Capucine (Prime Earth)

Capucine was born in the year 1114 on the isle of Mont St. Michel in France, home to a monastery. Because of its location on the Norman coast, it was frequently under attack by the French, the Flemish, and the English. The island had been under the control of the English at the time of her birth, under the rule of Henry I. But the monks tired of their island being fought over, and sought freedom from the whims of kings.

Though it was clear that these kings were more interested in the island itself than the monastery upon it, a man appeared who explained that they could use a trick of alchemy to give the kings what they wanted in a bargain without seeing the monks and their monastery destroyed. Unfortunately, his formula would only work on youths. Among the youths they found were Capucine, her brother, and another. The stranger's gift gave them 1,000 years of life and enhanced strength and speed. They were trained to protect the monks, while the monks would teach them learning. Soon, the kings heard tell of the warriors who could best anyone in a fight, and they were sought out. The king came and swore he would raze the abbey if the three knights did not leave with him. By then, the king was King Philip II of France. For centuries they served that king's legacy, until she was alone, the other two with her gift lost in battle. The peasants killed the king in 1793, and she was released from her oath.

Freed, Capucine saw what parts of the world she had not yet seen, meeting, loving, and hurting many along the way. Eventually, her legend spread, and a bounty was placed on her head. These days, mercenaries made an attempt on her life on what seems a weekly basis, but she feared only the stranger who set her long life in motion, to whom her life was promised by the monks upon the moment of her death. This "man" was in fact a demon, whose name she learned at great cost: Etrigan, the rhymer.^[1] At one point, an Avatar of The Green promised to protect her from her fate during the 13th Century, a promise she remembered throughout her life.^[2]

The Seeder

Main article: Swamp Thing: Seeder

Main article: Swamp Thing: The Killing Field

Following an excursion in Metropolis involving Scarecrow, the Swamp Thing came across Capucine, who demanded that he help save her.^[3] When asked who she is, she invoked the statute of the Sanctuary of the Green Leaf, "Sanctuarium Folium Viride", one of which Alec himself was not aware. She demands that he protect her not during her life, as she can take care of herself from the various mercenaries that come to kill her and take the remainder of her extremely long life for their own, but after her death. Alec was reluctant to offer her sanctuary, given that all he knew of her was that she had a name and was very good at killing. Still, he did not intend to turn her down just yet. As Alec traveled to Scotland in order to face the Seeder, Capucine warned that her own time is very short - and someone was coming for her. ^[2]

Upon his return from Scotland, Capucine announced to Alec that the Seeder had come to the swamp and attacked her when he found out that the Swamp Thing was not there at the time, leaving the message "It's time, Professor" for Capucine to tell the Green Avatar.^[4]

Fortunately, with Alec's help, Capucine would heal quickly, though ashamed that she was not able to fulfil her sole duty of fighting on his behalf. Alec turned his attention, then, to the message, admitting that before he was the Avatar, he was a scientist. Capucine is surprised to learn that all avatars were once people, before they were chosen, but said that if Alec was once a scientist, he still is. Preparing, Alec led Capucine deeper into the swamp, showing her to the house that he once, long ago, built for Abby. She hoped to stay there, with him to protect her from what horrors are seeking to destroy her, though before she could explain in greater depth, Alec sensed the Seeder's presence, and left here there. A fight between the Seeder, revealed to be Jason Woodrue, and the Swamp Thing is cut short by a violent intervention by Capucine, who snaps the former's arm, freeing a weakened Alec enough to entrap Woodrue in vines. Though Alec refused to kill the Seeder, he threw more seeds at Capucine, attempting to kill her, but the seeds having no effect on account of the influence of the Parliament of Trees.^[5]

Upon the rise of the Seeder to the mantle of the Swamp Thing, Capucine was forced to run for her life when he attacked her in Louisiana, where he had stayed since Alec had left to duel with the Seeder for the right to be the Avatar of the Green.^[6]

Rise of the Wolf and the Lady Weeds

Main article: Swamp Thing: The Sureen

After returning from India with Guarav in tow, Capucine and Brother Jonah begin a romantic relationship based upon their 800 year history.^[2] During this time, Lady Weeds begins to conspire against Alec and she stabs Brother Jonah mortally.^[7] Though Guarav stabilises him, he is unable to save his life and, after a solemn goodbye from Capucine, Alec takes him to the grove in the swamp where the Parliament of Trees once stood and he is absorbed into The Green. Alec is drawn to a hospital fire which Lady Weeds had set, leaving Capucine at the grove's shore.

Lady Weeds and Wolf manage to get the upper hand on Alec though Wolf relents and commits suicide, freeing their captives and rending Lady Wolf powerless over Alec. She manages to sneak away while Wolf soliloquises to Alec and is ushered into the back of an ambulance. After killing the EMT inside, she discovers that she is trapped at the mercy of Capucine, who has caught up with her. She comments that she had loved just once in the last hundred years, and Lady Weeds took that from her. Lady Weeds reminds that the Avatar would never allow Capucine to kill her. Capucine admits that he would not - but she can do other things. Lady Weeds had always complained about how powerless she felt in her human body. Swiftly, Capucine snaps Lady Weeds' neck, leaving her alive, but paralysed from the neck down. She would feel more powerless now.^[8]

End of Immortality

Sometime after their fight with Lady Weeds and Wolf, Capucine and Alec find themselves fighting rhyming Demons when Capucine collapses. Alec brings her back to the house and asks Guarav to check her for poison, however the cause is her nearing the end of her thousand years of immortality. Alec offers help, even mentions asking Constantine for assistance but Capucine declines each time, asking only for a story.

After an anecdote from Alec about adopting a popcorn persona to watch a film Capucine reveals that the demon coming for her soul is Etrigan. Bearing this in mind the trio plot to outsmart the demon; Capucine seemingly appears before Etrigan laid near-death in the grove. Before he can harvest the body he realises that Alec and Capucine have switched bodies through the use of Locum and the two battle. Capucine begins using human fighting techniques before realising the potential an avatar's body. Whilst Etrigan attempts to spread dissent to Alec by spinning the tales she had told him when they met^[1] and claiming that her sole intention was to claim the avatar's body for her own.

Capucine begins to employ Swamp Thing-like attacks and envelops Etrigan inside of a tree and she returns to Alec to return to their original bodies. Upon her death Alec places her into The Green as she had inhabited his body - albeit briefly - where she could exist alongside Brother Jonah for the remainder of eternity.^[9]

The Metal

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Powers and Abilities

Powers

Unique Physiology: As a result of the monks' dealings with Etrigan and the formula provided, Capucine has a lifespan of one thousand years.^[1] As of the end of her thousand years, she has lost this facet, but has instead gained a body of plant life as she lives in The Green.^[9]
- Longevity
- Superhuman Speed
- Superhuman Strength

Abilities

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Capable of disarming swordsmen and killing them with their own weapons while she herself is unarmed.^[2]
Swordsmanship

This character specifically relates to the Swamp Thing and is predominantly seen in the Swamp Thing family of titles. This character may be part of the Swamp Thing's supporting cast, a minor acquaintance, or one of his adversaries. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Swamp Thing Characters category.

[ST28-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #28

[ST21-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #21

[3] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #20

[4] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #23

[5] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #24

[6] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #26

[7] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #33

[8] Swamp Thing (Volume 5) #34

[STA3-9] 9.0 ^9.1 Swamp Thing Annual (Volume 5) #3

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Capucine (Prime Earth)

Contents

History

Origins