RAY-NA
|
  Real Name: Ray-Na
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial
(Galadorian)
Occupation: Unrevealed
Group Membership: None
known
Affiliations: Prime
Director of Galador, Rom (lover), people of Galador and Agricon,
Spaceknights (notably Starshine/Landra
and Terminator)
Enemies: Dire
Wraiths
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
perished in the capital
city of Agricon (likely buried there), unrevealed
star
system (but presumably in relative proximity to the Taloman system
and/or the "Golden Galaxy"), Milky Way Galaxy (presumably);
formerly Galador, third
from the sun in the Taloman system, "Golden Galaxy," Milky Way
Galaxy |
.
.
 
First Appearance: Rom#5 (April, 1980)
Powers/Abilities: Ray-Na did not
demonstrate any superhuman abilities.
She was brave and
compassionate, willing to sacrifice her mortal life and the life
plan of happiness she had planned upon for the greater good.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'6" to 5'8"
(wearing high heels, she was a little shorter than the 6'1" human
form of Rom))
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 120-130 lbs.)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Light blue |
.
|
History:
 (Rom#40
(fb)) <200 years ago (see
comments)> - Ray-Na and her lover, Rom, spoke of
marriage and having children.
(Rom#1 (fb) - BTS / Rom#5
(fb) - BTS) - Ray-Na heard that Rom was the first to volunteer
to become a Spaceknight to combat the Dire Wraiths who
threatened not only their homeworld of Galador, but the entire
galaxy (or universe?).
(Rom#5 (fb)) - Ray-Na asked Rom
if he was the first to volunteer to combat the Dire Wraiths. When
he noted the danger to their world and society, she continued that
he had not answered the question, and she specifically asked him
if he would forsake his humanity to become a Spaceknight. Rom
answered with another question, "How
can I turn my back on Galador in her time of peril? Only the
young can wield the power that could expel the foe!"
Putting her arms around Rom, Ray-Na countered
that millions had volunteered, but he clarified that he was among
the thousands chosen as compatible with the cyborg armor of the
Spaceknights.
She replied that it sounded as if he was
proud/glad to be sacrificing his "humanness
to become heart and soul, part of some lifeless unfeeling
machine!" Rom assured her that he was not proud, but
rather terrified of what lied before him, but that he felt
duty-bound, as the Prime Director had said that only through such
sacrifice could Galador be saved.
Ray-Na asked if this meant the end of their
love, but Rom assured her that even if the war lasted for
millennia and spanned the endless void of space, their love would
never die (see comments).
(Rom#51 (fb)) - As Rom noted that the enemy drew nigh, Ray-Na
again asked (see comments)
why Rom must be the first to meet them. Rom told his love that it
was because of who he was and who he wished to be. |
.
.
(Rom#13/2
- BTS) - Ray-Na was present as the Prime Director announced that
the invading Dire Wraiths had been driven off, after which he used
his Globe of Power to cremate the fallen Spaceknights.
  (Rom#13/2) - Ray-Na was among the friends and
family who came forward to rejoice at the return of their loved
ones. Ray-Na said, "We come
bearing gifts, yet it was your who brought Galador the greatest
gift of all -- peace!" Rom told her that they had done
that which was necessary to safeguard the world which gave them
life "and the world which gave
me you, beloved Ray-Na."
Ray-Na then asked the world to give Rom back to
her, "not as a warrior, encased
in hard, cold steel -- but as the man to whom I gave my heart."
The Prime Director reluctantly advised all
present that while Galador had been spared, the war was not over.
He continued that the Dire Wraiths would go to other world in
other galaxies, less advanced worlds, less able to defend
themselves, and they would capitalize on those peoples'
superstition. Eventually the Wraiths would make those worlds into
Wraith strongholds that would eventually threaten Galador anew.
While Rom initially expressed frustration at
the Spaceknights not re-claiming their humanity, the Prime
Director elaborated that they could never enter into treaty with
the Wraiths and could only instead end their threat by destroying
them all.
The Prime Director advised Rom that he would
not command that they carry on the fight, but he requested that
they do so.
This time it was Ray-Na who advised Rom that
Galador had given them life and the chance to love, and that there
were lovers on other worlds who may die if they let the Dire
Wraiths escape. Embracing Rom's now 7' tall form, she told him
that she could never truly be happy, knowing that he had forsake
his duty for their love.
And this time it was Rom who questioned, "What of our future? What of our
love?" Tearfully turning away, Ray-Na told him, "Our love
can never die, dearest Rom! Go! Finish this war! End the threat of
the Dire Wraiths forever! Then return and reclaim your humanity~
I-I will be waiting~"
Briefly wracked by indecision, Rom -- though
it broke his heart -- made the decision, knowing that the other
Spaceknights would choose however he did.
|
.
.
(Rom#1 (fb) - BTS / Rom#13/2) - Rom led the other surviving Spaceknights in committing to scour the galaxy to
hunt down and dispatch the remaining Dire Wraiths.
(Rom#14/2 (fb) - BTS) - Ray-Na traveled to the planet
Agricon.
(Rom#14/2 (fb) - BTS) - Dire Wraiths invaded Agricon,
taking control of its capital and replacing a number of its people.
Ray-Na was taken hostage to be used to control Rom. A distress call was
either sent to the Spaceknights directly or via Galador.
(Rom#14/2 - BTS) - After receiving the distress call from
Agricon, Rom led Starshine and Terminator to warp through hyperspace to
reach Agricon. After Terminator discovered the locals to be disguised
Wraiths whom they dispatched, the Spaceknight trio flew to the capital.
(Rom#14/2) - Restrained at gunpoint by a pair of Dire
Wraiths, Ray-Na told Rom that Agricon had been lost and that she was being
held so that the Wraiths may destroy him. She told Rom not to hesitate for
her sake and to eradicate the evil ones. Considering that Ray-Na could not
survive the neutralizer blast with which he might banish the Wraiths, Rom
hesitated. 
Insisting that the Spaceknights and
Galador needed Rom, Ray-Na broke free from the Wraiths as she urged Rom
not sacrifice himself for her. One of the Wraiths mortally wounded her
with a ray-blast, after which Terminator dispatched the Wraiths, allowing
Rom to reach Ray-Na.
Rom told Ray-Na to lie still as help would be summoned,
but she knew that she was dying and that no one could aid her. She told
Rom that she did not fear dying as much as she feared what Rom's life
would become now that his faced the future without her.
Ray-Na further told Rom that while the war had
interrupted their love and made him a Spaceknight, the war was not wrong.
She urged her beloved to fight on, and perhaps when the war was won, they
would meet again. With her dying breath, she assured him that their love
would never die.
(Rom#5 - BTS) - In the modern
era, on Earth, Brandy Clark generated feelings in the now Spaceknight Rom
that reminded him of his feelings for Ray-Na.
(Rom#12 - BTS) - Injured and
floating in space following a conflict with Jack of Hearts (Jack Hart),
Rom thought of Ray-Na, the woman he had left behind at the start of his
quest against the Dire Wraiths.
Comments: Created by Bill
Mantlo and Sal Buscema.
"200 years ago"
The flashback in Rom#1 took
place "200 years ago," which would have been around 1780 A.D. when the
story was published in 1979.
The sliding timescale moves
that date way forward, and it would be around 9 years before the stories
currently being published in the Marvel Universe (so like 2015 at the time
this profile was written in 2024 A.D.).
However, I would think that
the date of initial Galador-Dire Wraith conflict should stay fixed in time
in the late 18th century A.D. rather than being moved forward
into the 1800s.
Or should it? Significant
amounts of time have passed that having it stay fixed in time would make
the initial conflict between the Wraiths and Galadorians 250 years ago,
rather than 200 years ago...
Decades
ago, I somehow came to believe that the OHotMU had stated that Galadorians
had lifespans that exceeded two centuries. Ever since then, I have
believed that that false data was inspired by the fact that the
already-elderly Prime Director was able to survive almost 200 years in
captivity and that the human cells contained within the Spaceknights would
also survive and be in a state which would enable them to be reunited with
rest of their bodies that were cryogenically preserved back on Galador,
and I had planned on mentioning that "false fact" in these comments.
However, when I checked the quarter-page profile on the Galadorians from
OHotMU II#15 while writing these comments, I was totally surprised to find
that there is NO MENTION of their race having an extended lifespan. While
I'm (reasonably) sure that I must have read it somewhere, it has left me
left wondering how and why I ever got that idea in the first place. Weird.
Another mini-Mandela effect.
--Donald Campbell.
Rom's statement to
Ray-Na in Rom#5 about their enduring love reminds me of the song "Thank
You" by Led Zeppelin in 1969. I wonder if Mantlo was inspired by that
song:
If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me
Rom#51 seems to
perhaps be repeating part of the flashback from Rom#5 where Ray-Na asks
Rom why he had to be the first to face the enemy. However, as pointed
out by Mike Castle, Rom's answer is different, and they are wearing
different clothing. I think the scene from Rom#51's flashback takes
place right before Rom headed into the Hall of Science to start the
process to become a Spaceknight. Or, maybe it took place before...or
maybe it was just artistic license.
Similarly, while we only see a single panel of Ray-Na
in Rom#12, it also shows a background different than others, so it may
be a new scene. From when? Who knows
Images of Ray-Na's face are shown in Rom#25 and 29 as
Rom considers those he has lost in his life, but there's no new
information about her.
This profile was
completed 11/10/2024, but its publication was delayed as it was intended
for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Ray-Na should be distinguished from:
- RAINA of
Earth-199999 - Inhuman--Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- RAYNEE -
created by Dracula to be his mate--Spider-Man Team-Up#6/2
- other "Ray"
characters, groups, items, events, races or places...
images: (without ads)
Rom#5, pg. 2, panel 4 (face);
panel 5 (upper);
panel 6 (full);
pg. 3, panel 2 (embracing Rom);
#12, pg. 20, panel 3 (face);
#13/2, pg. 3, panel 1 (flowers);
panel 3 (embracing
cyborg Rom); -?
pg. 5, panel 2 (embracing cyborg Rom);
#14/2, pg. 4, panel 6 (hostage of the Wraiths);
pg. 5, panel 1 (shot by Wraiths);
panel 5 (last words);
panel 6 (dead);
#25, pg. 9, panel 7 (face);
#40, pg. 5, panel 3 (embracing human Rom);
#51, pg. 12, panel 1 (discussing Rom volunteering first
again);
Appearances:
Rom#5 (April, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal
Buscema (artist), Jo Duffy (editor)
Rom#12 (November, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal
Buscema (artist), Jo Duffy (editor)
Rom#13/2 (December, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Jo
Duffy (editor)
Rom#14/2 (January, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Jo
Duffy (editor); based in part on a story suggestion by Steve Grant
Rom#40 (March, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Ian
Akin & Brian Garvey (inkers), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Rom#51 (February, 1984) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler),
Mel Candido (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First posted: 09/18/2026
Last updated: 11/21/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and � 1941-2099
Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to
www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!
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