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{{short description|Character in Marvel Comics}}
{{Superherobox <!--Part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
{{Multiple issues|
|image= [[Image:DustProfile.jpg|250px]]
{{All plot|date=July 2020}}
|caption=Cover art for ''New X-Men: Hellions'' #2.<br>Art by [[Clayton Henry]].
{{Fiction|date=April 2023}}
|comic_color=background:#ff8080
{{Overly detailed|date=April 2023}}
}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|character_name=Dust
|character_name=Dust
|image= DustProfile.jpg
|caption=Textless cover for ''[[New X-Men: Hellions]]'' #2 (Aug. 2005).<br>Art by [[Clayton Henry]].
|real_name=Sooraya Qadir
|real_name=Sooraya Qadir
|species=[[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|Human Mutant]]
|species=[[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|Human mutant]]
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|debut=''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #133
|debut=''[[New X-Men (2001 series)|New X-Men]]'' #133 (Dec. 2002)
|creators= [[Grant Morrison]]<br>[[Frank Quitely]]<br>[[Ethan Van Sciver]]
|creators= [[Grant Morrison]]<br>[[Ethan Van Sciver]]
|alliances=[[Hellions (Marvel Comics)|Hellions training squad]]<br/>[[New X-Men (2001 series)|New X-Men]]<br/>[[X-Mansion|Xavier Institute]]<br/>[[List of X-Men members#X-Men in training|X-Men in training]]<br/>[[Young X-Men]]<br/>[[List of Xavier Institute students and staff#Students|Jean Grey School Students]]<br/>[[Champions (2016 team)|Champions]]
|alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
|aliases=Congregation<br/>Glass
|alliances=[[X-Men]]<br>[[Young X-Men]]<br>[[New X-Men]]<br/>[[X-Mansion|Xavier Institute]]<br/>[[Hellions (comics)#The Xavier Institute's Hellions squad|Hellions]]
|powers= *Sand transformation
|aliases=
**Superhuman durability
|powers= Able to transform into and control a malleable sand form
**Telepathic resistance
|}}
**Magical resistance
}}
'''Dust''' ('''Sooraya Qadir)'''<ref name="debut">{{cite comic | Writer = [[Grant Morrison]] | Penciller = [[Ethan Van Sciver]] | Inker = Norm Rapmund | Story = Dust | Title = New X-Men | Volume = | Issue = #1 | Date = Dec. 2002 | Publisher = [[Marvel Comics]] }}</ref> is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; superheroes (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[superheroine]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. The character usually appears in [[X-Men]]-related comic books. Sooraya is a mutant with the ability to transform her body into a pliable cloud of dust.


==Publication history==
'''Dust''' ('''Sooraya Qadir''') is a [[fictional character]], a [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] in the [[Marvel Universe]]. She is one of the student body in the [[X-Mansion|Xavier Institute]] and a member of the former [[Hellions (comics)#The Xavier Institute.27s Hellions squad|Hellions]] squad therein. Created by [[Grant Morrison]] and [[Ethan Van Sciver]], she first appeared in ''[[New X-Men]]'' #133 (2002), although her character was not fully developed until the ''[[New Mutants#New Mutants.2C Vol. 2.2FNew X-Men: Academy X|New X-Men: Academy X]]'' series written by [[Nunzio DeFilippis]] and [[Christina Weir]]. She maintained her powers post-[[Decimation (comics)|M-Day]] and is currently a member of the [[New X-Men]] team. She is a rare example of a positive Muslim comic book character.<ref>Faisal Abbas. [http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=5&id=6383 9/11 and the Birth of the "Muslim Action Hero"], ''Asharq Alawsat'' September 14, 2006. Accessed January 5, 2008.</ref>
Sooraya Qadir, alias Dust, was created by writer [[Grant Morrison]] and artist [[Ethan Van Sciver]] for the comic book series ''New [[X-Men]]'' #133 (December 2002). Dust has since appeared in various ''X-Men'' related comic book series, miniseries, and storylines.


==Fictional character biography==
==Fictional character biography==

===Origin===
===Origin===
Sooraya Qadir is a Pashtun Muslim from Kandahar, Afghanistan, who possesses the mutant ability to transform into a sand-like substance. The character’s origin story depicts her getting kidnapped by slavers who attempt to remove her religious head covering, the niqab. This event triggers Sooraya's mutant power for the first time, killing her attackers.<ref name="New X-Men #133">''New X-Men'' #133</ref> Rescued by [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] and [[Fantomex]], Sooraya enrolls at the [[X-Mansion|Xavier Institute]] for Mutant Education and Leadership, a school dedicated to training mutants to control their powers and coexist with humanity.<ref name="New X-Men: Academy X Vol. 1, #2">''New X-Men: Academy X'' #2</ref>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Dust2.PNG|thumb|left|151px|Sooraya, without her [[niqāb]]. Art by Clayton Henry.]] -->
Dust is an [[Adolescence|adolescent]] [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] [[Muslim]] girl who possesses the [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] power to turn herself into a sand-like substance. Born in [[Afghanistan]], Sooraya is kidnapped by a slave-trading ring after she is separated from her mother. While one of her slavers tries to remove her niqāb, she instinctively lashes out with her powers and flays them all alive with her dust form before passing out. She is subsequently discovered and rescued by [[Wolverine (comics)|Wolverine]] and [[Fantomex]]. Wolverine takes her to the [[X-Corps]] base in India. Sooraya hides herself from the X-Men stationed there by turning into sand and spreading herself around the complex. [[Jean Grey|Phoenix]] senses Sooraya's presence and telepathically convinces her to reveal herself to everyone present. Sooraya reforms and announces her presence by speaking a single word: Turaab. (dust).<ref>New X-Men (First Series) Vol. 2 #133</ref>


===Xavier Institute===
====Storylines====
Sooraya Qadir's experiences at the Xavier Institute are documented across various X-Men comic book series. Notably, she features prominently in the aftermath of a major event within the [[Marvel Universe]] that significantly reduces the mutant population. This event, known as "[[Decimation (comics)|Decimation]]," significantly impacts the dynamics at the Xavier Institute, forcing the school to restructure and leading to a reduced student body. Sooraya is among the 27 mutants who retain their powers after Decimation, placing her in a unique position within the institute.<ref>''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #23</ref>
Ultimately, Dust is enrolled at the [[X-Mansion|Xavier Institute]] in [[Westchester County, New York]]. Quiet and nervous, she experiences difficulty adapting to her new surroundings - particularly after being given the loud and rebellious [[Surge (comics)|Surge]] as a roommate. Sooraya and Surge often come to disagreements over the traditional garb which Surge believes to be an affront to women's rights.<ref>New X-Men: Academy X Vol. 1, #2</ref> Sooraya is initially placed into [[Xorn|Xorn's]] Special Class and is picked on by Xorn for standing by her faith and allegedly placing its importance over the cause of mutants. Frightened, she then alerts [[Professor X]] to Xorn's [[Magneto (comics)#Xorn|'true' identity]]. She attempts to use her powers to do so but Xorn manages to defeat her and Xavier. <ref>New X-Men (First Series) Vol. 3, #146</ref>


====Early struggles and adaptation====
===Hellions Squad===
Following her enrollment, Sooraya initially struggles to adapt to life at the Xavier Institute. Cultural and religious differences create challenges, particularly with her outspoken roommate [[Surge (Marvel Comics)|Noriko]]. Despite these obstacles, Sooraya demonstrates unwavering faith in her Islamic beliefs, choosing to wear her religious attire instead of the standard training uniform.<ref name="New X-Men: Academy X Vol. 1, #2" /> Over time, Sooraya develops friendships with other students, including [[List of Marvel Comics characters: I|Icarus]]. However, her religious background occasionally leads to conflict with other characters, highlighting the complexities of integrating mutants from diverse backgrounds.<ref name=":1">''New X-Men: Academy X'' #14</ref> Sooraya's journey at the Xavier Institute is marked by various challenges that test her courage and resilience. Due to her religious beliefs, Sooraya becomes a target for anti-mutant factions within the Marvel Universe, leading to threats and capture.<ref name=":2">''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #27</ref><ref>''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #25</ref> However, Sooraya consistently demonstrates her bravery, using her unique sand-based powers to battle enemies like [[William Stryker]] and the villain [[Belasco (Marvel Comics)|Belasco]].<ref>''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #22</ref><ref name=":2" /> Despite facing injuries and moments of self-doubt regarding leadership,<ref>''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #44 (2008)</ref><ref>''New X-Men'' (vol. 2) #42-43</ref> Sooraya continues to overcome adversity, even confronting powerful mutants like a nanotech-controlled [[Sentinel (comics)|Sentinel]] and [[Predator X (character)|Predator X]].<ref>''X-Factor'' vol. 3 #27 (2008)</ref><ref>''The Uncanny X-Men'' #493 (2008)</ref> Her resourcefulness and strategic use of her powers prove valuable in defeating formidable foes like the mutant [[Exodus (comics)|Exodus]].<ref>''X-Men'' #207 (2008)</ref>
After the conclusion of New X-Men where leadership of the school goes to [[Emma Frost]] and [[Cyclops (comics)|Cyclops]], Sooraya is made a member of the [[Hellions (comics)#The Xavier Institute's Hellions squad|Hellions]] training squad. She opts to observe Islamic [[hijab]] rather than wear a standard training costume, though it does bear the standard 'X' insignia.<ref>New X-Men: Academy X Vol. 1, #2</ref> She forges a friendship with [[Icarus (comics)|Icarus]]. He asks her to the school dance, but she declines since the idea of the dance made her uncomfortable, though she did not feel insulted by his asking nor did Icarus feel insulted due to her rejection.
<ref>New X-Men: Academy X, #14</ref>


====Return to Afghanistan and beyond====
After winning the field day competition with the rest of the Hellions and the academic year was done, Hellion (Julian Keller) had invited the Hellion Squad to his home in LA for summer vacation. While there, the Hellion Squad meets the [[Kingmaker (comics)|Kingmaker]], a powerful criminal with the power to make "dreams come true" through favors and connections, but for whom favors are expected in return. When each of the Hellion's agree to the deal, Sooraya's wish was to find her mother. The Kingmaker finds Sooraya's mother and arranges for a trip back to Afghanistan so that Sooraya can meet up with her. She is soon flown back to LA to deliver on her part of the deal; stealing an advanced bio-weapon, which they learn later will be sold to Doctor Octopus in New York. The Hellion Squad breaks their deal with the Kingmaker and end up destroying the weapon. As a result, Sooraya loses her connection to her mother as she learns she has been moved again with no hope of tracking her, leaving her devastated.
Sooraya's story extends beyond the walls of the Xavier Institute. In later storylines, she returns to her home country, taking a protective stance over a small town. However, she becomes entangled in a complex situation and is manipulated into joining a team led by a character impersonating [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]].<ref name=":3">''Young X-Men'' #1-6</ref> This event leads to a life-threatening situation where parts of her body are temporarily transformed into glass.<ref>''Young X-Men'' #8</ref><ref>''Young X-Men'' #7</ref><ref name=":3" /> Sooraya demonstrates remarkable resilience, eventually recovering and rejoining the X-Men in San Francisco.<ref name=":3" /> Following a major schism within the X-Men, Sooraya initially sides with Wolverine's team but ultimately chooses to remain with Cyclops' faction.<ref>''Champions'' #9 (2020). Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Champions'' #3 - 5 (2020). Marvel Comics.</ref>


== Personality and relationships ==
===Decimation===
Sooraya is depicted as a quiet and reserved individual, initially struggling to adapt to life at the Xavier Institute, particularly with her outspoken roommate Noriko. Despite these initial difficulties, Sooraya demonstrates unwavering faith in her religion, choosing to wear a hijab instead of the standard training uniform.<ref name="New X-Men: Academy X Vol. 1, #2" /> Throughout her time at the institute, Sooraya develops friendships with other students like Icarus, though her religious beliefs occasionally create conflict with other characters.<ref name=":1" />
{{main|Decimation (comics)|l1=Decimation}}
After ''[[House of M]]'', [[Scarlet Witch|Wanda Maximoff]] [[decimation (comics)|depowered]] over 90% of the mutant population, thereby reducing the population of Xavier's student body to only 27 students. The squad system has been dissolved, and the remaining students have been merged into one large group.<ref>New X-Men vol. 2, # 23</ref> She is also paired as roommates with [[X-23]].<ref>New X-Men vol. 2, #22</ref>


==Appearance==
Sooraya becomes a target of [[William Stryker]]'s crusade against the Xavier Institute, as he expresses his need to "eliminate the Muslim."<ref>New X-Men vol. 2, #25</ref> Icarus gives her a note, which [[X-23]] tells Sooraya not to trust, as Icarus "smells like death". In reality, Stryker wishes to eliminate her because [[Nimrod (comics)|Nimrod]] has a vision of an altered future in its memory banks which shows Dust defeating all the [[Purifiers]] during their planned future attack on the school. [[Wallflower (comics)|Wallflower]] was previously killed by the Purifiers because of Nimrod's portrayal of her ability to turn the tide of the fight with her pheromones. Upon entering the church of Reverend Stryker, she is shown being shot down, though it is later revealed to be X-23 wearing one of Sooraya's niqābs. Learning the Purifier's true intentions and that he was tricked into leading "Sooraya" to her death, Icarus is killed by Stryker. When Stryker's team infiltrates the school, Dust awakens in the bathroom, having been knocked out by X-23. She enters the fight and surprises Stryker, singlehandedly defeating most of his Purifiers and severely wounding Stryker's follower, [[Matthew Risman]].<ref>New X-Men vol. 2, #27</ref>
In line with Sooraya's character as a traditional Muslim, she chooses to don a loose-fitting black dress, with a niqab covering her face. Sooraya explains to her mother that she dresses this way because of the modesty it affords her from men. Her mother is happy that she lives somewhere where she is able to make those choices<ref>''New X-Men: Hellions'' #2</ref>

She, with the help of the rest of the New X-Men, later defeat Nimrod, Stryker's backup plan for destroying the mutants.

The Institute holds a memorial for the mutants lost during M-Day; Sooraya cries with Icarus' mother when she comes to the Institute and apologizes for not being able to do more to save her son. His mother tells her that Icarus thought she was a beautiful person.<ref>New X-Men vol. 2, #32</ref>

While [[Hellion]] and X-23 go off to rescue [[Mercury (Marvel Comics)|Mercury]] from the Facility, Sooraya is left at the mansion but learns vital information from [[Pixie (X-Men)|Pixie]] of what happened. Sooraya immediately tells Nori and David what she knows; Dust and the remaining team are about to leave the Institute, but are stopped by [[Kitty Pryde|Shadowcat]], who brings them in for the time being to tell them about the whereabouts of their teammates and friends.

The "Astonishing" team and the remaining X-Men, accompanied by the O*N*E* Sentinel, go off to the Facility and rescue Hellion, X-23, and Mercury.

Dust is shown praying to Allah before being teleported with the other students to [[Limbo (comics)|Limbo]] where she is held captive by [[Belasco]] and his demons. In #39, X-23 breaks free and urges Dust and Mercury to join her in fighting Belasco. Dust is too afraid of Belasco, believing him to be the Devil, but when X-23 is seemingly killed, Dust breaks free and attacks Belasco, saying that if she is to die in battle against "the Devil", she would make Allah proud. Dust and Mercury fight with Belasco and manage to hold their own due to the fact that their transient forms give them limited resistance to Belasco's magic. When Surge and Hellion arrive, the two girls are exhausted and can only watch as Belasco tries to pull Earth into Limbo. He fends off every student of the Xavier Institute until he is slain by Pixie and the [[Magik (comics)#Return|Darkchilde]].

===World War Hulk===
{{main|World War Hulk}}
Dust is part of the New X-Men in a training session supervised by [[Beast (comics)|Beast]] that goes up against the [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]] in World War Hulk: X-Men. She attacks him in her sand form after he defeats Hellion but she too is defeated when Hulk pulls a water pipe up from the ground and sprays water at her, taking her out of the fight.

She is also quizzed by Pixie about her beliefs and choice of dress and has her shoulder fixed by Beast after it is dislocated during the fight with Belasco. She also checks on Julian at the urging of Mercury, after Nori kisses him.

===Messiah Complex===
{{main|Messiah Complex}}
Regrouping after their failed attack under the leadership of Matthew Risman, the Purifiers are keeping track of the escaped [[Predator X]]. Horribly scarred by Dust's attack, Matthew is fixated on training Predator X to seek out and kill Sooraya by using abayas and niqabs bearing some recognizable quality of hers (possibly her scent). While being trained to seek out and kill Dust, Predator X senses the mutant it was originally created to destroy (the unknown mutant featured in [[X-Men: Messiah Complex]]) and the Purifiers follow. In Chapter Four of Messiah Complex, Sooraya neglects to join her teammates in raiding the Purifier's most important base in D.C. merely because she thinks that her squad leader, [[Surge (comics)|Surge]], is out for vengeance and that she is only ambushing the Purifiers for the baby as an afterthought. She stays at the mansion alongside [[Elixir (comics)|Elixir]] and David Alleyene and the remainder of the student body while the other New X-Men and the X-Man, [[Armor (comics)|Armor]], leave.

Later in Chapter Six, the mansion's Megatron Sentinel guard are taken over completely by nanosentinel technology, causing them to battle the X-Men. As [[Hepzibah|Hepzibah]], [[Warpath (comics)| Warpath]], [[Bishop (comics)|Bishop]], and the student [[Gentle (comics)|Nezhno]] fight the Sentinels, Dust appears and Cyclops orders her to enter the Sentinels to find out what is going on and stop it if she can. She does but she runs into the pilots who have been turned into updated versions of Prime Sentinels and they repel her. Dust frantically runs to Cyclops as infantry arrives in the form of [[Iceman (comics)|Iceman]] and [[X-23|X-23]]. They manage to severely damage the human-Sentinel hybrids.

When the New X-Men are home alone with Beast, she and Rockslide go to put flowers on the graves of their deceased friends only to find Predator X eating the corpses. The three New X-Men battle with Predator X until Surge arrives, taking the beast on by herself, as the other three warn the others. After an intense battle across the remains of the school, [[Pixie (X-Men)|Pixie]] teleports Predator X, herself, Dust, and the rest to the X-Men's final battle against the Marauders on Muir Island.

On Muir Island, Dust is crucial in the success of the battle against the [[Marauders (comics)|Marauders]] in the final chapter as she helps take out the massively powerful and dangerous [[Exodus (comics)|Exodus]], by entering his body in her sand form and lacerating his lungs while he was distracted by [[Emma Frost|Emma Frost]].

===Divided We Stand===
{{main|Young X-Men}}
Sometime after Cyclops disbanded the institute, Sooraya had returned to Afghanistan. The first issue of ''Young X-Men'' showed Sooraya driving a group of Taliban guerrillas from a small town, declaring the town to be under her protection, the Taliban thinking her of some sort of extension of Allah's wrath. Shortly afterwards, Cyclops appears, asking her to return to New York to join his new team of ''Young X-Men''.

Unaware that "Cyclops" was actually [[Donald Pierce]] in disguise, the Yougn X-Men proceed with their first mission to take down a new [[Brotherhood of Mutants]] supposedly composed of the original [[New Mutants]]. In the ensuing battle against [[Magma (comics)|Magma]], a blast of flame turns Dust's sand form into glass. Sooraya's glass form is later shattered into hundreds of glass fragments in a battle between [[Donald Pierce]] and [[Greymalkin (comics)|Greymalkin]]. However, Magma used her powers to return the glass back into sand and Sooraya is able to revert back to human form. Realizing that they were used by Pierce, the Young X-Men and New Mutants defeat Pierce, albeit with the death of [[Wolf Cub (comics)|Wolf Cub]], and Sooraya joins the real X-Men in San Francisco.<ref>''Young X-Men'' #1 - 6</ref>

During a conversation with the now-incarcerated Pierce, Sooraya revealed to him that she is dying. The cause of this is still unknown.<ref>''Young X-Men'' #7</ref>

===Secret Invasion===
Dust is among the several X-Men helping to fight off Skrulls during their invasion of San Francisco.<ref>''Secret Invasion: X-Men'' #1</ref>


==Powers and abilities==
==Powers and abilities==
[[Image:Dustpower.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Dust uses her powers]]
[[Image:Dustpower.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Dust uses her powers]]
Dust can transform herself into an explosive cloud of sand-like silicon particles and maintain control of her sand form (for instance scouring the flesh from her enemies' bones like a sandstorm, shredding steel or forming a human-shaped body), before reforming at will. However, telekinetic or similarly powered beings can take control of her sand particles. According to [[Jean Grey]] and [[Professor X]], her dust form makes her harder to detect telepathically and according to ''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #42 somewhat resistant to magic.
Dust is a transmorph, able to transform herself into an explosive cloud of sand-like silicon particles and maintain control of her sand form. She can reform her normal body at will or maintain an aerial based sand form in the shape of her human body. Her sandstorm form is resistant to most forms of injury. The form makes her hard to detect telepathically, according to [[Jean Grey]] and [[Professor X]].<ref name="New X-Men #133"/> She is also resistant to magic.<ref>''New X-Men'' Vol 2 #39</ref> She can use the form to attack, for instance, scouring the flesh from her enemies' bones like a sandstorm as well as enter people's lungs and scouring them from the inside.


== Critical reception ==
Dust has also demonstrated a major weakness to water. Her sand form has been stopped by being doused with water several times in combat. She can also be defeated if the air she travels through is manipulated (such as during her fight with [[Wind Dancer]]). Her sand form is also vulnerable to extremes of heat, causing it to crystallise into glass, paralysing her. Like many transmorphs, she reverts back to her human form if exhausted or knocked unconscious.
Peter Eckhardt of ''[[CBR.com]]'' called Dust one of the "favorite characters with connections to the 616 AAPI community," writing, "Qadir's Sunni Muslim faith is a critical part of her character. She's depicted almost exclusively wearing traditional Muslim dress consisting of a niqab atop an abaya. Although her faith occasionally creates conflict with other characters, Qadir's faith remains strong and makes her one of the most positive representations of Muslim women in speculative fiction."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eckhardt |first=Peter |date=2022-05-19 |title=10 Marvel Characters You Should Read For AAPI Month |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-characters-you-should-read-for-aapi-month/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref> Marc Buxton of ''[[Den of Geek]]'' said, "We have the devout Muslim warrior Dust, one of the bravest X-Men to join Xavier’s team in the 21st century. When a slave trader forcibly tried to remove her niqab, Sooraya Qadir manifested her power to turn her body into sand and flayed him alive. Dust remains one of X-Men’s bravest, using her unwavering faith and powers to help other young mutants. For Dust, her eyes tell the whole story, of faith and pain, of belief and bravery."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Buxton |first=Marc |date=2017-02-03 |title=40 X-Men Characters Who Haven't Appeared in the Movies But Should |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/40-x-men-characters-who-havent-appeared-in-the-movies-but-should/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Family==
== Accolades ==
* In 2014, ''[[BuzzFeed]]'' ranked Dust 81st in their "95 X-Men Members Ranked From Worst To Best" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perpetua |first=Matthew |title=95 X-Men Members Ranked From Worst To Best |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/perpetua/94-x-men-members-ranked-from-worst-to-best |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=BuzzFeed |date=28 January 2014 |language=en}}</ref>
Sooraya is still searching in hopes of being reunited with her mother, Mirah Qadir. Currently, Emma Frost has been trying to locate Mirah, but to no avail.
* In 2017, ''[[CBR.com]]'' ranked Dust 11th in their "15 Muslim Characters In Comics You Should Know" list.<ref>{{Cite web |author=C. B. R. Staff |date=2017-02-03 |title=15 Muslim Characters In Comics You Should Know |url=https://www.cbr.com/muslim-comic-book-characters-you-should-know/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref>
* In 2017, ''[[Den of Geek]]'' included Dust in their "40 X-Men Characters Who Haven’t Appeared in the Movies But Should" list.<ref name=":0" />
* In 2020, ''[[CBR.com]]'' ranked Dust 7th in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Hellions" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stoye |first=Grant |date=2020-04-20 |title=X-Men: The 10 Most Powerful Members Of The Hellions, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/x-men-hellions-most-powerful/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref>
* In 2020, ''[[WhatCulture]]'' ranked Dust 7th in their "Marvel Phase 4: 10 Mutants Who Should Be MCU X-Men" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tibbetts |first=John |date=2020-02-06 |title=Marvel Phase 4: 10 Mutants Who Should Be MCU X-Men |url=https://whatculture.com/film/marvel-phase-4-10-mutants-who-should-be-mcu-x-men |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=WhatCulture.com |language=en}}</ref>
* In 2021, ''[[Screen Rant]]'' included Dust in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Champions" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lealos |first=Shawn S. |date=2021-09-19 |title=10 Most Powerful Members Of The Champions, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-champions-strongest-members-comics/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref>
* In 2022, ''[[CBR.com]]'' ranked Dust 2nd in their "10 Best X-Men Mutants Who Haven't Been In A Movie Yet" list<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunis |first=Peter |date=2022-07-19 |title=The 10 Best X-Men Mutants Who Haven't Been In A Movie Yet |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-x-men-marvel-mutants-not-in-movie/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref> and 6th in their "X-Men: 10 Heroes Who'd Be Perfect Assassins" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Casey |date=2022-02-27 |title=X-Men: 10 Heroes Who'd Be Perfect Assassins (Without Using Telepathy) |url=https://www.cbr.com/x-men-perfect-assassins/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Other versions==
==Observing Islamic Hijab==
Although Dust is a character in the main [[Marvel Universe]] [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] (also called "Earth-616,"), she has also been depicted in other fictional universes and alternate futures.
In line with Sooraya's character as a traditional Muslim, she chooses to observe Islamic hijab by donning traditional dress. Sooraya explains to her mother that she always observes hijab because of the modesty it affords her from men, and never did it because of the Taliban's enforcement of hijab on women. Her mother is happy that she lives somewhere where she is able to make those choices, unlike in Afghanistan.<ref>''New X-Men: Hellions'' #2</ref> Characters in the comics often refer to Dust's traditional Muslim outfit as a [[burqa]]. However, the outfit Dust wears is an [[abaya]] with a [[niqāb]] for her face, an ensemble originating in and worn mostly by [[Muslim]] women in the [[Persian Gulf]] states of the [[Middle East]]. In ''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #42, [[Gentle (comics)|Gentle]] is the first to get it right while correcting fellow student [[Pixie (X-Men)|Pixie]].


Some artists depict Sooraya's abaya incorrectly, having it tightly cinched around her waist and breasts, which questionably disregards the purpose of wearing an abaya.

==Other versions==
===House of M===
===House of M===
Sooraya appears as a member of the New Mutants in the [[House of M]] continuity. She appears to have formed a very close friendship with [[Jubilee (comics)|Jubilee]] and become Westernized, wearing revealing clothes and enjoying stereotypical 'mall rat' activities, although it is revealed that she may carry some reservations and resentments for trading in on her morals and beliefs for her Western behavior. Like the rest of the Hellions and New Mutants, she travels to Japan to fight against Emperor [[Sunfire (comics)#House of M|Sunfire]] in order to close down Project Genesis.
Sooraya appears as a member of the New Mutants in the ''[[House of M]]'' continuity. She appears to have formed a very close friendship with [[Jubilee (comics)|Jubilee]] and become Westernized, wearing revealing clothes and enjoying stereotypical '[[mall rat]]' activities. Like the rest of the Hellions and New Mutants, she travels to Japan to fight against Emperor [[Sunfire (comics)#House of M|Sunfire]] in order to close down Project Genesis.


===X-Men: The End===
===X-Men: The End===
In the alternate time line depicted in [[X-Men: The End]], Sooraya remains at the institute as the caretaker of [[Cyclops (comics)|Cyclops]] and Emma Frost's children. During the attack on the Institute, Sooraya encounters [[Madelyne Pryor]], asking if she is [[Jean Grey]] returning to the school. Madelyne lashes out and Sooraya defends herself, seemingly defeating Madelyne and escaping the Institute before it explodes. It is later revealed that the "Dust" who escaped the encounter was really Madelyne, disguised in Sooraya's abaya. Upon revealing her true identity, Cyclops states that he already knew it was her and that the real Sooraya died back at the school.
In the alternate time line depicted in [[X-Men: The End]], Sooraya remains at the institute as the caretaker of [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]] and Emma Frost's children. During the attack on the institute, Sooraya encounters [[Madelyne Pryor]], asking if she is [[Jean Grey]] returning to the school. Madelyne lashes out and Sooraya defends herself, seemingly defeating Madelyne and escaping the institute before it explodes. It is later revealed that the "Dust" who escaped the encounter was really Madelyne, disguised in Sooraya's abaya. Upon revealing her true identity, Cyclops states that he already knew it was her and that the real Sooraya died back at the school.


===Young X-Men "End of Days"===
==Other Media==
In a dystopic future depicted in the final two issues of "Young X-Men", Sooraya appears before the last remaining mutants on the once mutant safe-haven and independent state of "Xaviera". She easily kills Wolverine and kills Graymalkin and Emma Frost. Before killing him, Sooraya explains to Anole that she is doing this because mutants are a "plague" upon the world and that she has become its cure, "a storm that wipes clean the earth". She reaches a now decrepit Ink, who has a brief conversation with her regarding her revival in the past. They both discuss that his actions corrupted her, "killing" her soul and she reveals that she still harbors resentment over "mutants" allowing her to die in the first place. She states that she is sorry, as she knows his actions were good at heart, and kills him.<ref name=YXMN12>''Young X-Men'' #12</ref>
====''Wolverine and the X-Men''====
Dust appears in the animated TV series "[[Wolverine and the X-Men]]" as a captive of the Mutant Control Unit. She and others are freed by Wolverine.<ref>''Wolverine e os X-Men (Wolverine and the X-Men)'' Ep. 1 - "Hindsight Pt. 1"</ref> Dust also appears in episode 10.


In this future depiction, Sooraya no longer observes Islamic hijab, wearing a tight outfit exposing her face and her cleavage. Her eyes glow red and she has combustive powers in addition to her original abilities.<ref name=YXMN12/>
====X-Men: The Last Stand====

In the X-Men: The Last Stand novel by [[Chris Claremont]], Sooraya is mentioned by Rogue.
==In other media==
* Dust appears in ''[[Wolverine and the X-Men (TV series)|Wolverine and the X-Men]]'', voiced by [[Tara Strong]].<ref>''Wolverine and the X-Men'' Ep. 1 - "Hindsight Pt. 1"</ref>
* Dust makes a cameo appearance in ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds]]'' via [[Deadpool]]'s ending.
* Dust is among the mutants who appear on a bulletin board at the end of the ''[[X-Men '97]]'' Season 1 finale.

==See also==
{{Portal|Speculative fiction}}
* [[Kamala Khan]]


==References==
==References==
Line 108: Line 91:
* [http://marvel.com/universe/Dust Dust] at Marvel.com
* [http://marvel.com/universe/Dust Dust] at Marvel.com


{{X-Men}}
{{X-Men characters}}
{{Grant Morrison}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Dust (Comics)}}
[[Category:Fictional Afghans]]
[[Category:Characters created by Ethan Van Sciver]]

[[Category:Asian superheroes]]
[[Category:Characters created by Grant Morrison]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 2002]]
[[Category:Fictional Afghan people]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with earth or stone abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional hostages and kidnapped people]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics shapeshifters]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics female superheroes]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics mutants]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics mutants]]
[[Category:Fictional shapeshifters]]
[[Category:Muslim characters in comics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics superheroes]]
[[Category:Muslim superheroes]]

[[es:Dust (cómic)]]
[[fr:Dust]]
[[nl:Dust (Marvel)]]
[[pt:Pó (Marvel Comics)]]

Latest revision as of 06:45, 11 December 2024

Dust
Textless cover for New X-Men: Hellions #2 (Aug. 2005).
Art by Clayton Henry.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceNew X-Men #133 (Dec. 2002)
Created byGrant Morrison
Ethan Van Sciver
In-story information
Alter egoSooraya Qadir
SpeciesHuman mutant
Team affiliationsHellions training squad
New X-Men
Xavier Institute
X-Men in training
Young X-Men
Jean Grey School Students
Champions
Notable aliasesCongregation
Glass
Abilities
  • Sand transformation
    • Superhuman durability
    • Telepathic resistance
    • Magical resistance

Dust (Sooraya Qadir)[1] is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character usually appears in X-Men-related comic books. Sooraya is a mutant with the ability to transform her body into a pliable cloud of dust.

Publication history

[edit]

Sooraya Qadir, alias Dust, was created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Ethan Van Sciver for the comic book series New X-Men #133 (December 2002). Dust has since appeared in various X-Men related comic book series, miniseries, and storylines.

Fictional character biography

[edit]

Origin

[edit]

Sooraya Qadir is a Pashtun Muslim from Kandahar, Afghanistan, who possesses the mutant ability to transform into a sand-like substance. The character’s origin story depicts her getting kidnapped by slavers who attempt to remove her religious head covering, the niqab. This event triggers Sooraya's mutant power for the first time, killing her attackers.[2] Rescued by Wolverine and Fantomex, Sooraya enrolls at the Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Leadership, a school dedicated to training mutants to control their powers and coexist with humanity.[3]

Storylines

[edit]

Sooraya Qadir's experiences at the Xavier Institute are documented across various X-Men comic book series. Notably, she features prominently in the aftermath of a major event within the Marvel Universe that significantly reduces the mutant population. This event, known as "Decimation," significantly impacts the dynamics at the Xavier Institute, forcing the school to restructure and leading to a reduced student body. Sooraya is among the 27 mutants who retain their powers after Decimation, placing her in a unique position within the institute.[4]

Early struggles and adaptation

[edit]

Following her enrollment, Sooraya initially struggles to adapt to life at the Xavier Institute. Cultural and religious differences create challenges, particularly with her outspoken roommate Noriko. Despite these obstacles, Sooraya demonstrates unwavering faith in her Islamic beliefs, choosing to wear her religious attire instead of the standard training uniform.[3] Over time, Sooraya develops friendships with other students, including Icarus. However, her religious background occasionally leads to conflict with other characters, highlighting the complexities of integrating mutants from diverse backgrounds.[5] Sooraya's journey at the Xavier Institute is marked by various challenges that test her courage and resilience. Due to her religious beliefs, Sooraya becomes a target for anti-mutant factions within the Marvel Universe, leading to threats and capture.[6][7] However, Sooraya consistently demonstrates her bravery, using her unique sand-based powers to battle enemies like William Stryker and the villain Belasco.[8][6] Despite facing injuries and moments of self-doubt regarding leadership,[9][10] Sooraya continues to overcome adversity, even confronting powerful mutants like a nanotech-controlled Sentinel and Predator X.[11][12] Her resourcefulness and strategic use of her powers prove valuable in defeating formidable foes like the mutant Exodus.[13]

Return to Afghanistan and beyond

[edit]

Sooraya's story extends beyond the walls of the Xavier Institute. In later storylines, she returns to her home country, taking a protective stance over a small town. However, she becomes entangled in a complex situation and is manipulated into joining a team led by a character impersonating Cyclops.[14] This event leads to a life-threatening situation where parts of her body are temporarily transformed into glass.[15][16][14] Sooraya demonstrates remarkable resilience, eventually recovering and rejoining the X-Men in San Francisco.[14] Following a major schism within the X-Men, Sooraya initially sides with Wolverine's team but ultimately chooses to remain with Cyclops' faction.[17][18]

Personality and relationships

[edit]

Sooraya is depicted as a quiet and reserved individual, initially struggling to adapt to life at the Xavier Institute, particularly with her outspoken roommate Noriko. Despite these initial difficulties, Sooraya demonstrates unwavering faith in her religion, choosing to wear a hijab instead of the standard training uniform.[3] Throughout her time at the institute, Sooraya develops friendships with other students like Icarus, though her religious beliefs occasionally create conflict with other characters.[5]

Appearance

[edit]

In line with Sooraya's character as a traditional Muslim, she chooses to don a loose-fitting black dress, with a niqab covering her face. Sooraya explains to her mother that she dresses this way because of the modesty it affords her from men. Her mother is happy that she lives somewhere where she is able to make those choices[19]

Powers and abilities

[edit]
Dust uses her powers

Dust is a transmorph, able to transform herself into an explosive cloud of sand-like silicon particles and maintain control of her sand form. She can reform her normal body at will or maintain an aerial based sand form in the shape of her human body. Her sandstorm form is resistant to most forms of injury. The form makes her hard to detect telepathically, according to Jean Grey and Professor X.[2] She is also resistant to magic.[20] She can use the form to attack, for instance, scouring the flesh from her enemies' bones like a sandstorm as well as enter people's lungs and scouring them from the inside.

Critical reception

[edit]

Peter Eckhardt of CBR.com called Dust one of the "favorite characters with connections to the 616 AAPI community," writing, "Qadir's Sunni Muslim faith is a critical part of her character. She's depicted almost exclusively wearing traditional Muslim dress consisting of a niqab atop an abaya. Although her faith occasionally creates conflict with other characters, Qadir's faith remains strong and makes her one of the most positive representations of Muslim women in speculative fiction."[21] Marc Buxton of Den of Geek said, "We have the devout Muslim warrior Dust, one of the bravest X-Men to join Xavier’s team in the 21st century. When a slave trader forcibly tried to remove her niqab, Sooraya Qadir manifested her power to turn her body into sand and flayed him alive. Dust remains one of X-Men’s bravest, using her unwavering faith and powers to help other young mutants. For Dust, her eyes tell the whole story, of faith and pain, of belief and bravery."[22]

Accolades

[edit]
  • In 2014, BuzzFeed ranked Dust 81st in their "95 X-Men Members Ranked From Worst To Best" list.[23]
  • In 2017, CBR.com ranked Dust 11th in their "15 Muslim Characters In Comics You Should Know" list.[24]
  • In 2017, Den of Geek included Dust in their "40 X-Men Characters Who Haven’t Appeared in the Movies But Should" list.[22]
  • In 2020, CBR.com ranked Dust 7th in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Hellions" list.[25]
  • In 2020, WhatCulture ranked Dust 7th in their "Marvel Phase 4: 10 Mutants Who Should Be MCU X-Men" list.[26]
  • In 2021, Screen Rant included Dust in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Champions" list.[27]
  • In 2022, CBR.com ranked Dust 2nd in their "10 Best X-Men Mutants Who Haven't Been In A Movie Yet" list[28] and 6th in their "X-Men: 10 Heroes Who'd Be Perfect Assassins" list.[29]

Other versions

[edit]

Although Dust is a character in the main Marvel Universe continuity (also called "Earth-616,"), she has also been depicted in other fictional universes and alternate futures.

House of M

[edit]

Sooraya appears as a member of the New Mutants in the House of M continuity. She appears to have formed a very close friendship with Jubilee and become Westernized, wearing revealing clothes and enjoying stereotypical 'mall rat' activities. Like the rest of the Hellions and New Mutants, she travels to Japan to fight against Emperor Sunfire in order to close down Project Genesis.

X-Men: The End

[edit]

In the alternate time line depicted in X-Men: The End, Sooraya remains at the institute as the caretaker of Cyclops and Emma Frost's children. During the attack on the institute, Sooraya encounters Madelyne Pryor, asking if she is Jean Grey returning to the school. Madelyne lashes out and Sooraya defends herself, seemingly defeating Madelyne and escaping the institute before it explodes. It is later revealed that the "Dust" who escaped the encounter was really Madelyne, disguised in Sooraya's abaya. Upon revealing her true identity, Cyclops states that he already knew it was her and that the real Sooraya died back at the school.

Young X-Men "End of Days"

[edit]

In a dystopic future depicted in the final two issues of "Young X-Men", Sooraya appears before the last remaining mutants on the once mutant safe-haven and independent state of "Xaviera". She easily kills Wolverine and kills Graymalkin and Emma Frost. Before killing him, Sooraya explains to Anole that she is doing this because mutants are a "plague" upon the world and that she has become its cure, "a storm that wipes clean the earth". She reaches a now decrepit Ink, who has a brief conversation with her regarding her revival in the past. They both discuss that his actions corrupted her, "killing" her soul and she reveals that she still harbors resentment over "mutants" allowing her to die in the first place. She states that she is sorry, as she knows his actions were good at heart, and kills him.[30]

In this future depiction, Sooraya no longer observes Islamic hijab, wearing a tight outfit exposing her face and her cleavage. Her eyes glow red and she has combustive powers in addition to her original abilities.[30]

In other media

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Grant Morrison (w), Ethan Van Sciver (p), Norm Rapmund (i). "Dust" New X-Men, no. 1 (Dec. 2002). Marvel Comics.
  2. ^ a b New X-Men #133
  3. ^ a b c New X-Men: Academy X #2
  4. ^ New X-Men vol. 2 #23
  5. ^ a b New X-Men: Academy X #14
  6. ^ a b New X-Men vol. 2 #27
  7. ^ New X-Men vol. 2 #25
  8. ^ New X-Men vol. 2 #22
  9. ^ New X-Men vol. 2 #44 (2008)
  10. ^ New X-Men (vol. 2) #42-43
  11. ^ X-Factor vol. 3 #27 (2008)
  12. ^ The Uncanny X-Men #493 (2008)
  13. ^ X-Men #207 (2008)
  14. ^ a b c Young X-Men #1-6
  15. ^ Young X-Men #8
  16. ^ Young X-Men #7
  17. ^ Champions #9 (2020). Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ Champions #3 - 5 (2020). Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ New X-Men: Hellions #2
  20. ^ New X-Men Vol 2 #39
  21. ^ Eckhardt, Peter (2022-05-19). "10 Marvel Characters You Should Read For AAPI Month". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  22. ^ a b Buxton, Marc (2017-02-03). "40 X-Men Characters Who Haven't Appeared in the Movies But Should". Den of Geek. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  23. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (28 January 2014). "95 X-Men Members Ranked From Worst To Best". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  24. ^ C. B. R. Staff (2017-02-03). "15 Muslim Characters In Comics You Should Know". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  25. ^ Stoye, Grant (2020-04-20). "X-Men: The 10 Most Powerful Members Of The Hellions, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  26. ^ Tibbetts, John (2020-02-06). "Marvel Phase 4: 10 Mutants Who Should Be MCU X-Men". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  27. ^ Lealos, Shawn S. (2021-09-19). "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Champions, Ranked". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  28. ^ Cunis, Peter (2022-07-19). "The 10 Best X-Men Mutants Who Haven't Been In A Movie Yet". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  29. ^ Lawrence, Casey (2022-02-27). "X-Men: 10 Heroes Who'd Be Perfect Assassins (Without Using Telepathy)". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  30. ^ a b Young X-Men #12
  31. ^ Wolverine and the X-Men Ep. 1 - "Hindsight Pt. 1"
[edit]
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