Chamber (character)

Template:Infobox comics character 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

Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, he first appeared in Generation X #1<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (November 1994).

Fictional character biography

Origin

File:Chamber O.JPG

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 then girlfriend Gayle Edgerton. Its initial manifestation destroyed much of his chest and lower face and crippled Gayle.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> As a result of his disfiguration, Jono can only speak via telepathy. He does not require food, water, or air to survive; it is believed that he is sustained by or made entirely of psionic energy.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Volume needed

Generation X

Shortly after his mutant powers manifest, Jonothon accepts an invitation to join Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters at 18. 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.<ref name="GenX 1">Generation X #1 (November 1994)</ref>

While living at the Xavier Institute, Chamber reconciles with Gayle Edgerton after they are both captured by Emplate. He later enters a relationship with Husk,<ref name="GenX 14">Generation X #14 (April 1996)</ref> but their relationship is strained as Jono believes that he cannot offer the normalcy he assumes she wants.Template:Volume needed

When the Xavier Institute is outed as harboring mutant students, an anti-mutant group attacks the school. After Synch is killed preventing a bomb from killing nearby human students, the Generation X kids feel that their training is over and disband the group.<ref>Generation X #70 (December 2000)</ref> Chamber is considered to join the X-Men, but declines.<ref>Generation X #75 (June 2001)</ref>

X-Man and Weapon X

File:Chamber mday.jpg

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.Template:Volume needed

After returning to the X-Men, Chamber learns that Husk is in a relationship with Archangel.<ref>Uncanny X-Men #422 (June 2003)</ref> He also witnesses the death of his friend Skin, who is crucified by the Church of Humanity.<ref>Uncanny X-Men #423 (July 2003)</ref> 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.<ref>Weapon X (vol. 2) #15 (December 2003)</ref>

Decimation

File:Chamberpacalypse.jpg

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

Following the warping of reality by the Scarlet Witch, Chamber is one of the many mutants who lose their powers when reality is restored. Beast saves his life, but he is left unable to survive without his powers to sustain him. The X-Men leave him to be cared for at a hospital on life support.<ref>Generation M #1 (January 2006)</ref>

Jono is later abducted by Frederick Slade, a member of Clan Akkaba, who are descendants of Apocalypse and distant relatives of Jono. Under orders of Ozymandias, Jono has his body restored after being given a transfusion of Apocalypse's blood. In the process, he takes on the pigmentation and appearance of a younger version of Apocalypse. As a direct descendant of Apocalypse, Jono is considered a member of the Clan, but refuses to formally join them.<ref>New Excalibur #9 (September 2006)</ref>

New Warriors

File:Chamber revealed as Decibel.jpg

Decibel, art by Paco Medina

Jono resurfaces as Decibel, a member of Night Thrasher's incarnation of the New Warriors.<ref>The New Warriors (vol. 4) #3 (October 2007)</ref> As Decibel, Jono utilizes a high-tech suit that gives him the ability to create solidified sound constructs. He reveals that he chose these powers because he does not want to be a weapon of destruction anymore and can now create.<ref>The New Warriors (vol. 4) #7 (February 2008)</ref> He serves with the New Warriors until they disband.<ref>The New Warriors (vol. 4) #20 (March 2009)</ref>

Age of X

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.<ref>X-Men: Legacy #248 (July 2011)</ref> 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".<ref>X-Men: Regenesis #1 (December 2011)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Wolverine and the X-Men

Chamber is entrusted with the safety and security of the Jean Grey School's students when a violent threat is roaming the halls.<ref>Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega #4 (June 2012)</ref> He is shown defending his students from an attack by Weapon Omega while giving a lecture in class.<ref>X-Men: Legacy #264 (March 2012)</ref> Chamber is killed while battling one of Legion's multiple personalities,<ref>X-Men: Legacy (vol. 2) #22 (March 2014)</ref> but is later resurrected by Legion.<ref>X-Men: Legacy #24 (February 2014)</ref> When the school moves to Central Park, Chamber becomes a teacher there before being killed by Harpoon of the Marauders.<ref>Uncanny X-Men (vol. 5) #18 (July 2019)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Krakoa

Following the establishment of Krakoa as a mutant nation, Chamber is resurrected and joins the New Mutants along with Mondo.<ref>The New Mutants (vol. 4) #1 (January 2020)</ref><ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref>Legion of X #4 (October 2022)</ref>

Powers and abilities

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.<ref name=":2" /> The initial manifestation of said powers destroyed most of his internal organs along with his mouth and chest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="chamberv1no1">Chamber #1 (October 2002)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Furthermore, Chamber possesses psychic abilities that enable him to communicate without a mouth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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

In 2014, Entertainment Weekly ranked Chamber 35th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Other versions

File:Gnx1a.jpeg

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

Age of Apocalypse

An alternate universe version 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.<ref>Generation Next #1 (March 1995)</ref> He is later killed by a mob during an attack on Sugar Man's lair.<ref>Generation Next #4 (June 1995)</ref>

Amalgam Comics

Jonothon Hex, a fusion of Chamber and DC Comics character Jonah Hex, appears in the Amalgam Comics one-shot Generation Hex.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Future X-Men

An alternate universe version 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.<ref>Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #10 (September 2017)</ref><ref>Uncanny X-Men: Winter's End one-shot (May 2019)</ref>

External links

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