Dani Moonstar: Mirage Appreciation 2018

[Heroine Addict]

I know she starts with the beginner psychic power where she projects images of a target's fears, and when she came back from Asgard, she got a focussed-totality-of-my-psychic-power-style power in the shape of a pink bow and arrow, and all those Valkyrie powers and skills, but does Danielle count as a verifiable telepath?

'Cause her powers are psionically derived, AND the bow & arrow thing, I would most definitely say... YES! Unfortunately, it's still a moot point right now, as she's one of the few who STILL remains depowered from M-Day. Rumor has it that's supposedly about to change real soon tho (NM movie synergy), thank God, and it's ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!

[Havok83]

I know she starts with the beginner psychic power where she projects images of a target's fears, and when she came back from Asgard, she got a focussed-totality-of-my-psychic-power-style power in the shape of a pink bow and arrow, and all those Valkyrie powers and skills, but does Danielle count as a verifiable telepath?

Dani was a considered a low level telepath for years

[PsionicHero]

Dani was a considered a low level telepath for years

Indeed. Dani had low level telepathy. She subconsciously was able to pull a targets worst fear and project that as an illusion, later on was able to pull their deepest desire. She had a telepathic link with Rahne, and also had some sort of telepathic link with animals.

Very rarely was she shown to 'read thoughts' or 'project thoughts' or play with people's memories like Psylocke, Jean or Emma.

Generally speaking illusionists like Dani, Lady Mastermind and Mastermind II telepathic powers were tied to illusion casting, and convincing their targets believe those illusions to be real.

[CRaymond]

Thank you all for responding. I was afraid my question would be lost in the pileup of appreciation for more popular X-Men.

I'm not as avid an X-collector as I've been in the past, and I tend toward creative solutions rather than bemoan the rotation of bad ideas being put forward by Editorial. For example, I'd like Magik and Rachel to be X-Men's Ivy & Harley, and for Psylocke to evolve past ninja aerobics into global A+X secret agent solo book. My eye's now fallen on Danielle Moonstar, and what to do with the New Mutants' most Storm-like heroine. I think it's ridiculous she's still afflicted with an absent mutation, and I don't mind the addition of Valkyrie powers. If Emma can be a diamond, Dani can be a psychopomp.

However, the breadth of her powerset in the context of X-Men suggests... well, being overpowered. Especially given the relative "low-level" of her psychic talent. Given practice, I'd assume she'd leapfrog into telepathic communications. So she's a super-strong Norse angel with psi-bolt arrows, an impending death spider-sense, a flying horse, and the potential for standard telepathy. That's half an X-Men color guard right there.

My wish is that Dani join the next level of superheroics, the Avengers Unity Squad, or Avengers proper.

[Arachne]

I'd call Dani an empath not a telepath, but that's because of my theory on how psi powers work.

I think it all come down to how they access the mind. Telepaths like Psylocke and Emma, go through the conscious thoughts. Empaths, like Dani, access the brain through the emotional centers and Xi'an, I don't really know what to call her, goes through the part of the mind that deals with motor control. That's not to say that they can't read other parts of the mind, there's plenty of evidence that they all do, I'm just talking about where they start.

Also, I still think Dani's illusions are actually a combination of psychic projections and holograms. Energy/matter manipulation is the only way to explain some of the things she's done.

[CRaymond]

I think it all come down to how they access the mind. Telepaths like Psylocke and Emma, go through the conscious thoughts. Empaths, like Dani, access the brain through the emotional centers and Xi'an, I don't really know what to call her, goes through the part of the mind that deals with motor control. That's not to say that they can't read other parts of the mind, there's plenty of evidence that they all do, I'm just talking about where they start.

I think that's incredibly insightful, given that minds tend toward emotional or rational responses and motivations. It'd be interesting to consider how an (emotional) Empath further develops their skills, as opposed to standard (rational) telepathy. Does a teammate FEEL strongly at Dani in order to contact her?

[Havok83]

I'd call Dani an empath not a telepath, but that's because of my theory on how psi powers work.

I think it all come down to how they access the mind. Telepaths like Psylocke and Emma, go through the conscious thoughts. Empaths, like Dani, access the brain through the emotional centers and Xi'an, I don't really know what to call her, goes through the part of the mind that deals with motor control. That's not to say that they can't read other parts of the mind, there's plenty of evidence that they all do, I'm just talking about where they start.

Also, I still think Dani's illusions are actually a combination of psychic projections and holograms. Energy/matter manipulation is the only way to explain some of the things she's done.

Empathy is a specialized form of telepathy. Telepathy is just a general term that encompasses all forms of psychic abilities.

[comicbookfan5878]

Love this character. Way underutilized to the point of being criminal. Power her back up, and get her on a main team with Magik.

I'm so bored with the books these days.

[DragonsChi]

I'd call Dani an empath not a telepath, but that's because of my theory on how psi powers work.

I think it all come down to how they access the mind. Telepaths like Psylocke and Emma, go through the conscious thoughts. Empaths, like Dani, access the brain through the emotional centers and Xi'an, I don't really know what to call her, goes through the part of the mind that deals with motor control. That's not to say that they can't read other parts of the mind, there's plenty of evidence that they all do, I'm just talking about where they start.

Also, I still think Dani's illusions are actually a combination of psychic projections and holograms. Energy/matter manipulation is the only way to explain some of the things she's done.

I really like the way you described that. I feel the same way just have never been able to put it in terms so eloquently.

[Heroine Addict]

I agree with Arachne wholeheartedly, as well, and think that eXplanation of how Dani's Mutant powers work is wonderfully & accurately articulated. Designating her as a psi sub-class empath, is the way it should be, and I LOVE the subconscious vs. conscious take of the... "emotional state" (of mind), as it were. It sets her apart from the other, standard psis (Jean, Emma, Betts, etc.), making her different & unique, more of a "specialist". I'm not the biggest fan of the Valkyrie thing, myself, but don't begrudge those that are & can deal with it. Going back a few pages, to the early/mid 30's, we all got into quite the discussion about the creative use & application of her empathic/psionic power-set (when it returns). In particular, I was really into developing what I'll dub, a "spirit" animal aspect to her abilities.

Oh, and doing pic searches for her the other day, I came across these (and MORE!) & just HAD to share:

... as they exemplify perfectly, one of the MANY things that's SO awesome 'bout Dani, her no-nonsense attitude!

[Havok83]

She beat up a little girl

[lurkerforyears]

For me the power of Dani is more similar to the Mastermind family or the misdirection of Fantomex.
Fantomex can create an illusion of the thing that would confuse or distract you most. He stopped a car by making the driver see on the road and asking for a ride Brazil's volleyball team.

For me that is exactly how Dani's powers should work imo and I would have liked to see Fantomex train a re powered Dani.

I also don't consider Empath a telepath. His powers should be all biochemistry. He can change your emotions and sensations the same way a psychiatrist can with Prozac and other drugs. Just much better.
It would also allow him a lot of New things. Sedation of people like an anesthesia or causing menstrual cramps or vertigo, loss of equilibrium etc

[Havok83]

For me the power of Dani is more similar to the Mastermind family or the misdirection of Fantomex.
Fantomex can create an illusion of the thing that would confuse or distract you most. He stopped a car by making the driver see on the road and asking for a ride Brazil's volleyball team.

For me that is exactly how Dani's powers should work imo and I would have liked to see Fantomex train a re powered Dani.

I also don't consider Empath a telepath. His powers should be all biochemistry. He can change your emotions and sensations the same way a psychiatrist can with Prozac and other drugs. Just much better.
It would also allow him a lot of New things. Sedation of people like an anesthesia or causing menstrual cramps or vertigo, loss of equilibrium etc

Its not biochemistry; its pure mental with him. He uses his mind to override te minds of his targets in order to manipulate thier emotions. There was a NM issue where he tried this on Emma but failed bc her mind was stronger than his. What you describe there is more akin to pheremone control, like Stacy X

[Heroine Addict]

She beat up a little girl

With good reason:

... AND:



... so more like the lil' brat deserved a spankin', I would say, and she got one! 8p

[lurkerforyears]

Its not biochemistry; its pure mental with him. He uses his mind to override te minds of his targets in order to manipulate thier emotions. There was a NM issue where he tried this on Emma but failed bc her mind was stronger than his. What you describe there is more akin to pheremone control, like Stacy X

In X-Men the 198 he rescues and calms down Amara when gone crazy because her boyfriend burned alive in the volcano they were exploring when he got mday depowered.
There he says love is just chemistry, talks of serotonin and of doing the same things a doctor does.

He has barely been used last decade, but the next time he was seen in the Maddie Pryor Utopia story he was back again just a shitty psychic like Karma. I liked the almost retcon more.