Lobo

__** Rafael "Rafé" Lopez / "Lobo" **__



Rafael "Rafé" Lopez (codename "Lobo") is a second-generation Puerto Rican American that grew up in Danbury, Connecticut. He grew up in New York City until the age of eleven. Rafé's mother, Dayanara Lopez, moved to Danbury just as Rafé entered middle school. Dayanara was leaving Rafé's father and starting a new job. She was busy with work and taking care of his little sister Migdalia and had little time for Rafé. Rafé began getting in trouble and started hanging out with a bad crowd.

From 1992 to 2001, Danbury was Connecticut’s fastest growing city. In 1990, Hispanics comprised 8% of Danbury’s population. Just eight years later, Hispanics made up 18% of the population, with about 22,000 Hispanics in Danbury. With the influx in Hispanics came Hispanic gangs. Rafé joined one of these gangs as a high school freshman. He engaged in some street-level crime: petty theft, marijuana sales, graffiti and minor destruction. One day, however, a rival gang decided to make an example of Rafé and his friends. At a drug deal, two of Rafé's friends were killed and Rafé only barely escaped. That was the day his mutant ability manifested.

The police arrested Rafé as a possible witness to the crime. He stonewalled the police, however, and as they had no evidence they released him. This caused something even worse to happen for the young boy: his mother found out what he'd been up to.

The trauma of seeing his friends killed and the screams, threats, and tears of his mother turned Rafé around. He left the gang scene and tried a bit harder at school. While he never became a scholar, he improved from barely passing to a solid-C student. During all this he hid his mutant ability. Even when he was approached by Scott Summers, he told the X-Man he wasn't interested. He needed to be there for his single mother and sister.


 * Hot for Teacher**

That all changed one day in his sophomore year when Rafé was visiting the Danbury Mall with his friends. All of a sudden a giant purple machine burst through the wall and ceiling and grabbed Rafé. If it hadn't been for the arrival of a group of seniors from Xavier's school, Rafé could have been badly hurt - or killed. He realized then that he was a danger to his family. If the Sentinel had gone after him at home, his mother or sister could have been killed.

Rafé joined Xavier's school and became known as a flirtatious, charismatic young boy that made friends easily.


 * Another Brick in the Hall**

Rafé is one of the students that helps defeat the personified Danger Room that is released by Mystique's agent, Tiberius. Prism, Bast, Ruth, Rafé, and Meghan help destroy the robot before it can hurt anyone. Due to his heroism in the battle, Rafé is allowed to choose a codename. As a fan of the DC Comics character, Lobo, he takes that name.


 * California Girls**

With no connection to the "regular" X-Men teachers, Rafé agrees to go to the new west coast mutant school, Academy X, when it opens. He is made Head Boy as a junior - a rare honor! He becomes an even better student during his junior year though he's known as a bit of a lothario. As a matter of fact, he's caught fooling around with Bastienne's twin sister, Georgina, before the school year even begins!


 * Light My Fire**

Rafé acts as Amanda's escort when she teleports to Academy M to heal Discord following the rival mutant's school assistance when Jessica's brother, Gabriel, was attacked. Rafé later proves himself to be responsible when he turns in Cameron who was acting suspiciously by asking for money. This results in the Academy X staff learning about Joni's secret team's actions, including how they destroyed two of Norman Osborn's Sentinels.


 * Right Next Door**

In his senior year, Rafé is Head Boy once more. The staff of Academy X decides to do genetic testing on all students and compare the results to existing DNA samples of mutants. They're hoping to turn up any odd results. Rafé's is one of the students that has a surprising result. It turns out that his cousin on his father's side, John Lopez, was a mutant that died while working for Weapon X.


 * Storm the Gates **

Rafé makes use of his streetwise knowledge to help Dane dress in street-appropriate clothing for the Tenderloin. He also finds a dealer selling Mutant Growth Hormone. Dane realizes Rafé is dating someone when he keeps texting the same girl. It is later revealed that Rafé is dating Bastienne's twin sister, Georgie!


 * Take Me as I Am**

Rafé surprises everyone by proposing to Georgie prior to Sam and Matt's marriage. She says yes!


 * Sanctuary **

After graduation, Rafé accepts a job with X-Corporation as the bodyguard to Heather "Lifeguard" Cameron as a replacement for the deceased Thorn.


 * Tinderbox**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 2020, Rafé <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is working with the human resistance against the mutant in order to stay with his wife, Georgina. He is killed during the fight when eXalts attacked the resistance compound.

__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Powers and Abilities **__

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rafé has the ability to transform kinetic energy into strength, speed, and durability. He later learned how to turn absorbed kinetic energy into healing.