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Real name: Sooraya Qadir
Status: Active
Affiliations: Xavier Institute, New X-Men, Young X-Men
Current Team: The "Young X-Men"
Previous affiliations: Hellions squad, Special Class, Emma Frosts "Xmen-in-Training"
Notable relatives: Mirah Qadir (mother)
Notable powers: Can turn to cloud of sand, control direction of cloud and reform at will.

About

Dust (real name Sooraya Qadir) is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe. She is one of the student body in the Xavier Institute, and a member of the Hellions squad therein.
Dust first appeared in New X-Men #133 (2002). She was created by Grant Morrison and Ethan Van Sciver, though it wasn't until she appeared in the New X-Men: Academy X series, written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, that her character was truly developed.

Character history

Sooraya is an adolescent Muslim who has the mutant power to turn herself into a sand-like substance. Born in Afghanistan, she was rescued by Wolverine and Fantomex from a slave-trading ring and sent to the X-Corps base in India. Sooraya hid herself from the X-men who were stationed there until Phoenix sensed Sooraya's presence and telepathically coerced her to reveal herself to everyone present. The first word spoken by Sooraya was "dust".

Ultimately, Sooraya was enrolled at the Xavier Institute in Westchester County, New York. Quiet and nervous, she has experienced some difficulty adapting to her new surroundings - particularly after being given the loud and rebellious Surge as a roommate. Sooraya and Surge often come to disagreements over the traditional garb which Surge believes to be an affront to women's rights.
Sooraya was initially placed into Xorn's "Special Class" but was picked on for standing by her faith, and allegedly placing its importance over the cause of mutants. It was Dust who alerted Professor Xavier to Xorn's 'true' identity. She was soon after made member of the Hellions training squad. She has opted to wear her burqa rather than a standard training costume.

After House of M, Wanda Maximoff depowered over 90% of the mutant population, thereby reducing the population of Xavier's student body to only 27 students. The squad system has been dissolved, and the remaining students have been merged into one large group. She was later paired as roommates with Laura Kinney aka X-23.

Powers and abilities

Dust can turn herself into a cloud of a sand-like substance, and (under normal circumstances) control where this cloud goes, before reforming at will. At times she can move so fast in the dust form that she can strip the flesh from her enemies' bones.

You can find more info plus scans of Dust and her fellow students at the New X-Men Fanlisting.