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    Arcanna

    Character » Arcanna appears in 131 issues.

    Arcanna is a powerful sorceress and member of the Squadron Supreme from the alternate universe of Earth-712.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Arcanna last edited by Cellophane_Girl on 11/13/23 09:27PM View full history

    Creation

    Arcanna was created by JM De Matteis and Don Perlin and first appeared as a new member of the Squadron Supreme in Defenders #112 in October 1982. Her character, as do the other Squadron Supreme team members, are parallels to the DC Universe characters from DC Comic's series the Justice League. In Arcanna's case her character is an adapted version of the League's own mystical member Zatanna.

    Origin Earth 712

    Bronze Age

    Original costume
    Original costume

    The hedonistic Sorceress called Arcanna Jones comes from the universe of Earth-712 and she originally used her mystic talents working as a medium. Arcanna was born with an aptitude for magic and various psychic powers that developed as she matured. At sometime later when she became an adult Arcanna decided to become a professional crime fighter and began to capture criminals for profit. This was at the persuasion of her husband Phillip Jones. They decided that Philip would stay home to raise their children Drusilla, Katrina and Andrew. Making their home in a small forest within Pommerschen, New York. Arcanna cast an illusion to hide the residence from the outside world for her family.

    Second uniform
    Second uniform

    Sometime later Arcanna's success as a crime fighter came to the attention of the members of the Squadron Supreme. Arcanna accepted an offer of membership into the Squadron Supreme, making Arcanna the fifth recruit.

    During one of their early missions Arcanna and the Squadron encounter the Avengers from the Earth-616 universe, who had accidentally crossed into the Earth-712 dimension. The Squadron battle the Avengers, but the two teams eventually unite against the planet-wide threat posed by the Brain-Child, before they return to their own universe.

    Soon enough the Squadron Supreme came to battle the Avengers one more time, as they help to free the Earth-712 from the influence of the mystical artifact the Serpent Crown. The Avengers from the Earth-616 universe came to Arcanna and the Squadrons rescue. After the Squadron was possessed yet again, this time by the Overmind. The Overmind mentally controlled the Squadron to take over their own planet and subjugate its people, helped by the fact that Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond) was the President of the US at the time. Freed from the Overmind and his ally Null The Living Darkness by the help of both the Avengers and the Defenders from the universe of Earth-712. The Squadron now faced failing governments and the collapse of all civilization as they had known it before the takeover by the Overmind.

    Gaining the idea from fellow member the Power Princess the Squadron decided to start a far reaching program they called the Utopia Society for America. The project involves taking over the Earth through peaceful means by convincing the people to allow them to transform the world into a paradise, they state the project will take one year. It's during the Squadron's inception of the Utopia Program that Arcanna would be one of the heroes who voted its moving forward

    Silver Age

    Subverting the natural order
    Subverting the natural order

    As the Utopian Program started to be implemented at its multiple stages, the Earth's government did return to much of its former standards. Arcanna would be divided between trying to visit her family whenever she had a chance and being a part of this movement. She assisted in assignments to track down and confiscate stolen guns and artillery, stop militia's which had been forming in the United States, and even was part of the program which disarmed the government military forces.

    Arcanna and fellow teammate the Amphibian, objected to the use of the behavior modification machines Tom Thumb built. Arcanna believed that it was going against the natures way of doing things. She believed that people are the way they are and the "B-Mod" machine would subvert their nature. She also had concerns that the public would be upset if they found out that it would destroy brain cells. Tom Thumb showed her that it would not do so and that the positive outcomes would be a benefit to those who did the process. Arcanna was satisfied and did not voice any further objections after their installation.

    Fight against the Redeemers
    Fight against the Redeemers

    Later on Arcanna became pregnant again, overjoyed but knowing that the Squadron was at a critical time in the Utopia Project Arcanna would make a critical decision. Knowing from past experience that the Squadron would curtail her duties as they had during her previous pregnancies. She choose to use her powers so that others would not find out she concealed her pregnancy through an illusionary spell. She and her family later moved out of their secret house located in the woods and into Squadron City with the rest of the other families of the Squadron Supreme, as she used her same illusion casting powers to conceal the whole massive complex.

    Nighthawk, who had strongly opposed the Utopia Program from the start, had left the Squadron after he failed to convince the Squadron that the project was morally wrong. After several months of gaining allies and infiltrating the Squadron, Nighthawk leads his rebellion and team of Redeemers to dismantle the Squadron and its Utopia Project. The tension begins to culminate into a deadly battle with both sides suffering several casualties and fatalities including Nighthawk himself who is killed. After the battle, the Squadron realize the error in their views and promptly begin dismantling the Utopia Program

    Motherhood at the heels of battle
    Motherhood at the heels of battle

    During the Battle Arcanna tries to flee the conflict knowing her late stage of pregnancy would endanger her fighting abilities. She is chased by the Mink who threatens to slice her with her claws. Foxfire, although having been behavior modified tries to intervene but is blasted away along with Mink by a forcefull wind current called upon by Arcana. Just as she is about to escape the violent scene she faces off against Moonglow. She blasts Moonglow, however it was just an illusion Moonglow had summoned of herself. As Arcanna is made to believe she is under a mass gravity effect that Moonglow has cast as another illusions, Arcanna went into labor. Overwhelmed by the effect Arcanna still manages to cast her own illusion to appear to be on the ground. In reality she pulls away and puches out Moonglow. Shape comes and helps to the Squadron Medical facility. At the end of battle she gave birth to a boy name Benjamin Thomas Jones.

    Death of a Universe

    When Earth-712 was threatened with destruction by the Nth Man following the events of the Utopia Program, Power Princess told Arcanna to stay behind due to her recently giving birth. However, Moonglow who feared to go on the mission and allowed Arcanna to switched places with her in order to go on the mission into space. During the last moments, Arcanna reveals her true identity to Power Princess who is glad that she gets to die with someone she likes. Before their death can happen, Arcanna's infant son Benjamin sacrifices himself to save the team and his mother, which leads him to switch place with the Nth Man, causing his mother to burst into tears. The team is banished as a result to the mainstream Marvel Universe.

    Arcanna as Moonglow
    Arcanna as Moonglow

    Arcanna and the rest of the Squadron found themselves trapped on Earth-616 universe following the Nth-Man events and unable to return to their home dimension. For some reason or other Arcanna decides to continue appearing as Moonglow. The when the team encountered the Avengers again and member Quasar upon landing on Earth-616. Quasar ends up assisting them to establish a base of location at Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. while they try to discover a way to return home. However after their arrival to Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S facilities Arcanna and the members of the Squadron were mentally controlled by the Overmind. The Overmind did so in an attempt to launch an attack against his ancient nemesis the Stranger. Quasar, Makkari and Hyperion, who had not fallen under the Overmind's influence, traveled to the Stranger's world to free the other Squadron members.

    When the sorcerer supreme of Earth-616 named Doctor Strange comes to visit Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S, he attempted a spell to send Arcanna and the Squadron members home. Unfortunately the Doctor's spell did not work, and the Squadron soon discovered that it was the Nth Man, who had since become the Sorcerer Supreme of their world who was preventing them from returning. Arcanna was dismayed at both the idea that the Nth-Man was behind this and distraught at the prospect of not being able to return to her family.

    Heroes Return

    Arcanna and the other members returned back to their own universe with the help of Iron Man, but their world had changed, and was now under the control of the Global Directorate. Arcanna returned home to inform her family that their son had sacrificed himself to save that universe. Nth Man who was now known as Mysterium contacted her and told her to stay home with her family as the Squadron Supreme was going down a road in which they would be without her. Due to her having to retrain her magic since the magic in her originally had changed Arcanna retired from adventuring to be with her family fully.

    Ultimate Power

    Arcanna retired from adventuring and stayed with her family until the Ultimate power crossover. Scarlet Witch from the Ultimate Universe used her hex abilities on the Squadron Supreme of Earth 31916, causing the Squadron from Earth 712 to appear and fight their counterparts. With the help of two Arcannas, Scarlet Witch restored everyone back to their respective universes.

    Personal Data

    Characteristics

    Height: 5 ft 8 in

    Weight: 115lbs

    Eyes: Blue

    Hair: Platinum Blonde

    Status

    Citizenship: United States of America Earth-712

    Place of birth: Pommerschen, New York

    Marital status: Married

    Occupation: Costumed crimefighter, sorceress, former Medium

    Identity: Public

    Known relatives: Philip Jones (husband), Katrina Jones (daughter) Andrew Jones (son), Drusilla Jones (daughter), Benjamin Jones (son)

    Powers and Abilities

    Flying on a broomstick
    Flying on a broomstick

    The first Arcanna had formidable magical powers. She can use her magic to control the elements of nature, earth, air, fire, and water, this also extended to metal which was limited. She was also able to use her spells to create illusions in which she did multiple times especially to conceal her pregnancy. With her powers she can fly by using the winds to carry her through the sky or a broomstick which she used earlier on but discarded it.

    She also posses mythical senses which allows her to feel the magical phenomenal events and know the magic of a universe she is on. The downfall to her magic was that it only had effect on natural substances, except her magical force blast. She was an expert in magic.

    She is a fair hand-to-hand combatant, having received coaching from Nighthawk and Power Princess.

    Paraphernalia

    Arcanna would occasionally use a forked branch on which she has used to fly on by casting winds to carry her aloft it.

    As a sorceress she had her very own mystical familiar, which is an animal with magical treats, in her case a grey cat named Crowley. Crowley would stay in the company of Arcanna's family and be a go-between the two when Arcanna was away on missions. Crowley had a mystical bond with the Jones family and Arcanna and was able to communicate with them all, although in what manner was never relieved.

    Creation Earth-31916

    This alternate Arcanna Jones was created as part of the Earth-31916 universe. She was introduced in the storyline of Marvel comic's Supreme Power #18, which came out in April 2005. She was created by J. Michael Straczynski and Gary Frank. Arcanna is introduced as a scientist and author of Quantum Physics: The New Reality. She has the ability to perceive and influence parallel quantum dimensions.

    Origin Earth-31916

    Arcanna Earth 31916
    Arcanna Earth 31916

    Though not expressly stated, it is highly likely that Arcanna gained her abilities as a result of the nanovirus that came to Earth on Hyperion's ship, that is also responsible for giving many other humans powers in that universe (Earth 31916).

    Arcanna has not been fleshed out as much as some of the others in the JMS revamp of Squadron Supreme. She was the author of a book on quantum physics before she was first recruited. Before the Squadron was officially started, she was a member of a smaller team (Shape, Mr. Gaines, Emil Burbank, and herself) that was sent by the General who created the Squadron, to retrieve Hyperion and bring him back under the governments control. During a freak accident resulting from her powers meeting with Hyperion's flash vision, and Mr. Gaines radiation bursts, they were all sent into the future for a short time. Once Hyperion was back, she became a founding member of the Squadron Supreme.

    Powers and Abilities

    See the eye of the universe
    See the eye of the universe

    The second Arcanna controls quantum outcomes. She sees all possible quantum realities and is able to choose which one happens, allowing her to manipulate probabilities. With this she is seen shifting guards guns into a large glass of beer, turning a small pebble into a bird, creating birds to cushion Nick Fury's fall, and among other things. She had no limits to her power, due to it being able to control probabilities.

    Her powers was equally match to Scarlet Witch of the Ultimate Universe, which means she was indeed powerful. She is also a leading expert in quantum mechanics due to this ability. Her main limitation was that using her power too much could result in the unraveling of the fabric of space-time.

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