Dreams Never Die
Team Appearances: Chaos War: Alpha Flight #1, Chaos War #5, Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1, #1-8, Astonishing X-Men (3rd series) #51-52, Hulk (2nd series) #52-57, Amazing X-Men (2nd series) #8-12, Fantastic Four (1st series) #643
Before
- Omega Flight III rather quickly went their separate ways, with everyone but Sasquatch returning to their previous lives or finding some new purpose for themselves.
- When Amatsu-Mikaboshi succeeded in becoming the Chaos King, he killed Nightmare and caused every mortal on the planet to fall into a permanent sleep. In return, the realms of the underworld were plunged into chaos and the dead were free to walk the Earth once more. [Chaos War #1-2]
Chronology
Even the realms of the gods were not immune to the Chaos King’s devastation, as Quidlivun, home of the Arctic Gods, fell under attack. Snowbird joined her family in defending Quidlivun but her mother, Nelvanna, opened a portal, sending Narya to Earth. Moments later, Nelvanna was slain by the Chaos King. Snowbird re-materialized in Alberta, where she was met by Northstar and Aurora, who somehow had been awakened from the sleep that every other living hero was affected by.
Meanwhile, Sasquatch found himself in the realm of the Great Beasts and made a deal with them. The Great Beasts knew the Chaos King would come after them next, so they offered Sasquatch the return of his dead loved ones if he helped them breach the barrier to Earth. Although this meant that the Great Beasts could possibly take over Earth, Sasquatch agreed, believing he would find a way to defeat them. A magical portal sent Sasquatch to the other three Alphans in Alberta, who were quite shocked to see Guardian, Vindicator, Marrina and Shaman emerging from the portal alongside Sasquatch.
The reunion was a joyous one, though the heroes lamented those friends who were not with them, in particular Puck. Shaman explained that, upon dying, he had managed to keep all of their deceased spirits together but, when the Chaos King tampered with the afterlife, the spirits became separated and Shaman couldn’t gather them all. When the Chaos King and the Great Beast’s all made their way to Earth, a battle erupted with Alpha Flight stuck in the middle, torn between Sasquatch’s deal to protect the Great Beast’s from the Chaos King and Snowbird’s lifelong mission to protect Earth from the Great Beasts.
At first, the heroes decided that the Chaos King was the greater evil and needed to be dealt with first (not to mention that betraying the deal with the Great Beasts would have returned Heather, Mac, Marrina and Shaman to the afterlife). However, when the Great Beasts used their power to transform sleeping civilians into an army of Wendigos, Snowbird and Shaman realized that they were becoming pawns of the Great Beasts and needed to stop them before they would become too powerful. Vindicator and Northstar supported Snowbird and Shaman in the decision to defeat the Great Beasts but the others were not so convinced. The battle had transformed Marrina back into a more savage state, while Aurora did not want Alpha Flight to be separated again. The quartet managed to subdue their friends, including a very angry Sasquatch, whose survivor’s guilt was playing havoc with his emotions.
Snowbird used her godly power to freeze the Great Beasts, who were subsequently slain by the Chaos King. With the Great Beasts no more and the civilians returned from their Wendigo state, Alpha Flight knew they had mere moments together before Heather, Mac, Shaman and Marrina would return to the afterlife. However, to the shock of all, due to the Chaos King’s actions the link to the afterlife was gone and the four heroes stayed alive. Happy to have some more time together, at least until the realm of death would be restored, Alpha Flight linked up with other gods and formerly-dead heroes in battling the Chaos King’s forces. After his eventual defeat, Hercules restored the world to how it was before the Chaos King’s reign. A notable exception to this was Alpha Flight - as Guardian, Vindicator, Shaman and Marrina were permanently restored to life. [Chaos War: Alpha Flight #1, Chaos War #5]
In-Between
- Northstar opted not to rejoin Alpha Flight, although he remained in Canada with his boyfriend, Kyle Jinadu. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1]
- Department H was re-established with Alpha Flight's return. Agent Jeff Brown, who previously worked with the heroic Omega Flight, was appointed Director of Department H. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1]
- Following their deaths at the hand of Michael Pointer, Heather and Mac's daughter, Claire McNeil Hudson, was being raised by Heather's distant cousins. Heather and Mac were forced to attend trial to regain custody of their daughter. Despite Heather and Mac risking their lives over and over for their country, the judge ruled in favor of Heather's cousins. Mac argued with the judge, while Heather was somewhat subdued. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #2]
- Puck remained in Hell, but was later able to escape, only to be captured by Department H operatives. [Wolverine (4th series) #2-5, Alpha Flight (4th series) #2]
- Former long-time Beta Flight member Persuasion adopted the new moniker Purple Woman and a severe new attitude. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1]
- In unresolved circumstances, Alpha Flight's first government liaison, Gary Cody, somehow survived his apparent death at the hands of Bedlam the Brain-Blast, or he was mysteriously resurrected. Gary Cody rose to power as the leader of a new political party, the Unity Party, which was trying to rally Canada in desperate times. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1]
Chronology Continued
Election day in Canada was a time of much unrest, with Gary Cody's Unity Party having rallied the nation and seemed poised to take power. At the same time, Alpha Flight's return had propelled Canada's premiere super heroes back into the nation's media. When old Alpha Flight enemy Citadel began causing trouble at a power station, Aurora and Sasquatch, who had rekindled their relationship, were on hand to combat him. Vindicator, Marrina and Shaman assisted, while Guardian investigated a disturbance at the AmCan headquarters, where the Purple Woman had stolen a server with information relating to the Unity Party in an attempt to expose them. Northstar, at his boyfriend's request, arrived on scene to investigate the growing unrest. Some tension arose between Guardian and Northstar, but they were forced to work together against the SWAT team that Purple Woman put under her control. She then used her power to cause hundreds of citizens, Kyle Jinadu among them, to unite as one, large creature. Though this large mass of innocent civilians kept Guardian and Northstar busy, Purple Woman was confronted by Snowbird, and swiftly defeated. The rest of Alpha Flight arrived at the AmCam building, where Vindicator was upset to see what had become of Purple Woman. Purple Woman and Citadel were taken into Department H custody, while Gary Cody's Unity Party was ushered into power, winning the election by a landslide. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #0.1]
When a surge of fear struck much of the world, thanks to the Serpent God empowering several beings with greater power, Canada was not immune from attack. Alpha Flight's old enemy, Attuma, brought his wrath upon the Vancouver coastline, barraging the land with tsunamis and his army of undersea warriors. Canada's premiere super heroes were on hand to battle Attuma and his forces and help the innocent civilians. During the catastrophe, reporter Alice Hu was present to chronicle the events for viewers around the nation. Vindicator did not appreciate the interest that Ms. Hu took in Guardian. One such viewer was Northstar, who along with Kyle watched the reports from Montreal. Northstar noticed on the television his sister's sudden erratic behavior, and was of the view that her personality disorder had once again resurfaced. Guardian also had to contend with Prime Minister Gary Cody, who wanted to talk to him during the battle. However, Guardian was not willing to drop life-saving matters to speak with the Prime Minister, sternly pointing out that he served the people of Canada. Things appeared grim for Alpha Flight and Vancouver's coast, until Guardian used his battlesuit to tap into the magnetosphere and instantly transport himself and Attuma to Newfoundland. As Alpha Flight attended to the clean-up process in Vancouver, Northstar arrived, angering Aurora, who believed that her brother only wanted the glory that Alpha Flight was receiving, and not take part in the hard work. Still matters got worse when Gary Cody announced on television that the Emergencies Act was now in force, suspending Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms and granting authorities the right to search and arrest without warrant. Gary Cody claimed that fear was not the influence, simply the desire to protect their great nation. When Alpha Flight arrived back at Department H, which was once again operating from beneath Parliament Hill, they were immediately attacked by Box units. A Box unit appeared at Northstar's apartment and knocked Kyle out, while in Newfoundland Guardian was attacked by Vindicator. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #1]
Vindicator returned to Department H with her unconscious husband, communicating with Director Jeff Brown, who assured her that Alpha Flight, except for Northstar, were all apprehended. Northstar meanwhile had managed to infiltrate Department H in search of his sister, unaware that Aurora was undergoing the mind-altering Unity Process. Still, when he did come across Citadel and Purple Woman, both imprisoned in Department H, he refused to let them out, despite Purple Woman claiming she could help him. Luckily, Northstar soon found help in the form of his former teammate, Puck. At the same time around Canada, Department H soldiers were tasked with arresting people deemed dangerous by the Prime Minister – the leader of the opposition, scientists, reporters, including Alice Hu and even Kyle Jinadu, currently at Montreal General Hospital being operated on after injuries sustained from the Box unit attack. Obviously taken in by Cody’s cult of personality, Vindicator eagerly explained to the horrified Guardian that the Unity Process would give the prime minister a nation that deserved him, after bleeding and dying for this country for so long. She next showed him Marrina and Shaman undergoing the Unity Process but, before she could continue, Puck attacked and knocked her out, despite having loved Heather deeply. Puck joined Guardian and Northstar in destroying as much of the facility they could while searching for their teammates. During this time, Sasquatch was informed by Director Jeff Brown about potential brain damage, exacerbated by his transformations into Sasquatch, though Brown claimed that Unity could rebuild him. Marrina and Shaman were freed, followed by Snowbird, who presumably had not undergone any part of the Unity Process due to Department H's knowledge that she could be controlled by outside influences. Though the battle happily reunited Marrina and Puck, Aurora was not happy about her own Unity Process being disrupted, as it was going to make her whole. Nevertheless, Alpha Flight together escaped Department H and its members were immediately branded as terrorists and outlaws by Prime Minister Cody. Still enthralled by Cody, Vindicator appeared on national television, informing her former teammates that she would bring them down. Northstar grew anxious about Kyle and wanted to call him, until Guardian forbade him from doing so. Meanwhile, dealing with her own illness, Aurora flew to Quebec, where her dueling personas – Aurora and Jeanne-Marie – battled it out. She eventually returned to Alpha Flight, wounded, just as Guardian announced that they would seek help from Wolverine. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #2-3]
In civilian clothing, Alpha Flight started to drive to the Canadian / US border – but not without a quick stop at Niagara Falls where Guardian symbolically tossed the outer maple leaf pattern of his costume over the falls. En route, Marrina learned that Aurora might not have been as cured as she claimed. Meanwhile, Northstar remained in Canada to search for Kyle and soon learned of a mysterious camp where Department H soldiers had been taking their captives. During Alpha Flight's absence from Canada, Vindicator ventured to Ottawa, where she confronted her cousins and murdered them with an electromagnetic blast directed at their heads. She then took her daughter and returned to Department H, where her new team, Alpha Strike, had been gathered. Ten miles south of the Canadian border, Alpha Flight learned that Wolverine was in trouble of his own. Guardian had wanted to help Wolverine fight the fear that was spreading across the world, but Northstar found his former teammates and informed them that the people needed Alpha Flight. Shaman teleported everyone to Saskatchewan where the camp was set up. There, the prisoners were forced to wear copies of Guardian's old Groundhog suit to strip mine a nature reserve, where the heroes soon discovered an alien spaceship on the camp grounds. Guardian soon rallied all of the prisoners, after which Marrina gave him back his costume which she had fished out of the Niagara Falls, in case he had changed his mind. Alpha Flight then liberated the prisoners and took what they needed from the camp, beginning the revolution to take their country back. However, they were unaware that Kyle Jinadu had been introduced to Alpha Strike – Purple Woman, Citadel, Ranark, Wendigo – and the true mastermind behind the chaos in Canada – Alpha Flight's greatest foe – the Master of the World. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #4]
Though the fear around the world began to subside with the defeat of the Serpent God, Canada was still being ruled by the iron thumb of the Unity Party, and the nation's premiere super heroes were still outlaws. With a small army of supporters who were not trained in combat, the heroes knew they needed assistance. Guardian, Puck, Aurora and Snowbird met up with an old acquaintance of Puck's – the Taskmaster – who agreed to help Alpha Flight, provided they could pay him. With no current funds at their disposal, the four Alphans broke into a bank and stole the money they needed to pay the Taskmaster. This put them up against Citadel once more, though Alpha Flight successfully evaded capture and returned to their base camp in the Yukon. There, Sasquatch had deduced that the spaceship and material found earlier belonged to the Master of the World. Their attention was soon turned to a television monitor where a subdued Kyle gave a speech, labeling Alpha Flight traitors. As Alice Hu and the other “Groundhogs” underwent training by the Taskmaster, Aurora fled the campsite and returned to Department H in the guise of Jeanne-Marie, pleading for help. As she did so, Aurora's trapped psyche was visited by Shaman's astral form, who gave her warning that she was being presented with an opportunity to save the country, even though it would put her in grave danger. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #5]
In an attempt to liberate Kyle from a news studio where he was being interviewed, the heroes came into conflict with Alpha Strike, resulting in a tense battle. However, the battle was actually a set-up, as the Master of the World met with Vindicator, who was spending time with her daughter. He told her that Jeanne-Marie spying on Alpha Flight for them would be advantageous to the Unity Project. At the same time, Sasquatch had finished building a machine which he hoped would reverse the Unity process. Having been reunited, Northstar spent time with Kyle, believing that he was regaining his true self. To his surprise, Kyle attempted to escape and had to be apprehended by Snowbird. Meanwhile, Wolverine arrived in Canada to assist, only for Heather order Department H soldiers to kill him, her old friend. Luckily, Northstar rescued him in time and took Wolverine to Alpha Flight's base camp. Tensions between Guardian and Wolverine soon resulted in battle, as Guardian was furious with Wolverine for jeopardizing their chance of rescuing his daughter. During their fight, Walter Langkowski was forced to transform into Sasquatch, clearly displaying diminished mental capacity while in his Sasquatch form. Internal conflict turned external when Alpha Strike, with Vindicator and Jeanne-Marie among them, attacked the camp. As part of Alpha Flight's plan, the Purple Woman was captured and placed into the anti-Unity machine which Sasquatch had constructed. Observing the battle from afar, the Master of the World intended to join the battle and kill Alpha Flight. To do so, he raised his spaceship buried below Parliament Hill, devastating the historic landmark in the process. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #6-7]
As Alpha Flight and Alpha Strike continued to battle, Vindicator fought her husband with no restraint and ordered her new team to free Purple Woman from the machine and have it destroyed. When the Master arrived with baby Claire in his custody, the Taskmaster's trained group of “Groundhogs” attacked the spaceship in an attempt to bring it down. Unified by their love of their child, Guardian and Vindicator both broke into the Master's ship to reclaim their daughter. Meanwhile, having achieved true unity with Jeanne-Marie with their psyche seemingly repaired, Aurora worked with Marrina to use the anti-Unity machine on Kyle and soon reversed the damage done to him. Elsewhere, Guardian and Vindicator confronted the Master, who proclaimed that, if Alpha Flight did not surrender the anti-Unity machine so he could make sure it will never be used again, he would kill them both and raise their daughter as his heir – or mate. United in their fury at the threat, Heather and Mac attacked the Master and rescued their daughter. Before Heather could be placed into the machine, however, she flew away with her daughter. The crisis passed, Alpha Flight were once again celebrated as the nation's heroes. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #8]
In-Between
Prime Minister Gary Cody was killed during the Master's departure from Parliament Hill. Subsequently, the leader of the opposition was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #8]
Vindicator took her daughter into the wilderness of Canada. [Alpha Flight (4th series) #8]
Chronology Continued
After relocating to the Jean Grey School in Westchester, Northstar and his longtime boyfriend, Kyle, were married. Aurora, Guardian, Sasquatch, Snowbird, Shaman, Puck and Marrina attended the celebration. [Astonishing X-Men (3rd series) #51-52]
When a Mayan temple mysterious appeared in Banff National Park, Guardian, Shaman, Aurora, Puck, Marrina, Sasquatch and Snowbird found themselves allied with the Red Hulk and some of his associates. Similar temples had appeared in other parts of the world and, slowly, the Mayan gods started to return. When Sasquatch, whose mental capacity was still diminished, caused a small fight, he, Snowbird and Aurora became trapped inside the temple. While their energies were drained, adding to the power of the returning Mayan gods, the other members of Alpha Flight were injured and sent to a hospital to recover. All the while, catastrophes began occurring around the world. Eventually, Snowbird, Sasquatch and Aurora were rescued by the Red Hulk and his allies, who took the Alphans to Gamma Base, where they were put into stasis tanks to recover. The recovery was quickened with the use of a magical totem and Snowbird, Sasquatch and Aurora were all able to join their teammates, the Red Hulk and his allies in battling and defeating the returned Mayan Gods, who sought to transform Earth into a primitive state. [Hulk (2nd series) #52-57]
In-Between
- Puck and Sasquatch both had interviews for teaching positions at the Jean Grey School, but neither were appointed to the faculty. [Wolverine and the X-Men (1st series) #19]
- Puck joined Storm and Pyslocke on a mission that resulted in them saving the world from a returned Cassandra Nova. [Uncanny X-Force (2nd series) #1-17]
- Talisman kept a low-profile during Alpha Flight's return, appearing briefly when she aided a team of heroes in trying to prevent Exitar the Executioner from destroying Earth. [Uncanny Avengers (1st series) #16]
- Department H began operating out of a Helicarrier and Robert Michaud, who apparently had a long history inside of Department H and dealings with Wolverine, had some sort of role of authority. A new Omega Flight team was also started, the second heroic and fourth team to use the name overall. Included in this team was a new variation of the Box unit, an unidentified Wendigo, a man called Kingdom and a woman known as Validator. This Omega Flight team was sent to investigate a strange occurrence and with the exception of Validator, they were wiped out. Agent Michaud was later killed. [Avengers (5th series) #9-10]
- In unknown circumstances, Heather returned to Mac, in an attempt to work out the recent tragic events that took place in their lives. Heather also returned to wearing her green battlesuit. [Amazing X-Men (2nd series) #8]
- For reasons unrevealed, Talisman rejoined Alpha Flight, making her first return to the team since she was demoted to the third Beta Flight team some years ago. [Amazing X-Men (2nd series) #8]
- Puck and Talisman began a relationship, despite Puck being several decades older. Shaman and Vindicator's reaction to this relationship has not been shown. [Amazing X-Men (2nd series) #8-9]
Chronology Continued
When the Great Beast Tanaraq sought to wrest control over the other Great Beasts, he influenced the Wendigo Curse to be spread throughout Canada. After Guardian, who was sent at the request of Department H to investigate, went missing, Shaman and Marrina were sent to the meat processing plan where the outbreak was believed to have started. Wolverine arrived in Canada at Vindicator's request and together they soon discovered that a Wendigo outbreak was indeed upon them. Separated from Wolverine, Vindicator was set upon by a horde of Wendigo. Luckily, a team of X-Men, including Northstar, arrived in Canada in search of Wolverine. Aided by Puck and Talisman, the X-Men battled against several Wendigo. However, as Talisman attempted to cast a powerful counter-spell against the Wendigo curse, Wolverine succumbed to a Wendigo bite and, now a Wendigo himself, skewered Talisman before running off. Guardian, who in fact was fine, arrived on scene shortly after, along with Aurora, Sasquatch and Snowbird. The X-Men and Alphans soon split into three groups: Northstar and Aurora headed south to the US/Canadian Border with Puck and the injured Talisman, while Sasquatch remained in Canada with several of the X-Men to battle the Wendigo. Finally, Snowbird and Guardian went to the Spirit Realm with Storm, Firestar, Iceman and Rockslide, where they soon learned of Tanaraq's desire to spread the Wendigo curse over the entire Earth. As Tanaraq’s plan begins, transforming people in the Unites States into Wendigos, the heroes in the Spirit Realm were dealt a further blow when Tanaraq knocked out Snowbird and ate Guardian. Worse, Sasquatch himself started to succumb to Tanaraq's call, while Aurora and Northstar started to transform into Wendigo as well. The X-Men in the Spirit Realm did battle with Tanaraq but seemed no match until Guardian delivered the final blow, by bursting through his devourer's chest. In the aftermath, the Wendigo-transformed, including the Alphans, were reverted to normal and the Great Beasts remained trapped in the Spirit Realm. [Amazing X-Men (2nd series) #8-12]
Talisman recovered from her injuries and, when the Fantastic Four's enemy the Quiet Man unleashed interdimensional hordes across the Earth, Toronto was under attack by the monstrous beings. Guardian, Snowbird, Aurora, Puck, Marrina and Talisman were on hand to deal with the threat, continuing Alpha Flight's tradition of defending Canada and the world whenever necessary. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #643]