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Quote1 Do not help me. I have seen the future, and it is one I would prefer not to live through. Quote2
Madame Web[src]

In the intricate tapestry of the Web of Life and Destiny, Madame Web emerges as a mystical and enigmatic figure, renowned for her exceptional psychic abilities and her profound ties to Spider-Man. Originally known as Cassandra Webb, her life took a remarkable turn when a rare neurological affliction rendered her visually impaired. Confined to a life-support system mirroring the intricate design of a spider's web, Madame Web's physical fragility contrasts starkly with her extraordinary psychic powers.[5]

Endowed with clairvoyance, telepathy, and precognition, she navigates the threads of destiny that elude ordinary perception. Peering into the hidden folds of the future, Madame Web unravels the strands of fate, uncovering events yet to transpire. Across the expanse of time and space, Madame Web emerges as a guiding light, assuming the role of mentor and oracle, particularly to the wielders of the Spider-Totems. Her visions proffer invaluable guidance, forewarning of imminent dangers and offering cryptic counsel that aids not only the web-slinger but also an array of other heroes facing unforeseen perils.[6]

Looking much younger, a rejuvenated Madame Web called upon a group of Spider-Women; Jessica Drew, Julia Carpenter, and Mattie Franklin, to aid her in subduing her granddaughter Charlotte Witter,[7] who had become a third Spider-Woman at the hands of Doctor Octopus.[8]

History

Early Life[]

Cassandra Webb was born and raised in Salem, Oregon. She was born blind and suffered from a neurological condition known as myasthenia gravis. This however had a side effect: she developed powerful psychic abilities and used them to become a medium.[1]

Spider-Man[]

Debra Whitman showed Peter Parker Madame Web's advert, which he thought of her as nothing but a charlatan. However during an attack on the Daily Globe, Peter as Spider-Man found a clue that only Madame Web could help with. He went to visit her and she used her powers to help him locate the criminals. He soon began to believe her power when she came to Peter's apartment revealing that she knew that he was Spider-Man.[5]

Spider-Man contacted Madame Web when he learned of two people attempting an assassination. While trying to stop them during a marathon she contacted him on a pay phone and told him there were two assassins by a water tower. Their target was politician Barney Wicker, presiding at the Finish Line. Spidey stopped the assassins by tipping the water tower's roof onto them.[9]

Juggernaut[]

Black Tom Cassidy sent the Juggernaut to kidnap Madame Web, but thanks to her abilities she knew he was coming and contacted Spidey to help stop the Juggernaut. However the Juggernaut succeeded and took her captive. Juggernaut unknowingly took her off her life-support system, and when she fell unconscious and began to die, he dropped her, seeing no use in her. She was taken to the hospital and was saved. Spidey later visited her in the hospital, but discovered she was suffering from amnesia.[10]

Still in hospital and with memory loss she thanked Spider-Man for helping her. She also helped him with a clue to find Hobgoblin when he was blackmailing various companies when she asked him to turn on the radio where they heard a news report. But after he left questionable if she truly had lost her memory.[11]

Gathering of Five[]

Gathering of Five from Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 441 001

Gathering of Five

Madame Web attended the ceremony known as the Gathering of Five, a ritual wherein five people bring together five arcane relics. These relics, when brought together, allow the five who possess them to be blessed or cursed with either power, knowledge, immortality, insanity, or death. The catch, however, was that these powers didn't seem what they were at first: what first seemed like madness was in fact knowledge, what seemed like power was madness, and death seemed like immortality. Madame Web received "immortality", Norman Osborn, received "Insanity", Morris Maxwell received "Knowledge", Gregory Herd received "Death", and Mattie Franklin was granted the gift of power.[12][13]

Spider-Women[]

Cassandra Webb (Earth-616) Sensational Spider-Man Vol 2 26 0001

Madame Web

Looking much younger, a rejuvenated Madame Web called upon Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter, the first two Spider-Women, along with Mattie Franklin, who had also taken part in the Gathering of the Five ritual, to aid her in subduing her granddaughter Charlotte Witter,[7] who had become a third Spider-Woman at the hands of Doctor Octopus.[8][14]

Charlotte was defeated, but later siphoned Madame Web's telepathy, re-aging her in the process. With the help of Spider-Man and Franklin, Madame Web determined how to drain Charlotte's power, leaving Witter unconscious in a dormant state. Madame Web, now youthful again, performed psychic surgery to sever her link to Charlotte and removed Charlotte and Mattie's memories of Spider-Man's identity.[15] Madame Web continued to assist Mattie during the rest of her time as Spider-Woman. The Spider-Women team eventually disbanded. Madame Web has since appeared elderly again, however she presumably has retained her immortality.[16]

Jessica Jones[]

Jessica Jones met with Madame Web. She told her about the origin of Mattie Franklin, whom Jessica had recently had a run in with. Web explained that she had used her psychic abilities to help Mattie, but that she had lost contact with her, but as she talked with Jessica, she claimed to see Mattie again in a vision in which Jessica and Mattie fought to the death. As Jessica attempted to understand Web's prognostications, the old woman experienced a vision of Jessica's own tortured past. Jessica became enraged at the intrusion into her history, and stormed out.[17]

Animal Villains[]

She helped Spider-Man investigate a strange grouping of animal themed villains. She revealed that it was all part of a plan by Stegron to re-make New York into a prehistoric paradise with the help of a crystal from the arctic.[18] Working together they stopped his plans.[19] She has also helped Peter speak with a comatose Aunt May after she was shot by one of the Kingpin's assassins.[20]

Grim Hunt[]

Cassandra Webb (Earth-616) from What If? Spider-Man Vol 1 1 001

Killed by Kraven

Some time later, Madame Web was captured by the Kravinoff family to help them to defeat Spider-Man and resurrect Kraven. With her involuntary help, Sasha, Ana, and Alyosha Kravinoff killed Mattie Franklin in order to resurrect Vladimir Kravinoff, the Grim Hunter).[21][22] The hunters then killed Kaine and used his blood to bring Kraven back to life, but because the ritual wasn't made with the blood of the true Parker, Kraven wouldn't die except if Spider-Man killed him.[23] Angry because of this failure, Sasha cut Madame Web's throat. In the last moment of her life, Cassandra transferred her powers to Julia Carpenter (the second Spider-Woman), leaving her the mantle of Madame Web.[2]

Dead No More[]

Several years later, Madame Web was brought back to life by the Jackal, and started to work for him at New U Technologies.[3] Cassandra was tasked with the mission of tracking down the location of a hacker who tried to breach into New U's system to expose the Jackal. Even though she wasn't able to discover the hacker's exact location due to telepathic feedback, Madame Web managed to describe its appearance to another of the Jackal's operatives, the Prowler, who eventually pinned down the hacker's to Alcatraz Island, and discovered it was Julia Carpenter.[3] Later, the new Electro went to Madame Web to find the Prowler, since he had gone missing during his mission. Knowing that Electro would try to kill him, Cassandra refused to answer, who electrocuted Webb to get an answer out of her.[24]

Once the New U Headquarters was compromised, Madame Web was left behind when the building was evacuated, and she was eventually found by Carpenter. Suffering from the cellular decay caused by her refusal to take the pills used to stabilize the bodies of the people cloned back to life by the Jackal, Cassandra revealed the location of the Jackal's second hideout moments before of succumbing to the decay and dying again.[4]

Attributes

Power Grid[30]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Poor:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/None:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Weak:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Below Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Weak:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Gifted

Powers

Madame Web possessed psychic abilities including telepathy, clairvoyance, and prescience. She can also perform astral projection and appear to others in spirit form.

  • Telepathy: ability to read minds and project thoughts.
    • Astral Projection: ability to project her consciousness outside her body and travel
    • Psychic Surgery: ability to perform psychic surgery on others minds
    • Mind Alteration: generally affect the minds of those around her.
  • Clairvoyance: sensitivity to psychic energies in her environment allows her to see her immediate area and events taking place far away.
  • Immortality: After the Gathering of Five ceremony, she apparently has the gift of immortality.[25]

Additional Attributes

  • Paralysis: Madame Web is handicapped, lacking most function in her limbs. Since the Gathering of the Five, her health had greatly improved and confined to a special chair. However her health appears to have declined again, as she has returned to her more elaborate chair.[6]
  • Blind: Madame Web is legally blind, however she is able to compensate for this by using her psychic powers.[6]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Madame Web's Wheelchair: She was formerly reliant on a life-support system designed by her late husband.[26]

Notes

  • Madame Web is featured in Deadpool Roasts the Marvel Universe.[27]

Trivia

  • Madame Web's apartment is 8-G.[28]

See Also

Links and References

References

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