Blackfire

Current Events

In the recent issue of Red Hood and The Outlaws, it was revealed that thanks to a crazy plan by Roy, he manages to free and teleport Blackfire and himself back to the ship where she reunites with Starfire and apologizes for what she did to her. The two sisters arm themselves and leave the ship preparing to retake their home planet.

Origin

Komand’r is the oldest child of the Tamaranean royal family. She is the first princess born in 100 years and as such was showered with gifts, honors, and privileges. On the day Komand’r was born, the Citadel Empire attacked the western part of Tamaran and killed 3000 citizens in her name. Though she was in no way at fault, Komand’r is forever inextricably linked to that horrible day. She was also crippled as a child with an illness that took away her ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation allowing her to fly as most Tamarans could.

Because of her grim disposition, the subjects of Tamaran hate her. Even though she is the oldest and first in line of succession, she is denied her birthright to become the next princess of Tamaran to maintain the respect and prestige of the royal family. Her privileges, honors, royal style, and dignity are transferred to her younger sister Koriand’r (Starfire). Komand’r’s rage grows and her resentment turns to hatred for her planet, people, family, and especially her sister.

Komand’r’s rivalry intensifies when she and her siblings are sent to warrior training with the Warlords of Okarrar. Komand’r’s true feelings are exposed when she tried to kill her sister Koriand’r in a sparring exercise. She is expelled by the Warlords and Komand’r joins the Citadel swearing vengeance. She quickly rises through their ranks to become a warrior against her own planet.

Komand’r later betrays her planet by giving the Citadel detailed information about the Tamaran defenses. The Citadel conquer Tamaran with ease and the surrender contract includes the enslavement of Koriand’r. Koriand’r is never permitted to return to Tamaran or the Citadel will devastate their planet for going against the treaty. Komand’r is made her sister’s master and makes the most of her sister’s bondage with years of horrific torture and servitude. When Koriand’r kills one of her rapists, Komand’r sentences her to execution, though they are captured by the Psions before it can happen.

While captured by the Psions, both Komand’r and Koriand’r are experimented on to see how much energy their Tamaranean bodies can absorb before they explode from the overload. During the procedure, Komand’r’s forces attack the Psion ship to rescue her. When the Psions are distracted, Koriand’r escapes using starbolts, destructive blasts of solar energy, which were a result of the experimentation. Koriand’r, even after all her sister did to her, decides to free Komand’r who is still absorbing the experimental energy. As soon as Komand’r is freed she strikes down her sister with starbolts more powerful than Koriand’r’s own. She also regains the power to fly. She then has her sister restrained for later execution. Koriand’r escapes, steals a ship and goes to Earth where she joins the Teen Titans.

In the new 52 relaunch, Blackfire’s origins have been slightly changed. She was apparently never disinherited by her parents, as in the Starfire 2015 series Koriand’r mentions that Komand’r became the ruler of Tamaran when their parents were killed in an invasion. Blackfire is then forced to make a peace treaty with the invaders, the terms of which involve Koriand’r being exiled from Tamaran and enslaved (a change from the pre-Crisis storyline in which their father Myand’r is the one to make the peace treaty). Koriand’r and Komand’r are also shown to have been closer as children than in the previous continuity, where their relationship is almost always portrayed as antagonistic.

Creation

Blackfire was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, and first appeared in New Teen Titans #22 in 1982. She would make her full appearance in New Teen Titans #23.

Character Evolution

Komand’r was originally supposed to succeed the throne of Tamaranean, but replaced when her sister Koriand’r was born. She grew jealous of her sister, and began to resent her and her people. Years later, Komand’r got her revenge on her sister and people by joining the Citadel and revealing information on how to get pass the Tamaran defenses. After the Citadel conquered the Tamarans, unfortunately Komad’r was forced to be a slave and never to return to her planet or else, her homeworld would be wiped out. Over the years, Komand’r took her frustrations out on her younger sister, who became her slave.

Later, a group of Psion scientists captured the two sisters and preformed experiments on them, causing them to gain the ability to project starbolts.

Major Story Arcs

Rann-Thangar War

Komand’r is seen during the Rann-Thanagar War where she kills Hawkwoman in a chance to seize power. She also attempts to kill Hawkman and Hawkgirl, but ended up being defeated. Hawkman then hooks her up to Psion technology to strip her of her starbolt powers.

R.E.B.E.L.S

Blackfire returns in the pages of R.E.B.E.L.S. in which she learns Vril Dox plans to remake a planet in the Vega System for the Rannians. It just so happens that this planet occupies the very same orbital path as the now destroyed Tamaran. Seeing an opportunity to finally grant her people a planet of their own and to end their wandering, Blackfire and her Tamaranean forces attack. The battle quickly escalates as the Rannian forces are joined by R.E.B.E.L.S in their attempt to defend their planet. During the battle, Blackfire fights against her sister Starfire. It is then that Blackfire explains that after losing her powers thanks to Hawkman, she quickly gathered her troops and hunted down the Psion scientist who originally granted her powers and forced him to repeat the process.

The battle then takes a turn for the worse when two Green Lanterns appear and attempt to stop the fighting. Historically, the Green Lantern Corps were not allowed in the Vega System, so the Tamaraneans are far from happy when they see the two Green Lanterns. In an attempt to rid herself of the Lanterns, Blackfire zeta-beams herself along with Adam Strange and the two Lanterns to space where she orders the Lanterns to leave. While they talk, Thanagarian warships approach, after being asked by Vril Dox to do so. The better armed Thanagarian forces order both the Tamaraneans and Rannians to cease fighting and it is at this point that Vril Dox explains that he want this new planet to serve as a home for both Rannians and Tamaraneans, offering Blackfire and her people the chance to colonize one of the planet’s continents in the name of peace between the two alien races. Tired of wandering and seeing the opportunity for her people to prosper, Blackfire agrees.

Post-Flashpoint

In the new 52, Blackfire is queen of Tamaraneans, but is a prisoner to the race called the Blight. She trades Starfire into slavery as a treaty to protect her planet. Eventually, Starfire comes back when Tamaran is under siege thanks to Orn. Blackfire, pretending to be working with the Blight, tortures the captured Roy Harper. It is revealed that thanks to a crazy plan by Roy, he manages to free and teleport Blackfire and himself back to the ship where she reunites with Starfire and apologizes for what she did to her. The two sisters arm themselves and leave the ship preparing to rescue their home planet. Blackfire and Starfire attack the Blight and receive some assistance from Jason Todd and Roy and Kori’s old crew. In the midst of battle Komand’r gets a spear thrown through her stomach. In the moment of anger, Starfire goes nova and levels the area destroying a huge portion of the Blight and she defeats the Blight leader. After a week of the battle, Blackfire, still weak, is helped to her throne by her sister. The two share a moment saying they love each other and forgive each other for their past deeds. In her thoughts, Blackfire hopes to herself that the Blight leader was right in fearing the gathering of the Thirteen and Blackfire will sacrifice her sister if she has to.

Powers and Abilities

Blackfire possesses the powers of the Tamaraneans, which include super strength, stamina, and durability. Tamaraneans also have the ability to fly, but she lost this ability when she was young due to an illness. Thanks to the experiments done by the Psions she, like her sister Starfire, can project stellar energy from her hands as star bolts. Later after re-experimentation she would regain her lost powers along with the ability to fly.

Character Profile

• Height: 6’2″
• Weight: 140 lbs
• Eye Color: Green
• Hair Color: Black
• Skin Color: Orange
• Race: Tamaranean
• Place of Birth: Tamaran
• Marital Status: Single
• Occupation: Queen of Tamaran
• Known Relatives: Koriand’r (sister), Ryand’r (brother)
  
• Base of Operations: Tamaran

Other Versions

• An alternate reality version of Blackfire appears in Teen Titans Go! as a member of the Teen Tyrants. Unlike the original Blackfire, this incarnation is simply an evil version of Koriand’r rather than her sister. At an undetermined point, she is replaced by Gemini, who assumes her form and joins the Tyrants to bring down the team from the inside. The fate of the real Blackfire is not revealed.
• Blackfire briefly appears in an issue of The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, where she is shown as one of the villains who had been defeated and rendered unconscious by Hawkwoman and her friends.

In Other Media

Television

Teen Titans

Blackfire appears in the cartoon network show, Teen Titans two times. In the episode “Sisters” it is revealed she is a intergalactic criminal who comes to earth to use her sister as a scapegoat. Eventually the Titans save Starfire and discover Blackfire’s true plans. Starfire then confronts her sister and helps the Alien Officers in arresting her. Blackfire returns in the episode “Betrothed”. In the episode it is revealed she had escaped prison and became queen of Tamaran. She then calls Starfire to return home and forces her to marry a repulsive blob like creature named Glurdelskletch, saying it is the only way to keep Tamaran from being destroyed by his army stationed on the outskirts of the castle. However this is all a lie as Blackfire wishes to get rid of her sister so she can rule the planet. Glurdelskletch also gives Blackfire the “Jewel of Charta” which increases her power in exchange for marrying Starfire. The Titans reveal the truth to Starfire and she battles her sister again. Despite having the Jewel of Charta Blackfire is beaten by her sister and is exiled from Tamaran. Furious for being banished Glurdelskletch offers her to live with him to which she turns down and leaves the planet.

Teen Titans Go! (Comic Book)

Blackfire makes a few more appearances in the comic book which takes place within and after the ’03 series.

In Issue #7, which takes place sometime after her first appearance on the show, she returns to Earth claiming to have changed her ways and challenges Starfire to a friendly race. Starfire accepts but the Titans decide to keep an eye on Blackfire, still wary after her last manipulation. Their suspicions are confirmed when Blackfire tries to use traps to get the Titans out of the way so she could eliminate Starfire herself. The Titans overcome the traps and confront Blackfire who is forced to escape. Starfire tries to go after her but Blackfire manages to elude her, mocking her all the while.

In Issue #20, a virtual version of her is created by Gizmo to combat Starfire in a video game Raven and she were sucked into. We never see the outcome of the fight though considering Starfire isn’t seen advancing to more opponents. It’s assumed she lost since Gizmo was controlling the Blackfire look-alike and went to focus on Raven.

In Issue #36, she turns out to be the main antagonist, having hired the Gordanians to kidnap the Titans so she can take over Earth and sell off her prisoners as slaves. The plan fails however as Donna Troy (aka Wonder Girl) manages to form a team with the remaining Titans and pulls a Trojan Horse plan that allows them to sneak into Blackfire’s hideout and free the captured Titans. Blackfire herself is defeated by Donna and subsequently arrested with the Gordanians.

In Issue #46, we learn a bit about her origin as well as Starfire and their younger brother, Wildfire. It’s unclear of the relationship between her and her younger brother Wildfire, but by the look on her face when he was sent away after the Gordainian invasion, it can be assumed that she could have mistreated and ignored him. The reason for her being evil was because of jealousy. Although she was the most talented, her parents favored Starfire more because she was not only prettier, but also kinder. And although she is the eldest child, Wildfire was next in line for the throne after their father. However when the planet was attacked by Gordanians, their parents sent Wildfire into space (not unlike Superman) to preserve the family line. Not shortly Blackfire betrayed Tamarian to the the Gordanians. She “negotiated” a peace offering with the Gordanians by giving them Starfire (though unknowingly set in motion the events in the TV show’s episode, “Go!”. Meaning Blackfire was inadvertently responsible for the creation of the Titans in the first place.) The sisters’ parents died shortly after of broken hearts and Blackfire, being the eldest sibling, took over. Though it’s assumed her crimes were eventually found out which led to her leaving the planet and the crime spree around the universe which lead to her coming to Earth the first time.

The issue see Starfire supposedly reuniting with Wildfire, but it turns out to be Madame Rouge in disguise in yet another attempt to destroy the Titans. After they force her to flee, Starfire knows only one person who could tell Rouge of Wildfire’s mannerisms and goes to confront Blackfire in her prison. Blackfire denies any involvement in the scheme but Starfire doesn’t believe her and, furious she would stoop so low, disowns Blackfire as her sister. Vowing to find Wildfire on her own as “he’s the only family I have left”.

As stated, she appears in Issue 48 as part of the Teen Tyrants in the alternate universe series. Though as it was someone in her disguise, we never see the true version of her

Blackfire appears in the final issue of the comic (#55) where she invades the Tower with the Gordanians. However it turns out to be a nightmare conjured up by a villainess named Phobia, so it’s not real.

New Teen Titans

In DC Nation short New Teen Titans , Blackfire returns in “Blackfires Babysitter” where it is revealed she married Glurdelskletch and had four kids with him. She then invites Starfire to her home and asks her to babysit her children, who then attack Starfire. Meanwhile she is seen dressing up as her sister again and plans to take her place on earth and let her children eat her to which Starfire discovers and confronts her. Blackfire is about to blast her until her babies attack her, mistaking her for their aunt. Starfire watches in shock as the screen shifts to a Happy Mothers Day card from the Teen Titans. However since this is a comical take on the series, it’s highly likely all of this was meant as a joke and not in canon with the ’03 series.

Teen Titans Go!

Blackfire appears in the serie.

DC Super Hero Girls

Blackfire first appeared in Seson 3, Episode 11 “Day of Fun-Ship”, right after the events of “DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games” having her day dedicated to her sister, Starfire. The two of them have to fight King Shark.

Films

DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games

Blackfire is Starfire’s sister and a Student from Korugar academy. Since the moment she landed on the school, she shows nothing but disdain from her sister, embarrassed but her way of living (like fighting alongside non power students and performing heroics acts).

After talking with her sister, they make a pact: If Korugar wins the games, Starfire will join Korugar academy. If the Super Hero School High wins, Blackfire will keep in contact with her sister.

During the games, she and Bleez are set to compete against Supergirl and Starfire. Blackfire performance starts not so well, but she end up winning when Supergirl and Starfire ditch the game to save some citizens in metropolis.

During the final game, Lena Luthor launch her attack and Korugar Academy retreats. Now impressed with her sister actions, Black Fire is left behind by Principal Sinestro when she aid her sisters and the other heroes.

She is among the heroes that fights Brainiac, and after winning, she ask for a boom tube to return to Korugar, fully aware that she will be in detention for helping her sister. Blackfire decides to delay her departure to share a day with Starfire.

She is voiced by Hynden Walch.