Shatterstar’s origin is a mystery even to himself. When he first appears, he is assumed to be an artificial life-form engineered by the rulers of the Mojoverse (about a century in the future, as opposed to the Mojoverse which co-exists with the contemporary Earth dimension, making him a time traveler as well as a dimension-hopper) and educated in blood sports before becoming a warrior of the Cadre Alliance Rebellion, and he claims to have had no parents, only a “gestation chamber.” However, later storylines indicate that although Shatterstar indeed originated in the Mojoverse, his soul somehow came to inhabit (either since shortly after his arrival in the Earth dimension or only comparatively recently) the body of a comatose young man named Benjamin Russell. To complicate matters further, it has also been alleged that Shatterstar was not created in a laboratory at all but is the son of the X-Men Longshot and Dazzler.
In any event, pursued by enemies when he refused to serve the rulers of his world, Shatterstar journeyed from the Mojoverse to the Earth dimension and became a founding member of the mutant team known as X-Force. Although unfamiliar with human customs and initially fully prepared to slay any opponents, Shatterstar adapts to the life of a super-hero and his warrior prowess proves invaluable to his teammates. Eventually, however, Shatterstar becomes dissatisfied with his lot and sets out on his own, hooking up with fellow X-Force alumnus and best friend Rictor to help him shut down his family’s criminal activities; the pair continue to operate as partners in this effort.
Although Shatterstar was revealed to have a designated “genetic bond mate,” Windsong, in the Mojoverse, he later admitted that he has never felt any stirrings of romantic love and has long felt incomplete, even in his native dimension. He subsequently rescued a young man from what was clearly a gay-bashing incident, suggesting that the writers were toying with the notion of revealing that Shatterstar was gay, but this subplot (along with a similarly “adult” one in which his teammate Meltdown tried to help a young prostitute escape her situation) was scrapped, and the “Benjamin Russell” revelation leaves us to wonder, among many other things, if it was Russell, not Shatterstar, who was gay. This is most unfortunate, since the notion of a gay extradimensional artificial life-form with several Christian teammates (Baptist Cannonball and Catholics Sunspot and Siryn) has enormous potential—even if a Christian accepts that homosexuality is not part of “God’s plan” for this dimension, is it justifiable to assume that the same is true of the Mojoverse? How do arguments about what is “natural” and what is not relate to an artificial life-form whose design specifications are far more accessible? But it was evidently not to be. However, as noted, Shatterstar is currently partnered with Rictor, with whom he grew very close and who, Latino “machismo” expectations to the contrary, admitted to Shatterstar that he too was a virgin. It is not impossible that the two have in fact become lovers, but this remains to be seen.
Shatterstar possesses enhanced strength, speed, agility, and reflexes as a result of the extradimensional genetic engineering that created him. He is an excellent strategist and master of a variety of fighting styles. His bones are hollow, making him far lighter than he looks and further increasing his athletic skill. He customarily wields two swords and on occasion carries other weaponry as well. Shatterstar also has the mutant ability to emit a destructive vibratory pulse through the metal of his sword, but he rarely uses this power, prefering to rely upon his battle prowess.
His real name is Gaveedra-7 and may also be known as Benjamin Russell. The character has a mobile base of operations, having come from the Mojoverse to Earth 616 and Professor X’S School for Gifted youngsters. Shatterstar was presumably outed in X-Force #43 and #49 but is confirmed to have been romantically involved with Rictor in the current volume of X-Factor #45, after having been reintoduced in #43 (skipping #44).
Shatterstar created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. Shatterstar first appeared in New Mutantds #99 (volume 1). Please read Rictor’s entry .
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