Real Name: Sofia Mantega
Code Name: Wind Dancer
From: Caracas, Venezuela
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Family: Mother (Miranda, deceased), Father, Uncle (Paolo), three cousins
First Appearance: New Mutants # 1 (2nd Series)
Current Team: New Warriors
Powers: Wind manipulation. Can use the wind to fly short distances from the ground and carry voices to her. She can also cause it to grow in strength and blow in the particular direction she wants.
* Sofia was depowered after M-day, and has left the Xavier Institute. Her most recent appearance was in New Warriors (4th series).

History: Born and raised in Venezuela, Sofia Mantega lost her mother in a riot. Ms Mantega had been out shopping for a present for her daughter - a charm bracelet that Sofia now wears at all times. Sofia was playing with her young cousin when she learned of her mother's death. Using her powers, she made the wind bring her the voices of her Uncle and his friends, who were discussing what to do. As her Uncle could not take her - he already had three children and did not have the patience to raise a mutant as well - Sofia was sent to her father in America.

Mr. Barrett had not know he had a daughter until the phone call from Venezuela. Although he took her in, he made it clear that he had no time for her and was very unhappy about the fact that she was a mutant. Sofia began to learn English and was sent to school. Her new classmates, however, had as little time for her as her father and alternated between ignoring her and making fun of her. Sofia refused to be saddened by this and continued to try to make friends. On the day of her first birthday in America, Derek, Mr Barrett's personal assistant, bought her a charm for her charm bracelet. Her father did not know it was her birthday and did not care, merely instructing Derek to buy his daughter a present rather than spending time with her as she had hoped. At school, Sofia attempted to persuade some girls to do something with her for her birthday, but they refused. Finally angered, she used her wind powers to raise her over the school wall and made her way to her father's department store. Once there, Sofia unleashed her powers causing immense damage in the store. After collapsing to the floor, she was arrested and brought to the local prison. When questioned on her motives, Sofia told her father that she had done it to see if he would notice. Although Mr Barrett agreed to drop the charges, he refused to do so for 48 hours and informed Derek that Sofia would be returning to Venezuela.

At this point, Danielle Moonstar intervened, offering Sofia a place at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. Sofia accepted the invitation and said her goodbyes with Derek, who had come to care for her like a father. At the school, Sofia was given a tour by Professor Xavier and then a fellow student, Julian Keller. Due to her eternally optimistic outlook on life, she was placed in a bedroom with Laurie Collins, a young mutant who found it difficult to control her pheromones. Laurie had already scared away several roommates and spent most of her time alone, but Sofia refused to run away like the rest and constantly drew Laurie into everything she did. The two girls became close quickly, and Sofia stopped being friendly with Julian when he called Laurie a freak.

Sofia and Laurie became part of a group of students, all recruited by Dani, including David Alleyne, Kevin Ford and Josh Foley. Although she had no contact with her father, Sofia stayed in touch with Derek and arranged to meet him when he was in New York for a few days. Unfortunately, both Derek and Mr Barrett were kidnapped by The Reavers, an anti-mutant terrorist group. Sofia and her friends attempted to rescue them, but found themselves outnumbered. They were saved by Dani and Xi'an Coy Manh. During the fight, Derek quit his job when Mr Barrett refused to allow him to help Sofia. Derek next visited Sofia during Parents Week. Her father also came, but only so he could speak to Derek about rehiring him. Sofia once again unleashed her powers on her father and said some harsh things to both him and Derek. Afterwards, she was distraught, believing that Derek would never speak to her again. However, when she returned to her room he was there waiting for her.

Sofia was among the group who broke curfew and discovered Noriko Ashida, bringing her back to the school with them. When Xavier's was rebuilt following its destruction by Magneto, she was placed on Dani's training team, the New Mutants and given the codename Wind Dancer. During their first training exercise, Sofia assumed leadership, but despite her general confidence, failed to come up with a plan or inspire her teammates. In the end, the others followed David and Sofia was disappointed to realise that she had been such a failure. Throughout this time, she began a certain flirtation with Julian, something often commented on by her other teammates. When Kevin was arrested by the F.B.I. for the murder of his family, Sofia accompanied Julian and the rest of the Hellions to break him out, without the rest of her team. when the New Mutants came to stop her, Sofia revealed that she had felt that they did not believe in her. They explained that they did and made her see that what she was doing was wrong, causing Sofia to turn against the Hellions. When they returned to the school, Sofia asked David to become the team leader. Although he agreed, he did so on the condition that he and Sofia be joint leaders, telling her that while he might be the brains of the groups, she is the heart and soul.