History
Born in the small South African country Kwarrai, Shara was the daughter of a respected scientist. She was accidentally exposed to radioactive Vibranium in her father's laboratory, after which she suffered poisoning that weakened her body, leaving her in a wheelchair. With her days numbered unless a cure could be found, Shara was sent to Hammond Labs Facility in Springdale, Connecticut, where she underwent experimental and painful treatments led by Dr. Nicholas Benson. She noticed Robbie Baldwin, a lab assistant the same age as her, asked who he was, and was looking for a way to meet him, ignoring that Baldwin had done the same regarding her. After seeking advice from her parents (who encouraged him to meet Shara, but prepared him for the inevitable tragedy), Baldwin decided to bump into her to introduce himself, and they both found the situation awkward but fun. Baldwin immediately offered to help Shara, and the first thing she asked for was to sit on the grass again to watch the sunset. Over the next few weeks, when she was not undergoing experiments, Baldwin took her on picnics and to her first, and last, football game. Dr. Benson however was pessimistic and had decided that, if they did not find a cure for her soon, they would send her back to Kwarrai so that she could spend her last days in the company of her family. The day before she was to travel, Baldwin revealed to Shara that he had superpowers and used the secret identity Speedball, so that that secret would not remain between them when she left. Shara responded by kissing Baldwin/Speedball.[1]
But that same night, there was an unexpected earthquake in Kwarrai that killed Shara's family and wrecked the whole country. The emotional shock activated Shara's superhuman powers that allowed her to stand and launch attacks that destroyed solid rock. Shara broke the outer wall of her room and fled Hammond Labs, injuring Benson. Out of control and upset, but not wanting to harm anyone, she looked for a quarry to destroy in a cathartic display of aggression; however, Shara did not notice some children playing there, whom she was putting in danger. Baldwin, upon discovering all this, went to look for Shara, and tried to stop her: First he shouted at her, but the noise she caused prevented her from hearing him. Baldwin then attempted to use his own powers, but Shara's powers nullified Speedball's. Still, putting himself in danger, Baldwin attempted to protect the children. His actions caused Shara to see the children and understand what had happened. She then used her own powers to stop the rocks from falling on the innocents as they escaped, but she could not prevent herself from being buried. As Shara was dying, Baldwin regained her powers and quickly went to dig Shara up, but only had her die in her arms, saying that she loved Baldwin.[1]
Press and TV news about this event renamed Shara Vibrania, although she had never used this nickname.[1]Attributes
Powers
Shara could generate ranged attacks that could wreck solid stone, including building walls and quarries, with its mere strength. These attacks seem to be force-based. Shara could also use her power to generate an "umbrella" of sorts so that rocks would not fall on a given location. She was not trained in the use of her powers, and could not keep the umbrella for long or make it in a shape different from a basin centered in her position - which put her in the center of the stones that would fall as soon as she stopped using her power.[1]
As secondary effects of her power, she recovered the capacity of walking, and Speedball could not activate his own powers while she was using hers. It is unclear whether her powers had cured of her radiation poisoning.[1]Weaknesses
Trivia
- The children who were in the quarry the day Shara died, saw Baldwin transform into Speedball.[1]