Spaceknights

The first generation of Spaceknights were recruited from the young men and women of Galador to repel the Dire Wraith fleet that attempted to invade Galador (Rom #1). They were required to take many oaths, including pledges not to take an innocent life and not to use his or her powers for personal glorification. After successfully defeating the Wraiths, these Spaceknights then separately pursued their enemy throughout the cosmos, seeking to eradicate the Dire Wraiths from the universe. Many of those that succeeded returned to Galador, but were cryogenically frozen by Mentus. These Spaceknights were rescued by Rom (Rom #25), only to face Galactus, who ultimately moved Galador to a unknown location (Rom #26-27). The Spaceknights then began a quest to locate and return to Galador.

All Spaceknights are assumed to share the following powers, although the power level may vary by individual:

Astra
Real name: Unknown
Power: Unknown
First appearance: Rom #25
History: Astra was supposedly among the Spaceknights trapped by Mentus when Rom resuced them. She theoretically later helped in the battle against Galactus. [Astra seems to largely be an invention of Sal Buscema for The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, which lists her first appearance thusly. At best she's somewhere in the background.]

[Breaker] Breaker (Spacenight Squadron member)
Real name: Raak
Power: Microwave generation
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Banished to Limbo: Rom #71
History: Raak the Breaker was always something of a rogue. He was also one of the most powerful Spaceknights, which made for a dangerous combination. Breaker was among the first Spaceknights to set foot on Wraithworld and helped rescue Rom from it (Rom Annual #2). After the Spaceknights separated to pursue the Dire Wraiths across the cosmos, he followed a group of Wraiths to Clavius, an inhabited planet. The Wraiths had nearly defeated the Clavians, but Breaker dominated them Wraiths upon his arrival, forming an alliance with them. He then helped them subjugate the Clavians, but Trapper arrived and led the Clavians against the Wraiths. It was during this period that Rom and some other Spaceknights arrived. They quickly joined forces with the Clavians against the Wraiths. After Unam the Unseen sacrificed himself to save Rom in his combat with Breaker, Rom banished Breaker and his Wraith allies to Limbo (Rom #71). Breaker will presumably remain there forever.

[Firefall II] Firefall (I)
Real name: Karas
Power: Controls the Living Flame of Galador
First appearance: Rom #4 (Chronology)
History: Before they became Spaceknights, Karas once saved Rom from drowning. On Galador, to owe another your life creates a deep bond. Consequently, Rom loved Karas like a brother. Rom and Karas stood side by side as Spaceknights to repel the Dire Wraiths. Karas broke rank in order to be the first to attack. After the battle, Rom was unable to find Karas and he was presumed dead (Rom #4). Karas had actually been captured. Rather than possibly be used against his fellow Galadorians, Karas used his power over the "Living Flame" to send his human body to Limbo. Rom was later trapped in Limbo briefly himself and learned Karas' fate, but was unable to rescue him (Rom #19). Karas presumably remains trapped there.
     Unable (or unwilling) to use the Firefall armor themselves, the Wraiths had a human pawn, Archie Stryker don it to battle Rom. Stryker was defeated (Rom #4). The Firefall armor was next animated magically by the Wraiths to fight Rom and the Thing. Rom was forced to use his Neutralizer on it, whereupon the pieces fell to earth over Central Park (Marvel Two-in-One #99). The armor is presumed lost and powerless and it has not been seen since.

Gloriole
Real name: Gloriole(?)
Power: Fires bolts of unidentified energy from hands
First appearance: Rom Annual #1, 2nd story (Chronology)
Death: Rom Annual #1, 2nd story
History: Gloriole was one of Galador's great thinkers in his time. Rom considered him second only to the Prime Director in this regard. After leaving Galador, Rom received a distress call from Gloriole and went to rescue him. But it turned out Gloriole had become a traitor and was going to sacrifice Rom in order to learn the secrets of Dire Wraith sorcery, something Galadorians knew almost nothing about. He then planned to use the Dire Wraiths' own magic against them. However, after hearing the Wraiths plans for the captured Rom, he realized the price was too great and turned again against the Wraiths. Gloriole's actions allowed Rom to escape, but not before Gloriole was mortally wounded. Rom considered him redeemed and buried Gloriole on an asteroid with a small memorial, swearing to himself not to reveal Gloriole's shame.

[Hammerhand I] Hammerhand (I)
Real name: Unknown
Power: Mallet like hands with a giant spike on each
First appearance: Rom #25 (Chronology)
History: Hammerhand's armor has oversized hands that act as, well, hammers. It is known that one hand contains an Energy Analyzer similar to Rom's. Hammerhand was among the Spaceknights trapped by Mentus when Rom resuced them. He later helped in the battle against Galactus. It was he that landed the final blow which knocked Galactus' herald, Terrax, unconscious. He was also among the Spaceknights who accompanied Rom and Galactus to the Dark Nebula.

[Javelin I] Javelin (I)
Real name: Darin
Weapon: Plandanium javelin
First mentioned: Rom #21, 2nd story
First appearance: Rom #25 (Chronology)
History: Darin became famous for his spear-throwing when he was only a boy (Rom #21, 2nd story). In armored form, he carries a plandanium javelin, which is known to be able to shoot darts out of one end. Javelin was among the Spaceknights trapped by Mentus when Rom resuced them. He later helped in the battle against Galactus. When Terrax used his cosmic axe against Javelin's javelin, it did not cut through it.

[Pulsar I] Pulsar (I) (Spacenight Squadron member)
Real name: Plor
Power: Force field generation
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Death: Rom Annual #4
History: Before they became Spaceknights, Plor was in love with Vola. The two both became Spaceknights and were both members of the Spaceknight Squadron. Pulsar was among the first Spaceknights to set foot on Wraithworld and helped rescue Rom from it (Rom Annual #2). As he attacked a group of Dire Wraiths some time after the Spaceknights had separated to pursue the Wraiths across the cosmos, the Wraiths summoned a Deathwing to deal with him. Pulsar managed to encase himself in a force-sphere and escape, but he was mortally wounded. He drifted in the force-sphere until a Shi'ar dreadnought found him. Delirious, he emerged from the sphere and attacked the Imperial Guard contingent aboard the ship, but ultimately lost. As the ship's doctor examined him, he told him his tale and died.
     The doctor, known as Tyreseus, was a member of a race conquered by the Shi'ar. He decided to have himself grafted to Pulsar's armor and rebel. The first thing he did was destroy the ship he had been assigned to. Shortly thereafter, Rom, Scanner, Seeker, and Trapper were captured by a second Shi'ar ship containing Gladiator and another contingent of the Imperial Guard. The Spaceknights and Gladiator ultimately tracked Tyreseus down to a nearby asteroid after Rom had been forced to neutralize his powers. Gladiator struck a mortal blow, but the Spaceknights kept him from executing Tyreseus so they could hear his story. The Spaceknights then buried Tyreseus in Pulsar's armor on the asteroid (Rom Annual #4).

[Rainbow] Rainbow
Real name: Unknown
Power: Emotion manipulation
First appearance: Rom #25 (Chronology)
History: Rainbow was among the Spaceknights trapped by Mentus when Rom resuced them. She later helped in the battle against Galactus and was wounded by Terrax. [It was unclear whether she was killed, but The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe did not list her as dead and she was not entombed like Terminator.]

Rom
Real name: Rom
Weapon: The Neutralizer
First appearance: Rom #1 (Chronology)
History: See comic book series page.

Scanner (I) (Spacenight Squadron member)
Real name: Skera
Power: Greatly enhanced senses
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Death: Rom #75
History: Scanner was among the first Spaceknights to set foot on Wraithworld and helped rescue Rom from it (Rom Annual #2). Although her powers were passive, they were quite useful in aiding her fellow Spaceknights. When the Spaceknights split up to pursue the Dire Wraiths, she partnered with her brother and fellow Spaceknight Squadron member, Seeker. She and Seeker were later captured by Ego, the living planet, but were eventually rescued by Rom (Rom #69). Once she, Rom, Seeker, and Trapper finally arrived on Galador, it was she who used some of the equipment there to boost her powers and send out a beacon to summon other Spaceknights. But just after she did so, she was killed by a group of second generation Spaceknights (Rom #73-75).

Screamer
Real name: Unknown
Power: Unknown, presumably sonic based
First appearance: Rom #25
History: Screamer was among the Spaceknights trapped by Mentus when Rom resuced them.

Seeker (Spacenight Squadron member)
Real name: Tarm
Power: Transformation to "hunter-seeker" mode, "hunter-seeker" missiles
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Death: Rom #74
History: Seeker was among the first Spaceknights to set foot on Wraithworld and helped rescue Rom from it (Rom Annual #2). When the Spaceknights split up to pursue the Dire Wraiths, he partnered with his sister and fellow Spaceknight Squadron member, Scanner. He and Scanner were later captured by Ego, the living planet, but were eventually rescued by Rom (Rom #69). Once he, Rom, Scanner, and Trapper finally arrived on Galador, they discovered the human population virtually eliminated by the second generation Spaceknights. A plan was conceived to call for aid. As the Spaceknights carried it out, Seeker sacrificed himself to stall a group of the evil Spaceknights while the others carried out the rest of the plan (Rom #73-74).

Starshine (I)
Real name: Landra
Power: Emits light beams from eyes for various effects
First appearance: Rom #14, 2nd story (Chronology)
Death: Rom #28
History: After fending off the Dire Wraith attack on Galador, Starshine joined Rom and Terminator in helping Galadorian colonies fend of smaller Wraith attacks. She was present when Terminator killed an innocent being (Rom #19, 2nd story) and argued the case against him before the Prime Director. She had hoped for rehabilitation, not the death sentence Terminator chose (Rom #20, 2nd story). After the Spaceknights split up to pursue the Wraiths throughout the cosmos, Starshine succeeded in eliminating all the Wraiths she chased and returned to Galador. There she was trapped by Terminator and Mentus until she was later freed by Rom (Rom #25). After Galactus hid Galador from the Spaceknights, she used her light powers to transport the Spaceknights present back to the planets they'd come to Galador from. Having eliminated her Wraiths, she accompanied Rom back to Earth.
     While Rom and been gone, the entire town of Clairton had been replaced with Dire Wraiths. However, the residents were rescued by the Mole Man and with his help, began capturing the Wraiths from underground. Thinking Clairton's residents were under attack, Rom and Starshine went to investigate. They were followed by Wraiths in the form of Brandy Clark and Steve Jackson. During a moment of distraction, the two Wraiths fired deadly weapons at Rom. Starshine used her body to protect him, sacrificing herself. Before she died, she revealed she had secretly been in love with Rom (Rom #28) . Her armor was buried in Clairton a short time later, right after Rom used his Neutralizer to free her spirit (Rom #29).
     Rom left Clairton not long after. Desperate to be with him, Brandy Clark exhumed Starshine's armor. The Wraith Warlock known as Dr. Dredd then magically grafted her to it, intending to use her as a Wraith pawn (Rom #40). Brandy broke free of his control, however, and turned on him (Rom #44). She then accompanied Rom in his battle against the Wraiths on Earth until Hybrid broke the spell, separating her from the armor. The Starshine armor was last seen in a mine in Kentucky (Rom Annual #3).

Terminator
Real name: Unknown
Power: Black light eyebeams/Neutralizer
First appearance: Rom #14, 2nd story (Chronology)
Death: Rom #26
History: The Galadorian colony world Thayri was infected with the Wraith Plague by the Dire Wraiths, for which there is no known cure. When help arrived, the Galadorian who would become Terminator was only survivor who made it back to Galador. In order to save his life, his brain patterns were transferred into a suit of Spaceknight armor. As a result, Terminator had a hatred for the Wraiths unmatched by any other Spaceknight and tended to act rashly (Rom #16, 2nd story). His rash actions eventually caused him to take the life of an innocent being (Rom #19, 2nd story) and he was put on trial. The Prime Director ultimately gave him a choice, banishment from Galador or death. Terminator chose death, but was unwantingly rescued by Mentus during his execution (Rom #20, 2nd story). He was basically Mentus' puppet (Rom #21-22, 2nd stories). When Rom returned to Galador, he freed the other Spaceknights who had been captured and faced Terminator. It was Starshine who got through to Terminator by reminding him how the Wraiths had taken his humanity and Mentus now made him their servant (Rom #25). Shortly after Mentus and the Wraiths were defeated, Galactus arrived to consume Galador. Terminator fought with the other Spaceknights against Galactus and his herald, Terrax, and was struct down. He died a hero, but appeared to take half of Rom's humanity with him (Rom #26).

Trapper (Spacenight Squadron leader)
Real name: Vola
Weapon: Nets and cables capable of containing matter or energy and burning, electrocuting, freezing, or banishing to Limbo what was trapped.
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Death: Rom #75
History: Before they became Spaceknights, Vola was in love with Plor. The two both became Spaceknights and were both members of the Spaceknight Squadron. Trapper was among the first Spaceknights to set foot on Wraithworld and helped rescue Rom from it (Rom Annual #2). After the Spaceknights split up to puruse the Dire Wraiths, Trapper ended up on Clavius where Breaker had formed an alliance with a group of Wraiths. Trapper sided with the Clavian resistance, and helped defeat the Wraiths and Breaker with the help of Rom and other members of the Spaceknight Squadron who arrived later (Rom #71). She eventually accompanied Rom, Seeker, and Scanner back to Galador where they fought the second generation Spaceknights. Trapper sacrificed herself holding off a group of these evil Spaceknights while Scanner used her powers and some Galadorian equipment to send out a beacon to let other Spaceknights know where Galador had been moved (Rom #73-75).

Unseen (Spacenight Squadron member)
Real name: Unam
Power: Invisibility
First appearance: Rom Annual #2 (Chronology)
Death: Rom #71
History: Unam the Unseen was considered by many to be the least powerful of the Spaceknights because of the defensive nature of his powers. Although he proved his bravery by saving Rom from a Wraith spell on Wraithworld (Rom Annual #2), he let the stigma of his passive power plague him. Unable to banish Wraiths, he was forced to use hit and run tactics while invisible. After the Wraiths lost their powers due to the destruction of Wraithworld, he set himself up as the "Hidden God" on an uninhabited alien world, using Dire Wraiths as his slaves. When Rom and others arrived on the world, they banished the Wraiths and revealed Unam's treachery (Rom #70). Unam's appeal touched Rom's heart, however, and he was allowed to accompany the Spaceknight band searching for Galador. Shortly thereafter, the band discovered the traitorous Breaker. Unam sacrificed himself during a fight between Breaker and Rom in order to save Rom's life, thus overcoming his shame and proving himself one of the greatest of the Spaceknights (Rom #71).