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Quote1 Listen. Can you hear it? The wind. Cars. The ocean. The laughter and the screaming and the hum of everything. This city is a symphony. And I'm her speaker. Quote2
Dazzler[src]

History

History

Alison Blaire was born to Carter and Katherine Blaire in the Long Island suburb of Gardendale, New York. Alison's parents had a tense relationship, because her father was a stoic law student, while her mother was a free-spirited entertainer. Ultimately, this led to Katherine walking out on Carter while Alison was still a toddler, leaving Carter to raise Alison with the help of his mother, Bella Blaire. Katherine's leaving had a profound effect on Carter, who had kept the shameful secret of Katherine from Alison most her life. As Alison entered adolescence and developed dreams of becoming a singer, her father, now a judge, became increasingly intolerant of the idea. Instead, Carter forced Alison to choose a life path similar to his own; Alison would become an academic star and continue on a path to law school. Alison's grandmother was more sympathetic to young Alison and encouraged her to explore her creative energies.

However, Alison manifested her mutant abilities while performing at a middle-school dance, blinding all in attendance save herself. For years, Alison kept her powers a secret from those closest to her, further alienating herself from her father. By the time she reached university, Alison began to explore both her powers and her musical ability. Alison crafted her own performing suit, accessories, and named herself "The Dazzler". It was at this moment that Alison decided to abandon her father's dream. While at her graduation ceremony, Alison informed Carter that she would not be attending the law school he had selected for her and instead would pursue a life as a singer, without her father's blessing or financial support.

Dazzler used her light-based mutant powers as a draw for her performances. Taking the sound of the music and converting it into dazzling displays of color drew the young singer enough attention to land her gigs at several New York clubs and discotheques. However, Alison knew that she would have to keep the nature of her powers a secret. Marketing her light shows as a "technological secret", Alison was able to bypass critical speculation for some time. Yet, while this little white lie fooled the club managers and others in her life, it did not escape the notice of Emma Frost, White Queen of the Hellfire Club, or Professor Charles Xavier, founder and mentor of the X-Men.

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Dazzler

Hero?

Both the Hellfire Club and the X-Men sent entourages to a Dazzler performance to recruit Alison to their respective ideological side. The X-Men sent Phoenix, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler to identify and possibly recruit her, while the Hellfire Club sent a group of Hellfire Knights to take her by force. The combined powers of Dazzler and the X-Men suppressed the foes and freed other members of the X-Men who were being held captive by the Hellfire Club. Professor Xavier offered Alison a position within the X-Men, but she declined, choosing to focus on her career.[1]

Subsequently, Alison became an increased target for super heroic phenomena. In one instance, Dazzler was possessed by the foe Lightmaster and was thankfully saved by Spider-Man. In another, Ali acquainted herself with Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, at a posh nightclub. As the Dazzler was becoming more popular in the club circuit, Alison was becoming more known in the superhero circuit as well.

This co-mingling of superheroes and career proved both beneficial and detrimental to Alison. Needing a well-deserved break, Alison took the advice of the Avenger, Beast, and auditioned and won a performance spot at up-and-coming nightspot Numero Uno. Unfortunately, the singer bested the Enchantress, who was incensed by the outcome and vowed to have revenge upon the Dazzler. As her new super heroic friends packed the club, the Enchantress summoned her minions causing a large localized battle. It was Alison herself who sealed back the Enchantress' nefarious energies, ending her plans. Although she won a battle against a powerful adversary, Alison's performance was in ruins.[2]

Regardless, Alison continued to follow her dream. Alison signed on as a singer with a reputable agent, Harry Osgood. Harry hired Lancelot Steele as Ali's bodyguard. Dazzler was given a formal stage manager, back-up band, and a knockout performance spot at a United Nations UNICEF charity summit, but before the performance, she encountered Doctor Doom, intent on stealing one of the "Jewels of Doom", including a mystical one called the Merlin Stone, currently held on display at the UN. After a battle, Doctor Doom used the Dazzler to retrieve another of these jewels from the villainous Nightshade in his Nightmare Dimension. Caught in the Dimension, Dazzler was confronted with her own self-doubts and insecurities her father planted within her. Overcoming this obstacle, Alison retrieved the jewels and returned to Doom and destroyed them. After Doom left her unconscious, the Human Torch came to Dazzler's rescue. The Dazzler had survived another brutal encounter,again at the expense of her career.[3]

Later, Alison aided Blue Shield in his battle with Bo Barrigan and reunited him with his mother, Antia Cartelli. Wanting to get away from the superhero circuit, Alison dated Doctor Paul Jansen. For Alison, her powers continued to be a curse. While riding the New York subway, a couple were being harassed by armed men and Alison quickly used her powers to subdue them, only to become the enemy herself. The couple she had saved quickly turned on her and Alison fled, just as a crowd formed to assail her. Alison's career continued to fail, as yet another performance was soiled, this time by Hulk.[4]

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In another of her performances, Ali was interrupted by Spider-Man and Paladin, who were battling Thermo. After Spider-Man was badly injured, Ali cared for him while he spent the night at her apartment. After returning to one of her performances, Dazzler was kidnapped backstage by cult members led by Thermo, and then rescued by Spider-Man and Paladin.

Dazzler was reunited with Beast and met Angel, after she and a group of heroes were manipulated to join the Avengers. After it was revealed that Moondragon was manipulating all of them to strengthen the Avengers, Alison departed.

Harry became increasingly curious over the nature of Alison's stage effects; her "technological secret" was in question. When Harry confronted Alison about the nature of her powers, she stormed out defending her secret identity. To make matters worse, an old enemy of Osgood, Techmaster, sent the Enforcers, a group of mercenaries, after him. When Harry was kidnapped, Alison made it her mission to find and protect him. After defeating the Enforcers and saving Harry, she confessed to Harry her most hidden secret: that she was a mutant. Not knowing how the first non-superhero would react to such a revelation, Alison breathed a sigh of relief when Harry gave her his support and vowed to keep her "technological secret" safe.

Alison's "technological secret" may have been safe regarding the average citizen, but, for the U.S. Government, it was a pressing affair. Alison was whisked away by Project: PEGASUS against her will to undergo several strenuous tests regarding her mutant powers. While at PEGASUS, Dazzler witnessed several other super-powered beings being held captive, including Klaw and Solarr. As time went on, Alison became increasingly intolerant toward the members of Project: PEGASUS. The researchers found that Alison had no natural limit to her abilities and, theoretically, could have been the most powerful mutant on Earth, with unlimited energy potential. Intolerance swiftly turned into aggression, and upon witnessing Klaw being tested by PEGASUS technicians, Alison inadvertently freed the villain. Klaw then turned his energies upon her, unaware that her mutant ability transformed sonic energy into light-based energy. As Dazzler began to absorb Klaw's essence, she found she could not stop the process. The Dazzler had fully absorbed Klaw into her body, storing him as light energy.[5] Unable to cope with the pressure of killing him, Dazzler used the energy to free herself from the confines on PEGASUS. The strong energy signature alerted the cosmic entity Galactus to the young mutant who abducted her as a means of retrieving his renegade herald, Terrax. Galactus imbued Dazzler with the Power Cosmic, a source of unlimited sound energy, allowing her to enter a black hole to retrieve the herald. Dazzler succeeded in her task and compassionately convinced Galactus to pardon Terrax and return her to Earth.[6]

Upon her return home, Alison could not hold down a gig, inconveniencing both her manager and her band. After battling Techmaster again, Alison began speaking more with her grandmother, although relationships remained tepid with her father. The relationship became more icy when Alison began wearing her mother's locket as a tribute to the woman she never knew. After weeks of courting, Dr Jansen proved to be unable to adjust to Alison's unconventional lifestyle. After turning herself in, Alison was, literally, on trial for the murder of Klaw. Enraged by the outcome of her stay at PEGASUS, the agency decided to file suit against Alison. Dazzler had to spend the night before the trial in prison on Ryker's Island, where she ran into the Grapplers. The female villain group wanted to see the woman responsible for Klaw’s death and beat her up, until Alison absorbed Screaming Mimi’s screams and knocked the Grapplers out with her light blasts.[7] Quasar testified on Dazzler’s behalf and, with the help of lawyer Kenneth Barnett, Alison was cleared of all charges.

Things finally turned around for the singer. Despite her setbacks, Alison booked to tour the West coast, as a warm-up singer for rock star Bruce Harris. Unfortunately, a sniper attempted to assassinate somebody in the audience, sending Blue Shield into action, and Ali, her band, and Lancelot were kidnapped after the assassins thought Lancelot was Blue Shield. Freeing She-Hulk from LaFarge's control, she, Ali, and Blue Shield rescued everyone.

Arriving in San Francisco for her next gig, Alison hired Jessica Drew to locate her mother and the pair stumbled upon was a S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility modeled after the X-Men's Danger Room. Unfortunately for the Dazzler, her act proved so good that it became a threat for the star and Bruce nixed her from the tour. After Ali's last show, Kenneth approached her and the pair began to date. While on a flight back to the east coast, Alison was transported to Asgard and forced into an arena match against the Enchantress. The match was stopped by Odin, and Dazzler and Enchantress were ordered to put-on a concert to prove the better musician. After winning, Dazzler was returned home. Answering another offer to join the Avengers, Ali was one of the women who defeated Mechano-Marauder and declined membership.

Family Reunion

Disheartened, Alison returned home, whereupon she was courted by none other than Warren Worthington III, the former X-Man, Angel.[8] Warren found himself pursuing Alison, who he had been infatuated with. Warren had developed a crush on her after they were manipulated by Moondragon into joining the Avengers. After butting-in on a date of hers with Ken, Warren waited for her at her house and took her for a flight, which led to a romantic evening. After preventing Dr. Octopus from escaping custody, Alison remained confused about her actions. Angel attempted several times to win the Dazzler's heart and decided the key to success lay with finding her mother. After playing a show at the Peppermint Lounge, Ali battled the Absorbing Man and was forced to call Black Bolt for assistance. After defeating the Absorbing Man, Ali fell and was caught, by Angel. Alison's family situation was about to reach a climax. Along with her budding romance with Angel, it seemed that life would finally reach a harmonious center. The Dazzler lived her dream and could truly be herself with a fellow mutant.

Sadly, it didn't last long, as her father fell into a psychological stupor and her friend, Vanessa Tooks, learned that her matronly vocal coach, Barbara London, was actually Alison's mother. Alison's biggest break yet finally lay at her doorstep, in the form of a prestigious gig at Carnegie Hall. Carter awoke to confront Alison with the truth about her mother, Katherine. Katherine did not simply leave the family, but had slowly denigrated into an unfaithful drug addict, who left Carter to be with her new beau, Nick Brown. Alison didn't know, however, that Katherine had left the abusive Nick and hid away as Barbara London. As Barbara, a matronly vocal coach, Katherine followed Alison throughout her budding career, but could not bear to confront the daughter she had abandoned. Alison could not believe the horrid story and left in tears. Alison's energy had to go toward her career and no longer her family. Vanessa convinced Barbara to attend the Carnegie performance and Carter convinced himself to make amends with his daughter. The family re-united after the performance, with Alison finally coming face-to-face with her mother for the first time she could remember, and developing a new understanding for her father.

However, other complications arose. The Sisterhood of Evil Mutants, Mystique, Rogue, and Destiny, sought revenge on the X-Men and decided that the Angel would be an appropriate source of information. When the trio attacked Warren, Alison defeated them. Rogue vowed revenge on the Dazzler, becoming increasingly jealous of her popular and attractive lifestyle.

Ali met the half-sister that she had never known about, Lois London. Barbara had married Nick and had another daughter. Attempting to form a relationship with both Barbara and Lois, she quickly befriended her new sister. After her apartment was set ablaze, by Flame, Ali hired the Heroes for Hire as bodyguards. Going against Mystique, Rogue attacked Ali, but the Heroes for Hire drove her off.

Ali was briefly stalked by a fanatic Karl Fredericks, who attempted to win her love by killing her father, but Ali defeated him. Unfortunately, the mutant gene was alive in both sisters. Lois' powers manifested while being assaulted by a homeless man, Robert Smith, unfortunately killing him in the process. Terrified, Lois asked for Alison's assistance. The two fled New York as fugitives, hiding on the road and briefly assuming false names to avoid being tracked by the authorities. While on the road, Rogue attacked the sisters, but they were able to escape her. Worse, an unidentified photographer took photos of the incident and blackmailed the women into murdering a wealthy Californian man, in exchange for the film negatives. Assuming that Warren would be in Los Angeles, Ali called him for help and, after Ali and Lois decided not to kill their target, he arrived in time to save them from being shot by the angry photographer. The target turned out to be none other than Nick, Lois' father. The photographer was hired by Nick to track his daughter, Lois, and decided to use the evidence as further blackmail for a financial profit.

Nick then offered Alison several social connections to the West Coast elite, which included photographers, actors, and the famous, bald, overweight and bespectacled man ,Roman Nekoboh. Roman had a particular interest in Alison and began to pursue her romantically. Initially put-off, Ali was ready to give-in to Roman's advances, when the private plane they were flying in was attacked. After saving everyone aboard, Alison's relationship with Nick turned sour after he aked her to leave Harry and live a life of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Lois opted to stay in the comfort of her biological father's home, rather than with the sister who uprooted herself for her own benefit.

On her way back to New York, Ali caught a ride, with Ralph Macchio, who was on his way to San Diego Comic Con. Wishing to pay Ralph back, Ali called Harry for an advance and attended the convention, where a military group attacked her. After paying Ralph back, Ali simply slipped away unnoticed. While on a movie set, Alison met Bill Remington, an actor who asked her out. Alone and with nowhere to turn, Alison began to start her life anew, renting an apartment in San Diego, taking a job as an aerobics instructor, and dating Bill. The night of her first date, Allison got a call from Harry, who quit as her agent. After Bill insisted that they go to his house during a tsunami, he realized that his life was on a path of self destruction and he and Ali parted ways.

Repaying her debt to the Inhumans, Dazzler traveled to the Blue Area of the Moon and aided them in defeating Moonstone and Blackout. Roman helped introduce her to other members of the Hollywood elite, but particularly wanted Alison to star in a new film of his. After getting a dance part in a music video, the director, Bob Benson, attempted to create an accident to gain notoriety on his video, but Ali exposed him. After helping her friend, Janet McEntee with her modeling career, Alison was offered a job, with Millie Collins and quit after foiling the plan of Tom Devine to kidnap young models.

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Dazzler dazzling

Public Mutant

After continuous attempts, Alison finally agreed to go to dinner with Roman and hear his movie proposal. After agreeing to star in his movie, Ali and Roman began a relationship. Gradually, Alison succumbed to the allure of a wealthy, spoiled lifestyle, gaining unwanted weight, and divulged her mutant background to Roman. Ali and Roman's relationship grew stronger and, against Ali's wishes, Roman found financial backing for the movie from Eric Beale, another wealthy Hollywood elite that had been attempting to sexually court Allison. Thus, "Dazzler: The Movie" was born to highlight the ups & downs of her many adventures and the benefits that mutants offer to society. After Roman publicly announced that Alison was a mutant, he convinced her to "come out" as a benefit to mutants everywhere. As she was in a relationship with Roman, Alison allowed her emotions win over her better judgment and agreed to a public relations stunt that would publicly unveil her as a mutant. Several jet engines supplied Alison with enough power to demonstrate the magnitude of her abilities. However, the sound proved too great and it backfired, frightening and scattering onlookers. Upon returning to their hotel, Dazzler and Roman were attacked by an anti-mutant group.

As a result, negative press mounted against the singer and protests mounted against Roman for being a mutant sympathizer, but they completed the film. During the private screening of the film, a riot erupted and Alison was ordered to see Eric. Alison could not believe the reaction and went to Eric, who had bought-out Roman and would only release the movie on the condition that Alison would sign a contract making her his sole creative property. Obsessed with Dazzler as an object of sexual desire, Beale wished to blackmail Alison and noted that the film would improve the world's opinion of mutants and that she should take the personal sacrifice for the social good or commit career suicide. In a final act of defiance, Alison rejected Beale, destroying the only known copy of the film and her and Roman's contracts. Meeting Roman outside of Eric's office, Alison left to pick up the pieces of her life.

Gladiator

Always optimistic, Alison attempted to start from square one. Sadly, there was no work to be had in a society that left mutants on the outside of it. Rejected from the most menial of work, Alison gave up hope and was left to peruse parties as a low-level socialite, while still being barraged by negative tabloid press. After attending a Hollywood party at Alexander Flynn's home, Alison got a job singing for his "Underground Theatre". Excited about the success, Flynn began taking Dazzler out to many Hollywood parties, convincing her to take up drinking once more, and created a media frenzy that listed the once proud musician as a queen of decadence in the papers.

Alison joined Flynn's group, the Gladiators, an underground group of mutant gladiators that battled one another to the death for the amusement of a wealthy human elite. Flynn used a drug that caused Alison to lose control of her powers to stay with the Gladiators. At a wrap up party on a studio, Ali ran into Wonder Man and Beast. Beast attempted to defend Alison's honor when a fellow Gladiator Max Rocker disrespected her, but Alison harshly yelled at him and left with Hugo Longride, the theater owner. After becoming angry, Alison's light powers began to act-out and she fled to the beach, where she was found by Poltergeist along with six other mutants from the Heartbreak Hotel. Alison was taken to the Heartbreak Hotel and cared for until Beast arrived and the two grew close. When Flynn arrived to retrieve Alison she left him. Alison returned to the gladiator theater and battled Horns. When it seemed she was in danger, Beast arrived and assisted Ali. After being drugged to fight each other, Ali and Hank brought an end to the gladiator ring.[9]

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Dazzler's Professor X uniform

Unable to get gigs, Alison resorted to using pseudonyms to get a waitress job, but even then she was still assailed by villainous characters and quit. Ali finally found a steady position at the Ace of Clubs and was attacked by Tatterdemalion.[10]

After repeated assaults, Dazzler returned to Professor X and asked for training. Professor X provided Ali with a new uniform that amplified and gave precision to her powers. Wolverine doubted her ability, so Dazzler agreed to let him test her skills. Wolverine and Colossus hunted her, but she outsmarted them both, proving she had what it takes.[11]

Eventually, Ali was hired by fellow mutant rock star, Lila Cheney, which led Alison to encounter the New Mutants. Sunspot and Magma of the New Mutants had been drugged and fallen into the ranks of a new Gladiator ring. Alison agreed to lead the teens to their teammates. Although pretended to rejoin the Gladiators to gather info, and was tempted succumbed to the allure of the limelight. Ali was mentally controlled by Xi'an Coy Manh, who was being controlled by the Shadow King, the real mastermind behind the Gladiators. After Magik teleported her to Limbo, Ali shed her mental control and with the New Mutants brought down the new Gladiator ring.[12]

After defeating Deathgrip, Ali learned that she had a bounty on her head and turned herself to O.Z. Chase.[13] While traveling with O.Z., Ali was teleported to the Beyonder, a cosmic being attempting to understand human emotions. After taking her around the world and showering her with gifts, Ali and the Beyonder fell into an awkward relationship. After the Avengers battled the Beyonder, Ali stopped them and the Beyonder turned her into pure energy. Frightened, Ali flew away and after the energy expired she fatally fell to the Earth. After reviving her, the Beyonder erased all memory of the event from Ali's mind and returned her to O.Z. Chase. [14] WHen Alison returned O.Z. was being attacked by the Outriders. While aiding him, she was joined by the Beyonder, who wanted to become a costumed super-hero. After Alison rejected his help, the Beyonder left and Ali left with O.Z. Chase. [15]

Chase was hired to apprehend the Dazzler for a meta-human duo named Dust and Silence. The two needed Alison's light effects to awaken a latent drug in humans, which would give them meta-human abilities. To coerce her, Dust possessed the body of Ali's father. However, Dust's abilities caused the slow breakdown in the organic matter of the host, ultimately killing Carter. Alison and O.Z. fought Dust out of Carter's body and left to search for her mother Barbara, who was being held by Silence. However, Silence captured Alison and forced her to use her mutant abilities for their goals by threatening to kill Barbara. Luckily, Beast and Chase rescued Alison and Barbara and Alison re-channeled her light energy as a concussive sound force to kill Silence. After Hank asked Alison to join his new team, X-Factor, she declined and faked her own death to hide from the authorities and the press.[16]

X-Men

Dazzler went back into hiding as a member of Lila's band. However, her inability to seize the spotlight was difficult for Alison. She became an easy target for the psychic entity Malice of the Marauders, who was eagerly looking for ways to attract the X-Men. Possessing Dazzler, Malice called the X-Men to her aid. Once Malice was defeated, Alison reluctantly joined the X-Men at the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, as her identity was compromised and safety was at risk because the Mauraders.[17]

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Alison's alliance with the X-Men brought many adventures. Dazzler accompanied the injured X-Men to Muir Island following their defeat at the hands of the Marauders. Alison was forced to cooperate with the reformed X-Man Rogue, a one-time adversary who had once wished to kill her. After fighting together, Dazzler learned to set aside her differences with Rogue. Alison also learned to rely on teamwork and cooperation, as she had been used to tackling the largest villains solo. While on Muir Island, Alison was deciding to quit the team and attempted to halt the Juggernaut on her own. Fortunately, Juggernaut was a big fan of Dazzler's and did not wish to cause her any harm at all. Alison passed out from overexertion. With the help of her team, the Juggernaut was defeated.[18] Alison and Wolverine aided O.Z. Chase and Henry Gyrich with a drug dealing mutant, Vladimir Zaitsev.[19]

At Forge's Eagle Plaza, in Dallas, Texas, the X-Men were attacked by the Freedom Force and Dazzler was captured. Spiral magically placed Destiny's mask on Alison's face and stabbed it with a dagger to complete the spell. A rift opened in the sky and a chaos ensued. Because of the magics surrounding the city, the dagger and mask were stuck to Alison's face, leaving her blind. After gaining access into the Starlight Citadel, the X-Men gave their lives to imprison the chaotic entity called the Adversary. However, Roma, the Omniversal Guardian restored the X-Men to life and removed the mask from Alison. The events had been broadcast live on television, so the world believed the X-Men to be dead. After being resurrected, the X-Men could not be detected by any electronic equipment and cameras, effectively making them "invisible" to their enemies. The X-Men decided to use the opportunity to go underground and keep their rebirth secret. Dazzler had previously faked her own death to hide from the world, and now it had become a permanent fixture of her reality. The X-Men resurfaced in Australia. Roma presented them with the Siege Perilous, a gem that could create a portal that could grant any person who walked through it judgment and a new chance at life, with a new career, home, and so forth.

Dazzler provided a much-needed source of entertainment and verve. Exhausted from many missions and the social isolation of the Australian desert, Alison would frequently tour local bars and venues to sing and interact with the townsfolk. She also developed a romantic relationship with teammate Longshot. Alison and Rogue's tepid friendship was tested several times as Rogue envied Dazzler's relationship with Longshot. Rogue even dressed and posed as Dazzler to court his attention.

When the X-Men found themselves battling a demonic invasion of New York, they found themselves being influenced. Alison was became more and more conceited and vain. Alison and Longshot were influenced the most, resenting the others for getting "center stage" and attacking Archangel.

Alison, accustomed to the social life of New York City and Southern California, recommended that the women of the X-Men indulge in a day of shopping and frivolity. The X-Women went to a mall in Beverly Hills where they rescued Jubilee from the M-Squad.[20]

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 Alison to her natural body.

After looking into the Siege Perilous, Ali was shown different versions of what her life could become: lawyer, mother, singer, superhero and bum, each of them ending in death. Later the X-Men battled the Master Mold Sentinel, who had absorbed Nimrod. Dazzler threw the Siege Perilous at the Master Mold's decapitated head and Rogue sacrificed herself to ensure the Sentinel would go through it and both disappeared. Alison blamed herself for Rogue's disappearance.

The team fell apart. Longshot left the team in order to find some clue to his true origins. The four remaining teammates, Dazzler, Colossus, Havok, and Psylocke attempted to carry on, but under threat of the Reavers' coming onslaught banished themselves through the Siege Perilous where Rogue had fallen weeks before.[21]

Alison awoke on Malibu beach, unaware of who she was. Her former allies Lila Cheney and Guido Carosella discovered her and took her into their company. Unfortunately for Alison she was in the middle of a maelstrom involving Dazzler: The Movie. A copy had survived and was found by a young acquaintance of Alison's. Meanwhile, Eric Beale had become increasingly obsessed with the Dazzler and vowed to kill her. Alison used her light powers to soothe Beale. Dazzler: The Movie was publicly screened at last.[22]

Mojoworld

Alison still could not remember her true identity. Even as her other teammates had rediscovered themselves, Alison could not recall her life. Her former love Longshot discovered her before the X-Men and went to her for help. Lila Cheney teleported the trio from harm's way. Alison slowly regained her memories and chose to stay with Longshot on his native world to assist him in his fight for independence. During this time, Alison became pregnant.

When her friends were captured by Mojo, Alison managed to contact the X-Men for help. However, they ended up captives of Mojo as well. In the end, they overcame the dictator and a new era for the Mojoverse began. Leadership of the Mojoverse was handed to Mojo II, the Sequel.[23] Alison and Longshot finally married. Somehow, Alison lost the child. Instead, she took in the X-Babies.[24]

Alison eventually returned to Earth following a cataclysmic destruction of Mojoworld. Dazzler tried to get the X-Men to help, only they were in a the middle of a crisis themselves, as Magneto was about to wage war against humanity and Xavier was his captive in Genosha. Dazzler joined Jean Grey's quickly-assembled squad of mostly untrained mutants and they infiltrated Genosha. When Dazzler saw Xavier crucified, she angrily lashed out at Magneto, only to have her blast redirected at her and was seemingly pulverized to ashes. Yet, as it turned out, the battle had taken place on the astral plane. Jean secretly entered the minds of all combatants and, while they continued to fight, Dazzler traded places with Xavier, disguising herself as him with a holographic light projection. After Magneto was defeated and the X-Men had returned home, they offered to help Dazzler to get back to the Mojoverse, but she refused and departed.

Finally putting herself first, Alison jump-started her career in her classic Dazzler digs and all seemed well. Dazzler’s manager hired Deadpool to protect her when an insane fan threatened to kill her.[25]

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Dazzler reunited with Longshot

New Excalibur

Unfortunately, a worldwide turn of events for mutants known as M-Day made her career short-lived, and once again Alison returned to low-level performances in the United Kingdom to make ends meet. After one gig in an English night club she was killed by an evil alternate reality version of Jean Grey from a team evil versions of the original five X-Men. Yet when her body was taken to the hospital and checked on she seemingly woke up from her death. A full diagnosis of her body revealed that she was fine and her body was in working condition. With the help of several former X-Men, the faux X-Men team was put to an end. She joined with the other heroes and together they reformed Excalibur. Alison found solace in a world where she was once again a minority.

After her first adventure with Excalibur she had another death experience when the Juggernaut's old friend Black Tom Cassidy returned seeking vengeance against him. One of his henchmen shot Alison in the back. She seemingly died again, but after a few moments she got up from her death and aided in defeating Black Tom. Excalibur was concerned about how and why she came back from the dead again, but Dazzler appeared flippant about the situation.

When Camelot was destroyed in the past with the help of the Dark Knight, Dazzler and Excalibur aided in defeating the evil forces at hand. When Juggernaut wanted to receive the full power of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak team-mate Nocturne wanted to help Cain and stop him from making any mistakes. Dazzler remained emotionally distant which put her at odds with her best friend on the team. Nocturne stated that Dazzler did not deserve the love that Cain gave her because she would always be a girl waiting for fame in the limelight. Though seemingly reluctant, Dazzler stopped the agent of Cyttorak and Juggernaut from retrieving the crystal.

She was reunited with Longshot[26], but Longshot was suffering from amnesia and could not remember her. However, he regained his feelings for her and some of his memories. Longshot left the Exiles to re-establish his relationship with Dazzler.

Back with the X-Men

Dazzler relocated to San Francisco with the rest of the remaining mutants. There she joined the X-Men's street team, fighting crime at the street level, and frequently partnered with Northstar. She was instrumental in defeating Madelyne Pryor's Sisterhood of Mutants, helping to take down the resurrected Kwannon.

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While systematically eliminating the teleporting X-Men, William Stryker used a device to trap Magik in Limbo. At the urging of her brother, Cyclops sent a team that included Dazzler to bring Magik back. While in Limbo, Gambit reverted back to his Death persona and attacked his team and converted Alison and Northstar, but they were returned to normal and successful in rescuing Illyana and returning home. Dazzler later fought with the X-Men against the Vampires that had invaded San Francisco.

When Lobe unleashed his mutant plague on Utopia, Dazzler was one of the few mutants not on the island, and thus was part of the only active X-Men team, along with Pixie, Northstar, and Storm, and led by Angel. The team defeated the Collective Man and captured Lobe's imitation X-Men.

X-Treme X-Men

Alison Blaire seemingly participated in the Avengers vs. X-Men conflict[27][28] (see the reference), but was called back early to Utopia by Cylops and the X-Club in order to power up a Ghost Box. Once the portal open, she was stuck in an other universe with the Multiversal X-men, and tasked with the murder of "Ten Evil Xaviers".[29]

File:Alison Blaire (Earth-616) Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. 0001.jpg

Dazzler, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

After leaving the multiversal X-Men, Alison was recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D. by Maria Hill to track Cyclops' X-Men.[30] She took the new mutant Goldballs into custody but Cyclops and his team soon came to rescue him. In their first encounter since the War with the Avengers Alison asked Scott what happened to Charles Xavier. After the encounter Mystique drugged Alison and took her place as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Later when Mystique revealed herself to Magneto she told him that Alison was fine and that she was resting. She later left S.H.I.E.L.D., angry at them for not doing anything to rescue her and saying she knew who she really was- an X-Man.

Attributes

Power Grid[36]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Some Training:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Medium Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Enhanced:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Superhuman:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Powers

Transducer

Sound Conversion: Ability to transduce sonic vibrations, which reach her body into various types of light. This ability seems to operate over a great range of frequencies, including the audible spectrum (35 to 16,500 cycles per second), and a great variation of sound pressure levels regardless of the complexity, dissonance, or randomness of the sound. For example, a car crash and a symphonic passage of equal duration will both produce usable music incoming acoustic vibrations. Dazzler, however, does prefer the sound of music, particularly that which is rhythmically sustained. Not only is music more pleasant to her ears, but the steady beat of popular music provides a more constant source of sound to convert. However, she cannot use any sound produced by her own body.

  • Sound Release: Ability to release the absorbed sound in one burst.

Light Projection: Dazzler possesses a body-wide energy field that controls the energy levels of the outer electron shells of her body in such a way as to cause the cascaded release of photons. In effect, this field is lasing, with the apparent efficiency of a laser (99.9%). The released energy is far greater than the incoming kinetic energy and therefore must involve an outside energy source, the nature of which is unguessable. Left undirected, the Dazzler’s light will radiate from her body in all directions, producing regular flashes of white light (white light is a mixture of all portions of the visible spectrum). By conscious control over the light she produces, she can control its direction, frequency (color), amplitude (intensity), and duration. Apparently the Dazzler must consciously or subconsciously will the light to leave her body. Otherwise, light would “leak” from her at all times, even when she is asleep or unconscious. She can produce numerous effects with the light she converts from sonic vibrations. She can simply cause a bright glow all about her body. She can create very simple patterns out of rays of light like circles, squares, triangles, and stars. She can create a pulse of light on the order of several thousand watts seconds of power, which temporarily blinds people with its brilliance. She can create a chaotic cascade of sparkling lights and colors that severely upsets other people’s equilibrium, or a pulsating strobe-light effect. She has learned to manifest her light as:

  • Lasers: By concentrating, the Dazzler can generate a coherent beam of light, approximating a laser beam, with which she can cut through virtually anything. The field thus operates in a similar fashion as the process that creates a laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and apparently has the same efficiency as a laser (99.9 percent). The released energy is far greater than the incoming kinetic energy and therefore must involve another, unknown energy source as well.
  • Photon Blasts
  • Illumination
  • Strobes
  • Dazzle: ability to release a chaotic burst of color and light.
  • Holograms: with effort, she can even create holograms of human beings and other three-dimensional beings and objects.
  • Rocket Burst: ability to gain vertical altitude by direction a quick column of light beneath her.
  • Destructive Shield: ability to create a destructive shield of light around herself with laser light that can vaporize small, oncoming projectiles.
  • Light Mist: A glowing or hazy almost fog like effect that obscures the surrounding area

Light Immunity: her body, especially her eyes, shields itself against any injurious effects of her light transducing abilities, and against those of bright lights in general

Sound Immunity: her ability to transduce sound also protects her from being deafened by loud noises.

Resurrection Factor: presently afflicted with a mysterious resurrection factor which prevents her from being killed by conventional methods.

Template:New Power Grid

Abilities

The Dazzler is a highly skilled athlete, and has become a good hand-to-hand combatant thanks to her training with the X-Men; talented singer, actress, and dancer; highly accomplished roller skater.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Originally Dazzler used to carry a customized radio cassette tape-player to provide her with continuous sound until she gained a special costume that stores sound. Professor Charles Xavier, the founder of the X-Men, conceived the idea for the special costume that Dazzler used to wear in battle. Devices within the costume enabled the Dazzler to store sonic energy more efficiently and to gauge and focus the light she generates with greater skill. Later on she learned how to store the sound inside her own body and then selectively release portions as either sound or light. Her body is constantly absorbing and storing sound.

Transportation

X-Men Blackbird, formerly size eight pair of roller skates which magnetically adhere to her boots, Gateway

More recently, Dazzler has taken a special interest in two-wheeled, motorized vehicles.

Notes

  • Dazzler frequently dyes her hair pink with a blonde wig. Alison has also dyed her hair black.
  • The necklace with the microphone locket Dazzler wears for all her performances is her mother's necklace that she left behind for Alison when she divorced Alison's father and left the family.

Trivia

File:Dazzler from College to Singer.jpg

Dazzler

  • Several recent Marvel Handbooks and on-line character biographies list Dazzler as having several nicknames and aliases. As Dazzler went into hiding several times between Dazzler #27 until joining the X-Men, she would occasionally drop a false name to an unsuspecting human to avoid detection. None of these aliases were permanent; in fact, Alison was almost exclusively referred to as "Dazzler," "Alison," "Ali," or "Dazz." Even "The Disco Dazzler," was only a name marketed by Marvel Comics and used once or twice in-text or for solicitation purposes.
  • More recent handbooks list the Dazzler as having only acquired a high school degree. In Dazzler #1, the character was shown as having completed an undergraduate degree, magna cum laude (with honors). This is central to the character's history, as her rejection of higher education put her at a personal crossroads, shown in several key stories.
  • Common misconceptions have resulted from the obfuscation of Dazzler's creation -- namely, several readers believe X-Men creative team Chris Claremont and John Byrne were the character's originators. Although they wrote and penciled her first appearance, they had nothing to do with the character or series' creation. Those roles went largely to Tom DeFalco (who came up with the idea of her light-based powers), John Romita, Jr. (who provided the pencils), and Roger Stern (who conceived of the character's name), among others.
  • Dazzler was originally conceived as a joint venture between Marvel and Casablanca Records, Marvel was going to publish the comic and Casablanca was going to put out an album and a movie starring Bo Derek. Marvel released the comic, but Casablanca removed itself from the project and the album and movie never saw the light of day.
  • Among Dazzler fans in comics are Juggernaut[32], Colossus, Julia Carpenter[33], Pixie[34], Northstar[34], Rhino, Molly Hayes, and Kitty Pryde.
  • Dazzler once dated Angel (in her own series, before she joined the X-Men) and Longshot (when the X-Men were based in Australia), with whom she had a child that she eventually miscarried. Other heroes who developed a crush on her were Human Torch, Beast, and more recently Juggernaut in the New Excalibur series.
  • For a while, the mercenary known as Deadpool and a unwilling Outlaw (Inez Temple) were hired as her bodyguards.[25]
  • Although not full explained, it has been hinted that Shatterstar is the future son of Dazzler and Longshot.
    • In X-Factor #259, 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.

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. X-Men #130131
  2. Dazzler #12
  3. Dazzler #34
  4. Dazzler #67
  5. Dazzler #9
  6. Dazzler #1011
  7. Dazzler #13
  8. Dazzler #17
  9. Beauty and The Beast #1 3
  10. Dazzler #36
  11. Dazzler #38
  12. New Mutants #2931
  13. Dazzler #39
  14. Secret Wars II
  15. Dazzler #40
  16. Dazzler #4142
  17. Uncanny X-Men #214
  18. Uncanny X-Men #217218
  19. Uncanny X-Men #228
  20. Uncanny X-Men #244
  21. Uncanny X-Men #251
  22. Uncanny X-Men #259260
  23. X-Men (Vol. 2) #1011
  24. X-Men (Vol. 2) #4647
  25. 25.0 25.1 Deadpool #67
  26. X-Men: Die by the Sword
  27. Wolverine and the X-Men #11
  28. AVX: Vs #2
  29. There is here an impossible conciliation of the continuity, as Dazzler, on a side participated in the war, and on the other side had no idea of the Phoenix Five when she returned. There is two solutions yet unconfirmed to make it fit into the continuity: 1) It would for the AvX Dazzler to be some kind of dupe, impersonator, clone. 2) The X-Treme Dazzler is from a divergent 616, starting when she is recruited by the multiversal X-Men. That is unlikely the truth, as she returned in 616 without alerting anyone about the presence of two Dazzlers.
  30. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 3) #6
  31. Uncanny X-Men #210
  32. Uncanny X-Men #217
  33. Ms. Marvel (Vol. 2) #7
  34. 34.0 34.1 Uncanny X-Men #501
  35. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #3
  36. X-Men: Messiah Complex - Mutant Files Vol 1 1
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