PARAGONS
Membership: D.J. (Mark Sheppard), Match (Ben Hamill), Pixie (Megan Gwynn), Preview (Jessica Vale), Trance (Hope Abbott), Wolf Cub (Nicholas Gleason);
formerly Specter (Dallas Gibson)
Purpose: X-Men training squad
Aliases: None
Affiliations: Karma, (temporary advisor, Xi'an Coy Manh), Magma (advisor, Amara Aquila), Wolfsbane (advisor, Rahne Sinclair)
X-Men training squads (Alpha Squadron, Corsairs, Excelsiors, Exemplars, Hellions, New Mutants), X-Men (Cyclops/Scott Summers, Emma Frost)
Enemies: Purifiers, William Stryker
Base of Operations: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Westchester County, New York
First Appearance: New X-Men II#12 (June, 2005)
History:
(New X-Men II#12 - BTS) - While at Xavier's, Match, Pixie, Preview, Trance and Wolf Cub were selected to join one of the special training squads mentored by various members of the X-Men. They were placed on the Paragons, led by Wolfsbane.
(New X-Men II#2 - BTS) - When several X-Men introduced their training squads, Emma Frost introduced her team the Hellions though Specter was absent. He had apparently switched squads to the Paragons.
(New X-Men II#2 - BTS) - Some time after Scott Summers had introduced his Corsairs team to the entire student body during a special ceremony, D.J. decided to change squads. He moved to the Paragons, switching with Specter who in turn moved to the Corsairs.
(New X-Men II#12 (fb) - BTS) - The Paragons participated in a Danger Room session where they had to fight a Hulk construct. After completing the exercise, the New Mutants tried the same challenge and beat the record set by the Paragons.
(New X-Men II#12) - During a meeting with their advisor Rahne Sinclair, the Paragons expressed their disappointment that the New Mutants squad had beat their time. Rahne gave her squad a much needed peptalk, reminding them they still would have saved a lot of lives if the situation had been real. Not much later Xavier Institute headmasters Cyclops and Emma Frost found out and confronted Rahne Sinclair about her affair with sixteen-year old Josh Foley (Elixir). Sinclair then decided to leave the academy not wanting to wait around for them to fire her.
(New X-Men II#13) - Hope and possibly DJ (see comments) were present when Wolverine (mind controlled by the Hand at the time) crashed one of the Blackbirds on the Xavier Institute's front lawn. Even though the X-Men and Avengers tried to deal with him, the feral Wolverine eventually managed to kill Alpha Squadron's squad leader, Northstar. The following morning, all students were informed of the tragic news by headmasters Cyclops and Emma Frost. Sometime later, most students attended Northstar's funeral.
(New X-Men II#14) - The Paragons joined Alpha Squadron for a joint training session with Karma. Both groups squabbled over the fact that the Paragons had lost during field day and that their mentor Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane) had disappeared after getting caught having an affair with a student. Karma expressed they would find the Paragons a new advisor for next semester. Later, most students presumably attended the school dance.
(New X-Men II#15) - Danielle Monster contacted former New Mutants team member Amara Aquila (Magma) offering her a teaching position within the Institute. Magma wasn't quite sure, but told she would consider the offer. Not much later, old X-Man foe the Blob attacked Xavier's, Pixie and the other students were afraid to intervene, scared to get killed. However, Prodigy of the New Mutants squad ordered the Paragons and others to protect the smaller children while the New Mutants and Hellions squads attacked Blob. Inspired by this, after the Blob was defeated Magma accepted Moonstar's offer.
(New X-Men Yearbook Special#1 - BTS) - Amara Aquila (Magma) became the Paragons new advisor.
(New X-Men Yearbook Special#1) - The Paragons posed for a group photo for the Xavier yearbook. In the yearbook, each individual member's likes and dislikes were listed.
(House of M#8 - BTS) - When a reality altering spell cast by the Scarlet Witch reduced the number of gene active mutants to a mere 300 worldwide, two of the Paragons also lost their powers.
(New X-Men II#20) - The morning after M-Day, hysteria broke out amongst the student body as most students woke up depowered. Preview who had lost her powers was surprised to learn she couldn't see the future anymore.
(New X-Men II#21) - Pixie and Wolf Cub joined a group of students who had retained their mutant powers to watch some TV. They saw an interview by William Stryker who called the mutant decimation in line with the lord's plan.
(New X-Men II#23) - Two weeks after the global depowering that had become known as M-Day all student training squads disbanded since only twenty-five X-Students had retained their powers. Xavier Institute headmaster Emma Frost pitted all remaining students against each other in a battle royale to choose a team who would go on to train as New X-Men. Pixie, Wolf Cub, Match and Trance prepared themselves for the battle royale as Pixie wished she would have brought her helmet and Trance wondered if she could leave her body outside of the battlefield. During the battle, Match fought Anole and X-23, Wolf Cub was knocked out by Rockslide while Pixie had taken to the sky and Trance did leave her body to fight in her astral form. After the battle was finished seven students were chosen to train as X-Men, none of the former Paragons were chosen. Not much later Xavier Institute headmasters Cyclops and Emma Frost decided all depowered students should return home for their own safety. Before boarding the bus Paragon DJ (and most likely Preview) said their goodbyes and boarded the bus. A first busload of students had already left when a second, carrying another 42 former mutant teens, was blown up. The attack was carried out by the Purifiers who were acting on the orders from their leader Reverend William Stryker.
Comments: Created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Michael Ryan (pencils), Rick Ketcham (inks).
This profile is primarily focussed on the Paragons as a group. The individual members made other appearances which were covered in their individual entries.
After the team was disbanded, D.J. died when the Purifiers bombed a bus he was on. Preview's final fate is unclear, however her sister Network was on the same bus as D.J. It stands to reason both sisters would have been on board.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Paragons should not be confused with
images: (without ads)
New X-Men Yearbook Special#1, p24, pan1 (main image)
New X-Men II#12, p5, pan6 (Wolfsbane peptalk)
New X-Men II#14, p8, pan 4 (wanting Wolfsbane)
New X-Men II#23, p9, pan4 (before the battle royale)
Appearances:
New X-Men II#12 (June, 2005) - Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Michael Ryan (pencils), Rick Ketcham (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#13 (July, 2005) - Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Michael Ryan (pencils), Rick Ketcham (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#14 (July, 2005) - Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Paco Medina (pencils), Juan Vlasco (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#15 (August, 2005) - Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Paco Medina (pencils), Juan Vlasco (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men Yearbook Special (December, 2005) - Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir (writers), Georges Jeanty (pencils), Don Hillsman (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#20 (January, 2006) - Craig Kyle, Chris Yost (writers), Mark Brooks (pencils), Jaime Mendoza (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#21 (February, 2006) - Craig Kyle, Chris Yost (writers), Mark Brooks (pencils), Jaime Mendoza, Jay Lesiten (inkers), Mike Marts (editor)
New X-Men II#23 (April, 2006) - Craig Kyle, Chris Yost (writers), Mark Brooks, Paul Pelletier (pencillers), Jaime Mendoza (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
First Posted: 07/26/2015
Last updated: 07/18/2015
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!