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JADE DRAGON

Real Name: Dei Guan

Identity/Class: Human magic mutate;
   citizen of China

Occupation: Freedom fighter, former Soldier

Group Membership: None;
formerly 3-Peace (Collective Man/Tao-Yu, Nuwa)

Affiliations: Alpha Flight (Box/Madison Jeffries, Sasquatch/"Wanda" Langkowski, Shaman/Michael Twoyoungmen, Talisman/Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, Vindicator/Heather Hudson), Beta Flight (Laura Dean, Goblyn, Manikin/Whitman Knapp, Purple Girl/Kara Killgrave), Geomancer, Danielle Moonstar, Puck (Eugene Judd);
formerly Mutant Liberation Front

Enemies: China Force (Rabbit, Rat, Ox, Snake), the Chinese government, Dreamqueen, Mutant Liberation Front (Feral/Maria Callasantos, Forearm/Michael McCain, Reignfire, Wildside/Richard Gill);
formerly High Lama

Known Relatives: Unidentified parents (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: China;
   formerly a temporary Canadian holding facility in Ottowa

First Appearance: Alpha Flight I#59 (June, 1988)

Powers/Abilities: Dei Guan possesses the superhuman ability to transform himself into an enormous, superhumanly strong dragon, and back again into a human being. He retains his human intelligence when he is in the form of a dragon. Presumably he draws the additional mass he takes on in becoming a dragon from an otherdimensional source. The Jade Dragon possesses the ability to fly and breathe fire wihout harm to himself. In his human form, Dei possesses the normal strength of a human male his size. As the Jade dragon his strength is significantly augmented. Though he has received a battery of tests by the Chinese government which determined the limits of his strength and other abilities, these results remain classified.

Height: (Human form) 5'1"; (dragon form) 20'
Weight: (Human form) 100 lbs.; (dragon form) 850 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:
(Alpha Flight I#59 (fb) ) - Born in China, Dei's parents were slaughtered when was a child. Their crime being intellectuals during the so-called Cultural Revolution sweeping the country.

(Alpha Flight I#59 (fb) ) - An orphan, Dei was raised to manhood in the re-education camp, his political correctness being measured in the bushels of ore he extracted from China's iron mines. Exhausted by labor and exposed to the country's incessant propaganda he no longer knew what to believe.

(Alpha Flight I#59 (fb) ) - During one day in the iron mines Dei was approached by a Geomancer who appeared before him who'd witnessed the man's struggle. The Geomancer told him ancient beliefs that dragons of jade lay beneath the earth, lending their powers to great warriors, their wisdom to priests and their ability to heal to physicians. Unsure if the man was even real, Dei was taken off guard when the Geomancer infused him with the power of the dragons, resulting him to grow into a giant jade dragon.

(Alpha Flight I#59 (fb) ) - His newfound abilities allowed Dei, as the Jade Dragon to free himself. His rebirth coinciding with his country's as the political faction the Gang of Four was disposed, ending the Cultural Revolution. Full of reformist fervor Dei enlisted in the service of the new China.

(Alpha Flight I#59) - Dei's optimism was soon diminished when he was ordered to join a platoon of soldiers in the extermination of a pacifistic priesthood in the Northeastern Chinese province of Danwei who were deemed punishable for worshipping a power other than the state. However while attacking the priests the soldiers learned they could conjure up a defense which was then countered by an air strike. Repulsed by the sight of dead priests, Dei was unaware a Canadian adventurer, the depowered Puck was present too, looking to locate the doorway between worlds of the High Lama who resided in the lamasery. After setting off a bomb to attack the Chinese soldiers the lamasery shielded itself with a force field. Unable to cross the barrier Dei was ordered to destroy it, having turned into the Jade Dragon, Dei easily breached the force field after which he took to the sky, wondering if China's ancestors had really bestowed him with gifts to oppress others.

   Arriving at the lamasery, Jade Dragon discovered the High Lama talking with the Canadian Puck. Believing to find the High Lama colluding with a foreign spy he attacked the duo, accidentally killing the High Lama with his fiery breath (in reality the High Lama wanted to die to transcend mortality). Distraught, Jade Dragon smashed Puck into a pillar after joining the commander who was pleased by his actions, noting his disciples would be next. Enraged and struck with grief of his actions the Jade Dragon attacked the Chinese soldiers. However, in a strange turn of events a battle between Alpha Flight and the Dreamqueen was teleported into the Chinese lamasery's courtyard by Puck and the High Lama. Chaos followed as all parties were unaware of what had happened, Dei's commanding officer was quick to blame him, believing it a result of his treason.

(Alpha Flight I#60) - Determined to stop the Chinese soldiers from wreaking any more havoc the Jade Dragon used his dragon fire to remove them from the lamasery after which he returned to the ensuing battle between Alpha Flight and the Dreamqueen. Unaware the situation had instigated a political disaster as both the Soviet Union, the United States and China prepared for war. Like the members of Alpha Flight, the Jade Dragon didn't quite understand that the Dreamqueen's army were mere illusions and joined the fight, aiding Alpha Flight. Eventually it was Puck who distracted and held the Dreamqueen long enough for the young Laura Dean to use her newfound mutant abilities to close the Dreamqueen's portal, ending the battle. In turn the High Lama used his powers to return the members of Alpha Flight to Canada, along with the Jade Dragon.

(Alpha Flight I#64 - BTS) - Stuck in Canada, Dei was taken by the Canadian intelligence agency.

(Alpha Flight I#61) - Dei attended a court hearing of Alpha Flight leader Heather Hudson over the future of government funding of the team. As the hearing became more of an inquisition Dei couldn't keep quiet any longer. While transforming into the Jade Dragon comparing the acts he'd done as a servant of his nation to what the Canadian government expected of Alpha Flight. In the end Heather Hudson denied the government's wishes determined to continue on their own. As Hudson and Madison Jeffries left the courtroom they extended an invitation to join to the Jade Dragon, Dei, however, was unsure if he would even defect from China and stayed behind.

(Alpha Flight I#64) - Convinced by the Canadian intelligence agency in Ottawa, Dei was interrogated for hours on end to learn if he wanted to defect or not. Growing tired of the endless talk, Dei turned into the Jade Dragon thus scaring the agents into leaving the man alone. Unbeknownst to Dei and the Canadian intelligence they were being watched by Dei's former team China Force who were determined to kill him if he were to defect.

(Alpha Flight I#65) - Dei was allowed to get a drink from the intelligence's mess hall, although escorted by security. Dei once again grew upset as his intentions were distrusted and turned into Jade Dragon. Scaring the security, Jade Dragon explained they would be the first to know if he would defect or not and demanded to be left in peace.

(Alpha Flight I#66) - Dei was taken by the Canadian intelligence agency awaiting a hearing whether to detain or deport him when China Force attacked, killing Dei's escort. Still unaware who'd attacked Dei turned into Jade Dragon and was shocked to learn China's government-sanctioned China Force had come. China Force, got straight to the point, join or die.

(Alpha Flight I#69) - Unwilling to listen to Jade Dragon, China Force attacked and successfully rendered him unconscious with Rat's claws laced with inhibitor drugs. China Force decided to return Dei to China, leaving on a plane. But when Dei regained consciousness aboard the airplane he realized something was amiss, China Force believed they'd already entered China's airspace while Dei clearly saw they were still in Canada. In reality Dreamqueen had placed the China Force under her command causing them and Alpha Flight to land in a Canadian shopping mall.

(Alpha Flight I#69 - BTS) - While Canada fell under the influence of Dreamqueen, China Force tied Dei to a pole in the shopping mall after which they attacked Alpha Flight.

(Alpha Flight I#69) - Eventually freed when Alpha Flight defeated China Force, Dei watched as the young Laura Dean opened a portal to China after which Shaman hurled them into the portal. Thanking Alpha Flight for saving him Dei decided to return as well to explain his case and conscience hoping to prove them wrong.

(X-Force Annual I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Jade Dragon founded a new Chinese team of superhumans called 3-Peace alongside mutants Collective Man and Nuwa, seeking freedom for mutants who'd been taken into captivity by the Chinese government. To help them free the mutants, 3-Peace had contacted the American mutant terrorist Reignfire of the Mutant Liberation Front.

(X-Force Annual I#3) - Jade Dragon and 3-Peace met in the village of T'ung-Ling waiting for the MLF's leader to discuss their plan when Chinese government operative Snake appeared. Determined to take 3-Peace into custody, Jade Dragon and the others prepared for a battle when Snake was suddenly taken out by Reignfire. Deciding to work with Reignfire's Mutant Liberation Front to free the captive Chinese mutants, 3-Peace joined forces with the MLF to infiltrate a military tracking station in an effort to gain information on the imprisoned mutants' location. When attacked by China Force, Jade Dragon and Forearm successfully defeated Ox. But once they obtained the information needed 3-Peace was shocked when Reignfire killed China Force's Rabbit to make the government believe they would overthrow the government.

   The following day Jade Dragon accompanied 3-Peace as they were led into the Citizen's Rehabilitation Clinic near Shanghai, where Reignfire killed several guards. And although Nuwa again argued that Reignfire's actions were contradictory to the goals of 3-Peace as a group of freedom fighters and Reignfire replied that some situations required horrible actions be taken to ensure the future of mutantkind. Reignfire then led 3-Peace into the main detention holding wing, where 3-Peace was led into a trap. In reality Reignfire had made a pact with the Chinese government to turn 3-Peace in for personal gain. Finding themselves trapped in a corner, 3-Peace's Nuwa unleashed a powerful tranquility wave rendering both the Mutant Liberation Front and the Chinese government officials unconscious allowing them to escape the building. However, outside the remaining members of the Mutant Liberation Front Feral and Danielle Moonstar were waiting for them. Nuwa dealt with Feral who injured Jade Dragon with her claws after which Danielle Moonstar (who was working undercover as a member of the team) allowed them to leave.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor).

The Jade Dragon received a profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#4 (October, 1989).

Profile by MarvellousLuke

CLARIFICATIONS:
Jade Dragon has no known connections to:

parents

Dei's parents were slaughtered during China's Cultural Revolution for being intellectuals. The Cultural Revolution ended when the political faction the Gang of Four was disposed.

--Alpha Flight I#59 (fb)








Geomancer

Seeing Dei's struggle in China's iron mines a Geomancer mysteriously appeared before him and told Dei that their ancestors believed that "dragons of jade" lived beneath the earth and lent their powers to great warriors. He then imparted to Dei Guan the power of the Jade Dragon.

Note: Nothing has been revealed about the mysterious Geomancer since, however, we can make some conclusions from his short appearance. A practitioner of geomancy his magical abilities were classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts", along with necromancy, hydromancy, aeromancy, pyromancy, chiromancy, and spatualmancy. Believing the ancient tales of China and even able to magically tap into them he would have kept his identity a secret or else be grafted into serving the People's Republic of China at the time.

--Alpha Flight I#59 (fb)











images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#4, Jade Dragon entry (main image)
Alpha Flight I#59, p12, pan6 (serving China)
Alpha Flight I#59, p20, pan1,2 (killing the High Lama)
Alpha Flight I#64, p16, pan2 (interrogated by the Canadian intelligence)
X-Force Annual I#3, p20, pan2 (3-Peace)
Alpha Flight I#59, p12, pan1 (parents)
Alpha Flight I#59, p12, pan2 (Geomancer)

Appearances:
Alpha Flight I#59 (June, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#60 (July, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#61 (August, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#64 (November, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#65 (December, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Hough Haynes (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#66 (January, 1989) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Hough Haynes (pencils), Gerry Talaoc (inks), Carl Potts, Marc McLaurin (editors)
Alpha Flight I#69 (April, 1989) - James Hudnall (writer), John Calimee (pencils), Hilary Barta (inks), Carl Potts, Marc McLaurin (editors)
X-Force Annual I#3/1 (October, 1994) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Mike Wieringo (pencils), John Lowe (inks), Lisa Patrick (editor)

First Posted: 04/14/2020
Last Updated: 04/14/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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