Dr.
RACHEL DEMING
Dr.
RACHEL DEMING
Real Name: Dr. Rachel Deming
Identity/Class: Extra-dimensional (Ultraverse) human mutate (Ultra)
Occupation: Research scientist, trainer
Affiliations: Exiles-Deming, Heather Faraday (assistant);
Amber Hunt, Mastodon (prospective
students); Aladdin (Dr. Rains)-associate
Strangers (Atom Bob, Electrocute, Grenade, Lady Killer, Spectral,
Yrial, Zipzap)-acquaintances
Enemies: Malcolm Kort and his agents (Bloodbath, Bruut, Hot Rox, Supreme Soviet)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: currently unknown; formerly a Los Angeles hospital; the Stronghold (island headquarters, off the coast of California); Earth-Ultraverse
First Appearance: Exiles I#1 (Ultraverse) (August, 1993)
Powers: Dr. Deming is extremely
intelligent and is a skilled scientist, especially with
biochemistry and virology.
She may have originally possessed some ultra-human abilities as a
result of being infected with the Theta virus, but these were
apparently removed when she cured herself.
Although physically fit, Rachel has minimal combat skills. She
had the courage to enter into battle with ultra-humans, but
lacked the combat training and skills to lead the others
effectively. She realized this too late to prevent tragedy, but
discontinued her active struggles afterwards.
History: Some variation on the normal jumpstarts caused certain individuals on Earth to develop the Theta virus. The virus did not appear to actually be contagious (at least it was not shown to be), but rather than just cause people to become Ultras, it also would rapidly progress to death.
BTS - Dr. Rachel Deming, herself a victim of
the Theta virus, developed a means to cure the terminal side
effects. After curing herself, she set up a base on an island off
the coast of California, which she named the Stronghold. From the
Stronghold, she began to locate others developing the Theta
virus, cure them, train them in their abilities, and recruit them
to help her effort. She hired Heather Faraday as her assistant.
The order in which she gathered her team of Exiles (so named
b/c there powers set them apart from all others, I guess--maybe
they were contagious?) is not clear, but over time, she
recruited Catapult, Deadeye, Ghoul, Mustang, Tinsel, and Trax.
At some point Dr. Deming and the Exiles began to develop some
opposition from Malcolm Kort, who sought to control the Theta
virus-infected Ultras for his own benefit.
(Exiles I#1-4) -
The Exiles succeeded in gathering Amber Hunt, despite the efforts
of Kort's agent, the Supreme Soviet. Deming sought to explain
what was happening to Amber, and what it's potential consequences
were, but the spoiled rich girl was initially quite resistant.
Deming sent Mustang and Catapult after their next target, Timothy
Halloran, but this time they were defeated by Kort's agents
Bloodbath and Bruut, who brought Timothy back to Kort's base.
Deming gathered the rest of the active Exiles, herself included,
and headed off to Kort's base to rescue Timothy. Amber finally
realized that she needed the treatment or she would die, and she
was worried that Deming might not return in time. Deming assured
her this would not be a problem. Kort's head scientists, Dr.
Deeters, was working on treating Timothy's virus, but he had not
mastered the techniques which Deming had designed and kept
secret. Halloran mutated violently and exploded from his
containment device just as the Exiles arrived.
In their initial assault on Kort's base, Tinsel and Ghoul were
captured, Deming herself narrowly escaped falling to her death,
and Halloran escaped. Deming named the rescue/capture of Halloran
as the number one priority, which they ultimately failed at--and
it took much longer than expected. Two Exiles, as well as Kort
and his agents, were killed as the struggle escalated out of
control.
Amber, meanwhile, rightfully feared for her life if the treatment
was delayed, and so she tried to rig the equipment herself.
Heather Faraday rushed in and managed to begin to reverse the
damage, when suddenly a burst of energy from the sky (actually
from the Entity) pushed the machinery beyond all limits. Amber,
the recipient of the energy blast, survived, flying from the
resultant explosion, her mind under the control of the Entity,
but everyone else at the base was killed. The rest of the Exiles
were returning to the Stronghold just as the explosion occurred.
Dr. Deming was tossed through the air and ended up with cracked
ribs, multiple broken bones, and other injuries, and the rest of
the Exiles were either killed or severely injured.
(Break-Thru#1, 2) - Dr. Deming observed the events of Break-Thru, as the Ultras encountered the Entity, via television, in a body cast from her hospital bed. As one might expect, she was extremely despondent after the destruction and failure of her years of work. Due to her expertise and her past involvement with Amber Hunt, whose powers were at the focus of events, Dr. Deming was consulted by the Strangers and Dr. Rains of Aladdin for assistance in determining the cause. Deming correctly predicted that Amber was running up along the visible spectrum of energy wavelengths and that she would continue into ultra-violet, which would shower the city with harmful radiation. After the conclusion of the struggle, Dr. Deming closed the book on that chapter of her life.
(Ultraforce I#2) - Ghoul, who had recovered from his destruction at Visionary Productions, sought out Dr. Deming, who refused to get involved with him after the last tragedy. She directed him to the graves of the other Exiles.
(Warstrike#5) - Mister Kyle, the head of Xanadu Amalgamated, had his former agent, Blind Faith, thrown out of a building when he rebelled against his plans. Blind Faith fell into an alley a few blocks away, and his scarf drifted into the hands of Rachel, who was walking on the streets below.
Comments: Created by Steve Gerber, Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich, and Chris Ulm (writers) and Paul Pelletier (penciler).
The caption in Warstrike described Dr. Deming as a pawn in upcoming events, and Kyle laughed sinisterly as the scarf fell into her hands...and then the plot was abandoned as Warstrike got involved in the struggle against Rafferty.
CLARIFICATIONS:
None
Appearances:
Exiles I#1 (August, 1993) - Steve Gerber, Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich & Chris Ulm (writers), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Ken Branch (inks), Chris Ulm (editor)
Exiles I#2 (September, 1993) - Steve Gerber (writer), R.R. Phipps (pencils), Ken Branch (inks), Chris Ulm (editor)
Exiles I#3 (October, 1993) - Steve Gerber (writer), R.R. Phipps (pencils), Scott Reed (inks), Chris Ulm (editor)
Exiles I#4 (November, 1993) - Steve Gerber (writer), R.R. Phipps (pencils), Dave Simons (inks), Chris Ulm (editor)
Break-Thru#1 (December, 1993) - Gerard Jones (writer), George Perez (pencils), John Lowe (inks), Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz (editors)
Break-Thru#2 (January, 1994) - Gerard Jones (writer), George Perez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz (editors)
Ultraforce I#2 (October, 1994) - Gerard Jones (writer), John Statema & George Perez (pencils), Jeff Whiting & Barb Kaalberg (inks), Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz (editors)
Warstrike#5 (September, 1994)
First Posted: 08/04/2002
Last updated: 05/11/2003
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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