Henry Gyrich (Earth-616)

From Marvel Database

Contents 1 History 1.1 Civil War and the Initiative 1.2 Post Secret Invasion 2 Powers and Abilities 2.1 Powers 2.2 Abilities 2.3 Strength level 2.4 Weaknesses 3 Paraphernalia 3.1 Equipment 3.2 Weapons 4 Links 4.1 Discover and Discuss

History

Henry Peter Gyrich was appointed by the National Security Council to investigate unofficial reports of irregularities in the operations of the Avengers. The Avengers were granted by the U.S. government certain privileges such as exemptions from air traffic regulations, access to certain classified intelligence information, and a special priority status enabling them to operate with a minimum of bureaucratic red tape.

When Gyrich went to investigate the reports in person, he discovered a gaping hole in the wall of Avengers Mansion caused in a recent battle with Count Nefaria, and none of the Avengers present. Overpowering the Avengers' butler Edwin Jarvis, Gyrich bound him to a chair and deliberately set off a security alarm. When the Avengers responded, he introduced himself, lectured them about their lax security, claiming that anyone could have walked in and stolen their sophisticated technology or classified records. He explained that their priority status could only be revoked by two people, the President of the U.S. and himself. After reporting his findings to the council in Washington, Gyrich returned to New York, finding that Hawkeye had left the front door open when he entered. Although he was detained by a security device, Gyrich was still unimpressed by the Avengers' security. He told them he was revoking their priority status and all accompanying privileges, effectively denying them use of their quinjets, monitors, and data files, as well as curtailing certain extralegal activities. Despite their protests, the Avengers could not persuade him to relent. Weeks later, after the Avengers struggled to operate under restrictions, Gyrich returned to tell them his requirements for the reinstatement of their security clearance. Among other things, he demanded that the Avengers limit their membership to seven, and that he determine who that seven would be. Despite general dissent, Captain America convinced the others that the reinstatement of priority status was of prime consideration and worth any other inconvenience. Consequently, the Avengers allowed Gyrich to determine that the African-American Falcon, who had never been an Avenger before, be asked to join to satisfy equal-opportunity employment. Gyrich also instituted a security screening and identification for all members.

Gyrich oversaw Avengers activities in person for several months, and at one point forbade the Avengers to travel to Bulgaria in response to former member Quicksilver's summons. Captain America spoke to the President in order to overrule Gyrich's decision and enable them to go. Gyrich's intervention in Avengers affairs culminated when he participated in a Senate investigation to determine if the Avengers were a threat to national security. After various testimonies, the committee concluded that the Avengers needed a certain amount of freedom to carry out their operations which were of proven value to the government. Gyrich was replaced by Duane Jerome Freeman, whose attitude was a 180-degree turn from that of Gyrich. Duane is pleasant, and he sees it as his mission to help the Avengers do their work better. He is even a bit of a fan of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, although he doesn't let his admiration impact his professionalism. Gyrich was appointed to supervise the implementation of the new guidelines under which the Avengers were to operate.

Gyrich then requested a transfer in his responsibilities and was made a special consultant to Project Wideawake, a covert governmental commission to deal with the problems posed by the growing number of mutants in America. Project Wideawake was headed by National Security Advisor, Judge Petrie, and its members include Frank Lowell of the Central Intelligence Agency, Raven Darkholme (actually the evil mutant Mystique) of the Defense Department, and Dr. Valerie Cooper, among other representatives of military and civilian security departments. The project noted that America no longer had a virtual monopoly on superhuman mutants, and decided to investigate the feasibility of employing a special team of mutants to counter the threat of foreign mutants. (Eventually Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were drafted to fill this position and were renamed Freedom Force.) Gyrich became involved with the threat of the alien Dire Wraiths, and met with the man named Forge, special weapons maker for the U.S. government and SHIELD. Gyrich obtained from Forge the prototype of a gun based on the device carried by the Galadorian Spaceknight Rom, which neutralized Wraiths' abilities. This gun could be adjusted to neutralize superhuman powers in mutants. While trying to apprehend the mutant Rogue for breaking into a SHIELD installation, Gyrich accidentally shot her fellow X-Man Storm, robbing her of her powers. Gyrich has since continued to serve on the staff of Project Wideawake.

When the newest Scorpio placed the world's capitols in another dimension, the Avengers were given by the United Nations the task of ruling the world. Gyrich arrived to help in the political aspect of things. Afterwards, Gyrich joined the Avengers staff as a liasion when the organization gained embassy status. Oddly enough this put him at odds with many of his former contacts, as well as Iron Man while he was Secretary of Defense. The Red Skull, SecDef before Tony Stark in his guise as "Dell Rusk", tried to use Gyrich as a spy within the Avengers command structure.

Civil War and the Initiative

After the Civil War, Gyrich served as the government liaison in Camp Hammond. Abusing his power he created the Shadow Initiative, a black ops team within the 50-State Initiative consisting of Bengal, Constrictor, Trauma, the Scarlet Spiders (Team Red) and Typhoid Mary as "Mutant Zero" mostly to be used as he saw fit.

Feeling that he was not seeing any progress at Camp Hammond he ordered another MVP be cloned and outfitted with the Tactigon creating the mad KIA. This situation escalated to the point of involving the Mighty Avengers. Held responsible for the damage and deaths, Gyrich was fired after a heated argument with Iron Man in which Gyrich yelled "I don't have Captain America's blood on MY hands!"^[1]. Following his inquiry, Gyrich announced his retirement at a press conference, and walked off.

Post Secret Invasion

After the Skrull invasion Gyrich has now been appointed Co-Director of the U.N. space security agency S.W.O.R.D. His focus is on potential alien threats already on earth.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

None

Abilities

Administration

Strength level

Human

Weaknesses

Intolerance for lack of efficiency

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Badge

Weapons

Gun

Links

• Appearances of Henry Gyrich (Earth-616)
• Character Gallery: Henry Gyrich (Earth-616)
• Images that feature Henry Gyrich (Earth-616)
• Fan-Art Gallery: Henry Gyrich (Earth-616)
• Quotations by Henry Gyrich (Earth-616) 
• Henry Gyrich (Earth-616) at Wikipedia.org

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