Lillie McGurty, the Spieler, literally dances on air. She can “spiel” whenever something compels her to, like a song, a tune or even someone who bangs at a tin can if it has a beat.
The Runaways first meet Lillie McGurty when they are accidently transported back in time to 1907 New York City. Slightly before this happens, glimpses are seen of an old lady speaking to a metal-winged man with deep scars all over his body. She says that he is her ‘angel’, that she regrets something, and is glad to get a second chance. What she is speaking of is refered to later. Fast-forwarding, the Runaways find themselves on a mission for Kingpin to steal an item he requested. When completing their mission, they are attacked by the vigilante, the Punisher, who tries to kill them. During their fight, the metal-winged man intercedes and grabs Victor Mancha, a cyborg who can control metal/electronics. The winged-man tells Victor a message from the old lady before the Runaways escape. They attach the device to their ‘ Leapfrog‘ and are sent back in time to the year 1907 in old-fashioned New York City. When a factory explosion distracts the kids from finding a way home, they come to the rescue, only to meet a man named Eddie Gunman who claims to be a “Wonder”, otherwise known as a superhero. He takes them to his hideout, “Camelot, and introduces them to other “Wonders” who try to protect New York City from the evil group, the Sinners. There, they meet Lillie McGurty, a young girl who can fly and dance on air when there is a tune or beat near her, who falls down to the ground after her friend Jacob stops playing his violin. She is also seen falling through the Runaway’s sleeping courter’s window when the charity ladies stoped singing “Nearer My God to Thee”, and Lillie says, “I was dancin’ on the charity ladies’ hymns– they was bleating “Nearer My God to Thee”– and I’m still forty feet up when they suddenly quit! That’s a bit nearer my God then I aimed be...” Throughout the story, Lillie is known to be spontaneous, funny, kind, and energetic. She also falls in love with Victor, even though another Wonder, Tristan, a metal-winged man, loves her as well. She tries to convince Victor to stay with her in 1907 because she is unaware of Tristan’s love for her, but he begs her to come to the future with him. A battle ensures between the Sinners and the Wonders/Runaways, in which Tristan tells Victor to take care of Lilie and he sacrifices himself to throw a bomb out of range to where it could not hurt the people, despite the fact that he despised Victor. He is later seen crawling out of the wreckage with deep scars covering him, as is in the future(present day). It is then that Victor tells Lillie the message from the future-Tristan. “This is your last dance. Your chance to change your fate. Leave this world for a better one…or waste your days in regret.” He himself believes that the message is from Lillie in the future. But sadly, Lillie is too frightened to go with Victor, and stays behind in 1907. The next scene shows the old-Lillie again, crying because she knows that sending Victor back to the past to try and fix things failed. The Runaways return to the future unscathed, all except for Victor who is heartbroken that his love, Lillie, didn’t come with them. They did however, bring a young girl Klara Prast, who was abused by her far-too-old-for-her husband. She has the ability to make plants grow. But at the end, Victor is seen crying over a black-and-white picture of him and Lillie in 1907 New York City.
