Tarot (comics)

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caption = Tarot. X-Force issue #87.
comic_color = background:#ff8080
character_name = Tarot
real_name = Marie-Ange Colbert
species=Human Mutant
publisher = Marvel Comics
debut = "New Mutants #16" (Jun 1984)
creators = Chris Claremont
Sal Buscema
alliance_color =background:#ffc0c0
alliances =Hellions
aliases =
powers = Materialize tangible representations of 2D images into 3D objects; Psychometric precognition.

Tarot (Marie-Ange Colbert) is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe.

Publication history

Tarot first appeared in "New Mutants" vol. 1 #16-17 (June-July 1984), and was created by Chris Claremont and Sal Buscema.

The character subsequently appears in "The Uncanny X-Men" #193 (May 1985), "Firestar" #2-4 (April-June 1986), "The New Mutants" #39 (May 1986), #43 (September 1986), #53-54 (July-August 1987), #56 (October 1987), #62 (April 1988), "The New Warriors" #9-10 (March-April 1991), and apparently died in "The Uncanny X-Men" #281-282 (October-November 1991). The character made posthumous appearances in "The New Warriors Annual" #1 (1991) and #2 (1992). Tarot mysteriously appeared alive again in "X-Force" vol. 1 #87-90 (February-May 1999).

Tarot appeared as part of the "Hellions" entry in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition" #5.

Fictional character biography

Marie-Ange Colbert was born in Lyons, France. As Tarot, she was a member of the original Hellions. Unlike some of the more mean-spirited Hellions (namely Empath, Jetstream and Roulette), Tarot was generally of a kind and sympathetic nature. In her earlier appearances, it was revealed by Mirage's psychic abilities that Tarot was in fact in love with one of the New Mutants. It was later strongly hinted that the New Mutant in question was Cypher, though nothing ever came of her supposed infatuation with him.

One of Tarot's flying constructs became the ride for the Hellions when they went to chase down the entity known as Bird-Brain. They battle high above Manhattan, ultimately losing Bird-Brain to the New Mutants.

Tarot and her team would later battle the New Warriors inside their penthouse headquarters. Both teams confronted each other over the fate of Firestar, who used to be a member of the Hellions. During the fight, the White Queen, consulting with the unofficial power behind the Warriors, Tai, agreed that whatever team lost through attrition would not have control of Firestar. Tarot won one for her side by using her constructs to batter Vance Astrovik, then called Marvel Boy, into submission. One last telekinetic blast, however, knocked out Tarot also.

, Tarot ultimately chose to aid them, incurring Bedlam's wrath. In the end, however, she left with him and her new teammates for whereabouts unknown.

Tarot recently appeared on a monitor, ["New Avengers" #18] acknowledged to be depowered from the Decimation.

Powers and abilities

Tarot is a mutant who formerly possessed the ability to generate animated constructs composed of tangible psionic energy based on the two-dimensional figures on the tarot cards she carried. It is unknown if Tarot was actually limited to the use of her tarot images for her power to operate, or if this was merely a personal preference. She could create several (up to five, at least) human-sized figures and even massive flying constructs without any apparent strain. Tarot's psionic constructs were superhumanly strong and durable, being resistant to physical damage, temperature extremes, and certain forms of energy. Tarot's constructs were completely under her mental control, and would dissipate on her command. They could only be destroyed by a force that dispersed the majority of their psionic mass, or if Tarot herself was rendered unconscious. Tarot was vulnerable to her psionic constructs being destroyed, as the psionic feedback left her disoriented.

After her resurrection, Tarot had somehow either gained or learned the ability to manifest characteristics of certain tarot cards upon herself, such as weapons and armor, increasing her effectiveness in physical combat. The exact nature and limits of Tarot's power were never revealed.

Tarot also possessed a fair degree of precognitive ability, being able to accurately predict events that would occur years in the future. This power, however, was largely (if not completely) dependent on the use of her tarot cards.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

Tarot, along with several other members of the original Hellions, appear briefly in the Age of Apocalypse universe as former agents of Apocalypse. After his death, they became renegades and were hunted down and captured by the X-Men for the United States government. Their fates after being remanded into government custody are unknown.

References