History
Medusa alongside her sisters Gorgons was created by ancient titans Phorcys and Ceto. After Olympians' triumph over titans, the Gorgons became priestesses of Athena and took the vow of celibacy. Eventually Medusa broke the vow and ultimately gave birth to Cyclops, Poseidon's son. Athena found out that Medusa have broken the vow and disgraced the goddess' temple. She transformed the Gorgon sisters into scaly hags with snakes for hair. The Gorgons fled to earth to live in isolation and petrifying unknowing victims, literally. All their descendants bore the same curse creating a minor mythical species of medusas.
Sometime in the fourteenth century Perseus located the Gorgons hermits in the wilderness surrounded by the petrified victims. Using his shield's reflective surface, Perseus beheaded Medusa and subsequently used her head as a weapon.
After Medusa's death, her daughter relocated to subterranean world below Athens - Medusa-Land. Medusa's daughter, who took her mother's name, became the ruler of the city. Her descendants, each took the name Medusa and ruled the city after the deaths of their mothers.
Generations later King Kreon of Pylos sent Hercules to retrieve the gold of Medusa from the Isle of Fear. On the island he encountered Medusa, alive and well, concealing her face behind a hood. Hercules and Argonauts ended up slaying her once again. With Medusa's death Jason and all her prior victims reverted back to flesh.
Somehow turning up alive again in the 1920's, Medusa became a famous photographer named "May Dusa".
During the same era Professor Lansing discovered the Medusa-Land and attempted an expedition to discover it's riches.
Some time later Medusa moved to Pairs, France with a blind man from Greece, her husband. He wins an art competition by using one of Medusa's victims as an art piece.
At some event Medusa or one of her descendants became imprisoned by a curio shop owner. A robber was turned to stone upon discovering Medusa behind a vault door. The shop owner placed the criminal's stone body in his shop. Some time later, a customer wanted to know the story behind the "statue", and the owner told him; the customer did not believe him, but when the owner challenged him to open the door himself, he fled in terror, convinced.
Years later Mr. and Mrs. Grey (no relation to Jean Grey) bought the cursed European castle with Medusa imprisoned inside. Mr. Grey unknowingly released Medusa from her prison, but she failed to turn to stone. Thinking that her own curse had been somehow lifted, she looked at herself in the mirror turning herself to stone.
In modern times the head of Medusa was found in an archaeological dig in Greece by Mr. Collins. He held on to the head for many decades, until it was stolen from him by. Mr. Collins hired Moon Knight to recover the head of Medusa. Spector managed to recover the head but in a petrified state.
More recently the original Medusa was brought back to life via the Hand's resurrection ritual alongside with number of Ancient Greek monsters to be used by Matsu'o Tsurayaba against Wolverine and Hercules. Medusa's attack was unsuccessful and resulted in beheading. Ironicly enough, her head was uses as a weapon against resurrected Ancient Greek monstrosity - Kraken.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Can turn people into stone with one gaze.
Paraphernalia
Weapons
Wielded dual Greek broadswords at least on one occasion.
Notes
Medusa's body was used by Athena to produce numerous artifacts with mystical power, such as flutes made from Medusa's ribs. It is unknown if Medusa's bio features one or more of Medusa's offspring; or if she miraculously came back to life on numerous occasions.
Links and References
- 4 Appearances of Medusa (Earth-616)
- Minor Appearances of Medusa (Earth-616)
- Media Medusa (Earth-616) was Mentioned in
- Images featuring Medusa (Earth-616)
- Quotations by or about Medusa (Earth-616)
- Character Gallery: Medusa (Earth-616)
Footnotes
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