Grace, Sina |artist=Gill, Robert |colorist=Rosenberg, Rachelle |letterer=Sabino, Joe |editor=Shan, Daniel |story=Champions Reunited |title=Iceman |volume=3 |issue=6–7 |date=October–November 2017 |publisher=Marvel Comics |location=New York City, New York}}

In "Blood Hunt", Darkstar is among the Darkforce users who lose control of their powers, which blocks the sun and facilitates a vampire invasion.Blood Hunt #1. Marvel Comics.

Darkstar is a mutant who has the psionic power to access the extradimensional energy of the Darkforce dimension, which grants her several superhuman abilities.{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Scoot |date=2020-12-18 |title=Marvel: 10 Mutants With A Connection To Other Dimensions |url=https://www.cbr.com/xmen-mutants-connection-other-dimensions/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=CBR |language=en-US}} She is connected to the dimension by splitting her consciousness between her physical body and its Darkforce representation, both symbiotically linked. She can utilize the Darkforce for various purposes, such as causing Darkforce to behave like either matter or energy. Furthermore, she can project Darkforce as simple, mentally-controlled solid objects, possessing the density of steel, such as pincers, rings, columns, and spheres, or as a beam of concussive force. If Darkstar is rendered unconscious, any Darkforce constructs of her making immediately dissipate. Darkstar can teleport herself and up to three others by opening a portal into the Darkforce dimension and traveling through it; the maximum distance she can teleport has never been revealed. Because crossing the Darkforce dimension disorients her sense of direction, and the light of Earth blinds her for several seconds upon reemergence, traveling in this manner is risky.

Darkstar can levitate herself and fly at subsonic speeds by generating a virtually invisible portal into the Darkforce dimension along the contours of her body without passing through it, then balancing the attractive force of the dimension against that of the Earth's gravity.

Darkstar is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained by the KGB and Black Widow. She is fluent in both Russian and English.

While the original Darkstar's costume was designed by the Soviet government and was made of a synthetic stretch fabric insulated against the cold, the other two Darkstar costumes are composed of Darkforce material.

Deirdre Kaye of Scary Mommy called Darkstar a "role model" and "truly heroic."{{Cite web |title=Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic |url=https://www.scarymommy.com/marvel-female-characters |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=Scary Mommy |date=29 November 2021 |language=en}} Bradley Prom of Screen Rant included Darkstar in their "10 Best Black Widow Comics Characters Not Yet In The MCU" list.{{Cite web |last=Prom |first=Bradley |date=2022-05-27 |title=10 Best Black Widow Comics Characters Not Yet In The MCU |url=https://screenrant.com/best-black-widow-comics-characters-not-in-mcu/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}} Kara Hedash of The Mary Sue ranked Darkstar 5th in their "7 Female Superheroes Who Should Join Marvel’s Cinematic Universe" list.{{Cite web |last=Winkle |first=Dan Van |date=2018-05-24 |title=7 Female Superheroes Who Should Join Marvel Movies |url=https://www.themarysue.com/7-women-superheroes-for-marvel-movies/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=The Mary Sue |language=en}} Sage Kortenber of CBR.com ranked Darkstar 5th in their "Black Widow: 10 Most Powerful Russians In Comics" list.{{Cite web |last=Kortenber |first=Sayge |date=2019-12-24 |title=Black Widow: 10 Most Powerful Russians In Comics, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/black-widow-powerful-russian-comics-heroes-marvel-dc/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}

• An alternate universe variant of Darkstar from Earth-58163 appears in Civil War: House of M #2 as a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers.Civil War: House of M #2
• Two alternate universe variants of Darkstar appear in Exiles. The first variant appears in Exiles #43 as an inhabitant of an unidentified universe, where she is a member of the Republican Guard.{{Cite comic|Title = Exiles|Issue = #43|Date = Jan. 2005|Publisher = Marvel Comics}} The second appears in Exiles #84 as a native of Earth-3470, where the Soviet Union still exists and she is a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers.Exiles #84. Marvel Comics.

• Darkstar appears in the X-Men: The Animated Series episode "Red Dawn", voiced by Elizabeth Rukavina.{{cite web |title=Darkstar Voices (Marvel Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Marvel-Universe/Darkstar/ |access-date=January 1, 2025 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{Cite web |date=5 September 2017 |title=X-Men: The Animated Series - Every Mutant That's Ever Appeared On The Show |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/here-is-every-mutant-guest-star-thats-ever-appeared-on-x-men-the/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=Marvel |language=en}} This version can manipulate energy instead of the Darkforce. She initially works as an enforcer for Russian generals who seek to reestablish the Soviet Union until she learns of their work with Omega Red and works with the X-Men to stop them.
• Darkstar makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the X-Men '97 episode "Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3".{{cite episode|title=Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3|series=X-Men '97|network=Disney+|season=1|number=10|airdate=May 15, 2024}} By this time, she has joined the Winter Guard.
• Darkstar appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "Secret Avengers", voiced by Laura Bailey. This version is a member of the Winter Guard.
• Darkstar appears in Marvel Future Avengers, voiced by Eri Saito in Japanese and Kari Wahlgren in English. This version is a member of the Winter Guard.

Darkstar appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.{{Cite web |title=LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 cheats: Full list of codes & how to use them |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/technology/gaming/lego-marvel-superheroes-2-cheats-codes/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2017-11-24 |title=LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 cheats and codes list |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/lego-marvel-super-heroes-2-cheats-codes-4291 |access-date=2023-03-25}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Marvelwiki|Darkstar_(Laynia_Petrovna)|Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna)}}
• [http://uncannyxmen.net/characters/darkstar UncannyXmen.net Spotlight On Darkstar]

{{Winter Guard}}

Category:Characters created by George Tuska

Category:Comics characters introduced in 1976

Category:Fictional Belarusian people

Category:Fictional characters who can manipulate darkness or shadows

Category:Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities

Category:Fictional Russian people

Category:Fictional Soviet people

Category:Marvel Comics characters who can teleport

Category:Marvel Comics psychics

Category:Marvel Comics mutants

Category:Marvel Comics female superheroes

Category:Twin characters in comics