Samuel Guthrie

**Secondary:**
Guthrie Farmhouse
Cumberland County, KY

## Background

### 1987 - 2001: Samuel Guthrie

Samuel Guthrie is the first born of the Guthrie clan. From the moment he was a child, his father instilled with him the idea that he would one day become the man of the house & would have to start living up to the title at a young age. He frequently helped his father rout at their farm or wherever else he needed him while his sister Elizabeth was usually with their mom & their many siblings.

Like his father, Samuel planned on becoming a coal miner in their town after finishing to high school. Though his father forbade him from going until he was of age, him & Elizabeth snuck there with their cousin, Ray Jr. While inside, the three of them became trapped when the mine shaft collapsed. Because no one was working that day, the workers weren't too worried until Sam's younger sister Paige told her parents that him, Elizabeth & Ray went to the mines today. Their father immediately rounded up some of his work buddies to help him get rid of the rubble.

While panicking, Sam & Elizabeth both realized that they each had powers of their own. His sister exhibited superhuman strength that allowed her to remove the huge rocks but Sam could propel himself at superhuman speeds. After warning his sister & cousin to stand back, Samuel propelled himself at the rubble & was able to get them free.

The coal mine incident brought Samuel & Elizabeth to the attention of Professor Xavier, who was always looking for new students for his school. Sensing their kind nature, he asked their for their parents' blessing in enrolling Sam at the school & have him join the New Mutants. They allowed Sam to go but still felt Elizabeth was too young. Sam then left their large farming family in Kentucky to join the professor in Salem Center.

### 2002 - 2004: Cannonball

At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, the New Mutants were tutored by Professor X & trained in the use of their powers in the Danger Room. He formed close friendships with his teammates, Wolfsbane & Sunspot, and a friendly rivalry with Dani Moonstar (Mirage) who, along with Cannonball, was the team's co-leader.

Sam eventually became romantically involved with international rock star & mutant teleporter Lila Cheney. But due to the nature of Lila's career, their relationship proceeded slowly. But Sam quickly fell in love, even returning to his his hometown to introduce Lila to his family. His younger brother Jay may have liked her more than Sam did with the way he was following Lila around, which was surprising considering Jay was adamant on not being a mutant.

After given permission from the Professor, Sam & the New Mutants were allowed to attend another of Lila's concerts, where she was attacked by aliens. The New Mutants arrived & after Lila was captured, they met Gosamyr, another alien who offered to help get Lila. While tracking Lila in space, Gosamyr began to play on the emotions of Sam & Bobby but the women seemed to be immune to her powers. After arriving on the planet Lila was on, the New Mutants battled aliens & themselves, until Illyana attacked Gosamyr with her Soulsword & broke her hold on everyone. The New Mutants were captured by Gosamyr's family until Gosamyr rescued the New Mutants & Lila seemingly sacrificed herself to teleport Gosamyr's family into a sun.

### 2004 - 2010: Cannonball

Eventually, the New Mutants were introduced to the X-Terminators, a team of former X-Factor trainees. One of the new members, Tabitha Smith, developed a crush on Sam but he remained oblivious to this.  After hearing of an animal creature that was being mistreated after capture, the New Mutants abducted Bird Brain, a human-animal hybrid. When Bird-Brain decided to return home, the New Mutants followed. Upon arriving, they were captured by the Ani-Mator, the creator of Bird Brain. Rahne was accepted by the Ani-Mates & their blood-lust prompted her to never turn to her lycan form again. During the battle, Doug jumped in the path of a bullet intended for Rahne, killing him. Magik, in anger, threw Ani-Mator into limbo where he was eaten alive by demons. With a teammate's death hanging over their shoulders, Tabitha admitted her feelings & they began dating. Sam continued fighting crime with the New Mutants & X-Men after he graduated as Tabitha finished up her last year. Though they discussed her joining him on the X-Men, she instead joined joined forces with the mysterious war hawk Cable & became part of X-Force.

During his time with X-Men, Cannonball found his relationship with Tabitha strained. It was so strained that Tabitha turned to her teammate & former X-Man, Havok, for support. Sam began to spend a lot of time with Wolverine, training under him in combat. To make things harder, Sam left the X-Men for a brief period to help his ailing mother take care of his siblings. Upon his return, Tabitha & the other members of X-Force are killed when they were caught in the center of a Vibranium explosion. Sam then volunteered to go undercover & infiltrate the campaign of anti-mutant candidate Graydon Creed, using the alias "Samson Guthry." Despite the rather transparent alias, Sam was able to remain undetected during this time.

After the mission ended, Xavier gave Cannonball a note with the whereabouts of Lila Cheney. Sam decided to take time away from the X-Men, as the strain of his life began to get to him. While away, Sam learned that Lila had teleported herself back to Earth before the sun killed her & had decided to remain hidden in case the aliens were still after her. The two rekindled their romantic relationship for a time but Sam couldn't find peace with his life after Tabitha & the X-Force were revealed to be alive. Sam returned to the Institute, where he was hired by Xavier to become the school's flight instructor. In addition to his new job, Sam has resumed his on & off relationship with Tabitha.

## Romantic Relationships

* Lila Cheney: Girlfriend (2002 - 2003), (2007)
* Tabitha Smith: On & Off (2004 - 2006), (2007 - )

## Powers & Abilities

* **Mutant Physiology**: He can generate thermo-chemical energy & release it from his skin. The energy is used as a thrust to cause his body to be propelled through the air at great heights & speeds with considerable maneuverability. He can control his speed & direction through sheer act of will. He can fire it from almost any part of his body, to a wide variety of effects, such as channeling it into bio-kinetic blasts from his hands.
	+ ***Blast Field***: This energy also manifests itself as an impenetrable & virtually indestructible "blast field." The blast-field can function as a personal shield or extend to encompass others, shape the field around another person to imprison them, or absorb outside kinetic impact into his own energy supply & then re-channel it to increase the power of his blows. Sam is also capable of generating the blast field without actually having to blast off, though it takes him extreme concentration to prevent himself from propelling into the air.
	+ ***Enhanced Durability***: When using his powers, he possesses superhuman durability due to the energy field that forms around his body & is nearly invulnerable.

### Ratings

* **Acumen:** 3 - Average / Basic
* **Might:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **Quickness:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **Mysticism:** 1 - Nonexistent
* **Gadgetry:** 4 - Trained / Learned
* **Projection:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **Tactics:** 4 - Trained / Learned
* **Battle:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **TOTAL:** 104 - Power Level 3 / General Threat

* His best friend is Sunspot. He is also close friends with Magma & Wolfsbane.
* Since joining the X-Men, Sam has begun to participate in a racing contest with his teammate Wolverine. The event has allowed the two to bond & create a friendship that many don't get with him.
* He has a friendly rivalry with Mirage. He also has expressed a romantic interest in her. They have kissed a handful of times, half of them when they were drunk.

## Notes

* The original character of Cannonball belongs to the Marvel Universe.
* In order of children, it goes Sam, Elizabeth, Paige, Jay, Melody, Jeb, Joelle, Lewis & Cissie then Bonnie.