CASSANDRA

Real Name: Unknown, possibly Cassandra

Identity/Class: Extra-dimensional (Earth-92101) possible mutant/mutate

Occupation: Gatherer, servant of Proctor, former Avenger

Group Membership: The Gatherers, formerly the Avengers of an alternate Earth

Affiliations: The Gatherers (Anti-Vision, Magdalene, Sloth, Swordsman, Tabula Rasa), Proctor

Enemies: The Avengers, Coal Tiger (alternate Black Panther)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Mother Cassandra

Base of Operations: A citadel in the Andes mountains;
    formerly her native dimension

First Appearance: Avengers I#355 (Late October, 1992)

Powers/Abilities: Cassandra appeared to be a frail old woman, but had formidable psychic powers. She could communicate telepathically with Proctor, inflict psychic pain on others, and unleash telekinetic blasts through her eyes so powerful they could knock out Sersi, Thunderstrike, Hercules, Vision, Black Widow, Black Knight, and Crystal in one single blast. She also had the ability to perform a "gathering" - where a parallel counterpart of her team-member is sacrificed to ensure the mental stability of said duplicate.

History:  (Avengers I#355 (fb/bts)) - While Cassandra's origin is unknown, she was once an Avenger in her native timeline, which was destroyed by the insane Sersi of her dimension. She was the last survivor of Sersi's onslaught and was saved by Proctor, who recruited Cassandra as one of his Gatherers. Joining with Magdalene, Sloth, and the Swordsman (Phillip Jarvert), Cassandra was pretty much in charge during their missions.

(Avengers I#355 (fb)) - Two times, completely cloaked from detection by the Avengers, the Gatherers infiltrated the Avenger's mansion, first to infiltrate their emergency beacon, and then to sabotage the Black Panther's skycar.

(Avengers I#355) - Cassandra joined her fellow Gatherers Magdalene, Swordsman, and Sloth on an alternate Earth on the verge of destruction. The Gatherers saved its last survivor in order to bring him to Proctor so he could be recruited to the Gatherers. This last survivor was an alternate version of the Black Panther called the Coal Tiger. However, the stress put on the Coal Tiger was too great, and for him to survive, it was ruled that Proctor needed to perform what he called a "gathering," in which he would kill the Black Panther of Earth-616 that his counterpart might live. To find the location of the Black Panther, the Gatherers infiltrated Avengers' Mansion once again. However, this time the Avengers were ready for them, and a fight ensued. Cassandra pretended to be nothing but a scared old woman when approached by the Black Widow, but then surprised the Avengers with a powerful telekinetic blast, knocking them all unconscious.

(Avengers I#356) - After going to Wakanda to capture the Black Panther, Cassandra and the Gatherers were again confronted by the Avengers. Cassandra used her psychic powers to inflict great mental pain on Sersi, putting her out of the fight for a while. Cassandra then began to perform a gathering with the Black Panther and Coal Tiger, but was stopped by the Swordsman, who realized that what they were doing was not the right way. The Gatherers soon made a hasty retreat as the elite Wakandan strike force came to back up the Avengers. Cassandra and the others escaped through a portal opened by Magdalene, except for the Swordsman, whom the Avengers took captive.

(Avengers I#358) - Proctor said he was going to send Cassandra, Sloth, and Magdalene on a mission to capture a new Gatherer to rescue the Swordsman. Through his mental link with Cassandra, Proctor shared his true intent of recruiting this new Gatherer as actually being the Swordsman's killer.

(Avengers I#359 (fb))- Cassandra, Sloth, and Magdalene went to recruit a new Gatherer, an alternate dimensional counterpart of the Vision, ostensibly in order to rescue the Swordsman, but in reality to kill him. It took the full effort of all three of them to capture him, but they succeeded, albeit with minor injuries.

(Avengers I#360) - Cassandra was present as the Vision of Earth-616 was captured and contained by Proctor and the Gatherers. She was also present when Proctor switched the minds of the two alternate Visions into each other's bodies. Later on, Cassandra informed the captive Vision that Proctor had implanted a chip in him that would nullify his density powers, and that in order to prevent the Avengers from destroying any more worlds, the Gatherers would kill every one of them if need be.

(Avengers I#363) - As Cassandra was torturing the Vision, The Avengers located and attacked the Gatherer's citadel, all wearing armor that dampened Cassandra's powers. Cassandra was taken out of the game early by a blast from a gun fired by the Black Widow. Cassandra was filled with a new sense of confidence when Proctor arrived, but her hopes were shattered as the battle ended when the citadel self destructed by command of Proctor. In the aftermath, Cassandra was nowhere to be found. She was presumed dead.

Comments: Created by Bob Harras and Steve Epting.

    I know that not every character from every alternate Earth has an alternate dimensional counterpart on Earth-616, but still, I'd like some closure with the Gatherers. Were they based on anyone in particular? What were their origins?
    A lot of people say she's supposed to be Madame Web...old woman...same first name...one wears a visor and one wears a blindfold...I guess I can see that, but it just seems coincidental, b/c the similarities stop there. Still, it's a divergent world, and perhaps Cassandra overcame her paralyzing neuromuscular disorder (myasthenia gravis), gained powerful eyeblast powers, got shorter and meaner, joined the Avengers, etc.
    I think it could just as likely be Cassandra from the Trojan war, Cassandra Richards, or Cassie Lang
--Snood.

Just a quick note on a possible origin for the Unforgiven Dead.

What if Cassandra is an Alternate Form of Cassandra Nova and/ or Ernst? If she had been born with or instead of Xavier she wouldn't have to possess the same abilities as her 616 counterpart. That would explain her vast psionic abilities and really, who els looks like her except Genki from Yu Yu Hackusho?
--Uatu Zwatcher

Thanks to Katu Watcher for pointing out a few mistakes in the power section and under enemies.

Profile by Stunner

Clarifications: Cassandra should not be confused with:

images: Avengers I#355 Page 2, Panel 1
               Avengers I#355, Page 29, Panel 4

other appearances:
Avengers I#355-356 (Late October-November, 1992) - Bob Harras (writer), Steve Epting (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#358-360 (January-March, 1992) - Bob Harras (writer), Steve Epting (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#363 (June, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Steve Epting (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)

Last updated: 09/30/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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