Orphaned at a very young age, Ophelia would consider herself fortunate to have been swept up under the scaled wings of Hydra. . Political revolution had swept the Eastern European country her and her parents had lived in - a country long since forgotten. Ophelia would never forget that her parents had died there. She wore a scar that reminded her of the incident, a young girl who was forced to turn to crime as a means of survival.
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Even in her youth she became a ruthless mercenary and a capable criminal. At this age she had ended up in Madripoor, mentored by the dangerous woman 'Seraph', who would take both her and a 'younger' Logan Howlett in. Seraph proved to be unparalleled among female peers of the time, a sought after villain with a mercenary heart who excelled at Assassination with what some called a 'flair' for no flair at all, subtlety and a style her own her 'trademark' as it were. Seraph passed, and what happened there is forever between Ophelia and Logan.
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After the death of her mentor, Ophelia was taken in my Commander Kraken, as one of HYDRA's earliest female assassins. She was a prize protg and wasted no time at all climbing the ranks in HYDRA. When Von Strucker was believed dead and HYDRA had it's own infighting, Viper stepped up as 'Madame Hydra' to lead the organization on her own for the first time by taking control of HYDRA's operations in New York city and the surrounding region.
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With interference from interstellar and dimensional entities, Madame Hydra was removed from HYDRA's power struggles for a short time sitting in Limbo. When she returned she had found herself usurped as HYDRA leadership, and once again made her own way in the criminal underworld. She became a usurper herself, assassinating the leadership of the 'Serpent Squad' - a man named 'Viper.' She sought the 'Serpent Crown's power in an ambitious conquest of the world, an helped by Krang. She was finally stopped by Captain America in one of many run ins with America's First Avenger - but retained the title of Viper and the Serpent Squad's leadership.
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Her further adventures took her throughout the world, including a long stint in Japan. She traveled the world as an independent leader of her own criminal organization, with the Silver Samurai serving as her own personal bodyguard. Having control of the Japanese underworld and a worldwide organization seemed to suit 'Viper' well. She worked with the Red Skull, was monitored by Natasha Romanoff and SHIELD, had run ins with Spider Woman, Spider MAN, the X-Men, Nick Fury, and in one of her most infamous endeavors, nearly stole the cavorite crystal and gave the New Mutants a run for their money.
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Today, she again works with HYDRA, where her heart will always find a way back to. It is not clear if she is the head of the organization, or even it's New York wing - but it is clear that she's as cunning as ever, and those that follow her do with a fanatical loyalty uncommon even in HYDRA.
Fitness - Viper's activities through decades of crime have provided the woman with an incredible endurance and fitness. Though not strictly 'super powered', the woman's physical ability is on par with an Olympic athlete. She can run farther and faster than most 'regular' human beings, jump higher, and has proven incredibly resilient even in the face of foes like Captain America. More so, her dexterity seems to be her keenest attribute, as she has an uncanny knack for avoiding harm. Her athleticism allows her to keep up with super powered foes and allies in spite of their 'abilities.'
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Villainous Luck - She might be a villainous mastermind, but sometimes only luck can describe the woman's knack for surviving danger. Being a villain means becoming accustomed to failure when the forces of Law, superheroes and even meddling civilians get in the way. But even more so, it is remarkable how much harm she has escaped - or the number of times superheroes thought they had defeated her only to see her rise up on the radar, months or years later.
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Aging - As part of her deal with the Elder God Cthon, Ophelia ages very slowly - which might explain why she's been masterminding since before Captain America became a popsicle.
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Teleportation - She has a teleportation ring she acquired as part of her adventures. One of the many reasons she's able to slip into and out of places unnoticed, it could also be why she escapes death so often. It only moves her short distances at a time, but that's definitely proven more than enough on multiple occasions.
Poisons - Snake or venom themed poisons are Viper's trademark. Administered through bladed weapons, arrows or even a kiss. Viper has an uncanny knack for producing poisons and modifying existing poisons for her own nefarious means. Her poisons are of various qualities and potencies to include various side effects such as: A high level of discomfort in crowds, indigestion, nausea, drowsiness or instant sleep, death, loss of superpowers, not remembering what you did last night at the bar.
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Biochemistry - Related to her expertise in using/modifying/tailoring poisons to her purpose. Viper is an accomplished biochemist. She has used this skill for various means, often in the pursuit of some nefarious scheme. She can use this ability, with the right tools, to produce sleeping draughts, poisons, half-baked super soldier serums and other such chemical toys.
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Weapons Master - Growing up in HYDRA and being one of Commander Kraken's proteges has a way of making a girl self sufficient. A 22-year student of Commander Kraken, HYDRA, and the villain school of hard knocks has made Viper an exceptional martial combatant. Her prowess covers a large variety of weapons from anything with a blade, to include prosthetic fangs and claws, as well as a classic bow and arrow.
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Spy -Viper is an incredible gatherer of information and infiltrator, with a complete dossier on many heroes, villains, or potential heroes, villains or allies that might rival SHIELD's information. In many cases she's gathered this information by herself - preferring to make sure the job gets done right. Her unequaled ability to gather information and infiltrate organizations has made her a formidable spy and villainous mastermind.
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Leadership - Before Viper was 'Madame Hydra', she was leading HYDRA's agents across the globe in various missions. She has led successful an unsuccessful raids, heists, and attacks on resources belonging to various heroes and supergroups. She has proven herself a capable and incredibly powerful and charismatic leader in HYDRA with a business acumen and knack for the criminal underworld rivalled only by King Pin and few others.
Wealth - You don't get to be a Villainous mastermind without making some money. Indeed, Viper has proven her criminal acumen on the Black Market and otherwise. A shrewd 'business person', Viper has engaged in any number of shady deals and come out on top. She has also been on or led a large number of raids, heists and interceptions of other criminal organization's wealth - or of heroes' wealth.
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Criminal Underworld - Viper has been responsible for her own lion's share of deals in the Black Market and the criminal underworld. Alliances made, broken and in between. Goods transferred, information brokered. Viper has access to a sweeping number of underworld contacts including information brokers, the black market, and other criminal organizations.
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HYDRA - A multiple-time leader of HYDRA at just about every rank of the organization, Viper has access to anything the organization has access to. HYDRA's weapons are a trademark of Viper's, as is the metallic, glinting armor she often wears, and a flowing green cape. She also has access to legions of loyal troops, including her very own retinue of HYDRA's own that are fanatically loyal to 'Madame Hydra' herself, and occasionally the Serpent Squad she once called her own.
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Megalomaniacal - World domination, conquest, adventure? The stuff of infamous legends. If it's good enough for any other villain, it's good enough for Viper. A HYDRA recruit at a young age in spite of her depth of criminal experience, Ophelia's heart belongs to HYDRA. That said, HYDRA's own penchant for overwrought masterminded plans belongs to Madame Hydra as well. No amount of conquest will ever be enough for her, no plot too small or too big. If it's worth doing, it's worth being dastardly while doing it.
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Death's Courtier - Though often patient enough to work through plans that might pan out over a number of months or years, Viper isn't always quite so calm as might be expected (or not) of a criminal mastermind. She enjoys death, revels in destruction and the death it causes. Killing merely for the sake of killing, or watching those around her die is child's play to Viper. She has turned of other villainous or less villainous allies or watched those she'd turned to the cause of evil turn away because of her penchant for causing 'a little too much' destruction even for some other villains.
Delusions of Grandeur - No matter how powerful Ophelia is, she will always, ever and always - drown under her own weight. Convinced of her own capability, or perhaps her own invulnerability - she will prove more indomitable than a snowman or a little toot toot train that could. While others die around her, every time she escapes death or might be defeated by a super team or hero, she will always come back emboldened. Even in capture, if she has not died, she believes herself capable of escape and conquest.
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Conquest - She'll never stop. Never ever. She believes she's entitled to this conquest as the very nature of her megalomania. Perhaps some personal brand of insanity, Ophelia's taste for conquest, blood, and destruction drives her forward. This is both her willpower and possibly her worst flaw. She'll never hold onto anything she loves, even her position in HYDRA is occasionally fragile because she perpetually stands on the precipice of anotherwhatever it is she causes.
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She is utterly, irrevocably evil. She may be able to convince others otherwise, but she'll never convince herself, and she really, doesn't care.