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Quote1 ...you just have to be born lucky, I guess. Quote2
Longshot[src]

History

Origin[]

In the dimension known as Mojoworld, beings called the Spineless Ones ascended to rule the area. A temporal loop drove them mad. They ordered a number of humanoid slaves created to serve them.However, Arize, the slaves' creator, deemed that they should be able to fight their oppressors and gave a number of them enhanced abilities.[citation needed]

Time-Loop[]

It was revealed that because of Mephisto's manipulation of Shatterstar by sending him back in time to the Mojoverse (along with Rictor), he was discovered and experimented on by Arize who created Longshot from his DNA, essentially becoming his father. This created a paradox when Longshot impregnated Dazzler who then gave birth to Shatterstar. Longshot and Dazzler were mindwiped to forget the pregnancy and the Shatterstar infant was sent 100 years to the future in order to maintain the consistency of the time line.[6] Longshot was the most notable of these 'freemen', imprinted with an imperative to seek freedom and granted with several unique abilities.[7] Arize was exiled for refusing to provide advanced weapons to the Spineless Ones.[citation needed]

Longshot[]

Longshot was forced to perform dangerous stunts due to his unwillingness to cooperate as a slave of Mojo. Longshot eventually began a rebellion, after meeting Arize and became a legendary hero, but was captured by the Spineless Ones. They artificially induced amnesia in him, so Longshot would become a submissive slave, but instead, Longshot fled and found an inter-dimensional portal to Earth. It was on Earth where he was dubbed "Longshot", because he continually acted against heavy odds in his exploits.[8] Longshot met Rita Wayword, a.k.a 'Ricochet Rita', a professional stunt-woman who befriended and fell in-love with Longshot when he first appeared on Earth.[9]

Mojo ultimately came to Earth, determined to prevent Longshot from returning to their home world and telling the humanoid slaves how Earth was ruled by human beings. Mojo feared that this news would inspire further rebellions. Once coming to Earth, Mojo began planning to enslave its population. Meanwhile, Longshot began regaining his memories.[7] Aided by Ricochet Rita, Quark, and Doctor Strange, Longshot defeated Mojo, forcing him into an interdimensional portal.Spiral followed Mojo and then Longshot, Ricochet Rita, and Quark also entered the portal, in order to follow Mojo back to his home world. Longshot intended to kill Mojo there and then to lead his thousands of fellow humanoids from his home world to Earth, where they can be free. Mojo, however, had other plans and teleported him back to Earth at a time before he recovered all of his memories.[10]

X-Men[]

The mutant heroes known as the X-Men found the amnesiac Longshot in their Danger Room and, following their first adventure against Mojo after he de-aged them and Longshot to make them his servants, only for them to be saved by the New Mutants, he accompanied them on several adventures while trying to recover his missing memories.[11] Longshot, first, accompanied the injured X-Men to Muir Island after being beaten by the Marauders, where the team rescued Dazzler from Juggernaut and defeated him.[12][13]

After returning to New York, Storm decided that, in order to safeguard their friends and families from their many enemies, the X-Men must fake their deaths and become an underground proactive strike force. After a brief battle, Havok, also, asked to join the team.[14] The team was later abducted by Horde, to use as his lackeys to retrieve the Crystal of Ultimate Vision, of which he wore a shard on his forehead.[15]

The X-Men were sent to the Citadel of Light and Shadow, where the crystal was hidden. As the X-Men progressed through it, the citadel created illusions of each of their most powerful desire. Only Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine were able to resist and Wolverine, empowered to godhood, rejected the god-like power and returned the X-Men and their friends home.[15]

Unwilling to watch her die, Magneto went to Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) of the Fantastic Four to use a device that Mr. Fantastic had built to save Shadowcat.[16] Unsure of the outcome, Mr. Fantastic refused to help Kitty, even after the X-Men begged him, and the X-Men and Fantastic Four briefly battled after Human Torch burned Storm's arm.[17] At that time, Dr. Doom presented his assistance and, under duress, Storm accepted.[18] At the urging of Franklin Richards, Kitty was cured by the combined efforts of Dr. Doom and Mr. Fantastic.[19]

Longshot (Mojoverse) from Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 38 001

Death of the X-Men[]

The X-Men, next, rescued Madelyn Pryor-Summers, Cyclops' wife that he had abandoned to a coma, from the Marauders. Tracking Storm, the X-Men arrived at Forge's Eagle Plaza, in Dallas, Texas, where they were attacked by the Freedom Force and Longshot recognized Spiral. After the initial battle, a rift opened in the sky of Dallas and a chaos ensued of different weather patterns right next to each other and beings and creatures from the past appearing and attacking. The X-Men and Freedom Force formed a temporary alliance with each other to save the citizens of Dallas, until Colossus, recently recovered, decided to enter Eagle Plaza.[20]

After gaining access into the Starlight Citadel, the X-Men battled the Adversary and, after Rogue absorbed his power and opened a portal to seal him in, gave their life to imprison the Adversary, with a spell used from Forge. However, the Omniversal Guardian, named Roma, restored the X-Men to life and freed the Adversary under the notion that there could be no order without chaos. The events had been broadcast over a live television news feed and the world believed the heroes to be dead. After being resurrected, the X-Men decided to use the opportunity to go underground and keep their rebirth secret.[4]

The X-Men resurfaced in Australia, where they defeated the Reavers who were holding Jessán Hoan as a hostage. They released Jessán and claimed their base and teleporter, Gateway, a mute, mutant aborigine with the ability to create gates with his bullroarer. Roma appeared and presented them with the Siege Perilous, a gem that created a portal which granted any person who walked through it judgment and a new chance at life, with a new career, home, and so forth and had magically made them invisible to any sort of mechanical perception.[21] The X-Men next investigated an alien Brood Star-shark Havok had found and tracked the source to Harry Palmer, who was unaware he was infected and had made an entire crèche of mutant hosts.[22]

The X-Men were too conflicted with killing the human hosts, but finally ended the threat, with Havok and the senior X-Men killing all of the mutant Brood.[23] Following Storm, who abruptly left in the middle of the night, the X-Men tracked her to the Savage Land. Upon arrival, the Savage Land was scorched and barren and the X-Men battled Garokk, in the armor of Terminus. After the initial battle, Longshot fell into a dimensional rift and Storm's Cameo Crystal opened a portal to M'Rinn's dimension, where Longshot was and the Fall People escaped to. Together with M'Rinn's people, the High Evolutionary, and the Fall People, the X-Men separated Garokk from Terminus, where Rogue absorbed Longshot's power of luck and learned that he cared for Dazzler, and, with his sacrifice, restored the Savage Land.[24]

After Maddie went missing, the X-Men battled the Press Gang and Genoshan Magistrates, where Wolverine and Rogue were captured and taken to Genosha, until the X-Men arrived and rescued Madelyne and the two X-Men.[25] During his time with the X-Men, Longshot quickly developed a romantic relationship with Dazzler, touring the local bars and venues.[26] Envious of Longshot and Dazzler's relationship, Rogue, one time, even dressed and posed as Dazzler to court the man's attention, which Longshot did not mind, stating that he there was room in his hearts for more than a single person.[27]

Later, Havok tracked the Marauders, in The Alley, and the X-Men ambushed them. The Marauders fled and, as the X-Men gave chase, they found themselves battling a demonic invasion of New York.[27] Wolverine recognized familiar scents and the X-Men confronted X-Factor, the original X-Men, harassing Madelyne and her baby. Madelyne instigated a battle between the X-Men and X-Factor, having the X-Men under her demonic influence and believing that X-Factor was attempting to kidnap Nathan Summers, her and Cyclops' child. After the demon, N'astirh, attacked, the X-Men and X-Factor combined efforts to defeat him, assuming that he was controlling Madelyne, calling herself the Goblin Queen, and Havok, calling himself the Goblin Prince.[28]

At that moment, Marvel Girl was captured, by Maddie, and another battle was instigated between the X-Men and X-Factor. Longshot and Dazzler were influenced the most, being told that they were stars in the center stage and ordered to attack Death. The Goblin Queen attempted to sacrifice baby Nathan atop the Empire State Building to permanently open a gateway between Earth and the demonic Limbo. The Goblin Queen locked herself, Nathan, and Marvel Girl inside a psionic barrier. Both the X-Men and X-Factor's combined efforts seemed to be futile in an effort to break through the telekinetic bubble.[29]

The invasion was thwarted after Madelyne committed suicide in combat with Marvel Girl, attempting to kill everyone in her power, but the X-Men and X-Factor protected each other while Jean protected Nathan Christopher[29]. After taking baby Nathan and Marvel Girl's parents to X-Factor's Celestial Ship, Longshot arrived at the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters just in time to see it destroyed, by Mister Sinister. Longshot was second-guessing himself, due to the influence of the Goblin Queen, and did not initially aid his team.[30]

While the X-Men and X-Factor battled Sinister and Malice, Sinister attempted to claim Marvel Girl, but Cyclops seemingly killed Sinister with an unchecked optic blast.[31] Attempting to comfort Havok after the recent loss of both the women he loved, Wolverine suggested that the men of the X-Men go to a bar in Sydney, taking the idea from Dazzler who took all of the women out. While at the bar, the four X-Men stopped an alien invasion of the many aliens in The Conquest.[32]

Later, the Deviant priest-lord, Ghaur, and the former Lemurian empress, Llyra, contacted the Serpent Society to find certain mystical objects they needed to reconstruct the Serpent Crown and, due to the interference of Mister Jip, Diamondback briefly switched bodies with Dazzler. The X-Men thwarted the Serpent Society and returned Dazzler to her natural body.[33] Later, the X-Men battled the Master Mold Sentinel, who had absorbed Nimrod and killed Senator Robert Kelly's wife.[34]

Finding Pieces of Himself[]

After the events of Inferno, Longshot had a dream, involving Dazzler, Rogue, and Rita and later he was a ghost finding pieces of himself and decided to leave Dazzler and the team in order to regain his lost memories.[35] Longshot recovered his memories and gathered Dazzler with the help of Lila Cheney to go to the Mojoverse and overthrow Mojo once and for all.[36]

Instead, they were captured. Dazzler was tricked into luring the X-Men to help free Longshot, where they were put into a version of The Wizard of Oz.[37] Professor X was able to help them override the influence, and Longshot apparently killed Mojo with a blade. Longshot and Dazzler decided to stay in Mojoworld. They married and were expecting a child.[38]

It was prophesied that a future warrior, a son of both normal humans and the Arize-created humanoids would ultimately stop Mojo. Shatterstar is thought to be this child. However, his connection to Benjamin Russel and why Dazzler seemed to lose her child is unknown.

A clone of Mojo sought to take over but was defeated with the help of Spiral. The real Mojo did return, promising, even more, violence to keep the ratings up. Newly created X-Babies based off of the Age of Apocalypse wreaked havoc on the dimension. Dazzler returned to Earth in time to help an interim X-Men team but feared Longshot was dead.

Exiles[]

Exiles Vol 1 74 Textless

Longshot

When Mojo diverted the reality-hopping Exiles to the Mojoverse, the team sought Longshot to help them defeat Mojo and continue their mission. While they found him and freed him from his prison, Longshot was unwilling to help, saying he was tired of losing to Mojo. Longshot seemed to regain some of his confidence by the time the team confronted Mojo, but did not contribute to the fight.[39] Later, the Exiles made a bargain with Mojo, getting Longshot to help them in their pursuit of Proteus, though Mojo had again removed his memories.[40]

Longshot stayed with the Exiles team through many shake ups after his recruitment.[41] Eventually the Exiles met up with the Excalibur team from Earth-616 and Longshots wife Alison was devastated to the point of near suicide when he didn't recognise or remember her.[42] Despite the memory wipe he had endured, Longshot was still unable to stop thinking about Alison and sensed when she was in trouble during a fight as well as instinctively knowing things about her.[43] While they were briefly trapped in the remains of the Starlight Citadel, Longshot began to remember his wife and they reunited with a kiss and he decided to leave the Exiles so he could return to Earth-616 with Alison.[44]

Attributes

Power Grid[48]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Experienced Fighter:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Multiple Types:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Normal

Powers

Longshot was genetically engineered and augmented by magical means to have certain superhuman abilities, these abilities include:

  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Agility: He possesses the equivalent musculature of a human male
  • Superhuman Reflexes
  • Superhuman Stamina
  • Regeneration: He has displayed an advanced healing rate, being able to heal at a greatly accelerated rate.
  • Superhuman Attractiveness: He has some degree of supernatural attractiveness which tends to compel women (and some men) to fall in love with him upon first sight.
  • Psychometry: He can read "psychic imprints" that people leave on objects that they have handled and sometimes can even look into the future of the person or object he touches.
    • Psychometric Insight: He can also telepathically "read" the recent memories of a person by making physical contact with him or her.
  • Probability Manipulation: The mystical augmentation gave him the ability to affect probability fields through psionic means in order to give himself "good luck" in his activities. His mystical transformation is related to his concept of his place in the universe and where he fits best in it. This allows incredibly unlikely events to happen in Longshot's favor. This ability is tied into the positive aspects of his personality: should he attempt to use his powers for a selfish or evil act, or should he give up hope, his powers will fail to function or even backfire, giving him bad luck.
    • Reality Warp Immunity: Because of his probability field manipulation power, Longshot is shielded from the reality-warping powers of others. He was able to resist the reality-warping effects of House of M Proteus, while aiding the Exiles.

Abilities

Longshot is proficient in the use of jet-packs for flight, and in the use of beam weapon side-arms.[9]

Weaknesses

  • Proximity to Other Probability Manipulators: Longshot's powers malfunction when near other people with the ability to manipulate probability.[45]

Paraphernalia

Weapons

  • Longshot's Throwing Knives: Longshot carries blades which he hurls with inhuman accuracy. Initially and most often depicted as skien-style shuriken (straight edged blades with a trailing balance pinion), some artists have depicted the blades as much larger, and a recent Exiles artist has depicted them more akin to tapering spikes more resembling bo-shuriken. His throwing blades are carried in a bandoleer which artists have never been consistent in depicting. Longshot claims his knives can cut through anything.

The lowest number of pouches in the bandoleer has been seen to be 33 exactly, but the bandoleer has also been seen with upwards of 60 pouches and the more common depictions seem to be somewhere in the 40s. During his original incarnation, until his return to the X-Men in the early 90's, Longshot carried a long dagger in a sheath strapped to his right thigh, and a small knife in a sheath on his right boot. Longshot has always carried a shoulder bag and large belt pouches, in which he has kept many collected objects that have caught his fancy.

Originally, his belt held three pouches (two on the right, one on the left side where he normally wears his shoulder bag), though four pouches were much more regularly depicted thereafter. Small pouches were seen on his boot until the early 90s, but disappeared along with his dagger and knife. A larger pouch strapped to his right thigh has been depicted in all appearances of Longshot since the dagger ceased to be used. During his X-Men years, Longshot also carried a folding grappling hook and rope either carried looped around one shoulder or stored in his shoulder bag, and a set of throwing spikes which produced net-like wires between them to restrain a target.

Transportation

Notes

  • This origin makes of Shatterstar a full human mutant (from his mother) partly (from his father) bio-engineered, and of Longshot the clone re-engineered of Shatterstar.
    • In Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe #1, it is stated twice (once by Longshot himself) that he is no mutant but often believed to be because of his affiliation with the X-Teams, because they themselves assumed that he was mutant.
  • He is one of the few people with whom Shatterstar "connected", and who can be used as an "anchor" for his teleportation powers.[46]

Trivia

  • He first appeared in Longshot #1 by Ann Nocenti and Arthur Adams. Carl Potts, however, contributed an initial design.[47]

See Also

Links and References

References

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