XXAN XXAR

Real Name: Xxan Xxar

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Xixix)

Occupation: Leader of the delegate council of the Galactus Survivor Fleet

Group Membership: Galactus Survivor Fleet

Affiliations: Gladiator (Kallark), Karant Kiar, Lilandra Neramani, Uatu the Watcher

Enemies: Galactus, Nova (Frankie Raye), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, but most likely one of the vessels that make up the Galactus Survivor Fleet

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#261 (December, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Xxan does not possess any known superhuman powers. He wears armor of unknown, possibly Xixix design, and can fly using a rocketpack. His armaments include a powerlance that can fire energy blasts with sufficient power to stun the Thing. He also has a small weapon that he believed to be powerful enough to destroy Galactus. Despite his obvious hatred for Galactus and all those who aided him, Xxan could still be a reasonable person.

History:

(Fantastic Four I#261 (fb) - BTS) - Over the course of several millennia, Galactus cut a swath of destruction across the universe as he fed on planets to sustain himself. Whenever Galactus consumed a planet inhabited by a spacefaring race, there were survivors who eventually joined up with other victims of the world devourer. This fleet of survivors grew steadily into a community, forming a council of delegates and sharing resources, united in their shared hatred for Galactus.

(Fantastic Four I#261 (fb) - BTS) - At some undisclosed point in time, Galactus fed on the alien world known as Xixix. Xxan Xxar, or possibly one of his predecessors, survived the tragedy and eventually joined up with the fleet.

(Fantastic Four I#261 (fb) - BTS) - Xxan Xxar became the leader of the delegate council of the Galactus Survivor Fleet. Through unrevealed means, he obtained a tiny weapon he believed capable of destroying Galactus.

(Fantastic Four I#257 - BTS) - Xxan Xxar was most likely present when Lilandra Neramani of the Shi'ar ordered Reed Richards summoned to stand trial for saving Galactus' life. Once Mr. Fantastic arrived, Xxan Xxar had him detained and tortured.

(Fantastic Four I#261) - After Uatu the Watcher delivered the other three members of the Fantastic Four to the Survivor Fleet's vessel where Mr. Fantastic was being held, Xxan Xxar greeted them as the leader of the fleet's delegation council. When the Invisible Girl (Susan Richards-Storm) expressed surprise at the fact Xxan knew who they were, he explained that the exploits of the Fantastic Four were legendary throughout the galaxy. He then led them to Mr. Fantastic, whose elastic form was being stretched and pounded by a crude torture device. When the Thing (Ben Grimm) grabbed Xxan and ordered to release his teammate, Xxar's guards shot him. The Invisible Girl, in turn, tried to reason with Xxan, telling him that her husband's decision to save Galactus was the right thing to do. One can't simply stand by and watch another living thing die, after all. Xxan in response,  called her an altruistic, blind earthling. This slight set off the Thing, who ripped apart the torture device and freed Reed. Xxan tried to order more troops to deal with the Fantastic Four, but the Watcher intervened and forced everyone to allow the trial of Reed Richards to go on as planned.

(Fantastic Four I#262) - Over the course of the trial, the assembled alien races of the Survivor Fleet were shocked to see Galactus and his herald Nova arrive to testify on Mr. Fantastic's behalf. Xxan Xxar however, felt the arrival of Galactus was the perfect time to rid the galaxy of the devourer. Xxan quickly assembled a tiny weapon that he believed was capable of destroying Galactus. It supposedly fired a single tiny pellet designed to start a chain reaction that would ignite and consume the devourer's armor, unleashing the energies within and spreading Galactus' being across a million cubic parsecs. But as Xxan used his rocket pack to assume a strategic position, he was overcome by doubt. The weapon was untested and the idea of failing, or worse, incurring Galactus' wrath weakened his resolve to the point he gave up. Begging his lost race's forgiveness, a demoralized Xxan Xxar flew off, hoping vengeance would come to him some other day.

Comments: Created by John Byrne

The idea of having a survivor fleet is a neat little idea that makes a lot of sense. It is surprising though, that the fleet or some of its more militant members didn't try to come after Reed Richards after he saved Galactus' life back in Fantastic Four I#244. After all, sparing the life of a creature responsible for the loss of their entire world doesn't exactly make you win any popularity contests.

John Byrne told Xxan's story in a single page. If you're interested in reading a decompressed variation on this tale of failed revenge, be sure to check out X-Men Unlimited I#2, in which writer Fabian Nicieza spends an entire issue on Adrian Eiskalt's attempt to kill Magneto before deciding not to.

Profile by Norvo. 

CLARIFICATIONS:
Xxan Xxar has no known connections to

• Ixar a Sirian alien who invaded Transia with his army of robots @ Avengers I#36
• Xar, Xandarian chief scientist @ Fantastic Four I#204
• Any other characters with a similar name

images: (without ads)

Fantastic Four I#262, p18, pan2 (main image)
Fantastic Four I#261, p17, pan1 (delegate)
Fantastic Four I#261, p18, pan1 (torture)