Superhero Origins: Starfire
Starfire, Teen Titans, Superhero, New Teen Titans, Tamaran, Robin, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg, Origin, origins, Red Hood, Outlaws, Retrospective, Powers, Teen Titans Go, DC Comics, Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Koriand'r, Tamaranean,Superhero Origins: Starfire
You think you’ve got problems with your siblings, but you aint got nothing on this gal. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Starfire.
As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1982's Tales of the New Teen Titans #4 and which was alluded to in 1980's New Teen Titans #1, and fully expanded upon in 2012's Red Hood and the Outlaws #11-12.
The golden-hued beauty known as Starfire first blasted into the DC Universe in 1980's DC Comics Presents #26; however, the origin of this superpowered alien wasn't revealed until 1982's Tales of the New Teen Titans #4.
Starfire came from the planet Tamaran, originally a beautiful paradise which valued peace and tranquility – but which trained its people to behave as warriors when attacked. Born with the name Koriand'r, Starfire was the younger daughter of the King of Tamaran. She was beloved by all – save her older sister, Komand'r.
Komand'r had been born sickly and lacked the natural ability of Tamaranians to fly. Because of this, she was deemed unworthy of being an eventual successor to the throne and so Koriand'r became next in line to the King.
When Koriand'r and Komand'r were old enough, they were sent to learn the art of combat from the warlords of Okara. Both sisters excelled at their training, but Komand'r was judged too full of hatred; when Koriand'r saved her life during a test, she returned the favor by attempting to kill her. Banished for her actions, she swore vengeance.
Soon after, Komand'r joined forces with the Citadel, an evil race that was the enemy of Tamaran. With her inside knowledge, the Citadel was able to break through Tamaran's defensive shields and lay waste to the planet. Komand'r demanded a high price to stop the warfare: that Koriand'r would be given to her to live the rest of her life as a slave.
Koriand’r endured several humiliating and torturous years as a slave; Komand'r was on the brink of ordering her execution when the Citadel was attacked by another evil group of aliens, the Psions.
Merciless scientists, the Psions experimented with both Koriand'r and her sister to determine how much solar energy their bodies could absorb before exploding. Only a fortunate accident freed Starfire, who discovered that the experiment had given her tremendous new powers. She then released her sister – only to once again have her compassion repaid with hatred.
Starfire stole a spaceship and made her escape, eventually ending up on Earth and joining the New Teen Titans.
More recently, Starfire's origin has undergone a pretty significant revision. In 2012's Red Hood and the Outlaws, it was revealed that Komand'r was not born sickly and thus took her place as the rightful heir to the throne of Tamaran. More importantly, Komand'r and Koriand'r's relationship was entirely different: Komand'r loved, cared and protected Koriand'r when they were children. In this version, Komand'r did not order Koriand'r into slavery; instead, Tamaran's enemies forced Komand'r to turn over to them the sister she dearly loved.
During her years of slavery, Starfire grew bitter that neither Komand'r nor anyone else from Tamaran ever came to save her; when she escaped from her enemies, she opted to not live on her own planet; instead, she chose to roam space, eventually ending up on Earth. It was only some time later that she reconciled with her sister and chose to help save Tamaran from a new threat.
Starfire has been seen many times on television, most notably on the animated series Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go. Though younger and a bit more naïve on TV, she remains a fierce, highly skilled warrior with an equally fierce love of life.
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