Loa (Marvel)
Loa is a female comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Alani Ryan was a female human Mutant born in the modern age on Earth. Growing up, she quickly developed a talent for surfing under the tutelage of her father Alaka'i Ryan Jr.. One day while surfing off the coast, Alani and her father were attacked by a shark-training, albino villain calling himself Great White. Great White sent one of his sharks after Alani's father. To protect him, she jumped into the shark. At that moment Alani's mutant power to move through solid matter manifested and she caused the shark to crumble. Before Great White could launch another attack, Namor the Sub-Mariner came to the rescue. Following the battle, Alani's grandmother Alice Ryan was revealed to be a former acquaintance of Namor's from the 1940s and a close friend of Namor's former lover Betty Dean. Alani began to learn all she could about Namor and Atlantean culture. (Namor: The First Mutant v1 #5)
After M-Day, when 91.4% of the world's mutant population lost their powers overnight, Alani was one of the twenty-seven students to retain her powers. She was one of the students Emma Frost placed in a fateful all-out brawl that would determine who would become the new X-Men trainees. Loa failed to make the New X-Men team. Before the fight, she threatened to 'crumble' Anole's tongue if he touched her with it. Despite this, Loa remained close friends with Anole, as well as Rockslide. (New X-Men v2 #23)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Loa was a young Hawaiian girl with a distinctive surfer aesthetic, a nod to her upbringing. She had long dark hair, tan skin, and frequently wears casual, ocean-inspired attire when not in uniform. In her X-Men gear, she donned the traditional black-and-yellow trainee costume, though sometimes stylized with her own flair. (New X-Men: Academy X v1 #5)
In personality, Loa had been shown as brave, laid-back, and somewhat sardonic, reflecting her surfer background. She was loyal to her friends, willing to risk her life even against threats far beyond her power level. While her humor and relaxed demeanor help her cope with the traumas of being a mutant, she has also displayed moments of insecurity, particularly when struggling to fit in with her peers or when placed in life-threatening scenarios. (X-Men: Hellbound v1 #1)
Her grandmother was Alice Ryan who had been a former acquaintance of Betty Dean. (Namor: The First Mutant v1 #5)
Powers and abilities
Loa's mutant ability to phase her body in such a way that any solid matter she touched disintegrates into fragments. This worked on both organic and inorganic material, allowing her to destroy walls, armor, and even living tissue with minimal effort. While powerful, her ability lacked precision making it difficult to use in non-lethal ways. In addition, Loa had trained in basic combat tactics as part of the Xavier Institute’s student teams, enhancing her confidence and coordination in battle. (Fear Itself: The Deep v1 #1)
Notes
- Loa was created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Michael Ryan where she made her first appearance in New Mutants v2 #11 (June, 2004).
Appearances
- New Mutants v2: (2004)
External Links
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