Vindicator II

Character Name	Vindicator II
Real Name	Heather MacNeil Hudson
Aliases	Guardian II
Group Affiliations	None
Past Affiliations	Alpha Flight, Alpha Prime, Alpha Strike
Relatives	Claire MacNeil (mother), Becky MacNeil (sister), James MacDonald Hudson (Guardian I husband, estranged), Ramsey MacNeil (father), six unnamed brothers, Claire MacNeil Hudson (daughter), temporal copy (Active)
First Appearance	Uncanny X-Men #139
Current Status	Fugitive
Height	5'5"
Weight	120 lbs
Eyes	Green
Hair	Red

History

Heather MacNeil was the oldest of her seven siblings growing up in Calgary. She became a secretary for Jerome Jaxon after she left high school. Jaxon worked for Am-Can Petroleum Company. She met and fell in love with Dr. James MacDonald Hudson. She helped him decide on a course of action when he stole his cyber-helmet and destroyed his designs when he learned that they were going to be used for the American military. She, suggested that they go to Ottawa, where, shortly, the met the Prime Minister and Department H was formed. She and Mac soon married after they moved to Ottawa. On their honeymoon, they first met Logan, and Heather was able to tame him, and comfort him.

She and Mac were happy, he working for Department H, and her as an executive secretary. She was involved and informed of much of Department H, though not all. When Department H's funding was cut by the government, Heather was a driving force behind Alpha Flight remaining together as a team as she brought the team back together for the first time after funding was cut. Heather was a sort of mother figure to Alpha Flight but went through an incredible trauma when she saw Mac die in ball of flame before her very eyes. She eventually took on the role of leader of Alpha Flight, first as just a normal person without super-powers, but soon, after Alpha Flight was given government funding again, as Vindicator II. She wore a suit similar to the one her husband had worn which was made by Roger Bochs and Madison Jeffries from the remains of Delphine Courtney, an android who had posed as Mac returned from the grave.

Heather lead Alpha Flight for a long time as Vindicator II, and through many different adventures. She even found time for a romance with Jefferies, and the two were even engaged. She decided it was time for a change after an adventure with Wolverine while the Canadian government was re-evaluating its position on Alpha Flight. She chose to go by Guardian rather than Vindicator. It was at this time that her husband came back into her life. Mac had apparently never died, but was sent hurtling through space and time. Together, they co-led Alpha Flight for a time, until Mac's second death. He sacrificed his own life so that the rest of Alpha Flight, and Heather could live. Heather again took up the sole leadership role in Alpha.

At a time when the country was in turmoil over a controversial "Super Powers Registration Act" she was faced with another challenge, the return of her husband. This time, the Master of the World had retrieved Mac and re-made him, into his own image, renaming him the Antiguard. Heather was able to break through to him, to his core personality and Mac was able to break free. Mac was returned to her and his personality full restored, not cold and robotics as the last time he had returned.

After Alpha Flight's suspension, Heather and Mac acted as free operatives occasionally working for the Canadian government. As well, Heather helped Northstar battle Arcade.

Heather Hudson took up work in a florist shop in Ottawa, shortly after she and Mac separated (due to their now evident differences). She received a visit from Puck, who long has had feelings for her. He had received a call telling him Mac was in danger. The two were soon attacked and captured by agents of Department H. They were recruited into Alpha Flight and brainwashed to stay. There, Heather met Mac all over again. He had seemingly been reduced to the age of nineteen and had only partial memories of who he was. Eventually, it was revealed this was a duplicate, when the real Mac showed up. During this period, Department H equipped Heather with a new geo-thermal battle suit.

Heather has since retired from active duty with Alpha Flight. With the return of the real Mac, they finally got a chance to start the family Heather had longed for, and had a baby girl. When she along with the rest of Alpha Flight investigated a potential plodex attack, they were all captured except for Sasquatch. Sasquatch lead an Alpha Flight strike force he had assembled and freed Heather and her companions. She and the others involved decided to transport the plodex eggs back to their home world to give them a chance to build a fresh civilization. They brought their child with them.

When Sasquatch's new Alpha Flight team made the mistake of altering history, a copy of Heather from an alternate time line was drawn into her own time (while she was still in space). This copy of heather was from a time before she had donned the battle suit. Heather has been seen in battle against the Collective, wearing her geo-thermal battle suit. Heather sadly died with many of her teammates in the ensuing battle afainst the Collective.

Revived by the lords of Chaos, she then was put under the Unity process that brainwashed her into fighting for a tyrannical government. After the defeat of that government, she fled with her young daughter.

Powers/Abilities

Formerly, Vindicator wore the Guardian I suit that her husband currently wears. For a full listing of the Guardian I Electromagnetic technological suit abilities view the Guardian I entry. Currently Heather's suit, which she gained in Alpha Flight vol.2 taps into a different source for it's power. Instead of an electromagnetic suit, this suit taps into the geothermal power of the world. How the suit can do this has never been fully explained and some think its technology, while others think its sorcery.

Ash Blast: Heather has the ability to send a cloud of ash onto their target, the force is so strong it can send people back and has a sulfurous smell

Cool Spring Water Mist: With her suit she can generate water that can be used offensively. For example against Sunfire, Heather [who was being mind-controlled] first hit him with a lava geyser. Then with the cool water mist solidified the bedrock trapping Sunfire and she was about to kill him by solidifying the bedrock over his head, when Murmur from Alpha Flight saved him. She is also capable of sending out a water geyser blast, which she did in attempt to put a fire out on Manbot.

Durability: Even with the Geothermal suit, Heather has a personal shield. However, the strength of the shield has never been tested. It's probably much like the Guardian I suit, but it also can protect her from the excess heat she generates from her blasts.

Heat Absorption: Much like the E-M suit, the geothermal suit can absorb external heat and energy into its power cells. Heather actually absorbed the heat from a nuclear reactor that was going critical in Department H, thus saving Alpha Flight and many Canadian citizens. This did overload the suit.

Hot Steam: The opposite of the cool water mist, Heather can also generate blasts of hot steam and she can control the temperature she releases it at.

Lava Blasts: Heather can send lava blasts from her hands that can incinerate a target when it makes contact. It has been shown to completely melt a building beam in seconds.

Lava Geysers: Heather can send up lava blasts from the ground, much like a water geyser hitting the desired target. She can send up multiple lava blasts and has even been shown to send up a huge wall of lava.

Strength: From the Marvel X-Men Encyclopedia, her strength level is in the 25-75 ton range. We haven?t seen her use her strength too often so we really don't have anything to gauge her strength abilities with.

Speed: With the suit Heather can travel at the very least speeds of Mach 1.