WTF is this Benjamin Russell/Gaveedra-7/Shatterstar idek
Random musing:
Here is what I know:
- In X-Factor Annual #7 Spiral reveals that Shatterstar is the product of an Arize-spawn and a human. Meaning he has a mother and father and is half human half alien. This was in 1991. It was revealed here that he would end the 100 years war of the Cadre Alliance and the Spineless ones and would someday become the leader.
- In X-Men #11 it is revealed Dazzler (human) is pregnant with Longshot's (Arize-spawn) baby. Longshot says he wants to name it Shatterstar. This was in 1992.
- In X-Force #29 Shatterstar is shown in a flashback picture as a young child. This would mean he was not bio-engineered in a tube. Y'know, since he was a kid and all. o.O
- In X-Force #34, Shatterstar states he was born in a gestation chamber and has no parents. WTF. Okay then, 1993.
- In X-Force #43 reveals he grew up without social interaction. All he knew was battle and survival on Mojoworld. (Which was basically hinted at, but not spelled out). 1994.
- X-Force #46 he gets blood samples taken and is revealed to have an exact DNA match to Longshot. Relation unknown, BUT IT IS A POSITIVE TEST.
- In X-Force #47 Siryn searches the Weisman Institute databases and finds a photo of a patient called Benjamin Russell. He's been in a coma since manifesting unknown mutant abilities.
- In X-Force #54 Benjamin Russell makes his second appearance in a mug-shot from a police station. It is revealed he is from Boston. He looks exactly like Shatterstar, but has short hair and no brand.
- In X-Force #56 Shatty and Siryn visit the Weisman Institute where Terry had some unfinished business with Deadpool. Shatterstar wanders in and finds records on Ben. He then meets up with a 'child patient' called Jeremy Stevens (who is really Gamesmaster, the omnipath who possessed him and Rictor in New Warriors #46). At this time Gamesmaster inserts Ben's memories into Shatty's head, and 'Star has a hard time differentiating himself and Ben.
- X-Force #57 shows he can't deal with the cramped mental space, and #58 reveals his big gay boots. Not relevant, but still awesome, nonetheless.
- X-Force #59 is Rictor's big gay return. And they all boogie on down to the Weisman Institute, only to find it empty. WTF? But really, Magog and Gog'n'Magog are just sitting in the bushes and listening to Ric and 'Star's private talks. So they just say wtf and kidnap Shatterstar and bring him to Mojoworld. Cable comes too, but that's kinda pointless anyways, so whatever.
- In X-Force #60, Mojo reveals that Gamesmaster was screwing with 'Star the whole time and that 'Star had no idea what 'they' had done to him. They stick him in memory wiping device so that he can be rid of any interference (from Ben Russell's memories?). Whatever the case, Cable telepathically breaks out and frees 'Star. However, Mojo informs them that he brought them here to fulfill 'Star's destiny; jump start the end of the 100 Year's War (yeah, the same one from way back in 1991). Instead of Mojo dying today though, 'Star is! Oh noes! They toss him in the arena and confuse him some more and Mojo pulls out one of his giant magic swords and stabs Shatty in the chest. And because this is Mojo-tech, 'Star's vital organs don't shift and his healing doesn't kick in and SHATTERSTAR'S body starts to die.
- In X-Force #61, Spiral teleports in an offers to help. She SPECIFICALLY states they need to find Benjamin Russell. So she knows about him, yes. Spiral knows way too much and doesn't explain enough. Anywho, she teleports to grab 'Star and then back to the Weisman Institute where it is magically full again. They go to Ben's bed, yank out Shatty's orange soul and shove it in Ben's chest.
This means, and I will try to make sense of this SOMEHOW, that: Benjamin supposedly had dormant brain activity but a perfectly useful body. Shatterstar had his mental and spiritual self placed in Ben's body. Somehow the combination recreates Shatterstar's appearance. He says he is now complete. So? Um. IDK.
- Spiral says she has ties to both boys that mean more than the world to her.
- Longshot is able to perform the soul transfer
- 'Star lives and somehow that body has no bed sores, wtf?
- Him and Rictor hold hands. Which, again, is not relevant, but still is awesome.
- In X-Force 62-70 he is much more social and in tune with his emotions.
- In X-Force #65 Star has clear and vivid memories of growing up as a child on Mojoworld. Not an adult biped.
- In X-Force #68 is revealed to still have alien DNA.
- In X-Force #76, Mojo reveals that Gamesmaster implanted Benjamin Russell's psyche in 'Star's brain just to play with him. Mojo says 'Star believes whatever he wants, but he is still Wildway's most expensive and prized gladiator champion.
- In X-Force 99 Annual, 'Star reveals that Benjamin's thoughts were that 'Shatterstar' was a made up dream the whole time.
- In X-Force: Shatterstar, Shatty reveals he is back to having a hard time with relating to humans. He then saves the day after randomly fighting Spiral across dimensions and leaves to better his human self
- X-Force Vol 2, he is back to being emotionless and hates said human self.
- X-Men: Civil War revealed he is a crazy ass alien with perverse bloodthirst. The best part was when he fought Lorelai's hair, but again that is not relevant, only awesome.
Going theories. I has a couple:
1) Shatterstar is the time displaced child of Longshot and Spiral.
This probably makes the most sense with the least amount of WTF in it. In Longshot's limited series, it is revealed that he has a wife and children and does not even remember them (due to mind wipe). He is later attacked by Spiral, and then meets Ricochet Rita. Rita is a human adventurer who is eventually captured by Mojo, and Longshot is forced to rescue her. He falls in love with Rita and they leave Earth together to start what is later known as the Cadre Alliance. Sometime following the start of the rebellion, Longshot is mind wiped again and sent back to Earth (this would be to join the X-Men). Rita is kept on Wildways and experimented on and tortured -- only to become Spiral. Mojo places Spiral on a constant time loop of the events of Longshot's LS, thus creating time paradoxes like whoa and literally driving her crazy. She is equipped with the powers of teleportation, magic, concussive energy, telepathic immunity, dimension/time travel, blah blah blah. She leaves the current timeline for 'x' number of years, come back to join Freedom Force, and then later disappears back to Mojo world in an unknown time line. She then returns to Arize on Earth (and in her past, apparently) and informs Arize of Shatterstar's destiny -- saying he'll be Wildways' new leader after the 100 years war in the future (Spiral's present timeline).
SO this means that human (Spiral/Rita) and Longshot (Arize-Spawn) could've hooked up and gotten pregnant sometime during the start of the Alliance (which could have been the messed up time looped family Longshot forgot about). After receiving her powers, Spiral could have teleported herself to the future to give birth to Shatterstar. Since he would have been considered a slave's child, he could have been raised to believe he was simply created and had to be trained to fight. Which, since Spiral hates Mojo and wants him gone, she could have raised 'Star herself -- hence the tension and unexplained tie between them. Benjamin Russell could have been a created failsafe. Spiral, as we know, owns a Body Shoppe where she can build body parts, cyborgs, and play with people's DNA, powers, etc. Ben could have simply been created to act as a stand in should anything ever happen to Shatterstar. This would just be sneaky Spiral covering her tracks. However, bad blood between Shatterstar and Spiral would have been caused by him skipping out on his warrior/gladiator destiny to become a Cadre rebel (like his dad, who she hates). Hence, exile and being sent back in time to Earth.
2) Shatterstar is the love child of Longshot and Dazzler.
It may sound twisted, but here's what I got: Dazzler and Longshot are in the middle of the 100 Years War alongside Mojo II the Sequel when she finds out she is pregnant. For WHATEVER reason (insert here) Spiral goes nuts and takes Dazz to the Body Shoppe. There she manages to remove the baby from in utero, and either a) acts as a surrogate and gives birth to it herself, or b) raises him in one of those weird ass gestation tubes until he is at full term. Here she also has the tech to mind wipe Dazzler AND create a clone or twin (Ben Russell) for same reasons as stated in theory 1. She brings baby Shatterstar to the future and has him prepped for the war's end, but again he defects to the Alliance.
Dazzler and Longshot also make sense because they were married and living together on Mojoworld a HELLA long time together, Shatterstar has very similar mutant powers to Dazzler (and, as he explains in X-Force #65, he was the ONLY biped of his generation to have mutant powers): converting sound waves into explosive visual energy. Dazzler is also suspect since she was pregnant and lost the baby with no explanation as to how. She also shares a very close hair colour to 'Star too. So visually, Dazz and Longshot resemble him somewhat.
3) Benjamin Russell's unexplained mutant powers are simply that he is a physical manifestation of a split personality.
Yes, that sounds nuts, I know, but it makes sense. Shatterstar is constantly fluctuating between a capable human and a bloodthirsty warrior. It could be sort of like Nikki/Jessica on Heroes: a physical being that acts as a different version of the main personality. In this theory, any human/Arize-spawn combo for parents could work. (I'm still going with Longshot, yes, just not focusing on that). The two personalities theory would work because a) Shatty is already nuts and can't keep track of himself ever, b) both bodies had the same DNA, powers, appearance, etc, and c) he was finally 'complete' after the bond but just seemed to switch between mindsets within the same...mind? If that makes sense. One body, two sets of memories, two personalities. The bond would have closed off the physical portion of this, but not the mental. This could still explain why both Ben and 'Star meant something to Spiral (say, if she was the mom?). Anyways, I know it sounds nuts but it is a possibility.
4) Gamesmaster fucking tricked everyone with his crazy powers and Ben Russell never existed to begin with.
This could also work in vice versa with Shatterstar as well. This is the most flawed theory, but since Gamesmaster is crazy powerful, it can't be counted out.
God, no wonder he is fucked.
Here is what I know:
- In X-Factor Annual #7 Spiral reveals that Shatterstar is the product of an Arize-spawn and a human. Meaning he has a mother and father and is half human half alien. This was in 1991. It was revealed here that he would end the 100 years war of the Cadre Alliance and the Spineless ones and would someday become the leader.
- In X-Men #11 it is revealed Dazzler (human) is pregnant with Longshot's (Arize-spawn) baby. Longshot says he wants to name it Shatterstar. This was in 1992.
- In X-Force #29 Shatterstar is shown in a flashback picture as a young child. This would mean he was not bio-engineered in a tube. Y'know, since he was a kid and all. o.O
- In X-Force #34, Shatterstar states he was born in a gestation chamber and has no parents. WTF. Okay then, 1993.
- In X-Force #43 reveals he grew up without social interaction. All he knew was battle and survival on Mojoworld. (Which was basically hinted at, but not spelled out). 1994.
- X-Force #46 he gets blood samples taken and is revealed to have an exact DNA match to Longshot. Relation unknown, BUT IT IS A POSITIVE TEST.
- In X-Force #47 Siryn searches the Weisman Institute databases and finds a photo of a patient called Benjamin Russell. He's been in a coma since manifesting unknown mutant abilities.
- In X-Force #54 Benjamin Russell makes his second appearance in a mug-shot from a police station. It is revealed he is from Boston. He looks exactly like Shatterstar, but has short hair and no brand.
- In X-Force #56 Shatty and Siryn visit the Weisman Institute where Terry had some unfinished business with Deadpool. Shatterstar wanders in and finds records on Ben. He then meets up with a 'child patient' called Jeremy Stevens (who is really Gamesmaster, the omnipath who possessed him and Rictor in New Warriors #46). At this time Gamesmaster inserts Ben's memories into Shatty's head, and 'Star has a hard time differentiating himself and Ben.
- X-Force #57 shows he can't deal with the cramped mental space, and #58 reveals his big gay boots. Not relevant, but still awesome, nonetheless.
- X-Force #59 is Rictor's big gay return. And they all boogie on down to the Weisman Institute, only to find it empty. WTF? But really, Magog and Gog'n'Magog are just sitting in the bushes and listening to Ric and 'Star's private talks. So they just say wtf and kidnap Shatterstar and bring him to Mojoworld. Cable comes too, but that's kinda pointless anyways, so whatever.
- In X-Force #60, Mojo reveals that Gamesmaster was screwing with 'Star the whole time and that 'Star had no idea what 'they' had done to him. They stick him in memory wiping device so that he can be rid of any interference (from Ben Russell's memories?). Whatever the case, Cable telepathically breaks out and frees 'Star. However, Mojo informs them that he brought them here to fulfill 'Star's destiny; jump start the end of the 100 Year's War (yeah, the same one from way back in 1991). Instead of Mojo dying today though, 'Star is! Oh noes! They toss him in the arena and confuse him some more and Mojo pulls out one of his giant magic swords and stabs Shatty in the chest. And because this is Mojo-tech, 'Star's vital organs don't shift and his healing doesn't kick in and SHATTERSTAR'S body starts to die.
- In X-Force #61, Spiral teleports in an offers to help. She SPECIFICALLY states they need to find Benjamin Russell. So she knows about him, yes. Spiral knows way too much and doesn't explain enough. Anywho, she teleports to grab 'Star and then back to the Weisman Institute where it is magically full again. They go to Ben's bed, yank out Shatty's orange soul and shove it in Ben's chest.
This means, and I will try to make sense of this SOMEHOW, that: Benjamin supposedly had dormant brain activity but a perfectly useful body. Shatterstar had his mental and spiritual self placed in Ben's body. Somehow the combination recreates Shatterstar's appearance. He says he is now complete. So? Um. IDK.
- Spiral says she has ties to both boys that mean more than the world to her.
- Longshot is able to perform the soul transfer
- 'Star lives and somehow that body has no bed sores, wtf?
- Him and Rictor hold hands. Which, again, is not relevant, but still is awesome.
- In X-Force 62-70 he is much more social and in tune with his emotions.
- In X-Force #65 Star has clear and vivid memories of growing up as a child on Mojoworld. Not an adult biped.
- In X-Force #68 is revealed to still have alien DNA.
- In X-Force #76, Mojo reveals that Gamesmaster implanted Benjamin Russell's psyche in 'Star's brain just to play with him. Mojo says 'Star believes whatever he wants, but he is still Wildway's most expensive and prized gladiator champion.
- In X-Force 99 Annual, 'Star reveals that Benjamin's thoughts were that 'Shatterstar' was a made up dream the whole time.
- In X-Force: Shatterstar, Shatty reveals he is back to having a hard time with relating to humans. He then saves the day after randomly fighting Spiral across dimensions and leaves to better his human self
- X-Force Vol 2, he is back to being emotionless and hates said human self.
- X-Men: Civil War revealed he is a crazy ass alien with perverse bloodthirst. The best part was when he fought Lorelai's hair, but again that is not relevant, only awesome.
Going theories. I has a couple:
1) Shatterstar is the time displaced child of Longshot and Spiral.
This probably makes the most sense with the least amount of WTF in it. In Longshot's limited series, it is revealed that he has a wife and children and does not even remember them (due to mind wipe). He is later attacked by Spiral, and then meets Ricochet Rita. Rita is a human adventurer who is eventually captured by Mojo, and Longshot is forced to rescue her. He falls in love with Rita and they leave Earth together to start what is later known as the Cadre Alliance. Sometime following the start of the rebellion, Longshot is mind wiped again and sent back to Earth (this would be to join the X-Men). Rita is kept on Wildways and experimented on and tortured -- only to become Spiral. Mojo places Spiral on a constant time loop of the events of Longshot's LS, thus creating time paradoxes like whoa and literally driving her crazy. She is equipped with the powers of teleportation, magic, concussive energy, telepathic immunity, dimension/time travel, blah blah blah. She leaves the current timeline for 'x' number of years, come back to join Freedom Force, and then later disappears back to Mojo world in an unknown time line. She then returns to Arize on Earth (and in her past, apparently) and informs Arize of Shatterstar's destiny -- saying he'll be Wildways' new leader after the 100 years war in the future (Spiral's present timeline).
SO this means that human (Spiral/Rita) and Longshot (Arize-Spawn) could've hooked up and gotten pregnant sometime during the start of the Alliance (which could have been the messed up time looped family Longshot forgot about). After receiving her powers, Spiral could have teleported herself to the future to give birth to Shatterstar. Since he would have been considered a slave's child, he could have been raised to believe he was simply created and had to be trained to fight. Which, since Spiral hates Mojo and wants him gone, she could have raised 'Star herself -- hence the tension and unexplained tie between them. Benjamin Russell could have been a created failsafe. Spiral, as we know, owns a Body Shoppe where she can build body parts, cyborgs, and play with people's DNA, powers, etc. Ben could have simply been created to act as a stand in should anything ever happen to Shatterstar. This would just be sneaky Spiral covering her tracks. However, bad blood between Shatterstar and Spiral would have been caused by him skipping out on his warrior/gladiator destiny to become a Cadre rebel (like his dad, who she hates). Hence, exile and being sent back in time to Earth.
2) Shatterstar is the love child of Longshot and Dazzler.
It may sound twisted, but here's what I got: Dazzler and Longshot are in the middle of the 100 Years War alongside Mojo II the Sequel when she finds out she is pregnant. For WHATEVER reason (insert here) Spiral goes nuts and takes Dazz to the Body Shoppe. There she manages to remove the baby from in utero, and either a) acts as a surrogate and gives birth to it herself, or b) raises him in one of those weird ass gestation tubes until he is at full term. Here she also has the tech to mind wipe Dazzler AND create a clone or twin (Ben Russell) for same reasons as stated in theory 1. She brings baby Shatterstar to the future and has him prepped for the war's end, but again he defects to the Alliance.
Dazzler and Longshot also make sense because they were married and living together on Mojoworld a HELLA long time together, Shatterstar has very similar mutant powers to Dazzler (and, as he explains in X-Force #65, he was the ONLY biped of his generation to have mutant powers): converting sound waves into explosive visual energy. Dazzler is also suspect since she was pregnant and lost the baby with no explanation as to how. She also shares a very close hair colour to 'Star too. So visually, Dazz and Longshot resemble him somewhat.
3) Benjamin Russell's unexplained mutant powers are simply that he is a physical manifestation of a split personality.
Yes, that sounds nuts, I know, but it makes sense. Shatterstar is constantly fluctuating between a capable human and a bloodthirsty warrior. It could be sort of like Nikki/Jessica on Heroes: a physical being that acts as a different version of the main personality. In this theory, any human/Arize-spawn combo for parents could work. (I'm still going with Longshot, yes, just not focusing on that). The two personalities theory would work because a) Shatty is already nuts and can't keep track of himself ever, b) both bodies had the same DNA, powers, appearance, etc, and c) he was finally 'complete' after the bond but just seemed to switch between mindsets within the same...mind? If that makes sense. One body, two sets of memories, two personalities. The bond would have closed off the physical portion of this, but not the mental. This could still explain why both Ben and 'Star meant something to Spiral (say, if she was the mom?). Anyways, I know it sounds nuts but it is a possibility.
4) Gamesmaster fucking tricked everyone with his crazy powers and Ben Russell never existed to begin with.
This could also work in vice versa with Shatterstar as well. This is the most flawed theory, but since Gamesmaster is crazy powerful, it can't be counted out.
God, no wonder he is fucked.