Dazzler (Alison Blaire)

## Dazzler

**Formerly:**

* Gladiators
* Wildways Rebellion
* X-Men

**Dazzler** (real name: **Alison Bo Blaire**) is a former member of Charles Xavier's X-Men and a world-renowned musician.

## Pre-Marvel 2000 History

### **Origins**

Born to Carter and Katherine Blaire in Greendale, New York, **Alison Blaire** would first manifest her mutant ability to transmit sound into light when she was in junior high school whilst the aspiring singer was performing at a school performance. It was believed to be a technical display, a belief that Alison would use for much of her adult career until she finally revealed herself as a mutant. Under the moniker "Dazzler", she began a career as a musician and frequently used her abilities to enhance her performances, although she was never discovered.

### **Reluctant Hero**

Keen to be a musician and not a hero, Alison would first find herself interacting with the X-Men when they were attacked by the Hellfire Club at one of her shows. Angered by the disruption, Alison struck out at the Hellfire intruders and unintentionally left one of the henchmen catatonic. Although she would assist the X-Men in locating Shadowcat, Alison's adrenaline chasing was overwhelmed by their battles and she rejected their offer of membership.

Still, despite maintaining her mutant secret, Alison would find herself constantly drawn into battle against petty criminals and villainous superhumans, often at the expense of her career ambitions. It was during this period of her life that she began to experience heroism. She teamed up with Spider-Man, fought and defeated the rampaging Hulk, created a long-ruinning fued with Rogue and even embarked on a romantic relationship with Archangel. She was even offered membership amongst the Avengers, if she passed their audition, but she once again declined.

During her time in Los Angeles, to assist her step-sister Mortis with her ability to kill anyone she touches, Alison publically reveals her mutant status and it backfires. Her career is left in tatters. In a depressive state and forced into hiding, Alison becomes a keyboard player and back-up vocalist for mutant rockstar, Lila Cheney. It's not until she is possessed and freed from the control of the psychic mutant Malice that Alison finally accepted a role amongst the X-Men.

### **X-Men**

It was during her time with the X-Men that Alison not only gained a greater control of her powers but also met and fell in love with Longshot. Alison was forced to set aside her hatred of Rogue, after much contention between the pair, as they had to work alongside one another. Eventually, the musician felt her teammate was genuinely remorseful for her shady past and forgave her. After a bout with amnesia, after Alison and the X-Men ventured into the Siege Perilous, her memory was restored by Longshot. Once again depressed at the loss of her career, Alison agreed to follow her lover to his home planet of Mojoworld.

## Marvel 2000 History

For undisclosed reasons, Alison returned from Mojoworld without Longshot. Rebranding her artistry, she set about returning to the life she'd abandoned to become a hero. Fulfilling her dream, Alison has once again been able to return to the world of music and cast aside all of her heroic dalliances.

### **X-Men: Mutant Underground (2018)**

#### ***Song upon a Song (#1)***

Alison has been touring for a couple of weeks when she arrives in Atlanta, Georgia to perform at the Tabernacle. During her performance, the musician is surprised to find an incoherent and volatile Fever Pitch in the crowd. When attempting to talk him down, Alison is inevitably forced to engage in a brief battle with him. However, Fever Pitch loses control and explodes. Incinerating members of the audience. Alison is able to erect a hard-light shield to protect others but the event leaves her physically shaken. After she has been released from police custody and provided a statement about the event, she is visited by Shadowcat who has offered the assistance of the Mutant Underground as a place so she can recuperate. Aware that this is simply another trap to drag her back to the life she's struggled to leave behind, Alison is reluctant. However, when the pair are attacked by armed men posing as police officers, she is forced to accompany her former teammate to their compound.

As Shadowcat is summoned by Archangel, who has been financially backing the Mutant Underground, Alison finds herself in his line of fire. He's unhappy to discover that the Mutant Underground may have been drawn into the realm of heroics, which is wasn't designed to be. Still, at the behest of Shadowcat and Colossus, Archangel is forced to listen to their complaints and the danger that looking the other way. Although, Alison continues to maintain she isn't involved.

#### ***Anarchy of the Aftermath (#2)***

Despite her best efforts to remain uninvolved, Alison finds herself drawn into the Mutant Underground's argument. Unwilling to let the fighting drag on, she demands action and sides with Colossus and Shadowcat in the dispute. An agreement is made to return to the Tabernacle to investigate and Marrow is enlisted to assist them. Although the search is a waste of time, a warning from Blindfold gives them another lead that sends them to Athens, Georgia. As they're forced to prevent Spyke, a former member of the Mutant Underground, from losing control, Alison notices that he's sickly and wonders if that's what she missed when dealing with Fever Pitch. As he loses control, Alison is protected by Shadowcat, but she rightfully deduces that this is some variation on the Legacy Virus. Alison, along with Shadowcat, Colossus, and Marrow, is unable to save the youth and they can simply watch as he succumbs.

## Trivia

* Dazzler was originally introduced as a disco queen. Her design and career reflected that. However, in a modern age, Dazzler has readjusted her music career to become more a "bubblegum pop" performer and found an entirely new, millennial fanbase as an artist.
* Dazzler's (non-canon) middle name at Marvel2000, "Bo", is a reference to the actress Bo Derek who was the inspiration for her design after proposals for her to be inspired by Grace Kelly were rejected.