History
Little is known about Windshear's background before she joined the Shadow Cabinet, an ancient team of metahumans that covertly protects mankind from being destroyed by its worst instincts. It is known that Windshear's ability to create tornado-like winds aught the attention the Shadow Cabinet's leader, Dharma, who convinced her to join the team.
Since becoming a Cabinet operative, Windshear has frequently been teamed with the wind-controlling Ramjet during missions. Perhaps the pair's most notable mission was dealing a crippling blow to the Turquoise cell of S.Y.S.T.E.M., a malevolent conspiracy that secretly rules the world.[1] Unknown to Windshear and Ramjet, their Turquoise mission was part of Dharma's larger strategy of taking over SYSTEM, cell by cell.[1] Some Cabinet operatives became concerned that this approach would lead to Dharma becoming the very evil their group fought against.
Things came to a head during the infamous Utopia Park Riots in Dakota City. Those Shadow Cabinet operatives who were wary of Dharma's methods ignored his explicit orders to not involve themselves in saving endangered civilians and police.[2] Dharma considered this mutiny as proof that his operatives had too much free will and thus were less effective in his eyes.[3] So, he declared that operatives could no longer leave the Cabinet’s headquarters, the Shadowspire, except for missions.[4] Deeming Dharma insane, operatives Donner, Blitzen and Iota fled the Shadowspire to form their own public superhero team, Heroes.[3] However, most of the Cabinet including Windshear and Ramjet sided with Dharma either out of fear or genuine loyalty.
The Heroes resurfaced when they saved the city of Iberia, Arkansas from being wiped out by a flood caused by a bursting dam.[5] Through his precognitive abilities, Dharma foresaw that the Heroes would regroup at Donner and Blitzen's apartment.[6] Windshear joined a Shadow Cabinet strike team led by Iron Butterfly to confront the Heroes, who had just recruited three more ex-Cabinet operatives, Payback, Starlight, and Static. Iron Butterfly delivered a simple message to the Heroes: return to the Cabinet of die. The Heroes flatly refused, and the battle was joined.[6]
As the Cabinet and Heroes fought, the apartment building they were in began suffering major structural damage.[7] Calling a truce, the two sides combined their powers to shore up the building and save the lives of its residents. Ashamed that the battle had endangered innocent people, Iron Butterfly promised the Heroes that they were free of their ties to the Cabinet.[7] With that, Windshear and the other Cabinet operatives teleported back to the Shadowspire.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Aerokinesis: Windshear has the psychokinetic ability to accelerate air within an undetermined radius from her body, thereby creating a tornado-like mass of swirling wind around her.[7] The smallest observed tornado she has created is approximately 2 feet in diameter; the largest tornado she has created can envelope a building several stories tall.[7] Windshear primarily uses her tornadoes as offensive weapons of considerable destructive power.[7]
- Deflection: She can also use them as a defensive barrier to deflect enemy attacks or incoming projectiles before they can strike her.[7]
- Enhanced Durability: Her skin is denser than normal to prevent unwanted heat loss, friction burns, and particle abrasions.[7]
- Enhanced Vision: Windshear's eyesight is superhuman, enabling her to clearly perceive her surrounding despite the high speed winds swirling about her.
Notes
- Windshear was first mentioned in Shadow Cabinet #15 well before she appeared canonically.
Trivia
- Windshear and Ramjet's costumes are very similar in design and color scheme. Why this is remains a mystery.
Related
- 2 Appearances of Windshear (Dakotaverse)
- 2 Images featuring Windshear (Dakotaverse)
- Quotations by or about Windshear (Dakotaverse)
- Character Gallery: Windshear (Dakotaverse)
Footnotes
