Kestrel

KESTREL

Real Name: Kestrel

Class: Magical construct

Occupation: Agent of chaos

Group Affiliation: Injustice Society

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, formerly Washington, D.C., Druspa Tau

First Appearance: Hawk and Dove II #1 (October, 1988)

Powers: The Kestrel spell tapped into primal Chaos and stood only for death, and it needed a human host to manifest itself. A person possessed by Kestrel could switch between human and Kestrel forms, usually at Kestrel’s discretion. In human form Kestrel brought out the anger and worst side of a host, and enabled them to track Lord of Order Chaos from a distance. In Kestrel form they possessed superhuman strength, durability, and talons that could cut through virtually any material. Kestrel could open up nterdimensional gateways by cutting through reality with his claws. He was a fierce combatant driven by an unquenchable bloodlust.

History:(Hawk and Dove II #1 (BTS), Hawk & Dove III #17(BTS) - Lords of Chaos M’Shulla and Gorum created the Kestrel spell, a spell of pure death, to destroy Hawk and Dove and end Terataya’s experiment in uniting the houses of Order and Chaos.

(Hawk and Dove II #1-3, 5) - A man was given the power of Kestrel by M'Shulla and Gorum and charged with finding Hawk and killing him. Kestrel could only home in on Hawk, not his civilian identity, and went around the world in search of the hero, slaughtering anyone that resembled his civilian identity. He homed in on Hawk in Washington and took a flight there. He asked the pilot to go faster, and when he refused Kestrel mutilated and killed everyone aboard, causing the plane to crash. Kestrel found Hawk and and their battle raged through the Air and Space Museum. Kestrel battered Hawk, reluctant to kill the hero because he drew sadistic pleasure from hurting him. When Kestrel was ready to deliver a deathblow Dove arrived and saved Hawk, drawing Kestrel away long enough for Hawk to change to Hank and get medical attention. Kestrel broke Shadowblade, a young punk who Hawk and Dove brought to justice, out of jail and gave him to the Lords of Chaos to empower. The next day Kestrel sent a group of demonic commandos and Shadowblade to Hank's campus, but Hawk and Dove defeated them. Kestrel sent a demon messenger to them and demanded they meet him or he'd kill Hank Hall's parents. The heroes found his hideout and the door that led to the Chaos Realm. The Chaos Realm weakened Dove and made Hawk more powerful and more violent. He nearly turned on Dove until Kestrel told him he should join up with him, and that they'd be as close as brothers. Thinking of Don Hall, his dead brother, Hawk calmed down and refused. The Lords of Chaos were displeased with Kestrel's misstep and disintegrated him.

(Hawk and Dove III #6-9) - Construction workers repaired the Georgetown library wrecked during Kestrel's fight with Hawk and Dove and found a portal to the chaos dimension. Kestrel emerged and possessed one of the workers. He then went to Suds, a Georgetown favorite hangout and jumped into the manager Dugan. As Dugan he kept an eye on Hank Hall, who frequented Suds. Hank's girlfriend Ren Takamori was being hunted by the killer Copperhead and went to Dugan and Suds for refuge. He took her in and while she was asleep kestrel transferred himself to her.

(Hawk and Dove III #10 (BTS), 11 (BTS)) - Kestrel had Ren provoke a fight between campus tough guys and Hank.

(Hawk and Dove III #13) - Ren and Hank went to dinner, but Hank was called away to deal with the villain Shell Shock. When Hawk and Dove returned to the restaurant Kestrel revealed herself fully, manifesting through Ren and confronting the heroes.

(Hawk & Dove III #14-17) - Kestrel told Hawk and Dove this time she wanted them to chase her, opened a portal to the dimension of Druspa Tau, and vanished. Kestrel aided Lord of Chaos M'Shulla in conquering Tau and turning the people against the Lords of Order. Hawk and Dove found them, but Hawk was too afraid of hurting Ren to battle Kestrel. He agreed to serve M'Shulla if he'd release Ren. M'Shulla convinced Hawk of his cause, claiming that the Lords of Order imposed martial order on Tau, not revealing that Tau would burn out without their laws. Hawk agreed to be M'Shulla's warlord, and in return M'Shulla allowed Ren to turn back into her human form at will. He sent her as a spy to the city of Capella that still resisted M'Shulla, and after reconnaissance Hawk and M'Shulla's army conquered it. M'Shulla, kestrel and Hawk conquered the Tridic Tower, guarded by Dove and the last resistance in Tau. Kestrel almost killed a child in the attack, but Ren took control, refusing to let him do it. The historian Rome summoned M'Shulla's opposite number, the Lord of Order Teratya, and during their final battle for Tau M'Shulla sent Kestrel after hawk to make sure he didn't interfere. Dove, understanding Kestrel as a Chaos spell of death, physically separated Ren from Kestrel. Hawk tapped into primal Chaos and absorbed Kestrel into his body, dissipating the weaker Kestrel. Ren sold her memories of Kestrel to Barter in exchange for a trip back to Earth, and he bottled the memories in a vial.

(JSA All-Stars #1) - Kestrel, restored to a new host, joined the Injustice Society. Under orders from the Injustice Society’s new leader Legacy (Wizard) they broke Icicle out of D.E.O. custody and fought the JSA. Using some of Legacy’s arcane devices the Injustice Society transported the founding members of the JSA to a prison in a pocket dimension, then Legacy teleported the Injustice Society to safety.

Comments: Created by Barbara Kesel, Karl Kesel & Rob Liefeld

Kestrel received a profile in Who’s Who in the DC Universe #3.

Kestrel had a flashback cameo in Hawk and Dove III #1.

Kestrel reappeared after Hawk (in his identity of Extant) was killed by Atom-Smasher. I’m assuming his death released Kestrel and allowed him to find a new host.