| D'Bari | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Avengers #4 (March 1964) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) |
| Characteristics | |
| Place of origin | D'Bari IV |
TheD'Bari are a fictional alien race appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. They are most known as the people whose star system was destroyed byPhoenix during theDark Phoenix Saga (1980).[1][2][3][4][5]
The D'Bari appeared in the 2019 filmDark Phoenix with their leader Vuk portrayed byJessica Chastain.
The D'Bari first appeared inAvengers #4 (March 1964), the same issue in whichCaptain America was introduced to the modernMarvel Universe, and were created byStan Lee andJack Kirby.[6] Most of the D'Bari were killed when Jean Grey destroyed D'Bari IV inUncanny X-Men #135 (July 1980).
Since that time, the D'Bari have been shown in flashback inClassic X-Men #43 (January 1990), and later writers have asserted that a small number of D'Bari survived by not being on their homeworld at the time of its destruction.
The D'Bari are a humanoid plant species native to the fourth planet of the D'Bari system, located within the sphere of influence of theShi'ar empire.[6][7][8] The species are introduced when Vuk, a D'Bari who was stranded on Earth centuries prior, allies withNamor and petrifies theAvengers so he can retrieve his spaceship from underwater and leave Earth.Captain America, who was not among the petrified Avengers, promises to free Vuk's ship in return for restoring the Avengers. Vuk agrees to this and helps stop Namor before leaving Earth.[9][6][7][10][11]
During "The Dark Phoenix Saga",Jean Grey as the Dark Phoenix drains energy from the D'Bari system's sun to replenish her power, causing it to become asupernova and destroy D'Bari IV. After killing herself on the moon, Phoenix encountersDeath, who makes her relive the life of a D'Bari woman named Gvyn just before the planet was destroyed. As Gvyn, Phoenix meets two other D'Bari women who are trying to fix her up with a boy Gvyn had met at school, and she protests that she does not need a matchmaker. A moment later, they all see the sun go nova, surrounded by the Phoenix effect.[12][4][8][10][11][13][14]
Several D'Bari, including Vuk, escape the destruction of D'Bari IV by being off-world at the time. Vuk encounters a group of Xartans, shapeshifting aliens who invite him into their midst on Dandesh IV in the outer regions of theCoalsack Nebula. However, news about the destruction of his planet eventually reaches him. The Xartans pose as D'Bari in an attempt to elude theSkrulls, who sought vengeance on them for infringing on their "franchise" (the ability to shapeshift). Soon after, the Xartans encounterRocket Raccoon.[15][5][8][13]
Eventually, the Skrulls recognize the Xartans' ruse and beam down to their outpost. Unwilling to see his replacement family destroyed again, Vuk overloads his petrifactor, turning himself, the Skrulls, and everything within a 100,000-mile radius to stone for 100 hours.[15]
After being cured of the petrifaction, Vuk finds theCollector's "Prisonworld" and is captured to be added to the Collector's collection. While imprisoned, Vuk has a son named Bzztl viaasexual reproduction.[16] The planet is eventually found and consumed byGalactus due to the interference ofWolverine. Bzztl escapes, but Vuk goes missing.[17]
During the events of "Maximum Security", Vuk, now wearing a suit of armor and calling himself Starhammer, arrives on Earth and ambushes the X-Men. Vuk personally attacks Jean Grey to avenge the D'Bari. He recognizes that Grey is different from the entity who destroyed his planet, though he blames her nonetheless as she had summoned the Phoenix Force and her personality had shaped its form as Phoenix. In desperation, Grey telepathically convinces Vuk that he has killed her, sending him into a state of shock.[18][2][6][8][10][11]
It is later revealed that Vuk and the remaining D'Bari settled on another planet. However, his heroic status is eventually torn down when Jean Grey's mental alteration wears off. Exiled and shunned by his family, Vuk returns to Earth and encountersCaptain Britain andMeggan's infant daughter Maggie, whose mental faculties have developed so fast that she is capable of fluent speech and intelligent enough to carry a philosophical debate about the illusion of choice. Maggie convinces Vuk to travel to an alternate universe where D'Bari IV was not destroyed, allowing them to rebuild.[19][2][6][8]
