Origin
In the 1980’s Morgan was a highly successful glamour model. She eventually met and married rising young attorney, Henry Dubay. The two had a daughter, and all was well. During a still mysterious event. She gained the ability to generate colourful waves of force. With her success, she had enough money to retire from modelling. She created a costume for herself and became the vigilante known as Aura. She had always had a need to feel useful, and help others. But then the Brinkston event happened. Although she didn’t take part in the destruction of Brinkston, she decided to retire from crime fighting.
Her home life had improved, and she and her husband raised their daughter together. Even though she still wanted to go out and make the world a better place. She was fine with being a caretaker at home. But then Mr Monday and the Steel Army began making their terrorist attacks against Washington, for no other reason than Wanton destruction.
Man of War and President O’Brien were contacting former supranormals, and bring them out of retirement to combat this new menace.
Night Mask was the one who recruited her. Even though her husband had reservations.
Creation
Aura was created for the Protectors comic. She premiered in Issue #2 of the series. She was given a backstory as a successful fashion model, with a high-powered attorney for a husband. She is also one of the oldest members of the team in her late 30’s, early 40’s.
Aura was a short-lived vigilante before the Brinkston event, then she retired for a time.
Characterization
Morgan is a very mature woman and is often seen playing the role of caretaker and matriarch of the team. She has taken the younger heroine Arc under her wing and helps the young woman with guidance and support. She is often seen, watching and observing other members of the team, and tries to help them when she can.
She was the only one to notice that Amazing Man had been injured during an outing, and sought to get him help, but he turned her away. But she remained concerned. She was also distraught over the death of Night Mask. She tries hard to keep her family together but it is difficult. She also does what she can to keep the team on a united front.
Aura is one of the oldest, in age, members of the team, but physically the weakest. Lacking speed, strength, toughness, and any close combat ability. She was often defeated by foes, who were quicker, stronger, agile, and more combat capable than she. She never engaged in direct melee combat. She relied on engaging her foes from a distance, using her colourful force powers to repel her foes using force like projections. But sometimes this tactic failed and she would be defeated.
Although seen in much of the promotion based materials and on posters. Aura overall was a minor to mid-tier member of the Protectors, often seen in group shots or in the background. Although she and Arc were close. Arc saw more action than Aura, with her powers being more Offensive based, than Auras more protective and support based powers. Aura would often be seen caring for hurt teammates, rather than directly fighting.
Story
Within 48 hours, she was learning to use her abilities as a member of a team, training with Amazing Man and the Ferret. Although she and Amazing man failed to stop Ferret from ringing the training bell, she was impressed with his prowess and their ability to work together.
Within the week they were defending the city of Washington D.C. from the Steel Army.During a quiet moment, she got a chance to talk to Arc. They discussed the various issues they have with some members of the team, Both agreed that the Witch made them uncomfortable, but that the mean liked her. Arc then told Morgan that her time as Aura was the reason she wanted to become a superheroine. Morgan was delighted, and the two would go on to form a mother/daughter like relationship since Morgans own child wasn’t much younger than Arc.
Auras next mission was defending the Washington Monument, where she supported the team with her powers, she and Arc then spoke of how the public viewed them. But Arc was able to get the assembled crowd on their side. After the battle during a debriefing, she noticed that Amazing Man had suffered a deep wound, and showed concern for his welfare, and tried to stop the meeting. He told her it was fine, but she remained concerned.
A week later, she was inconsolable when the team discovered that Night Mask had been killed. She took it hard as he was the one who recruited her. Her husband was less supportive in his “consolation”. At their next meeting, the team was at each other’s throats, she and Arc were concerned that the team should be united and not divided. She attended Night Masks funeral, and defended the funeral when the Steel Army attacked, she used her powers to disable two of the armoured terrorists, all the while trying to figure out the Witch’s motives and powers. The team Defeated Mr Monday that day, avenging Night masks death.
She is later seen caring for Mighty man, who had been hurt during a training session with a crazed Amazing Man. Later that day the team received new Costumes. With Morgan taking an even more daring and sexy thonged look. At dinner that night, the Ferret grew concerned as he noticed she ate large quantities of food and drank Vodka. But he didn’t realize her bodies metabolism didn’t allow her to become drunk.
Receiving information that a new Villain named Wisecrack had plans for our dimension, she and the team went to his dimension. During the fight, she became surrounded by several demon-like creatures. Using her Force powers she repulsed them while observing the Ferrets wild behaviour, becoming concerned about his actions.
She supported the team in their efforts to rescue Arc and Gravestone. Later she is seen helping a prisoner walk to freedom. Days later when the all-female Cat Pack attacked, she was involved with the meeting and had to intervene when Amazing Man and Mighty Man to stop them coming to blows. She also opposed Arrow joining the team, due to his dangerous and murderous attitude.
Back at home, she was impressed when her daughter Melonie showed her a picture of Aura in the new Costume. Something her husband did not like. He began to argue about her maybe becoming a victim of her career as a Superheroine, and the near naked non-existent costume she wore. She explained she wore less as a model, he then exploded saying it was another reason she did not want to be a stay at home wife. Melonie stopped the fight, and the two were left standing embarrassed.
Later when the Cat Pack kidnap the President, she is a part of the mission to free him.
Even though the president is freed, his son is kidnapped. As the Protectors discuss what to do next, a vigilante named Miss Fury enters, and Amazing Man immediately orders her to be attacked. He tells Aura to blast her, without thinking. Following orders, Aura attacks but Miss Fury is too fast. She lands in front of the startled heroine and knocks Aura unconscious before being attacked by the other protectors. She is eventually subdued by the New Female Night Mask. With the misunderstanding out of the way, the Protectors and Miss Fury heading to rescue the Presidents son.
Aura plays an important role in the rescue. Airman carries her above the Mall and releases her. She falls towards the mall, surrounding herself in a force bubble to crash through the mall, without being harmed. Upon landing, she spots the president’s son, and dives towards him, and places a force field about herself, and the Presidents son. There she keeps him safe while the team defeats the Cat Pack.
Weeks later during the event known as Genesis, the Extra-Dimensional villain known as Extreme appears, in Los Angeles meeting out destruction and terror. The Protectors engage him. Extreme uses a portal to try and obliterate the City. With the help of Aura, the Wizard Zardi tries to stop it and fails. Causing the deaths of millions.
The team recovers and the arrival of the EX-Mutants throw things into confusion, and the teams fight. Even though Aura is seen helping Zardi, she joins the team against the EX-Mutants but gets knocked out by a blast from Bud. Later, things work out, and the Ex-Mutants help them attack Extreme. With Gravestone and Ackroyd in danger, Aura uses a force bubble to cover Extremes head, hoping that he still has to breath. He releases the two heroes, then turns his attention to her. He proves too strong for her and knocks her out.
After Extremes defeat, she returns home to find out that her daughter attempted suicide. After this event, Aura decides to leave the Protectors to make sure her daughter is taken care of. But she informs Henry, it’s for her, not him. At her last meeting, she informs Chalice, the new team leader, that she is leaving due to her family. He tries to get her to stay, mentioning the out date term “coloreds”. She rejects his offer and leaves along with Airman and Mighty Man.
Her departure is short lived as a threat of Cosmic scale, brings back the Protectors and EX-mutants. When it is determined that Amazing Man is under the control of an extra-dimensional entity. The Nowhere man shows up, saying he can assist. During the battles Airman and Arc are killed by a returned Mr Monday. The overall villain being the being known as The Great Question, who is opening dimensional portals around the globe killing millions. But the Great Question’s power grab has unforeseen results, it is pulling him apart due to the overpowering arcane energies. But due to his final portal, and implosion the fate of the world is sealed. Aura along with everyone on Earth dies in the explosion on a cosmic scale.
Major Story Arc
Aura’s Primary arc concern her tumultuous family life, and her wish to be a member of the Protectors and doing good. Her husband, a lawyer, had always intended for her to be a stay at home wife. But her career as a model was something she pursued more. Upon gaining her superpowers, she created a costume and became the vigilante Aura. Upon doing so she stopped modelling. This upset her husband who wanted her to raise their daughter and be a housewife.
After the Brinkston Virginia incident, she retired for 5 years until the Protectors sought her again. Much of the volatility in her home, is due to the fact that her husband wants her to stay home, and raise their child, yet she wants to help the people. He also dislikes the ultra-revealing costume she wears, which he considers her to be “Half Naked”. But Morgan is used to showing off her figure as a former model. Their daughter gets caught in between them, and is very proud of her mother, and wishes the fighting would just stop. Morgans daughter eventually tries to take her own life, prompting Aura to carefully consider. She eventually leaves the team much to Arc’s dismay, but returns when a worldwide threat happens, after reconciling with her husband.
Powers and Abilities
Due to an unexplained change in her metabolism, Aura can convert anything she eats into highly charged caloric energy. Discharging this energy into the surrounding air, she creates colourful fields of force. Since her body metabolizes the calories so efficiently, from food and drink, she creates no waste products, never gaining weight, and never needs to go to the bathroom.
Some of the stunts she has performed are listed below.
- Force Field: She can create a force field large enough to cover herself and several others. Once with empowerment by Eternal man, she was able to cover a large area. She doesn’t seem to be able to keep it up for long amounts of time.
- Force Expansion: She can expand the force field outwards repelling foes away from her.
- Force Blasts: Aura can release a colourful blast of concussive force that hurls enemies up and away, but leave them otherwise unharmed.
- Force Bubble: Aura can create force bubbles about herself or others. She has used them to slow her falls, crash through ceilings, or cut off oxygen if placed around a beings head. The bubbles can dampen impact from falls. Leaving her unharmed.
Fighting skills:
Physically weak, Aura possessed no skill or aptitude for physical combat and avoided direct confrontation, fighting from distance. She didn’t last long in close combat once a foe engaged her, being defeated quickly up close. So she was often relegated to a Support role instead of Combatant.
Statistics
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 130lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Relatives: Henry Dubay (Husband), Melonie Dubay (Daughter)
Citizenship: American
Place of Birth: Washington D.C.
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Superhero, mother, adventurer, Former Model
Education: Implied that she has some, or has graduated from College, degree unknown.
Costume Evolution
Aura is not a shy woman, and during her time as a solo heroine, she wore the costume on the left. it was a throwback to her days as a model. It was deemed racy but elegant with its open plunging V style monokini with flowing sleeves. With a golden belt, and sheer skirt. She wore a light brown domino mask and brown high heels.
Her second costume was MUCH more daring and revealing, retaining the plunging V design in the monokini with open sides, adding a full face mask, with opera gloves, and thigh-high heeled boots. She wore the most revealing costume of the team.