Andromeda

Origin

The blue-skinned warrior woman from the deep seas of Atlantis is a member of the Homo-mermanus race, and thus grew up underwater. Although the first born to the barbarian warlord Attuma and the Lady Gelva of Atlantis, she was raised as though Attuma was raising a boy. Many years of intense training in the fields of tactical warfare Andromeda surpassed all other males except for her own father in these fields. However despite her growing skills she would always be considered unworthy of being his successor, because she was a woman not a man. Andromeda was frustrated at the unlikelihood that her own father would look beyond the cultural issue concerning her sex apparently deciding to leave her father’s kingdom and go to Prince Namor‘s underwater kingdom Atlantis.

Inspired by tales of Namor the Submariner’s adventures among the humans of the surface world, the Atlantean Soldier called Andromeda (a corruption of her true Atlantean name) used a serum that allowed her to breathe air and also changed the color of her skin to allow her to survive above the waves. Now resembling a normal human being, she called herself Andrea McPhee and set out to follow in Namor’s footsteps. She briefly lived undercover as a human and copied identity cards from a jogger she met. For a time, she adventured with the Defenders, a team to which Namor once belonged, and which was well known for including female members. She was quickly accepted and became a favorite partner of her fellow warrior-woman, Valkyrie. However her time on the team was short-lived, as she agreed to sacrifice herself along with some of the other Defenders in order to defeat the Dragon of the Moon.

Her original body was killed at the end of this battle in Defenders vol. 1. She was restored in “Dr. Strange” vol. 3 #3 by merging with Genevieve Cross, a Welsh woman. For some time she could shape-shift between the Andromeda and Genevieve forms. The Genevieve form has not appeared for some time, the personalities may have merged.

Powers and Abilities

Andromeda comes from the Homo-mermanus species of humanoids native to the planet Earth and as such has several natural physical traits as all her people do. She is able to survive in the deep waters of the oceans, withstanding its pressures the deeper she swims. The swimming speed which she is capable of attaining is unknown but is most definitely superhuman to some degree. She also has superhuman reaction time; she was able to throw her trident and then run past it, beating it to its target. She said that since she is used to moving through water, it is much easier for her to run through air.

Although Atlanteans all have physical prowess above Homo-sapiens, Andromeda’s level of strength and stamina are above the average for an Atlantean. She is able to lift or press about fourteen tons of weight while under water and the level decreases to about four tons while on land.

Her eyesight has also genetically adapted to the murky depths of the oceans allowing her to retain visual scenes even with practically no light at those depths. Andromeda has developed a type of membrane which she can cover her eyes with, this dark blue and transparent film allows her more of a measure of vision protection. At only a few times she has also displayed a certain type of accurately attuned motion sense allowing her to even sense motion on the other side of a thick door, or across interstellar space. It has never been clear if any other Atlantean displays either of these last two attributes.

Daughter of Attuma the warlord Andromeda has received intense training in military exercises and strategy and is a fierce warrior. Able to undertake ordering large armies of soldiers or a small band of heroes Andromeda has a keen mind and a sharp eye on strategic planning. Not the equal of her fathers as he is a more experienced combatant, she has formidable expertise with hand-to-hand weaponry traditional to Atlanteans.

Weapons and Paraphernalia

Enjoying the close engagement of hand-to-hand combat Andromeda utilizes several different types of hand-held weaponry. Her most preferred weapon is the three-pronged Trident which she uses with deadly aim. However she also carries a longsword and dagger, at times changing the length and edge of the blades.

Andromeda has piloted a type of Atlantean warship which have been equipped with numerous capabilities and is an expert in navigational equipment. The warship can move at fantastic speeds underwater, is able to also fly through the air, has an on board sophisticated array of computers. A particular capacity of the computers is that they are able duplicate such common items as Andromeda’s serum, credit cards, clothing etc. The warship is also equipped with at least a pair of laser cannons.

Weaknesses

Like all of her people Andromeda cannot survive out of water without special aid or she will die on open land. She is able to counteract this situation by using a serum that allows her people to survive up to 12 hours out of water.

Statistics

• Real Name: Andromeda Attumasen
• Alias: Andrea Mcphee, Genevieve Cross
• Identity: Secret
• Legal Status: Citizen of Atlantis
• Marital Status: Single
• Known Relatives: Attuma(Father), Lady Gelva(Mother)
• Universe: Earth-616
• Base of Operations: Mobile, Atlantic Ocean
• Height: 5’8″
• Weight: 180 lbs
• Eyes: Green, Black(with membrane covering)
• Hair: Auburn
• Skin: Blue