Darkstar (Marvel Comics)

Darkstar joins a Soviet super-team recruited to bring Natasha Romanoff (the Black Widow) back to the USSR.[3] She switches sides[4] and then fights alongside the Champions.[5] Iceman is smitten with her, but Laynia does not reciprocate his feelings.[2] She helps the Champions on a few more missions before returning to Russia.[6]

Darkstar becomes a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers with her brother Nikolai (alias Vanguard) and the Crimson Dynamo. The Soviet Super-Soldiers battle Iron Man and Jack of Hearts on the moon, but wind up helping them against renegade Rigellians led by Commander Arcturus.[7]

Later, Darkstar and Vanguard are sent along with new Soviet Super-Soldier Ursa Major by the KGB to defeat Sergei (aka Presence). Darkstar and Vanguard learn that Sergei is their father, and that Professor Phobos had exploited the Super-Soldiers. Darkstar helps free Sergei and Starlight, and defeat Phobos.[8]

The Soviet Super-Soldiers are then sent by the Soviet government to Khystym to battle the Gremlin. They fight the Space Knights Rom and Starshine, but later, ally with them against the Dire Wraiths. The Super-Soldiers befriend the Gremlin instead of fighting him.[9]

Afterwards, the Soviet Super-Soldiers agree to help bring Magneto to justice. They fight the Avengers, but turn against the Crimson Dynamo when it is revealed that he had been manipulating events.[10]

Darkstar, Vanguard, and Ursa Major defect to the United States seeking political asylum. They arrive at Avengers Island to ask for Captain America's help. They are beaten nearly to death by the Supreme Soviets, who had disguised themselves as members of the Avengers. The comatose subconscious minds of the Super-Soldiers form a "Great Beast" that follows the Supreme Soviets back to the USSR and tries to kill them. Captain America persuades the Great Beast to stand down, and the three Super-Soldiers later regain consciousness and recover from their injuries.[11]

The Soviet Super-Soldiers are captured and returned to the Soviet Union. They are rescued by Blind Faith and the Exiles (not to be confused with the reality-hopping team the Exiles), whom Darkstar joins.[12]

When the Supreme Soviets (who changed their name to People's Protectorate) are rechristened the Winter Guard, Darkstar is recruited back into the team. When that team disbands, Darkstar and Vanguard join a Russian mutant team, and later join forces with their father, the Presence.

When Vanguard dies on the Starbrand mission led by Quasar, Darkstar and the Presence decide to kill Quasar, who allows them to believe that they have succeeded while he has left Earth.[13]

Darkstar joins the Paris branch of X-Corporation,[14] in which she is possessed by Weapon XII, a creation of the Weapon Plus Project, and subsequently killed by Fantomex. A funeral is held at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where she is buried. She is temporarily resurrected by means of the Transmode Virus to serve in Selene's army of deceased mutants during their assault on the mutant nation of Utopia.[15]

A new, red-haired Darkstar named Sasha Roerich[16] who is genetically modeled to resemble Petrovna first appears as a member of the Winter Guard in Hulk #1. After being altered again by The Presence, she is transformed into a multi-tentacled Darkforce beast, before being killed by Red Guardian.[16]

With Sasha's death, Reena Stanicoff takes over the role.[16] She is killed during an attack on Winter Guard headquarters by a Dire Wraith, who then assumes her form.[17] Although the Winter Guard fends off the attack, her death is subsequently covered up by the government.

The Dire Wraith who assumed Reena's form is suddenly overwhelmed and taken over by Darkforce energy. Petrovna seizes control of the creature and resurrects herself.[17] She reunites with her brother Vanguard and returns to active duty alongside her brother and Ursa Major. She fights Hyperion.[18] She is later blasted into space with other members of the Winter Guard by the Intelligencia, but manages to survive.[19]

Darkstar is present when the Winter Guard is reassembled.[20]

Darkstar is seen as a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers.[21]

Different versions of Darkstar have been encountered by the Exiles:

• On Earth 3470, the native timeline of Heather Hudson of the dimension-jumping Exiles, the Soviet Union still exists. Darkstar is part of the Soviet Super-Soldiers.[22]
• An alternate version of Darkstar was shown in yet another universe. She was a member of the Republican Guard, Russia's superhuman team, alongside Crimson Dynamo, Omega Red, Gremlin, and the Titanium Man.[23]