| Raza | |
|---|---|
 Raza Longknife. Art byBilly Tan. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977) |
| Created by | Dave Cockrum[1] |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Raza Longknife |
| Species | Extraterrestrialcyborg |
| Team affiliations | Starjammers |
| Notable aliases | ZZZXX |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, enhanced agility, speed, reflexes Skilled hand-to-hand combatant. |
Raza Longknife is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character is usually seen in theX-Men series and various spin-offs. He is the last known surviving member of his unnamed alien race (which chose to die en masse in one final battle against theShi'ar empire as the culmination of their warrior culture), and a member of theStarjammers.
Dave Cockrum created the Starjammers with the intent of having them star in their own series. However, when he submitted the concept for Marvel's two try-out series,Marvel Spotlight andMarvel Premiere, he was repeatedly informed that these series were booked for two years solid. Running out of patience, Cockrum showed the Starjammers toX-Men writerChris Claremont, and convinced him to use the characters for this series.[1]
While imprisoned on Alisbar, Raza Longknife (his last name is an English translation of his true last name) met and formed the band of smugglers and space pirates known as theStarjammers; withCorsair,Hepzibah, andCh'od, and associated himself with the group.[2] He is a cyborg, being partly living flesh and partly machine. Because Raza speaks an archaic dialect of his native language, his words are translated into an equally archaic form of English, which can be both an annoyance and a source of amusement to his allies. Raza was married, though his wife is now deceased, and he has a son named Rion. "His initial grudge against the Shi'ar came about when their former emperor,D'Ken, slaughtered Raza's race of people, butVulcan became the focus of Raza's rage after he murdered Raza's friend Corsair."[3]
With the Starjammers, he came to the aid of theX-Men againstD'Ken'sImperial Guard.[4] Much later, with the other Starjammers, he fought off an alien attack on theStarjammer vessel.[5] He engaged in mock combat withCarol Danvers, after she joined with the Starjammers.[6] With the Starjammers, he aided theNew Mutants in combat against theMagus.[7] Together with Danvers, then known as Binary, he sought the "map-rod" holding information on the location of the "Phalkon" power source; this power source turned out to be thePhoenix. Raza and the Starjammers were attacked byDeathbird'sShi'ar starships. With the Starjammers, he first met and foughtExcalibur on Earth and aided a rebellion against Deathbird on a Shi'ar border world.[8] Raza was later captured by theWarskrulls, and impersonated by one of them, but was ultimately freed by the X-Men.[9]
Alongside Hepzibah and Ch'od, Raza battledWonder Man during theKree/Shi'ar War, while escorting the Shi'ar nega-bomb to the Kree Empire.[10] With Hepzibah, Raza accepted an assignment from a former Kree admiral to kill theBlack Knight in hopes of being reunited with his son. With the Starjammers, Raza visited theAvengers and Binary on Earth, and Raza fought and seriously injured the Black Knight. Raza battledHercules, but was defeated by theVision. Raza confided in Binary, who reconciled him with the Avengers. He fell out with Hepzibah, but returned with the Starjammers to the Shi'ar Empire.[11]
Raza has suffered from the death of his loyal friend Corsair.[12] He has also dealt with Hepzibah being stranded on Earth although several X-Men have remained with the Starjammers.[13]
In the "X-Men: Kingbreaker" miniseries, Raza was infected and became reluctant host to the aliensymbiote known as ZZZXX. The symbiote-controlled Raza subsequently becomes a member of EmperorVulcan's Imperial Guard. In the concluding events of theWar of Kings, Raza was incapacitated by theNova Corps and is presumed to be receiving expert medical attention to remove the symbiote.[14]
Raza has been converted into a cyborg, with various bionic body parts, including his left eye, his left arm and hand, and much of his face and thorax. This gives him superhuman strength, enhanced agility, speed, and reflexes thanks to his robotic parts. Raza's cyborg body contains computers that he can utilize for various tasks. Raza can convert his bionic left hand into a bladed weapon at will. His cyborg body contains advanced sensor systems and atmosphere processing systems that enable him to breathe in various alien environments. He is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, trained in various forms of combat known in the Shi'ar Galaxy. He is a brilliant swordsman and marksman, with various forms of Shi'ar weaponry. He wears battle armor of unspecified composition, and uses Shi'ar knives, swords, and energy guns.
Raza appears as a member of theStarjammers, this time captained byDeathbird. He seems to have the same history as his mainstream counterpart.[15]
Raza Longknife makes non-speaking cameo appearances inX-Men: The Animated Series as a member of the Starjammers.[16]