History
When Barry Allen traveled through the timestream in order to try and correct it, he ended up at a point where he saw three distinct timelines – the DC, Wildstorm and Vertigo universes. It was here where Barry met an entity of unknown origin and powers named Pandora. She revealed that long ago the universe had splintered into three in order to weaken it for an impending arrival of an unknown evil invasion. To combat the threat, she needed the different timelines to be merged into one. She accomplished this feat with the help of Barry, and he later woke up at his desk believing everything was fixed. This, however, was only the beginning of things to come.
The woman who came to be known as Pandora lived in ancient Macedonia, circa 8000 B.C.E. Her son was very sick, and she was tasked with foraging for berries to make herbal medicine to cure him. Her mother warned her not to stray the path, as she had been known to explore. However, she finds a strange skull while looking, which releases the Seven Deadly Sins upon the world. She falls unconscious after, and does not awaken until nightfall. When she returns, she finds the spirits have ravaged her village, distorting and perverting the people there in order to force them to murder each other. The spirit of Wrath, in particular, possessing her son.
She is then transported before the Circle of Eternity, along with Judas Iscariot and a man of questionable origin. They are called the greatest transgressors mankind has ever known, and are to be punished for their crimes. Pandora is the last, forced to walk the world for eternity to experience the pain she wrought by releasing the spirits of evil upon man, as well as receiving scars on her face that would burn without relief and be forced to feel the ruin of the world with the whole of her being.
Returning to Earth, her tribe have all died, the spirits long gone. Burying them, she sat among their graves until trees grew over them, then commenced to walk the world. Over the ages, she saw the affect the spirits had on people. She would attempt to save people from the destruction they wrought, but soon realized that, for every life she saved, the spirits would still kill many more. Then, she attempted to provide counsel for the people of the world, though she was often ignored. All the while, the spirits would appear to her periodically, mocking her by calling her their "mother" and attempting to turn her into supporting them.
Deciding to fight the spirits directly, she began to learn different forms of magic and martial arts throughout the ages. During these travels, she made several encounters with Vandal Savage, another immortal, who offered his friendship. She refuses, though, disgusted by his love of violence and warfare. In the modern day, she receives many specialized weapons to fight the spirits. Leaving her weapon provider, she is attacked by a man controlled by the spirit of Wrath. Shooting his pawn, she goes to fight Wrath himself.
Before she can continue the attack, the Wizard of Shazam calls her to him. She threatens him, but he only apologizes, saying the Council was wrong in punishing her; she was only a curious young woman. She rejects this, demanding the answer on how to destroy sin. The Wizard tells her that the Council did not create the box, but does know that only someone who is "strongest" or "darkest" of heart can open it.
Later, Pandora is seen at the murder site of an unnamed man. As she leaves, Phantom Stranger follows her, chastising her on the restructuring of the universe. He also implies she is the same Pandora from Greek myth, saying she has been ordered to return the box, as she can no longer be trusted with it. After a brief fight with her as the victor, she remarks that neither the Stranger nor the Spectre intimidate her, as her powers are far above theirs. Before leaving, she cryptically states she not only knows the Stranger's true identity, but also that the Justice League will help her complete whatever goal she is working towards - regardless of whether they want to or not.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Abilities
Paraphernalia
Weapons
- Twin Pistols: Pandora focuses her magic through weapons. Her pistols contain shock buffers and new polymers from Wayne Industries to allow her zero recoil.[2][3]
- Throwing Knives: Specially weighted knives for throwing. Each has a Semtex charge in the hilt.[2][3]
- Kusarigama: A sickle and chain weapon. The ball weight and chain are made of depleted Promethium and the blade is inscribed with Sanskrit runes.[2]
Notes
- Pandora has appeared in every first issue of the New 52's first and second waves, except Earth 2. Writer James Robinson confirmed in a podcast with Comic Vine that she was originally planned to appear in Earth 2, but was removed late in production due to Earth 2 being set in a separate universe.
Related
- 127 Appearances of Pandora (Prime Earth)
- 98 Images featuring Pandora (Prime Earth)
- 9 Quotations by or about Pandora (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Pandora (Prime Earth)
Footnotes