Lifeguard (Heather Cameron) is a character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, the character first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #6 (December 2001). She is primarily associated with the X-Men. Lifeguard is a mutant, gaining whatever superhuman abilities are needed in a life-threatening situation. She and her brother Slipstream were briefly members of the segment of X-Men featured in the series X-Treme X-Men.

Fictional character biography

X-Treme X-Men

Heather and Davis Cameron were a lifeguard and a surfer, respectively, living in Surfers Paradise in Australia. Unbeknownst to them, their father is an underworld crime lord known as Viceroy, and upon his death they were attacked. Together with Storm and Neal Shaara (the new Thunderbird), they managed to defeat their attackers. Heather discovered she was a mutant with the power to manifest whatever was necessary to save the life of someone in danger around her, including her own. Her power enabled her to manifest wings, golden armor, the ability to breathe underwater, and many other less noticeable adaptations. Heather soon joined the splinter team of X-Men, and formed a romance with Thunderbird. During a mission to infiltrate the ship of the intergalactic warlord, Khan, Heather's appearance changes to resemble the Shi'ar, leading Jean Grey to believe that she is a Shi'ar hybrid. Her brother, unable to see past her new alien appearance, leaves the team. Lifeguard and Thunderbird travel in search of him.

The Xavier Institute

Months later, Lifeguard and Thunderbird return to the X-Men, having been unsuccessful in locating Slipstream. Together with Thunderbird, she joined the X-Corporation. However this only lasted weeks, as there was a synchronized attack on several of the X-Corporation offices after the catastrophic events of M-Day, leading Cyclops to call for the disbanding of all offices. Heather is one of a handful of mutants to have retained her powers in the wake of House of M. Still involved with Thunderbird III, she was not active in any X-Men roster, though the 198 Files verified her location as residing at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

Utopia

Heather later resurfaces after the events of Schism as a member of Cyclops' street team with Boom Boom and Dazzler in San Francisco and Utopia.

Krakoa

Heather appears in a groupshot of the Green Lagoon on Krakoa. She appears to be talking to Jamie Madrox and has developed a mermaid-like tail to dip in the water.

Powers and abilities

Heather's mutant power allows her body to sense and react to any threat by transforming or manifesting a power to deal with the situation (similar to that of the X-Men's Darwin). In all of her appearances, she has only shown to use this ability while defending herself along others. It is unknown if she is able to use this ability for her own protection. She has a moderate level of control over this power and has sometimes been able to trigger it at will, although she has not displayed any control over the transformations or powers she manifests. Heather has mostly manifested physical changes such as extra arms, armored skin, wings, and a mermaid tail. In her first appearance, she also demonstrated hydrokinesis. The full extent of Lifeguard's abilities have yet to be revealed. After her Shi'ar abilities manifest, Heather permanently gains golden skin, wings, and claws. In addition to her superhuman powers, Heather is a trained lifeguard and skilled swimmer.

Other versions

X-Men: The End

Lifeguard appears in X-Men: The End as a protector of Aliyah Bishop in the Shi'ar Imperium.

Reception

Critical reception

Lukas Shayo of Screen Rant stated, "A mutant with the power to save lives, the aptly named Lifeguard can develop any ability necessary to save any life, be it her own or another's. If that means turning into metal, growing wings, or shapeshifting, Lifeguard will develop that power and subsequently save a life. As what essentially amounts to a stronger version of Darwin, Lifeguard doesn't really get the reputation she deserves. No mutant can ever surpass her ability to save lives, as their mutations are often tailored to other specific niches. With no upper limit to determine how she can shift, Lifeguard deserves her place among the Omega-levels."

Accolades