AVERY CONNORAVERY CONNOR
Real Name: Avery Connor
Identity/Class: Human genetic construct (see comments)
Occupation: None
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Ally of Elektra and Wolverine
Enemies: Kiefer and his shadow organization
Known Relatives: Daniel Connor (father, deceased), Veronica Connor (mother)
Aliases: none
Base of Operations: Mobile across
the planet;
formerly a penthouse in Manhattan, New York
First Appearance: Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1 (2002)
Powers/Abilities: Avery possesses
enhanced human physical abilities, including strength, speed,
agility, reflexes, durability, etc. She also possesses enhanced
healing, enabling her to recover from a bullet to the chest in
minutes. She has a natural affinity for hand-to-hand combat. It
is not clear whether she has enhanced senses or any other
physical abilities.
Avery gives off a certain chemical marker
which can be detected by equipment specifically designed to do
so, enabling users to track her across great distances. She takes
another drug to inhibit excretion of this chemical.
She was designed so that at maturity her
abilities would exceed those of Wolverine.
History:
(Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - Avery
was genetically engineered by Daniel and Veronica Connor from DNA
extracted from Logan during the time he was having his Adamantium
implanted. Working under the direction of Kiefer and his shadowy
organization, the Connors implanted the DNA within a child grown
in Veronica's womb. They took steps to ensure that her powers
would not be triggered until she reached a certain age.
(Elektra & Wolverine:
The Redeemer#3 (fb) - BTS) - As Avery grew up, Kiefer would visit
and observe her. She did not like the man who acted as if he were
her third parent.
(Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#3 (fb) - BTS) - Avery relocated with her father to Manhattan, and she believed it was a trial separation and that her mother had been having an affair. In reality, her parents had come to regret their behavior and were planning to flee from Kiefer's detection, taking Avery with them and starting life anew.
(Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1) - Elektra, hired by Kiefer, assassinated Daniel Connor. Avery--now about 14 years old--witnessed this, though Elektra was forced to flee from security agents. Kiefer, keeping his involvement secret, brought in Wolverine, allegedly to protect Avery from Elektra. The ninja warrior nearly killed Wolverine and escaped with Avery.
(Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#2) - For reasons she could not determine, Elektra felt an attachment towards Avery and did not kill her. Avery was not afraid of Elektra, but instead quickly developed an interest in her, and the two began to establish a bond. Avery challenged Elektra to a sparring match, impressing her with her abilities. Shortly thereafter Kiefer's agents tracked Avery down, and she was shot in the chest in the process of trying to escape them. Nonetheless, she struggled to her feet, ready to continue the fight.
(Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#3) -
Elektra threatened to kill Kiefer, leading Wolverine to stand
down while she fled with Avery. However, Wolverine soon realized
Kiefer's involvement and intent, but by that time Kiefer's agents
had taken Veronica Connor hostage so that Wolverine would assist
Kiefer in recovering Avery. Elektra explained to Avery that her
parents had not been planning a divorce, but rather an escape.
Kiefer's agents again tracked Avery by her chemical signature,
and Wolverine accompanied them to confront Elektra. Wolverine
convinced Elektra that they were on the same side, and the group
worked together, freeing Veronica from Kiefer, and allowing
Elektra to kill him.
Wolverine and Elektra then arranged and
Elektra bankrolled--using the money she had earned for killing
Daniel Connor--a lifetime of new identities and hidden locations
from which Veronica and Avery could continue their lives without
interference.
Comments: Created by Greg Rucka and Yoshitaka Amano.
I'm not sure how genetic manipulation before birth leading to superhuman powers differs from being a mutant, but Avery did not inherit her DNA variations from her parents.
I would love to place this story further back
in chronology. Never once is Logan referred to as Wolverine, or
even Weapon X, for that matter. However, he does have his metal
claws and references their creation, so it has to be post-Weapon
X. Elektra doesn't name anyone either, and it would seem to be
perfect for placing it shortly after she first broke free from
the Hand, perhaps even before Elektra: Assassin (and sometime
after Logan gained his metal claws, but before joining the X-Men)...except
for one small detail. When Avery mentions how many scars Elektra
has, Elektra places her hand on her chest, just under her ribcage
and feels his most significant scar. You can write that off as
metaphorical and that she was referencing heartbreak, but it
seems clear that they were actually referencing the scar she
received when Bullseye stabbed her in the chest and killed her.
If it's after that, then it's after she was resurrected, and
after she left the Chaste due to be tainted by reabsorbing her
dark aspects from Erynys. Since Logan does not know Elektra in
this story, it has to take place in the narrow window between
Daredevil I#325 and Wolverine II#100.
...Unless anyone can come up with a better explanation, then
that's how I'll have to write it.
Kiefer did not specifically reference Weapon X, Weapon Plus, or any other group with which he was affiliated. However, Wolverine referenced him in conjunction with those that had given him his metal claws, so he was either part of Weapon X, or his own organization worked with Weapon X in the development of a more powerful agent than Wovlerine.
The artwork in this series is all Anime', or whatever the appropriate term is. Both Wolverine and Elektra are drawn as if they are Asian, so I think that can safely be assumed as artistic license on every character in the series, meaning I would guess that Kiefer and the Connors are Caucasians.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
Dr. Daniel Connor
A researcher, he married Veronica and used DNA from Wolverine to genetically engineer their daughter, Avery. By the time Avery was six, he and Veronica had begun to regret theri actions, and they began secretly depositing money in an account, with which they planned to finance an eventual escape from their supervisor, Kiefer. Eight years later, they began to take steps to prepare their escape, with Daniel and Veronica feigning a separation. However, Kiefer discovered their intent, and he hired Elektra to kill Connor. Elektra killed him while he slept.
--Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1 (2(fb), [3(fb)], 1d
(This is the only time he's pictured, I believe...as Elektra kills him in his bed)
Dr. Veronica Connor
A researcher, she married
Daniel and used DNA from Wolverine to genetically engineer their
daughter, Avery. By the time Avery was six, he and Veronica had
begun to regret theri actions, and they began secretly depositing
money in an account, with which they planned to finance an
eventual escape from their supervisor, Kiefer. Eight years later,
they began to take steps to prepare their escape, with Daniel and
Veronica feigning a separation. However, Kiefer discovered their
intent, and had Elektra kill Connor. Afterwards, Veronica was
distrustful of Wolverine--brought by Kiefer allegedly to protect
Avery from Elektra, as she knew Kiefer's true intents. She
eventually came to trust Wolverine and filled in the details for
him. She was taken hostage by Kiefer to force Wolverine's
cooperation in recovering Avery, but was saved by Wolverine and
Elektra.
Wolverine and Elektra then arranged and
Elektra bankrolled--using the money she had earned for killing
Daniel Connor--a lifetime of new identities and hidden locations
from which Veronica and Avery could continue their lives without
interference.
--Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1 (2(fb), [3(fb)], 1-3
Member of an unspecified
government agency, Kiefer had a past history with Wolverine, who
lumped him in with "those who gave me these claws."
Wolverine had told him that if he ever saw him again, he would
kill him. Kiefer oversaw Daniel and Veronica's genetic
engineering of Avery, who was intended to become Wolverine's
superior. Kiefer continued to check in on Avery as she grew
up. However, when the Connors began to prepare to try to escape
from him, Kiefer recognized this and hired Elektra to assassinate
Daniel Connor. When Avery witnessed Elektra killing her father,
Kiefer became concerned that he might be linked to Elektra, or
perhaps that Avery might still be taken from him.
In any event, Kiefer contacted Wolverine,
asking him to protect Avery and Veronica, and telling him that
Veronica was connected to his forgotten past. As Wolverine became
involved, both he and Elektra began to realize Kiefer's true
involvement and intent. After Avery left with Elektra, Kiefer
took Veronica Connor hostage an an effort to force Wolverine's
cooperation, but Wolverine and Elektra joined forces against him.
While Avery distracted Kiefer, Wolverine wounded him and freed
Veronica, after which Elektra slew him.
--Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1 ([2(fb)], [3(fb)], 1(fb), 1-3
images:
Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1, p16, face
Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#2, 2nd to last page
cover to Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#3
Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#1, p15 (Daniel Connor,
death)
Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer#2, p8 (Veronica Connor)
p5 (Kiefer)
all 2002
Last updated: 11/04/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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