ELFQUEEN

Real Name: Linnea

Identity/Class: Pre-Cataclysmic Era (see comments) human/human variant magic-user

Occupation: Sorceress

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Enemies: Avengers (Iron Man (Tony Stark), Thor, Tigra, Yellowjacket)

Known Relatives: Gorn (husband, deceased)

Aliases: Elf-Queen, witch, devil-spawn

Base of Operations: currently unknown;
    formerly an enchanted glade hidden in Virginia;
    formerly Valusia in the pre-Cataclysmic era.

First Appearance: Avengers I#212 (October, 1981)

Powers/Abilities: Linnea had a variety of magical abilities, including superhuman strength and durability (perhaps enhanced human), projection of energy bolts, levitation, telekinesis, and animation of inanimate objects. She formed a fist out of rock with which she was able to pick up Thor's hammer and batter him with it. She was able to create a spell around her home that prevented others from discovering it and kept both herself and her husband eternally young.

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 140 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Auburn

History:
(Avengers I#212 (fb) - BTS) - Millennia ago, Linnea was born with great power. She was called Elfqueen, as well as witch and devil-spawn by those around her.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Hardcover#7: MAGIC) - Lady Linnea, summoned by Agamotto, attended the Assemblage of Avatars in Atlantis around 19,000 BC to find a solution for the current conflicts between the Elder Gods. Only little was accomplished during the meeting and Agamotto became frustated with humanity's limitations.

(Avengers I#212 (fb) - BTS) - She fell in love with the warrior Gorn and she transported the two of them across the oceans to what would become Virginia in search of solitude, and possibly to escape persecution. There they built a small home in a glade, over which she cast a spell to keep them both young.

(Avengers I#212 (fb) - BTS) - When civilization eventually began to encroach on their glen, Elfqueen enchanted it further, keeping it hidden from outside detection.

(Avengers I#212) - After millennia in the glade, Gorn grew bored and demanded that they go into civilization once again. Linnea cautioned him against how things might have changed, but he insisted, and so he led her on horseback into town. As Linnea feared, much had indeed changed, starting with the language the people spoke. Gorn got into a fight at a restaurant, found that someone had stolen their horse, and then Gorn assaulted a pair of policemen who tried to confiscate his sword. The cops maced and cuffed him, but then Linnea dispatched them with energy bolts. As Linnea tried to convince him to go home, the angered Gorn slapped her in the face. Shocked and angered, Linnea told Gorn to stay in the city and left him behind.

   Gorn's struggles in the city continued to escalate until he was shot to death by another pair of cops after he charged them with his sword drawn. Sensing her lover's death, Linnea returned to his side and took vengeance on the police. She then flew into the air and began to take her rage out on the city that had killed him, blasting cars, helicopters, and pedestrians. The Avengers, summoned by the report of Linnea's first police altercation, arrived to stop her, but she proved herself by quickly taking Iron Man. Thor, and Tigra out of the fight. Yellowjacket's disruptor sting malfunctioned, and Captain America dodged several attacks to confront Linnea; he then attempted to convince her that he only wanted peace. However, just then Yellowjacket finished repairs on his sting and blasted Linnea, renewing the conflict. She launched a car at Yellowjacket and, as his sting shorted out again, he would have been crushed if the Wasp hadn't arrived just then and blown the car out of the air. Captain America managed to calm Linnea once again; seeing a little of Gorn's courage in him, Linnea agreed to leave in peace.

Comments: Created by Jim Shooter, Alan Kupperberg, and Dan Green.

   I believe both Gorn and Linnea (and even a caption) reference having lived in that glade in Virginia for 10,000 years, which would seem to make their period of activity around 8,000 B.C. However, Gorn calls himself Gorn of Valusia, a nation which sank alongside Atlantis @ 18,000 BC (see The Great Cataclysm). Certainly Gorn and Linnea might have moved to one place for 10,000 years and then relocated to what would become Virginia, OR they could have traveled through time. However, it makes the most sense to me that within their protected glade, they simply lost track of time. Whether you're isolated from all outside contact in Virginia for 10,000 years or 20,000 years, who can tell?
   Anyway, one wonders if they might have ever heard of a Valusian king named Kull...

   This issue led into the court-martial of Yellowjacket and to Hank Pym's darkest days (see Salvation-1 profile).

   I know she was featured in a What If in which Yellowjacket died (see Earth-82101). She may eventually get a mention in a profile on that reality if it is ever done.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

Gorn has no known connection to:

Gorn

   In millennia past, Gorn was a renowned warrior, honored and feared by nations and kings. After falling in love with Linnea, Gorn allowed her to transport him to what would become America, where they lived in an enchanted glade until the modern era. Gorn then insisted they travel into modern society, but his barbarian ways caused conflict after conflict. Linnea continued to try to convince him to return to the glade; after he had been maced and cuffed by a pair of cops, Linnea's rescue humiliated him, pushing his anger over the limit, and he struck her. Linnea then left him behind, and he dejectedly walked into an ally where he was surrounded by a gang that sought to steal his sword. Easily overpowering the gang--though showing them mercy due to their youth--Gorn attracted the attention of the police. Charging them with his sword drawn, Gorn was shot five times and fell to the ground, dead, Linnea's name on his lips.

--Avengers I#212 ([212(fb)], 212

 

 

 

 

 

 

images:
Avengers I#212 (cover)
    p10, panel 2 (Gorn face)
    p11, panel 1 (Gorn body)
    p16, panel 4 (Elfqueen face)

Appearances:
Avengers I#212 (October, 1981) - Jim Shooter (writer), Alan Kupperberg (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Hardcover#7: MAGIC (2009) - David Sexton (writer), Jeff Younquist & Jennifer Gruenwald (editors)

Last updated: 09/04/10

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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