Scanner (comics)

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caption=Scanner attacking Professor X in X-Men v.2 #86; Art by Alan Davis
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Scanner
real_name=Sarah Ryall
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Avengers" #357 (as Screener)
"Uncanny X-Men" #300 (as Scanner)
creators=Scott Lobdell & John Romita jr (X-Men issue)
alliance_color=background:#cccccc
alliances=Acolytes
aliases=Screener
powers=Depowered, formerly: Psionic detection of mutants, electro-transitional state|

Scanner (Sarah Ryall ["The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1] ), otherwise known as Screener, is a mutant super-villain in the Marvel Comics universe

Fictional character biography

As a member of the Acolytes, Scanner served as a scout that would survey the area before the others arrived, using her mutant ability to project an astral form to travel great distances. She was often seen as weak by the other Acolytes, and she lacked the confidence that the others had. During the Fall of Avalon, the Acolytes' space station, Scanner survived with teammates Unuscione, Cargill, the Kleinstocks, by the help of Cyclops. After crashlanding in the Australian Outback, the group found the X-Men's former base thanks to Scanner's scouting. Scanner requested to stay at the Xavier Institute but was declined. She served alongside the Acolytes in many of their other missions.

Scanner was one of the very few mutants to survive Cassandra Nova's Sentinel attack on Genosha. Her activities since then are unknown. Recently, however, she was revealed to have been depowered along with 90% of the Earth's mutants thanks to none other than her leader's daughter, the Scarlet Witch.

Powers and abilities

Scanner formerly possessed an array of psionic and bio-electrical abilities. She was able to sense the unique presence of mutant bio-rhythms, detecting them from at least a few hundred feet away. It is not clear if she could only detect mutants, or could detect all humans in her range and distinguish between powered and non-powered individuals. Scanner could also sense astral forms, seeing and hearing these psychic projections which are normally undetectable. She could release bio-electric feedback into an astral form on contact, forcing the person's consciousness to return to its physical body.

Scanner's primary ability was to assume an electro-transitional state, effectively becoming a living hologram. In this energy form, Scanner was able to travel at light speed across the planet's surface, was intangible, and normally undetectable to human senses. She communicated with others psionically in this state, and could become transparently visible to others at will.

Bibliography

*"Avengers" vol. 1 #357, 367, 381
*"Cable" vol. 2 #10-11
*"Excalibur" vol. 1 #106
*"Heroes for Hire" #8, 16
*"Heroes for Hire/Quicksilver Annual 1998"
*"Magneto" #1-2
*"Magneto: Dark Seduction" #1-4
*"Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z" #1
*"Quicksilver" #1, 6, 8-9, 11-12
*"Uncanny X-Men" #300, 304, 315, 366-367, 379
*"X-Factor" vol. 1 #92
*"X-Men" vol. 2 #25, 42-44, 86
*"X-Men: Magneto War" #1

In other media

Scanner made her first appearance on television in "Wolverine and the X-Men", where she is one of the many Acolytes of Magneto.

References