| Character Name: | Silver Banshee |
| Real Name: | Siobhan McDougal Siobhan Smythe |
| Species: | Metahuman |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Debut: | Action Comics #595 (December 1987) |
| Creators: | John Byrne |
| Alliances: | Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Powers: |
|
Silver Banshee is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, with both primarily as opponents of Superman. The first, Siobhan McDougal, made her debut in Action Comics #595 while the second, Siobhan Smythe, debuted during the New 52 in Supergirl vol. 6 #7.
Both McDougal and Smythe have appeared in DC Comics media outside of comics, with Odessa Rae portraying McDougal in Smallville and Italia Ricci portraying Smythe in Supergirl.
Silver Banshee first appeared in Action Comics #595 and was created by John Byrne.[1]
Siobhan McDougal was the first-born child of Garrett McDougal, the patriarch of an ancient Gaelic clan living on an island midway between Scotland and Ireland. On that island is Castle Broen, where first-born McDougals undergo a ritual to prove themselves worthy to lead the clan. When Siobhan was young, she traveled the world, only returning to Castle Broen after her father's death. Her uncle Seamus determined that no woman would lead the clan and intended her brother Bevan to become the new patriarch. She went ahead with the family ritual by herself, which involved calling on supernatural forces for power. She was interrupted by Bevan, and the distraction proved disastrous as she was dragged into an infernal netherworld. An entity called "the Crone" granted her powers and the ability to return to Earth as Silver Banshee, but demanded payment in the form of an occult book that belonged to her father. She found that her father's book collection had been shipped off for sale in the United States. Banshee's quest brought her to Metropolis. Killing anyone that stood in the way of her search attracted the attention of Superman, who was able to defeat her when he realised that Banshee could only kill a person that she believed to be alive; Banshee was unable to affect a potential victim that she mistook for a previous victim. By faking his death, Superman was able to enlist Martian Manhunter to attack Banshee by posing as Superman's ghost. Unable to defeat Superman, she chose to retreat and continue her mission at a later date.[2]
Silver Banshee returned to Metropolis twice more, but was halted both times by Superman. It was Batman who finally found the book among some stolen goods in Gotham City. Superman brought the book to Castle Broen where he was confronted by Silver Banshee. The Crone appeared at the castle, and after an enigmatic warning to Superman, dragged the Banshee, Bevan, and Seamus off to her Netherworld.
In Leesburg, Supergirl rescued Silver Banshee from Satanus' Netherworld when the chaos flow brought the river Styx to the town. Silver Banshee was left in a confused state, eventually going back to her psychotic persona and using Supergirl's friend Mattie as a host while rampaging on the streets. Mattie and Silver Banshee thus proceeded to nearby Schnaffenburg where Mattie tried to get revenge on Gerald McFee, who killed her brother during "Final Night" while in thrall to Gorilla Grodd. Supergirl calmed Silver Banshee, separating Mattie from her, which led to Silver Banshee temporarily vanishing.
Silver Banshee was one of the final four villains - along with Bizarro, Mongul, and the Master Jailer - to be sent against Superman by Manchester Black, the latter using his powers to make Banshee and Bizarro sane enough to tactically outthink Superman, also granting Banshee awareness of his Kryptonian name so that she could use her magic against him more effectively. Despite this, Superman was able to defeat the four, forcing Mongul to expend his energy before dropping a nuclear-powered superhuman onto the deserted island that they were currently inhabiting.
Silver Banshee attempted to collect the billion dollar bounty Lex Luthor placed on Superman's head in Superman/Batman #3, but failed, with Batman using an ultrasonic generator to keep her nullified.
Silver Banshee later joined the Secret Society headed by Alexander Luthor. She was one of the members who turned on Black Adam when Luthor needed him for his machine. She also took part in the Battle of Metropolis.
Silver Banshee battles Supergirl in Supergirl #34, and is expected to be a recurring nemesis for Supergirl, as well as Superman, as part of an attempt to tie Supergirl's book in with Superman's titles.
In Superman #682, Supergirl was used as a diversion as some members of Kandor captured Silver Banshee, placing her in the Phantom Zone. Later, Superman freed Silver Banshee to be taken to Belle Reve.[3]
Inspector Henderson with other police officers break into an apartment, but it explodes and then they find a corpse covered in runes. Kara meets with Inspector Henderson, who's following a case his old mentor was never able to close, and thinks it has to do with items Silver Banshee needs to lift her curse. Inspector Henderson finds his mentor had the item, but it imbeds itself in Inspector Henderson's hand, allowing Silver Banshee to track him. Silver Banshee shows up and fights Supergirl, but Supergirl opens a package from Henderson and becomes possessed by a Banshee hybrid.[4] Banshee-Supergirl and Silver Banshee battle each other as events are recapped. Supergirl tells Silver Banshee they hid the artifacts in people, to keep them hidden from her. Apparently all the items were hidden not as a curse, but as a test for prospective clan leaders. Henderson punches Banshee-Supergirl, which is effective because of the artifact in his hand. Supergirl tries to exorcise the spirits possessing her but fails. Henderson realizes the spirits are tied to the artifacts and can be used against them. He then stabs his hand and breaks Supergirl free from her spirits. Silver Banshee then uses her wails to disperse the spirits. She finally uses magic to remove the artifacts from Henderson's hand and lets him know she is indebted to him.[5]
In 2011, The New 52 rebooted the DC universe. Siobhan Smythe first appears in Supergirl vol. 6 #7 as a girl from Dublin who had immigrated to the United States to start a new life after her mother died, and to escape her father (the also-dead Black Banshee). She befriends Supergirl, and stood up to the National Guard who tried to gun Supergirl down, as she could clearly see that Supergirl had saved the city from Kryptonian Worldkillers, but is the only one who can speak her language. She invites Kara to live with her, and brings her along to a cafe where she performs music when her dead father, the Black Banshee, attacks, prompting her to transform into Silver Banshee. The two fight Black Banshee only for Supergirl to be absorbed into the villain's body. While inside she relives nightmarish versions of her own memories and encounters Tom Smythe, Siobhan's brother. He explains how the Banshee is a curse passed down along his family line and how Black Banshee had plans for his daughter to join him in conquering the world. Tom had sacrificed himself in Siobhan's place, hoping it would end the curse. Instead he only managed to delay it. Fighting Black Banshee together, they succeeded in escaping and defeated him for good. Siobhan reverted to normal and was reunited with her brother. Later Supergirl left them, feeling she was only putting them in danger by being around them.[6]
Siobhan later appears in the Red Daughter of Krypton storyline, when Supergirl gets taken over by a Red Lantern Ring after a battle with Lobo. Siobhan transforms into Silver Banshee again but struggles for control over her body. Due to Supergirl's vulnerability to magic, Siobhan manages to hold her own against her and uses her sonic abilities to teleport herself and a berserk Kara from New York to the Catskill Mountains to avoid casualties. Unable to defeat Kara, she manages to convince her to leave Earth before she ravages the entire planet.
Siobhan was then in prison after the previous but granted parole by the time of Dawn of DC. Putting her life back on track, she had become a singer and Jimmy Olsen's girlfriend. Completely against her wishes, old enemies of Luthor forced Silver Banshee to attack Superman as part of their larger plan against Lex. Superman and Olsen help free Siobhan from this situation.[7]
Both incarnations of Silver Banshee possess preternatural levels of strength and resistance to injury powerful enough to prove physically challenging for super-powered Kryptonians like Superman and Supergirl. While not completely invulnerable, they are able to wound Kryptonians to a limited degree when they exert their full strength. While physically powerful, a Banshee's signature weapon is her sonic scream or "death wail". Her cry kills anyone who hears it, provided she knows their full name, reducing them to desiccated husks as the scream drains their life-force to strengthen the Banshee, akin to a succubus or psychic vampire.
As Siobhan Smythe of The New 52 continuity, Silver Banshee has exhibited an affinity for "omnilingualism" - able to instinctively speak any language fluently from the first moment she hears it, including being able to commune with animals (such as talking to a flock of doves).
An unidentified Silver Banshee appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2015) as a member of Super Hero High School's debate team and a rock vocalist in the school's band club.