ECHIDNA
Real Name: Echidna
Identity/Class: Olympian monster
Occupation: Mother of Monsters
Group Membership: Defenders of the Deep (Andromeda, Bloodtide, King Crab, Manowar, Namor, Orka, Piranhas, Tiger Shark);
formerly Doom Maidens (Anaconda, Aradnea, Mindblast, Scorpia, Shriek, Titania/Mary MacPherran, Zheng Bao Yu)
Affiliations: Caroline Le Fay, Mr. Raven, War-Sharks
Enemies: Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes, Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Thor/Odinson), Defenders (Elsa Bloodstone, Clea, Hippolyta, Ren Kimura, Misty Knight, Danielle Moonstar, Nova/Frances Hyatt, Dr. Annabelle Riggs, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde), Fire-Breathing Sharks of Muspelheim, Winter Guard (Chernobog, Crimson Dynamo/Dimitri Bukharin, Darkstar/Laynia Petrovna, Perun, Ursa Major, Vanguard/Nikolai Krylenko, Vostok);
possibly Argus Panoptes, Hercules (Heracles), Zeus
Known Relatives: Typhon (husband), Vârcolac (mate),
Cerberus, Hydra, Ladon, Nemean Lion, Orthus, Yarralamundu (sons),
Angerboda, Chimaera, Jandlinatjari, Phaea, Maralith, Sphinx, Teumessian Fox (daughters),
Phorcys (father), Ceto (mother),
Tartarus (father-in-law), Gaea (maternal grandmother/mother-in-law),
Gorgons (Euryale, Medusa, Stheno), Graeae (Deinos, Enyo, Pephredo), Scylla, Sirens, Thoosa, Zirnitra (sisters),
Pontus (maternal grandfather),
Set (paternal grandfather),
Damballah, Dragon of the Moon, Siapep, Sligguth, Yamato-no-Orichi (uncles),
Ishiti, Tartessus (aunts),
Chthon, Hyppus (granduncles),
Issus, Oshtur (grandaunts),
Demiurge (great-grandfather),
many other distant relatives;
possibly Agathyrsus, Gelonus, Scythes (sons)
Aliases: Ekhidna, She-Viper
Base of Operations: Mobile throughout Earth's oceans
First Appearance: (Mentioned) Marvel Tarot (2007); (seen) Fearless Defenders#11 (January, 2014)
Powers/Abilities: Echidna possesses a humanoid upper body and a sea serpent's lower body. She has a mouth filled with dart-like sharp teeth and clawed hands. She can ensare enemies with her lower body and squeeze her opponent with superhuman strength (on par with Valkyrie; 45 tons). She can swim at superhuman speed (though it is unknown how fast) and breathe underwater. She can seemingly fly (though it is possible Aradnea made her levitate).
Height: (typical) 6'; (full length) 13'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 245 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Green
History:
(Marvel Tarot) - Echidna, daughter of Ceto and Phorcys, gave birth to such monsters as Chimaera, Cerberus, Maralith, the Nemean Lion, the Lernaean Hydra and Angerboda (the first few fathered by Typhon and the last by Vârcolac)
(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update#3 - Huntsman) - Echidna and Typhon parented the Teumessian Fox.
(Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Other Various Monstrosities - Set) - The Snakes of Many Colors were children of Echidna, daughter of Phorcys, the son of Set.
(Fearless Defenders#11 (fb) - BTS) - At some point in the past Echidna tasted the flesh of a member of the Asgardians' Valkyrior.
(Mythology) - Zeus allowed Echidna and her offspring to live as a challenge for future heroes after she and Typhon attacked Mount Olympus.
At some point Echidna stole Hercules' horses to lure him to her and force him to mate with her. She eventually gave birth to Agathyrsus, Gelonus and Scythes.
Argus apparently slew Echidna in her sleep (she got better by unknown means or it never happened in the MU; same goes for other mythological events).
(Fearless Defenders#11 (fb) - BTS) - Echidna joined Caroline Le Fay's Doom Maidens.
(Fearless Defenders#11) - Echidna, the Atlantean witch Aradnea and a horde of sea monsters arrived at the shore of New Amazonia to offer the Amazons to abandon Hippolyta and join someone else. The Defenders and their allies fought the monsters and the two Doom Maidens. Echidna fought Valkyrie and Ren Kimura before she was impaled through the chest with a sea serpent's tooth by Hippolyta. Echidna couldn't believe it would end for her like this because of La Fey's promises to her...whatever these promises were. Ariadne and Echidna left New Amazonia without further fighting after Caroline offered the Amazons to join her.
(Fearless Defenders#12) - Echidna joined the Doom Maidens in a South American pyramid to summon soemthing evil to Earth. They were attacked by Valkyrie's Defenders, who thwarted the summoning by closing the portal. The Defenders were victorious.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Avengers VIII#9) - Namor recruited Echidna to join his new super-team, the Defenders of the Deep, including Andromeda, Bloodtide, King Crab, Manowar, Namor, Orka, Tiger Shark, and several mutated Piranhas.
(Avengers VIII#10) - The Defenders of the Deep and War-Sharks saw Namor raise Hydropolis to the surface, then attacked the humans within, declaring that all on the surface world were no longer allowed under the ocean. The Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes, Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Thor/Odinson) attacked, and Echidna immediately ensnared Iron Man in her tail. Soon the Winter Guard (Chernobog, Crimson Dynamo/Dmitri Bukharin, Darkstar/Laynia Petrovna, Perun, Ursa Major, Vanguard/Nikolai Krylenko, Vostok) intervened, and fights broke out among all three teams. Echidna was hit by Darkstar and Vanguard in the fight. In the chaos, Namor killed a few of the Piranhas for hunting humans, then he ordered the withdrawal of the Defenders of the Deep.
(War of the Realms: Strikeforce: The War Avengers#1) - The Defenders of the Deep helped Namor defend Atlantis against the Fire-Breathing Sharks of Muspelheim.
(Incoming#1) - The Defenders of the Deep (Bloodtide, Echidna, Manowar, Orka, Tiger Shark) approached the Avengers at Avengers Mountain, where they delivered the message that they expected the Avengers to apologize to every fish in the ocean.
(King in Black: Namor#3) - Namor led Andromeda, Bloodtide, and Echidna in a search for the Black Tide, but they found nothing.
(Avengers VIII#40) - Namor led the Defenders of the Deep in attacking the Avengers at Avengers Mountain, as he tried to secure the power of the Phoenix Force for himself. During the fight, Echidna sparred with Captain Marvel. The Phoenix Force froze the fight as it began searching for a new host.
(Avengers VIII#42) - The Defenders of the Deep stood down as Namor battled to control the Phoenix Force.
(Avengers VIII#43) - Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Okoye held off the Defenders of the Deep. Iron Fist battled Bloodtide and Echidna.
(Avengers VIII#44) - The Defenders of the Deep departed after Namor lost the Phoenix battle.
(Avengers VIII#49) - The Defenders of the Deep challenged Namor for the throne of Atlantis, feeling he was no longer a fit ruler. A giant battle with the surface world erupted, interrupting the meeting.
Comments: Adapted by Cullen Bunn & Will Sliney.
Like her mother Ceto, Echidna is the mother of many monsters. She is far more famous than Ceto in the role as Mother of Monsters in Greek mythology.
Avengers updates by Chadman.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Echidna has no known connection to:
images (without ads)
Fearless Defenders#11, p12, pan2 (main image)
Fearless Defenders#11, p16, pan2 (vs Valkyrie)
Avengers VIII#10, p13, pan3 (vs Iron Man)
Appearances:
Marvel Tarot#1 (2007) - David Sexton (writer/design), Doug Sexton (technical consultant), Jeff Christiansen (continuity consultant), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Fearless Defenders#11-12 (January-February, 2014) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Will Sliney (artist), Ellie Pyle (editor)
Avengers VIII#9 (December, 2018) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VIII#10 (January, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez, Ed McGuinness, Frazer Irving, Adam Kubert, Andrea Sorrentino (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)
War of the Realms: Strikeforce: The War Avengers#1 (July, 2019) - Dennis Hallum (writer), Kim Jacinto, Ario Anindito (artists), Wil Moss (editor)
Incoming#1 (February, 2020) - Jason Aaron (writer), Andrea Sorrentino (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VIII#40 (February, 2021) - Jason Aaron (writer), Javier Garron (artist), C.B. Cebulski (editor)
King in Black: Namor#3 (April, 2021) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Ben Dewey (penciler), Jonas Scharf (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VIII#42 (April, 2021) - Jason Aaron (writer), Luca Maresca (artist), C.B. Cebulski (editor)
Avengers VIII#43-44 (May-June, 2021) - Jason Aaron (writer), Javier Garron (artist), C.B. Cebulski (editor)
Avengers VIII#49 (December, 2021) - Jason Aaron (writer), Javier Garron (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 08/20/2015
Last updated: 04/28/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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