Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)

Silverclaw
Name	Maria de Guadalupe 'Lupe' Santiago
Current Alias	Silverclaw
Aliases	Daughter of the Volcano God, La Garra Argentado
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Formerly reserve member of the Avengers
Relatives	Parents: Jaime Santiago (father, deceased) Peliali (mother, deceased) Other Relatives: Edwin Jarvis ("uncle")
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Female
Height	5′7″ (1.7 m)
Weight	150 lbs (68.04 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Brown
Hair	Black, Silver tips
Skin	Silver (in superhuman form)
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Demigoddess (Human/deity hybrid)
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Peliali's Mountain, Kamekeri, Costa Verde
Personal Information
Identity	Known to Authorities
Citizenship	Costa Verdean
Occupation	University student, adventurer
Education	College student, Empire State University
Base of Operations	Empire State University and Avengers Mansion, New York City
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Kurt Busiek, George Perez
First	Avengers (Vol. 3) #8 (July, 1998)
First	Avengers (Vol. 3) #8 (July, 1998)

History

Early Life

Maria was born near the village of the Kamekeri in the Central American nation of Costa Verde. The Kamekeri were a simple people whose ancestors worshiped the ancient gods until the arrival of the Spaniards. The Spanish missionaries colonized her people and this included the conversion of the Kamekeri and led to an abandonment of the ancient beliefs and gods. Legends say that the Kamekeri's gods left for the heavens, except for one. Peliali, the Volcano goddess vowed to stay among her chosen people and to provide them with her protection. Her father, Jaime Santiago was a Kamekeri villager who studied the ancient beliefs and pantheon. He traveled into the mountains where Peliali was said to dwell and returned with stories of encountering the volcano goddess. Santiago was ridiculed and denounced by the church for his reports of Peliali but despite the mocking of the Kamekeri he continued to visit her mountain. Months passed and Santiago returned with an infant who he claimed was his daughter and the daughter of Peliali. The child was given a Christian name and baptized. During the baptism, little Lupe's ability to transform into were-forms manifested. Due to her bizarre and often uncontrolled transformations, she was the target of constant teasing and whispered fear from the Kamekeri. As she grew up, Lupe's father taught her of her heritage and told her stories of her mother. But each time he would take her to visit Peliali's mountain home, there was no sign of the volcano goddess. When Lupe was still a child, her father died and she was taken in by the local church orphanage which was funded by ChildCare, an American charity for international orphans. The sisters who ran the orphanage were nervous about Lupe's strange powers and considered them ungodly.

Edwin Jarvis

When Edwin Jarvis, the butler to Anthony Stark and the world-famous Avengers, saw a commercial for the charitable organization ChildCare he decided to use part of his salary to sponsor a needy child. Jarvis wrote to ChildCare and was assigned to the orphanage in the Kamekeri village. The sisters at the orphanage had heard of Jarvis' employers the Stark and knew of their connections to Iron Man. Knowing this, they assigned Jarvis to be the sponsor of Lupe Santiago. They hoped that if any problems relating to Lupe's strange powers arose, Jarvis and his connections to the Avengers might help. Over the years, Lupe wrote to Edwin Jarvis frequently and marveled at his tales of the Avengers. Lupe rejected her past and had a deep desire to be modern and worldly. She was always the first to try new things, like piercing her nose and buying CDs from America. She dreamed of visiting the US and attending University there. Despite all this, she never forgot her father's teachings and kept the ceremonial garb he designed for her as a reminder of her heritage and destiny.

Meeting the Avengers

Years later, Lupe journeyed to America to attend Empire State University and finally meet her "Tio Edwin". En route, the plane Lupe was traveling on was hijacked by terrorists in the employ of Moses Magnum. Lupe used her powers to try to stop the terrorists, but when they took hostages Silverclaw was forced into helping them. At the airport, Jarvis arrived to meet his long-time sponsored child. When the airport was attacked, he summoned the Avengers.

The Avengers arrived and battled Magnum's men who were being led by Silverclaw. After a brief tussle with Captain America and Triathlon, Silverclaw was defeated. However, the battle was merely a distraction and Magnum and his men managed to make good on their plans to steal a seismic cannon. Silverclaw quickly reappeared and revealed herself to be Jarvis' ward. She explained what had happened aboard the plane and that she only agreed to help the terrorists on the condition that no one was killed during their attack. The Avengers thanked Silverclaw for that and she accompanied them all to Avengers Mansion. Silverclaw joined the Avengers in tracking down and stopping Magnum's plans for the seismic cannon. She then began her studies at Empire State University.

Triune Understanding

Her studies were interrupted by two subsequent adventures involving the Avengers. In the first, Silverclaw was manipulated by the Taskmaster into attacking the Triune Understanding alongside other allies of the Avengers. The Taskmaster was actually working for the Triunes who used the attack by prominent Avengers' allies to further their smear campaign against the team.

Kulan Gath

The second adventure was initiated by Silverclaw herself. Recently, Silverclaw received an urgent message from Costa Verde. Fearing the worst, she sought the Avengers' help. The team accompanied her to Costa Verde and discovered Silverclaw's village had been conquered and transformed by Kulan Gath, an ancient wizard of the Hyborian Age. Gath sought to increase his power by sacrificing a god...in this case, the goddess Peliali. Confronted with the reality of her mother's existence, Silverclaw and the Avengers ventured into the Kamekeri village which had been mystically transformed into a grand city from the Hyborian Age. Kulan Gath's magic had transformed and ensorcelled the villagers and it was only through the sorcerous aid of the Scarlet Witch that the Avengers were able to infiltrate the city. Having captured Peliali, Kulan Gath's plans were near fruition when the Avengers arrived. Kulan Gath's forces were easily able to overwhelm the assembled heroes who were captured and forced to watch as Kulan Gath performed the ceremony necessary to kill Peliali. With her death, Kulan Gath intended to open a gate to the nether realms where he would ascend to power with Peliali's life as the toll for his passage into power.

When the Avengers finally managed to bust free, Silverclaw attacked Kulan Gath. In the ensuing melee, Lupe realized that their only hope was Peliali herself. Seeing her mother for the first time, Silverclaw now believed in the legends and stories. Seeking to increase her mother's power to enable her to escape Kulan Gath, Lupe appealed to the Kamekeri in an attempt to restore their faith in the volcano goddess who had remained behind to protect them. Lupe's words struck a cord within the Kamekeri and the mystical connection that fated her to be their protector grew stronger. Hearing her impassioned pleas, the villagers broke free of Kulan Gath's spell and began chanting Peliali's name. This enabled their patron goddess to escape Kulan Gath's bonds just as the aged wizard plunged the ceremonial dagger into her breast. The mystic portal was thrown open, but Peliali had vanished. Gath's dark masters were angered to see the portal opened without the proper token of a god's life and enraged, claimed Kulan Gath in her stead! Defeated and consumed by his dark masters, Gath's spell was broken and the Kamekeri village and its inhabitants returned to its original state.

Peliali did not fare quite so well as her beloved village. Gath's blow was fatal, even for a goddess. As Lupe cradled her mother's form in her arms, Peliali explained that her time here was past. Kulan Gath had helped her to realize that the world had matured and the time of old gods had come and gone. She admitted that she was wrong to stay among mortals. She told the sobbing Lupe that she regretted her decision to hide herself from her daughter all these years and that she could join her fellow gods knowing that her daughter would protect the people and land that she loved. This said, Peliali finally joined the rest of the ancient gods. Silverclaw said "I love you" to her mother for the first and final time.

Once the Kamekeri village was safe, the Avengers returned home and Silverclaw returned to her studies at ESU. She has chosen to study topics that will enable her to be a better protector to her people: criminology, psychology and mythology. Upon their return, the Scarlet Witch offered Lupe another avenue for improving her skills as a hero by offering her the open slot as reserve member of the Avengers.

Maximum Security

Silverclaw accompanied the group of Avengers who boarded the Ruul Watchtower supervising the force field around Earth. She was returned to Earth with the others for the final battle against Ronan the Accuser.

Diablo

From Avengers Mansion, Silverclaw observed a news report detailing the Avengers' struggle against a city overrun by Hulk-like creatures. Contemplating whether to join her teammates in the fray, Silverclaw was startled by a loud noise emanating from across the street, prompting her to investigate. She soon found herself under attack by Diablo. Despite facing Diablo's onslaught, Silverclaw persisted in battle while the rest of the Avengers contended with the transformed city. However, her resilience faltered briefly when Diablo utilized his alchemical powers to transmute her into a salt-like substance. Adapting swiftly, Silverclaw reshaped herself and engaged Diablo once more, confronting his Petrachnus construct. Before long, Wonder Man and Triathlon arrived, bolstering Silverclaw's efforts. Together, the trio of Avengers overpowered Diablo, emerging victorious.

Celestial Quest

Silverclaw was present at Avengers Mansion when Vision burst in, urgently announcing Mantis's peril. Joining the Avengers in their mission to aid Mantis against Thanos, Silverclaw received an education about Mantis's significance from Thor during their journey. Arriving just in time, they assisted Mantis in reclaiming her full power by reabsorbing her dispersed aspects. Witnessing Mantis's battle against the Thanosi duplicate, Silverclaw and her teammates realized Thanos's true target: Mantis's son, the Celestial Messiah. Embarking on a mission alongside Earth-712's Haywire and Mantis to save Sequoia, the Celestial Messiah, Silverclaw encountered the alien pirate Reptyl, whose attack on their Quinjet led to a tumultuous escape. Silverclaw ventured off-Earth for the first time, engaging in discussions with Haywire about his desire to resurrect his deceased girlfriend, Inertia. Their journey took them to Tamal, the planet of the Cotati, where they encountered Sequoia, embittered by years of abandonment by Mantis. On Tamal, Silverclaw sparred with Haywire, attempting to dissuade him from his fixation on Inertia. When Sequoia was abducted, Silverclaw joined the Avengers in their efforts to rescue him. Amidst chaos and conflict, she remained conscious alongside Vision, Mantis, and Haywire. After a perilous journey, she shared a moment with Haywire before they set out to find Sequoia. As the team faced Death on the Quinjet, Silverclaw confronted her, vowing to prevent Thanos from seizing Sequoia. After Death departed, Silverclaw inquired about their proximity to Sequoia's ship. Accompanying Thor and Scarlet Witch, Silverclaw prepared to board Thanos's ship to rescue Mantis, Vision, and Sequoia. They encountered the alien Rot surrounding the vessel. Witnessing Haywire's desperate plea to Death for Inertia's return, Silverclaw realized her inability to dissuade his fixation. Tragically, Haywire sacrificed himself in a futile attempt to resurrect Inertia, leaving Silverclaw to grapple with the loss.

Deviants

Silverclaw fought alongside her teammates against a Deviant invasion, overcoming their adversaries. However, their victory was short-lived as they became trapped in a cave-in triggered by additional Deviant forces. Standing alongside her fellow Avengers, Silverclaw confronted Lord Dulpus, the leader of the Deviants, who declared that Warbird would engage his chosen champion in combat. Witnessing Warbird's confrontation with Glomm, Dulpus' champion, Silverclaw watched as Warbird disrupted Glomm's form, ultimately leading to his defeat. Remaining by the Avengers' side, Silverclaw witnessed Warbird's negotiations with Dulpus, ensuring the Deviants' surrender.

Graviton

Silverclaw, like nearly every other superhero on Earth, was lifted into the upper atmosphere by Graviton. Silverclaw descended to the ground along with the other heroes of Earth, brought back from the upper atmosphere.

Master of the World

Silverclaw played a crucial role in the team's assault on the Master of the World's base. When Warbird became separated from the group during the intense confrontation with the Master, Silverclaw, Quicksilver, and Yellowjacket (in a genetic construct form) managed to establish faint communication with her. Reuniting with Warbird, Silverclaw, Quicksilver, and Yellowjacket pressed forward, delving deeper into the Master of the World's stronghold. Engaging in direct confrontation, Silverclaw and her comrades clashed with the Master's Plodex alien forces while Warbird confronted the Master himself. To their astonishment, Warbird ultimately defeated the Master by impaling him with a shard from his own ship.

Kang War

Silverclaw engaged in a conversation with Stingray about their roles as reserve superheroes before Wasp summoned them to regroup with the other Avengers. Later, Silverclaw joined them in the assault on Kang's Damocles Base. Silverclaw attended as a witness during the formal court-martial hearing of Warbird, where she was unanimously cleared of any involvement in the Master's murder. Following the verdict, Silverclaw remained for the celebratory feast commemorating Kang's defeat. Silverclaw received Quinjet flight training from various reserve Avengers when their session was interrupted by an attack from the Elements of Doom. Engaging in the skirmish, Silverclaw fought alongside her allies until the Elements were neutralized by a Chemical Destabilization Cannon.

Order

Silverclaw joined forces with the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and various other heroes in a coordinated offensive against the Order, who had nearly seized control of the world under the influence of Yandroth. Engaged in combat, Silverclaw fought against the Order until Yandroth's defeat.

Justice League

Caught in a temporal disturbance orchestrated by Krona, Silverclaw, alongside members of the Avengers and Justice League, participated in an attack on Krona's stronghold.

Scarlet Witch Attack

Silverclaw stood with the Avengers when their headquarters, Avengers Mansion, fell victim to destruction caused by a Quinjet controlled by Vision, who was manipulated by external forces. Remaining with her fellow Avengers, Silverclaw was present when Captain America questioned their presence. Nick Fury swiftly instructed them to disperse until S.H.I.E.L.D. could gather accurate information. Silverclaw stayed put as unexpected Kree vessels initiated an assault. Silverclaw continued her support for the Avengers while Doctor Strange uncovered the true mastermind behind the attack, revealing Scarlet Witch's involvement.

Civil War

Fighting Ms. Marvel

In the wake of the Superhuman Registration Act, Ms. Marvel (formerly Warbird) tracked down Silverclaw and initiated a confrontation, pressuring her to comply with the registration mandate. Silverclaw, in defiance, pointed out the disparity between the laws of the United States and those of her homeland, Costa Verde. Following Captain America's "death," Silverclaw voluntarily submitted to registration as a superhuman. Despite her citizenship in Costa Verde and other considerations, Iron Man opted against recommending her for involvement in the 50-State Initiative.

Puppets

Silverclaw fell into the clutches of the Puppet Master's agents and was transported to his Chilean stronghold, where he ensnared her mind with a puppet device, adding her to his entourage of controlled women. Under the Puppet Master's control, Silverclaw stood among other superhuman women like Dusk, Stature, and Tigra, as Arana joined their ranks. Silverclaw and her fellow captives remained under Puppet Master's sway, compelled to aid him in orchestrating battles for his twisted entertainment. When Ms. Marvel and her Lightning Storm team intervened, Puppet Master dispatched Silverclaw and Tigra to confront them. Engaged in combat, Silverclaw and the others battled fiercely until Ms. Marvel incapacitated Silverclaw and Tigra by knocking their heads together. Puppet Master's subsequent suicidal explosion, intended to eliminate Ms. Marvel, failed, resulting in the liberation of Silverclaw and her comrades from his control. Silverclaw and the other freed captives were slated for medical care and arrangements for their return home the following morning.

Mayapan

In the aftermath of the extradimensional Mayapan's devastating floods in El Salvador, Captain America mobilized a team consisting of Silverclaw, Living Lightning, El Toro, and several other Avengers affiliates to provide aid. Despite Red Hulk's suggestion to recall Silverclaw and the team, Captain America reassured him of their capabilities. Shortly thereafter, the Mayapan detected the presence of superhumans and descended upon El Salvador, expressing a sinister intent to sacrifice them. Engaging the heroes, the Mayapan initiated a fierce battle, with Silverclaw confronting Ixchel directly. After the defeat of the Mayapan, Red Hulk and Alpha Flight assisted in the recovery of Silverclaw and the other affected heroes. Emerging from the Mayapan's temple, Silverclaw struck up a conversation with Guardian from Alpha Flight as the victorious heroes celebrated their triumph.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

• Shapeshifting - South American Fauna: Silverclaw possesses the superhuman ability to mimic the physical characteristics of various animals native to rainforests and jungles. Thus far, Lupe has demonstrated the following animal aspects: jaguar, anaconda, cockatoo, monkey, sloth, puma, cheetah, and crocodile. When assuming an animal form, Lupe does not transform need to fully into the animal. Instead, she assumes a form that combines elements of the animal with her normal human appearance. These were-forms are similar to the transitional forms assumed by other animal shape-shifters, such as the mutants Wolfsbane and Catseye. Each of these forms grant Silverclaw additional abilities. Silverclaw has demonstrated enhanced strength, speed, and agility, claws, flight, and enhanced senses while transformed. She has also shown the ability to alter her size to some degree, as when she transformed into a giant sloth.

In her powered form, Silverclaw's skin assumes a silvery quality. This silver skin also manifests whenever Silverclaw assumes an animal form. It has not been revealed if Lupe's silver skin is merely cosmetic or if it possesses superhuman qualities of its own. As a shapeshifter, Lupe has complete control of her form. Through force of will, she has overcome powerful transformative enchantments and reverted to her true form.

Trivia

• 51st person to join the Avengers.
• The correct Spanish translation for Silverclaw is not "La Garra Argentado," but "La Garra Argentada" (as both the article el/la = the and the adjective argentado/argentada = silver must carry information on the gender of the noun, in this case garra = claw, which is female).

See Also

• 37 appearance(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 5 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 2 minor appearance(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 1 mention(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 4 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 19 image(s) of Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)
• 1 quotation(s) by or about Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Maria de Guadalupe Santiago on Marvel.com