Dani Moonstar: Mirage Appreciation 2018

[Arachne]

Thanks, I tweaked her face shape a bit, so it's a little more oval now. Of anyone is interested she's in the Sims Gallery, along with Loki: AoA, under my username Arachne3003.

As for your questions:

1. Dani doesn't appear as much in Fearless Defenders as much as we were led to believe, but she's well written when she does appear.

2. John F Moore's is absolutely worth checking out. It's the closest any writer's really come to capturing the feel of the early New Mutants. Dani's powers do get really screwed up, though. IIRC, there was a lot of editorial interference in the story, as well.

3. Probably her stint as an undercover agent for SHIELD. It runs sporadically through a good chunk of X-Force

[norj]

2. X-Force (Vol. 1) - I skipped this series and never went back to check it out. Dani is featured throughout the second half. Is this worth checking out beyond the summaries?

X-Force 70-101 also known as X-Force Road Trip, features the first appearance of Jessie Bedlam, the return of Tarot, Alison Crestmere as a villian, Dani's quantum powers, Karma coming out of the closet and ties up several loose ends.

[sungila]

1. Dani doesn't appear as much in Fearless Defenders as much as we were led to believe, but she's well written when she does appear.

2. John F Moore's is absolutely worth checking out. It's the closest any writer's really come to capturing the feel of the early New Mutants. Dani's powers do get really screwed up, though. IIRC, there was a lot of editorial interference in the story, as well.

3. Probably her stint as an undercover agent for SHIELD. It runs sporadically through a good chunk of X-Force

X-Force 70-101 also known as X-Force Road Trip, features the first appearance of Jessie Bedlam, the return of Tarot, Alison Crestmere as a villian, Dani's quantum powers, Karma coming out of the closet and ties up several loose ends.

I missed these responses. Thank you for your input.
So, from what i gather, Dani's run in X-Force Vol 1 is worth checking out and Fearless Defenders is well written - so I guess I have some shopping to do

Here's a fight I sorely wish Dani had won. I have an idea fanfic/fanfix of Dani challenging Hope right in front of all her Messiah true believers...now, after everything that has happened. The ultimate embodiment of mutant stength vs. the ultimate embodiment of human strength...make it a throwback to when Cyclops and Storm battled for leadership of the X-Men...it'd be a great way to bring both these characters back into focus...to bring a new beginning out of the old beginning that caused nothing but division, confusion and frustrated storylines that don't budge or progress beyond what should have been concluded a long time ago...I'd place the next fight in UXM and have Illyana ensure everybody back off - saying one of her defining lines like - "This needs to happen"

NM1-1.jpg
NM2-1.jpg
HopeVsDani_2.jpg

The idea is that after Dani wins the rematch she says something like "It's not our powers that were broken...it was our spirits. You were right Hope, there's no such thing as a Messiah, there's just people who loose their way, forget who they are and what matters most to them. Fear can make villains the same way it makes saviors. We've been waiting for a miracle for too long - giving our power away and looking outside ourselves for what we've lost within. You should get that more than anybody Hope. I don't care who your God is, what you believe your mission or responsibility is - everybody here needs to look around and ask themselves why they feel alone...why the people you once called family, people who risked their lives for you, people who you would've died to protect, you can't even look in the eye. Who you love is who you fight for. Who do you love X-Men? Do you love? What do you hope will come from this? I see death, I'm not a mutant and I don't need my Valkyrie powers to sense what hangs over us all - I see death, but I hope to Creator there's life beyond this. Who we were is gone."

[gambitxremy]

I just want dani in the comics again

[norj]

Dani finally killing Donald Pierce was one of best parts of House of M.

[gambitxremy]

Isn't dani moonstar immortal

[sungila]

Dani finally killing Donald Pierce was one of best parts of House of M.

I never read this.
What is this from?

[sungila]

Isn't dani moonstar immortal

Always debatable.
I suppose Hela could restore Dani, Magik could always find a means for conjuring her back...who knows?

But I do think Dani is still de-powered and mortal. She has Valkyrie powers but I think she can still die.
I didn't read Fearless Defenders so I'm not completely sure.

[norj]

Isn't dani moonstar immortal

Dani has the ability to fight off Death and is technically a goddess, but no she is not immortal.

I never read this.
What is this from?

New X-Men: Academy X issuse 16 - 19, Wallflower and her father are the main villains.

[gambitxremy]

Dani has the ability to fight off Death and is technically a goddess, but no she is not immortal.



New X-Men: Academy X issuse 16 - 19, Wallflower and her father are the main villains.

Danis a goddess?
Also of dani does die doesn't she become a full valkery

[Hekabolos]

Agreed, Dani is definitely the standout character in The New Mutants. One of the most believably human characters that Claremont's ever written, as she switches between rebellious teenager, maternal "big sister" to Rahne, cool-headed leader in contrast to Sam's lack of confidence. As with most of the New Mutants apart from Cannonball, she's been pretty much relegated to limbo since that book finished. Sure there's been the odd appearence here and there, but no-one's quite spent the time developing her character that Claremont did.

It's amazing to me that Sam and Bobby have appeared so consistently since the end of the original New Mutants while Dani and Xi'an have only occasionally been given the spotlight. The two women are, in my opinion, far stronger characters and much more compelling than either of the boys, with far more storytelling opportunities.

Danis a goddess?
Also of dani does die doesn't she become a full valkery

Huh. That's a good question. Dani's status and relationship to the Valkyries has been so haphazardly explored over the years that I have no idea what would happen to her if she died, or if she is technically a goddess or just a mortal with a goddess' powers...sometimes.

[norj]

Danis a goddess?
Also of dani does die doesn't she become a full valkery

Valkyries are the adopted daughters of Odin some mortal, some immortal who gather the souls of those slain in combat, all are death goddesses. There is a ritual to turn Dani into a full Valkyrie, but she has chosen not to undergo it.

[gambitxremy]

Dani is a death goddess

[Omegastorm]

Dani is a death goddess

This is true. I would love to see a clash between her ancestral roots and her connection between Asgard.

o

[sungila]

I would love to see a clash between her ancestral roots and her connection between Asgard.
o

A sorta Dani Lifedeath soul journey. I like how you think O.

IMO Dani is already this 'clash' of spiritual heritage. I do think that a good writer could explore this more. She has so much potential that has barely been touched, in part, because of its delicate power. Dani isn't a simple woman protagonist that can be pasted into any old plot. Being both Cheyenne and deeply connected to Maheo (creator) and also connected to ancient Germanic paganism and the Gods and Goddesses of Asgard; she is at the same time a grounded heroine who stands for both the social ideal of personal sovereignty for the individual and also the collective 'dream' of integrated coexistence - which extends beyond gender, mutant/human or Native/post-colonial conflict into the spirit realms of heavens and into the Earth...to the galaxies...but also, inward into the deepest roots of our universally shared human experience.

Dani is absolutely human. It's this brave humanity and will that makes her such a powerful conduit for spirit, for ideals and for the faith others invest in her that make her a natural leader.
Perhaps at our deepest core of identity we are all warriors and hunters...dedicated to a family, a people, a home, a land, and a spirit greater than ourselves. We are at once utterly alone in our uniqueness and intricately woven into a universal continuance. We live to our fullest and yet all we do is in service to death...not to resolve to ashes...but to keep the connection between all the ancestors we share and the children we share strong.

It's cool that her code name was Mirage. A word that comes from the Latin mirari which means 'to wonder at' and is the same root as "mirror" or to "admire." A naturally occurring hallucination...that's not a hallucination at all...but a vision born of light, land and the individual where she stands and sees...what isn't there...and with or without mutant powers - she is, we all are, the admiring mirror - the Mirage.