This included some of the Avengers, who fell under his power. He was defeated by Thor and Firebird, who proved immune to the transformations and Tania offered to restore all those who had been transformed to normal. Later Tania and the Presence aided the Avengers in battling Kang. The Presence was planning to capitalize on the chaos Kang had sown on Earth by attempting to conquer Russia again once he was defeated, but Tania refused to allow it and this time, it was Tania who threatened to desert him if he did so. At some point, after the Kang War, Starlight was able to reduce her radioactivity enough to reintegrate within society without fear of causing death to those around her. She later joins up with other Russian heroes to form the Protectorate, serving Immortus as palace guards against the Dire Wraiths. During this time, she falls in love with her teammate Vanguard. When the team manages to banish the Dire Wraith queen back to Limbo, Tania is sucked along with her. As a result of mutation from cobalt radiation, Tania has superhuman strength, stamina, and durability. She can generate nuclear energy for flight at supersonic speeds, and to project radiation blasts. Starlight gives off low levels of nuclear radiation at all times, putting normal human beings who associate with her for any length of time at risk. Tania has a gifted intellect, and is skilled at neurosurgery and medicine, with a PhD in medicine. She also has extensive experience in hand-to-hand combat and is a highly skilled athlete.