Astra Furst
From Herocopia
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A third-generation member of the legendary First Family, Astra is the adventurous daughter of the size-changing Natalie Furst and the monstrous Rex Zorus. Capable of transforming her entire body into energy, Astra has lived her entire life as a high-profile superhero. Yet, she too can feel the pains of growing up, and struggle to find her path in life.
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History
Born in 1986, Astra Furst's astonishing powers emerged while she was a toddler. From all appearances and accounts, she participated in Furst Family battles at a very young age, probably several years before her earliest published adventure occurred circa late 1995, as depicted in the story Safeguards. As the newest member of the First Family, she became an instant media delight and childhood celebrity. As such, Astra’s adolescence was far from normal, cocooned in a private environment that centered almost exclusively on family-related projects and activities. She was home-schooled by Mister Smartie, a holographic construct built by her grandfather, Dr. Augustus Furst, that was programmed to tutor Astra on nearly every known subject. She also trained in the use of her powers. As a young child, Astra regularly joined the First Family on their many adventures including serious superhuman confrontations with The Unholy Alliance, the nigh-omnipotent Thunderhead, and the Silver Brain.
In 1996, Astra was recognized as possibly "the most famous, most powerful ten-year-old girl in the world." However, while she excelled at being a superhero, she had difficulty relating to other children. She did not watch television, had never been to a slumber party, and had no friends her own age. Following a television interview and after watching a group of schoolchildren playing hopscotch, Astra became obsessed with both the game and what it meant to be a "normal" kid. Thus, she decided to go "on an adventure" of her own, an adventure so big to her way of thinking that she kept it secret from everyone, even her pet super-fish, Uranium.
Under cover of night, Astra discreetly departed from First Family Headquarters and headed in the direction of the hopscotch field she had spotted earlier that day. She hatched a plan to enroll in Bolling Elementary School under the pseudonym "Astrid Ljinders", and spent her first few days making some friends as well as a jealous rival as she experienced the social norms of elementary school environs, while learning the rules and techniques of playing hopscotch.
Meanwhile back atop Mount Kirby, the First Family burst into a panic, and then action upon discovering that their youngest member was missing. Old villains were the immediate suspects, and several of them received unexpected visits and demanding queries about Astra's location. The authorities were notified while news teams dramatically broadcast the mysterious disappearance.
Despite all the clamor, Astra remained focused on her adventure, and soon realized her goal of becoming the best hopscotch player at Bolling Elementary School. In her excitement at winning, she soared into the air, revealing her special energy powers and her real identity. Following a tearful but firm reunion, a stern lecture, and appropriate punishment, her mom and dad gained valuable insight from Astra's little adventure as well. Showing excellent parental skills, they adjusted current living arrangements, and enrolled Astra properly in Bolling Elementary so she could continue to interact with her peers and "get to know what normal life is like."
In 2000, she helped the team defeat Armageddon who was trying to create a reverse big-bang for his own twisted personal fears. Astra managed to stop him and did save many universes, dimensions and worlds from being destroyed, but still in jumbled stasis. This became known as the Gordian Knot and for the first few years was kept alive by her brainwaves.
Astra attended Tarleton College, continuing to try for a normal life, but ended up with the same problems. She was constantly harassed by the Inside Scoop. She found a boyfriend, Matt Zimmer who seemed like a nice guy. But after graduation she took him to the Knot and made him reveal that he had started feeding the Scoop information for money. He didn't want to be "normal" anymore after a little taste of fame and he was growing tired of her not knowing or revealing what her future plans were going to be. Even after promising her that he wouldn't give them anything, he did anyway and even lied to presumably make even more money.
Astra decided to take an earlier offer to join Skysweeper's proposed new team Reflex 6 and spend time in the Gordian Knot, joining the team to help pull out various worlds from out of the Know and back into reality. The various melting pot cultures of the Knot, will give her a chance to be normal and looked at as anybody else, something she has craved for years.
Powers
Although Astra is a younger member of the First Family, she may be its most powerful. All of her powers originate from her ability to generate and control an unidentified energy source. She seems to have the combination of her mothers ability to internalize her powers and her uncle's ability to externalize the energy. Also she seems to be able to tap into that energy in a stronger, perhaps purer fashion, providing her with the following capabilities:
- Energy Form
- Astra can instantly convert her entire body into energy while retaining her consciousness and rough physical form. She has also been observed transforming specific parts of her body, such as her hands and forearms. While in her full energy form, Astra can fly and appears immune to physical attacks.
- Flight
- Although her top speed has not been measured, Astra is incredibly agile in flight, able to dodge multiple lasers, weave complex patterns, and fly through small openings.
- Energy Blasts
- Like her uncle Nick, Astra can project damaging streams of energy from her hands.
- Energy Manipulation
- Astra has some fine control over her energy projection, allowing her to: encircle enemies in coils of energy; emit particle streams that can she can use to manipulate and levitate small objects; create “energy campfires”; and even “draw” simple symbols or shapes (such as a hopscotch board) in the air or a suitable surface. She is also able to affect energy other than her own by partially merging her energy form with the external power.
- Disruption
- Astra’s energies can seemingly disrupt various types of transmissions, including psychic communication.
- Energy Empathy
- As an energy being herself, Astra has an innate understanding of other forms of energy. During one battle with the Silver Brain, she was able to partially dissolve into the villain’s power core and shut it down.
- Strength level
- Presumably normal human strength for a girl of her age who engages in intensive regular exercise.
- Weaknesses
- While Astra is seemingly intangible in her energy form, she can be injured by other energy attacks or beings composed of pure energy (such as the Silver Brain’s Anti-Bodies). When she is not transformed, Astra is essentially a normal human, susceptible to injury, hunger, and cold.
- Abilities
- Tutored by her genius grandfather and the A.I. construct Mister Smartie, Astra is bright and well-educated, with knowledge of everything from molecular biology to the documented weaknesses of known villains. At ten, she was so well-versed in computers that she was able to falsify school records and enroll herself in Bolling Elementary School. However, her writing skills are only normal, at a level one would expect from an average person of her age. She is also a skilled hopscotch player.
Equipment and Miscellaneous
As a member of the First Family, Astra has access to a wide range of equipment. She has been observed using:
- First Family Uniform
- Astra’s First Family uniforms can be reprogrammed to transform from her familiar orange-and-black jumpsuit into other types of clothing, including an insulated hooded parka and even pajamas. The uniform also includes a locator chip.
- Cerebra-Circuit
- A device that attaches to the forehead and protects against mental domination powers, such as those possessed by the Silver Brain.
- Vehicles
- Although she can fly on her own, Astra also has access to the First Family’s stable of vehicles, including Family-1, the First Family’s transforming transport.
- Teleportation device
- This device, worn like a wrist watch, can create a portal to First Family Headquarters at the press of a button. It only works in specific spots, though, possibly areas that are pre-arranged in some way.
- Power-Sceptre
- As a member of the Monstro City royal family, Astra owns a sceptre device similar to her grandmother's. In addition to boosting her own innate abilities, this symbol of office has energy-related abilities all its own, such as the generation of a protective bubble around its wielder.
Speculations, Observations and Theories
Astra’s favorite color is green.
Over the years, the celebrity press have romantically linked her to Lindsay Lohan, Shia LeBeouf, Prince Harry, and various others. The first claim is utterly false, and the others are of doubtful veracity as well. Her genuine former boyfriends include the fellow superhero Kid Jackdaw (briefly in their teen years) and the alien prince Gavrad of Tellurin.
As the granddaughter of Madame Majestrix, Astra is officially Majestros-Third, third in line to the throne of Monstro City. Additionally, being the biological granddaughter of the leader of the Beast-Men as well, she is set to receive her position in that animalistic tribe's hierarchy when she is in her mid-40s.
The energy source seemingly shared by Natalie, Nick, and Astra Furst, has not been identified, although it strongly resembles the energy seen encircling Nadia (Natalie and Nick’s birth mother) in 2:2. Augustus Furst has also harnessed it for various weapons, and as the energy source of his Energenerator.
Astra has a very dynamic DNA body chemistry. Derived from a compositional blending of her father's reptilian species, and her mother's already “cross-breed” mixture (between a possible superhuman and Kaspian, the Prince of the Beast-Men), it’s quite possible that Astra could yet develop or exhibit other powers. Based on her parentage, such powers could include super-strength, increased durability, enhanced senses, and superhuman agility.
Timelines of Interest
Astra Furst
Astrid Ljinders
First Family
Links
First Family's mini-biography at the official Astro City website
