Corsairs Squad
Little has been revealed about Cyclops’ squad, The Corsairs. They were named after Cyclops’ father, Christopher Summers who goes by the name Corsair as a member of the intergalactic adventurers known as the Starjammers. The squad’s colors are blue and white.
First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #2 (squad officially announced)
Current Membership: Dryad, Quill, Specter, The Stepford Cuckoos (Celeste, Mindee & Phoebe)
Former Members: DJ (see Paragons)
Dryad (Callie Betto) First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #1
All Xavier Institute appearances: New X-Men: Academy X #1-2, 5, 7, 9, 13-15
Powers: While Callie’s powers have yet to be revealed, the writers are considering giving her plant-based powers, thus the codename Dryad.
Notes:
- Callie’s distinguishing features include elf-like pointed ears. She was among the characters shown in the background at the Institute prior to being depicted as a member of the Corsairs.
Quill IV (Max Jordan) First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #1
All Xavier Institute appearances: New X-Men: Academy X #1-2, 4-5, 7, 10, 13-15, Gambit (4th series) #10
Powers: porcupine-like spikes grow out from his and in place of hair and can be fired as high-speed projectiles
Notes:
- Quill recently got busted trying to steal test answers from the headmaster’s office. Kitty Pryde assigned he and his accomplices, George and Winston to be mentored by Gambit, but instead of making them see the error of their way, he taught the boys some real thieving techniques. [Gambit (4th series) #10]
Specter (Dallas Gibson) First appearance: New Mutants (2nd series) #10
All Xavier Institute appearances: New Mutants (2nd series) #10, New X-Men: Academy X #5
Powers: possesses a shadow-form with unknown properties
Notes:
- Dallas’ first name was given in New Mutants (2nd series) #10.
- Specter was briefly one of Emma Frost’s advisees. When the squad system was invented, he was assigned to a different advisor and was replaced by Dust.
- It has not yet been revealed that Specter is one of the Corsairs. He traded spots with DJ (now with the Paragons) who was originally drawn in as a member of this team. - Specter and the Stepford Cuckoos are all former advisees of Emma Frost. It is interesting to note that all of her former advisees who did not make it into the Hellions ended up being assigned to the squad of her lover, Cyclops.
Stepford Cuckoos (Celeste “Stepford”) First appearance: New X-Men #118
All Xavier Institute appearances: New X-Men #118-120, 122-125, 134-141, 149-150, 155-156, New X-Men: Academy X #2, 14-15, Astonishing X-Men (3rd series) #5, 7-8, X-Men Phoenix: Endsong #1-5
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Celeste's name was revealed in New X-Men #153.
- It has been hinted that the Stepford Cuckoos are somehow connected to the Weapon Plus program. They were designated as Weapon XIV, Units 1 through 5.
- The Stepford Cuckoos were originally a group of five. Two of the sisters, Sophie and Esme, died in New X-Men #137 and #150, respectively.
- Prior to the formation of training squads, the Stepford Cuckoos were Emma Frost’s prized pet students. The surviving sisters severed their ties to Emma after Sophie sacrificed herself to stop the riot caused by the Omega Gang. They believed that Emma foolishly inspired Sophie to pursue this heroic path leading to her death.
- One of the Cuckoos has been “touched” by the Phoenix force and perhaps even selected as its new host. It has not yet been revealed which Cuckoo, however. [X-Men Phoenix: Endsong #5]
- In the future timeline depicted in New X-Men #151-154, the Stepford Cuckoos called themselves Three-In-One.
Stepford Cuckoos (Mindee “Stepford”) First appearance: New X-Men #118
All Xavier Institute appearances: New X-Men #118-120, 122-125, 134-141, 149-150, 155-156, New X-Men: Academy X #2, 14-15, X-Men (2nd series) #159, 163-164, Astonishing X-Men (3rd series) #5, 7-8, Phoenix: Endsong #1-5
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Mindee's name was revealed in New X-Men #156.
- Mindee was romantically involved with a pyrokinetic student named Germaine. He was killed by a mob of angry humans following Xorn I/Magneto’s destruction of New York City and the Xavier Institute.
- Mindee joined forces with Gambit to help repel the attack of the latest incarnation of the Brotherhood of Mutants led by Exodus.
- Mindee plays the piano.
- For additional notes, see Celeste’s entry above.
Stepford Cuckoos (Phoebe “Stepford”) First appearance: New X-Men #118
All Xavier Institute appearances: New X-Men #118-120, 122-125, 134-141, 149-150, 155-156, New X-Men: Academy X #2, 14-15, Astonishing X-Men (3rd series) #5, 7-8, X-Men Phoenix: Endsong #1-5
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Phoebe's name was revealed in New X-Men #149.
- For additional notes, see Celeste’s entry above.