INTRODUCTION

When Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum brought the Shi’Ar into the pages of the X-Men (subplot as of Uncanny X-Men #98, full storyline #105, 107-108), it was more than another alien race that had been added to the Marvel Universe. This storyline marks the first time that the X-Men left earth’s orbit to battle villains on the other side of the galaxy. Also with princess Lilandra, there was the first love interest for Professor Xavier; apparently in the 60’s Marvel did not dare to have a cripple loved by an attractive woman. Granted he had earlier relationships with Moira MacTaggert, Gabrielle Haller and Amelia Voght, but all of them were only revealed later in flashbacks. The Shi’Ar princess was the first and longest romantic relationship that Xavier has been seen with on-panel.

Appearance

The Shi’Ar are an avian race of bird people. They have light hollow bones, and on their forearms there are still some feathers left of wings that were lost over centuries of evolution. The “hair“ too is made of feathers. There seem to be two different styles. Most Shi’Ar have feathers sprouting in a triangular shape away from the face, one peek on the top of the head and one peek on each side slightly over the shoulder. Empress Lilandra for example has always been portrayed with this triangular feather-head. The other hairstyle is bushy on both sides and very flat on the top; Cerise and Deathbird are prominent examples.

Abilities

Apparently the baseline Shi’Ar has no special powers, however sometimes genetic setbacks like Deathbird occur. They have wings giving them the natural ability to fly and in Lilandra’s sister’s case a very ferocious nature. Deathbird’s wings have even grown back after they had been ripped off by Gladiator of the Imperial Guard.Most Imperial Guard members seem to stem from the many alien races that belong to the Shi’Ar empire, but some of them (Electron, Gladiator or Astra) seem to be Shi’Ar or hybrids. If their powers are result of mutant genes or artificial is unknown.

Breeding

The Shi’Ar still conceive their offspring in eggs. They are nurtured in special chambers on “The Aerie“, another name for their native planet Chandilar and the children are refered to as Hatchlings. Obviously Shi’Ar genes allow crossbreeding; Adam-X seems to be the child of a D’Ken and a human mother, and in an alternate future there also appeared a daughter of Lilandra and Xavier (Team X 2000). In the timeline known as “Age of Apocalypse“, there was a hybrid of Shi’Ar and Mephistoid parents, and judging the appearances of Black Light and White Noise, Deathbird too seems to have produced offspring with a mate outside of her species.

HISTORY / IMPORTANT EVENTS

The Shi’Ar Empire is currently the biggest in the known universe, but they it took them many centuries to rise to power. The earliest known battle with another race dates 1200 years back. The Shi’Ar empire was still young, and they encountered the Mephistoids, a rivaling race of white furred felines with enhanced agility. At first they were evenly matched, but slowly the Mephistoids were winning the war as the males of their race emit certain mindcontrolling pheromones. After almost the whole Shi’Ar fleet was decimated, a few Shi’Ar had crashlanded on a small world that had earlier been colonized by the Mephistoids. The groups highest ranking officer was named T’Kyll Alabar, and he led his people to the nearest building. Prepared to fight their last battle, the Shi’Ar soldiers were surprised to be greeted by female Mephistois belonging to a peace loving abbey. They welcomed the Shi’Ar and nursed them back to health. During this time T’Kyll learned that the females too emit the pheromone, but only while breeding. A cruel plan formed in Alabar’s head; at night he killed all the Mephistoid women in the abbey and extracted their genetic material to destille the pheromone, which he used to inspire his scattered people again. The Shi’Ar fanatically followed Alabar and fought ruthlessly like never before till the Mephistoids were defeated. Their colonies were occupied by the Shi’Ar and the Mephistoids, especially the males, were strictly quarantined to their native planet, as the Shi’Ar fear their phermones. Like after any war, history books are written by the victorious party. Shi’Ar legends and history praise T’Kyll Alabar as their greatest hero, for inspiring his fellow soldiers in the time of their greatest despair, while ignoring the slaughtering of innocents.

The Mephistoids on the other hand are perceived as barbaric, cruel people, but in fact they are not any worse than the Shi’Ar themselves. Back to more recent history, it was ca. 20 years in the past, when Shi’Ar troops discovered earth. Because of the planets strategic importance (set between the bigger empires of Skrulls, Kree and Shi’Ar) then Emperor D’Ken placed an agent named Davan Shakari on the planet to spy on humanity’s development, also he ordered zoological specimen to be taken and thus Christopher and Katherine Anne Summers (parents of Cyclops and Havok) were kidnapped while returning from a holiday trip to Alaska. D’Ken took great intrest in the female and sent her husband to the mines, but he later escaped and attempted to kill the Shi’Ar Emperor. To punish Christopher Summers, D’Ken killed his wife right in front of him. The cruel Emperor continued his forceful reign for many years, and finally he got too power-hungry after hearing rumours about an ancient power source called M’Kraan crystal. When his younger sister Lilandra, serving as a Grand Admiral, opposed him, thinking the mission too dangerous, DKen framed her for treason and condemned her to death, but she escaped and made her way to Charles Xavier on Earth. DKen contacted Shakari, one of the Empires agents on Earth, and posing as Eric the Red, he kidnapped Lilandra and took her back into space only to be followed by the X-Men. They emerged right in front of the huge M’Kraan crystal and in a last minute rescue they save the princess from certain death.

They even dealt with the threat from within crystal’s energy sphere. Only D’Ken was left catatonic and insane after an encounter to the M’Kraan’s nightmare field, and shortly afterwards Lilandra became official Empress in his place. During a meeting of the Shiar great council, Lilandra was kidnapped. Lilandras older sister Deathbird, long ago banned from the Empire for her crimes had allied with Lord Samédàr of Lilandras staff and the alien Brood to reclaim the Shiar throne. Even though the X-Men saved Lilandra from her captors it was a phyrric victory. Deathbird managed to subdue Lilandra and the X-Men with a stun-bomb, and delivered them all to the Brood. The way to Chandilar, the throne-world of the Shiar Empire, was now open to her. Even though Lilandra did not die on the Brood world, she was kept busy long enough until Deathbird had usurped the throne. As new Empress, even the Imperial Guard were loyal to her, although some - like the Guards Praetor Gladiator - were not without their doubts. Lilandra joined the Starjammers to rebel against Deathbird’s forceful rule of the empire, but it was only much later, and under unexpected circumstances, that she could recleim the throne.

A group of Warskrulls using power-mimicking devices replaced the Starjammers, including Xavier. After the faux Starjammers and the X-Men, who had been teleported to Chandilar by Lila Cheney, defeated Deathbird and her Imperial Guard, Lilandra was put back on the throne. The Warskrulls used the faux Xavier to keep the the Shiar Empress under mental control. After the ruse was discovered and all the Warskrull impostors were exposed, Lilandra settled matters with Deathbird, discovering her sister did not want the throne anymore. During her time as ruling Shiar Empress, Deathbird had come to hate the responsibilities of maintaining the needs of the Empire. During the crisis known as Operation: Galactic Storm, the Shiar Empire went to war with the Kree Empire.

Surprisingly, Deathbird offered her assistance in this time of need. While she assasinated the Kree leaders, Lilandra ordered her scientists to create a Nega-Bomb based upon the Kree Omni-Wave Projector. The Avengers made Lilandra change her mind, but it was too late as the bomb had been hijacked by Skrulls, who were really the driving force for the war, as they had infiltrated the high councils of both empires. The blast killed 90% of the Kree population, a guilt which lies heavily on Lilandra’s mind to this day, but as victorious party she had to absorb the remnants of the Kree space into the Shi’Ar Empire.

Lilandra then appointed Deathbird as vher iceroy and ruler of Hala, the Kree homeworld, to reward her for her assistance and also to keep an eye on her. On the eve of the official ceremony incorporating the Kree into the Empire, Lilandra had Xavier and some of the X-Men teleported to Hala, the Kree homeworld. There they uncovered a rebellion, but although the dissidents leader helped them defuse a sun-killer bomb, Lilandra was still forced to arrest him, and the tension between legality and morality drove a wedge between her and Xavier. Ever since the Shi’Ar are the biggest empire in the known universe, but despite their advantage in numbers, the Empire nearly perished twice. At first the Uncreated, a race of violent atheists, attacked, attempting to destroy every race that practises any worshipping religion. Thanks to their superior weapons and their ruthlessness, they would have fulfilled their crusade, but the tricky Starjammers were able to drive them off, by creating a holographic image of the Uncreated’s own god and creator, whom they had believed slain. The techno-organic Phalanx posed an even more fatal threat. Some of them had made their way to the throneworld Chandilar and tried to infect the Shi’Ar breeding chamber, where all their eggs are nurtured, with their techno-organic virus. Had they succeeded the entire next generation of Shi’Ar would have been part of the Phalanx collective. Again Lilandra had to rely on outside help, this time it was the scientific genius of Hank McCoy, who developed a device, based on Professor X’s Cerebro, that was able to emit a certain frequency to separate the organic from the technological parts of their opponents. Finally the Phalanx dissolved, earning the X-Men again a honorful Shi’Ar ceremony of celebration.

RULING SYSTEM / ROYAL FAMILY

The Shi’Ar Empire is a monarchy. The title “Emperor“ or “Empress“ is passed down through genetic lineage to the first born child, or to the closest relative if the ruling person is without offspring. This actually would make Deathbird the rightful Shi’Ar Empress, however she was exiled from the empire for having ferociously slaughtered both her mother and an unnamed younger sister.

D‘Ken

When the former Shi’Ar Emperor passed away, his son D’Ken, the second hatchling, was named ruler and led the Shi’Ar with a forceful hand. It is unknown when his rulership began; his earliest documented appearance are flashbacks of ca. twenty years in the past, when Shi’Ar troops captured Christopher and Katherine Anne Summers as earth specimen.

Later D`Ken thought to explore the power of the M’Kraan Crystal, but his younger sister Lilandra, serving as a Grand Admiral, opposed him. He framed Lilandra for treason and condemned her to death, but she escaped and made her way to earth, where she enlisted the help of the X-Men. They made their way to the crystal just in time to repair it before it would have erased the entire universe, but after D’Ken was exposed to it’s nightmare field, he went insane and fell into a catatonic state.

Lilandra

It took some time for the council of ministers to decide, but with D’Ken incapable, Lilandra was cleared of her charges and became the next Shi’Ar Empress.

A few months later, the exiled Deathbird allied up with the Brood, and she arranged that her sister and the X-Men were kidnapped and taken away to Brood space, intended to become the insectoids new host bodies. Even though they managed to escape, Lilandra chose to stay on earth at Professor Xavier’s side to watch over her lover‘s recovery from being Brood infected as well; fully aware that this would provide the ursurper Deathbird with enough time to strengthen her claim on the Shi`ar throne. By the time she and the Starjammers departed to space it was already too late and now she herself was considered the rebel.

Deathbird

Deathbird succesfully wrested control over the Shi’Ar Empire, after Lilandra was kept busy fighting the Brood along the X-Men and watching over Professor Xavier’s recovery from being infected with one of their eggs. She ruled the Empire very forcefully and was forced to battle Lilandra and Xavier among the Starjammers various times.

When she at a later point discovered that the Starjammers had been replaced by a group of Wareskrulls intending to take over the Shi’Ar empire through Lilandra, she alerted the X-Men. After the Warskrulls were defeated and the Starjammers released, Deathbird gave up the throne to Lilandra, for during her time as ruling Shi`ar Empress, she had come to hate the responsibilities of maintaining the needs of the Empire.

Lilandra

Ever since Lilandra is Shi’Ar Empress again. After the Operation : Galactic Storm crossover, Lilandra named Deathbird her viceroy to honor that she aided the Empire during the war with the Kree, a rivaling alien race.

Lilandra’s duties as Empress have conflicted many times with the ideals and morals of the X-Men, placing the relationship between her and Xavier under a strain.

Next Monarchs?

The appearance of the hybrid Adam-X, the X-Treme, might end Lilandra’s tenure as Shi’Ar majestrix. At first he believed to be a famer’s son, but on earth, Adam-X learned from Eric the Red, that he was actually the son of D’Ken, deliberatly bred with a specific genetic potential. Speculation is that he is a product of D’Ken raping Katherine Anne Summers, making him the rumoured, so called “third Summers“ brother. Back then when Lilandra inherited the throne from her insane brother, the existence of a son was unknown.

Also the two Imperial Guardsmen Black Light and White Noise may hold a right to the throne, since in their only appearance to date, they claimed that Deathbird is their mother. Apparently they were conceived during her exile from the empire, but if Deathbird's exclusion from the royal family involved possible offspring is unrevealed.

RELIGION / MYTHOLOGY

Religion

Religion is very important for the Shi’Ar. Their believes are based on the marriage of Sharra and K’ythri, two gods who didn’t want to be married but were forced into it. In marriage they found strength and in that strength they found love. Finally both gods benefited from their forced union.The theme of this legend has become a central concept of Shi’Ar politics. They encounter other races in space and force them into "marriage", into joining the Empire, wether they want to or not. The Shi’Ar believe the process to be justified, as they have become the biggest Empire in the known universe and the various alien races are provided with anything that they need. However these oppressed races loose their individuality and freedom as their cultures and governments are adapted to Shi’Ar structures.

Crystal Claws

The Crystal Claws are a religious sect that expects the Forsaken One (Adam-X, the secret son of former Emperor D’Ken) to take over the Shi’Ar Empire one day. They even temporarily allied themselves with Kree radicals to instigate discontent with Lilandra’s rule.

Legends

Within the vast Shi'Ar empire, there are many tales and rumors that are passed down from one generation to the next. Following these old stories, former Emperor D’ken discovered the location of the legendary M’Kraan Crystal, often described as the “end of all there is“. If not for the X-Men, D’Ken’s tampering would have unleashed the crystal’s destructive energies. Another time Deathbird solved the mystery of an old rumour regarding a power source called Phalkon. Actually it was nothing else than the birdshaped Phoenix Force, that had been seen soaring through the universe centuries ago.

Shi’Ar Emperors / Empresses

Deathbird / Cal’Syee Neramani

She is the firstborn child of the former Shi’Ar Emperor and would have become his rightful heir, hadn’t she killed both her mother and younger sister in a state of ferocious rage, that seems to come along with her state as genetic set back. For her crime she was exiled from the Shi’Ar Empire, but later usurped the throne from her sister. Many months later she gave the title back as she had come to hate the responsibilities of maintaining the needs of the Empire. For a short time she experienced some adventures with the X-Man Bishop, and a certain romantic tension was building, but finally she betrayed him to become Apocalypse’s Horseman War. When last seen Cal’Syee was blown through an open airlock to outer space.

D‘Ken Neramani

Since his older sister was exiled, D’Ken became new Shi’Ar Emperor when his father died. For over twenty years he forcefully led the Shi’Ar, but finally he got to power hungry as he tried to explore the M’Kraan Crystal. D’Ken was driven insane by the crystal’s nightmare field, and has ever since been in a catatonic state.

Lilandra Neramani

Being the youngest of four royal children, Lilandra never expected to become Shi’Ar Empress. Instead she followed a career in the military and finally became Grand Admiral. When her near mad brother D’Ken thought to explore the M’Kraan crystal, Lilandra alerted Xavier and the X-Men to the danger. Finally she became his successor after D’Ken was driven insane. Later Deathbird wrested control over the Shi’Ar Empire from her, but Lilandra and her lover Xavier joined the Starjammers and fueled a rebellion against the usurper. In the end Deathbird gave up the throne, and since she even helped during the battle Operation : Galactic Storm against the Kree Empire, Lilandra even named her older sister viceroy.

Xavier’s ethics and Lilandra’s responsibilities place them on opposing sides more often than not, and their long distance relationship is under a strain.

Politicians

Chancellor Araki I

The first Chancellor named Araki already served under D’Ken and soon became one of the most trusted advisors for Lilandra. He was killed by the traitorous Lord Samédàr, who with Araki dead and Lilandra kidnapped had full command over the whole forces of the Empire.

Chancellor Araki II

A second Chancellor named Araki was seen during Operation : Galactic Storm, the battle between the Shi’Ar and the Kree Empire. He manipulated Lilandra into building and unleashing the Nega bomb on the rivaling Empire, and the device ended the war by killing 90& of the Kree population. Shortly before the bomb went off, Araki II was exposed as a Skrull in disguise. The Skrulls had fueled the enemity between the two big empires since they themselves had not the required ressources to fight them on their own. The imposter was accidentally killed by an electric blast, what happened to the real Araki II (if there ever was one) is unknown.

Grand Admiral Lord Samédàr

Lord Samédàr became Grand Admiral after Lilandra was made Shi’Ar Empress. Not before long he started backplotting and allied up with the exiled Deathbird. He even killed Chancellor Araki, but the ploy was discovered and Samédàr has been taken into custody.

Shi’Ar on earth

Adam X, the X-Treme

Adam X is the hybrid son of D’Ken and most probably Katherine Anne Summers. His existance was kept secret and he was raised as a farmer’s son, till he found himself on earth for reasons he did not understand. Slowly he learned that his questions could be answered by a man named Milbury (alias of Mr. Sinister) and Eric the Red, but when he found the Shi’Ar agent, he refused to belive the story of him being the rightful heir to the Shi’Ar throne. Instead he killed Eric the Red in battle.

Cerise

Not wanting to take part in genocide, Cerise destoyed the battlecruiser she was stationed on and escaped to earth. There she became a member of the british super hero team Excalibur and started a romance with Nightcrawler. However not before long Shi’Ar justice caught up with her and Cerise was detained on a prison planet. Excalibur made Lilandra reevaluate the case and the verdict has been changed. Cerise is sentenced to work off her criminal charges as part of the Empress’s adviser staff.

Deathcry

When Lilandra heard that surviving Kree held the Avengers responsible for the apparent death of their Supreme Intelligence she sent Deathcry to earth to warn them. Deathcry aided the Avengers in this and other fights, and during her stay at the mansion, it became clear that she was not the tough warrior woman she pretended to be but a 16 year old frightened teenager. Her heriatage was a mystery and Lilandra demanded that she permanently stayed away from the Empire, but later Deathcry received some news about a secret destiny she had to fulfill. Along with teammate Hercules she departed to Chandilar and their adventures have yet to be revealed. A few weeks later Deathcry brought Hercules back to earth, only to return to Shi’Ar space again.

Eric the Red II / Davan Shakari

Davan Shakari was stationed earth to spy on humanity for many years. Finally he was contacted by Emperor D’Ken to stop the initial meeting between Lilandra and Xavier. For the confrontation Shakari adopted the guise of Eric the Red as he knew that the costume once used by Cyclops would throw his opponents off guard. Davan captured Lilandra and brought her back to Shi’Ar space, however the X-Men followed. Eric the Red slipped away in the following battle and returned to his post on earth. Shakari was one of the few people that knew of the existance of D’Ken’s son Adam X and ever since the hybrid boy came to earth, Eric the Red tried to manipulate him. Finally Shakari was killed in a fight with Adam X, the X-Treme, who refused to believe Shakari’s story.

Technology

Shi'ar technology is far more advanced than Earth technology, and is generations ahead of that of many other Alien races. Beast once said that the vast majority of Shi'ar technology may even be sentient. Shi'ar technology has been used in the Blackbird, the X-Men's jet and Shi'ar solid holographic technology has also been used to augment the X-Men's Danger Room.

Shi'Ar Death Commando's

The Shi'Ar Death Commando's are an elite squad of bounty hunters sent to destroy the Shi'Ar's most dangerous foes. They appeared on Earth to kill the Grey family and destroy Rachel Summers so that the Phoenix wouldn't be a threat anymore. It took them 24 seconds to kill the entire Grey family at a welcome home party for Rachel. Things had been seem to going in their favor but some of the X-Men showed and helped to defeat them. They were taken into custody but later escaped to find their target. After a ferice battle between the Death Commando's and the X-Men the Shi'Ar ship in orbet got impatient, unleashing a blast from thier ship onto the Earth. Rachel combined her powers with Psylocke's to hold off the attack and redirect it back at the ship. The Shi'Ar Death Commando's were most likely taken back into custody but it is unknown for certain.

Black Cloak - A large humanoid the wore body armor clodely resembling a dragon. He appeared to have enhanced strength and superior fighting skills. He also carried a spear with him that he used with great skill. He seemed to be in charge of the attack. He marked Rachel so that they would be able to find her if she ran. Later he fought Bishop and ultimately lost the battle.

Krait - Seemed to be the flier of the Death Commando's. He resembled a humanoid hawkman, having the head of a hawk, wings and taloned feet. Most of his encounters were against Cannonball, his wings powerful enough to cut Cannonball while he was using his powers. Cannonball finally just barreled through Krait, knocking him out of the sky, he was not seen again.

Offset - A female humanoid bug. Having the head of an insect, four arms, spoke of feeding on humans and also had control of "The Colony" a large swarm of insects that could eat through flesh and steel. Her body was possibly superior or regenerative, taking a gun shot to the face at one point. During a battle with Rachel, she was blasted away, not to be seen again.

Hypernova - Human in appearance, she could possibly have been a mutant but was most likely alien in nature. He powers allowed her to throw energy blasts and even disintergrate people into nothing but burn marks on the floor. She appeared to have some kind of connection to the member Shell, often seen riding on his shoulders. Later she fought Nightcrawler and was never see again.

Shell - His entire body was composed of stone, probably giving him enhanced strength and durability. While hunting down Rachel, she attacked the small hunting party mentally, he was not seen again after that attack.

SeGa - SeGa's entire body was made of mist, able to travel through the air and dispearse itself at will. While the Death Commando's were escaping, SeGa knocked everyone in the building out. Ultimately SeGa was frozen by a Sentinel, it's fate unknown.

Devo - Human in appearance also, Devo had the power to create forcefields. He was often seen wearing red colored goggles. He seemed to have some kind of connection to SeGa seen carrying the mist inside a bubble at times. He was last seen holding up a force field against one of Bishop's guns, the field cracking, he's not shown again after that battle.

Flaw - Flaw is a Warskrull that knew fully how to control his powers. Being a warskrull he has enhanced strength and durability, also advanced shape-shifting powers. He held his own directly against Rachel, even taking a fire blast from her directly to the face. Eventually he was taken down by Psylocke's psi-blade, his fate unknown.

Warshot - Warshot's race is unknown, always wearing body armor. He was the team sharpshooter and sniper. He carried an arsenal of gun, having expert knowledge on how to use them all, most weapons seemed alien in nature. In his last battle he went against the Sentinel, but the Sentinel was able to track him and he took multiple hits to his chest. His fate is unknown.