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Quote1 On my world, men do not act with dishonor. Apparently, on this planet -- they can do little else! Quote2
Pyra src

Dubbed "Pretty Pyra" by Doctor Canus after manifesting her a physical form, the Zirandian was really a sentient mass of disembodied energy which previously referred to itself simply as "Me".[1]

Origin

"Pyra" was a synergist on the planet of Zirandus. Due to their star becoming a red giant and not radiating enough solar energy to sustain the planet or their species, she was charged by her coordinator to seek out a viable new energy source. Reverting to her natural energy state, the alien explorer ventured out alone in a craft and scoured the universe in vain, until she witnessed an incredible explosion of light. Arriving at the source she found a civilisation in ruin after some sort of Great Disaster. Despite the obvious tragedy, Pyra knew that whatever caused such destruction was a source of power that had to be investigated. She began collecting as many varied artefacts as she could and hoarded them in what was once Florida before teleporting the samples back to Zirandus.[2]

Earth-AD

Eventually Pyra discovered Kamandi and Ben Boxer and abducted the two rare specimens for study. The two humans tried to escape from their captor's junkyard, which resulted in the destruction of the wormhole that was the only link back to the alien's home world. Furious, Pyra tried to eliminate the vandals, but in the ensuing struggle was released from the confines of her containment suit. The pure energy escaped and immediately took control of Ben, turning him into a giant.[3] In the humongous body, the alien found itself in the middle of a naval battle between the Tiger forces of Great Caesar and the Gorilla Commandos led by Ramjam. Fortunately, Doctor Canus gained the trust of the energy entity and convinced it to leave Boxer's body.[4]

Although Canus assuaged the alien's initial fears, it wanted to return home desperately. It made a bargain with Canus to aid Price Tuftan's soldiers in return for a physical body based on Kamandi's human physiology.[5] Canus agreed, though was concerned with the dangers involved. He created a "birth bag" to incubate the life form as it underwent its metamorphosis.[6] Eventually a beautiful female emerged from the capsule, trying to adjust to the entirely new form, but lashed out violently against her assistants after stumbling. Canus and Kamandi were spared harm, but hijacked Pyra's U.F.O. to defend Great Caeser's flagship, causing her to chase after them to retrieve her last attachment to her race.[1]

Regaining control of her vessel, Pyra jettisoned them just outside Earth's atmosphere within close proximity to the Soyuz-X. Her two passengers tried to escape to the pre-disaster relic, but she followed without any malevolent intent. In fact, she sensed that one of the cosmonauts was still alive by using advance yoga to slow his heart and she revived him from his biological stasis. The man inside the spacesuit was no longer who he once was and Pyra helped the others escape to her own ship once more.[7]

Headed back to Earth, Pyra's curiosity took them to a dense jungle which enveloped the hidden refuge know as "Resort". What first appeared to be the abandoned hotel that survived the disaster was actually a twisted sanctuary for any who could defend their territory within it.[8]

Pyra continued to lead Kamandi and Canus to new eye-opening experiences. Her intuition and intellect gave her the penchant for always being right, much to Doctor Canus' frustration. When Kamandi was kidnapped by the Red Riders, Pyra and Canus tracked him down, but her U.F.O. was shot out of the sky.[9] Escaping the wreckage, Pyra and Canus were found in the desert by the Lizards of Los Lorraine. Sensing their intensions were not entirely altruistic, Pyra fled their city when Prince Gila tried to imprison her, forgetting to rescue Doctor Canus in her fury.[10]

Powers

  • Alien Physiology/No Physical Body: Zirandians, in their natural state, were sentient masses of pure energy. Before taking on the physical female form of Pyra, the being had no gender and could become multiple entities.[5]
    • Bio-Fission/Bio-Fusion: In its natural state, Pyra referred to itself as "Me", but could divide itself into "We" and "Us".[5]
    • Self-Sustenance: Within the system of a star that is not a red giant, Zirandians have unlimited energy and can survive anywhere without any other external sustenance, including the vacuum of space, even in Pyra's physical form.[7]
    • Energy Projection: In its natural state, the Zirandian could direct powerful energy blasts.[5]
      • Thermal-Blast: In physical form, Pyra could project intense heat and fire powerful enough to burn through dense forest in minutes and melt a metal wall in seconds.[7][8] Under the control of Pyra, Ben Boxer was capable of heat vision.[4]
    • Flight: Pyra can defy gravity in both her physical and natural state.[5][7]
    • Enhanced Senses: Pyra could sense other lifeforms without them being seen or heard.[8]
    • Possession: In its natural state, the entity was able to take control of Ben Boxer's body.[4]
      • Size Alteration: While in possession of Ben, his body was increased to gigantic proportions.[5]
    • Metamorphosis: Although requiring the aid of Doctor Canus to create the form of Pyra, she later told him that her species adopted physical forms at will on Zirandus to complete manual tasks.[2]

Abilities

  • Science: On Zirandus, Pyra was a "synergist" charged with locating a new energy source to save her kind.[2]
  • Aviation: Pyra piloted her own alien spaceship.[7]


Transportation

Weapons

  • Lack of sufficient solar radiation is the only known weakness of Zirandians.[2]


  • Initially the energy entity required Doctor Canus to create a birthing chamber which allowed it to take on the humanoid form of "Pretty Pyra," upon which it explained how the sensation of limbs was foreign to it. When Gerry Conway took over writing from Jack Kirby, his first issue described Pyra's origins and how Zirandians adopted humanoid forms at will, contradicting her earlier sentiments. However, Pyra also claimed having a body was a new experience after having taken control of Ben Boxer.

Related

Footnotes


Countdown Special Kamandi 1
This character is exclusive to the continuity of Earth-AD.
This version of Pyra (Earth-AD), including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series and is now considered apocryphal. Characters inclusive to Earth-AD continuity includes those who appeared in the original OMAC comic book series and the original Kamandi comic book series.
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