She can freeze or burn her enemies at the drop of a hat. She’s carrying an awful amount of guilt. She’s a mutant student of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Who is she? Idie Okonkwo! So what did this kid do to feel so guilty? Let’s find out!
Born in Cross River State, Nigeria, Idie was only 14 when her mutant powers activated. This happened by burning down her village on accident with the heating part of her new abilities. When it was seen she could also freeze things witnesses began claiming she was a witch. The X-Men, Hope Summers and Storm would come to find and recruit Idie into their ranks.
She would be a part of a team known as the Lights and spent most of her time struggling with what she found to be infernal powers since it cost her her family and the rest of the villagers. Her religious upbringing made her see herself as a monster who deserved damnation for her powers and actions.
Wolverine finds someone who could use a mentor and begins to try and help her deal with her own past as he was all too familiar with such guilt. While on a mission against the Hellfire Club, Idie would kill some of the enemy to save her team who was overwhelmed in the fight. Feeling no guilt for her actions, Wolverine would take her with him when he founded a new school for mutant children.
While at this new school, Idie would find new friends and a level of safety, even with the chaos of the school and being a mutant. She would befriend Broo, a member of the Brood species with high intelligence and a desire to learn and be good. Idie would be devastated when he would be shot and while he survived, it was now as a feral creature who she took care of. She would also frequently stand up to Quentin Quire, an omega-level psychic, and the two would even date for some time.
To further investigate who shot Broo, Idie would leave the Jean Grey School and join the Hellfire Academy. She’d become the new Black Queen while under the guise of having gone turncoat. When she discovered who was responsible, she nearly burned down the whole Academy to escape. Idie would return to the Jean Grey School and help tend to her friends and even take on some leadership roles.
There you have it! Idie Okonkwo is a relatively recent addition to the X-Men in a time when mutants aren’t the most favored child of the Marvel pantheon. Will we ever see her on the big or small screen? Live action or animated? We’ll just have to wait and see. See you next time!
Suggested Reading
Uncanny X-Men #528
Generation Hope
X-Men: Schism
Wolverine and the X-Men Vol. 1 & 2
Dr. Alexander Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
