Editing Darkhawk (section)

==Fictional character biography==
Christopher Powell was born in [[Queens, New York]]. While witnessing his policeman father accept a bribe from a crime boss at an abandoned amusement park, teenager Chris Powell discovered a mysterious [[amulet]]. This amulet allowed him to switch places with a powerful android that his mind controlled. Powell vowed to use the amulet as "an edge against crime." In this role, he worked with other superheroes and battled a number of costumed villains.<ref name="Darkhawk #1">''Darkhawk'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Darkhawk soon encountered his first supervillain, the [[Jason Macendale|Hobgoblin]], and battled him alongside [[Spider-Man]].<ref name="Darkhawk #1"/><ref>''Darkhawk'' #2–3. Marvel Comics.</ref> He next fought Savage Steel,<ref name="Darkhawk #4">''Darkhawk'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> and then [[Portal (comics)|Portal]].<ref name="Darkhawk #5">''Darkhawk'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> He next battled the [[U-Foes]] alongside [[Captain America]].<ref name="Darkhawk #6">''Darkhawk'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref> He battled the villain Lodestone, who attempted to remove his amulet.<ref name="Darkhawk #8">''Darkhawk'' #8. Marvel Comics.</ref> He battled Savage Steel again, this time alongside the [[Punisher]].<ref>''Darkhawk'' #9. Marvel Comics.</ref> Darkhawk battled the cyborg [[Midnight (Jeff Wilde)|Midnight]], [[Thunderball (character)|Thunderball]], and the [[Secret Empire (organization)|Secret Empire]] alongside Spider-Man, the Punisher, [[Night Thrasher (Dwayne Taylor)|Night Thrasher]], [[Nova (Richard Rider)|Nova]], and [[Moon Knight]].<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #353–358. Marvel Comics.</ref> Darkhawk then battled assassins from the [[Foreigner (character)|Foreigner]]'s 1400 Club.<ref>''Darkhawk'' #10. Marvel Comics.</ref> He battled [[Tombstone (character)|Tombstone]], who successfully removed his amulet from his chest.<ref name="Darkhawk #11">''Darkhawk'' #11. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Darkhawk occasionally worked with the [[New Warriors]] and was a provisional member of the [[West Coast Avengers]]. Darkhawk also battled a number of costumed villains, including the [[Brotherhood of Mutants]].

[[Image:Darkhawk2ndcostume.jpg|170px|thumb|left|Darkhawk's second android body. Art by [[Ron Lim]].]] Powell discovered that the android was stored and repaired aboard a starship in a dimension called Null Space. When he used the amulet to access the android body, his human body switched places with it. Five Darkhawk amulets were commissioned by alien crime lord [[Evilhawk|Dargin Bokk]]. The scientists who created the technology eventually used them to assault Bokk. After Bokk destroyed the other scientists two of the scientists beamed their minds to Earth and merged with two Earth scientists there. Byron/Ned Dobbs and Mondu/John Trane created a sixth amulet, which is the one that turned Christopher Powell into Darkhawk.<ref name="Darkhawk #25">''Darkhawk'' #25. Marvel Comics.</ref>

However, the events of ''War of Kings: Ascension'' cast doubt on how much of this—even the existence of Bokk himself—was real.<ref>''War of Kings: Ascension'' #3 (w)Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (p)Marvel Comics</ref>

Later, Powell and Darkhawk were separated, with each possessing Powell's memories.<ref>''Darkhawk'' #38</ref> The Darkhawk body was then transformed into a new shape when it accidentally downloaded data from the ship,<ref>''Darkhawk'' #38–39</ref> later re-emerging so that Powell could change back and forth between the two without teleporting to Null Space.<ref>''Darkhawk'' #50. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Excelsior (the Loners)===
Powell later joined a group of former teenage superheroes who were struggling with their current lot in life called the [[Loners (comics)|Loners]] (formerly known as [[Excelsior (comics)|Excelsior]]). Members of this group included [[Phil Urich]], [[Turbo (comics)|Turbo]], [[Julie Power|Lightspeed]], and [[Ricochet (comics)|Ricochet]]. The group was hired by a mysterious benefactor – later revealed to be [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]] – to track down the [[Runaways (comics)|Runaways]] in Los Angeles.<ref>''Runaways'' (vol. 2) #1–6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powell displayed trouble controlling his anger in his Darkhawk persona, leading to a short skirmish with Turbo. Dismayed with himself, Powell admits to his teammates that he suffered a nervous breakdown.<ref>''Runaways'' (vol. 2) #1–3. Marvel Comics.</ref> Powell decided to never turn into Darkhawk again, but this decision did not last long, as shortly thereafter the group battled [[Ultron]]. Darkhawk delivered the final blow, using a darkforce blast at point blank range to blow Ultron to pieces. Following the battle and the revelation of Jones' involvement, Excelsior opted to remain together and act as a more traditional superhero team.<ref>''Runaways'' (vol. 2) #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Excelsior eventually change their minds about being superheroes and instead become a 'superhero support group' due to the events of the superhuman [[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]] rendering moot their original purpose to dissuade and/or help young superheroes cope with their powers/superhuman identities, as this role was now being officially fulfilled by the U.S. government<ref>As detailed in the Marvel Comics series ''Avengers: The Initiative''. Marvel Comics.</ref> (though Excelsior's new group mission was also fulfilled by the U.S. government). However, a new addition to the group, [[Mattie Franklin]] convinces Powell to use his powers to help her take down the Mutant Growth Hormone dealers that moved to Los Angeles. Powell inconsistently displays his rage issues during this time, mostly acting as a peacemaker between Mattie and Ricochet after the three team up to battle crime.<ref>''Loners'' #1–2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Secret Invasion===
Deciding to register with the government, Darkhawk is assigned to the position of Security Chief at [[Features of the Marvel Universe#Project Pegasus|Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.]] During the [[Skrull]] [[Secret Invasion|invasion]], he teams up with his old team-mate Nova for two issues of that character's own title,<ref>''Nova'' (vol. 4) #17–18. Marvel Comics.</ref> but is also seen in the background of several issues thereafter.

===''War of Kings''===
Darkhawk is involved with the ''[[War of Kings]]'' event in a four-issue series written by [[Dan Abnett]] and [[Andy Lanning]] called ''War of Kings: Ascension''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsarama.com/2144-updated-nycc-09-marvel-s-war-of-kings-full-report.html|title=UPDATED: NYCC '09 - Marvel's 'War of Kings' FULL Report|website=Newsarama|language=en|access-date=2019-12-25}}</ref> With the Loners series ending with low sales and unlikely to be followed with a sequel series, series writer CB Cebulski was assigned to write a two-issue ''War of Kings: Darkhawk'' series, with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning co-scripting the second issue to ensure it tied into their own ''Ascension'' series.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=11024 |title=WAR OF KINGS: DARKHAWK #1 - Marvel Comics Catalog: The Official Site - Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Men, Wolverine and all Marvel Comics and Graphic Novels &#124; Marvel Comics Catalog &#124; Marvel.com |access-date=2008-12-27 |archive-date=2009-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206135634/http://marvel.com/catalog/?id=11024 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=11241 |title=WAR OF KINGS: DARKHAWK #2 - Marvel Comics Catalog: The Official Site - Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Men, Wolverine and all Marvel Comics and Graphic Novels &#124; Marvel Comics Catalog &#124; Marvel.com |access-date=2008-12-27 |archive-date=2009-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213103652/http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=11241 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A second Darkhawk armor appears near the Powell family home, and the unknown occupant of the armor forces Powell to transform to his own armored form shortly before an explosion rocks the immediate area.

Powell's family survives the blast, but his mother is critically injured. The new Darkhawk introduces himself as Talon and claims to be part of the Fraternity of Raptors, an order created as "the curators of history, and the custodians of the future," of which he and Powell are the last two members. He also explains that Powell's anger issues are a direct result of the amulet not being designed to work with humans. Talon offers to assist Powell with the amulet, and after some deliberation he opts to do so; the two then retreat to the Negative Zone.

The story picks up in ''War of Kings: Ascension''. Powell and Talon are fighting a group of Chitinauts, bug troops that serve Catastrophus, a lieutenant of [[Annihilus]], but Talon's brutal techniques horrify Powell. Later, Powell reveals that he wanted to be just like his friend Nova. Talon explains to him that the [[Nova Corps]] are nothing compared to the Fraternity of Raptors, referring to themselves as "architects of fate". Eventually, after being tricked by Talon into fighting just as lethally, Powell manages to connect to the Datasong of the Null Source, which gives him visions of the true past of the Fraternity—a history of kidnappings and assassinations which lead Powell to conclude that the Fraternity are "the bad guys." At this point, Talon attacks him, purging Powell's consciousness from the armor, which manifests a new persona: Razor.<ref>''War of Kings: Ascension'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Talon and Razor then recover the Cosmic Control Rod from Catastrophus, Talon stopping briefly to implant a suggestion in the gestating Annihilus, and proceed onward. Powell's personality is revealed not to have been wholly destroyed yet, and a vision of his father tells him that much of what he believed about the armor was false; the prior history, even Evilhawk himself, was a lie made up by his own mind, the other armor a second configuration that took control to cover earlier anger issues. Horrified, Powell's psyche breaks free of the prison it was locked in, only for Powell to find himself on a great tree adorned with thousands of amulets like his own, where he encounters gargoyle-like creatures that urge him to return to the one which he has just emerged from. Meanwhile, in the Negative Zone, Talon and Razor offer [[Blastaar]] the Cosmic Control Rod in exchange for his assistance influencing the outcome of the War of Kings.<ref>''War of Kings: Ascension'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powell encounters a Skrull on the tree mentioned earlier, who has a relationship with Talon much as Razor has with him. However, the Skrull also confides that humanity, as a newer race, cannot be wholly accounted for or controlled by the Raptors, and that Powell's own outbursts of rage have been growing pains in his own control. With this understanding, Powell is able to reassert control over the Darkhawk armor, but not before Razor shoots several Shi'ar and kills [[Lilandra Neramani|Lilandra]].<ref>''War of Kings'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powell later confronts Talon, and while he is able to force the other Raptor to release the Skrull temporarily, he is quick to begin asserting control again. The Skrull commits suicide to prevent Talon from manifesting, but not before he charges Powell with destroying the rest of the Raptor amulets before they can bring the Fraternity of Raptors back.<ref name="ReferenceA">''War of Kings: Ascension'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Realm of Kings''===
In ''[[Realm of Kings]]'', the Shi'ar Imperium declares Darkhawk the "Galaxy's Most Wanted," making Powell an intergalactic fugitive. His old friend Nova, not willing to believe Powell could be a murderer, tracks him to the planet Shard, which is in danger of falling into a rift in space known as the Fault. Nova offers to help Powell clear his name, but they are interrupted by an attacking biomass from the Fault, and by the awakening of another Raptor, named Gyre. All three are trapped on the planet as it is disintegrated by the Fault.<ref>''Nova'' (vol. 4) #31. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Darkhawk finds himself saved, alongside Nova, by Nova's old enemy the [[Sphinx (Marvel Comics)|Sphinx]], who seems unaware of Darkhawk's presence. Together, the two heroes join past versions of [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richards]], [[Black Bolt]], and [[Namorita]] in helping the Sphinx combat his younger self. The young Sphinx draws his own warriors, including Gyre, into the battle, and Darkhawk faces and defeats Gyre in single combat, exorcising him from the [[Kree]] archaeologist he had possessed. During the fight, Gyre reveals that many more Raptors are re-awakening. Ultimately, the elder Sphinx defeats his counterpart, and mentally controls Darkhawk into giving him his younger self's Ka Stone. Nevertheless, the heroes are able to defeat the double-powered Sphinx and return to their proper places in time (except Namorita, who is pulled into Darkhawk and Nova's time).<ref>''Nova'' (vol. 4) #32–35. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Darkhawk returns to Earth and Project: Pegasus to help Nova fight the evil [[Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)|Quasar]] from the Cancerverse on the other side of the Fault. The evil Quasar damages Darkhawk so badly that his suit shuts down, leaving him alive but unable to accompany Nova as he goes to warn the universe about the threat posed by the Fault. Nova leaves Darkhawk in the care of Project: Pegasus's medical team.<ref>''Nova'' (vol. 4) #36. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Avengers Arena''===
Darkhawk appears in ''[[Avengers Arena]]'' as part of the ''[[Marvel NOW!]]'' event. He is among the young superheroes that are abducted by [[Arcade (Marvel Comics)|Arcade]] and sent to Murderworld despite not being a teenager himself. Arcade expects his captives to fight to the death.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Darkhawk is later attacked by an unidentified cybernetic creature, which tears his transformation amulet from his chest.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> The amulet is found by [[Chase Stein]], who transforms into the new Darkhawk.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> The attacker was later revealed to be [[Death Locket]] (who was in turn controlled by [[Apex (comics)|Apex]]).{{Volume needed|c=y|date=July 2013}} When Death Locket stumbled into an underground facility, she comes across a room where Christopher Powell's body is alongside the others who have died in battle.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #12. Marvel Comics.</ref> A few days later, when Death Locket and Apex raid the place, it is revealed Darkhawk is alive and Death Locket releases him. He then attacks and knocks out Arcade.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #16. Marvel Comics.</ref> Arcade soon talks Apex into letting the war play out, and she controls Death Locket into shooting Darkhawk in the shoulder.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #17. Marvel Comics.</ref> Once the series ended, Darkhawk was taken away to parts unknown, injured but reunited with his amulet.<ref>''Avengers Arena'' #18. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Infinity Countdown''===
After the events of ''Avengers Arena'' as seen during the "[[Infinity Countdown]]" storyline, Powell is shown to have joined the [[New York Police Department]] and is engaged to a woman named Miranda, with whom he has shared his history as Darkhawk. He experiences frequent visions of the Tree of Shadows in Null Space despite the Darkhawk amulet being damaged and no longer allowing him to change form. One day, he is sent out to the Wonderland Amusement Park, the place where he first became Darkhawk, to investigate a disturbance. There, he is accosted by two dirty cops and almost attacked when he refuses their offer to take bribes. The group is soon attacked by two members of the Shi'ar Fraternity of Raptors, with one able to take Powell's amulet and use it to change into a heavily damaged Razor. The Razor personality asserts control, defeats the other Shi'ar, and teleports Powell to the Datasong in a place it calls "The Perch," where all of the android's memories of its time with Powell are stored. Razor, now calling itself Darkhawk, tells Powell that his compassion and dedication to justice have imprinted upon it, with it wants to rejoin with him to stop the Shi'ar Raptors from releasing the true Fraternity of Raptor androids from Null Space. Powell accepts and becomes Darkhawk once more, merging in both body and mind with the Darkhawk android and gaining a new, more powerful form.<ref>''Darkhawk'' #51</ref> Seeking a means to get to space, Darkhawk soon encounters [[Death's Head]], who is on Earth to collect a bounty for Darkhawk's armor. After a brief scuffle, Darkhawk realizes that Death's Head would have a spaceship and moves to strike a deal.<ref name="Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1">''Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Before he goes, Powell says one last goodbye to Miranda, but upon arriving, the Raptors attack Death's Head and swarm Darkhawk to a secret Shi'ar outpost, easily overpowering him in his Darkhawk armor. The Raptors' leader Gyre (who escaped the Null Space along with his fellow Raptors) goes on to reveal to Powell that the amulet is really the key to unleashing the Ratha'kon or Dark Starhawk, which the Shi'ar intended to be a "predator" to the Phoenix Force. However, to bring it to life, two tributes were required, one who's willing and one who's forced. Gyre wanted Powell's amulet because of how special it was, since Powell actually convinced his amulet's persona, Razor, to break free from the Fraternity's stronghold, thus developing sentience. Gyre punches through Powell's chest, leaving him for dead, and then uses his amulet as the forced tribute to fuse with the willing tribute, who turns out to be none other than Robbie Rider, thus allowing Ratha'kon to possess the latter's body. Gyre then takes the Dark Starhawk and the Raptors to Earth — a place where the Phoenix loves to go — for a mysterious mission.<ref>''Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

As Powell dragged himself across the ground, he encountered his other half Razor who revealed to him the origins of the Tree of Shadows, a creation of the [[Gardener (comics)|Gardner]] and of the first Raptor who was of primitive Shi'ar/Skrull descent. After some coaxing from Razor, Powell tapped into his hidden strength and emerged with a new Darkhawk body after fully fusing his mind with the armor. Powell then flew after the Raptors to stop them.<ref name="Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #3">''Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powell battled the Raptors with help from Death's Head and Nova Prime. Nova made it difficult to fight Dark Darkhawk as he preferred to reason with his brother Robbie than fight him. Dark Darkhawk then shockingly turned on Gyre and destroyed him while stating that he would bring order to the universe, not Gyre. The Raptors were eventually stopped when Death's Head rigged the power core of the Kree ship the Raptors stole to explode. Only Dark Starhawk survived the explosion, though stunned, allowing Powell to reclaim his Darkhawk Amulet. Dark Starhawk then disappeared in a flash of light after striking his Nega-Bands together. Grieving over the loss of Robbie, Nova angrily told Powell to stay on Earth or he would have him locked up. After Powell returned to Earth, he decided stay out of space for a while. Later that night, he was met by [[Sleepwalker (comics)|Sleepwalker]] while he dreamed, telling him that the influence of the Infinity Stones threatened the Mindscape and that the only way he could protect it was to become a Sleepwalker.<ref>''Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===''Guardians of the Galaxy''===
Chris would later turn up again at a meeting of great and powerful cosmic players set up by [[Starfox (comics)|Starfox]], brother of [[Thanos]]. While going over the deceased cosmic brigand's last will and testament, this great congruence was attacked by the [[Black Order (comics)|Black Order]].<ref>''Guardians of the Galaxy'' (vol. 5) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Powell would later find himself stranded in the middle of deep space while being brought into the clutches of the [[Universal Church of Truth]]. They had him in a mental simulation where he believed himself to have been separated from Razor, run through and across time and space; seeing past, present and future iterations of himself while in the black hole, only to finally find release in the care of a ship piloted by the Kree, Shi'ar and Skrulls. Three races whom are known to be the bitterest enemies in the universe, his final hallucination stems to finding himself a child again while adorning his Raptor body. Something, he confirms to his shock and horror when he takes off his helmet only to see his child-like visage staring back at him in the mirror.<ref>''Guardians of the Galaxy'' (vol. 5) Annual #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>