Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Who's Who: XS

XS
by Siskoid

Real Name: Jenni Ognats
Super-Power(s): Super-speed.
Planet of Origin: Earth
Legion Seniority: XS was the first completely new Legion recruit after the Reboot.


Legion Log
Though XS did not exist in the pre-Reboot universe, her mother did. Dawn Allen was the female half of the Tornado Twins, the children of Barry Allen, the Flash, and Iris West after they took refuge in the future (originally presented as simply their descendants, this changed with Legion of Super-Heroes v.4 #17), who shared their father's superspeed and, at different times, did encounter the Legion of Super-Heroes. After the Reboot, history was changed so that Dawn Allen married Jeven Ognats and had a daughter they named Jenni. As babies, she and her cousin Bart (son of Don Allen) were captured and artificially accelerated into their teens by the Dominators. Bart was rescued by his grandmother and taken to the 20th Century where he became Impulse. Jenni was rescued later by her father and was drafted into the new Legion of Super-Heroes as the super-fast XS.

Timid at first, XS was inspired by Legion leader Cosmic Boyto face her fears rather than run from them, and she soon developed an unrequited crush on him. Early in her career, a time-traveling mission led her to become lost in the 20th Century where she partnered with her cousin Impulse for a short while before returning to her time with the help of 27th-Century Flash, John Fox, and arriving just in time for the Legion's big battle with the Fatal Five.

XS grew to become one of the Legion’s most courageous members. When the universe fell to the Blight, she rescued Saturn Girl and turned the tide of battle. While several of the Legionnaires were lost on the other side of the universe, she joined Star Boy and Dreamer on Xanthu to fight off Robotica's invasion. Not long after, the timeline collapsed due to the events of the Infinite Crisis.

After the Threeboot, XS does not seem to exist.

After Infinite Crisis, it is revealed that XS and her fellow Legionnaires hid in Limbo where they were later  found by the original timeline's Legion, a Legion that exists, it is further revealed, in her own native universe (Earth-0, as opposed to the Reboot Legion, said to exist on Earth-247). Legions of three worlds are brought together to fight Superboy-Prime, and at the conclusion of the story, XS elects to stay on Earth-0 and join its Legion.

XS has had a cameo on the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, in the episode "Dark Victory, Part I).

Important XS Stories:

Adventure Comics #373
First appearance of the Tornado Twins, including XS' mother
 
Legionnaires #0 and Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #62
XS makes her first appearance and is drafted into the Legion

Legionnaires #19
XS decides to stay with the Legion in this spotlight issue
 
Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #75
An enhanced Chronos causes XS to be lost in the 20th Century for a while

Impulse #9
XS teams up with her cousin Impulse

Flash (v2) #109-110
XS meets the rest of the Flash family fighting Savitar and his forces

Impulse #12
XS visits Impulse's school and they have a lot of fun (so do we)

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) Annual #6
The secret origin of XS

Legionnaires Annual #3
While bouncing through time, XS meets the Legion of the 100th Century

Legionnaires #35
XS is finally home

Showcase '96 #8
XS helps prevent an assassination attempt

Flash 80-Page Giant #2
XS is cheered up by the legend of her famous grandfather

Flash #148-149
XS joins the Flash family once again

Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #2
A tale of XS as a child

Legionnaires #79
XS rescues Saturn Girl and turns the tide against the Blight

Legion Worlds #4
XS spends time on Xanthu and fights the forces of Robotica

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5
XS joins the original timeline's Legion in the wake of the Final Crisis

Adventure Comics #526
XS practices patience

Justice League United #8
XS is still a member of the team post-Flashpoint

5 comments:

  1. One of the best of the reboot introductions. Her personality did flatten out a bit before DnA but thankfully they brought it back.

    I think one of Levitz's biggest errors was in sidelining her once he had her available via Legion of 3 Worlds.

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  2. I agree! Other than that Adventure Comics back-up tale, she was largely written out. I'm a big big fan of the extended Flash Family from the 90s, so it's a damn shame.

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  3. I always liked seeing Jenni show up in the Flash title. I'm sorry to hear they sidelined her, but at least she wasn't decapitated or anything like that.

    Chris

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  4. Jenni would have been a great addition to the last reboot but I don't think Levitz had a choice about using her because of her link to the Flash books and what was happening there.

    A character that seemed to share a lot in common with her showed up hunting the last Kid Flash, but I don't think the connection was made explicit.
    All in all another case of the Legion losing out to editorial interference.

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  5. Never really cared about XS and if DC was trying to make a future version of the Justice League / Teen Titians I would have preferred a future version of either Starfire, Aqualad or Wonder Girl !

    A nice Doom Patrol type Legionnaire would have been "Negative Lad / Lass" © !

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