ALIAS: Husk
REAL NAME: Paige Guthrie
NATIONALITY: Kentucky, U.S.A
TEAM AFFILIATION: Generation X
AGE: 17
POWER: Self-induced metamorphoses. Ability to husk or shred the outer layer of skin to reveal different forms underneath
FIRST APPEARANCE: X-FORCE #32

Paige Guthrie, aka "Husk" from Cumberland County in Kentucky, was first introduced to Generation X in X-Men #36. (part 2 of the 4 part "Phalanx Covenant: Generation Next") It seemed to be a usual quiet night at the Guthrie farm until a member of the Phalanx blasted it's way through their house. The Phalanx, seeking the next generation of mutants, captured Paige's mom to lure Paige out. With Paige's futile attempts to rescue her mother, the phalanx released Mrs. Guthrie and flew off with Paige to the Phalanx base where the rest of the captured GenXers were being held. Paige, who unlike the other GenXers, loved being a mutant and is always striving to learn all she can about her powers. Here, after waking up in the base and seeing the GenXers for the first time, she immediatly assumes control and tells everyone not to worry because she knows the X-Men. This didn't go over very well with everyone but her "leadership" didn't last too long as she was infected with the Transmode Virus by the Phanlanx. This virus caused her great pain along the way to defeat the Phanlanx and it was only by Sabertooth that she got rid of it. Sabertooth "attempted" to gut her when he smelled the virus and this caused her to husk to heal herself. With that her power was revealed, the ability to shed her skin to reveal new forms underneath, hence her codename "Husk".

Husk most likely decided to join Generation X due to the fact that her older brother is Samuel Guthrie. Who's that? Samuel Guthrie was the leader of the '80's comic titled "The New Mutants", the New Mutants were the second Generation of X-Men that helped fight for Xavier's dream that mutants and humans can co-exist. Paige always received letters from Sam on his adventures and she always longed for a power that she could use. Her first appearance of her power was told in GenX #24 when she retold the story to the girls of GenX. When she was younger she kept begging to God to give her a power and she always attempted to "find out" what her power could be. (whether this was by trying to mind read a turtle or sit in a bucket of ice is my question...) The point came when she was so frustrated that she yelled out to God to give her a power right then and there. She stood shivering on the hill by her house contemplating then and when she pulled her hands away...she ended up ripping the skin off her arm with it. She was overjoyed and screamed with laughter. Now with her brother finally an X-Men, she enrolled in the Acadamy to learn more about her power and to possibly be a future leader of the X-Men.

Paige is the somewhat goody-goody of the bunch. She is always eager to learn new things, experiment with her powers, (much to Jubilee's regret) and to show everyone that she is mature and not a country hick. If it's one thing that Paige can't stand, it's to be treated like a country bumpkin who knows nothing. With that she tends to try to mask her "country accent" to make herself appear more "normal" to the gang. It's usually only when she is angry that her accent will come through and Skin usually picks up on it and makes fun. She tries to prove herself to the others because she is so insecure. The artists aren't helping too much in this matter since lately they seem to draw her more and more with freckles and in tons of overalls. (Paige would really hate that by the way) Well, so what do I mean by "somewhat goody-goody"? Paige attempts to be the mature one of the bunch but she is still a young 17 year old. She tries to show that she is smart but things tend to mess up once in awhile. For example, in GenX #1, she tries to show she is a leader by rushing at Emplate in the airport. Paige ends up having her gut ripped open by Emplate and it was Jubilee's quick thinking by husking her that let her live through it. Things like this build up in Paige and she releases her disappointment or anger in different ways that not usually are all that smart. The perfect example would be GenX #5 when being scared and upset over the threat of the legacy virus got to her. What happened? A relative issue that teens face happened....she got drunk. (sure it was only one beer but it happened) That was one of the reasons that made the book interesting to read, some real issues that teens face were shown.

Speaking of real issues, that brings me to some other points of Husk's childhood that might shed some light on her insecurity. When she was younger her father died leaving the farm to the rest of the family which has who knows how many children. (about 7 maybe?) So far only herself and Sam have mutant powers. It was tough to try and run the farm and when Sam left for the New Mutants, that made it even harder. She was always striding for something and always hearing about how great Sam was doing made her wish more and more that she could do something with her life. With this,Paige tries to stand out in the GenXers against the more insecure members such as Jubilee and Skin, but that doesn't mean that she acts like a snob. Paige is the most caring member of GenX and is always trying to help out anyway she can. It worked to a point when she tried to help Blink to safety in the Phalanx Covenant didn't it? Unfortunatly Blink didn't survive the Phalanx Covenant and this fuels Paige more that she is determined to prove that humans and mutants can one day co-exist. She may have a hard time dealing with her emotions, but who knows, maybe one day when she become more secure and mature, she might one day make an excellent leader.