Banshee

For the Generation X Banshee, see Banshee (Sholder series)

Banshee
Real Name	Sean Cassidy
Species	Mutant
Gender	Male
Status	Deceased
Appearances
Movie	X-Men: First Class X-Men: Days of Future Past (mentioned)
Actors/Actresses
Portrayed by	Caleb Landry Jones

"You like fish, I like fish too. Maybe we should get a bite sometime and talk about it."

―Banshee

Banshee (Sean Cassidy) was a mutant who had the ability to create high-powered sonic waves with his voice.

Biography

X-Men: First Class

Banshee is first seen hitting on a girl in an aquarium. However, she doesn't accept him, and actually finds him comical. In a final attempt to gain her affection, Banshee uses his ability to scare away all of the fish. It doesn't work, and at this point, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr appear, and convince Banshee to join the X-Men off screen. Later, Banshee is seen at the government facility with the rest of the X-Men. Banshee, Darwin, Angel, Beast, Mystique, and Havok are all seen getting to know eachother, while also being taunted by several government agents who don't accept Banshee and the rest of the mutants. Then, around this time, Sebastian Shaw and the rest of The Hellfire Club attack the facility and kill several of the agents. Shaw, Azazel, and Riptide corner the young members of the X-Men. Shaw tires to convince them all to join him, and, much to the X-Men's horror, Angel does. Darwin, in an attempt to save Angel and kill Shaw, pretends to join The Hellfire Club. However, this fails, and Shaw kills Darwin by transfering Havok's energy into Darwin's body, causing Darwin's body to explode right in front of the X-Men.

Banshee is next seen with the rest of the X-Men, mourning Darwin. Xavier is hesitant about continuing to lead the team, but Banshee helps manage to convince Xavier to continue to lead them, telling him that he doesn't want to see Havok go back to prison. So, Xavier takes Banshee and the rest of the X-Men to his home, the X-Mansion. There, Banshee and the rest of his team train for combat against Shaw and the Hellfire Club. Beast designs a wingsuit for Banshee, intending for Banshee to use his sonic screaming to propel himself through the air. At first, Banshee is nervous about using his suit, and falls out of a window in a failed attempt at flying. Later, however, Banshee is seen standing at the top of a satellite dish, along with Charles, Erik, and Hank. Reluctant to jump and try to fly, Banshee claims that he is afraid of dying, at which point Erik pushes him. Banshee screams in terror, which generates loud enough sound waves for him to fly, helping Banshee to gain confidence and master his new ability. Banshee's ability of flight proves to be extremely useful during the fight against the Hellfire club later on, as he rises out of the water (after using his sonic screaming as sonar in order to locate Sebastian Shaw's submarine) and uses his scream against Tempest, disorienting her and saving Havok's life. Tempest flies after him though, and she burns a hole in his wing suit, causing Banshee and Havok to fall onto the beach. After this, Banshee and the rest of the mutants witness Erik expose Shaw's body and attempt to destroy all of the ships on the coast. Moira MacTaggert, however, tried to stop Erik by shooting at him. Erik blocked the bullets, but one rebounded and hit Charles in the back, resulting in his paralysis. When Banshee and the rest of the X-Men attempted to intervene, Erik used his ability to throw Banshee and the others backwards onto the beach. Then, after Erik and his newly formed Brotherhood of Mutants leave the beach, Banshee (along with Beast and Havok) run to Charles and Moira, who are both lying in the sand, as Charles is now paralyzed.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Erik mentions that Banshee, along with Azazel, Emma Frost, and Angel, had died in between 1962 and 1973, and blames Charles for their deaths. He was most likely among those experimented on and killed by Trask.

X2: X-Men United

Banshee's legal name, Sean Cassidy, appears on a list of mutant names that Mystique scrolls through on William Stryker's computer while looking for Magneto's file.

Powers

• Acoustikinesis - Banshee has the ability to scream at sonic levels. His screams are deafening to nearby humans and can shatter glass or scare away animals.
  • Flight - By screaming supersonic waves towards the ground, Banshee can fly.
  • Sonar - Banshee can generate sound waves underwater that ricochet off of metal objects, and then back at him.

Relationships

Friends Siryn - Possible Relative Professor X - Mentor and Teammate Havok - Friend and Teammate Mystique - Friend and Teammate Beast - Friend and Teammate Moira MacTaggert - Friend and Teammate Darwin - Friend and Teammate

Enemies Sebastian Shaw - Enemy Angel Salvadore - Friend and Teammate turned Enemy Azazel - Enemy Riptide - Enemy Emma Frost - Enemy Magneto - Mentor and Teammate turned Enemy

Behind the scenes

• Irish actor Robert Sheehan was originally cast as the character but dropped out due to commitments to Misfits.

Trivia

• In the comics, Banshee is from Ireland, in the film Cassidy is American.
• A ginger mutant with a gag on is seen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it was assumed that this mutant was Banshee. However, Banshee is said to have died before the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
• In the comics, Siryn is his daughter. However, Banshee is supposed to have died before 1973 making it impossible for the film version to be his daughter.

External links

• Banshee on the Marvel Wiki
• Banshee on Wikipedia