Origin

Faiza Hussain is a British doctor who gained super powers when hit by a Skrull laser whilst attending the wounded on the streets of London during the Skrull invasion of Earth. These powers appear to give Faiza a huge amount of control over matter at a sub-atomic level. So far she has shown the ability to completely deconstruct a human body into its base parts while keeping the person alive. She was also able to stop the motor functions of several Skrulls at once in order to assist Black Knight in a fight.

Creation

Faiza Hussain was created by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk and first appeared in Captain Britain and MI:13 #1.

Mayor Story Arcs

Secret Invasion

During the Skrull's final assault on England, the Black Knight was fatally wounded by a magic blast from a magic-powered Super Skrull. Faiza used her powers to keep him alive, but was unable to repair the damage done to his body until the magical power was destroyed. After that, she was able to knit his bones back together and repair his entire body, even his T-shirt. After the battle ended, the Black Knight vouched for Faiza and she was invited to join MI: 13 as one of its core members. As the team left, Faiza pulled the sword Excalibur from the stone it had been buried in by Captain Britain, and in doing so became its new rightful owner. As a new member of MI: 13, she is receiving combat training and is now a full member of the British Intelligence Service.

Excalibur the Vampire Slayer

During an expedition to Wakanda with the Black Knight, Faiza got her armor which bears the Essex coat of arms and served as her superhero costume from then on. On the way back from Wakanda, Faiza and the Black Knight were attacked by Dracula in his first strike against Britain. Both Faiza and the Black Knight fell from their aircraft as it exploded during the attack, but were saved when Faiza managed to heal them both at the exact moment they hit the earth.

Upon landing safely, the pair was set on by vampires, where they learnt that the vampires were afraid of Excalibur. They immediately returned to London to regroup with the rest of MI: 13, where they found that Dracula had taken Faiza's father hostage and critically wounded her mother. Upon returning Pete Wisdom, the head of MI: 13 gave Faiza the code name "Excalibur" to strike fear into the hearts of Dracula's vampire minions. Faiza, or Excalibur, then became a key player in the war against Dracula as he tried to take over Great Britain for himself.

Secret Empire

During Hydra's global move to power with Hydra Supreme at the helm, Faiza is seen defending Paris as a member of the Champions of Europe. When Avengers members Squirrel Girl and Enigma are transported to the Parisian streets they are assaulted by Hydra forces, until Faiza and her teammates intervene and save them. Joining Captain Britain alongside Ares, Outlaw, Peregrine and Guillotine, Faiza breaches Hydra's Parisian armory.

Death of Doctor Strange

After the Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange is murdered, his protective seals and mystical shields around the Earthly plane fracture, unleashing magic and mythic threats across the globe. One such threat from Arthurian legend engulfs London and corrupts anyone enclosed in its bubble - including the visiting X-Men team - but Faiza proves immune to the corruption due to the magic of Excalibur protecting her. She encounters Dane Whitman's daughter Jackie Chopra, who is equally protected by the Ebony Blade, but in the Black Knight armour Faiza mistakenly believes Chopra is Whitman. All of London is warped by "The Hungry Land" to nourish its ruler, Necromon, and Faiza saves Jackie from being torn apart by the daemonic X-Men before confronting her about her true identity. Together they two free Rogue and Synch from the Necromon's corruption by their absorbing Excalibur and Ebony Blade's immunity, but to expel the realm from reality Excalibur is plunged into Chopra's armour. The Black Knight armour - made from the ore in the magic starstone which originally housed Excalibur - sends out pulses of light magic while Faiza uses her powers to keep Jackie alive. By "putting the sword back in the stone," both Faiza and Jackie save London.

Helping Captain Britain

Faiza reunites with Pete Wisdom, who introduces her to the former psi-ops team of S.T.R.I.K.E. who have been recently resurrected on Krakoa. Faiza admits she has been very anxious about the xenophobic atmosphere in Britain since the mutant Betsy Braddock became Captain Britain, with Wisdom revealing he is worried that jingoists may attack Faiza over her possessing Excalibur. Since Excalibur chose Faiza to wield it, the bigots are unable to wrest control of it from its host.

After The Fury attacks London's West End Faiza attends to the wounded civilians in the area, healing dozens of people overnight. Captain Britain then calls Faiza to Braddock Manor to ask for her help as the wielder of the spirit of Britain. When Betsy and S.T.R.I.K.E. infiltrate Morgan Le Fay's castle, Betsy stabs Le Fay with the Starlight Sword to connect her with the land, and the heart of Britain ignites Excalibur's power. Faiza plunges Excalibur into the earth to close the circuit, connecting the Arthurian sorceress with the true spirit of Britain and purifying her of her rage.

Powers and Abilities

Faiza possesses the ability to disassemble anything, including living beings, into its component parts, to manipulate various portions on an atomic level, and then restore it to its original condition. This is possible due to the fact that she innately knows the composition of anything she affects with her powers. Faiza is also capable of focusing on certain areas in particular.

When she takes people apart, those affected remain conscious and are able to talk. When she uses her power, a blue glow appears around her hands. A blue glow also appears around those affected by her power.

She can affect multiple targets simultaneously, but the more objects she attempts to manipulate, the greater the concentration is required from her. When using her powers on living beings, the target is rendered immobile until she allows them to move. Faiza finds it easier to affect shape-shifters, such as Skrulls, but more difficult to affect magic-based beings.

She also has the ability to immobilize multiple people at once, without disassembling them. This effect lasts until Faiza wills otherwise.

Hussain has recently acquired the legendary sword Excalibur, which she wields in combat. Excalibur's mythic powers are harnessed by Faiza to heal, be it through blinding light or plunging the sword into a being.

Faiza is also a skilled medical doctor, and has received some training in Kung-Fu.

Alternate Realities

Secret Wars

After the Incursion of Earths 616 and 1610, a portion of a separate reality remains on Battleworld as Yinsen City. One day the city's Defenders see a woman walking towards the boundary wall at the border of their domain. The woman, Faiza Hussain (in this reality going by Captain Britain), smashes a hole in the wall and seeks aid. She knows she hails from a land called Britain, but remembers nothing of what it is or where to find it, matching the Defenders' lingering dreams that feel like distant memories. What she does remember is a man - Brian Braddock - who died saving his world and passed the mantle of Captain Britain, along with Excalibur, to her.

While discussing her circumstance, she tells Baron Yinsen and the Defenders that Emperor God Doom is merely a man. When Yinsen agrees with Faiza, Doom appears before them in hologram form, berates the heresy and brings down the border wall between Yinsen City and their neighboring domain, Mondo City. The Boss Cadets invade the city, kill Yinsen, and capture Hussain for her crimes against Doom.

Marvel 20XX

When Danielle Cage - Captain America of 20XX - comes to the present to warn the U.S.Avengers of Thanos' attack of Earth, Faiza can be seen as part of the team that eventually defeats the Mad Titan. The team is made up of magical sword wielders.

Other Media

Game

Marvel Avenger Alliance

Faiza is a playable character in the game. She can be recruited by regular purchase.

Her bio in the game says: Dr. Faiza Hussain was treating the injured during an alien invasion when she was struck down by an experimental weapon. When she awoke, she discovered she now had the ability to manipulate matter, especially organic matter. During the invasion, Faiza was drawn to the resting place of the legendary sword of King Arthur Pendragon, Excalibur. She pulled the sword from the stone and fought alongside Great Britain’s greatest heroes. Wielding the Sword of Healing as a living symbol of Great Britain, Faiza Hussain uses her knowledge of medicine and Excalibur to aid those in need.