Lilandra

Origin

Princess Majestrix Lilandra Neramani was born on Aerie (now called Chandilar), the home world of the Shi’ar Empire, one of four royal offspring.

Creation

Lilandra first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #97 and was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.

Character Evolution

Her older sister Deathbird was banished after murdering their mother and sister, leaving the throne to their brother D’ken. Lilandra served as the Grand Admiral of the Imperial Guard under Majestor D’Ken, until she learned of her brother’s insane plans for the M’Kraan Crystal. When she opposed him in the Shi’ar High Council, D’ken had her arrested. Before he could execute her, Lilandra escaped and fled to Earth. She was aware of Professor Xavier’s powers and had established a psychic link between them, which allowed her to send him warning visions of her coming. The Shi’ar observer of Earth, Davan Shakari, was waiting, and captured Lilandra when she finally met Xavier. Davan Shakari took her to the M’Kraan Crystal through a stargate, with Xavier and the X-men following. Using the powers of the Phoenix, Jean Grey and the X-Men stopped D’ken from destroying the universe with the M’Kraan Crystal. D’ken survived, but was catatonic.

While the Shi’ar High Council debated the successor to the mad majestor, Lilandra went back to Earth with Xavier and the X-men. There her relationship with Xavier grew. Lilandra was made majestrix, and returned to the Shi’ar Empire with Xavier – who believed his X-Men had died in battle. When he learned differently, and when he realized Jean Grey needed his help, Xavier returned to Earth. But he was unsuccessful. The Dark Phoenix annihilated an inhabited Shi’ar planet, and Majestrix Lilandra ordered her extermination. Xavier convinced Lilandra to allow Jean Grey a trial by combat instead, which ended when Jean sacrificed herself.

Meanwhile, the exiled Deathbird formed an alliance with the Badoon, the Brood, and the Shi’ar Lord Samedar to overthrow Lilandra. With the help of the X-men, the Brood were defeated, but Deathbird claimed the Shi’ar throne. Lilandra fled, and sought asylum and help from the Starjammers. Even as a majestrix in exile, Lilandra was able to organize the intergalactic trial of Reed Richards for the crime of saving Galactus.

Lilandra was still trying to regain her empire, when she sensed Xavier’s failing health through their psychic bond, and had the Starjammers rush to Earth. They took Xavier with them to heal his injuries with Shi’ar technology. Recovered, Xavier ended up joining Lilandra and the Starjammers, as Deathbird’s pursuit of her sister prevented him from returning to Earth.

In her reign as the empress, the empire has been in troubled times. The Skrulls tried to infiltrate and control the Shi’ar Council, declared war on the Kree, and have battle against the Phalanx and the Uncreated. Perhaps the most devastating experience Lilandra had to go through was when Cassandra Nova control Charles Xavier, who mind controlled Lilandra into commanding the Shi’ar fleet to attack Shi’ar territory and destroying all of the mutants on Earth. In a fit of rage, Lilandra tried to kill Xavier, not knowing that he was also controlled, but the Shi’Ar took her away and prompted Jean Grey to transform into the Phoenix force. With these events, the Shi’Ar council decided to annul the marriage between Lilandra and Charles.

Major Story Arcs

The Rise of Emperor Vulcan

As she was about to return to her duties as the empress, she was jumped by Chancellor Araki, who revealed to be part of the empire secret order to plot a coup d’etat to place D’Ken backed into the throne. Lilandra then escaped, with the help of the Shi’ar guard still loyal to her and surprisingly found out that Charles had been captured and that the X-Men together with the Starjammers where going to help her regain her rightful place on the throne and save Charles. Lilandra becomes more assertive going as far as breaking out her uncle, an exiled Shi’ar General Ka’Ardum, who betrayed her during a failed military coup, to take on D’Ken. In the ensuing battle between Shi’ar soldiers loyal to D’Ken, those loyal to Lilandra, the X-Men and the Starjammers, Vulcan killed D’Ken after the wedding ceremony to Deathbird, declares himself emperor of the Shi’ar with Deathbird as his empress, and kills his father, Corsair. Lilandra then assures Charles safety with some of his X-Men by sending them back to earth while she stayed behind to fight to regain her title as empress of the Shi’Ar empire.

With the Shi’Ar displeasure with the false Emperor Vulcan Lilandra aided by General Ka’Ardum and the soldiers still loyal to her aided by the Starjammers now led by Corsair’s elder son Havok continue to raid and amass their military force to fight Vulcan when a third more powerful alien faction joins the battle at Feather’s Edge. Scyar’tal are determined to exterminate the Shi’Ar so the two enemies ally themselves to fight their common threat. While Vulcan intends to eradicate the threat, Lilandra shows a more merciful approach wanting to end the fighting and come to an understanding. It is Vulcan who gets what he wants committing Xenocide by using the weapon of Scyar’tal against their own forces. He is aided in this by General Ka’Ardum who advises his niece to flee while she can because he has decided to side with Vulcan as the Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire as he has proven to be a true Shi’ar taking the step necessary that Lilandra was unwilling to.

When the Starjammers were captured by Vulcan, Lilandra, Korvus and Marvel Girl where the only ones to escape.

Kingbreaker

Lilandra joins the Starjammers and uses the spies still loyal to her over the next months to find out the location of the Starjammers ship as well as find out where Vulcan has imprisoned the other members of the Starjammers joined by Korvus and Marvel Girl. Together the three cause Vulcan enough grief especially after they regain the Starjammer ship that causes Vulcan to commit a new group of Imperial Guards amongst them Xenith, a fellow Strontian and Hodinn a deranged man with the power of a star with the specific task of killing Lilandra and the others.

After she and Marvel Girl visit Gladiator at his home, where she distracts him using his weakness for her to her advantage while Rachel searches his mind for the location of Havok and the others, they quickly escape en-route for the The Hole which is an underwater facility on planet Kr’nn. However they encounter the radical new team of Imperial Guards determined to succeed in their assigned mission by Vulcan however the Hodinn with the Imperial Guard prove deranged as he almost kill everyone as he destroys the planet.

Determined they go in to extract the rest of the Starjammers from the Prison but arrive to find them already freed and Havok unwilling to leave till he faces Vulcan who has been visiting them in prison. However before they can discuss this the new Imperial Guards arrive they find themselves battling them. Till the old Imperial Guards show up together with Vulcan and Deathbird. She pleads with Kallark not to kill Havok but Gladiator doesn’t listen but luckily is distracted by Xenith. When Deathbird attacks her determined to kill her. Lilandra finds herself forced to defend herself and critically injures her older sister. Before she abruptly despite Havok’s objection initiates the teleport evac back to the Starjammer and proceeds to fly the ship away from Kr’nn with the Kree homeworld in mind.

War Of Kings

On Hala she seeks an audience with the new Kree King the inhuman Black Bolt wishing to seek asylum and warns them of Vulcan’s intention of conquering known space. Medusa, who speaks for Blackbolt however states that Vulcan wouldn’t attempt such. The Queen however is proven to be wrong when the Imperial Guards attack in the middle of a wedding ceremony and snatch Lilandra from right under their noses.

Vulcan who is in high spirits due to his victories against the Kree taunts Lilandra who is brought before him by Gladiator however later his moods sours as the Inhumans joined by the Starjammers retaliate with a vengeance. Furious Vulcan intends to kill Lilandra but is stopped by the General turned Admiral of the Shi’ar fleet Ka’Ardum. Vulcan opts to send Lilandra back to Chandilar to face trail certain that she will be found guilty and then he could proceed to kill her and has her escorted back by Gladiator.

The Starjammers joined by a faction of the Guardians of the Galaxy intercept the vessel carrying the exiled Empress back and try to free her. However Kallark quickly best them and soon recaptures Lilandra who again pleads with him and is shocked when suddenly Kallark turns on his own Imperial Guards and kills Smasher and declares he serves at the pleasure of Empress Lilandra.

With Kallark now at her side she accompanied by the Starjammers make it back to the Throne World where she meets with her secret supporters and during forum in which many of the Shi’Ar elected officials show their discontent with Vulcan’s current rule. She makes her bid to reclaim her throne. Thou while most of the council stand behind her their is still strong dissension among the people of Shi’Ar which shows as Pro-Vulcan supporters clash violently with the Lilandra supporters as she makes her way to the temple to be blessed by the gods and rightfully regain her throne. Lilandra shows doubt in her reclaiming the throne faced with such a divided crowd when the Death Commandos attack they believe chancellor Araki to behind this but as it turns out the Death Commando was merely a diversion tactic for the Fraternity of Raptors assassin Razor also known as Darkhawk who proves successful and fires a killing shot at Lilandra who dies in Kallark’s arms.

Powers and Abilities

Lilandra has peak human strength, speed, agility, endurance and reflexes and limited telepathic powers. She usually wears body armor.

Alternate Version

Earth-1610

In the Ultimate Universe Lilandra is a normal human (not alien or mutant). She recently entered the lives of the X-Men and Charles Xavier in particular as the Majestrix of the Church of the Shi’ar Enlightenment. She introduces their beliefs to Xavier as centering around worshiping a cosmic entity known as the Phoenix, and believes that Jean Grey may be the human host to the power of the Phoenix. Lilandra offered Charles funding for the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning in return for allowing her to perform some tests on Jean to determine if she truly is the Phoenix host. To prove her goodwill, Lilandra had a new blackbird built for the X-men. However, Jean didn’t like the experiments, and attacked Lilandra with her powers. Xavier was able to stop her, and Lilandra decided to postpone her experiments. Before she can do much else though, Lilandra’s assistant convinces her that Jean’s powers are natural. Along with a professional relationship, Lilandra has developed a romantic relationship with Xavier.

Despite Xavier’s “death” by the future mutant Cable, Lilandra has pledged to continue support for the school now run by former students Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey.

Earth-982

In the MC2 universe, the Shi’Ar throneworld is devoured by Galactus. With the help of the Imperial guard, Lilandra escape the planet before it was consumed.

Earth-295

In the Age of Apocalypse universe, Lilandra was killed by D’Ken when she tried to stop him from using the M’Kraan Crystal

X-men: The End

Lilandra is featured in this alternate future storyline, still heavily affected by the attacks of Cassandra Nova.

Other Media

Television

X-Men: The Animated Series

Lilandra appeared in the third season of the show, particularly in the adaptation of the Dark Phoenix Saga. In her first appearance, she asked help from Professor X to defeat her brother D’Ken. After defeating her brother, she and Xavier fell in love with each other up to the point when Lilandra even asked him to stay in their planet but refused to continue his dream of a peaceful co-existence between mutants and humans. Lilandra was abducted by Black Tom Cassidy with the help of Juggernaut and Gladiator. She was unconscious. To save her, Professor X made a telepathic link between the two of them but was destructed by the Gladiator. When Banshee accompanied the X-Men to their castle after knowing her location, the X-Men fought to save her even if they were clueless about who she is. Jean Grey then appeared and aided the situation. Lilandra then became a temporary ally during the Phoenix Saga. At the end of the series, Magneto received the news that Professor X was dying. To help his friend, he use his powers with the conjunction of Professor X’s and used it to contact Lilandra and give him a better cure in their planet. She was voiced by Camilla Scott.

Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.

Lilandra appears in the episode “It’s A Wonderful Smash,” voiced by Nika Futterman. In the show, she and the Supreme Intelligence are shown negotiating a peace treaty that will bring an end to the war between the Kree and the Shi’ar. However, the truce depends on the Guardians of the Galaxy being able to bring a cosmic artifact known as the Orb of Truth. After the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. and the Guardians are able to recover the Orb from the Collector, the treaty is successfully signed.

Games

Avengers in Galactic Storm

Lilandra appears in the background of the Chandilar stage, viewing the battle from atop her throne. She also plays a minor role in the game’s story mode, which loosely adapts the “Operation: Galactic Storm” crossover from the comics. The player must defend Lilandra from the evil Doctor Minerva, who seeks to assassinate her as part of a Kree plot. After Minerva is defeated, Lilandra orders a devastating attack on the Kree homeworld as payback for their treachery.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Lilandra also appears in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance game. In the game, the throne is taken from her by her sister, Deathbird. An optional quest involves whether the player saves her from her confinement. The player has to prevent the Shi’ar starship from self-destructing by smashing power nodes within a time limit. In one of the rooms that hold power nodes, Lilandra is seen hooked up to what is described as a “torture chamber”. To save her, a computer near her has to be smashed. It is very durable and hard to destroy, putting further stress on the objective to smash the power nodes before time runs out and the ship self-destructs. Also, if the power nodes are destroyed beforehand, the computer can no longer be harmed. If the player decides to rescue her, the Shi’ar would give Earth advance technology to wipe out all diseases and hunger on Earth and the Shi’ar’s technology will eventually enable humanity to colonize other planets. If the player doesn’t, the Shi’ar will refuse to help the heroes when they fail to stop an asteroid that comes to obliterate the Western coast of the United States. Outside of that, she has special dialogue with Storm when she’s trapped

X-Men: Battle of the Atom

Lilandra is featured in the mobile card game “X-Men: Battle of the Atom” based on the comic book story with the same name. Her cards are:

• Lilandra

Merchandise

• Lilandra was featured in the HeroClix figure game.
• A Lilandra figure was featured as part of a Marvel Legends fan poll from Hasbro, but did not win and never saw mass production.
• Lilandra was featured in The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection from Eaglemoss Publications as part of a two-pack with Professor Xavier.
• Hasbro later released a Marvel Legends Mystique figure as a Walgreens exclusive, which came with an alternate Lilandra head to allow her to impersonate the Shi’ar empress.