PARAGON

Real Name: Cooper Roth

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Super hero

Group Membership: None;
Formerly Nebraska Initiative team (Captain Ultra, Gadget (Lucy Cervantes))

Affiliations: Dex, Mandarin/Tem Borjigin

Enemies: Graviton, Iron Man (Tony Stark)

Known Relatives: Gretchen Roth (mother, deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Omaha, Nebraska

First Appearance: Iron Man IV#21 (October, 2007)

Powers/Abilities: Paragon possessed super strength, speed, and moderate invulnerability as well as the ability to manipulate gravity fields, though how he obtained them is unrevealed. He was also injected with an experimental form of Extremis, a biotechnical super-soldier enhancement, though the results of which are also unknown.

History:

(Iron Man IV#21 (fb) - BTS) - Through unknown means, Cooper Roth developed super human powers, including super-strength, speed, and moderate invulnerability. He signed the Super Human Registration Act and joined the Initiative. Paragon successfully graduated from the Initiative and was appointed to the Nebraska super human team alongside Gadget and leader Captain Ultra.

(Iron Man IV#23 (fb) - BTS ) - For unknown reasons, Paragon kept his gravity-manipulating powers a secret from the Initiative.

(Iron Man IV#24 (fb) - BTS) - Due to their natural genetic potential to survive an Extremis enhancement (the implementation of a biotechnological super soldier drug placed into their systems), Roth and his mother Gretchen were recruited (possibly kidnapped) by Genetech, run by Tem Borjigin (secretly the Mandarin). They were injected with experimental forms of the drug.

(Iron Man IV#23 (fb) - BTS) - When Roth's mother, Gretchen, became ill, Tem Borjigin promised to heal her if Roth did as he commanded. Roth promised to willingly lead his teammate Gadget into a trap.

(Iron Man IV#21 (fb)) - When security officer Dex heard a perimeter alarm go off at the Millard Wellfield, he called Gadget and Paragon to have them investigate. They rode with an apologetic Dex out to the site of the old pumping station, where they found the doors open. Gadget activated her headlamp and, scanning in infrared, found Graviton laying against a wall behind a machine.

(Iron Man IV#21 (fb) - BTS/Iron Man IV#22 (fb) - BTS) - Paragon crushed Gadget into a small ball, killing her instantly. Not wanting to implicate himself, Paragon purposefully lowered the density of his skin, allowing himself to be injured. Paragon was hospitalized due to his injuries. The authorities believed it was Graviton who'd committed the murder.

(Iron Man IV#21) - In the hospital at Creighton Medical Center, Roth was visited by Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Captain Ultra, who briefly questioned him about the incident. He claimed to remember nothing after the attack.

(Iron Man IV#22) - Iron Man returned to the hospital, accusing Paragon of being involved in Gadget's murder and using the inconsistency of his invulnerability powers as proof. Iron Man furiously grabbed Paragon around the throat before Captain Ultra burst in the room, attacking Iron Man. Paragon took the opportunity to escape. He returned to Prometheus, where he found his mom dead. Borjigin apologized.

(Iron Man IV#23) - Paragon furiously attacked Borjigin, knocking him into the wall for not keeping his promise. Borjigin (secretly the Mandarin) surprisingly demonstrated superpowers of his own. Borjigin then hypnotized Paragon into believing it was Graviton who'd killed his mother. Paragon soon attacked Graviton aboard the SHIELD Helicarrier. Graviton easily used his gravity powers to crush Paragon as he had Gadget.

Comments:  Created by Daniel & Charles Knauf, and Roberto de la Torre.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Paragon has no known connections to

• Paragon, male form of Kismet @ Incredible Hulk Annual I#6
• Paragon, AIM Agent MST-3K, Adaptoid @ Quasar#57
• Paragon, Calvin Elroy @ Captain Britain II#1
• Paragons, Xavier students @ New X-Men: Academy X#12
• or any other "Paragon" characters

Gretchen Roth

(Iron Man IV#24 (fb) - BTS) - Due to their natural genetic potential to survive an Extremis enhancement (the implementation of a biotechnological super soldier drug placed into their systems), Roth and his mother Gretchen were recruited (possibly kidnapped) by Genetech, run by Tem Borjigin (secretly the Mandarin). They were injected with experimental forms of the drug.

(Iron Man IV#23 (fb) - BTS) - When Roth's mother, Gretchen, became ill, Roth took her to Genetech, where Tem Borjigin promised to heal her if Roth did as he commanded.

(Iron Man IV#22 - BTS) - He returned to Prometheus, where he found his mom dead.

--Iron Man IV#22 (Iron Man IV#24 (fb) - BTS, 23 (fb) - BTS, 22 - BTS

images: (without ads)
Iron Man IV#21, p2, pan3 (main)