saint_hildegard-aruSAINT HILDEGARD

Real Name: Sonya van Jagt

Identity/Class: Human, science-based mutate (see comments)

Occupation: (see comments)

Group Membership: Anti-Registration Underground (All-Out/Unarmed Training Automaton Attacker/Richard Taine, Awe-Striker/Cecily Johnson, Basic Black/Norman Gentry,, Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins, Brain Spasm/Dennis Hoxie, Canasta/Henry Cavanaugh, Captain Kinship/Edward Randlebuck, Dahntu/Charles Luc Phan, FreewareKurt Duryea, Gladiatrix/Robin Braxton, Green Guardswoman/Natalie Bell, Harbormaster/Sean Beckett, Haunter/Mark Runnemyer, Human Haze/Steve Cochrane, Iguanid/Tom Boldstep, Johnny Justice/Jonadab Megyscol, Kruzado/Dorothy Cardoza, Lawman/Leon Frankfurt, Leather Angel/Andrew Mussawyr, Masked Rose/Josie Tyler, Natural/Beru Addison, Network/Valerie Martin, Orange Crusher/Andy Gardner, Panthrax/Alex Mitchell, Peace-Lover/Barry Kanczeski, Qiblah/Jared Nelson, Scorecard/Bill Merrick, Skybolt/Zack Zimmerman, Solo/James Bourne, Spaceheat/Charles Yaméogo, Staten Island Star/Russell Feldman, Stone-Tough/Ted Pendleton, Tosser/Ferris Hartke, Typeface/Gordon Thomas, U.S. Annie/Harriet Best, Warbug/Bernard Van Buren, Winter Woman/Angela Stover, Xantippe/Mandy Atkinson, Zapster/Langley Saint-Margaret, others); see comments

Affiliations: See comments

Enemies: (At least formerly) S.H.I.E.L.D. and its "Cape-Killers"
    see comments

Known Relatives: See comments

Aliases: See comments

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    previously an unidentified Anti-Registration Underground safehouse in Manhattan, New York
    see comments

First Appearance: (Unidentified) Civil War: Front Line#4 (2006);
   (identified) Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (2010)

Powers/Abilities: See comments

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'4"; see comments)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 118 lbs.; see comments)
Eyes: Brown (unrevealed; see comments)
Hair: Brown

History: See comments.

(Civil War: Front Line#4 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14: Anti-Registration Underground (fb) - BTS) - Following the Stamford disaster, where hundreds had perished during a battle between New Warriors and four Raft escapees, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) and others worked with US officials to develop the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), outlawing any crimefighting activities by unregistered super heroes. 

    Vigilante Typeface, although his identity was already known, resolved to fight a perceived assault on freedom, and he organized an Anti-Registration Underground, beginning with ex-government operative Battlestar and anti-terrorist Solo, to support super heroes who continued fighting crime without SHRA approval. Their ranks were soon supplemented by mystic-armored Freeware; bodysuit-enhanced Green Guardswoman; Masked Rose, leader of super-team T,J,A.W. (Truth, Justice, and the American Way), empowered by accidental mutant blood exposure; exoskeleton-empowered Network; and cyborg Skybolt. Via a covert interview with Alternative reporter Sally Floyd, ARU members publicized their perspective, and several other anti-registration heroes joined, including Saint Hildegard.

(Civil War: Front Line#4) - Saint Hildegard was present with the ARU when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members.

    As the ARU members debated whether to seek and join Captain America (Steve Rogers)'s Secret Avengers, a better organized and equipped anti-SHRA unit, or to remain independent, armored S.H.I.E.L.D. Cape-Killers, accompanied by Iron Man, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and at least ten unidentified flying heroes, raided the base. Caught by surprise, few ARU members managed to effectively fight back against their more powerful and organized opponents. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. captured over 40 members, the Harbormaster, the Awe-Striker, Canasta, Dahntu, the Green Guardswoman, and the Tosser evaded capture, as did the Masked Rose, who had been absent seeking new recruits. 

(Civil War: Front Line#5/2) - ARU prisoners, such as Typeface, were seen being sent to the Prison 42.

(Civil War#6 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers and the Superhuman Registration Act resistance arrived at Prison 42 to free the prisoners.

(Civil War#7 / Amazing Spider-Man I#538 / Civil War: Front Line#10-11 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers penetrated Prison 42, freeing many prisoners. When the combined anti-registration forces were confronted by Iron Man's pro-registration forces, Secret Avenger Cloak (Tyrone Johnson) teleported both groups to Manhattan. Freed ARU prisoners took part in the battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, spanning from the Negative Zone prison to the streets of New York. In the ensuing battle, which caused severe damage, the Thunderbolts' Venom (Mac Gargan) apparently killed Typeface. Other fatalities may also have occurred. Following Captain America's surrender to forestall further civilian risk, Battlestar and possibly others avoided recapture.

    The government offered amnesty in return for registration. Although Gladiatrix rejected the offer, Network registered under the 50 States Initiative, while Solo also registered but pursued independent interests. Presumably additional ARU members followed Gladiatrix's example, others followed Network's or Solo's, and still more remained at large.

Comments: Created by Created by Paul Jenkins and Ramon Bachs.
    Codename, real name, and nature provided by Ronald Byrd

   During the production of the Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) writer Paul Jenkins provided Ronald with authorization to provide identities, real names for the various background Anti-Registration Underground characters, and to flesh them out as much as he wanted. Ronald provided identities and real names for the Anti-Registration Underground entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (2010). There wasn't room to provide much more than that in that entry. However, Ronald had backgrounds and histories in mind for these characters when he provided their names.
    While the information is unofficial until it sees print, here is the full story behind Saint Hildegard:

REAL NAME: Sonya Adrienne van Jagt
ALIASES: Really Big Girl, Super-Sonya
IDENTITY: Publicly known
OCCUPATION: Church organist, administrative assistant, entertainment coordinator, other church duties as necessary
CITIZENSHIP: USA
PLACE OF BIRTH: Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York
KNOWN RELATIVES: William van Jagt (father); Phyllis van Jagt (nee Lincoln, mother); Gregory van Jagt (brother, deceased); Amarantha van Jagt Holt, Donna van Jagt Molld, Dusty van Jagt Boyer, Polly van Jagt, Rhoda van Jagt (sisters); Jonas Boyer, Sloan Holt, Hansel Molld (brothers-in-law); Annette Lincoln (first cousin, deceased)
GROUP AFFILIATION: Church of Saint Michael the Archangel; formerly Anti-Registration Underground, Church of the Living God (Chicago)
EDUCATION: High school graduate, some college
SHRA CLASSIFICATION: Science-Based Mutate
FIRST APPEARANCE: Civil War: Front Line#6 (2006)

HISTORY: While helping break ground for a new church, Sonya van Jagt fell from a several-foot height onto a large ant hill, where she was bitten several times. While the attack would ordinarily have killed her via anaphylactic shock, the hill was predominantly inhabited by ants who either had been exposed to Pym particles while being deployed either by Henry Pym (Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, Yellowjacket), Scott Lang (Ant-Man), or both, or the descendants of same. As a result the ants' unique nature, the ant bites failed to induce anaphylactic shock and instead introduced Pym particles into van Jagt's bloodstream, granting her the ability to grow to great heights and return to normal size. Deciding to use her powers for the public good, she took the codename "Saint Hildegard" in honor of St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179 A.D.), whose writings used a giantess as an allegorical representation of the Catholic Church.

Following the passage of the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), Saint Hildegard refused to register because she felt that doing so would qualify as joining the military, something she had promised her parents she would never do. Eventually she was recruited into Typeface's Anti-Registration Underground and was present when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members, including herself; during her arrest, she received a head injury which briefly disrupted her ability to control her powers, causing her to involuntarily grow to and remain 16 feet tall She was detained in the Negative Zone Prison 42, while still in giantess form, indicating she maintained her refusal to register following her arrest. Following the SHRA's repeal, she was released without incident, although the experience left her with a mild fear of enclosed spaces.

Height: 5'4" (as giantess, up to 50')
Weight: 118 lbs. (as giantess, variable)

EYES: Brown HAIR: Brown

ABILITIES/ACCESSORIES: Saint Hildegard can grow to a maximum of 50 feet tall, with corresponding magnification of her strength, speed, and physical durability, although she typically restricts her growth to up to 10' to avoid putting undue pressure on her internal organs. Once she has stopped her growth at a certain height, she must wait roughly forty minutes before she is again able to grow taller; however, regardless of what gigantic height she achieves, she can quickly return to normal size with seconds.



  Profile by Ronald Byrd, Snood, and Multi-Tasking Mike Fichera.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Saint Hildegard should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
Civil War: Front Line#4, page 25, panel 2
Civil War: Front Line#5, page 17, panel 1

Appearances:

Civil War: Front Line#3/1 - BTS (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Cory Sedlmeier (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/1 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/3 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Sean Chen (penciler), Rick Magyar (inker), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#5/2 (October, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Steve Lieber (artist), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#6 -BTS (December, 2006) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#7 -BTS (January, 2007) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines, John Dell & Tim Townsend (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (June, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen & Mike Fichera (head writers/coordinators), Markus Raymond & Mike O'Sullivan (coordination assistants), Stuart Vandal, Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Markus Raymond, Mike O'Sullivan, Madison Carter, Kevin Garcia, Gabriel Shechter, Jacob Rougemont, Rob London, Rich Green, Chris Biggs, David Wiltfong, Jeph York, Mark O'English, & Mike Gagnon (writers), John Denning (associate editor), Alex Starbuck (assistant editor), Theodore Kutt (copy editor), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editor)

First posted: 04/22/2026
Last updated: 04/22/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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