Guardian (James Hudson)

Dr.Wanted: Wolverine! Dead or Alive! - Chris Claremont & John Byrne - X-Men Volume 1 #120 - Marvel Comics - Published April 1979 - Retrieved 17 January 2025 James MacDonald HudsonHome are the Heroes! - Chris Claremont & John Byrne - X-Men Volume 1 #109 - Marvel Comics - Published February 1978 - Retrieved 17 January 2025 (d. May 1984) was a Canadian superhero and scientist of the 20th century who operated under the name Guardian.
Hudson was designated "Weapon Alpha" and dispatched to recapture his former friend. Recognising he was outmatched by the X-Men, he retreated.
== Biography ==
=== Early life ===
==== Education ====
James MacDonald Hudson developed his cybernetic helmet during his college education, which he was able to finance with a student loan from the Canadian government.Origins of Alpha Flight: Purpose - John Byrne - Alpha Flight Volume 1 #3 - Marvel Comics - Published October 1983 - Retrieved 21 January 2025
==== Private sector ====
Hudson found work with the Am-Can Petroleum Company in Edmonton, Alberta, who funded the construction of a mechanical suit for the purposes of mining over the course of four years. After being informed by Am-Can's CEO Jerry Jaxon that his invention would be sold to the United States Army. Outraged by the thought that the suit would be used in the Vietnam War, Hudson surreptitiously destroyed his blueprints and stole the suit to escape. He then abandoned it on a hillside and kept the integral helmet for himself.Origins of Alpha Flight: In the Beginning... - John Byrne - Alpha Flight Volume 1 #2 - Marvel Comics - Published September 1983 - Retrieved 21 January 2025
In his bachelor apartment overlooking the North Saskatchewan River, Hudson was surprised by the arrival of Jaxon's secretary Heather McNeil, who resigned out of sympathy for the troubled scientist. McNeil quickly discovered Hudson's crime and proposed marriage so that she wouldn't have to testify against him. Hudson expressed reluctance in pursuing a relationship with the seventeen-year-old McNeil but admitted he'd felt something when they had first met the day before. In response to Hudson's fears of being declared a criminal, McNeil proposed that he seek work with the federal government. After meeting with several Ottawa functionaries, Hudson's employment record was retroactively changed to indicate he had worked for the government for the past six years. He was then invited by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to head a top-secret project for the Ministry of Defense, Department H, which was named for him.
=== Working for the Canadian government ===
==== Establishing Department H ====
During his years of therapy, Wolverine at one point nearly killed the Hudsons, before they were able to talk him out of his homicidal rage.Rogue Storm! - Chris Claremont & Dave Cockrum - The Uncanny X-Men Volume 1 #147 - Marvel Comics - Published July 1981 - Retrieved 21 January 2025
==== Loss of Weapon X ====
After his encounter with the Hulk,And the Wind Howls... Wendigo! - Len Wein & Herb Trimpe - The Incredible Hulk Volume 1 #180 - Marvel Comics - Published October 1974 - Retrieved 21 January 2025And Now... the Wolverine! - Len Wein & Herb Trimpe - The Incredible Hulk Volume 1 #181 - Marvel Comics - Published November 1974 - Retrieved 21 January 2025Between Hammer and Anvil! - Len Wein & Herb Trimpe - The Incredible Hulk Volume 1 #182 - Marvel Comics - Published December 1974 - Retrieved 21 January 2025 and time spent in clandestine work for the Canadian government, Logan grew tired of working for Department H. When Professor Charles Xavier offered him a chance to use his abilities without working under the government's restrictions, he took it.
== Weapons and Abilities ==
=== Battle Suit ===
Hudson's self-designed battle suit imbued him with many abilities.
* Flight
* Force Shield
* Enhanced Strength
== Notes ==
=== Behind the Scenes ===
* Guardian was created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Byrne would later call working on storylines involving the characters of "Alpha Flight" to be "never much fun" and referred to them as "two-dimensional".BYRNE: THE HIDDEN ANSWERS - 22 August 2000 - Comic Book Resources - Retrieved 18 January 2025 - Archived 29 September 2000
=== Trivia ===
* Guardian visually resembles the Canadian-created comic book character Captain Canuck.Canadian Superheroes ? and not so super ones - 29 June 2014 - Niagara This Week - Retrieved 17 January 2025
== Links ==
* Guardian on Wikipedia
* James Hudson on the Marvel Database
== References ==
Category:Humans
Category:Heroes
Category:Superheroes
Category:Physicists
Category:Alpha Flight
Category:Department H
Category:Edmonton characters
Category:Ottawa characters
Category:Alberta characters
Category:Ontario characters
Category:Canadian characters
Category:Comic book characters
Category:Marvel Comics characters
Category:Creator: John Byrne
Category:Creator: Chris Claremont
Category:Deceased Characters
Category:1984 deaths
Category:20th century births
Category:20th century deaths
Category:Characters killed by explosions
Category:Characters that were burnt alive
Category:1978 debut