NARA
Real Name: Nara
Identity/Class: Atlantean
Occupation: Student
Group Membership: Braddock Academy student
body (Anachronism/Aiden
Gillespie, Apex/Katy Bashir & Timothy Bashir, Cullen Bloodstone, Kid Briton/Brian
Braddock of Earth-13022)
Affiliations: Anachronism (Aiden Gillespie),
Cammi Benally, Cullen Bloodstone, Darkhawk (Chris Powell), Hazmat
(Jennifer Takada), Mettle (Ken Mack), Nico Minoru, Namor the
Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie), Red Raven
(Dania), Reptil (Humberto Lopez), Juston Seyfert, Chase Stein, X-23
(Laura Kinney);
formerly Apex (Katy Bashir
& Timothy Bashir), Death Locket (Rebecca Ryker), Kid Briton (Brian
Braddock of Earth-13022)
Enemies: Apex (Katy Bashir &
Timothy Bashir), Arcade, Death Locket (Rebecca Ryker), Kid Briton
(Brian Braddock of Earth-13022)
Known Relatives: Unidentified parents
(deceased)
Aliases: "Fishy" (insult from Cullen Bloodstone), "Nar," "Nara Love" (nicknames from Apex), "Your Psychopath Fish Girl" (insult from Cullen Bloodstone)
Base of Operations: Murderworld island;
formerly the Braddock
Academy, Essex, UK
First Appearance: Avengers Arena I#1
(February, 2013)
Powers/Abilities: Nara had the powers of a typical Atlantean, including the ability to breathe and see underwater and superhuman strength (sufficient to damage the superhumanly strong Kid Briton) when in or shortly after contact with water.
Nara was a superior swimmer and wore a
water-breathing apparatus while on land in order to breathe.
Height: 5'5" (by approximation)
Weight: 135 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: White
Hair: Navy blue
History: (Avengers Arena I#15 (fb)) - At a youngster, Nara's Royal Guard parents attempted to teach her about love during a sparring session, insisting that they pushed Nara so hard because they loved her. Her parents also taught her larger lessons about honorable combat, loyalty and valor, as well as love for Atlantis, its king and the glory of blood shed protecting Atlantis. When Nara's parents revealed themselves as allies of the warlord Attuma and died attempting to assassinate Atlantean king Namor, Namor summoned Nara and taught her to only trust in herself, as she would be less often disappointed. When a Royal Guard informed Namor that Nara's bloodline was black and asked what to do with her, Namor ordered the guards to exile Nara to the surface world.
(Avengers Arena I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Developing abandonment issues over time, Nara was enrolled at the Braddock Academy, a school for teenage superhumans.
(Avengers Arena I#6 (fb) - BTS) -
Nara immediately took a dislike to fellow student Aiden Gillespie,
treating him like scum almost from the moment they met.
(Avengers Arena I#5 (fb)) - After a moment in which
the Braddock Academy's Kid Briton bullied Aiden Gillespie, Nara pulled
Kid Briton into a room and made out with him. When Aiden entered the
room and unintentionally witnessed Nara kissing Kid Briton, he was
beaten up by Kid Briton as a reminder of how important it was that no
one learned of the kissing. Nara asked what would happen if Aiden told
anyone, suggesting Kid Briton's girlfriend Apex would be mad, but Kid
Briton assured Nara that Aiden would not tell anyone. When Kid Briton
remarked that Aiden was a coward and likely didn't even need the
beating as a reminder to not tell anyone, Nara commented that watching
Kid Briton beat up Aiden was hot, prompting Kid Briton to say Nara was
"messed up." Nara responded by telling Kid Briton that he loved how
messed up she was.
(Avengers Arena I#6 (fb)) - Once Aiden had
transformed into the super-strong Anachronism, Nara saw Anachronism and
admitted she had heard he was permanently stuck in his new, beefed-up
form. When she commented that Anachronism should thank God for small
favors, Anachronism angrily punched a locker near Nara, demanding to
know if she ever stop talking bad about him. Nara admitted that she did
on occasion and offered to let Anachronism see how it worked, prompting
Anachronism to comment that Nara smelled nice. Nara thanked Anachronism
but before anything more could be said, Kid Briton punched Anachronism,
remarking that just because Aiden had undergone a transformation, it
did not mean Nara was suddenly interested in geeks. Nara then smiled as
Kid Briton asked Anachronism what the point of him being interested in
girls was anyway, as all of the Braddock Academy were out of
Anachronism's league in the first place.
(Avengers Arena I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Nara secretly
followed Anachronism to a football pub, where Anachronism picked a
fight, and witnessed Anachronism smiling after bloodying his knuckles
in the fight.
(Avengers Arena I#1/Avengers Undercover I#1 (fb)) - A month later, Nara was one of sixteen young heroes captured and transported to Arcade's island Murderworld. Arcade soon woke the sedated heroes and revealed his plans to have the children survive on his island, fighting for supplies until only one of the sixteen was still alive. After gloating about his plan, Arcade released the heroes and all present planned to attack Arcade, with Kid Briton offering to let ladies Cammi and Nara attack first, to which Nara replied "gladly." When Arcade proved able to withstand any and all attacks, Nara stood back and witnessed Arcade explaining how each of the captured heroes would either play his game or die. Arcade soon grew tired of waiting and announced the game begun, offering to first kill the weakest of the sixteen to get the game started, but when he threatened Hazmat, Nara watched as Mettle offered himself to save Hazmat and was blown up from the inside out by Arcade.
(Avengers Arena I#2) - Nara
watched as Red Raven attempted to fly off the virtual island
Murderworld, only to hit the ceiling and crash to her death. Nara then
accompanied her allies Kid Briton, Apex, Anachronism and Cullen
Bloodstone into another part of Murderworld, where they started a fire.
Death Locket soon noticed the fire and, being cold, ventured closer to
the fire, where Kid Briton caught her and assumed she was there to kill
them. Death Locket tried to explain that she was cold and only wished
to be near the fire, prompting Nara to force Death Locket close to the
fire with her foot. When Cullen Bloodstone sarcastically remarked that
Nara and Kid Briton had found their first supposed kill, and that they
could tell Death Locket was a villain by the panda on her shirt, Nara
responded that perhaps they should instead let the potentially
murderous Death Locket go since Bloodstone found her outfit cute.
Continuing to force Death Locket to the ground with her foot, Nara
instead suggested they kill Death Locket now instead of giving her a
chance to return later and kill them. Kid Briton prepared to kill Death
Locket but Apex instead convinced Nara and Kid Briton to spare Death
Locket. Apex then introduced Death Locket to Nara and the others,
remarking that Nara had violent abandonment issues and likely would
have succeeded in killing Death Locket.
(Avengers Arena I#3) - After nightly attacks began in Murderworld, Nara argued with the other Braddock Academy students, insisting that she was not sleeping when an attack was made, prompting Apex to remark that Nara should have no trouble identifying the attacker.
(Avengers Arena I#5) - Nara was
awakened by a rumble and Arcade singing "Candy Man" over Murderworld's
loudspeakers. After Arcade revealed that Murderworld would suffer
natural disasters with safe zones on the outskirts of each quadrant
housing supplies, the Braddock Academy students began to move towards
the outskirts and Kid Briton suggested leaving Anachronism and Cullen
Bloodstone behind, an idea Nara agreed with. Nara then witnessed Cullen
locate Anachronism's axe and hurl it towards Kid Briton, who was saved
when Anachronism caught it in mid-air. Nara then smiled as Kid Briton
punched Cullen for hurling the axe. Nara then accompanied the other
Braddock Academy students towards the Murderworld outskirts, witnessing
Anachronism and Cullen Bloodstone fall into a small stream and
confirming that they were fine following the fall. Nara then remarked
that their fall saved the Braddock Academy having to deal with the two
later, at which point Death Locket uncontrollably blasted Nara off a
cliff. Kid Briton immediately panicked and demanded to know why Death
Locket had blasted Nara but Death Locket was unaware of why she blasted
Nara, prompting Kid Briton to demand Death Locket go check on Nara.
Apex reminded Kid Briton that Nara was an Atlantean who had fallen into
water that she could swim in. Apex then suggested Nara was simply more
dead weight that the Braddock Academy could do without, commenting that
Nara was impulsive, mean-spirited and near-useless on dry land. Apex
then revealed that she had allowed Kid Briton to see Nara back at the
Braddock Academy, feeling as if the fling would boost Briton's
confidence, but warned that they were now on Murderworld and she was
done sharing Briton with anyone else.
(Avengers Arena I#6) - Grasping at the rocks near the river, Nara exclaimed that she would find Death Locket while Cullen Bloodstone and Anachronism emerged from the river. Continuing her pointless threats, Nara soon sensed an impending rush of water and ordered Cullen and Anachronism to grab a hold of something solid. In her element within the water, Nara swam to the rescue of the smiling Anachronism (who thought perhaps Nara did care about him slightly after all) and Cullen, emerging moments later to suggest they try not to drown. After heading upstream, Nara emerged on land with Cullen and Anachronism behind her, and Cullen suggested they head south to the nearest Murderworld safe zone. Nara refused, announcing that she was heading the opposite direction to take down Death Locket, but Cullen reminded Nara who had befriended Death Locket and brought her into their grouping and who might have been jealous that Nara and Kid Briton were secretly seeing each other. Quickly realizing that Apex was behind Death Locket's attack, Nara reluctantly agreed to accompany Cullen and Anachronism south as long as they discuss their next plan along the way. As they traveled, Nara asked Anachronism why he felt Kid Briton bullied him and when Anachronism suggested it was because Kid Briton was a jerk, Nara explained that Kid Briton's powers were confidence-based so his bullying actually made Kid Briton more powerful. Nara then suggested that Kid Briton was more threatened by Anachronism following his transformation and admitted that she had witnessed Anachronism's bar-room brawl earlier and felt that Anachronism enjoyed himself in a good fight. Anachronism responded by saying the violent urges were part of the ancient Celtic body he now inhabited but Nara remarked that it wasn't so bad to be aggressive and that Anachronism had not transformed into a mindless monster that needed to be locked away. Cullen then told Nara to quit badgering Anachronism, as she had no idea what Anachronism went through, and the conversation was soon interrupted when Arcade teleported Nara, Anachronism and Cullen to the same location as Kid Briton, Apex and Death Locket. Realizing that Arcade had teleported them to goad Nara into killing, Anachronism suggested Nara consider her actions but Nara nonetheless threatened Apex, who sarcastically remarked that for once in her life, Nara had figured something out. When Kid Briton tried to calm Nara and Apex, Nara punched Kid Briton, angry that he had not tried to rescue her despite having the ability to fly. Nara then warned Apex that she didn't want Nara as an opponent but Apex laughed that she was not at all threatened by Nara, who was barely worth the double cross. Apex then ordered Death Locket to blast Nara, who proved unafraid, but Death Locket's aim was knocked off when Cullen Bloodstone fired a blast from a gun he found among the safe zone supplies. In the distraction, Nara attacked Apex, threatening to kill her, but Kid Briton begged Nara to reconsider. Apex ordered Kid Briton to help her but Nara commented that Kid Briton could not help Apex, as he was weak and pathetic. When Nara continued goading Kid Briton, he fought back, slicing Nara with his sword but before Kid Briton could kill Nara, Anachronism stepped in and beheaded Kid Briton.
(Avengers Arena I#8) - As Cullen
patched up Nara sword injury, Nara asked how they could just let Apex
and Death Locket escape, prompting Cullen to explain that Anachronism
had been catatonic since killing Kid Briton and Nara had been
preoccupied with bleeding all over herself. Nara painfully asked if
Cullen was enjoying poking at her wound and Cullen offered to let her
field dress her own wound, prompting Nara to quit complaining. When
Anachronism came to his senses and expressed guilt for killing Kid
Briton, Nara reminded him that he had not killed Kid Briton in cold
blood and that Anachronism had only been saving Nara's life. Opening
her water-breathing apparatus, Nara proclaimed Anachronism to be a
warrior, suggesting that a warrior never had to apologize for
protecting what was his and kissing Anachronism. While Anachronism and
Nara kissed over Kid Briton's corpse, Cullen Bloodstone walked away,
soon finding himself face-to-face with Cammi Benally, Chase Stein and
Nico Minoru. After Cullen convinced the trio to help bury Kid Briton in
exchange for splitting the safe zone supplies, Nara was confronted by
Nico, who asked if Nara was close to Kid Briton. Nico attempted to
console Nara, commenting that relationships can be rough, but Nara
refused Nico's help, stating that they would not be bonding over lost
love and proclaiming that Kid Briton was nothing more than a coward who
got what he deserved.
(Avengers Arena I#9) - When Death Locket stood
revealed as being manipulated into killing others by Apex and Death
Locket proclaimed that Apex's Katy Bashir persona was evil while her
brother Timothy Bashir, who shared Apex's form, was not, Nara claimed
Death Locket was lying, as she had known Apex for two years and was
unaware of any brother Katy Bashir had. Nara then accused Timothy
Bashir of being a trick concocted by Arcade or Katy Bashir herself,
suggesting they cut Tim open to be sure, but Anachronism and the other
Murderworld captives argued against killing Tim. A short time later,
Nara sat around a fire with the other captives as a bound Tim was
allowed to explain how he and Katy Bashir shared a singular body as
Apex. Upon hearing Tim's story, Nara claimed they would have all
noticed Katy transforming into Tim at the Braddock Academy but Tim
explained that Katy had learned how to suppress him before being sent
to the Braddock Academy. Later, after Tim had finished his story, Nara
met with the other captives and listened as they discussed whether Katy
would assume control of the Apex form as soon as Tim fell asleep. The
captives ultimately agreed to vote on whether to kill Tim to stop Apex
or not, with Nara voting to kill Tim but losing the vote to the others,
who voted to allow Tim to live. Chase Stein argued that Tim was like a
time bomb waiting to go off and Nara agreed with him. Nara then watched
as Nico blasted the hot-headed Chase Stein away and opted to take the
first turn at keeping an eye on Tim while the other captives slept.
(Avengers Arena I#10 (fb)) - Nara
slept with Anachronism as Nico Minoru awoke to find Apex, Juston
Seyfert and Death Locket gone. Once Nara and the others had woke up,
Cammi suggested it being Nico's call as to what they all do next, a
suggestion that Nara scoffed at. Cammi quickly reminded everyone
present that their power set wasn't exactly going to help against a
technopath like Apex, who soon landed Seyfert's Sentinel in the middle
of Nara and the other assembled captives. Nara quickly took cover,
remarking on how dead they all seemed to be, as Nico battled Apex
one-on-one. When Nico downed the Sentinel, she ordered Nara and the
others to flee and they all fled into the woods, only to soon find
themselves at a cliff. Nico managed to open a portal to another area of
Murderworld that Nara and the others jumped into just before Apex
caught up to them.
(Avengers Arena I#11) - Nara and other Murderworld captives emerged from the portal onto a safe zone island where Reptil and Hazmat were staying. Upon hearing the story of their battle with Apex, Hazmat and Reptil allowed Nara and the others to relax in the safe zone, offering up some of the shark Reptil had killed for food. Nara quickly grabbed Anachronism's arm and pulled him over towards the shark, remarking on how long it had been since she had eaten anything that swam. When Anachronism admitted to not being a big fan of seafood, Nara told him not to say stupid things. Nara subsequently helped bring shark meat on a stick to the other captives. As they ate the shark meat, Cammi expressed interest in leaving the safe zone to pay back Nico for saving their lives and Nara questioned whether they thought Nico was even still alive. Nara then continued eating with the other captives as Reptil talked Hazmat into joining them against Apex.
(Avengers Arena I#13 - BTS) - In an effort to disguise the fact that his sixteen captives were missing, Arcade arranged fake social media posts showing Nara partying with the other missing Braddock Academy students. In one of the posts, it was made to appear that Nara and her classmates had visited the Playboy mansion.
(Avengers Arena I#14) - Nara was in the safe zone water when all of the captives decided to venture out into the woods to rescue Nico from Apex. Four days later, on their twenty-eighth day total in Murderworld and after losing Reptil, Hazmat and X-23, Nara, Cullen Bloodstone, Anachronism and Cammi found themselves back at the beach where they had started on their quest. Feeling as if the quest had been for naught, Nara suggested they all go skinny-dipping instead and asked Anachronism if he would join her, as she had a few new tricks to show him. Anachronism decided to try to help the others first and Nara remarked that it was his loss before diving into the water. While Nara swam, Cullen began arguing with Cammi over her incessant planning and Anachronism tried to calm Cullen down but when Cullen accused Anachronism of having his head up Nara's "blowhole," Anachronism warned Cullen not to cross that line. Nara soon noticed Anachronism smacking Cullen and rushed back on land to stop Anachronism. When Anachronism claimed Nara had not missed anything, Nara was skeptical and lured Anachronism away from Cullen so they could both calm down. In the woods, Anachronism vented some of his frustrations by chopping down trees and Nara admitted that his tantrums were quite fun to watch. Anachronism responded by claiming Cullen was his best friend and Nara would not let him find out what's wrong and Nara explained that Cullen's problem was that he had to watch Nara and Anachronism distract themselves when he secretly had feelings for Anachronism. Despite Anachronism's insistence that Cullen did not like him that way, Nara asked Anachronism why he thought Cullen hated her so much. Their conversation was soon interrupted, however, when both Nara and Anachronism heard rustling that was revealed to be a trigger scent-affected X-23. Running from X-23 back to the beach, Nara and Anachronism led X-23 out into the open but Nara tripped, forcing Anachronism to defend her. Cammi fired at X-23 to prevent her from killing Nara and Anachronism but when Cammi's assault proved ineffective, Cullen removed a ring he had been wearing and transformed into a giant, monstrous form.
(Avengers Arena I#15) - Nara remained on the ground watching the monstrous Cullen Bloodstone battle X-23 and thinking the battle to be beautiful. She then turned her attention towards Anachronism, sensing his hurt and wishing to make it stop. Realizing she had become a stereotypical girlfriend, Nara told Anachronism to snap out of his terror and asked what had happened to Cullen. Insisting that whatever Cullen had done, he had done it for Anachronism, Nara realized that Cullen's Bloodstone ring had kept Cullen's transformations at bay and asked Cammi where Cullen had dropped the ring. As they all looked in the sand for Cullen's dropped ring, Nara learned that Cullen was bonded to an extradimensional Glartrox that fed off Cullen's emotions. Nara soon asked what they would do if they couldn't find the ring and Cammi responded by revealing she had found the ring, only to drop it in the nearby water. Nara then suggested that Anachronism and Cammi go help the newly-arrived Reptil, Chase Stein and Nico Minoru battle Cullen while she made herself useful by retrieving the ring from the water. Once in the water, Nara thought herself crazy for wasting time finding a ring but admitted that she was doing it all to spare Anachronism, who she cared deeply for, any further pain. Thinking back to her parents' treachery and Namor's lesson as he exiled her to the surface world, Nara felt as she was setting herself up for failure by getting close to Anachronism but soon admitted her love for him and continued her search for Cullen's ring. Finding the ring, Nara donned it in time to stop Anachronism from killing the monstrous Cullen. Cullen quickly turned to attack Nara, who was scooped into Cullen's Glartrox claws. Demanding to know what to do now that she had the ring, Nara was told to touch the ring to Cullen's skin and she did, transforming Cullen back into human form. When Cullen learned Nara had saved him from his own monstrous self, Cullen turned to look at Nara, who had been killed during Cullen's transformation back. Anachronism held Nara's body and cried.
(Avengers Arena I#16) - Still
crying over Nara's corpse, Anachronism was approached by Cullen and, in
a fit of mourning anger, Anachronism plunged his axe into Cullen's
midsection.
Comments: Created by Dennis Hopeless and Kev
Walker.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Nara has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Avengers Arena I#6, p18, pan3 (Nara, main image)
Avengers Arena I#5, p12, pan2 (Nara, without water-breathing apparatus,
kissing Kid Briton)
Avengers Arena I#15, p11, pan1 (young Nara)
Avengers Arena I#6, p4, pan4 (Nara, headshot without water-breathing
apparatus)
Avengers Arena I#1, p11, pan4 (Nara, headshot in water-breathing
apparatus)
Avengers Arena I#1, front cover (Nara in student uniform)
Avengers Arena I#2, p14, pan5 (Nara forcing Death Locket into a fire)
Avengers Arena I#5, p10, pan3 (Nara standing)
Avengers Arena I#6, p2, pan3 (swimming Nara rescuing Cullen Bloodstone
& Anachronism)
Avengers Arena I#6, p15, pan2 (Nara punching Kid Briton)
Avengers Arena I#8, p7, pan3 (Nara opening her water-breathing
apparatus)
Avengers Arena I#10, p11, pan3 (Nara standing near Anachronism's axe)
Avengers Arena I#14, p3, pan1 (Nara diving into the water)
Avengers Arena I#16, p1, pan4 (Arcade watched Nara's death from afar)
Appearances:
Avengers Arena I#1 (February, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev
Walker (art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#2 (February, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer),
Alessandro Vitti (art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#3 (March, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev Walker
(art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#5 (April, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev Walker
(art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#6 (May, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev Walker
(art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#8 (June, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev Walker
(pencils), Jason Gorder (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#9 (July, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev Walker
(pencils, inks), Jason Gorder (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#10 (August, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Riccardo
Burchielli (art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#11 (August, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Riccardo
Burchielli (art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#13 (October, 2013) - Christos Gage (writer), Karl
Moline (pencils), Mark Pennington (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#14 (October, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev
Walker (pencils, inks), Jason Gorder (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#15 (November, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev
Walker (pencils), Jason Gorder (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Arena I#16 (December, 2013) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Karl
Moline (pencils, inks), Mark Pennington, Rick Magyar (inks), Bill
Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Undercover I#1 (May, 2014) - Dennis Hopeless (writer), Kev
Walker (art), Bill Rosemann (editor)
First Posted: 02/12/2019
Last updated: 02/12/2019
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.!