History
Well, Dante, we used to be a kingdom. Now, it seems we are a world. A world at war. And the time is coming, my friend... When you will need to pick a side.
- — Medusa (to Inferno before they joined the Avengers)
- — Medusa (to Inferno before they joined the Avengers)
The first to be born of two children of Quelin and Ambur, Medusa was considered a part of the Attilan Royal Family due to her father being brother to the wife of the king. It was decided by Medusa's parent that she would be exposed to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist when she was just an infant. The mist gave Medusa hair she could animate like added appendages. As an adolescent, Medusa visited the isolation cell of Black Bolt, who could not speak due to his power. Medusa was able to communicate with Black Bolt through a special kind of sign language. The two gained a strong bond that later turned into love once Black Bolt was able to be released from his cell at the age of 18. For a time, Medusa was part of the Frightful Four, an evil version of the Fantastic Four created by Wizard due to her amnesia from a crash she had. Medusa was eventually taken by her cousin Gorgon.
The Royal Family
Medusa was returned to her family, but a battle had ensued. Medusa's Sister, Crystal informed her that Triton had been captured by Seeker. Medusa, along with the rest of her family, were teleported to Attilan by Lockjaw in order to try and save it. When they arrived, it was no longer Black Bolt on the throne in Attilan, but Maximus who had taken the crown due to Black Bolt's "loss of his voice." Medusa knew that Black Bolt could not use his power, as did Maximus, and he used this to his advantage. Maximus ignored Medusa's hints of this and claimed Medusa as his future wife. This did not impress Black Bolt, in fact, it made him angry. Black Bolt tore the Inhuman crown from Maximus's hands, reclaiming his spot as leader of the Inhumans and Medusa's future husband. Soon afterward, the Fantastic Four arrived and Maximus fired his atmo-gun as a last resort to try and destroy all humanity. Maximus's machine didn't work, proving that Inhumans and humans were of the same race. Maximus went out of control and reversed his machine, creating a Negative Zone around Attilan that trapped Medusa and the rest of the Inhumans within the refuge, while the Fantastic Four narrowly escaped. Soon, Black Bolt was faced with no other choice but to use his powerful voice, revealing his secret, in order to destroy the barrier surrounding Attilan. After this, Medusa was sent to Earth where she was later captured by Maximus one again who was again defeated by Black Bolt. Medusa then returned to Earth and joined the Fantastic Four in place of Sue Storm for a time before returning to Attilan. After her return, the Royal Family went through many different hardships, some from Maximus, and others from Earth. Even through all this, Medusa stayed as the face of the Inhumans and interpreter for Black Bolt. Once Attilan moved to the Blue Area of the Moon, Medusa and Black Bolt married. Medusa became pregnant, and the Genetics Council saw the child as a threat and the mating unfit. When the Council ordered for her pregnancy to be terminated, Medusa fled to Earth, where she lived in the desert until the child was born, a son who she named Ahura. Medusa returned with her child, which the Council tried to smuggle into Earth where Medusa realized the Council was after the Royal Family's power. Realizing this, both groups stepped down form leadership, however, the Royal Family was eventually forced to resume their leadership. Medusa and the Inhumans returned to the Blue Area of the Moon and began to rebuild Attilan. Medusa led an effort to bring Inhumans and humans together, which began with a cultural exchange between the two societies' children.
The Death of Black Bolt (The Fall of Attilan)
Throughout their time rebuilding Attilan, the Inhumans faced many enemies and were called upon many times when Earth was in need of assistance. This drew Medusa closer to Earth. Once the NuHumans came to Attilan, they were welcomed, but they brought many foes behind them. At times, Attilan was faced with sure destruction, and in those times, Black Bolt saved his home as he always did. He would never let his home perish. This is what Medusa loved about him. She fought valiantly at his side, only asking him to use his voice if it was absolutely necessary. The Inhumans fought against many foes, from Maximus, to Kang, to the Symbiotes. For a time, Attilan experienced a good amount of peace. It was during this time that Medusa's sister, Crystal, fell in love with the mutant Quicksilver. The two married and the Inhumans attended, as well as many of the Avengers and some X-Men. The Inhumans were eventually asked to save Earth once again from the threat of En Sabah Nur (Also known as Apocalypse). During the battle against Apocalypse, Black Bolt fought valiantly, but did not use his voice, as to not harm any of Earth or destroy any part of it. Unfortunately, not being able to use his voice made it difficult for Black Bolt to do anything else other than fight Apocalypse hand to hand. Eventually, Black Bolt was defeated by Apocalypse, who ripped through his chest, tearing out his heart, and crushing it in his hands. Medusa witnessed this in horror before losing herself, allowing her hair to crazily move around, capturing Apocalypse and strangling him to near death. Thanks to Jean Grey, Medusa was able to calm down and released Apocalypse, where he was taken by the other X-Men. Medusa, in tears, could not bear the thought of her husband dead. Medusa returned to Atiilan, where a war had broken out between the Inhumans and the Skrulls due to the talk of Black Bolt's death. She and the other InHumans fought valiantly, defeating every single Skrull. The remaining few of Attilan chose not to rebuild it this time. This place was no longer their home, and they all wanted to find a new one. Many left for other planets. Inferno, a NuHuman, chose to stay by Medusa's side, claiming he would never leave his queen. However, when Medusa decided to go to Earth, Inferno was not entirely pleased. Medusa made a statement to him, before leaving, and this statement truly made Inferno think before following his queen. And that statement was: "Well, Dante, we used to be a kingdom. Now, it seems we are a world. A world at war. And the time is coming, my friend... When you will need to pick a side."
Joining the Avengers
When the Avengers began anew and needed new recruits, Medusa volunteered to join, as well as be the leader, which Nick Fury agreed with, much to the displeasure of Tony Stark, who believed that he should be the new leader. During their first large battle, the Avengers fought against some of the Skrulls that had come to Earth. The group did not fight with teamwork at first, but later found ways to work together and to get along, defeating the Skrulls without much effort. The team continues to work together to defeat any new threats that may come their way.
Present Day
Medusa is currently the leader of the Avengers group, with Tony Stark being her second in command. She works hard to keep the peace on Earth in honor of her husband Black Bolt and their fallen home of Attilan.
Personality
Medusa, while kind to others, has somewhat of a superiority complex from being a queen for as long as she was. She is working on controlling this however. Besides this, Medusa is kind to all unless an argument ensues, which is usually only with Tony Stark. Medusa's hair also moves with her mood. If she is angry, he hair will spiral around and flow rapidly. If she is calm, it will simply flow down slowly and not move to much unless she does. When Medusa is happy, her hair will rise slightly and flow softly upward.
Author's Note
"Medusa has truly become one of my favorites over the years. She is powerful, beautiful, loyal, and a great leader, which can't always be said for the women of Marvel because many of them are not given the chance to BE leaders. I cannot wait to see what they do with Medusa in the current Marvel comics. I know she'll be awesome!"
-Actingoutlove
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Inhuman Metabolism: Besides strength, Medusa possesses certain physical skills superior to those of human athletes. Her Inhuman metabolism affords her slightly greater reaction time, endurance, and speed than the human race's most perfect physical specimen, Captain America.
- Enhanced Reflexes
- Enhanced Endurance
- Enhanced Speed
- Enhanced Strength
- Highly Resilient Hair: Medusa possesses a long, thick head of hair, every strand of which has greater tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and shear resistance than an iron wire of the same thickness (average hair diameter: .045 inches), as well as the psychokinetic ability to animate her hair for a number of feats. Her hair, approximately 6 feet in length while relaxed, can elongate to almost twice its normal length with only about a 25% loss of overall tensile strength. One strand of hair, 2-feet long, can support 6.4 pounds, a list-sized lock of hair can support about 750 pounds and her whole head of hair can lift about 3,200 pounds (1.6 tons). A portion of her hair must be used to anchor the rest at these greater weights, so that more than her scalp/skull is used as a brace.
- Psychokinetic Hair Manipulation: Medusa can control the movement of her hair as if it were countless thin appendages growing from her head. A psionic field permeates her mutagenically altered hair-cells, causing mutual attraction across the gaps between strands. These relatively small forces operate in conjunction to develop larger forces. Through concentration, she can psionically move her hair in any manner imaginable. She can snap the length of it through the air like a whip (the tip of which moves faster than the speed of sound), or rotate it in a fan-like manner. She can bind persons or objects with it as if it were rope or use it to lift objects which weigh more than she could lift with her arms. (Her scalp, skull, and neck do not support the weight of an object that she lifts: it is held aloft by the psionic force coursing through the hair.) Medusa can also perform delicate manipulations with her hair such as lock picking or threading a needle, and such complex acts of coordination as typing or shuffling a deck of cards. Although she has no nerve endings in her hair, she can "feel" sensations on all parts of her hair by a form of mental feedback from her psionic field.
As yet Medusa has not manifested her psychokinetic powers in any way except the animation of her own hair. Whether she has the potential to control other fibrous substances other than her own hair (as can the mutant Gypsy Moth) has not yet been determined. If cut, her hair regrows extremely quickly.
Abilities
None known.
Strength level
Strength level
Medusa possesses the normal strength of a female Inhuman of her age, height, and weight who engages in moderate regular exercise, Due to generations of eugenics, Inhumans are superior to humans in strength, reaction time, stamina, resistance to injury, and speed. Her hair can support more than 1 ton.
Weaknesses
None known.
Paraphernalia
Equipment: None known.
Transportation: None known.
Weapons: None known.
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- Medusa has not had any relationships since her husband's death, even thought Tony Stark, as well as Bucky Barnes has courted her quite a bit.
- Medusa is closest to Inferno, being that she is not of Earth originally.
- Medusa is one of Actingoutlove's top 5 favorite characters of Marvel.
See Also
- Appearances of Medusalith Amaquelin (Earth-88)
- Character Gallery: Medusalith Amaquelin (Earth-88)
- Quotations by Medusalith Amaquelin (Earth-88)
Discover and Discuss
- Search News for: Medusa · Medusalith Amaquelin (Earth-88)
Links and References
- None.