Melissa Gold[6] is the melodious beauty known as Songbird, who deploys solid sound-based constructs to act as a super hero usually associated with the Thunderbolts.[15] After running away from a dysfunctional household, she turned to a life of crime as Screaming Mimi,[6] using her electronically-modified vocal folds as a wrestler in the Grapplers.[16] As a lawbreaker, she joined Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil[17] and became the partner of Angar, the Screamer.[18] Following Angar's death during a bank robbery attempt, Mimi was desolated until finding purpose in Zemo's plan of transforming Masters of Evil into a group of hero pretenders, the Thunderbolts.[19] With technology provided by the Fixer, Mimi gained sonic abilities derived from the master of sound Klaw as Songbird.[15] Alongside other Thunderbolts, Songbird came to respect the life of heroism and went legit.[20]
Gradually, Songbird became a respected player in the superhuman community, even being offered a position among Earth's Mightiest Heroes and her former enemies, the Avengers.[21] She has a long record of operating as a covert agent for S.H.I.E.L.D., acting as a complex infiltrator both in the Thunderbolts[22][23] and in A.I.M.'s Avengers.[24] Despite of this, she ultimately always sides with her long-term allies in super-heroics.[25][26][27]
Songbird rejoined the Thunderbolts when they were led by Bucky Barnes, being able to recognize the heroism the team lost so many times in their history.[28] However, she was once again betrayed due to the actions of Zemo.[29] Still, her loyalty to Bucky remained and she now acts as a member of his new Thunderbolts, a task force aimed at combatting terrorism.[30]
History
Screaming Mimi[]
Melissa Gold comes from a low-income household from Shoshoni, Wyoming. She was raised by an alcoholic and abusive father after her mother ran away with a criminal after committing robbery. As a child, Melissa experienced extreme violence, both from her classmates, who bullied her due to her mother's incarceration, and from her father, who was rancorous for his wife's abandonment. Following her mother's steps, she decided to run away as well and, in order to survive on the streets, developed a hard edge to her personality, referring to herself as "Mimi" after her mother.[31] Life on the streets was tough for Mimi, who soon became involved with crime through her boyfriend, Mike. Having her trust betrayed, Mimi was set up for her boyfriend's involvement with robbery. In jail, she met the costumed wrestler Poundcakes, who offered a position in the wrestling team known as the Grapplers. Becoming cybernetically enhanced, she took the stage name Screaming Mimi,[32] training at Kowalski's Gym.[3] The original Screaming Mimi costume was provided by The Tailor and his Rogues Gallery Costumes.[22]
_from_Dazzler_Vol_1_13_cover.jpg){kind=link}
Melissa as Screaming Mimi
The Grapplers became relatively renowned for their colorful identities and ringside antics in the wrestling community,[3] but in fact were covert operatives for the corrupt Roxxon Oil Company, being given special paraphernalia to assist them in illegal missions. Screaming Mimi had her vocal folds electronically-enhanced, giving her the capacity of generating ghoulish high-pitched frequencies that could disorient enemies.[16] The cryptic leaderships of Roxxon manipulated the manager Oglethorpe into introducing his client, the Femizonian named Thundra, to the Grapplers.[3] Led by Thundra, the Grapplers invaded Project Pegasus to tamper with a piece of technology for hidden purposes involving control over an energy source. Pegasus' super hero security guard Quasar opposed the Grapplers and ultimately resisted Screaming Mimi's maddening howl. The Grapplers were jailed for their misdeeds.[16]
Incarcerated at Ryker's Island prison, the Grapplers ruled the female wing of the penitentiary. When the scintillating Dazzler was sent to prison for the assassination of the master of the sound Klaw, the Grapplers tortured her to learn how she had accomplished such a feat. Screaming Mimi's abilities interacted with Dazzler's mutant powers of converting sound into light, empowering her to overcome the aggressors. Eventually, Dazzler was pleaded innocent.[33] After leaving prison, the Grapplers continued to perform crimes. They were among the many villains who attempted to attack the Thing when he was hospitalized.[34]
The Grapplers set their sights on a woman's division of the super-powered Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. Their manager, Auntie Freeze, arranged for the women to augment their artificial powers with natural ones created by the agency Power Broker, Inc. The all-new Grapplers made a legitimate professional comeback, expanding their numbers as professional wrestlers. However, that proved short-lived. The team dissolved because some of their members were murdered by the vigilante Scourge.[35] Feeling she did not belong to that life anymore, Mimi decided to go back to surviving by herself.[32]
The Screamer[]
Baron Zemo wished to reform the Masters of Evil as an enormous group with several different super-villains. One of his associates was Screaming Mimi. Alongside the Grey Gargoyle, she went on a mission to free Yellowjacket out of prison, during which she impersonated a law agent. Following a subsequent battle with the chairwoman of the Avengers, the Wasp, and her partner, the hitman Paladin, she was incarcerated[17] in the Vault.[12] Without her, the Masters of Evil raided the Avengers Mansion and managed to humiliate the Avengers in a major accomplishment.[36]
After a massive prison break at the Vault,[37] Screaming Mimi met and formed a romantic and criminal partnership with the similarly-empowered Angar, the Screamer. Their main activity involved bank robbery. To cover their tracks, Angar used his mesmerizing sonic powers to masquerade them as the couple from the West Coast Avengers, the marksman Hawkeye and his wife Mockingbird. The real heroes investigated the actions of their impersonators in Denver. The deaf Hawkeye was not affected by the auditory illusion and managed to defeat them, sending them back to the Vault.[12]
Screaming Mimi was part of the Femizons, a misandrist organization whose goal involved conquering Earth and create a utopia where women ruled over men. Led by Superia, the group was composed of several established female criminals and super-villainesses. However, their plans were stopped by Captain America.[38][39] Despite her man-hating association, Screaming Mimi still maintained her close bond to Angar, as both attended the wedding of Titania and the Absorbing Man together, assisting in preventing the Avengers from ruining the ceremony.[40]
Justice, Like Lightning[]
_and_Abner_Jenkins_(Earth-616)_from_Thunderbolts_Vol_1_2_001.jpg){kind=link}
With Abe, as Songbird
During a robbery, Angar and Mimi succeeded in escaping, but soon the situation went sour. Angar did not notice he had been shot during the heist and died in Mimi's arms as they ran away. Hurt with immense grief and sorrow, Screaming Mimi shrieked like never before, for almost an hour, and ruptured her augmented vocal folds, destroying her larynx. Immediately afterwards, she was contacted and nursed back to health by Baron Zemo with an offer to rejoin the Masters of Evil for he had a new plan for the team. Zemo's accomplice, the Fixer, rebuilt her vocal tract using implants derived from technology used by the master of sound Klaw he had acquired from Project Pegasus. The implants were linked to a Sonic Carapace that could transform sound into solid energy, radically altering her powerset. Mimi now could create force fields and wings that enabled flight. Although she lacked any purpose, she decided to stay with the Masters of Evil as a way not to be alone.[31]
With her newly-altered powers, Mimi was given the identity of Songbird as a member of the Thunderbolts, a group of Masters of Evil posing as super-heroes to win the world's trust while secretly plotting world conquest under Zemo's direction.[15] In this new association, Songbird became close to her teammate Abner Jenkins, the one-man battleship MACH-1, formerly known as the Beetle, to improve her recently acquired flight capacities. The relationship soon became romantic, despite Songbird's unstable emotions, an evidence of her abandonment issues. One of the opponents of the Thunderbolts was a new version of the Masters of Evil led by the Crimson Cowl. During a confrontation, Songbird was put down by Klaw, who had control over her powers and was offended by his technology being stolen.[41]
Songbird and most of the other Thunderbolts grew to like their heroic roles,[42] to the point of disobeying Zemo's orders to save the lives of innocents from the Elements of Doom. With the Thunderbolts restrained, Songbird was able to fend for herself and defeat many of the Elements with her powers, realizing her potential. The victory ironically gave the Thunderbolts access to the classified files of the Avengers Mansion, allowing Zemo to go on with his plan of ruling the world.[43] At some point, Songbird and MACH-1 were contacted by the former leader of the Avengers, the Black Widow, who insinuated that she knew their true identities and suggested they could have a chance for redemption in case they rebelled against their distasteful master.[44] Ultimately, Zemo exposed the truth, turning the Thunderbolts into wanted villains again.[45] Despite initially joining him, Songbird and some of the Thunderbolts turned against him, foiling his attempt at world domination and saving the Avengers in the process.[46]
Wanted Heroes[]
The Thunderbolts became fugitives, being guided by the manipulative Moonstone, instead of Zemo. Songbird demonstrated regression in her attitude, resorting to her Mimi persona to solve conflicts. As a result, she started to mistreat MACH-1, putting strains on their relationship.[47] In order to regain the prestige they once had, the Thunderbolts decided to act as heroes once again under the radar. Songbird was given the fake identity of "Margie Green" in order to be able to lead a parallel civilian life, working as a waitress. Their new life was short-lived after S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to track their location and force another escape.[5] Songbird provided shelter to the Thunderbolts in an old cabin she owned as a runaway criminal in Colorado, where her rudeness towards MACH-1 astonished their teammates. She also expressed her disgust at the struggles they faced in their new life. When contacted by the Crimson Cowl for an opportunity to rejoin the Masters of Evil with promises of a luxurious lifestyle, Songbird was the most seduced member of the Thunderbolts with the possibility.[48]
However, the Thunderbolts decided to attack the Masters of Evil instead.[49] The brutality Songbird displayed allowed her to best Klaw in combat, but still was captured with the other Thunderbolts thanks to Moonstone's inefficient leadership. The team was rescued by the mysterious Dreadknight, who expressed his intentions of joining them. In fact, that was a fake identity used by the master marksman of the Avengers, Hawkeye.[50] A reformed villain himself, Hawkeye proposed to help them in regaining the public's trust. Songbird did not trust him and chose to flee, abandoning the Thunderbolts. MACH-1 searched for her and, surrounded by the military, Songbird talked about her feelings, admitting she was pushing him off due to fear of having her expectations shattered one more time. Being rescued by Hawkeye, Songbird accepted his proposition of leading the team in return of getting official pardons for the Thunderbolts.[32]
Hawkeye had a condition to help the Thunderbolts, though. As the team's only convicted murderer, MACH-1 would have to serve his prison sentence. In order to give his allies a second chance, Jenkins agreed, despite Songbird suggesting they could go restart life under the radar.[51] Upon Jenkins' arrest, Songbird started to grow resentful with Hawkeye for his decision.[52] Under Hawkeye's recommendation, the Thunderbolts put an end to the Maters of Evil, fully consolidating their heroic tendencies.[14] Feeling abandoned, Songbird started to see Hawkeye as a protector[53] and made advances towards him, but got rejected. Hawkeye recognized her pain and offered friendship, which she thankfully accepted.[54]
A mysterious new Beetle emerged in the criminal scene as a smuggler, catching the attention of the Thunderbolts, who believed him to be Jenkins.[55] The hesitant Beetle attacked Songbird to make way to an escape, but got incapacitated. The armor was empty, though.[56] From prison, Jenkins informed the Thunderbolts he had been operating as Beetle for the Commission on Superhuman Activities. Hawkeye orchestrated a plan to break him free of jail and bargained his freedom with Henry P. Gyrich. Back to the Thunderbolts as MACH-2, he underwent appearance-altering surgery to conceal his true identity, unexpectedly being transformed into a black man. Songbird was severely distressed by her lover's physical changes.[57] Recognizing his struggle to adapt as well, she felt compassion and tried her best to accept him.[58]
When Moonstone's psyche was affected by her powers, she went to the Blue Area of the Moon in search of answers with the Kree Supreme Intelligence. The Thunderbolts tracked her position and went to her assistance, being intercepted by Genis-Vell, the Kree warrior known as Captain Marvel.[59] In his home Titan, the Thunderbolts were subdued since the computer I.S.A.A.C. wished to depower Moonstone.[60] The captive Songbird and the confused Captain Marvel shared a deep bond. This led him to vouch for the Thunderbolts and free them under the condition of keeping an eye in his activities using his cosmic awareness.[61] In a potential future, Songbird and Captain Marvel were members of the Avengers and lovers, which explained their connection.[62]
No Redemption[]
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The end of Thunderbolts
The Thunderbolts were targeted by the new Scourge of Underworld, who ignited chaos in their base to the point of attracting S.H.I.E.L.D.[63] The group learned that Gyrich was part of a conspiracy to exterminate all superhumans.[64] Hawkeye blackmailed the Commission into giving full pardons in exchange for their silence. As a condition, Hawkeye was sent to prison for illegal vigilantism and all the other Thunderbolts were forced to abandon their costumed identities. Songbird and MACH-2 turned their equipment over to the authorities and started a civilian life in the town of Burton Canyon, Idaho as Melissa Gold and Abe Jenkins.[65] Gold found herself unable to adapt to a domestic life and secretly committed theft.[66] Sensing her struggle, Captain Marvel secretly contacted her, helping her in return the stolen jewlery pieces she had acquired. In order to go legit, Gold took a job position as an audio equipment seller.[67]
Long-time enemy of the Thunderbolts, the insane Graviton, launched an attack on Earth and murdered most members of the Redeemers, the team the Commission on Superhuman Activities created to supplant the Thunderbolts.[68] The original Thunderbolts reassembled under Baron Zemo's command to stop Graviton, breaking the terms of their pardon. Infiltrated within the V-Battalion, Zemo had access to technology to revive Songbird and MACH-3.[69] In a final stand against Graviton, the Thunderbolts trapped him inside a solid sound dome generated by Songbird. The Thunderbolts vanished as the sphere collapsed. Meanwhile, Songbird was stranded on Earth, alone. One of the Redeemers, the sound entity named Scream, was revealed to be the remnants of Angar.[70] Out of control, Angar caused immense chaos with his unchecked sound-based abilities. Songbird sought help with S.H.I.E.L.D. to stop him, letting the agents analyze her powers and technology to find a solution. In the end, Angar's spirit was absorbed into Songbird's sound-shaping harness, which was subsequently destroyed, releasing him of his torment.[71]
In reality, MACH-3 and the other vanished Thunderbolts survived but were trapped on Counter-Earth.[72] However, Songbird believed her allies to be dead. Dealing with grief, she accepted the offer of S.H.I.E.L.D. commander Dum Dum Dugan to be in a mission of tracking down Hawkeye and the band of super-villains who accompanied him after leaving Seagate Prison. As an undercover detective for S.H.I.E.L.D., she readopted her "Mimi" persona[73] and used her criminal connections to find her targets. Hawkeye had been working for S.H.I.E.L.D. to investigate the activities of the late Justin Hammer to retrieve data on one of his projects. After solving the mystery, Songbird was able to find Hawkeye and his associates. While the criminals Hawkeye was with were place in custody, Songbird decided to keep Plantman free, suspecting he could be part of a bigger scheme. As a result, they united as Thunderbolts.[22]
Hammer's legacy was a biological toxin catalyzed by Plantman that incited absolute mind control. Crimson Cowl and her Masters of Evil made their move to get hold of the process and battled the Thunderbolts to accomplish their plan. Some of the Masters of Evil were convinced of siding with the Thunderbolts to defeat the Crimson Cowl and neutralize the toxin.[74] To preserve the freedom of the new Thunderbolts, Songbird attacked Dugan and his agents to cover an escape. Alongside Hawkeye, she was able to protect Plantman from dying as he evolved to Blackheath.[75] Recruited by the V-Batallion, the Thunderbolts assessed a crisis concerning an interdimensional rift. This connected them with the Thunderbolts previously stranded on Counter-Earth.[76]
New Thunderbolts[]
MACH-3 once more remanded himself to police custody to serve the remainder of his sentence in order to really get a fresh start. Disliking his decision, Songbird agreed to stay with the Thunderbolts, once again under Baron Zemo's leadership. His intentions were to rule the world in order to save it,[25] with the creation of the Liberator, a device that would drain abnormal uses of energy throughout the world and hopefully reduce global threats, eliminate superhuman terrorism, and stabilize the world’s status quo. This put the Thunderbolts at odds with the Avengers.[77] Feeling betrayed, Moonstone absorbed the energies that the Liberator had harnessed. Songbird sided with the Avengers to defeat Moonstone and stop Baron Zemo.[78] The Thunderbolts were no more. Songbird was offered a position in the Avengers, but refused the offer claiming she could not work with teammates she could not trust.[21]
Songbird & Zemo
Melissa Gold became a student at Empire State University, secretly operating as a vigilante in her Songbird identity. This coincided with MACH-IV reforming the Thunderbolts and inviting her to the new team. Despite being initially hesitant, Songbird accepted the offer.[79] In secrecy, Songbird had been in contact with Baron Zemo. Having seized Moonstone's power gems, he claimed to have access to predictive visions in which Songbird had a leading position in the Thunderbolts. Their connection developed into a romantic affair. As such, Songbird became a mole infiltrated in MACH-IV's Thunderbolts. To add another layer of deception in her activities, she used her relationship with Zemo to gain his confidence and make an eventual betrayal on her part easier.[80] In action as a Thunderbolt, Songbird happily crossed paths with Genis-Vell, who she admired. Mysteriously, though, he was murdered when teaming up with the Thunderbolts.[79]
When confronting the Fathom Five, Songbird went beyond her limits, injuring her larynx and getting hospitalized.[81] In a dramatic fight against Hydra, she made her return, witnessing the resurrection of Genis-Vell, who returned to life as Photon.[82] In her recovery, Songbird discovered the Thunderbolts were funded by Hydra Supreme, Baron Strucker. Considering this to be an immoral option, she refused to remain with the group.[83] She investigated Genis-Vell's death, realizing her teammate Atlas was responsible.[84] In her investigation, she crossed paths with the unscrupulous Purple Man,[85] who had influenced the actions of the Thunderbolts using mind control. Joining forces with the new Swordsman, Songbird escaped the influence of the Purple Man and helped the Thunderbolts. However, the Swordsman had been secretly under the Purple Man's control, mortally injuring MACH-IV and Photon.[86] Songbird took full control of the Thunderbolts to stop the Purple Man. Afterwards, she maintained her control in order to forge the Thunderbolts into an honest organization.[87] Under Songbird's leadership, the Thunderbolts operated as agents for the Commission on Superhuman Activities.[88]
Distressed by his cosmic awareness, Genis-Vell communed with Songbird, who had a glimpse of an incoming major crisis.[89] As part of Zemo's manipulations, Songbird and her Thunderbolts were attacked by a catatonic Moonstone. His plan was ending Genis-Vell's life due to the disruptions he caused in the fabric of the universe. Despite Songbird's resistance, Baron Zemo ultimately slew Genis-Vell, dispersing his body across the Darkforce Dimension. Together, Baron Zemo became the head of a new version of the Thunderbolts,[90] with Songbird as his field leader. Songbird's fellow Thunderbolt and trusted ally Radioactive Man was able to figure out her secret association with Zemo. She was able to share her true intentions of betraying Zemo after he saved the world from a bigger threat.[80]
Breaking Point[]
_and_Bullseye_(Lester)_(Earth-616)_from_Thunderbolts_Vol_1_127_001.jpg){kind=link}
Songbird fights Bullseye
With the proposition of the Superhuman Registration Act, Baron Zemo was contacted by Tony Stark to hunt down and force super-villains into fighting for the pro-registration forces in the super hero community.[9] As a rehabilitation program, the villains were tagged with nanobot technology to monitor and curb their actions.[91] The Thunderbolts expanded their roster to an army.[92] Songbird took advantage of it to make a deal with Dallas Riordan about the future of the Thunderbolts. As registered heroes, they would become part of the Initiative under Songbird's leadership. Zemo had been aware of such machinations all along.[93] In a final confrontation against the Elder of the Universe Grandmaster for the Wellspring of Power, Zemo accomplished his goals.[94] As expected, he was ultimately betrayed by Songbird, who destroyed the Moonstones that empowered him, causing him to disappear.[23] As a result of her actions, Moonstone restored her powers and reassumed her position in the Thunderbolts.[95]
The Thunderbolts were reformulated as predicted, with ex-villains assigned to hunt down and incarcerate unregistered heroes under government supervision in Colorado. However, contrary to Songbird's expectations, Norman Osborn, the maniac Green Goblin, was assigned to be the director of the Thunderbolts. His methods involved extreme brutality and constant deception to trick the public.[96] As one of his first decisions, Osborn immediately demoted Songbird, giving her leadership position to Moonstone. Songbird was uncomfortable with the situation, remaining on a team of immoral agents.[97] This led Songbird to constantly clash with Osborn and Moonstone during decisions.[98] One of the most corrupted Thunderbolts was the assassin Bullseye. During a mission, which was disastrously guided by Moonstone, Songbird seized control of the operation. To extend her influence, she used a private frequency to contact Bullseye and falsely inform him his nannites had been deactivated. This led him to a murder rampage, ending up with him being electrocuted and severely beaten into a paralysis.[99]
Songbird was one of the most popular Thunderbolts, being venerated by the media. This caught the attention of her mother, who tried to contact her after years of being missing. After realizing her mother did not have honest intentions, Songbird rejected her. Soon after, she was informed by Moonstone her mother had passed away in a car accident after not keeping up with her sober period. Songbird became harsher in field, realizing Moonstone was in charge of psychiatric evaluations that indirectly led to her mother's death. From rivals, they became fully declared enemies.[100] The only friend Songbird had in the team was the Radioactive Man. Together, they believe the direction of the Thunderbolts would change without Bullseye or Moonstone.[101] However, the Thunderbolts Mountain was subjected to a psychic attack by a group of jailed telepaths, who wished to put an end in their corrupt operation. They took advantage of the ill minds of the team to put them against each other.[102] Osborn descended into madness, readopting his mantle of Green Goblin and brutally assaulting the staff in the Thunderbolts Mountain.[103] Songbird decided to stop Osborn by herself. Under psychic suggestion, she engaged in a catastrophic fight with him. They knocked each other out as a recuperated Bullseye swiftly murdered the telepaths, breaking their influence. Afterwards, the Thunderbolts licked their wounds, ignoring their deeds. Songbird demanded full control over the team dynamics from Osborn, under the condition of not exposing his vile acts she had on video records. He agreed, but reminded her that he was aware of her participation in harming Bullseye.[104]
Dark Reign[]
As field leader of the Thunderbolts, Songbird became very antagonistic towards Osborn and Moonstone, blaming them for the death of her mother. The team was attacked by the original Captain Marvel, who was not in full control of his sanity. Having been close to his son, Genis-Vell, Songbird attempted to reason with him, but was interrupted by the attacks of the other Thunderbolts.[105] It was soon revealed the attack was part of an alien Skrull Invasion of Earth. Osborn wished to have the Thunderbolts perform efficiently in the war and had them in the front line[106] and was responsible for executing the Skrull Queen.[107] His performance led to a promotion, in which he supplanted S.H.I.E.L.D. with his organization named H.A.M.M.E.R. and gained full control over the registered super-human community.[108]
In Osborn's dark reign, his favorite Thunderbolts became members of the Avengers.[109] The ones who did not align to his perspective were seen as liabilities, especially Songbird. Bullseye hunted her down, informing the proof she had on Osborn had been secured.[110] In desperation, she evaded the attack, but her Sonic Carapace was broken by Bullseye. Pilotting the Zeus, Songbird made an escape, being ultimately saved by Swordsman from Bullseye after he cornered her again. After Swordsman faked her death, she departed and went under the radar.[111] The Thunderbolts were reformed as Osborn's black ops task force, secretly led by a covert Black Widow.[112] Meanwhile, Songbird survived among the homeless once again[113] in Cleveland, Ohio. When H.A.M.M.E.R.'s authoritarian forces unleashed their brutality in a forced relocation of the group she was with, Songbird dropped her cover.[114]
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Saved from Osborn by MACH-V
In Portland, Songbird sought assistance from MACH-V and the Fixer, who worked as engineers for the Commission on Superhuman Activities. On the run, she was intercepted by Osborn's Thunderbolts, being immediately assisted by the Black Widow, who revealed her true identity and allegiance to Nick Fury.[115] Despite eluding the Thunderbolts, they ended up captured and tortured by Osborn. They were able to flee thanks to the intervention of the nobler Thunderbolts Ghost, Paladin, and Headsman, who stopped the psychopaths Mister X and Scourge from murdering them in cold blood. Their full escape was possible thanks to MACH-V's last minute rescue.[116]
The Raft[]
Melissa with Luke Cage's Thunderbolts
Osborn's reign was over after his incarceration and the return of the age of heroes. The Thunderbolts were redesigned as a rehabilitation program counting with convicts from the Raft to operate as superhuman agents. Luke Cage was charged with supervising the convicts.[117] Songbird joined the program as a warden of the female wing of the prison.[118] In addition to this task, she also acted as a handler of the Thunderbolts during field missions. In one of their assignments, the Thunderbolts intercepted Trolls from Asgard.[119] Among the captured creatures, there was Gunna, a young girl who as half-Troll and lived among them.[120] Songbird and Gunna bonded during a blackout in the Raft, when the inmates attempted to perform a riot, and Songbird counted with her unexpected help.[121] In many other missions, Songbird supervised the Thunderbolts as a second-in-command after Cage, consistently aiding him with her input and sometimes becoming astonished with the team's competence.[122]
The director of the Raft, U.S. Agent, appointed Songbird to select and train members of a Thunderbolts Beta team, which included Gunna in the roster.[123] The world succumbed to chaos due to the emergence of the God of Fear, the Serpent. One of the Thunderbolts, the Juggernaut, was corrupted and destroyed the Raft. Songbird led the Thunderbolts to prevent a major breakout.[124] The Thunderbolts were then guided by Songbird in an attempt to stop the Juggernaut in Chicago, with no success. As a consequence, the team was teleported by the Man-Thing across the timeline, becoming stranded in the past.[125] Cage and Songbird then searched for ways to retrieve the Thunderbolts.[126] Tampering with magic, they were sent to a spiritual journey, in which Songbird recollected the history of the Thunderbolts and her failures. As a result, she was able to identify they were in the past, potentially by accident.[127]
The Thunderbolts program was inactive and, due to the team vanishing under Songbird's responsibility, she was ordered by her superiors from F.A.C.T. to go inactive.[128] Enjoying a vacation period in Tahiti, she was able to relax. In the resort hotel she was in, she met a handsome man named Kei, becoming sexually involved with him. Her pleasure was short-lived after she realized Kei was part of a ruse to capture her. Defenseless, she was experimented on by Doctor Dorcas, who had developed an obsession with her. He repaired her vocal cords in hopes of making Songbird his slave, restoring her powers of emitting destructive sound blasts. Using her voice to mesmerize Ferrig, one of Dorcas' minions, Songbird escaped from his clutches. By turning all of Dorcas' henchmen against him, Songbird destroyed him. Back to the Raft, she dealt with the prisoners with a ruthless attitude.[129]
In order to revive the rehabilitation program, Osborn's criminal Avengers were sent to replace the Thunderbolts. Despite their intentions of rescuing their team, Cage and Songbird looked after the new members.[130] Songbird learned F.A.C.T. had unscrupulous intentions with the Avengers[131] and worked with MACH-V to expose their secrets. After being discovered,[132] Songbird restrained the board of F.A.C.T. to bring them down. Their plan was to use the Avengers to invade the nation of Sharzhad, ruled by Sultan Magus, and secretly reacquire an unlimited source of energy.[133] Thanks to the intervention, the energy was used to bring the Thunderbolts back to the present. After a long time, Songbird was happy to reunite herself with Gunna.[134] Ultimately, the Thunderbolts chose to run away, even having the blessing of Cage and Songbird due to their heroic attitude. The Thunderbolts were completely terminated after this incident.[135]
Avengers Idea Mechanics[]
Songbird was invited to become the field leader of the New Avengers, a group formed by Roberto da Costa, leader of Avengers Idea Mechanics, a revival of A.I.M.. The team operated from Avengers Island and combatted the activities of W.H.I.S.P.E.R. performed by the Maker.[136] Songbird took the assignment as a double agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. under John Garrett's supervision.[137] The official S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison in the team was Hawkeye, raising old tensions with Songbird. Despite their shared association, Hawkeye was not aware of Songbird's position in S.H.I.E.L.D..[138]
Melissa together with A.I.M.'s New Avengers
A.I.M. was approached by hacktivist Rick Jones, who claimed S.H.I.E.L.D. maintained corrupt operations regarding Project Kobik. Songbird was among the Avengers who decided to raid a S.H.I.E.L.D. Battlecarrier to rescue Jones from captivity. Despite being successful in the mission, Songbird provided intel to S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Quake[24] so they could get tactical advantage in invading Avengers Island.[138] The Avengers were forced to evacuate, and Songbird revealed her association by knocking Hawkeye out as he attempted to cover Jones' escape.[137] Disappointed at her betrayal, Hawkeye rejected her attempts for reconciliation and returned to the New Avengers. Da Costa then contacted her, to give start to her mission as a triple agent loyal to the Avengers.[27]
The emergence of the Inhuman clairvoyant Ulysses exposed Songbird's future betrayal. Garrett restrained her, removed her Sonic Carapace and forced her to reveal the location of A.I.M.'s new base.[139] She bypassed the audio-based lie detector with the help of her training from controlling her vocal powers and, instead, gave Garrett the coordinates for the headquarters W.H.I.S.P.E.R., which were destroyed.[140] After being rescued by fellow A.I.M. agents,[141] Songbird joined the fight against W.H.I.S.P.E.R.'s New Revengers, who had taken advantage of the conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D. attack A.I.M.'s Avenger Base Two. One of the members was a resurrected Angar, who attempted to make Songbird feel guilty for his death. She overcame his manipulations and close that chapter of their history permanently.[142] Garrett and an army of LMDs followed Songbird and her allies to the base, but they were neutralized. Da Costa was apparently murdered by Garrett in the process,[143] but it was only a lie to subdue dissident factions of A.I.M. led by Monica Rappaccini that would try to ascend to power. After helping him defeat them, Songbird expressed her intentions of leaving A.I.M., since Da Costa planned to make a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D.. They parted in good ways, for Songbird was glad to had been an Avenger.[144]
Woman on the Wall[]
Out of superheroics, Songbird decided to take a vacation to Belmar Beach, New Jersey. In the meantime, the Thunderbolts returned in a new incarnation led by Bucky Barnes following a prison break related to Kobik in the fabricated prison-town of Pleasant Hill. When Bucky was placed in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, MACH-X contacted Songbird for her assistance in breaking him free. Resentful for how S.H.I.E.L.D. treated her, Songbird accepted to join the mission, using her knowledge about the organization to grant them access to the holding facility.[28] The Thunderbolts were ambushed, being forced to fight Captain America in the process. Songbird rebelled against his attempts of convincing her to stand down and left with Bucky and the Thunderbolts.[145]
As one of the Thunderbolts led by Bucky, she learned about his life mission of protecting the planet from terrorism and extradimensional threats. Being convinced of Bucky's good intentions, she chose to stay with the Thunderbolts.[146] Her tenure was short-lived, since Baron Zemo ambushed the team's secret base in the North Pole with his new Army of Evil, wishing to secure Kobik, who harnessed the powers of a Cosmic Cube. Having defeated Bucky, Zemo offered the Thunderbolts a place in his team of criminals. Songbird immediately rejected his offer, liberating Kobik and Bucky. Alongside MACH-X, Songbird escaped.[147] They were unable to resist the brutality of the Wrecking Crew and were defeated. The other Thunderbolts sided with Baron Zemo, who kidnapped Bucky. Hopeless, Songbird was left to fend for herself in the frigid Arctic.[29]
After the fall of the villains, Bucky recreated the Thunderbolts to operate as an anti-terrorist group of super agents.[148] Following the ascension of Doctor Doom as the supreme ruler of the world, Bucky decided to oppose him. Having learned Doom secured his immense arsenal in a satellite base in Earth's orbit, he recruited Songbird to accompany him in his mission. They broke in to deactivate the warheads, but it was part of a trick. Doctor Doom caused the ship to crash on the town of Shelbyville, Indiana. Songbird managed to save Bucky's life, but he was blamed for the catastrophic massacre. As a consequence, Doctor Doom was able to justify his needs of seizing control over the original Thunderbolts to act as his police force.[30]Attributes
 |
Powers
Songbird possesses diverse sonic-based enhanced attributes that are a result of different modifications and technology with which she has had contact in different occasions. Originally, to become the wrestler and henchwoman Screaming Mimi, she had her vocal cords technologically enhanced by Roxxon technicians. As a result, she gained the ability to generate high-pitched frequencies that caused mental confusion.[16] The modifications were further adapted by the Power Broker.[35] After rupturing her larynx, she was given bionic implants by the Fixer. The implants generate soundwaves that resonate with a Sonic Carapace, allowing Songbird to form solid sound constructs for various purposes, including force fields and wings that enable flight. This technology was originally developed by Klaw, the master of sound.[31] For years, Songbird did not have her previous capacity to generate destructive shrieks until being subjected to experiments made by Doctor Dorcas. Having her enhanced voice restored, she is able to scream with great intensity and produce mind-controlling melodies.[129]
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Melissa using her powers against Captain America
_from_Women_of_Marvel_Vol_1_2_0001.jpg){kind=link}
Melissa's manipulating sound
- Augmented Vocal Cords: Technicians from the Roxxon Oil Company bionically altered and greatly enhanced Melissa's vocal cords. She could emit a high pitch scream sufficient to drown out the sound made by a jet engine if a jet were to be within a few feet of a person.[149] Although an injury robbed her of her original Screaming Mimi powers she eventually healed and regained all of her powers but rarely uses them in order to not disclose the full range of her abilities.[1]
- Emotional and Physiological Control/Manipulation: Melissa could alter her vocal cords so that every note on the scale that she screamed induced a different effect on those that heard it. An A cord could result in temporary blindness, a B cord resulted in an extreme sense of euphoria, and a high C resulted in people experiencing vivid visual hallucinations. Other effects included a low C causing a person to experience low level anxiety and a shortness of breath, D causing a high level of anxiety and panic attacks, an E caused dizziness and vertigo, an F resulted in nausea and stomach cramping and a G usually resulted in severe headaches and fatigue.[149][1]
- Acoustikinesis: After burning out her original vocal sound-based abilities, Melissa was given a set of vocal cord implants and an external harness that allowed her to produce a number of effects. She can generate powerful sonic blasts, sonic force-fields, and can even create solid objects created from sound including battering rams, pincers, and platforms. Melissa can also generate high pitched sonic vibrations that are subtle enough to avoid her being consciously detected by others and, thereby, allowing her to influence the actions of others.[150] Despite the fact that her original powers eventually burned-out they were eventually restored by Dr. Lemuel Dorcas who inadvertently restored her ability to influence the minds of others aside from enabling her to use her powers without her sonic carapace.[129]
- Sound Construct Creation: Melissa can create constructs made of solid sounds to attack her enemies.[15] Her constructs are bulletproof, largely shockproof and resistant to various energies.[1]
- Sonic Force-Fields: Melissa can create defensive force fields made of sound or platforms capable of carrying others.[15]
- Sonic Blasts: Melissa can channel her voice into powerful sonic blasts.[151]
- Sonic Flight: By creating wings out of pure sound energy, Melissa can propel herself through the air at great speeds.[15] After Dr. Lemuel Dorcas experiment Songbird has displayed the ability to fly even without generating her wings.[152]
- Mind Control: Melissa can use her voice to influence the minds of other beings, especially weak-willed ones but has said that those with stronger minds like Dr. Lemuel Dorcas could probably resist her.[129]
- Power Broker Enhancements: Melissa's physical abilities were augmented by the Power Broker process, though she could not be augmented to the usual superhuman levels.[149]
- Superhuman Strength: After undergoing the treatment, Melissa's musculature, skeletal structure, and connective tissues were drastically strengthened and augmented. As a result, she was granted superhuman strength. At her highest peak of strength and power, Melissa possessed sufficient strength to lift about 1 ton but her strength gradually dwindled down to peak human levels.[150] It seems that Dr. Lemuel Dorcas's treatment have also restored Songbird's superhuman strength as she has later been able to punch through a metallic wall without much effort[132] and crack a S.H.I.E.L.D. Guardsman's helmet with a kick.[145]
- Superhuman Speed: The superior energy output and force of her muscles enables Melissa to run and move at speeds that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.[149]
- Superhuman Stamina: Melissa's muscles are more efficient than those of an ordinary human. As a result, they produce less fatigue toxins during physical activity than those of normal humans. At her peak, she can exert herself for several hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in her bloodstream begins to impair her.[149]
- Superhuman Durability: Melissa's bodily tissues are tougher and more resistant to some forms of physical injury than those of a normal human. Melissa's body is able to withstand great impact and blunt force trauma.[149] She survived the close range explosion of one of Green Goblin's Pumpkin Bombs, being stabbed by a Razor Bat and one of Green Goblin's punches before losing consciousness.[104]
- Superhuman Agility: Melissa's agility, balance and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.[149]
- Superhuman Reflexes: Melissa's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.[149]
- Superhuman Hearing: Melissa has developed the ability to pick up soundwaves through solid metallic walls, enabling her to hear conversations going on in other rooms.[131]
Abilities
- Skilled Combatant: Melissa has extensive training in hand to hand combat, particularly wrestling. She was trained by the original Titania[149] and later by Hawkeye.[1]
- Aerial Combat: Songbird was trained in aerobatics and aerial combat by Abe Jenkins.[1]
- Aviation: She learned to pilot several types of aircraft while in the Thunderbolts.[1]
- Survival: She can hunt, skin and dress animal for food. She can make do with limited resources in both urban and rural environments.[1]
- Singing: Even without her power Melissa is a talented singer and can shatter crystal.[1]
- Leadership: She is a charismatic natural leader and a highly capable battle tactician.[1]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Notes
See Also
- 281 appearance(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 16 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 23 minor appearance(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 5 mention(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 7 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 263 image(s) of Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
- 16 quotation(s) by or about Melissa Gold (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades Handbook #1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Incredible Hulk #449
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Marvel Two-In-One #54
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #5
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thunderbolts #15
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings #-1
- ↑ Avengers/Thunderbolts #1
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #16
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Thunderbolts #103
- ↑ Thunderbolts #107
- ↑ Amazing Spider-Man #571
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Avengers Spotlight #28
- ↑ Thunderbolts #16
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Thunderbolts #25
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Thunderbolts #1
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Marvel Two-In-One #56
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Avengers #271
- ↑ Avengers Spotlight #28–29
- ↑ Thunderbolts #0
- ↑ Thunderbolts #12
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Avengers/Thunderbolts #6
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Thunderbolts #63
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Thunderbolts #108
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 New Avengers (Vol. 4) #8
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Thunderbolts #75
- ↑ Thunderbolts #110
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 New Avengers (Vol. 4) #11
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Thunderbolts (Vol. 3) #7
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Thunderbolts (Vol. 3) #12
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #1
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Thunderbolts '97 #1
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 Thunderbolts #21
- ↑ Dazzler #13
- ↑ Marvel Two-In-One #96
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Thing #33
- ↑ Avengers #272–277
- ↑ Avengers: Death Trap, The Vault #1
- ↑ Captain America #389–391
- ↑ Captain America #411–412
- ↑ Avengers: Unplugged #4
- ↑ Thunderbolts #2–3
- ↑ Thunderbolts #4–6
- ↑ Thunderbolts #7–8
- ↑ Thunderbolts #9
- ↑ Thunderbolts #10
- ↑ Thunderbolts #11–12
- ↑ Thunderbolts #13–14
- ↑ Thunderbolts #18
- ↑ Thunderbolts #19
- ↑ Thunderbolts #20
- ↑ Thunderbolts #22
- ↑ Thunderbolts #23
- ↑ Thunderbolts #28
- ↑ Thunderbolts #29
- ↑ Thunderbolts #35
- ↑ Thunderbolts #36
- ↑ Thunderbolts #37
- ↑ Thunderbolts #38
- ↑ Thunderbolts #45
- ↑ Thunderbolts #46
- ↑ Thunderbolts #47
- ↑ Avengers: Forever #1–12
- ↑ Thunderbolts #48
- ↑ Thunderbolts #49
- ↑ Thunderbolts #50
- ↑ Thunderbolts #51–52
- ↑ Thunderbolts: Life Sentences #1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #55–56
- ↑ Thunderbolts #57
- ↑ Thunderbolts #58
- ↑ Thunderbolts #59
- ↑ Thunderbolts #60
- ↑ Thunderbolts #61
- ↑ Thunderbolts #65–69
- ↑ Thunderbolts #71
- ↑ Thunderbolts #73–74
- ↑ Avengers/Thunderbolts #1–4
- ↑ Avengers/Thunderbolts #5
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 New Thunderbolts #1
- ↑ 80.0 80.1 Thunderbolts #101
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #2–4
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #5–6
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #7
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #8
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #9
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #11
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #12
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #13–17
- ↑ New Thunderbolts #18
- ↑ Thunderbolts #100
- ↑ Civil War #4
- ↑ Thunderbolts #104
- ↑ Thunderbolts #105
- ↑ Thunderbolts #106–107
- ↑ Thunderbolts #109
- ↑ Civil War: The Initiative #1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #110–111
- ↑ Thunderbolts #112
- ↑ Thunderbolts #113–115
- ↑ Thunderbolts: Breaking Point #1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #116–117
- ↑ Thunderbolts #118–119
- ↑ Thunderbolts #120
- ↑ 104.0 104.1 Thunderbolts #121
- ↑ Thunderbolts #122
- ↑ Thunderbolts #123–125
- ↑ Secret Invasion #8
- ↑ Secret Invasion: Dark Reign #1
- ↑ Dark Avengers #1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #126
- ↑ Thunderbolts #127
- ↑ Thunderbolts #128
- ↑ Thunderbolts #129
- ↑ Thunderbolts #133
- ↑ Thunderbolts #134
- ↑ Thunderbolts #135–136
- ↑ Enter the Heroic Age #1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #144
- ↑ Thunderbolts #145
- ↑ Thunderbolts #146
- ↑ Thunderbolts #147
- ↑ Thunderbolts #148–153
- ↑ Thunderbolts #155–157
- ↑ Thunderbolts #158–159
- ↑ Thunderbolts #160–162
- ↑ Thunderbolts #163
- ↑ Thunderbolts #163.1
- ↑ Thunderbolts #168
- ↑ 129.0 129.1 129.2 129.3 129.4 Thunderbolts #171
- ↑ Dark Avengers #175
- ↑ 131.0 131.1 Dark Avengers #179
- ↑ 132.0 132.1 Dark Avengers #180
- ↑ Dark Avengers #181
- ↑ Thunderbolts #182
- ↑ Thunderbolts #183
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #1
- ↑ 137.0 137.1 New Avengers (Vol. 4) #10
- ↑ 138.0 138.1 New Avengers (Vol. 4) #9
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #13
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #15
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #14
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #16
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #17
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #18
- ↑ 145.0 145.1 Thunderbolts (Vol. 3) #8
- ↑ Thunderbolts (Vol. 3) #9
- ↑ Thunderbolts (Vol. 3) #10
- ↑ Thunderbolts (Vol. 5) #1
- ↑ 149.0 149.1 149.2 149.3 149.4 149.5 149.6 149.7 149.8 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #22
- ↑ 150.0 150.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #10
- ↑ Thunderbolts #2
- ↑ Dark Avengers #182
- ↑ Thunderbolts #156
- ↑ Marvel Holiday Special #2011
- ↑ Thunderbolts #40
- ↑ Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades Handbook #1
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 10