HUSK

 

HUSK

Real Name: Paige Guthrie

First Appearance: ROM Annual (Vol. 1) #3, November 1984 (unidentified); X-Force (Vol. 1) #32, March 1994 (by name)

Powers: Husk is a transitional bodymorph, with the mutant power to alter the molecular composition of her body during a skin-shedding process. The outer most layer of flesh is technically "dead" anyway, and so not affected by her transmutations. Paige triggers her changes by grabbing a portion of her skin and willing the change, releasing a burst of bio-energy that simultaneously transforms her body and renders the outer "husk" more brittle than normal, allowing her to easily tear it to complete the change. Husk has transformed herself into various states in the past: Diamond, stone, glass, metal, rubber, etc. She often transforms into a denser substance in order to increase her strength (Class 10 at her strongest) and durability, but has also become elastic in order to stretch her limbs, absorb impacts and bounce off the ground, or "alien rubber" which gave her superhuman running speed. Husk prefers to change herself into a form resembling her own, but composed of a different composition.

Husk can transform randomly into different substances just by pulling off her skin and observing what occurs. If she wants to consciously determine what she transforms into, though, she must have a working knowledge of the substance's molecular composition or properties to guide her transformation. Husk automatically reverts back to her normal form within an hour or so, but she can also chose to shed her skin in an altered state, either to return to normal earlier or become some other substance directly. Though her transformations are normally temporary, Paige does seem to be able to perform changes which don't reverse themselves if she is restoring her baseline state. For example, Husk has used her power to achieve metabolic changes in her template form, such as tearing away injured flesh from a gut wound to become healthy again, or husk away sweat and dirt after running a few miles, a quick version of a shower and change. The implication was that she wouldn't revert to injured or sweaty within an hour, meaning Husk can undo certain things which have "altered" her in some way.

Husk has been able to shift into anything that does not exceed her body mass. Any extra mass left when she shifts into a smaller form (such as a bird or insect) is shunted into an unknown extra-dimensional space, and will return to Husk when she resumes her human form. In an alternate reality, Husk demonstrated an increased proficiency in her metamorphic ability. She was able to shift into liquid substances, including complex acids capable of affecting organic steel. Husk also had the ability to change only part of her body (such as changing a hand into a bladed weapon).

Paige Guthrie is a gifted intellect who is adept at the programming and operation of computers.