The final installment in this little series on the supervillains of Force takes a look at everyone's favorite fin-headed femme, the fantastical Photon!
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/photon/4005-60871/
For those acquainted with Guardians of the Galaxy lore, the first time you saw Photon you knew her story was a big deal. That's because prior to Photon's appearance, everything we "knew" told us that the Guardian Yondu was the last survivor of Alpha Centauri.
When Jim Valentino and company began bringing us the regular adventure of the Guardians in 1990, they started teasing the possibility that there might be another survivor from the very first issue:
After all that build-up, and watching Yondu begin to have hope once more that his people and culture might not be extinguished from the universe, you really felt the pathos when Photon definitively rejects both him and her heritage.
Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (AUG 1991)
However much it broke Yondu's heart--and face--Valentino & co. make it really difficult to be too upset with Photon. When these two crazy star-crossed would-be lovers meet next in Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (AUG 1991), we finally learn why Photon has such homicidal feelings for her people. Apparently, she was born a Centaurian mutant. Much like on Earth, this wasn't exactly well-received by the majority of the Centaurian society. After her parents sacrifice their lives in the effort to save her from the mob, the little girl wound up alone and helpless in the forest--on the verge of slow starvation or falling prey to some beast herself.
Guardians of the Galaxy #16 (SEP 1991)
The background relationship between Photon and Yondu sets us up for the dramatic final appearance of Force in the Guardians of the Galaxy. Issue #16 opens with the two teams once again face-to-face. Though everyone is there, the initial drama centers pretty quickly around the last remaining Centaurians. Following an Old-West style stare-down, Photon makes the mistake of lunging for Yondu; who, in turn, slices her jugular.
This leads Interface (who had located Photon as an infant and adopted her as a child) to access his inner element-manipulating daddy bear to save his baby and make a quick battlefield amputation of his own.
Rather than allowing futuristic science to grow him a new hand, Yondu opts to take a simple golden stump loaded with weapons as his penance for having...defended himself against someone attempting to take his life? (I guess even if you adopt a super-ascetic and self-flagellatory position, there's no reason you can't wear a little bling at the same time, amiright?)
While both Centaurians are off in sick bay, Interface and the Guardians Martinex are able to confab. Turns out that both Force and the Guardians are were engaged in quests related to the young messiah-child known as the Protege who has been created by adherents of the Church of Universal Truth to serve as their god. The question is, who will be the caretaker and teacher of this awesomely-powerful child.
But at this point, I'm running out of time and running the risk of spoiling the fun you could have reading Guardians #16 for yourself.
Next week, I'll start a new series (hopefully with much better time management).
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/photon/4005-60871/
For those acquainted with Guardians of the Galaxy lore, the first time you saw Photon you knew her story was a big deal. That's because prior to Photon's appearance, everything we "knew" told us that the Guardian Yondu was the last survivor of Alpha Centauri.
When Jim Valentino and company began bringing us the regular adventure of the Guardians in 1990, they started teasing the possibility that there might be another survivor from the very first issue:
 | |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #1(JUN 1990) |
 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #3 (AUG 1990) |
 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #5 (OCT 1990) |
However much it broke Yondu's heart--and face--Valentino & co. make it really difficult to be too upset with Photon. When these two crazy star-crossed would-be lovers meet next in Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (AUG 1991), we finally learn why Photon has such homicidal feelings for her people. Apparently, she was born a Centaurian mutant. Much like on Earth, this wasn't exactly well-received by the majority of the Centaurian society. After her parents sacrifice their lives in the effort to save her from the mob, the little girl wound up alone and helpless in the forest--on the verge of slow starvation or falling prey to some beast herself.
 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (AUG 1991) |
The background relationship between Photon and Yondu sets us up for the dramatic final appearance of Force in the Guardians of the Galaxy. Issue #16 opens with the two teams once again face-to-face. Though everyone is there, the initial drama centers pretty quickly around the last remaining Centaurians. Following an Old-West style stare-down, Photon makes the mistake of lunging for Yondu; who, in turn, slices her jugular.
 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #16 (SEP 1991) |
This leads Interface (who had located Photon as an infant and adopted her as a child) to access his inner element-manipulating daddy bear to save his baby and make a quick battlefield amputation of his own.
Rather than allowing futuristic science to grow him a new hand, Yondu opts to take a simple golden stump loaded with weapons as his penance for having...defended himself against someone attempting to take his life? (I guess even if you adopt a super-ascetic and self-flagellatory position, there's no reason you can't wear a little bling at the same time, amiright?)
While both Centaurians are off in sick bay, Interface and the Guardians Martinex are able to confab. Turns out that both Force and the Guardians are were engaged in quests related to the young messiah-child known as the Protege who has been created by adherents of the Church of Universal Truth to serve as their god. The question is, who will be the caretaker and teacher of this awesomely-powerful child.
But at this point, I'm running out of time and running the risk of spoiling the fun you could have reading Guardians #16 for yourself.
Next week, I'll start a new series (hopefully with much better time management).
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