Banshee (character)
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Banshee (Sean Cassidy) is a fictional
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
, commonly in association with the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
. Created by writer
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and artist Werner Roth, the character first appeared in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' #28 (Jan. 1967). An Irish
mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
, Banshee possesses a "sonic scream", capable of harming enemies’
auditory system The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. It includes both the sensory organs (the ears) and the auditory parts of the sensory system. System overview The outer ear funnels sound vibrations to the eardrum, increasin ...
s and causing physical vibrations. He is named after the banshee, a legendary female spirit from Irish mythology, (Bean Sí, literally Fairy Woman), said to possess a haunting cry. A former
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
agent and NYPD
police officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
, Banshee was always a decade older than most of the X-Men and had only a relatively short tenure as a full-time X-Man. He was a mentor of the 1990s-era junior team
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
. Caleb Landry Jones played the role of Banshee in 2011's '' X-Men: First Class''.


Publication history

Banshee was created by writer
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and artist Werner Roth, and first appeared in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' #28 (Jan. 1967). Thomas originally conceived of the character as a woman, but editor
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
thought that it wouldn't look good for an entire team to gang up on a female villain. When the character first appeared, he acted as an adversary to the X-Men under coercion, but soon befriended the team and eventually appeared as a member of the X-Men in '' Giant-Size X-Men'' #1 (May 1975). The character was forced to leave the team when his superpowers were damaged in battle in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #119 (March 1979), and remained an occasional supporting character for the team for several years. Banshee eventually healed fully, and rejoined the team in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #254 (December 1989) for a short stint, later becoming a central figure in the title ''
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
'', which lasted from 1994 to 2001. Banshee was killed in issue #2 of the 2006 '' X-Men: Deadly Genesis'' limited series. Banshee was one of the feature characters in the 2011 two-issue limited series ''Chaos War: X-Men''.


Fictional character biography

Sean Cassidy is discovered by the villainous Changeling, who invites him to join
Factor Three The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several fictional teams and organizations and this page lists them. 0–9 198 A A-Force A-Next A.I. Army Because of his revelation that he is now a simulated A ...
. Cassidy declines upon learning Factor Three's goals. Factor Three, along with the Ogre, captures him and places a headband containing explosives around his head to force him to obey their commands. Codenamed after the banshee, a spirit from
Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...
, Cassidy is forced to perform various criminal missions for Factor Three. On a mission in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, Banshee encounters the X-Men.
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
uses his
telepathy Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W ...
to disarm the headband and remove it, allowing Banshee to help the X-Men defeat Factor Three. Later, Factor Three captures him again but he helps the X-Men defeat Factor Three's ally, the Mutant Master. The Sentinels capture him, but he is released from their captivity. While on the run from the Secret Empire, he fights
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
and the
Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...
, mistaking their then-fugitive status for a link to his pursuers. Banshee joins the second group of X-Men. After a mission at
Krakoa Krakoa is a fictional living island appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in ''Giant-Size X-Men'' #1 and was created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. Initially depicted as an antagonist, Krakoa has since gro ...
, Banshee remains with the "New X-Men". Banshee accompanies the team on many different missions and is present for several key moments in the X-Men's history, including the first death of an X-Man, Thunderbird. He is also a key player during the first appearance of the Phoenix and the team's first encounter with the Shi'ar. While with the X-Men, he falls in love with Xavier's ex-girlfriend, Dr. Moira MacTaggert. Alongside the X-Men, he fights his cousin
Black Tom Cassidy Black Tom Cassidy (Thomas Samuel Eamon Cassidy) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the X-Men, and of his cousin, Banshee. In addition to fighting the X-M ...
and the
Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath. ...
. Given his age, he frequently acts as a confidant for both Xavier and Cyclops, eventually convincing Cyclops to change his leadership style to better suit the older, more experienced second team of X-Men. When Banshee loses the use of his powers due to damaged vocal cords, he leaves the X-Men to stay with MacTaggert. Meanwhile, Black Tom was secretly raising Banshee's daughter, Theresa. She develops sonic powers of her own and adopts the name
Siryn Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Debuting under the codename Siryn, she later retired the name and went by Banshee, in hon ...
. Siryn assists Black Tom with his crimes until the pair is defeated by Spider-Woman and the X-Men. While in custody, Tom makes arrangements for Siryn to be reunited with her father. Banshee's powers gradually return as he heals and he remains an ally of the X-Men. He reveals an encounter with Wolverine that occurred before either of them joined the X-Men. Eventually, Sean regains full use of his sonic powers. After the dissolution of the team following a botched mission, Banshee is instrumental in piecing the X-Men back together. When his jaw is broken, he leaves the X-Men again and returns to MacTaggert. He later becomes the head of the new team of young mutants
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
along with Emma Frost. He reappears again as the leader of
X-Corps The X-Corps is a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Whether they were good or bad was left up to debate, even within the X-Men, but the team acted as a mutant police force created by former X-Man Banshee, ...
, the new team of apparently reformed mutants criminals. He dies trying to prevent a plane crash caused by
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
. In his will, Cassidy gives his daughter the family castle—Cassidy Keep—as well as his pipe. When Siryn and Jamie Madrox have a child, they name him Sean in honor of her late father. Cassidy has been resurrected under the control of villains twice, before being restored to life by a Celestial Death Seed. He is recruited by the
Apocalypse Twins Warren Kenneth Worthington III, originally known as Angel and later as Archangel, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, ...
as part of their new Horsemen of Death. Following the Apocalypse Twins' defeat, Banshee is in the X-Men's custody and placed in the medical bay of Avengers Mansion. Beast concludes that healing Banshee of the Death Seed energy that made him a Horseman of Death will take years and highly advanced technology. Sean later resurfaced as part of the
Mutant Liberation Front This is a list of some of the major foes of the Marvel Comics superhero team, the X-Men. Central rogues' gallery Other recurring antagonists Teams See also * List of X-Men members References {{DEFAULTSORT:X-Men Enemies, List Of Enemies ...
along with Hope Summers. After a confrontation with the X-Men and newest incarnation of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Sean rejoined the X-Men. When attacking the O*N*E headquarters, he was caught with a huge, big weapon like a hulk killer. The machine eventually exploded as X-Men screamed out in sadness as they knew the explosion caused his death.


House of X

Sean later appeared alive and completely cured of the Death Seed energy. He was seen standing in a yellow uniform and waiting to go through the portal to their new home now that the mutant population has sharply increased across the globe thanks to the sentient mutant island Krakoa and its special flowers. Krakoa has now become an independent island-state off the coasts of East Asia and Australia. He later reunites with his daughter Siryn on Krakoa as well. Banshee was in the running to join the first Krakoan X-Men lineup but lost to
Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that ...
. Some time later, Moira finally revealed herself to Sean in an Irish Pub. She wanted him to help her sneak into Krakoa, but Sean, who still couldn't believe she was alive, wanted to take things slow and get her to a hospital first. Losing her patience, Moira decided to cut their reunion short and kill him, ripping his face off to enter the island undercover. Sean was revived by the Five but was deeply troubled by his misfortunes and this was made worse when he was temporarily possessed by "The Skinjacker", struggling to overcome the treachery of his loved one, he was coerced into making a deal with the mysterious "Mother Righteous" who gave him powers similar to Ghost Rider. After using these new powers to save Nightcrawler, Blindfold and Weaponless Zsen from the astral plane, he was reported by
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
to have been appearing in the dreams of his closest circle calling himself Vox Ignis, Herald of the Spark. He was later seen observing things with Mother Righteous in the Astral Plane, it was revealed that she had bonded him to the Spirit of Variance a rejected Spirit of Vengeance. After getting them both to thank her for her service, they discussed future plans and she told him to keep an eye on Legion because a new threat was coming.


Powers and abilities

Banshee is a
mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
whose superhumanly powerful lungs, throat, and vocal cords can produce a sonic scream for various effects, in concert with limited, reflexive psionic powers which directed his sonic vibrations. He can hover or fly at the speed of sound, and can carry at least one passenger. He could overwhelm listeners with deafening noise, stun them with tight-focus low-frequency sonic blasts (effective even against shielded ears by penetrating the skull via bone conduction), plunge them into a hypnotic trance, disorient them, nauseate them, or simply render them unconscious. Using sonic waves, he can rapidly vibrate himself or other masses at will. He could generate sonic blasts which struck with tremendous concussive force, liquefying or outright disintegrating targets at his highest levels of power. By radiating sound waves outward and reading the feedback, he can locate and analyze unseen objects in a
sonar Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigation, navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect o ...
-like fashion. By modulating his scream's harmonics, he can confuse most scanning equipment. He can instinctively analyze, replicate, and block sonic waves or vibrations from other sources. Banshee generates a psionic field which protects him from the detrimental effects of his sonic vibrations, though his sonic powers can still injure him when pushed beyond safe limits. For a while, his sonic powers were gone after having to use them up and down the harmonic scale to stop a weapon of
Moses Magnum M-11 Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was given the name "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first appearance in '' Menace'' #11 from Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. ...
's. His physiology seems fully vulnerable to conventional injury when his sonic powers are not engaged. Banshee has
selective hearing Selective auditory attention or selective hearing is a type of selective attention and involves the auditory system. Selective hearing is characterized as the action in which people focus their attention intentionally on a specific source of a sou ...
, enabling him to focus upon, enhance, or totally block out any given sound in his environment; this shields him from the deafening sound of his own screams, and make him a superhumanly acute eavesdropper in surveillance situations. Sean and his cousin Black Tom are immune to each other's natural mutant energy powers, though Sean's immunity does not extend to the new powers Tom later developed via artificial mutations. A gifted detective, veteran undercover operative, and formidable unarmed combatant, Cassidy is an excellent marksman and a competent amateur machine-smith, well-versed in combat strategy & tactics, and teamwork drills, from his training at Interpol. An effective educator, organizer, and lobbyist, he is also an avid American country music aficionado and skillful amateur piano player. As Cassidy, he wields conventional firearms, sometimes loaded with explosive "micro-bombs." As Banshee, he wears synthetic costuming designed to resist air friction, usually including underarm wings that helped him glide on air currents and his own sonic waves. The "ribbons" on Banshee's costume (a visual trademark of the character) aid him in his flight.


Other versions


Ultimate Marvel

In the '' Ultimate Marvel'' universe, Banshee is the name of a drug similar to Mutant Growth Hormone. The drug was being made and distributed by Moira MacTaggert, who displayed the powers of
Earth-616 In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. History of the term The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis p ...
's Sean Cassidy, which was later used by Alpha Flight,
Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
, and
Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...
.


Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse, Banshee had a close bond with
Quicksilver Quicksilver may refer to: * Quicksilver (metal), the chemical element mercury Arts and entertainment Music * Quicksilver, a bluegrass band fronted by Doyle Lawson * "Quicksilver" (song), a 1950 hit for Bing Crosby * ''Quicksilver'' (sound ...
. Over the course of events in those comics, he fights the
Horseman Horseman or The Horsemen or ''variation'', may refer to: People *Horseman, a person who practices equestrianism Occupations *Wrangler (profession), in the United States *Stockman (Australia), who works with horses rather than with cattle or shee ...
Abyss twice, the second time sacrificing his life to destroy the dangerous mutant.


Marvel Noir

In ''
X-Men Noir ''Marvel Noir'' is a 2009 in comics, 2009/2010 Marvel Comics metaseries, alternative continuity combining elements of film noir and pulp magazine, pulp fiction with the Marvel Universe. The central premise of the mini-series replaces super powers ...
'', Sean Cassidy is depicted as a heroin dealer and an inmate at Welfare Pen and one of
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
's childhood acquaintances.


Renew Your Vows

In the pages of '' Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows'', Banshee is briefly seen escaping the Brotherhood of Mutants to warn the X-Men about Jubilee being a traitor. He is confronted by Magneto and is crushed by a shipping container.


In other media


Television

Banshee appears in ''
X-Men: The Animated Series ''X-Men'', also known as ''X-Men: The Animated Series'', is an animated superhero television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Kids Network. ''X-Men'' was Marvel Comics' second attempt at an animated X-Men ...
''. This version is the younger brother of Black Tom Cassidy, an associate of the X-Men, and in a romantic relationship with Moira MacTaggert.


Film

* Banshee appears in ''
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
'', portrayed by
Jeremy Ratchford Jeremy Ratchford (born August 6, 1965) is a Canadian actor. He starred as Nick Vera on the TV series ''Cold Case''. Career While in Canada, Ratchford played Marvel Comic book character Banshee in the live action TV super hero film ''Generation ...
. This version is a laid-back headmaster of
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X-Me ...
whose sonic scream can stun targets. * Banshee appears in '' X-Men: First Class'', portrayed by Caleb Landry Jones, though
Robert Sheehan Robert Sheehan (born 7 January 1988) is an Irish actor. He is best known for television roles such as Nathan Young in ''Misfits'', Darren Treacy in '' Love/Hate'', and Klaus Hargreeves in ''The Umbrella Academy,'' as well as film roles such a ...
was originally cast in the role before he was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with the TV series '' Misfits''. This version hails from 1962 and is recruited by Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr to help them defeat the
Hellfire Club Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
. * While Jones did not reprise his role as Banshee in '' X-Men: Days of Future Past'', Lehnsherr states he was one of several mutants who were captured, experimented on, and killed by Bolivar Trask.


Video games

* Banshee appears as a NPC in '' X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse'', voiced by
Quinton Flynn Quinton Flynn is an American voice actor and comedian, who has provided the English voices of video game characters such as Raiden in the ''Metal Gear'' series, Marcus Damon in ''Digimon Data Squad'', Lea and Axel in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' seri ...
. * Banshee appears in Magneto's ending in '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''.


Merchandise

* Banshee received a figure in Toy Biz's X-Men figure line. * Banshee received a figure in series two of Toy Biz's "Generation X" toy line. * Banshee received a figure in
Marvel Legends Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale. The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
' Annihilus build-a-figure series. * Banshee received a figure in the
Classic Marvel Figurine Collection The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection is a magazine series published by Eaglemoss Publications from 2005 to 2012, through which consumers can collect hand-painted lead figurines of the Marvel Comics characters. The figurines are produced at a 1:21 ...
.


References


External links


Banshee
at Marvel.com
Banshee
at Marvel Wiki
UncannyXmen.Net's Spotlight on Banshee
{{X-Men characters Characters created by Roy Thomas Comics characters introduced in 1967 Fictional characters who can manipulate sound Fictional detectives Fictional government agents Fictional immigrants to the United States Fictional Irish people Fictional principals and headteachers Fictional schoolteachers Irish superheroes Male characters in film Marvel Comics film characters Marvel Comics male superheroes Marvel Comics martial artists Marvel Comics mutants Marvel Comics police officers X-Men members