Fictional Character Bio
Laynia Petrovna was born in Minsk, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union, and is now the capital of Belarus. When she grew up, she became a special operative of the Soviet government.
Champions
Darkstar was first seen as part of a Soviet super-team recruited to bring Natasha Romanoff (the Black Widow) back to the USSR. She turned sides and joined the Champions as guest member, remaining with the team until its disbanding. While with the Champions, she and Bobby Drake, the former X-Man known as Iceman, were close to entering into a romantic relationship, but Laynia only liked Iceman as a friend, not as a love-interest. She quit the Champions and returned to Russia, leaving behind a devastated Iceman.
In Russia’s Employ
Darkstar became a member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers with her brother, Vanguard, and the fifth Crimson Dynamo. The Soviet Super-Soldiers battled Iron Man and Jack of Hearts on the moon. The Super-Soldiers wound up helping the heroes in battling renegade Rigellians led by Commander Arcturus. Later, Darkstar and Vanguard were sent along with new Soviet Super-Soldier Ursa Major by the KGB to defeat Sergei the Presence. They fought Sergei and the second Red Guardian, but then Darkstar and Vanguard learned that Sergei was their father, and that Professor Phobos had exploited the Super-Soldiers. Darkstar aided in freeing Sergei and Starlight, and defeating Phobos. Later on, she was a key player in the Contest of Champions, in which she represented Russia as part of the international superhero contest. The Soviet Super-Soldiers were then sent by the Soviet government to Khystym to battle the Gremlin. They fought the Spaceknights Rom and Starshine, but later allied with them against the Dire Wraiths. The Super-Soldiers wound up befriending the Gremlin instead of fighting him. Later, the Soviet Super-Soldiers agreed to help bring Magneto to justice. They fought the Avengers, but turned against the Crimson Dynamo when it turned out that he had been manipulating events. The former Soviet Super-Soldiers Darkstar, Vanguard, and Ursa Major eventually defected to the United States seeking political asylum. They arrived at Avengers Island, asking for Captain America's help. They were beaten nearly to death by the Supreme Soviets, who had disguised themselves as members of the Avengers. The comatose subconscious minds of the Super-Soldiers formed a "Great Beast" that followed the Supreme Soviets back to the U.S.S.R. and tried to kill them. Captain America persuaded the "Great Beast" to stand down, and the three heroes later regained consciousness and began to recover from their injuries. The Soviet Super-Soldiers were eventually captured and returned to the Soviet Union. They were rescued by a man known as Blind Faith, and his team called the Exiles (not to be confused with the reality-hopping team the Exiles), whom she joined. Later, when the Supreme Soviets (who had changed their name to People's Protectorate) was rechristened the Winter Guard, Darkstar was recruited back into the team. After that team also disbanded, Darkstar and Vanguard teamed with a Russian mutant team and later joined forces with their father, the Presence.