—Scorpion[source]I thought that if I found my biological parents I would find out who I really am. And I did. I'm a hero.
Carmilla Black is the forged identity of Thanasee Rappaccini, the child of the unscrupulous Scientist Supreme of A.I.M., Monica Rappaccini. Subjected to genetic tampering in the womb, Black has acquired complete immunity to a plethora toxins and can harness them in an offensive fashion. Recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D., she has been trained as a spy agent under the codename Scorpion.[4] Having overcome the influence of those who attempted to manipulate her, both in A.I.M.[5] and S.H.I.E.L.D.,[6] Scorpion now acts as an independent vigilante and mercenary with heroic aspirations.[7]
History
Poison Tomorrow[]
Born in a pirate enclave the island-nation of Madripoor, Thasanee Rappaccini was genetically created by Advanced Idea Mechanics, under the control of her own biological progenitor, Scientist Supreme Monica Rappaccini. Part of a plan to engineer super-humans with the ability of resisting contamination and radioactive disasters from a global plague intended to collapse industrial society to nuclear fallout, her true origins were kept a secret from her as she was adopted by undercover A.I.M. agents, Julia and Tim Black.[1] Despite issues concerning her situation as an adopted child, Carmilla Black enjoyed a relatively ordinary life as a popular teenager in Vermont, until her poisoning abilities kicked in when she was sixteen at the night of her homecoming. Her mutated arm first released a highly concentrated dosage of toxins, instantly killing her boyfriend Greg through skin contact. Scared of the social and legal backlash she would suffer, she fled her small hometown, living a nomadic life on the streets and surviving however she could. This experience led her to better control the properties of her toxic arm, which she named as the "Stinger." Three years later, after learning through the media her adoptive parents had been murdered, Carmilla Black returned home.[4]
When investigating her parents' demise, she found her original birth certificate. Before processing the revelation of being from Madripoor, she was targeted by A.I.M. agents, who had killed her adoptive parents to bring her out in the open again. The commotion was interrupted by a S.H.I.E.L.D. division led by Derek Khanata, who shared information he had about her true origins as well as provided her with a device created by Noriko Nagayoshi, which would help her control the Stinger. Recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. under the codename Scorpion, Black was sent to Madripoor in a mission investe Monica Rappaccini's actions. Scorpion had Agent Anya Sareva as her handler. In her way to Madripoor, she started to date the good-looking playboy Troy Goddard.[4] Infiltrating the orphanage from which she had been taken, Scorpion found evidence there were others who shared a similar fate than hers. Moreover, she found a group of enslaved children. Going against Khanata's orders, she broke the hostages free and entered combat with the captors. Knocked out by a lethal dose of relaxants, Carmilla Black was able to survive the ordeal due to her abilities.[8]
Following information secretly provided by Monica Rappaccini, Scorpion went to Prague with Goddard. Violently approached by a different unit of S.H.I.E.L.D. who was unaware of her status as an agent, Scorpion ended up going missing[9] and joining A.I.M., being convinced by Lars Branco, another subject of the same project that created her. In Sudan, she was in a mission to stop bandits under A.I.M.'s orders. This put her against her former superiors from S.H.I.E.L.D., as A.I.M. claimed they were responsible for killing Black's parents.[1] Joining the other experiments, the Wakers, Scorpion realized the Stinger set her apart by allowing her to redirect the toxins she absorbed from the environment and kept her free from A.I.M.'s chemical brainwashing. Caught with Goddard in a conflict between S.H.I.E.L.D. and A.I.M., Scorpion joined forces with the former as Goddard was kidnapped by Branco.[5] After defeating the Wakers swiftly, Scorpion freed Goddard. In the end, Branco was murdered by Monica Rappaccini, who expressed admiration for her daughter. Rappaccini vanished as a way not to be captured by S.H.I.E.L.D., leaving Scorpion confused. As a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, she maintained her double life as a vigilante.[2]
Scorpion, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.[]
Scorpion was assigned by Khanata to thwart A.I.M.'s attempt to harness the Uni-Power, a vast but damaged cosmic energy. Finding it had merged with the lethal X-23, Scorpion proposed a team-up without revealing her allegiances. They tracked down the A.I.M. base that held intelligence on the Uni-Power, but X-23 overheard with her newfound abilities from Scorpion's radio link that S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted the files intact for its own use. As a result, X-23 obliterated the base. Secretly betraying her supervisors, Scorpion reported X-23 had been lost in the destruction of the base when, in fact, they escaped together.[10]
Monica Rappaccini was sighted by S.H.I.E.L.D. in Australia with Bruce Banner, the incredible Hulk. Scorpion was dispatched to capture her villainous mother. Using the Stinger to keep Banner out of the way, Scorpion's attempt to restrain Rappaccini was a fiasco, as she was attacked by the Hulk's aboriginal allies. The ensuing fight led to the outbreak of a large fire. This conflagration allowed A.I.M. to rescue Rappaccini, after which Carmilla Black and Bruce Banner parted ways.[11]
After unreasonably attacking a cadre of S.H.I.E.L.D. technicians, Scorpion was placed under custody by Khanata due to Nagayoshi being hospitalized in the incident. She was sent to Doc Samson for psychiatric treatment. During the therapy session, Scorpion lashed out and escaped after learning Nagayoshi had not survived. Once again, she targeted the same S.H.I.E.L.D. unit, during which she revealed they were traitors selling technology to A.I.M. Nagayoshi had secretly informed her of the illegal transactions, but was accidentally harmed in the fight. With Samson's assistance, the rogue agents were captured. Scorpion was glad to learn that, in fact, Nagayoshi was alive and Samson had lied to her only to trigger her true emotions.[3]
,_Carmilla_Black%27s_Neo-Symbiote_(Earth-616),_MacDonald_Gargan_(Earth-616),_and_Venom_(Symbiote)_(Earth-616)_from_Spider-Man_Family_Vol_2_3_001.jpg){kind=link}
Carmilla with a symbiote fights Mac Gargan
Following the proposition of the Superhuman Registration Act, Scorpion joined the Initiative[12] and engaged in visible superhero activities as part of a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation to get her recruited by anti-registration heroes. Instead, she attracted the attention of Mac Gargan, the former Scorpion, who had recently acquired the Venom symbiote but was still protective of his old name and outraged by his successor using it. He contacted S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to meet up with her. Though physically outmatched, Scorpion's Stinger unexpectedly created a neo-symbiote from Venom's webs and proved very harmful to the Venom symbiote itself, allowing her to quickly turn the tide and send him fleeing. The neo-symbiote rapidly died out as her body was too toxic to sustain it for more than a few minutes.[13]
World War Hulk[]
As the Hulk declared war on Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. addressed the situation. Khanata contacted the mercenaries Heroes for Hire through Scorpion. When collecting evidence concerning a thallium poison from a facility that would allow her to put the Hulk down, Scorpion was intercepted by the Hero for Hire Paladin.[14] Using an arsenal of super-villain gear, Scorpion defeated Paladin, being ordered by Sareva to execute him.[15] Despite initial hesitation, Scorpion executed the order, finally becoming an assassin. In fact, Paladin had been tasked by S.H.I.E.L.D. of forging Scorpion into a killer.[16] As a result, the other Heroes for Hire attacked Scorpion due to her actions, but she was protected by Khanata.[17]
The Hulk and his alien allies in the Warbound caused chaos on Earth. Khanata introduced Scorpion to the Renegades, a band of super-heroes assembled by Amadeus Cho who attempted to reason with the Hulk to stop his crusade. Joining them as a secret weapon, Scorpion infiltrated the Hulk's headquarters with Cho, where several super-heroes were imprisoned.[18] The Hulk was distracted by Cho so the Renegades could bring Scorpion into contact with the green goliath. Counting with a brand-new cocktail of toxins she had contracted from her previous mission, Scorpion poisoned the Hulk. However, Cho furtively enraged the Hulk to boost up his immune system to the point of throwing the contamination off. Their plan failed, but Black and Khanata still assisted in the evacuation of civilians from the warzone.[19][20] During her interactions with Cho, Scorpion was informed that she could potentially be daughter of the Hulk, since Bruce Banner had had an affair with Monica Rappaccini during their college years. Disturbed by the revelation, she intercepted a S.H.I.E.L.D. transporting unit in which she believed Banner was kept in following his defeat by the superhuman community. She had no success as that was not his actual location.[21] This was Scorpion's last mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. since she decided to become an independent contractor.[7]
The Gauntlet[]
Scorpion became a high-ranked member of Hydra, running a training camp in Madripoor alongside fellow defecting Initiative teammate Hardball. The two traitors entered a romantic relationship as well. The Shadow Initiative task force was assigned to bring in Hardball,[22] but their member Komodo was disabled by Hydra's upgraded S.P.I.N. Tech darts.[23] After emerging victorious and capturing their opponents, Scorpion was able to recognize that Hardball held no true loyalty to Hydra as he demonstrated he wanted Komodo to be safe. This prompted Scorpion to reveal herself as a double agent for an unknown group with the mission of bringing the Hydra camp down. Giving Hardball one last kiss, while stealing his S.P.I.N. Tech dart, Scorpion vanished without a trace.[6]
Following the incident in Madripoor, Scorpion harnessed the S.P.I.N. tech into her own system, being able to deactivate superhuman abilities. As an independent mercenary, she was sent by the Kravinoff family to New York to retrieve the armor of the original Scorpion, now in the possession of the Hood. Dressed in her own version of her predecessor's classic costume, Scorpion tangled with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man when he stumbled onto a gladiatorial contest between many of New York's common criminals for the honor of becoming the new Scorpion and getting a seat in the Hood's gang. Seeking to remove all interference, Scorpion temporarily disabled Spider-Man's powers with S.P.I.N. Tech before going for the costume. However, she was caught by the Hood and badly beaten, being saved by Spider-Man who had shaken off the effects of her nanites. Ultimately, Scorpion aided Spider-Man in bringing down the assembly of criminals before escaping with her prize. That night, she gave the costume to her contractors, who had hired her to obtain it based on her totemic connection to the costume.[7]
After some period under the radar, Scorpion re-emerged as one of the many teenage heroes assembled by the Young Avengers to oppose the parasitical entity known as Mother.[24] She celebrated their victory alongside other young heroes at a party.[25]Attributes
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Powers
Agent Scorpion was genetically engineered in uterus by her own progenitor, Monica Rappaccini, to be part of a group of chemically brainwashed subjects immune to any form of toxic or radioactive contamination to resist a potential global plague. Unexpectedly, her left axillary lymph node mutated into a gland that stored and processed harmful chemicals.[1] As a result, Scorpion can intoxicate others through skin contact with her left arm and hand, an ability that manifested during her teenage years.[4] For the same reason, she is also immune to the chemical brainwashing she had been conditioned to at birth.[5]
- Toxic Immunity: The scientists of A.I.M. genetically modified Black's organism while she was still in utero. Tampering with her embryo provided her with a means for survival in case of complete societal collapse. As a result, she is completely immune to all known toxic effects of biological, chemical, and even radioactive agents.[5] Her body has numerous adaptations to effectively deflect poisoning: her lymphatic system produces a variety of life-saving components to overcome chemical poisoning, her sweat glands and respiratory system are adapted to neutralize harmful components, her cell nuclei actually float in a solution of iodized salt to deflect gamma rays and other radiation, and her designed immune response is so effective that she could survive completely unharmed in the irradiated fallout zone of nuclear fallout.[1]
- The Stinger: Unforeseen by A.I.M., Scorpion developed a mutated axillary lymph node situated in her left armpit which naturally absorbs, stores, and processes all harmful toxins in her system. All toxins absorbed are converted into her own biological weapon in the form of her left arm to generate a powerful toxin that can stun or at its peak, even kill an adult human.[4] She has been able to adapt the Stinger with substances and equipment of her choice. After having contact with a gadget made of thallium, she enhanced her powers to destabilize gamma radiation and knock out the Hulk.[20] In Madripoor, she absorbed samples of S.P.I.N. Tech, allowing her to use her Stinger to temporarily negate super-powers that stem from genes with nanites for about thirty minutes.[6]
- Idealized Physical Condition: Due to possessing virtually perfect health, Scorpion is in peak physical condition as her body's unique chemistry keeps her in top physical shape regardless of what she ingests. She has an increased endurance and can exert herself far longer than most because her body absorbs and converts lactic acid build ups into nutrients that she can use, making fatigue a rare thing for her to encounter. She requires less sleep than the average person, as well.[citation needed]
Abilities
Carmilla Black has developed a formidable set of fighting and acrobatic skills in her life as a runaway.[2] The extent of any additional S.H.I.E.L.D. training remains unclear.
- Espionage: Scorpion's time with both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra have afforded her being trained by both in espionage and acting.[6]
- Investigative Skills: Scorpion was taught to be a detective when performing investigative work with S.H.I.E.L.D.[8]
- Martial Arts: As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Scorpion has had professional training also included copious combat training in a variety of different martial arts disciplines. She was taught a meld of such different styles that her fighting style is something all her own and is not strictly one discipline or another. It blends a wide array of things including dance and gymnastics, allowing her to fight with high agility and fluidity.[3]
- Acrobatics: Black was already something of an acrobat before her predicament arose. Now she has melded her natural agility and skill with hard training to become very fast and mobile.[3]
- Languages: Being of Madripoorian descent, one of the first things bestowed upon Carmilla Black by Hydra was language training. Through psi-cognitive learning Carmilla has been taught a variety of Asian languages that were deemed useful including Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and others.[22]
- Streetwise: Three years on the streets at a formative point in her life taught Carmilla Black to be a urban survivalist, something she has come to excel at through being forced to take care of herself without assistance for so long.[26]
Weaknesses
- Lack of Control: Carmilla Black does not have full control over the buildup of harmful substances in her organism, which can eventually lead her to unintentionally hurting other beings.[2]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Gauntlet: Scorpion wears a S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued gauntlet on her left arm created by Agent Nagayoshi, which can be retracted to appears as a small, innocuous bracelet, or expand to armor enveloping her arm. The gauntlet allows her to better control her stinger as well as provides protection. A future version was proposed to allow her to convert her stinger into a formidable ranged attack,[4] though later events make this upgrade unlikely.
- Super-Power Inhibiting Nanobots: Scorpion has had access to superpower neutralizing nanites usually dubbed S.P.I.N. that can temporarily cancel the manifestation of special abilities.[6] She has combined the nanites to her Stinger, allowing her to directly depower superhuman opponents.[7]
- Scorpion's Suit: When donning a version of the original Scorpion's armored costume, Carmilla Black had access to a tail-shaped device designed to channel the effects of her stinger to give her additional reach.[7]
Trivia
- Fred Van Lente originally pitched Scorpion as a young woman who would discover to be the daughter of Viper and the Silver Samurai. Both characters were unavailable, being in other series, when he propose his story. He had approval after discarding such characters. However, as deadlines were met, the original concept art for Scorpion was not changed, which explains her physical similarities to Viper.[27]
- The last name of Rappaccini is probably a reference to Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story Rappaccini's Daughter. The title character of that story is a beautiful young woman named Beatrice whose breath and touch have been rendered poisonous by the experiments of her father.[28]
See Also
- 29 appearance(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 5 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 2 minor appearance(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 2 mention(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 6 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 29 image(s) of Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
- 1 quotation(s) by or about Carmilla Black (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #10
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #12
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Doc Samson (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #7
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #11
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Avengers: The Initiative #24
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Amazing Spider-Man #626
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #8
- ↑ Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #9
- ↑ Captain Universe: X-23 #1
- ↑ Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #87
- ↑ Avengers: The Initiative #1
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Spider-Man Family (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ Heroes for Hire (Vol. 2) #11
- ↑ Heroes for Hire (Vol. 2) #12
- ↑ Heroes for Hire (Vol. 2) #13
- ↑ Heroes for Hire (Vol. 2) #14
- ↑ Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #109
- ↑ Heroes for Hire (Vol. 2) #11–13
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #110
- ↑ Hulk Family: Green Genes #1
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Avengers: The Initiative #22
- ↑ Avengers: The Initiative #23
- ↑ Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #2
- ↑ Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #14
- ↑ Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #7–12
- ↑ Comic Book Legends Revealed #100
- ↑ Rappaccini's Daughter
- ↑ All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #9
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 10