| Viper (Madame Hydra) | |
|---|---|
.webp) Ophelia Sarkissian / Viper as depicted inSpider-Woman vol. 4 #4 (December 2009). Art by Kieron Dwyer. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Captain America #110 (February 1969)[1][2] |
| Created by | Jim Steranko (writer / artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Ophelia Sarkissian |
| Species | Humanmutate |
| Team affiliations | Serpent Squad Secret Empire H.A.M.M.E.R. Hellfire Club J.A.N.U.S. Madripoor The Hand Hydra |
| Notable aliases | Warrior White Princess Madame Hydra Madame Viper Green Queen Viper |
| Abilities | |
Ophelia Sarkissian is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created byJim Steranko, the characterfirst appeared inCaptain America #110 (February 1969).[3] Ophelia Sarkissian is a foe of theX-Men and theAvengers.[4] She has also been known asViper andMadame Hydra at various points in her history.[5][6][7]
Since her original introduction in comics, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, includingvideo games,animatedtelevision series, and merchandise. The character appeared in theX-Men franchise filmThe Wolverine, portrayed bySvetlana Khodchenkova. A version of the character,Aida "Ophelia" / Madame Hydra, appears in theMarvel Cinematic Universe television seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the simulated identity of they,Aida, portrayed byMallory Jansen.
Viper debuted inCaptain America #110 (February 1969),[8] created byJim Steranko.[9] She appeared in the 2016Captain America: Steve Rogers series.[10][11] She appeared in the 2017Secret Empire series.[12][13] She appeared in the 2018Hunt for Wolverine: Mystery in Madripoor series.[14][15]
Ophelia Sarkissian was orphaned as a child inHungary. Part of her face was scarred at one time, although it has since been healed. Among 12 other girls, Ophelia was taken in byHydra and raised byKraken. For 22 years, Ophelia excelled and became Kraken's best student.[16] She eventually rose through the ranks of Hydra and frequently came into conflict withCaptain America and the organization known asS.H.I.E.L.D. She first appeared as a leader of Hydra under the codenameMadame Hydra, and first fought and captured Captain America while trying to contaminate New York City's water supply.[17][18] She capturedRick Jones to bait a trap for Captain America,[19] and then subdued theAvengers with gas, planning to bury the group alive, and battled Captain America again. However, she was apparently killed when Captain America and Jones dodged missiles she fired at the two and she was caught in their explosion.[20] Some time later, it was revealed that theSpace Phantom had exchanged places with her and her whereabouts at the time were undisclosed.[21]
She eventually severed her ties with Hydra.[22] Madame Hydra helped thesupervillainViper (Jordan Stryke) escape custody inVirginia, only to proceed inassassinating Stryke and usurping the Viper alias and leadership of theSerpent Squad.[23] As the second Viper, she kidnappedRoxxon presidentHugh Jones, in order to put the latter in thrall of theSerpent Crown. She battledNomad andNamor the Sub-Mariner.[24] Viper was the founder and leader of the elite criminal underworld through sheer ruthlessness, treachery, and the cunning of her black heart.
Viper took over the S.H.I.E.L.D.Helicarrier, and planned to crash it into the Congress building. She employedBoomerang and theSilver Samurai as operatives, and battledSpider-Man,Black Widow,Shang-Chi, andNick Fury.[25] Viper later employed the Silver Samurai as her chief operative, and attempted to kidnap Michael Kramer, a man carrying a fatal experimental disease, in order to release on America. Viper battled the firstSpider-Woman, and became convinced that she was Merriam Drew, the mother of Spider-Woman who was considered deceased since 1931. The issue revealed Merriam had become allied toChthon and was granted longevity in return. Viper revealed herself to have been a pawn of Chthon for 50 years, but saved Spider-Woman's life by defying Chthon.[26] Viper, employingConstrictor as her chief operative, captured Spider-Woman, believing she was responsible for making her think they were related. It was revealed that Chthon had actually granted Viperfalse memories of mothering Jessica Drew as part of a plan to place both women under his control. Viper captured Captain America, and planned to release her new bubonic plague.[27] Whether Viper actually has extraordinary longevity was left uncertain.
Re-employing the Silver Samurai, Viper attempted to coerceTeam America into stealing the Cavourite Crystal, and then battled theNew Mutants.[28] In one of her many terrorist acts, she would try to gain control of the snake-themed organization called theSerpent Society, withSlither,Copperhead,Puff Adder,Fer-De-Lance, andBlack Racer as operatives. The latter four operatives infiltrated the Serpent Society in an attempt to take it over. Viper dispatchedCobra,Boomslang, and Copperhead to poison Washington D.C.'s water supply with a snake mutagen. Viper terrorized the White House and the President, and battled Captain America.[29] She attempted to assassinate the organization's former leaderSidewinder, but she was betrayed by Cobra and arrested by Captain America.[30] Viper was later freed from prison byTyrannus. She used a snake mutagen on drug addicts, and then battled thePunisher.[31] She then turned against and battled Tyrannus.[32]
Madame Hydra has also been in conflict with theX-Men. She first came into contact with them upon trying to assassinateMariko Yashida on behalf of her ally and presumed loverSilver Samurai, and tried to poison the team while disguised as Mariko's unconscious maid.[33] She nearly killed X-Men membersRogue andStorm on two separate occasions, with Storm being nearly killed by Viper during the invasion ofKhan.[34] She also faced theNew Mutants and was considered responsible for the presumed demise ofKarma (Karma was only wounded and was abducted by theShadow King for his own reasons).[35]
Madame Hydra is a professionalterrorist and has her own organization. She has come into conflict with many superheroes and supervillains over the years. Hernihilism and tendency to spread death around her has made it hard for other villains to associate with her. Only theRed Skull has found it a charming tendency and pursued a relationship with her for a while. The relationship ended when the Skull found out Viper was using his resources to finance massacres with no apparent financial benefit for either of them.[36]
For a time, Viper employed a team of doppelgängers (known as "Pit-Vipers") to impersonate her. However, acting on her own, Pit-Viper 12[37] became involved with thePunisher during an international crime conference in Las Vegas[38] and later tipped off S.H.I.E.L.D. to the real Viper's attempt to steal Russian nuclear missiles in Moscow.[39] For compromising her anonymity, the Viper personally killed her treacherous double.[40]
Later she blackmailedWolverine into marrying her as a means to secure her criminal empire inMadripoor. Although this was a marriage of convenience, she did request to consummate the arrangement. Some time later, her body was briefly inhabited by the spirit ofOgun, and Wolverine mortally wounded her as a means of driving the spirit from her dying body. In return for seeking medical attention to save her life, Wolverine demanded a divorce.[41] It is later implied that she actually had feelings for Wolverine.[42]
Viper was then a member of an incarnation of theHellfire Club, working withCourtney Ross, briefly under the title "White Warrior Princess".[43] She has also associated with theHand and resumed her ties with the Silver Samurai. She has also retaken the name "Madame Hydra".[volume & issue needed]
For a time, Viper was the dictator of the nation ofMadripoor, using the nation's resources to support global terrorism via Hydra.[volume & issue needed] She was overthrown by new S.H.I.E.L.D. directorTony Stark and Tyger Tiger, the latter of whom is now ruler of Madripoor.[44]
During theDark Reign storyline, Viper is seen leaving her lover, the Silver Samurai, to rejoinBaron Strucker and the ruling council of Hydra.[45] It was revealed that she is no longer Madame Hydra, as she was replaced byValentina Allegra de Fontaine taking up the mantle of Madame Hydra, wearing an elaborate tentacle headdress and Hydra robes.[46]
Viper is kidnapped by the mysterious group Leviathan, who are determined to find out the location of a mysterious box that both she andMadame Hydra procured from the Yashidas. Madame Hydra arrived at the Leviathan headquarters and offered the box to its leader, much to Viper's dismay. Madame Hydra then shot Viper to death. However, when Hydra arrived,Hive resurrected her, giving her tentacles that stemmed from her head, and she renamed herself Madame Hydra.[47]
Following theFear Itself storyline, Madame Hydra joins up withH.A.M.M.E.R. afterNorman Osborn escapes from the Raft and regains leadership.[48] After the defeat of Osborn and theDark Avengers, Madame Hydra uses the resources of the now-defunct H.A.M.M.E.R. to begin rebuilding Hydra.[49] She later tips off Spider-Woman andHawkeye about a heistMister Negative is planning on a S.H.I.E.L.D. warehouse. While the Avengers deal with Mister Negative, Madame Hydra attacks a different S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and steals several captive Skrulls left over from the Secret Invasion.[50]
Madame Hydra later led an attack onAvengers Tower while the team is away. She and the rest of her forces are defeated byAngel and his younger self fromearlier in the timestream.[51]
In "Death of Wolverine", she was revealed byNuke as the "Green Queen" and current leader ofMadripoor who sent out a contract to capture Wolverine.[52]
Viper is part of the Hydra High Council that the newMadame Hydra is collecting to assist Steve Rogers who had his history altered by the Red Skull's clone usingKobik's powers to be a Hydra sleeper agent for years.[53]
During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Viper attends the meeting of the Hydra High Council and talks about the opening of two new detention facilities to double the amount of Inhumans held in indefinite custody.[54] While doing business with some men, Viper is told by a Hydra agent that they have apprehended Black Widow. This is part of a diversion so that theChampions can infiltrate a Hydra base. When Viper figures out that Black Widow is planning to kill Hydra Supreme, Viper tries to persuade Black Widow to join up with her enterprise.[55]
During the "Hunt for Wolverine" storyline, Viper is seen in Madripoor, where she leads theFemme Fatales (consisting ofKnockout,Bloodlust,Mindblast,Snake Whip, andSapphire Styx) in ambushingKitty Pryde,Domino,Jubilee,Psylocke, andStorm at the King's Impresario Restaurant. While Psylocke, Rogue, and Storm are defeated and taken prisoner by Madame Hydra and the Femme Fatales, Pryde escapes with Domino and Jubilee.[56] Viper congratulates the Femme Fatales for their work as they now have Psylocke, Rogue, and Storm as their prisoners. Mindblast suggests that they put a bounty on the ones that escaped, stating that every gang member in Lowtown will be looking for them. Viper states that she will discuss with her client on where to proceed next and to deposit Rogue and Storm to the client as "special guests." As Viper gives the status report to a representative of her client, she mentions that Sapphire is still draining off of Psylocke just like she did with Magneto. The representative tells Viper that Sapphire tends to prefer the life force of the mutants and tells Viper to focus on delivering the package as all that they are serves the will of Soteira. As Snake Whip asks if they are going to ignore Sapphire's vampiric appetite, Viper says that they have to obey the representative's orders and "let the @#$%& feed."[57] Viper is contacted by a representative of Soteira, who was displeased that the launch was delayed by a torrential rainstorm and suggest that they launch before sunrise. While reluctantly taking the representative's suggestion, Viper and Snake Whip check up on Sapphire who knocks down Snake Whip and claims that Wolverine's Patch alias is present even though Sapphire is the only one who can see him. Viper calls Knockout and Mindblast away from the prisoners to help deal with Sapphire. After hearing that the launch site for the rocket bound for Soteira is under attack, Viper gives the orders to launch it now.[58] After Sapphire explodes, Viper maintains the higher ground while Snake Whip joins the fight. When the Femme Fatales are defeated, Viper flees as Magneto plans to pursue her to purge Madripoor of Viper's criminal empire.[59]
In theRavencroft miniseries, Viper is seen as a member of J.A.N.U.S.[60]
Ophelia Sarkissian's strength, speed, reflexes, agility, dexterity, coordination, balance and endurance are on the order of an Olympic athlete. She is a great swordsman and even greater marksman with most long range weapons, and has extensive training in hand-to-hand combat. Viper occasionally employs poisoned weapons with snake-motifs, such as venomous darts or artificial fangs filled with poison.[61] She utilizes experimental weaponry, including a ring that enables teleportation, and inX-Treme X-Men, she made use of razor-sharp claw attachments apparently built into her gloves.[34] A brilliant strategist and tactician with extensive combat tactical experience, Sarkissian is highly skilled in the management of criminal organizations and very well connected in the international criminal underworld. She is also a master of stealth and espionage. Perhaps her greatest strengths are her influence, the financial resources at her disposal due to her stature inorganized crime, and an uncanny luck which has allowed her to cheat death in situations where lesser people would have died. Sarkissian may or may not have supernaturally augmented longevity.
Sarkissian is usually armed with various ray pistols and conventional handguns. She has also used various other special weaponry, including poison-tipped throwing darts, knives, and whips. She has sharpened and elongated canine teeth with hollows inside them. She keeps a special poison in them, to which she has an immunity.
Kai Young ofScreen Rant called Ophelia Sarkissian "one of the most recognizable villains in the Marvel Universe."[62] Marc Buxton ofDen of Geek included Ophelia Sarkissian in their "Greatest Wolverine Villains" list.[63] Jesse Schedeen ofIGN ranked Ophelia Sarkissian 21st in their "Top 25 Marvel Villains" list.[64]Comic Book Resources ranked Ophelia Sarkissian 2nd in their "10 Most Powerful Crime Bosses In Marvel Comics" list,[65] 2nd in their "Marvel: The Council Of Hydra Members" list,[66] 7th in their "10 Most Attractive Marvel Villains" list,[67] and 7th in their "Marvel Comics: Ranking 10 Members Of Hydra From Weakest To Most Powerful" list.[68]
An alternate universe variant of Ophelia Sarkissian from Earth-295 appears inAge of Apocalypse. This version was married to the Silver Samurai and was killed saving him fromApocalypse's Infinites.[volume & issue needed]
An alternate universe variant of Madame Hydra from Earth-1720,Susan Storm, appears inExiles.[69]
An alternate version of Ophelia Sarkissian from Earth-1610 appears inUltimatum: Spider-Man Requiem #1[70]
An alternate universe variant of Viper from Earth-6160 appears inUltimate Invasion. This version is the leader of several territories in Japan, is loyal to and a member of theMaker'sCouncil.[71]
Viper also oversees the development of the Children of the Atom run by Meister. Her real name is also revealed to beAida.[72]
Viper appears in20th Century Fox'sThe Wolverine, portrayed bySvetlana Khodchenkova.[79][80] Due to rights issues withMarvel Studios at the time, this version is not referred to as "Madame Hydra" nor is her affiliation with the organization referenced.[81] Instead, she is depicted as amutant scientist known as "Dr. Green", who is immune to toxins, can shed her skin, produce acidic saliva, and is a master of toxins.Ichiro Yashida hires Viper to help transferLogan's healing factor to the former as well as monitorKenuichio Harada's ninja clan. Viper is later killed while fightingYukio.
In 2022,Hasbro released an Ophelia Sarkissian / Madame Hydraaction figure as part of theMarvel Legends action figure line.[89][90]
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