SUNPYRE

BIOGRAPHY

The young mutant Leyu Yoshida was the half-sister of the Japanese hero, Sunfire. When Magneto was preparing to launch Genosha into a war against humanity, the X-Men’s numbers were dramatically reduced so Phoenix called on former team members and allies to help. Leyu received the call for help intended for her brother. Since Shiro was not interested, Leyu responded in his stead thinking that an adventure with the X-Men would be amusing. Sunpyre donned her brother’s costume and joined Phoenix’s ragtag team of interim X-Men in New York. Leyu not only possessed similar powers to her half-brother but also his arrogant attitude. Phoenix’s Interim X-Men team did not have any time to train or get acquainted and were quickly en route to Genosha to stop Magneto. [Uncanny X-Men #(1st series) 392]

Leyu and the interim X-Men team crash-landed in the heart of Genosha, where they were confronted by Magneto.  During the ensuing battle, Sunypre took on Magneto single-handedly and demonstrated her exceptional control over her power. Despite her dismissive attitude towards assisting the X-Men, Leyu vehemently expressed her opposition to Magneto’s oppressive regime. Sunpyre soon found herself encased in metal by Magneto but he was eventually defeated by the X-Men. Following this conflict Leyu bid farewell, bluntly stating that there was no way in this lifetime she would want to be an X-Man. [Eve of Destruction]

Though she vowed never to join the X-Men, Leyu soon accepted an invitation to join  Banshee’s paramilitary organization - X-Corps. Once more her brother Sunfire was originally asked to join and refused, so Leyu joined instead. Leyu seemed commited to Banshee’s vision of a paramilitary mutant coalition dedicated to policing and protecting mutants around the world.

Rather than focus on field operations, Sunpyre spent most of her time working in the X-Corps labs where she ran tests on captive mutants such as Abyss and Fever Pitch. It is unknown what, if any, scientific training Leyu had that qualified her to perform those duties but she took her role very seriously. Sadly, Leyu’s dedication did not protect her from X-Corps’ enemies. As she recorded her analysis of Abyss and mused about mutants’ place in the world, her throat was slashed by Mystique who had infiltrated X-Corps. Leyu’s body was soon found by other members of X-Corps. Presumably her remains were sent back to Japan for burial. [Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #402, 404-406]

ALTERNATE VERSIONS

When Sunfire was no longer available to serve with the Japanese super team Big Hero 6, Princess Lumina of Coronar was plucked from Honey Lemon’s Power Purse. Displaying powers similar to Sunpyre’s, Lumina joined Big Hero 6 and began to worship Honey Lemon as her own personal goddess. The Big Hero 6 team was brainwashed into attacking the latest incarnation of Alpha Flight in Canada. Lumina battled the new Puck before being taken down by Centennial. Afterwards, Big Hero 6 apparently returned home to find those responsible. Lumina remained with the team for a short time, before returning to Coronar. There she found her mother deposed and an arranged marriage waiting for her. Unhappy with this arrangement, she fled to Earth where she teamed with her former teammate, the Ebon Samurai. He agreed to return with Lumina to Coronar to try and set things right on her homeworld. [Alpha Flight (3rd series) #9, Big Hero 6 #3-4]

[NOTE: Lumina appeared only once following the death of the original. All details regarding this alternate Sunpyre's true identity and origins were revealed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and in a textual tale in Big Hero 6 #3-4.]