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Kelsey Leigh (Earth-616)

From Marvel Database

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Real Name
Kelsey Shorr Leigh
Current Alias

Aliases
Captain Britain, Lionheart of Avalon

Identity

Alignment


Relatives
Martin (son), Jenny (daughter), Richard Leigh (ex-husband)

Universe

Base Of Operations
(currently) England,
(formerly) Avengers Mansion, New York, New York

Characteristics
Gender

Height


Eyes

Hair

Unusual Features
Kelsey had a long scar running down the side of her face, from the middle of her forehead down the left side of her nose and mouth, and onto her chin. This scar was healed when she was given her powers.

Status
Citizenship

Marital Status

Origin
Origin
Mystically-enhanced human

Place of Birth
South-East England


First appearance

Contents

History

Kelsey Leigh was a single mother with two young children who lived in South-East England. She was a schoolteacher who taught English literature and history. Back when she was married, thugs invaded her home. One of them attempted to rape her: she fought back, hurting him somehow and he cut her face with a broken bottle in revenge, scarring her permanently. Meanwhile, her husband, Richard, was too paralyzed with fear to help her. His guilt over that incident led to the dissolution of the marriage.

One fateful day, her family found themselves on the front line of a battle between the Avengers and the Wrecking Crew. Thunderball rendered Captain America unconscious and Kelsey selflessly put herself between the fallen Captain and Wasp, using the downed hero's shield. While the shield was indestructible, Kelsey wasn't, and the shock from the blows inflicted terrible injuries; she died en route to receiving medical attention.

Kelsey awoke to find herself in a ring of standing stones, where she was met by a vision of Brian Braddock (Captain Britain I), currently ruling Otherworld, and his wife, the elemental shapeshifter Meggan. To save Britain from the evil Morgan le Fay, he passed the mantle of Captain Britain to Kelsey. Her heroic act of bravery had earned her a second chance to live and to defend her home. Given the choice between the Sword of Might and the Amulet of Right, Kelsey, desperate to see her children again, and not seeing how a necklace could defend anything, chose the sword, the path of violence. Instantly, she was transformed into the new Captain Britain, only to discover that her decision meant that if she ever revealed who she was to her children, it would cost their lives.

The new Captain Britain returned to Earth, where she helped the Avengers defeat Morgan and her cronies, proving herself to be far more ruthless in battle than her predecessor, apparently killing Thunderball when she impaled him on her blade. With her children now in the Avengers' care, Kelsey accepted an offer to join the team, so that even if she could not be reunited with them, she could remain near them.

Kelsey remained a member of the Avengers until the events of Avengers Disassembled. When She-Hulk went crazy after an attack by Ultron robots, Kelsey stepped up, once again putting herself in the path of danger to rescue the fallen Captain America. She-Hulk knocked her out, and she spent the remainder of the unfolding events in hospital, her status critical. In Avengers Finale, Kelsey left the disbanding Avengers, returning home to England fully recovered.

Going under the codename of Lionheart, Kelsey remained an active superhero in England. She returned to Marvel comics in New Excalibur #4, seeking revenge and blaming Captain Britain for what happened to her, for not warning her of the consequences of choosing the Sword of Might and for losing her children.

Though unknown how it occurred, Lionheart was manipulated by Albion, a super villain who also dislikes Captain Britain. Lionheart, though struggling to fight her conscience, would have killed Courtney Ross, the woman who shares his heart and must thus share his fate, if it was not for the arrival of Juggernaut and Nocturne. After a fight between Albion and Captain Britain; Lionheart and Albion fled.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

After taking the mantle of Captain Britain, Lionheart possesses all the various superhuman attributes that go along with the title.

Superhuman Strength: Lionheart possesses superhuman strength enabling her to lift approximately 90 tons.

Superhuman Stamina: Lionheart's augmented musculature is much more efficient than that of a normal human. As a result, her muscles produce signifigantly less fatigue toxins during physical activity than those of ordinary humans. At her peak, she can exert herself physically for up to 24 hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in her blood starts to impair her capabilities.

Superhuman Agility: Lionheart's agility, balance and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.

Superhuman Reflexes: Lionheart's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those possessed by the finest human athlete.

Superhumanly Acute Senses: Lionheart's senses have been augmented to levels beyond that of ordinary humans, though their full limits remain unknown. She is able to see at much further distances than normal humans, and retain perfect clarity when doing so. Her hearing is similarly enhanced, enabling her to detect sounds at greater distances. It is also possible that she can detect sounds that are too high pitched for normal humans to detect. It's unknown if her senses of touch, taste and smell are similarly augmented.

Flight: Lionheart is able to propel herself at great speeds through the air, flying under her own power. At her peak, she is able to acheive a top speed of 770 miles per hour, which is roughly the Speed of Sound.

Force Field: Lionheart is able to generate a protective force field around herself. Upon doing so, she gains great resistance to most forms of conventional physical injury. The field is sufficiently durable to withstand high caliber bullets, exposure to temperature extremes, and powerful energy blasts without penetration. She also generates the field typically while flying at very high speeds, protecting her from sustaining the various physical rigors and friction that flying at extreme velocities would cause.

Cosmetic Facial Alteration: Lionheart possesses a very noticable scar on the left side of her face. While she isn't able to heal the scar, she is somehow able to remove the scar when she activates her powers. However, she usually chooses not to do so.

Abilities

Lionheart has great knowledge of English history and literature, which were the subjects she taught as an educator. As a result of training given to her by Aibon, she is an excellent combatant. She has been extensively trained in various forms of martial arts and is an expert swordswoman.

Weaknesses

Lionheart has an unusual weakness that extends to her children, rather than herself. She is unable to reveal to them her identity as a costumed hero for, if she does, it will cost the children their lives. As a result, she will go to virtually any length to protect her secret identity, possibly including compromising a mission if necessary.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

None, formerly Avengers Quinjet

Weapons

Sword of Might

Links

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