Sunfire

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Sunfire

Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida) is a Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Don Heck, he first appeared in X-Men #64 (January 1970).

Sunfire is a temperamental and arrogant Japanese mutant who can generate superheated plasma and fly. Not suited for teamwork, Sunfire was only briefly a member of the X-Men and has kept limited ties to the team since. He has had some presence in the greater Marvel Universe.

Character biography

Origins

Shiro Yoshida and his sister Leyu were born to a mother who suffered radiation poisoning due to exposure to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. As a result, he and his sister were born mutants possessing identical powers.

(Note: Sunfire first appeared during the era of the original X-Men when several explanations for the existence of mutant powers had been given, one of which was radiation. Genetic evolution is currently the most common explanation).

Shiro's mother died of radiation poisoning when he was young and Shiro grew to hate the United States, despite the influence of his US-friendly diplomat father. His greedy uncle Tomo inspired Shiro to take the identity of Sunfire and engage in a one-man battle against the U.S. He attacked the United States Capitol and battled the X-Men. Later, he saw Tomo kill his father. Distraught, Sunfire killed Tomo and surrendered to the authorities.

Later life

Months later, Xavier recruited Sunfire to join a new team of X-Men to rescue the originals from Krakoa, the Living Island in Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Sunfire accompanied the fledgling X-Men on this mission, but resigned from the team before he ever received official membership. This was mainly due to his arrogance and his irrational temper.

Sunfire has appeared sporadically in various Marvel comic books throughout the years. On a few occasions his temper has led to conflicts with other heroes such as Iron Man, Rogue and Wolverine.

In 1998, Marvel published a mini-series entitled Sunfire and Big Hero Six about Sunfire's brief membership in a new superhero team sanctioned by the Japanese government.

Rogue

Later, it was revealed that Sunfire had worked with Rogue and Mystique back when Sunfire was still working with Tomo and Rogue was a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Working with them was a girl called Blindspot, who at the time was allied with the Brotherhood and who had the power to erase and restore memories. The four were on a mission to steal Lord Dark Wind's (the father of Lady Deathstrike) adamantium bonding process. Mystique would later cut her ties with Blindspot, who she did not trust. Since she always erased her tracks once a contract ends, Blindspot wiped the minds of everyone who was involved so no one would remember her. Later, Blindspot discovered Lord Dark Wind wanted all four dead for trying to steal his adamantium process. Realizing how the others would be in danger, with no memory of the mission to steal Dark Wind's adamantium process, Blindspot went back to Japan to erase his memory of the ordeal. When she got there, she discovered that his daughter, who later became Deathstrike had already killed him. Blindspot was able to erase Deathstrike's memories as well.

But now Deathstrike, who was more machine than woman, was able to restore her memories the same way one would a hard drive. Deathstrike kidnapped Blindspot, who released a photo of Sunfire, Rogue and Mystique to attract their attention to save her. Though Mystique never came, Rogue joined Sunfire, whose reputation had been ruined by the photograph, in Tokyo to discover why they were framed and who was responsible. The two ran into Lady Deathstrike, who in a heated battle cut off Sunfire's legs, leaving him in critical condition. Rogue surrendered to Deathstrike, who imprisoned the two. There, Rogue met Blindspot, who restored Rogue's memories and explained to her what was going on.

When Deathstrike discovered that the three were not actually responsible for stealing the adamantium, she went to kill them to destroy any evidence of what she had done. A weak Sunfire asked Rogue to absorb his powers so she could properly battle Deathstrike. Rogue had previously lost the powers of Carol Danvers that she had taken and was hesitant. She worried that she would harm Sunfire but Blindspot pushed her on Sunfire's face causing her to absorb all his powers and possibly killing him. With it, Rogue now also contained with her Sunfire's personality, similar to how she also once had Danvers' personality with her.

Sunfire's personality controlling her, Rogue went out to get revenge on Deathstrike, severely injuring the woman. The X-Men arrived in time to intervene, but Blindspot erased Rogue's memories of being an X-Man causing her to see her teammates as her enemies. After a brief altercation, Rogue's memories were restored and she told the X-Men what had happened to Sunfire. They went to where Rogue last saw Sunfire, but his body was missing leading some of the X-Men to believe he was somehow still alive.

Horseman of Apocalypse

In X-Men #182, it was revealed that Sunfire had been rescued by a mysterious group of ninjas, and taken to a hospital in Aspen. After being revived from his coma, the world's leading specialist in prosthetic limbs, Masanori Kuzuya, offered him his services. Before the reasoning behind the rescue could be revealed, Apocalypse appeared and offered Sunfire the chance for vengeance, as well as the recovery of his lost limbs and power, in return for his service as one of Apocalypse's new Four Horsemen.

Sunfire accepted, but after being chained away and locked in a prison while listening to the tortured screams of Gazer (another of the new Horsemen), Sunfire attacked Ozymandias and attempted to make his escape. Captured by Ozymandias and Apocalypse, Sunfire was transformed into the Horseman of Famine. When Apocalypse launched his attack on the X-Men, Sunfire caused an intense feeling of hunger and weakness in the mutants and humans on the institute grounds. As he was fighting the X-Men, Havok shot him down and Rogue, who recognized him, caught him as he fell. He was taken to the Medical Lab and Emma Frost entered his mind in an attempt to help him. When Apocalypse departed he sent War to retrieve Famine but Shiro broke free from Apocalypse's control and attacked War.

Sunfire was last seen running off with the unconscious body of Gambit, like him a former X-men turned Horseman. At the temple where Sunfire first took Gambit, Mr. Sinister told them, "I am glad you both feel able to move on from the past... for I am your future!".

Family

Sunfire is the brother of Leyu Yoshida, alias the superheroine Sunpyre. He is also the cousin of Wolverine's late fiancée Mariko Yashida and her brother the Silver Samurai.

Yashida and Yoshida seem to be different spellings of the same name. While in his first appearance, Sunfire was called Shiro Yoshida in the story arc that introduced his cousin, Mariko, his name was spelled Yashida and this version of the name was carried on in Mariko's next appearances. Although probably a typo, it could just be based on the Romanization/transliteration of the Japanese names. In addition, there is a phoneme in Japanese somewhat between an English R and an English L - at the time of his first story it was more popular to use an L, whereas nowadays one would write in Latin letters an R, which may explain the name Leyu instead of Reiyu. For example, Godzilla would today likely be spelled "Gojira".

Powers

Sunfire has the ability to absorb solar radiation, and convert it into high energy plasma which bursts into flame when exposed to oxygen. He can project his powers though his hands as blasts of searing heat, deadly radiation, explosive force, or simple bursts of fire. By ionizing the air around him, he can surround himself with an aura of heat intense enough to melt steel, or fly by focusing his aura downwards in a tight stream of ionized gas to propel him though the air like a rocket. Sunfire can see heat, by shifting his vision from visible light to infrared. Due to the nature of his powers, Sunfire is immune to extreme heat and radiation.

After his transformation into Famine, a Horseman of Apocalypse, Sunfire gained the ability to use his flames to create flashes of light that affected the sections of the human brain which control hunger, causing any people who saw his light flashes to feel as if they were starving.

Appearances in other media

Sunfire guest starred on the 1980s animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends in the episode "Sunfire".

Sunfire was briefly seen in the X-Men animated series adaptation of the Dark Phoenix Saga in the episode "Child of Light". He also had a speaking roles in the episode "Slave Island" and "Graduation Day" but he was clearly meant as a generic place-holder and his character had no importance to the story.

Sunfire recently appeared as one of the initial sixteen playable mutants in the multi-platform action-RPG Rise of Apocalypse.

Influence

Sunfire's costume may be the source of inspiration for Kazuma Kaneko's design for Apollo, a demon in the 2nd Persona title by Atlus. Both characters share a similar color scheme, have a flame patterned headdress, have similar fire-based powers and a sunburst pattern on the abdomen.
It is interesting to note that his appearance as a Horseman is virtually identical to his appearance in the Age of Apocalypse timeline.

External links

Sunfire on UncannyXmen.net Spotlight and family tree

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