Abigail Brand
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| Abigail Brand | |
 Agent Brand in Astonishing X-Men vol. 3 #20. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Astonishing X-Men vol.3, #3 (2004) (Cameo) Astonishing X-Men vol.3, #6 (2004) (first full appearance) |
| Created by | Joss Whedon John Cassaday |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Abigail Brand |
| Species | Human/unknown alien hybrid |
| Team affiliations | S.W.O.R.D. |
| Abilities | Energy coating over hands. |
Special Agent Abigail Brand is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics' universe. Her first appearance was a cameo in Astonishing X-Men #3 (2004), and she was introduced fully in Astonishing X-Men #6 (2004). She was created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
[edit] Origin
The daughter of an Alien, Abigail Brand ("Brand" not being her real surname, but instead a code name referencing her powers) is a an alien on her father's side at least. Not much is known about her childhood except that her father is "a blue, furry monster."
After becoming a Special Agent of the United States Government, Brand quickly rose through the ranks to become head of S.W.O.R.D., a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D., charged with defending the Earth from extraterrestrial threats by the age of twenty-eight[1].
[edit] Ord and The Breakworld
When an alien by the name of Ord comes to Earth convinced that a mutant was destined to destroy his planet, Brand intervenes in order to avoid an interplanetary war. Brand acquiesced to Ord's plan to avert the destruction of his world by creating a 'cure' for the mutant “condition.” It has since been learned the mutant prophesied to destroy Breakworld is Colossus; furthermore, statements made by Ord suggest that neutralizing Earth's mutant population is just one step in an as-yet unrevealed plan.
After her involvement in this plan became known to the X-Men and to S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury, Brand faced a board of inquiry to answer charges against her conduct. She defended her actions on the grounds that averting interplanetary warfare was a responsibility so great as to justify courses of action that would otherwise be considered immoral or illegal. This defense seems to have convinced the board as she is subsequently still in command of S.W.O.R.D.
Despite the antagonistic relationship she and Fury demonstrated toward each other, she is considered a Nick Fury loyalist by new S.H.I.E.L.D. director Maria Hill. Brand made no effort to hide her dislike for Hill, and no further contact between the two has been shown.
In a final attempt to draw Breakworld's forces away from the Earth, Brand had the X-Men (including Colossus), Ord, and Ord's ally Danger, teleported aboard a S.W.O.R.D. ship and travel to the Breakworld itself. Ord, with the assistance of Danger, was able to contact his homeworld to alert them of Colossus' location, not knowing that this was all part of Brand's plan. Despite their past differences and Brand's continuing high-handed attitude, she attempted to work with the X-Men to find a solution to the crisis. However, Breakworld's forces caught up with the S.W.O.R.D. vessel before Brand had a plan in place, forcing the X-Men and the S.W.O.R.D strike team to use the ship's escape pods to finish their journey to the Breakworld. Once on the surface, Brand and Henry McCoy teamed up and became separated from the other X-Men, at which point they were forced to take shelter in a small cave to avoid a device that was altering the weather to subfreezing temperatures. To McCoy's astonishment, Brand used some type of superhuman power to generate enough heat to keep them alive.
After meeting back up with the rest of the X-Men, Brand, Beast, Wolverine, Armor, Shadowcat and their new ally Danger are part of a last ditch assault on the Breakworld's doomsday device before it can be fired at Earth. During the ensuing battle against Breakworld soldiers, Brand dives into the path of a laser blast meant for Beast. Severely wounded, she explains to Beast she did it since as a genius he has the greatest chance for disarming the weapon. Her last words to Beast before passing out are to "save the damn world already."
Eventually Brand comes to and rejoins the team. In a conversation with McCoy, Brand reveals an intense sexual attraction to him, and later offers him a job with S.W.O.R.D., stating that she needs someone who will question her actions and help her avoid making mistakes. Brand then again propositions him sexually, telling McCoy when he brings up the fact that he's a "blue, furry monster" that her father, an alien, was one as well.
[edit] Secret Invasion
She is present at The Peak, S.W.O.R.D.'s headquarters, when it is destroyed by a Skrull posing as Dum Dum Dugan. With moments of oxygen left, she reports that a Skrull armada is approaching Earth before drifting toward one of the alien ships and making her way on board.[1]
[edit] Physical appearance and abilities
Brand has a tattoo on each biceps; one reads "Grace", the other "Anna". The significance of these tattoos has yet to be revealed.[2] Brand's green hair is a trait that has long been associated with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s enemy HYDRA, and Wolverine disparagingly referred to her as "Hydra-hair" at their first meeting.[3] She revealed in Giant Sized Astonishing X-Men #1 that this is her natural color, inherited from her blue-furred extraterrestrial father.
Her half-alien heritage has given her the ability to coat her hands in a blue energy flames and her tongue the ability to shape alien languages that humans are unable to make.[4]
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Abigail Brand at the Comic Book DB
