Doctor Pendergast

Powers and Abilities

Pendergast is an experienced researcher in psychokinetics, studying superhuman powers and psionic abilities. He has his hooks sunk deep into Gayle Marsh, making her dependent on him.

Psi always builds a psi-link  with Pendergast when fighting. When it’s active they remain in constant mental contact, and Gayle pretty much allows him to run her body and powers as a puppet. Pendergast is far more likely to spend Hero Points  on Psi’s psychic attacks than she is.

As the “lord of decay”, he could rot and melt most things by touch, including steel or concrete. He had superhuman strength and durability – “Class 70” or so.

History

Doctor Pendergast was a researcher at the Institute for Higher Psychokinetic Study. This a Chicago-based research facility specialising in the study of extraordinary phenomena.

Advertisement

As detailed in the Psi character profile, he studied psionic talent Gayle Marsh for years. Pendergast became her guardian when her parents were killed. He brainwashed her about his delusions about “decay”. He eventually used her as a weapon against Supergirl, but was utterly disappointed when she was defeated.

It has been speculated that Pendergast was responsible for the death of Psi’s parents. Although it wasn’t mentioned in the story, it seems indeed likely. However, Pendergast would have had but a few days to engineer his crime.

Lord of Decay

Cruelly abusing Psi by telling her how useless and failed she was, Pendergast produced a gun. He would have shot her right there. But Psi instinctively struck back. She somehow transmuted him into what he feared the most – an incarnation of “decay”.

Shambling around Chicago, the monstrous Pendergast melted a homeless man to sustain himself. He then went on a wider rampage, which was interrupted by Supergirl. As Pendergast battled Supergirl, Psi showed up. With one savage discharge of psionic  power, she turned him back into his human form. She then disappeared.

Pendergast was presumably arrested by Supergirl and the nearby police. But there seems to be few charges that could actually be pressed against him. Thus it is likely Pendergast spent very little, if any, time in prison. And it *is* likely he acquired some new subjects as improved warriors against decay.

Description

Pendergast looks wise and charismatic, and is an eloquent speaker. In this mode of speech he comes a bit like some sort of non-traditional priest.

His “decayed” form was a humanoid pile of brown goo.

Personality

Pendergast sees himself as a wise crusader against “decay”. What he calls “decay” sounds much like fringe fundamentalist visions of the Devil. It is an omnipresent, all-powerful force making humanity evil. ”Decay” is behind all temptation and weakness of every single person, and is at least as powerful as God.

Despite all of their efforts, poor Gayle remains a fallible sensitive and not the sublime, ruthless, pure warrior he wants her to be. For this reason he telepathically rides her in battle, abusing his authority over his student and vicariously using her body and powers as if they were his.

Strong hints were given that Pendergast had a sexual relationship with young Gayle. He abused her need to conform to his authority, and the feedback loop of his own pleasure she inevitably got through her empathic senses. Ick.

Pendergast appears to be an original yet respectable researcher and a charismatic, interesting person. Even when soliloquising about decay he seems mostly reasonable. It is only when one discovers the shady back of his mindscape, or his exact relationship with Psi, that things fall apart.

When alone with Gayle, he occasionally rants about decay and how the proper solution is the cleanse the world with death, starting by destroying much of Chicago. Although he thought Gayle agreed with him, she hated those rants. She knew that something was wrong.

Quotes

“Silence, Gayle ! Did I not tell you before… you needn’t concern yourself with thought — merely allow my being to enter yours – make your power mine !”

“You’re the forerunner of a new world ! Imagine simple little Gayle Marsh from Skokie, Illinois – and from you shall come the *new* way ! We’ve watched the decay overcome us for ages, you’ve seen how it has taken over humanity, marching it slowly toward the inevitable brink… taking with it any chance for the survival of mankind as we know it ! But that can only happen if we allow it to follow its natural progression ! Think of it, dear Gayle — through you, mankind has a chance ! Yet, as in all great things, there will be a price to pay !”

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Daring New Adventures of Supergirl comics.

Helper(s): Chris Cottingham.