Origin
Lupa is one of the younger members of the Savage Land Mutates team leader by Brainchild. Created using a similar process that was used to create himself and the original Savage Land Mutates (Piper Brainchild, Amphibius, Barbarus, Lupo, Equilibrius and Gaza) by Magneto, she is one of the more recent additions to the team created around the same time as Leash. The process of being turned into a mutate being a process of hyper accelerated evolution of animalistic species although that same technology can be used to devolve species as well or generally tamper with a subjects genetic structures. Brainchild sends Lupa on a mission to subvert his hated enemies the X-Men, attempting to orchestrate their downfall. After they crash-land in Antarctica near the Savage Lands Lupa is sent to seduce and manipulate Beast and infiltrate the United Tribes of the Savage Land, a peaceful group of various Savage Land species coexisting.
Creation
Lupa is a Marvel comic book published character, created by writer Chris Claremont and artists Kevin Sharpe, Danny Miki, and Larry Slacker. The character first appears in the X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land mini series, appearing in the second issue X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land #2 – Deluge released in 2002. The character may share an unknown connection with another Savage Land Mutate Lupo, or they may simply just have similar names.
Character Evolution
Lupa is introduced in the X-Treme X-Men mini series focusing on the Savage Land in 2001. She is introduced as a Savage Land mutate under the thrall of Brainchild and introduced alongside another new Savage Land character Leash. The Savage Land Mutates predate this mini-series by a considerable amount first appearing in 1969, the creation of Magneto’s experiments to create super powered mutants from the indigenous species of the Savage Lands. The original Savage Land mutates were created by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams and Tom Palmer. Lupa continues the tradition of having accentuated characteristics loosely based on an existing animal species, in her case grey wolves (canis lupus).
Major Story Arcs
Savage Lands
Lupa is acting as a double agent on behalf of her master Brainchild’s will, she has used her natural super powers, enhanced pheromones and enhanced their potency with the blood lotus flower to lull the X-Men member Beast and sap him of his will, making him increasingly subservient and allured by her. Beast would wake up in the encampment of the United Tribes of the Savage Land, a peaceful and orderly zone in the otherwise brutal and chaotic land. Beast had been traveling with the X-Men, Rogue, Storm, Sage, Bishop and Thunderbird to the Savage Lands to drop of The People lead by C’rel and Khadar, and investigate the source of Rogue’s recurring nightmares. Lupa would isolate Beast and start endearing herself to him, using her power and a will sapping flow. Her would quickly become more smitten with the feral woman. She would report back her success to Brainchild who would warn her about the price of failure.
Conflict
The leader of the United Tribes Delage informs the X-men and Saurid refugee group that a competing group of violent and savage saurids brings violence and conflict to their group. C’rel is saddened by this news as she was hoping to have put fighting behind her and her people. Beast pledges the help of the X-Men to ward off the violent groups hostility. C’rel is reluctant but decides that it is worth it to fight for her dream and she lends support to Delage and stands beside him when they rally their troops to prepare for battle against the violent band of saurids. She also believes that this opposing violent group may be holding members of her people hostage. The group led by Delage and C’rel head into the wilder areas of the Savage Land, backed by Rogue, Thunderbird, Beast and Lupa. The first opposition comes from Pterosaurs that swoop from the sky, Beast at this stage is completely under Lupa’s influence and she compels him to not alert the main party, as the two kiss. From here on Lupa would continue to subvert the groups mission endangering them further and further.
Powers and Abilities
Lupa possesses enhanced strength, speed, durability, agility, senses and resilience, as a result of her mutated physiology. Lupa can also use her pheromones to place others under her will and to also control animals. Her fiercest weapon is a pack of large Dire Wolves that are kept under her control.
Physical Characteristics
- Height: 5’1″
- Weight: 161 lbs.
- Hair: Black
- Eyes: Yellow