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Chamber (character)

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Chamber
Chamber as depicted in Generation X #71 (November 2000). Art by Arthur Adams.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceGeneration X #1 (November 1994)
Created byScott Lobdell (writer)
Chris Bachalo (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoJonothon Evan Starsmore
SpeciesHuman Mutant
Team affiliationsNew Warriors
Clan Akkaba
Generation X
X-Men
Weapon X
Jean Grey School
Notable aliasesDecibel
AbilitiesCurrently:

Formerly:

  • Sound manipulation via sonic technology

Chamber (Jonothon Evan Starsmore; alternatively spelled Jonothan) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually associated with the X-Men and the New Warriors.

A British mutant, Jono possesses the ability to cast energy blasts from his chest. He had limited control of his power and destroyed much of his chest and lower face when his powers emerged. He lost his powers on M-Day, but replaced them with technology that gave him sonic-based abilities. He regained his powers after the events of Age of X.

Jonothon was a member of the X-Men junior team Generation X. He was sullen and moody and had difficulty bonding with teammates. He has since been offered a permanent position in the X-Men's teaching staff.

Publication history

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Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, he first appeared in Generation X #1[1] (November 1994).

Fictional character biography

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Origin

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Chamber's powers first manifest, art by Georges Jeanty

Jonothon Evan Starsmore ("Jono" to his friends) is a native of London and a mutant who possesses a furnace of psionic energy in his chest. This power first manifested in an explosion during a party he was attending with his then-girlfriend Gayle Edgerton, crippling Gayle and destroying Jonothon's chest and lower face.[2][3] As a result, he is unable to speak normally and can only do so via telepathy. He does not eat, drink, or breathe; it is believed that he is sustained by or made entirely of psionic energy.[citation needed] This is further supported by the fact that Jono is immune to Omega Red's life-draining abilities, meaning that he is not sustained by "life force".

The primary manifestation of his abilities is his ability to fire powerful blasts of psionic force. It has been implied at numerous times that he has the potential to become one of the most powerful mutants on Earth, but his emotional issues have apparently prevented him from significantly exploring this potential. His disfigurement also left Jono sullen and angry and his teammates have often found him difficult to get along with.[volume & issue needed]

Generation X

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Shortly after his mutant powers manifest, Jonothon accepts an invitation to join Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. He meets the future members of Generation X - M, Husk, Synch, Skin, and Jubilee - after they arrive to save him from Emplate, a mutant who feeds on mutant genetic material to survive and attacks him at the airport.[4]

While living at the Xavier Institute, Chamber reconciles with Gayle Edgerton and enters a relationship with Husk.[5] Their relationship is strained as Jono believes that he cannot offer the normalcy he assumes she wants.[volume & issue needed] The members of Generation X disband after Synch is killed while protecting the other students from a bomb.[6] Chamber is offered to join the X-Men, but declines.[7]

X-Man and Weapon X

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Decimation almost destroys Chamber. Art by Scott Kolins.

After failing to join the X-Men, Chamber returns to London, where he hooks up with pop star Sugar Kane. Kane and Chamber part ways after her manager stages her abduction by anti-mutant forces. The X-Men meet with Chamber in London and persuade him to join the team. He remains on the X-Men for some time, but often shows frustration with being treated as a junior member by his teammates and eventually asks to be relieved from active duty.[volume & issue needed]

After returning to the X-Men, Chamber learns that Husk is in a relationship with Archangel.[8] He also witnesses the death of his friend Skin, who is crucified by the Church of Humanity.[9] These events drive Chamber over the edge; he attacks Archangel and is arrested. While Chamber is in prison, Brent Jackson recruits him into the Weapon X program.[10]

Decimation

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Chamber is reborn as the pride of Clan Akkaba, art by Scott Kolins

Chamber is one of many mutants who lose their powers to Scarlet Witch following M-Day. This leaves him unable to survive normally and forces him to be put on life support.[11] Chamber is abducted by Frederick Slade, a member of Clan Akkaba, who are descendants of Apocalypse and distant relatives of Chamber. Chamber is given a blood transfusion using Apocalypse's blood, which heals his body and transforms him into a form resembling Apocalypse. As a descendant of Apocalypse, Jono is considered a member of the Clan, but refuses to officially join them.[12]

New Warriors

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Decibel, art by Paco Medina

Jono resurfaces as Decibel, a member of Night Thrasher's incarnation of the New Warriors.[13] As Decibel, Jono utilizes a high-tech suit that gives him the ability to create solidified sound constructs. He reveals that he chose those powers because he does not want to be a weapon of destruction anymore and can now create.[14] He serves with the group for the duration, until it was decided that they should disband.[15]

Age of X

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Jono eventually makes his way to the X-Men's new Island nation of Utopia. Shortly after his arrival, Legion rewrites history, making himself a hero. In this re-written world, Jono regains his powers, but loses the body restorations given to him by Clan Akkaba. When reality is restored, Jono retains the changes Legion made to him.[16] After the conflict of leadership between Wolverine and Cyclops, Chamber joins Wolverine at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, where he teaches a course on "Coping With Physical Changes".[17][18][19][20]

Wolverine and the X-Men

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Chamber is entrusted with the safety and security of the Jean Grey School's students when a violent threat is roaming the halls.[21] He is shown defending his students from an attack by Weapon Omega while giving a lecture in class.[22] Chamber is killed while battling one of Legion's multiple personalities,[23] but is later resurrected by Legion.[24] When the school moves to Central Park, Chamber becomes a teacher there before being killed by Harpoon of the Marauders.[25][26][27]

Krakoa

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Following the establishment of Krakoa as a mutant nation, Chamber is resurrected and joins the New Mutants along with Mondo.[28][2] They go on a mission to the Shi'ar empire with the intent of bringing Cannonball to Krakoa. The New Mutants are assigned to transport Deathbird to Chandilar to be Xandra Neramani's teacher, avoiding an assassination attempt by Oracle. Chamber is later seen working with Nightcrawler's Legionaries.[29]

Powers and abilities

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Jono's thoracic and abdominal cavities are a chamber for a furnace of psionic energy capable of nuclear fission whose output can be projected as wide blasts of concussive force or laser-like focused beams that disrupt atomic bonds.[20] The initial manifestation of said powers destroyed most of his internal organs along with his mouth and chest.[30][31][32] Chamber requires no food or oxygen and is seemingly indestructible, as he has disintegrated his own body along with D'Spayre's down to their sub-atomic components in a kamikaze attack and later reconstituted himself.[33][34]

Jono's appearance is so unusual that even other mutants are startled and repulsed. He has been implied to be a being of pure psionic energy inhabiting a dead organic shell that he can disintegrate and reassemble from memory.[35][36][37] Furthermore, Chamber possesses psychic abilities that enable him to communicate without a mouth.[38]

After being depowered by the events of House of M, Jono's body was rebuilt by Clan Akkaba in the image of Apocalypse and he later employed technology to mimic sonic powers as Decibel. These powers included flight, sonic blasts and the creation of solid energy constructs. He has since been restored to his original form and powers by the events of Age of X.

Reception

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In 2014, Entertainment Weekly ranked Chamber 35th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.[39]

Other versions

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The Age of Apocalypse incarnation of Chamber as depicted in Generation Next #1 (January 1995). Art by Chris Bachalo.

Age of Apocalypse

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An alternate universe variant of Chamber from Earth-295 appears in Age of Apocalypse. This version is the leader of Generation X whose body remains intact due to him receiving a cybernetic chest plate that regulates his powers.[40] He is later killed by a mob during an attack on Sugar Man's lair.[41]

Amalgam Comics

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Jonothon Hex, a fusion of Chamber and DC Comics character Jonah Hex, appears in the Amalgam Comics one-shot Generation Hex.[42]

Future X-Men

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An alternate universe variant of Chamber from Earth-13729 appears in Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #10 and Uncanny X-Men: Winters End #1. This version is in a relationship with Husk and is later killed in a battle with the Shi'ar.[43][44]

References

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  1. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ^ a b Zachary, Brandon (January 21, 2023). "X-Men: A Fan Favorite Mutant Has a Hidden Connection to Apocalypse". CBR. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  3. ^ Kopp, Drew (October 2, 2021). "X-Men Unleashes the Full Power of a Fan-Favorite Generation X Mutant". CBR. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Generation X #1 (November 1994)
  5. ^ Generation X #14 (April 1996)
  6. ^ Generation X #70 (December 2000)
  7. ^ Generation X #75 (June 2001)
  8. ^ Uncanny X-Men #422 (June 2003)
  9. ^ Uncanny X-Men #423 (July 2003)
  10. ^ Weapon X (vol. 2) #15 (December 2003)
  11. ^ Generation M #1 (January 2006)
  12. ^ New Excalibur #9 (September 2006)
  13. ^ The New Warriors (vol. 4) #3 (October 2007)
  14. ^ The New Warriors (vol. 4) #7 (February 2008)
  15. ^ The New Warriors (vol. 4) #20 (March 2009)
  16. ^ X-Men: Legacy #248 (July 2011)
  17. ^ X-Men: Regenesis #1 (December 2011)
  18. ^ Fields, Ashley (August 31, 2024). "10 Most Underrated X-Men in Marvel History". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Lancaster, Taylor (August 17, 2022). "Two New Mutants Are Totally Redefining What It Means to Be a Marvel Hero". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Wyse, Alex (June 15, 2018). "The Mutant Underground: 20 Secretly Powerful Mutants Only Real X-Men Fans Know About". CBR. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  21. ^ Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega #4 (June 2012)
  22. ^ X-Men: Legacy #264 (March 2012)
  23. ^ X-Men: Legacy (vol. 2) #22 (March 2014)
  24. ^ X-Men: Legacy #24 (February 2014)
  25. ^ Uncanny X-Men (vol. 5) #18 (July 2019)
  26. ^ Negus, M. N. (April 4, 2023). "X-Men: Jubilee's Healthiest Relationship Was in Generation X - And It Should Be Revived". CBR. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  27. ^ Webber, Tim (May 15, 2019). "X-Men Kills Off Another Fan-Favorite Hero in a Mini-Mutant Massacre". CBR. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  28. ^ The New Mutants (vol. 4) #1 (January 2020)
  29. ^ Legion of X #4 (October 2022)
  30. ^ Wood, Robert (February 14, 2025). "12 Most Powerful X-Men Heroes Who Can't Pass for Human". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  31. ^ Corley, Shaun (July 4, 2023). "15 Most Powerful X-Men Members Who Joined in the 2000s (Ranked)". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  32. ^ Harth, David (February 25, 2023). "15 X-Men With Powers That Make No Sense". CBR. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  33. ^ Wyatt, Cat (January 25, 2025). "15 Minor X-Men Characters Who Deserved Better". CBR. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  34. ^ Wyatt, Cat (March 3, 2025). "10 Forgotten X-Men Who Belong In the MCU Reboot". CBR. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  35. ^ Chamber #1 (October 2002)
  36. ^ Wyatt, Cat (December 23, 2024). "The 10 Most Powerful X-Men No One Talks About, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  37. ^ Fink, Richard (March 28, 2024). "10 Weirdest X-Men You'll Likely Never See in Live Action". MovieWeb. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  38. ^ Shayo, Lukas (July 25, 2022). "X-Men: 10 Worst Mutations, According to Ranker". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  39. ^ Franich, Darren (June 9, 2022). "Let's rank every X-Man ever". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  40. ^ Generation Next #1 (March 1995)
  41. ^ Generation Next #4 (June 1995)
  42. ^ Bradley, Drew (September 28, 2020). "Remembering Amalgam: Generation Hex". Multiversity Comics. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  43. ^ Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #10 (September 2017)
  44. ^ Uncanny X-Men: Winter's End one-shot (May 2019)
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