—Gert Yorkes[source]Man, why couldn't my 'rents have given you to me for my Bat Mitzvah, Old Lace? A telepathic velociraptor from the 87th Century would have made middle school a lot more tolerab--uhn!
Old Lace was Gert Yorkes's pet Deinonychus that was genetically engineered in the 87th Century by Gert's parents to protect her through a psychic link.
History
Origins[]
Old Lace was a genetically engineered dinosaur (possibly a deinonychus,[2] though she was originally believed to have been a velociraptor)[4][2] from the 87th Century.[4][5] Dale and Stacey Yorkes used their 4-D Time Portico to travel into the future and commissioned Old Lace. They originally planned to have the dinosaur act as a protective weapon for their daughter, Gert Yorkes.[4]
_from_Runaways_Vol_1_4_001.jpg){kind=link}
Old Lace attacks
Runaways[]
Although Old Lace was designed to be activated after Gert's 18th birthday and/or if her parents died, but while searching for evidence and the body of a girl killed by the Pride in the Yorkes' basement, the Runaways stumbled onto a holographic message from Gert's parents, the Pride's Abstract, and Old Lace.[4] Although Old Lace was originally left at the Yorkes, she followed the Runaways to the Steins' home and saved Gert's life.
After rescuing Molly, narrowly escaping their parents, and taking refuge in The Hostel, Gert suggested taking on new codenames to start over without the influence of their parents. She chose the codename Arsenic and named her new pet dinosaur "Old Lace".[6][7] The pair were immediately connected, and their bond continued to strengthen with time.[8][9]
_and_Old_Lace_(Earth-TRN846)_from_Runaways_Vol_1_18_001.jpg){kind=link}
Gert reunited with Old Lace
When facing off with The Pride in the Marine Vivarium, Arsenic had instructed Old Lace to follow Alex's commands if anything happened to her. Unfortunately, after taking down the Deans, Arsenic was incapacitated by Alice Hayes.[10] Luckily, Arsenic and the others were able to escape in the Leapfrog before the Gibborim destroyed the Marine Vivarium, killing Alex and all the members of the Pride.[11]
After narrowly escaping the destruction of the Marine Vivarium, the Runaways were immediately apprehended by Captain America[11] and placed into foster care. Additionally, Old Lace was taken away from Arsenic. Weeks later after a text message from Karolina, the Runaways reconvened at the Griffith Observatory. Together they decided to retrieve Old Lace and the Leapfrog, and run away again.[12]
_from_Runaways_Vol_2_10_001.jpg){kind=link}
Nico disguising Old Lace as a small dog
During a trip to New York City to help Cloak, Nico used the Staff of One to disguise Old Lace as a small dog.[13]
Although Old Lace was fiercely loyal to Gert, she wandered off at one point when the Leapfrog's doors were left open. While searching for Old Lace, the Runaways encountered the X-Men and Emma Frost was able to located Old Lace and return her to the Runaways.[14]
Gert's Death[]
During the Runaways' mission to rescue Molly Pride, Chase ran into the burning Griffith Observatory to rescue his friends. However, Nico, Xavin, and Molly had already escaped, leaving Chase to face off with a young Geoffrey Wilder. Gert and Old Lace went in after him resulting in Geoffrey throwing a knife directly into Gert's chest. Before she died, she successfully transferred her telepathic connection with Old Lace to Chase Stein.[15]
_and_Old_Lace_(Earth-TRN846)_from_Runaways_Vol_2_18_001.jpg){kind=link}
Chase Stein with Old Lace
After Gert's death, Chase began using Old Lace in a much more angry and aggressive manner, even going so far as to command Old Lace to rip an enemy's throat out.[16][17] When Chase ordered her to keep the other Runaways from interfering with his deal with the Gibborim, Karolina managed to talk Old Lace out of it, saying that everyone can choose to disobey.[18]
Disappearance and Return[]
When the Runaways relocated to the Malibu House, Old Lace was apparently killed attempting to protect Klara Prast from a crashing unmanned aircraft.[19] Although Chase felt her heart stop,[20] Old Lace was actually transported to Dinosaur World by the Hag of the Pits.[21]
_from_Avengers_Academy_Vol_1_27_001.jpg){kind=link}
Old Lace reuniting with the Runaways
Months later, Chase Stein felt that Old Lace was still alive through their psychic connection. To find Old Lace, the Runaways sought out the assistance of Reptil and the Avengers Academy. With Dr. Hank Pym time machine, Reptil's Fossilized Amulet, and Nico Minoru's magic, a portal was opened to another dimension, both teams went inside and found Old Lace, alive and healthy.[22]
_and_Old_Lace_(Earth-TRN846)_from_Runaways_Vol_5_2_001.jpg){kind=link}
Gert reunited with Old Lace
Attributes
 |
Powers
Old Lace was a genetically engineered dinosaur from the 87th Century commissioned by the Yorkes using their 4-D Time Portico to protect Gert in case of their deaths.[4] Old Lace had the following abilities:
- Telepathic Link and Empathic Link: Old Lace was telepathically and empathically linked to Gertrude Yorkes. This empathic bond between Old Lace and Gertrude allowed for mental communication.[28][29] Additionally, Old Lace is fiercely loyal to Gert, and has been programmed not to harm any member of the Yorkes immediate family.[30] Old Lace could feel the emotions of her owner, such as sadness when Karolina left,[31] and anger when Nico and Chase's kiss was revealed.[32] However, Gert and Old Lace also shared the pain any injuries they other sustains.[33][15][34] This link was psychically passed onto Chase Stein just before Gert's death.[15] Since her return, this link seemed to have restored between Gert and Old Lace.[35]
Weaknesses
_from_Runaways_Vol_2_14_001.jpg){kind=link}
Victor Mancha finally getting Old Lace's name
Trivia
- The Yorkes paid for Old Lace in doubloons.[4]
- Gert's codename "Arsenic" and the name of her pet dinosaur "Old Lace" were chosen as a reference to the 1944 dark comedy Arsenic and Old Lace directed by Frank Capra. Based on the play of the same name, the film is about a man who learns on his wedding day that he has homicidal aunts and a family history of insanity.[6][36][37]
,_Old_Lace_(Earth-TRN846),_and_Victor_Mancha_(Earth-616)_from_Runaways_Vol_2_3_001.jpg){kind=link}
Victor Mancha explaining that Old Lace is Deinonychus not a Velociraptor
- Although Old Lace was originally believed to be a Velociraptor,[4] she is (probably) a Deinonychus.[2][5]
- This misunderstanding is likely a reference to the 1990 Michael Crichton novel Jurassic Park and its derived material.[4] Whereas Velociraptors were generally a small breed of dinosaur, the franchise depicts them as closer to human-sized; more closely resembling the Velociraptor's distant genetic cousins, the Deinonychus or the Utahraptor.[38]
- Crichton modelled the novel's dinosaurs after Deinonychus but chose the name Velociraptor as he felt it was "more dramatic" and the film makers followed his lead.[39]
See Also
- 108 appearance(s) of Old Lace (Earth-TRN846)
- 5 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Old Lace (Earth-TRN846)
- 5 minor appearance(s) of Old Lace (Earth-TRN846)
- 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Old Lace (Earth-TRN846)
- 159 image(s) of Old Lace (Earth-TRN846)
Links and References
References
- ↑ Runaways #9
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Runaways (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ Marvel Pets Handbook #1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Runaways #3
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Runaways (Vol. 5) #2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Runaways #6
- ↑ Runaways #7
- ↑ Runaways #8
- ↑ Runaways #14
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Runaways #16
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Runaways #17
- ↑ Runaways #18
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #10
- ↑ Free Comic Book Day 2006 #1
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Runaways (Vol. 2) #18
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #19
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #22
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #24
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 3) #11
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 3) #12
- ↑ Avengers Academy #28
- ↑ Avengers Academy #27–28
- ↑ Avengers Arena #1–18
- ↑ Avengers Arena #13
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 5) #1–2
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 5) #4–6
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 5) #6
- ↑ Runaways #2
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #17
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Runaways #5
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #8
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #15
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #5
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 3) #11–12
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 5) #2–6
- ↑ Runaways (Vol. 2) #14
- ↑ and Old Lace (1944) on IMDb
- ↑ Where Jurassic Park Got It Wrong
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Marvel Pets Handbook #1
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 8