Loa (Alani Ryan) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mutant, Loa is a student at the Xavier Institute. She made her debut in The New Mutants vol. 2 #11.

Fictional character biography

Before Xavier's

Born in Maui, Hawaii of mixed Native Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry, Alani Ryan quickly developed a talent for surfing. Her mutant powers activate after she and her father are attacked by the villain Great White and his pack of trained sharks. However, they are rescued by Namor. Afterwards, Alani's grandmother Alice Ryan is revealed to be a former acquaintance of Namor and a friend of his former lover Betty Dean.

Alpha Squadron

After arriving at the Xavier Institute as a student, she adopts the codename Loa and becomes a member of the Alpha Squadron. She retains her powers after the Decimation and later enters a relationship with Elixir. Additionally, she obtains an Atlantean pendant that enables her to breathe underwater. Loa later becomes a student at the Avengers Academy before being killed during a riot. However, she is revived after the X-Men develop a method of resurrection on Krakoa.

Powers and abilities

Loa possesses the ability to phase through solid matter and disintegrate it by disrupting molecules. She additionally wields an Atlantean pendant that enables her to survive underwater.

In other media

Loa makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the X-Men '97 episode "To Me, My X-Men".