Template:Featured Articles/2-2014

Jean-Paul Beaubier, a prominent sports star before his X-factor status resulted in him being stripped of his Olympic medals, is also a vocal defender of mutant and gay rights. Orphaned at a young age and separated from his twin sister Jeanne-Marie, the Quebecois went from humble origins to join Canada's experimental mutant team, Alpha Flight as "Northstar". It was with this team that he was reunited with his sister, their relationship always a rocky one. When he joined the X-Men for a time, interested in teaching the next generation of mutants, Jean-Paul's flight, speed and invulnerability proved valuable. He returned to Canada after only three months, however, as Jeanne-Marie's mental state became more unstable and they decided to seek treatment for her. It proved to be an unsuccessful plan, Jeanne-Marie turned violent, accidentally killing Jean-Paul's beloved cat and injuring him before fleeing. He spent a year searching unsuccessfully for her, before returning to the school to resume his teaching position. It was not without turmoil, as an old enemy resurfaced and a new one came close to taking his sanity. There was an unexpected benefit in the form of Jeanne-Marie's sudden return, drawn by his pain, but eventually Jean-Paul agreed that some distance from the school would help his recovery and the twins relocated to Muir Island. It was he who disappeared next, leaving Muir when he discovered he was unable to control his powers, eventually returning to New York where he spent two years, working for X-Factor Investigations and continuing to try and deal with his trauma. With the Genosha incident destroying what progress he had made, Jean-Paul decided to return to his roots, leaving for France in June 2012.