Creation
Tao Jones is a young Asian character who belongs to the band of mutants called Helix was created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas as an adversarial team to the group of heroes called Infinity Inc. Their first debut was in Infinity Inc Infinity Inc. #17 (August, 1985).
Origin
Tao Jones is a meta-human woman with the ability to deflect any form of energy directed at her, she became a member of the Helix, a group of children whose pregnant mothers had been subjected to genetic experiments by their gynaecologist, Dr. Amos Love. Love brought up the Helix and manipulated them into believing that they were unwanted by their parents and the world. As teens, the Helix found out Dr.Love’s true history and their own in his diary and killed him in a fit of anger ad disbelief. Soon after they embarked on a semi-criminal career.
Major Story Arcs
Helix and Infinity Inc.
Tao Jones along with the other Helix members attempted to gain wealth by attacking two affluent young superhero’s named the Silver Scarab and Fury. They along with their teammates on Infinity Inc had recently revealed their secret identities. Although only confronting Fury, Mr. Bones defeated the young amazon and had Silver Scarab turn himself in to the team as a hostage and left both in the care of Tao Jones. However the rest of Infinity Inc came to the rescue of their comrades and Tao Jones and Helix were defeated.
Another character who had been separated from the other children of Helix called Carcharo, a ferocious shark like creature, intimidated Penny Dreadful to become the leader of Helix. Since Mr. Bones had left them and Baby Boom, who had recently renamed herself Babe, and was becoming increasingly sociopathic, sided with Carcharo. These two were the most dangerous Helix members and tried to force the others to follow Carcharo. Penny Dreadful, Arak and Tao Jones left, and Babe refused to use her powers to explode them despite Carcharo’s orders.
Most of Helix accepted to join a low-security psychiatric hospital for therapy and socialization. Mr.Bones, who was considered to wield too much influence over the group, was ordered to join Infinity, Inc. instead to perform more community services. Though they were dismayed at being separated again, the Helix ‘familyâ realized that they had received very favorable terms and complied.
Suicide Squad Run
Tao Jones had not been seen since her time with the group Helix and her whereabouts or activities are not known. Tao however shows up years later as an inmate at Belle Reve and is offered a deal by Amanda Waller and her government run agents the Suicide Squad. She joins other inmates such as Solomon Grundy, Rag Doll, Scream Queen, Shimmer, and Merlyn to apprehend an escaped inmate. Searching the swamps surrounding Belle Reve, the Squad run into the avatar of the Green the Swamp Thing.
Tao and the Squad members are confused by the Swamp Things appearance commence battling him. However she along with the Squad ignore his and the inmates warnings and discover the real treat are powerful spirits who are in pursuit of the inmate. Tao and the members have a deadly encounter with spirits and she attempts to stop them and protect the young girl. However she quickly discovers that her powers have no affect on the spirits and is killed by them. Bodies decay quickly in the bayous of Louisiana, and Tao Jones and many of the short lived members of the Squad discovered this too late.
Powers and Abilities
Tao Jones is a proficient martial artist, though she is chiefly about speed and accuracy rather than power and strength. She uses another’s own attacks to maneuver herself in combat in a Judo style format.
She also has a meta-human energy-manipulation powers which allow her to do all sorts of unpredictable things. She has successfully manipulated attacks ranging from the Silver Scarab’s solar blasts and Obsidian’s dark touch.
Tao Jones can also levitate although it is unclear whether she can move around while she’s aloft.
Statistics
Real name: Siong
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group affiliation: Helix, Suicide Squad
Base Of Operations: Formerly the outskirts of L.A. (a ghost town in the desert near Bakersfield), then an abandoned mall in L.A., then Terminal Island (off the L.A. coast), later Belle Reve
Height: 5â1”
Weight: 85 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black