Starbolt is one of the easiest Imperial Guardsmen to pick out in the launch spread. His body is surrounded by flame, making him look dangerous before he has attacked anybody.

Starbolt is one of the easiest Imperial Guardsmen to pick out in the launch spread. His body is surrounded by flame, making him look dangerous before he has attacked anybody. Then Wolverine threatens Oracle, and the reason for Starbolt's attack becomes intensely personal. He loves her. The blast he sends into Logan is meant to stop a threat to someone he cares about, even though the wider battle is being fought on D'Ken's behalf. The attack hurts Wolverine and ruins his costume. It fails to take him out of the fight. Logan keeps moving and throws Oracle into Starbolt, an answer that is considerably less elegant than the display of fire but gets the result he wants. That sequence does a useful amount of work for a brand-new supporting character. Starbolt has a recognizable power, a recognizable attachment and a mistake that follows from the situation. He reacts to the danger in front of him, and his opponent is ruthless enough to turn that reaction against him. There is also a good bit of comic-book cause and effect here. The fire leaves Wolverine needing replacement clothes. His next opponent happens to be Fang, whose outfit can solve that problem. Starbolt's attack therefore stays visible after his own part in the fight is over, every time Logan appears in somebody else's uniform. The flame is the immediate attraction, but the emotion gives it a direction. Among all the strange faces introduced in this issue, Starbolt is somebody whose next move can be understood in very ordinary terms. Somebody he loves is in danger, and he lashes out. That makes him more human without making the side he is fighting for any less troubling.