Blackfire

Current Events

In the recent issue of Red Hood and The Outlaws, it was revealed that thanks to a crazy plan by Roy, he manages to free and teleport Blackfire and himself back to the ship where she reunites with Starfire and apologizes for what she did to her. The two sisters arm themselves and leave the ship preparing to retake their home planet.

Origin

Komand'r is the oldest child of the Tamaranean royal family. She is the first princess born in 100 years and as such was showered with gifts, honors, and privileges. On the day Komand'r was born, the Citadel Empire attacked the western part of Tamaran and killed 3000 citizens in her name. Though she was in no way at fault, Komand'r is forever inextricably linked to that horrible day. She was also crippled as a child with an illness that took away her ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation allowing her to fly as most Tamarans could.

Because of her grim disposition, the subjects of Tamaran hate her. Even though she is the oldest and first in line of succession, she is denied her birthright to become the next princess of Tamaran to maintain the respect and prestige of the royal family. Her privileges, honors, royal style, and dignity are transferred to her younger sister Koriand'r (Starfire). Komand'r's rage grows and her resentment turns to hatred for her planet, people, family, and especially her sister.

Komand'r's rivalry intensifies when she and her siblings are sent to warrior training with the Warlords of Okarrar. Komand'r's true feelings are exposed when she tried to kill her sister Koriand'r in a sparring exercise. She is expelled by the Warlords and Komand'r joins the Citadel swearing vengeance. She quickly rises through their ranks to become a warrior against her own planet.

Komand'r later betrays her planet by giving the Citadel detailed information about the Tamaran defenses. The Citadel conquer Tamaran with ease and the surrender contract includes the enslavement of Koriand'r. Koriand'r is never permitted to return to Tamaran or the Citadel will devastate their planet for going against the treaty. Komand'r is made her sister's master and makes the most of her sister's bondage with years of horrific torture and servitude. When Koriand'r kills one of her rapists, Komand'r sentences her to execution, though they are captured by the Psions before it can happen.

While captured by the Psions, both Komand'r and Koriand'r are experimented on to see how much energy their Tamaranian bodies can absorb before they explode from the overload. During the procedure, Komand'r's forces attack the Psion ship to rescue her. When the Psions are distracted, Koriand'r escapes using starbolts, destructive blasts of solar energy, which were a result of the experimentation. Koriand'r, even after all her sister did to her, decides to free Komand'r who is still absorbing the experimental energy. As soon as Komand'r is freed she strikes down her sister with starbolts more powerful than Koriand'r's own. She also regains the power to fly. She then has her sister restrained for later execution. Koriand'r escapes, steals a ship and goes to Earth where she joins the Teen Titans.

Creation

Blackfire was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, and first appeared in New Teen Titans #22 in 1982.

Character Evolution

Komand'r was originally supposed to succeed the throne of Tamaranean, but replaced when her sister Koriand'r was born. She grew jealous of her sister, and began to resent her and her people. Years later, Komand'r got her revenge on her sister and people by joining the Citadel and revealing information on how to get pass the Tamaran defenses. After the Citadel conquered the Tamarans, unfortunately Komad'r was forced to be a slave and never to return to her planet or else, her homeworld would be wiped out. Over the years, Komand'r took her frustrations out on her younger sister, who became her slave.

Later, a group of Psion scientists captured the two sisters and preformed experiments on them, causing them to gain the ability to project starbolts.

Major Story Arcs

Rann-Thangar War

Komand'r is seen during the Rann-Thanagar War where she kills Hawkwoman in a chance to seize power. She also attempts to kill Hawkman and Hawkgirl, but ended up being defeated. Hawkman then hooks her up to Psion technology to strip her of her starbolt powers.

R.E.B.E.L.S

Blackfire returns in the pages of R.E.B.E.L.S. in which she learns Vril Dox plans to remake a planet in the Vega System for the Rannians. It just so happens that this planet occupies the very same orbital path as the now destroyed Tamaran. Seeing an opportunity to finally grant her people a planet of their own and to end their wandering, Blackfire and her Tamaranean forces attack. The battle quickly escalates as the Rannian forces are joined by R.E.B.E.L.S in their attempt to defend their planet. During the battle, Blackfire fights against her sister Starfire. It is then that Blackfire explains that after losing her powers thanks to Hawkman, she quickly gathered her troops and hunted down the Psion scientist who originally granted her powers and forced him to repeat the process.

The battle then take a turn for the worse when two Green Lanterns appear and attempt to stop the fighting. Historically, the Green Lantern Corps were not allowed in the Vega System, so the Tamaraneans are far from happy when they see the two Green Lanterns. In an attempt to rid herself of the Lanterns, Blackfire zeta-beams herself along with Adam Strange and the two Lanterns to space where she orders the Lanterns to leave. While they talk, Thanagarian warships approach, after being asked by Vril Dox to do so. The better armed Thanagarian forces order both the Tamaraneans and Rannians to cease fighting and it is at this point that Vril Dox explains that he want this new planet to serve as a home for both Rannians and Tamaraneans, offering Blackfire and her people the chance to colonize one of the planet's continents in the name of peace between the two alien races. Tired of wandering and seeing the opportunity for her people to prosper, Blackfire agrees.

Post-Flashpoint

In the new 52, Blackfire is queen of Tamaraneans, but is a prisoner to the race called the Blight. She trades Starfire into slavery as a treaty to protect her planet. Eventually, Starfire comes back when Tamaran is under siege thanks to Orn. Blackfire, pretending to be working with the Blight, tortures the captured Roy Harper. It is revealed that thanks to a crazy plan by Roy, he manages to free and teleport Blackfire and himself back to the ship where she reunites with Starfire and apologizes for what she did to her. The two sisters arm themselves and leave the ship preparing to rescue their home planet. Blackfire and Starfire attack the Blight and receive some assistance from Jason Todd and Roy and Kori's old crew. In the midst of battle Komand'r gets a spear thrown through her stomach. In the moment of anger, Starfire goes nova and levels the area destroying a huge portion of the Blight and she defeats the Blight leader. After a week of the battle, Blackfire still week, is helped to her thrown by her sister. The two share a moment saying they love each other and forgive each other for their past deeds. In her thoughts, Blackfire hopes to herself that the Blight leader was right in fearing the gathering of the Thirteen and Blackfire will sacrifice her sister if she has to.

Powers and Abilities

Blackfire possesses the powers of the Tamaraneans, which include super strength, stamina, and durability. Tamaraneans also have the ability to fly, but she lost this ability when she was young due to an illness. Thanks to the experiments done by the Psions, like her sister Starfire, she can project energy from her hands along with the ability to fly.

Other Versions

• An alternate reality version of Blackfire appears in Teen Titans Go! as a member of the Teen Tyrants. Unlike the original Blackfire, this incarnation is simply an evil version of Koriand'r rather than her sister. At an undetermined point, she is replaced by Gemini, who assumes her form and joins the Tyrants to bring down the team from the inside. The fate of the real Blackfire is not revealed.
• Blackfire briefly appears in an issue of The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, where she is shown as one of the villains who had been defeated and rendered unconscious by Hawkwoman and her friends.

In Other Media

Television

Teen Titans

Blackfire appears in the cartoon network show, Teen Titans two times. In the episode "Sisters" it is revealed she is a intergalactic criminal who comes to earth to use her sister as a scapegoat. Eventually the Titans save Starfire and discover Blackfire's true plans. Starfire then confronts her sister and helps the Alien Officers in arresting her. Blackfire returns in the episode "Betrothed". In the episode it is revealed she had escaped prison and became queen of Tamaran. She then calls Starfire to return home and forces her to marry a repulsive blob like creature named Glurdelskletch, saying it is the only way to keep Tamaran from being destroyed by his army stationed on the outskirts of the castle. However this is all a lie as Blackfire wishes to get rid of her sister so she can rule the planet. Glurdelskletch also gives Blackfire the "Jewel of Charta" which increases her power in exchange for marrying Starfire. The Titans reveal the truth to Starfire and she battles her sister again. Despite having the Jewel of Charta Blackfire is beaten by her sister and is exiled from Tamaran. Furious for being banished Glurdelskletch offers her to live with him to which she turns down and leaves the planet.

New teen titans

In DC Nation short New Teen Titans which is a continuation of the series, Blackfire returns in "Blackfires Babysitter" where it is revealed she married Glurdelskletch and had four kids with him. She then invites Starfire to her home and asks her to babysit her children, who then attack Starfire. Meanwhile she is seen dressing up as her sister again and plans to take her place on earth and let her children eat her to which Starfire discovers and confronts her. Blackfire is about to blast her until her babies attack her, mistaking her for their aunt. Starfire watches in shock as the screen shifts to a Happy Mothers Day card from the Teen Titans.