Loa (comics)
Encyclopedia
Loa is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

. A mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...

, Loa is a student at the Xavier Institute
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...

. She made her debut in New X-Men: Academy X #5.

Before Xavier's

Born in Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...

, Hawaii, Alani Ryan quickly developed a talent for surfing. One day whilst surfing she and her father wind up in the middle of an ambush by the villain Great White and a pack of trained sharks as he lays claim to the area. Alani's mutant ability is activated in this heated situation and she uses her ability to kill some of the sharks and save her father. Meanwhile the superhero Namor arrives and saves the day by defeating Great White. Following the battle Alani's Grandmother, Alice Ryan, is revealed to be a former acquaintance of Namor's from the 1940s and a close friend of Namor's former lover Betty Dean.

Alpha Squadron

After arriving at the Xavier Institute
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...

 as a student, she adopts the codename Loa (named for a type of worm that moves the same way she does when she uses her powers), and along with fellow students Anole
Anole (comics)
Anole is a fictional mutant superhero in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis and first appeared in issue #2 of New Mutants vol. 2 . A student at the Xavier Institute and junior member of the X-Men, Anole is one of the few openly gay characters in the Marvel...

, Rubbermaid
Rubbermaid (comics)
Rubbermaid is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #20 .-Jeffrey Garrett:...

, Kidogo
Kidogo
Kidogo is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a student at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning and first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #12 ....

, Network
Network (comics)
Network is the name of three unrelated fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One is a teleporting villain, the others are both superheroines with the power to communicate with and/or manipulate machines.-Network :...

, and Indra
Indra (comics)
Indra is a fictional character who currently appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A teenage mutant, Indra attended the Xavier Institute before its closing and is a member of the X-Men's training squad. He first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #7.-Alpha Squadron:Paras Gavaskar is...

, is assigned to Alpha Squadron
Alpha Squadron (comics)
Alpha Squadron is a former team of mutants in the comic book series New X-Men: Academy X, in the Marvel Universe. They are students of the Xavier Institute and are instructed by members of the X-Men...

, the training squad advised by former Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....

 member Northstar
Northstar
Northstar is a fictional character, a superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the twin brother of Aurora. Through his mutation, Northstar gains superhuman powers, which he uses for the betterment of society...

. When Northstar is apparently killed by Wolverine, advising duties for Alpha Squadron are taken over by Karma
Karma (comics)
Karma is a fictional superheroine from Marvel Comics created by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.Karma is a mutant endowed with the ability to seize control of another's mind, though she has sometimes been depicted with other more extensive psionic abilities...

. Of her classes at the Institute, she dislikes chemistry the most and is voted "Most Laid Back" in the New X-Men: Academy X Yearbook Special (2005).

Post M-Day

After the Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...

, Alani was one of the 27 students to retain her powers. She was also one of the students Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....

 placed in the fateful all-out brawl that would determine who would become the new X-Men trainees, but lost. Before the fight, she was seen threatening to "crumble" Anole's tongue if he touched her with it. Despite this, Loa is close friends with Anole, as well as Rockslide.

She is seen as one of the students listening to Blindfold
Blindfold (comics)
Blindfold is a fictional character, a mutant and a member of the student body of the Xavier Institute in Marvel Comics' X-Men-related comic books. She first appeared in Astonishing X-Men, vol. 3 #7 and was created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday.-Fictional character biography:Blindfold is a...

's tale about Illyana Rasputin
Magik (comics)
Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...

 and is sucked down into Limbo
Otherplace
Otherplace, is a fictional location in titles published by Marvel Comics. The concept debuted in Uncanny X-Men #160, and was created by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson.-History:...

 along with many of the other students. After the students land on a rocky outcrop, they are soon attacked by a huge number of demons, and Loa is, for the first time, shown using her powers. A demon attempts to punch her in the stomach, and his hand goes straight through, but is sliced to ribbons on the other side. She then moves to protect Anole
Anole (comics)
Anole is a fictional mutant superhero in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis and first appeared in issue #2 of New Mutants vol. 2 . A student at the Xavier Institute and junior member of the X-Men, Anole is one of the few openly gay characters in the Marvel...

 as Magik
Magik (comics)
Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...

 decides she needs to take one of their souls to make a new Soulsword. When Magik goes to confront Pixie, Alani jumps to attack her, but Magik blasts her to the ground with her powers.

She participated in the final fight against Belasco
Belasco
Belasco is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character's first appearance was in Ka-Zar the Savage #11; he was created by Bruce Jones and Brent Anderson.-Fictional character biography:...

, and afterwards returned to the school with the rest of the students.

In the aftermath of Quest for Magik, and overcome with stress, Loa has shown an interest in Elixir
Elixir (comics)
Elixir , is a fictional character, a mutant in the and a student at the Xavier Institute. He first appeared in New Mutants, vol. 2 #5, and he is one of only a few students to retain his powers in the wake of House of M....

 and successfully initiates a physical relationship with him.

Manifest Destiny & Utopia

Alani relocated to San Francisco along with other former students. She is later seen trying to help cheer up Colossus who is still trying to come to terms with his loss of Shadowcat. It's been confirmed in X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...

 that she and Elixir are still romantically involved as well.

Loa, along with fellow students Mercury and Onyxx
Onyxx (comics)
Onyxx is a fictional mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in X-Men, vol. 2 #171 and was created by Peter Milligan and Salvador Larroca.-Fictional character biography:...

, was tasked with keeping peace at the riots on Telegraph Hill
Telegraph Hill, San Francisco
Telegraph Hill refers to a neighborhood in San Francisco, California. It is one of San Francisco's 44 hills, and one of its original "Seven Hills."-Location:...

 after the mutant-hate group "Humanity Now!" marched from Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...

 to San Francisco to promote "Proposition X," displeasing many citizens of San Francisco, mutant and non-mutant alike.

Nation X

Whilst living on the island of Utopia, Magneto accompanies Anole, Loa and Rockslide as they search for Mercury, who claim has been captured by a ghost in the tunnels. They find Mercury, and Magneto deals with the ghost - a hologram recording of himself when he was younger. Loa is also a victim of the Stepford Cuckoos boredom as they trap her in a psychic illusion where she is hanging on to an edge of a cliff, where her fingers are 'tap danced' on until she plunges off a cliff into the churning waters of the cold pacific.

Later Loa teams up with Match and Rockside to steal some food from Warpath, who is on guard duty. After Warpath takes out Rockslide and Match, Loa puts him in his place by declaring ‘I came here for ice cream. I’ll leave when I get it’ as well as threatening to desolve Warpath's chest. Warpath realizes she isn't bluffing until Rockslide points out Warpath has been sneaking food as he had food in his mouth throughout the whole ordeal.

Necrosha

During the attack of Selene's undead force on Utopia, Alani was attacked by the reanimated Cortez, Mellencamp, and Delgado. She was saved by Deadpool who heard her screams and was actually in her room playing with her toys and reading her diary (which he denied). Discovering that the former Acolytes would reform after any injury, Deadpool spent 20 minutes "subduing them with lethal force" until he ran out of bullets. Finally, he was about to be eviscerated by Mellencamp, when Loa intervened and disintegrated the reanimated mutant. Finding that Mellencamp did not reform after Loa killed him, Deadpool picked her up and threw her at the remaining Acolytes, forcing her to use her powers on them.

Collision

Loa joins Rogue, Magneto, Indra and Anole on a trip to Mumbai due to Indra's family summoning him home. The group, minus Indra, venture into the city to see the sites. While roaming the streets the group experience a bizarre storm which causes lightning to bombard the city. Loa appears unharmed and the group encounter a strange girl called Luisa, who appears out of nowhere. The group is then attacked by three Sentinels. Loa takes down a Sentinel on her own by phasing through its head, something which impresses Rogue who says how proud of Alani she is. When they return to Indra's home, Indra reveals to them that he is to be married against his will. Loa and Anole try to talk him out of it, although it does not seem to change his mind as he plans to go through with the marriage.

But before the marriage can happen, the Children of the Vault attack with the intention of reclaiming their "sister" Luisa, who reveals her name is actually Luz and they make quick work of Loa, Anole, Indra, Magneto and Rogue. After kidnapping Magneto, Rogue and Luz back to their city, Quitado, Indra, Anole and Loa are determined to rescue them. However Indra's father refuses to allow his son to leave before he is to be married. Indra then decides to marry Vaipala first that afternoon so they may rescue their teachers.

As the wedding goes on its revealed that Vaipala and Luz switched places and that the Children of the Vault have Vaipala instead. Loa threatens Luz for information on the way to Quitado and after forming a plan, they sneak into the city. After rescuing Rogue, Magneto and Vaipala, Loa and Magneto work together in sending Quitado back to the reality where it came from.

The Curse of the Mutants

Loa accompanies Emma Frost underwater to present Namor with data from Dr. Nemesis about the Atlantean vampires, the Aqueos. During the trip she reveals she would not only like to see New Atlantis for herself but she is well educated in Atlantean history, mythology and culture.

During the final assault on the Aqueos city, Loa shows up with Logomancer as backup. They arrive with a spell that weakens the Aqueos but during the process an Aqueos breaks her diving helmet. A pendent she is wearing begins to glow, giving Loa the ability to breathe underwater. Loa then begins to proceed in destroying several of the Aqueos.

Fear Itself

During the Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...

storyline, Loa joins up with Namor, Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....

, Lyra
She-Hulk (Lyra)
She-Hulk is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. She is from an alternate future of Marvel's main timeline, and is the daughter of that reality's Thundra and the Hulk...

, and Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....

 to form another version of the Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...

 to help fight Attuma, who has become a member of the Worthy known as Nerkodd: Breaker of Water.

Powers and abilities

Loa possesses a molecular
Molecule
A molecule is an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from ions by their electrical charge...

 distortion power that allows her to move through solid matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...

by disabling binding forces. This causes the matter to crumble, or break down around as she passes through it. The markings on her body are physical signs of her mutation, and not tattoos.

Loa is very reluctant to use her powers unless absolutely necessary. This stems from the destructive nature of her powers and past experiences.

Despite having very little field experience and never being sent on any X-Men missions, Loa has proven herself capable in battle, surviving the Purifiers assault on the Xavier Institute, defending herself against demons when sucked into Limbo, combating the reanimated dead during Necrosha alongside Deadpool, holding her own against Nimrod sentinels, and single-handedly defeating a full-sized sentinel in combat.

She wears an Atlantean pendant that keeps her alive underwater.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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