Joshua Link[1] was a career criminal who possesed a powerful psychic connection to his twin brother, Damian Link. When both brothers were caught in a freak accident involving an experimental machine mutating their bodies and minds, Joshua developed the ability to link minds with Damian, allowing them to merge into a powerful composite being known as Gemini. However, while Damian remained a moral and composed individual, Joshua was violent and aggressive. Over time, Joshua's personality gained dominance whenever they combined, influencing Gemini's actions toward criminal activity.[2]
Joshua joined the criminal cartel known as the Zodiac, assuming the codename and identity of Gemini, a reference to his twin-powered abilities. In this role, he became a frequent adversary of the superhero Captain America.[2] While part of Zodiac, Gemini clashed with several heroes including the Avengers and was part of the team when the Zodiac attempted a mass assassination of everyone born under the Gemini astrological sign using the group's advanced weaponry.[3] Eventually, Joshua began to resist Damian's control and sought to redeem himself. In later years, Joshua operated separately from the Zodiac and had brief associations with other incarnations of the group.[4]
Despite his history, Joshua has occasionally attempted to distance himself from his criminal past, though his connection to Damian continued to burden him. Ultimately, Joshua was murdered along with the other original Zodiac members by a new Zodiac faction composed of Life Model Decoys, led by a LMD version of Jake Fury. He was subsequently replaced by a LMD counterpart programmed to serve the new Zodiac's agenda.[5]
History
Early Life[]
As a teenager, Joshua Link fell in with a bad crowd, gradually descending into criminal behaviour. He began with minor offences, such as shoplifting from local grocery stores, but his crimes escalated to street muggings for cash and valuables. He soon aligned himself with a group of wealthy but morally bankrupt individuals who indulged in alcohol, gambling, and womanising. Joshua became increasingly obsessed with this lifestyle. Eventually, his self-destructive actions led his father to disown him and expel him from their home. Years later, his appearance and demeanour had deteriorated to such an extent that even his twin brother, Damian Link now a police officer barely recognised him.[6]
Accident at Futura Research Laboratory[]
While working alongside criminals named Monk and Brackett, Joshua participated in a robbery at Futura Research Laboratory, stealing a cache of experimental materials. During their escape, they were confronted by Officers Jeff Hanley and Damian Link. The momentary distraction of recognising his brother left Damian and Hanley vulnerable, allowing the criminals to ambush them. In the ensuing struggle, Joshua and Damian were thrown into a metal chamber filled with unstable scientific equipment. As the device activated and released bursts of unidentified experimental radiation, the twins instinctively grasped each other's hands. The machine was eventually shut down by Brackett, who helped extract Joshua from the chamber now with stark white hair while leaving Damian behind. The criminals shot and killed Officer Hanley and presumed Damian dead. However, upon discovering that Damian had survived and had identified Joshua, Brackett and his associates sought to silence Joshua as a potential liability. They tracked him down and shot him in the shoulder. Wounded and desperate, Joshua reached out to his brother through a sudden psychic connection. Damian sensed the distress and followed the mental call to rescue him. During the confrontation, Damian experienced a doubling of his physical strength and reflexes due to their mysterious bond, enabling him to overpower and defeat the remaining criminals. Afterward, Damian turned Joshua over to the authorities.[6] While in prison, Joshua gradually discovered he could control the psychic link between himself and Damian. He learned to manipulate his brother through this connection, coercing Damian into acting according to his will.[7]
Zodiac Cartel[]
At some point, Joshua assumed the identity of Gemini and joined the Zodiac, a clandestine criminal syndicate secretly established by Cornelius van Lunt, who operated under the guise of [Taurus]]. Van Lunt assembled eleven other operatives, assigning each to a different American metropolis to establish a decentralised yet cooperative nationwide crime network. While the identities of the members were kept secret from each other, van Lunt alone knew them all. As Gemini, Joshua based his operations in Boston, Massachusetts, where he led a well organised criminal enterprise with multiple subordinates. He only met with the other Zodiac members during large-scale operations or strategic discussions. Eventually, van Lunt stepped down from his leadership position to comply with an astrological forecast. Thereafter, the Zodiac Cartel adopted a rotating leadership structure, with each member taking command during the time of year governed by their respective astrological sign.[8]
Zodiac Cartel Operations[]
As a member Gemini was present at their headquarters when Nick Fury, disguised as Scorpio, captured the Avengers Captain America, Goliath, Vision, Wasp, Yellowjacket along with Rick Jones. While the Zodiac prepared to execute the heroes, Wasp and Yellowjacket summoned a swarm of ants to disable the device restraining them. The Avengers broke free, and Fury revealed his identity and fought alongside them. During the chaos, Aries used the Zodiac Key to blast open an escape route, allowing the Cartel to flee. Gemini’s actions during the conflict went unrecorded.[9]
In the aftermath, Zodiac regrouped under Aries' leadership and began planning a takeover of Manhattan. Simultaneously, Cornelius van Lunt secretly led efforts to steal land belonging to the father of Red Wolf, prompting Red Wolf to track van Lunt's agent, Jason Birch, to Manhattan.[10] Unaware of Zodiac’s full agenda, the Avengers split into separate teams to investigate. Van Lunt's men later shot down the Avengers' quinjet carrying Goliath, Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Red Wolf during a confrontation near a dam, which was ultimately destroyed. Van Lunt appeared to drown in the resulting flood.[11] Elsewhere, Zodiac covertly supported the Thunderbolts Gang, manipulating them into inciting a false revolution among African-Americans as a front for criminal activity. The scheme was foiled by the combined efforts of Black Panther, Daredevil, and William Carver.[12]
Zodiac resurfaced in full force when Aries led a direct assault on Avengers Mansion. Using gas, they incapacitated the Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, Quicksilver, and Thor and placed them in stasis. Aries then deployed a force field to seal off Manhattan and threatened to kill its entire population unless a one-billion-dollar ransom was paid within 24 hours. Black Panther and Daredevil freed the Avengers, who confronted Zodiac. Aries was seemingly killed during the clash, while the rest of the Cartel escaped. Their mercenaries were arrested, and the force field was neutralised.[13]
Following Aries' downfall, Capricorn assumed leadership. He enlisted Spymaster and his Espionage Elite to sabotage Stark Industries, with orders to kill or capture Tony Stark. The operation failed.[14] Capricorn was later contacted by the Brotherhood of the Ankh, who instructed him to use the Zodiac Key to bring combatants into the Ankh dimension to recharge the Key through conflict.[15] Capricorn reassigned Spymaster to capture Daredevil, which was successfully carried out alongside the abduction of Madame Masque. Capricorn, Aquarius, Sagittarius, and Libra then travelled to Stark Industries, where they overpowered Iron Man, Fury, and Kevin O'Brien using the Zodiac Key. The trio, along with Daredevil, Fury, and Masque, were imprisoned.[16] Under the Key's influence, Fury transported the heroes, Zodiac members, and Spymaster to the Ankh dimension. There, the Lawholder of the Brotherhood forced them into combat. However, Daredevil's refusal to fight while under compulsion led to dissent among the Brotherhood, who ultimately returned everyone to Earth.[15]
Criminal Schemes and the Super-Soldier Formula[]
Following the Zodiac Key conflict, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Sagittarius were defeated by Daredevil, Fury, Iron Man, and Madame Masque. The Zodiac members were arrested, although Spymaster escaped.[17] While incarcerated, Gemini manipulated his psychic twin, Damian Link, into becoming his proxy. Joshua used Damian to establish alliances with both A.I.M. and the criminal Plunderer. As part of their scheme, Gemini hired the criminal known as the Pusher to abduct Dr. Wilma Calvin, a biochemist and former colleague of Dr. Ted Sallis, in an attempt to obtain a viable version of the Super-Soldier Serum.[7] The Pusher ambushed Calvin, but she was rescued by Ka-Zar. Though the Pusher escaped, Calvin was left in critical condition.[18] Ka-Zar later defeated the Pusher.[19]
During this period, Damian Link served as a liaison between the N.Y.P.D. and S.H.I.E.L.D., unaware that Joshua was still manipulating him. While aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to oversee Calvin's presentation of the completed Super-Soldier Serum, Joshua seized control. He donned the Gemini costume Damian had unknowingly brought aboard, stole the serum, and escaped in a jet. Ka-Zar pursued and eventually incapacitated him, but the serum fell into the hands of the Plunderer, who had allied himself with the extradimensional Tsiln creature Gog.[7]
As Ka-Zar confronted his brother, the Plunderer, Gemini revived and attacked again but was quickly defeated. Gog intervened, subduing Ka-Zar. When Zabu and Bobbi Morse arrived, Zabu knocked out Gemini a second time. Gog then teleported all of them to Liberty Island and began a destructive rampage. Amid the chaos, Morse escaped with the serum, while Gemini and the Plunderer stunned Ka-Zar before fleeing. With Gog lost and the serum gone, the alliance between Gemini and the Plunderer collapsed.[20]
Coup Against MODOK[]
Gemini and the Plunderer allied with former A.I.M. scientist Victorius, who had exposed himself to his own variation of the Super-Soldier Serum. Together, they plotted a coup to overthrow M.O.D.O.K. and seize control of A.I.M..[21] Gemini and the Plunderer assisted Victorius in ambushing and capturing Bobbi Morse. However, Morse had already delivered the serum to S.H.I.E.L.D.. Victorius attempted to torture her to discover its location, but tensions quickly escalated between him and Gemini. As Ka-Zar arrived, Gemini received yet another punch from the jungle lord before fleeing the scene.[22] Dissatisfied with his partners, Joshua Link abandoned the operation. He removed the Gemini costume and released his control over Damian Link, sending him back to New York City. Damian, unaware of his possession, was left confused by yet another unexplained blackout.[21]
Zodiac's Manhattan Plot[]
From prison, Joshua Link was contacted by Cornelius van Lunt, who revealed himself as Taurus and exposed his knowledge of Joshua’s dual identity as Gemini. Taurus informed Joshua of the Zodiac Cartel's plan to activate the Star-Blazer, a device capable of killing everyone in Manhattan born under the sign of Gemini. With Gemini absent from the voting process, his sign had been selected for the culling. To protect both Joshua and his twin, Taurus arranged Joshua's release and advised him to resume control of Damian.[23] Joshua complied, having Damian don the Gemini costume beneath his police uniform. Acting as a police liaison to the Avengers, Damian met with the team, but Joshua soon took control and attempted to infiltrate a secret weapons system. His actions aroused suspicion, and after being confronted by the Swordsman, his costume was exposed. Joshua attempted escape but was subdued by Thor. Once again, Joshua relinquished control, leaving Damian dazed and confused. Frustrated by Joshua's failure, Taurus led the Zodiac Cartel in a direct assault on Avengers Mansion. Armed with the Star-Blazer, Taurus overpowered the Avengers. Gemini reasserted control and ambushed Mantis, reclaiming the device and enabling the Zodiac to escape. Zodiac publicly announced their threat while Capricorn applied enhanced Nullify-Nodes to protect Joshua and Damian from the Star-Blazer's effect. The Avengers later tracked down Zodiac and damaged the Star-Blazer, but Taurus used its remaining charge to blast Mantis.[24]
The Avengers clashed with Zodiac again. In the chaos, Aries threw Mantis from a rooftop. Though she survived, Aries gathered several Zodiac members to stage a coup against Taurus. They excluded Gemini from their plans, believing he owed Taurus his life for earlier protection.[24] Taurus responded by trapping both the Avengers and the dissenting Zodiac members and launching them into space. Believing Mantis to be among those imprisoned (and secretly recognising her as his daughter), Libra betrayed Zodiac. He overpowered Gemini, freed Damian, and swapped him into Joshua's cell. Damian impersonated Gemini to distract Taurus while Libra worked to rescue the others. However, Taurus saw through Damian’s deception when he referenced a long-standing friendship and unmasked him. Taurus struck him down, but the Zodiac was ultimately defeated by the Avengers.[25] All members of the Zodiac Cartel except Libra were handed over to the police.[26]
Death[]
Eventually, Gemini and the other Zodiac heads regained their freedom under unrevealed circumstances.[8] After surviving an attack by a Life Model Decoy's or LMD's of Taurus sent by the Maggia, van Lunt summoned Gemini and the Zodiac, planning to destroy Iron Man (Jim Rhodes). When this initial plan failed, Taurus recruited a new Aries (successor to Grover Raymond).[27] Iron Man, aided by Morley and Clytemnestra Erwin and the unarmoured Tony Stark, captured Aquarius. Stark informed Nick Fury of Zodiac's activities, prompting S.H.I.E.L.D. to initiate a crackdown.[28] Due to escalating threats from the Deltite and other crises, S.H.I.E.L.D. was unable to prioritise action against Zodiac. Gemini and the rest of the Zodiac gathered in Houston, Texas, under Cancer's leadership. However, Scorpio revealed himself to be an LMD of Jake Fury, part of a robotic Zodiac. The LMD Zodiac ambushed the human cartel, apparently killing all except van Lunt, who escaped.[29] He was subsequently replaced by a LMD counterpart programmed to serve the new Zodiac's agenda.[5]Attributes
Powers
Notes
- Gemini's origin story was revealed in a backup within Astonishing Tales #8, this was some time after his first appearance.
- In a mystical reading of the First Tarot, Ian McNee noted cosmic relationships linking Gemini, the other air signs, Oshtur, and a variety of metaphysical forces, beings, and symbols.[30]
Trivia
- Each member of the Zodiac Cartel assumed the codename of the astrological sign they were born under. This means Joshua was born sometime between May 21st and June 21st.
See Also
- 11 appearance(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 5 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 5 minor appearance(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 1 mention(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 8 image(s) of Joshua Link (Earth-616)
- 1 quotation(s) by or about Joshua Link (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #20
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Captain America #169
- ↑ Avengers #120–121
- ↑ Iron Man (Vol. 3) #33
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Avengers (Vol. 3) #60
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Astonishing Tales #8
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Astonishing Tales #17
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition Omnibus #1
- ↑ Avengers #72
- ↑ Avengers #80
- ↑ Avengers #81
- ↑ Daredevil #69
- ↑ Avengers #82
- ↑ Iron Man #33–34
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Daredevil #73
- ↑ Iron Man #35
- ↑ Iron Man #36
- ↑ Astonishing Tales #15
- ↑ Astonishing Tales #16
- ↑ Astonishing Tales #18
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Astonishing Tales #20
- ↑ Astonishing Tales #19
- ↑ Avengers #120
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Avengers #121
- ↑ Avengers #122
- ↑ Avengers #123
- ↑ Iron Man #184
- ↑ Iron Man #185
- ↑ West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #26
- ↑ Marvel Tarot