Starfire: DC Comics Origin

Real Name: Koriand’r (Kori Anders)

First Appearance: DC Comics Presents #26 (October 1980)

Powers: Starfire is immensely powerful. She possesses superhuman strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, stamina, and is nearly invulnerable. She is also able to fly, is long-lived, has immunity to cold and heat, can survive in space, is able to manipulate ultraviolet energy, absorb and project energy, and emit supernova-type energy. 

Affiliation: Teen Titans, Outsiders, Justice League, Red Hood, and the Outlaws, and Justifiers

Did You Know? Starfire has been romantically linked to Dick Grayson.

A Little History

The origin of Starfire is pretty straightforward. 

Starfire first appeared inside the pages of DC Comics Presents #26 back in October of 1980. She was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez and has been an integral member of the Teen Titans since.

Koriand’r is the second of three children born to the Royal Family of Tamaran. As the second born, Koriand’r shouldn’t have been in line to assume the throne once her parents passed on. Unfortunately, because her older sister Komand’r was born without the ability to fly, she was deemed unable to rule. As the next in line to rule, Koriand’r was treated like a princess while Komand’r was largely forgotten and mistreated. This caused great tension between the two sisters. 

Everything came to a head after the two sisters were sent for Warrior Training by the Warlords of Okaara. While training, Komand’r hatched a plan and attempted to take her sister’s life. As a result of the attempted murder, Komand’r was expelled. In retaliation for her expulsion, she vowed revenge against Koriand’r and the planet of Tamaran. 

Komand’r betrayed her home world by giving its defensive secrets to their sworn enemies, the Citadel. With the secrets exposed, the Citadel easily conquered Tamaran. Of the many conditions of conquer, the most notable was the condition that saw Koriand’r enslaved and never permitted to return. Eventually, it was revealed that Komand’r was now Koriand’rs master. Upon learning this, Koriand’r killed one of her captors. As punishment for this, Komand’r ordered Koriand’rs death. What neither anticipated, however, was that the two were moments away from being attacked and captured (with the purpose of experimentation) by a group of scientists called the Psions. 

While under experimentation, Komand’rs army invaded and attacked the Psions. In the midst of the mayhem, Koriand’r used new powers given to her by the experimentation and escaped. Now free, she fled to Earth, assumed the name Kory Anders and joined Robin and the Teen Titans.