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This page covers the Marvel comicbook hero Karma also known as Shan . If this is not the page you were looking for check here.
Karma is a mutant with the ability to mentally possess another sentient being. She was one of the original members of the New Mutants and one of the few openly lesbian characters in Marvel.
The Origin of Karma
Karma in the New Mutants
Xi'an Coy Manh made her way from Vietnam with her younger brother and sister, Leong Coy Manh and Nga Coy Manh, while her country was run by Communists. Her uncle, Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Coy, was an evil man who tried to use Xi'an's mutant ability for his own personal gain. Kidnapping Leong and Nga to make Xi'an do his bidding, Karma was forced to possess the hero Spider-Man to get her siblings back. The Fantastic Four intervened and assisted Xi'an in retrieving her brother and sister from her uncle, the General.
Through this interaction, Xi'an was introduced to Professor X, who offered to help her control her mutant abilities as well as employ her as a secretary to provide for her younger siblings. Karma became the first member of the New Mutants, and also their original leader because she was a few years older, and more mature, than the other members.
Teacher
On one of the New Mutants' missions, the team believed Karma died at the hands of the Viper. However, it was revealed that Xi'an was actually possessed by a disembodied mutant called the Shadow King and had fled to start a new life. Under the Shadow King's influence, Karma ran a kind of Fight Club using super-powered beings until she was found and saved by the New Mutants.
Having rejoined the team, Karma took an apartment away from Xavier's School for Gifted Mutants so her siblings could go to a regular school. Soon afterwards, it was revealed that her siblings were yet again kidnapped, and Karma quit the team to actively search for them on her own.
Ultimately finding Leong and Nga after a long time, Xi'an rooted her family in Chicago where she became a college librarian. It was here that she was recruited by her former teammate, Moonstar, to help teach the next generation of mutants in Xavier's School for Gifted Mutants. She agreed to be the school's librarian and is the mentor and teacher for the youngest mutants enrolled in the school, known as the Alpha Squadron.
Powers
Karma has the ability to psionically control another sentient being. Her powers have not only been used on humans, and have worked on animals and even aliens. Her possession power is quite powerful, but she has been shown to lose her grip on another being if their willpower is very strong. Usually her victims are fully aware of what is happening but are unable to control themselves.
When Karma psionically imposes her own mind over someone else's mind, it allows her to scan their thoughts, and control them or alter their perceptions.
Karma has somehow developed the ability to summon a psychic shield that protects her from other forms of mental energy but has rarely been seen using this ability.
Stats
Known Relatives:
Leong Coy Manh (brother), Nga Coy Manh (sister), Tran Coy Manh (brother, deceased), General Nguyen Ngoc Coy (uncle, deceased)
Citizenship:
Citizen of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. No known criminal record.
Place of Birth:
Vietnam
Marital Status:
Single
Occupation:
Teacher, former adventurer, student, possessed denizen of Enchantress, barista.
Education:
High School Graduate from Xavier Institute & Massachusetts Academy; Graduated college from University of Chicago
Characteristics
Gender:
Female
Height:
5'4"
Weight:
119 lbs. (54kg)
Hair:
Black
Eyes:
Brown
Alternate Realities
Earth 295's Karma
Earth #1610
Ultimates Universe
Earth 1610's Karma
On Earth-1610, known as the Ultimate universe, Karma is working for SHIELD. Recruited by Nick Fury, she joined the government-sponsored team called the New Mutants to keep an eye on them.
Earth #295
Age of Apocalypse
In the reality known as the Age of Apocalypse, she was the assistant to Angel. She used her mental abilities to help her boss get information from his club's guests and to make sure they would forget any questionable activity there.
Earth #1035
Days of Future Past
Karma - DoFP
In this alternate future Karma is a member of Excalibur along with her lover and team leader Pete Wisdom. She is very jaded and has a very dark sense of humor. She also has a near perfect mastery over her mental possession powers. She is able to possess an individual while still allowing them to be in full control over their own bodies. Whereas in the mainstream reality, when she is actively using her powers. The individual that she is possessing is completely in her control. If she does not command their movement, then none will be made.
In this reality she along uses her mental powers to mentally follow, her team-mate, Captain Britain and the rest of Excalibur (minus the wheelchair-bound Pete Wisdom) on a mission to rescue Douglock. Douglock's head is being used as a computer by the Hellfire Club. They arrive only to find that it is a trap leading Excalibur to their apparent doom. Karma's hitching a mental ride leaves the thought that she may have lived. Though with psychic feedback, the outcome is not certain.
Earth #904
What If The X-Men Never Returned From Asgard?
The X-Men consisted of the mutants who decided to leave Asgard. The team consisted of the Angel, the Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Iceman, Karma, Magma, Marvel Girl, Phoenix(Jean Grey), Shadowcat, and Wolverine. Their history after leaving Asgard was not much different than that of their Earth-616 counterparts.
Earth #9112
Phoenix Force Had Not Died & Rose Again
The lives of Karma and her fellow New Mutantss were very similar to that of the mainstream counterparts with one exception. Phoenix was the primary teacher for the New Mutants rather then Professor X. The New Mutants reeled from the lose of Phoenix in the guise as Jean Grey died. In this reality she never came back to life.
Earth #58163
House of M
In this re-envisioned world of Scarlet Witch, mutants are the majority and are in power. Young burgeoning mutants now have two options for their future schools and futures and mutants. Either picking between the New Mutant Leadership Institute, ran by Xi'an Coy Mahn (Karma), where here they develop the future diplomats and leaders of the world, though they do not get combat training. The other option is to join the SHIELD training program, ran by Sebastian Shaw. It is here they have a more military training focusing on warfare and covert operations. Tag was a student at the New Mutant Leadership Institute and due to his involvment was able to save the lives of both Karma and Cypher.
Creators
Karma was created by both Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.
Karma Appears in These Volumes
All Topics from the Karma Forum
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