Thundra

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History (part 6)

However, Lyra did find Thundra in the desert. The teenage Femizon had grown to hate her mother and wanted to kill her.

Thundra took her daughter down despite her gamma-spawned strength. This was a bitter victory – only possible because Lyra hated her mother so much that it diminished her might.

The unconscious Lyra was recovered by the Wizard to join the Frightful Four. But she would soon betray them to save her childhood heroine, the She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters).

I wanna hold ’em like they do in Texas plays

In early 2010 Thundra worked with the Red Hulk (Thaddeus Ross)’s team, Code Red. They hunted Domino (Neena Thurman), who seemed to have learned Rulk’s identity. This led to a clash with X-Force.

While the Intelligencia could return her to Earth-715, Thundra had to consider that they would likely betray the Red Hulk before long. She reasoned that Ross could force the Intelligencia to help her, and thus stuck by him.

Thus, when Doc Samson double-crossed Rulk, Thundra took him down and saved Ross. The Wizard tried to convince her to work directly for the Intelligencia by joining his Frightful Four, but Thundra knew he wasn’t to be trusted.

She then went all-or-nothing, allying with the Red Hulk against the Frightful Four (the Wizard having filled Thundra’s old spot with Klaw).

Lady in red

Appreciating Thundra’s loyalty and resolve, the Red Hulk took her to Latveria. He knew that the Intelligencia had recently taken down Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom), which left Doom’s time travel facilities mostly unguarded.

Ross and Thundra were ambushed by nosferatu guards. Unlike the technological security, these vampires were still active. While they overwhelmed Rulk, the Femizon made a beeline for the time platform.

She used it to jump several hours ahead, without fully compensating for Earth’s movement. As a result :

Thundra hid the platform, so it would remain undiscovered until the time of the USR. She then jumped back to Earth-715, arriving at the moment she would have had her technology not failed her back in 2008.

The time paradox had thus been entirely fixed. Slow clapping.

Soundtrack

Something suitable that loudly says “2009”, let’s see… Oh yeah, Gossip’s fourth album.

I’d say it’s funky, queercore garage rock. I’m prolly alone in that.

The punchy, propulsive “Heavy cross” sold okay-ish in its native US. But it was a big hit in Germany and France.

History (part 7)

Back to the Earth-715 future, Thundra went through her pregnancy – the first in four generations. She governed the USR and raised Lyra, as planned.

When Lyra was about 5, a time capsule was discovered. It had been recorded by young-adult-Lyra-in-Earth-616’s-2010. She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) had convinced Lyra that she was wrong to hate her mother.

Lyra had therefore recorded an apology for attacking Thundra, and explaining she’d remain on Earth-616 for the time being.

Fearless Defenders

In 2013, Thundra joined a force of Misty Knight’s Fearless Defenders. These intervened in a conflict between the Valkyrie (Brunnhilde) and a lost, forgotten cadre of Valkyries – the Doom Maidens.

How Ms. Knight contacted Thundra is unclear. But the team also featured She-Hulk, then a Fantastic Four member. So the simplest hypothesis is that Jennifer Walters and Susan Richards can contact Earth-715.

Misty Knight also stated that she had paid the reinforcements. In Thundra’s case, it may have been resources for the Femizons.

Weirdworlds

In 2016, Thundra visited Polemachus, to see her ex. She seemed interested in resuming adventuring together, and was also considering having a second daughter.

However :

Aided by the elf Tyndall, Thundra recruited the Squadron Supreme to help. This was the mid-2010s version, composed of sole survivors from destroyed alternate realities. Thundra correctly hypothesised that, being from alternate timelinesUsed here in the sense of an alternate history, where events unfold differently, they would be immune to Druid’s mind control – like she was.

Everything went wrong at first, due to Weirdworld’s odd properties. But Thundra and the Squadron rallied, recruited Skull the Slayer (James Scully), and soon freed Weirdworld from Druid’s wraith.

Supreme

Thundra agreed to join the Squadron Supreme for a time. Though she was uneasy about their goals, she wanted to adventure with a superteam. And Thundra felt like an outsider in Weirdworld, where Arkon now lived.

She also had an interest in Hyperion (Marcus Milton of Earth-13034), an alternate version of an old flame of hers. Though her approach was less than subtle, Mr. Milton reciprocated her interest.

Thundra helped Hyperion stop the sadistic mind controller, Junior (Micah Hardiaken, Jr.). She also beat back Iron Man (Tony Stark), preventing him from arresting Hyperion – and giving Milton enough time to persuade Stark to instead help against Hardiaken.

Supreme (continued)

As a Squadron Supreme member, Thundra :

However, this Squadron had never been viable, and soon disbanded. Hyperion decided to live for a while as a normal person, so he and Thundra presumably stopped seeing each other.

Weird tales

Still looking for an adventurous break from her responsibilities, Thundra took Lyra on a “vacation” in the Weirdworld wilderness.

Thundra still was on Weirdworld in 2019. She seemed to operate alone – but we only see her for all of one panel. Whether the Master of the World (Eshu) taking over Weirdworld affected her is unrevealed.

During Ben Grimm’s marriage, Thundra initially joined the bachelorette party, along with former FF members (Medusa, Crystal, She-Hulk) and Sue. But she soon switched to the guys’ poker table.

They were drunk enough to agree to a strip poker game, and not realise that Thundra was an accomplished poker player. She handily won.

Thundra and the Thing (Ben Grimm) then had a semi-drunken brawl, as was her way to celebrate their friendship.

Earth-9930

Earth-9930 is a possible future, two decades away. It has been invaded by “Martians”, and there are few human survivors left on the planet

A team of Avengers is left to protect those, with Thundra as a member. Given the weird chronophysics around Earth-715, it may well be the Earth-715 Thundra who came to help.

Beyond Thundra, these Avengers are :

Description

Thundra’s apparent size varies in the art, between about 6’2″ (1.88m) and 7’5″ (2.26m). One caption even says 8′ (2.44m).

She is exceptionally muscular and athletic, and looks to be in her mid-30s. Thundra, not the caption.

She’s sometimes miscoloured as a blonde.

Personality

Early on, Thundra is simply the Noble Foreign Warrior type. She’s a professional and honourable fighter, never sinking to murder.

There are gender trope inversions going on. She frequently refers to men as the weaker sex, to be treated gallantly yet being a silly, devious and childish lot, etc.. It’s dated-even-during-the-1970s clichés about women, flipped around.

Early Thundra insists on gallantry and on not hitting members of the weaker sex. Unless attacked or genuinely provoked.

That soon fades away. Likely because Femizon history changes to feature harsher conditions and conflicts.

Warlike

Thundra-from-a-post-apoc-Femizonia is a far more pragmatic warrior. Her word is still her bond, and she won’t harm defenceless, surrendering, etc. persons. But she has no problems with ruses de guerre  – the end often justify the means.

Taking hostages (whom she won’t harm), reversing alliances (provided she has not given her word to remain loyal) and the like are part of her arsenal.

Her strength can usually carry the day, but she’ll rarely favour that over craftiness. She’ll quickly escalate to punching since that solves a lot of her problems, but she stays on the lookout for complications.

Warlike (continued)

Thundra prefers physical confrontation, and physical strength is the greatest virtue for her and the Femizons.

But she is *also* an experienced, crafty strategist with a much greater knowledge base than what most expect. And smart enough to have an excellent understanding of time travel.

Thundra has no code against killing. But she doesn’t usually kill outside of war, or if she — as the head of a gigantic, warlike state — decides that the death penalty is called for.

On ne naît pas femme…

Thundra is well aware that most people from other realities cannot wrap their heads around Earth-715’s history. She has occasionally used that to her advantage, as outsiders insist than 715’s gender relations cannot possibly be the “natural order”.

In contrast, Thundra acquired a fine understanding of non-genders-wars realities. She’s comfortable with heterosexual sex and relationships, no longer assumes that men are automatically belligerent and misogynistic brutes, no longer considers escalating a disagreement with another woman into an honour duel, etc..

This is in stark contrast with most Femizons. In this aggressive culture, everything having to do with men is overwhelmingly associated with generations of total war, suffering and post-apocalyptic poverty.

For instance, Femizons consider a pregnancy unnatural and akin to body horror. Whereas Thundra (and one of her advisors) thought it was great.

…on le devient

Of course, Thundra supports all attempts by all women to become stronger. Socially, physically, martially, politically, etc..

If nothing else, it lowers the odds of a Machus timeline.

Interestingly, the Femizons do not consider male children to be men. Little boys are seen as children, just like little girls, rather than as future enemies.

Visosexual

Thundra is bisexual. Or rather, what turns her on is physical strength — preferably “Class 75” or more — muscle and aggressive willpower. That’s irrespective of gender, or even a human physical appearance.

This, uh, visosexuality (new word) means she’s statistically more likely to be interested in dudes. Brawny women like She-Hulk likely are even more Thundra’s thing, but they’re rarer. And for decades Thundra’s dating goal was to have a daughter.

Thundra makes romantic and sexual offers in a particularly straightforward, confident, relaxed way.

With friends (particularly women), Thundra is visibly more laid-back and may joke a little. Otherwise, she’s serious and focused – with more than a touch of aggression.

Power

Thundra isn’t enthusiastic about her role as Empress. In particular when it comes to the lies, and the adulation.

The United Sisterhood is an immense, diverse, battered coalition of highly aggressive citizens. Holding it together requires much propaganda, half-truths, shows of force to rally around, a revered authority figure – and of course a great enemy.

She’ll do the job fine, but she clearly needs vacations from time to time.

As a side effect, Thundra will never mention that she’s a VIP. Plus, culturally, she wants to only be gauged on her strength and courage.

Woman with the plan

Thundra is one of those 1970s Marvel characters with the grandiloquent Stan Lee dialogue.

She remains highly articulate, capable of speechifying in the middle of a fight, and prone to using some highbrow words (such as in the “quailing” quote).

She is also highly goal-oriented. Once Thundra has set a plan or an objective, she will. Not. Let. Go. She’ll adapt if there are major obstacles, but otherwise she’ll just keep at it, for years if necessary.

Quotes (part 1)

“Flee — scatter — scamper back to your rabbit-holes — like the miserable male rodents you really are — and let Thundra do your fighting for you !” (FA-ROOOOK !)

“No ! I came to humble — aye, even to humiliate — but not to murder !”

“I have said there will be no killing of men or children – and Thundra’s word is Thundra’s bond !”

“Quiet, woman ! Do you want those men to think you’re weak ?”

“Now, Namor — now it’s time for the final blow ! I’ll make it swift — though you don’t deserve it ! All men are cruel — vicious — but you, who would come between two lovers — you are the cruelest man of all !” (BLAM !)

“We are both strangers on this planet and should be allies, not enemies. But your crude, abrasive behaviour has forced this combat for which I have little use… because I despise striking those of the weaker sex !” (BWOK !)

“Sisterhood ! Deactivate the trans-dimensional grid ! Our guests have arrived !”

Quotes (part 2)

“[This] answer […] made perfect sense to people from families of men and women. They couldn’t know how ridiculous such a thing was here, even though their world is where ours began.”

(In a XX^th century proto-Femizon commune) “Sisters, you know the rule. You have differences. You want to fight. We respect that. Encourage it, even. But all differences are decided in the arena.”

(On Earth-616) “Well spoken. In the society of women whence I hail, your bravery would be applauded. I apologise for offending you.” (long beat) “Were you a *man*, I’d smash you where you stand.”

Thundra: “Quail, elephant man, before the might of Thundra !”
Behemoth: “The might of who –?”
Thundra: “There exists a man who doesn’t know my name to quail at it ? We can’t have that ! There *must* be quailing ! *Serious* quailing !” (SHHTOOM !)

DC Universe Adaptation

(This section proposes ways of using this character in DC Universe stories).

To my mind, bringing Thundra into the DCU can be done with two “hooks” — the Female Furies and Wonder Woman.

The first hook, capitalizing on Thundra’s vaguely Kirby-esque feel, is to make her a denizen of Apokolips.

Maybe, as Jackson long ago suggested, she’s a former charge of Granny Goodness who rebelled and is now the strong right arm of Himon and the military leader of resistance to Darkseid.

Perhaps the Femizons are Darkseid’s answer to, and mockery of, the Olympian-powered Amazons.

Furies

I see her more as a member of the Female Furies. After all the Grapplers are Marvel equivalents of the Female Furies. Therefore, even if Thundra isn’t Apokoliptian, she should cross paths with the Furies. My Thundra’s not from Apokolips, but she’s definitely encountered the Furies.

Thundra might take over the Furies after Barda’s defection. Or perhaps the Female Furies are actually a much larger organization than previously seen.

In that case, the Barda-led Furies were a division of the larger Femizon organization. Commanded not by Granny Goodness but by Thundra — under the leadership of Darkseid, of course.

Darkseid is the major problem with this scheme. Whether you use Thundra as Himon’s lieutenant or Darkseid’s enforcer, it rules out Thundra-as-feminine-liberator/conqueror.

Your solution is to have her lead a Femizon rebellion against Darkseid. Perhaps her activities on Earth, challenging and fighting powerful men, is a part of her rebellion.

Rebel rebel

She could have finagled herself into an assignment where she tests Earth’s heroes.

From Darkseid’s viewpoint, this would be an attempt to infiltrate the heroes’ ranks. To undermine their legends (as in the Legends mini-series), and/or get information to prepare an invasion of Earth.

From Thundra’s viewpoint, she’s stringing Darkseid along while identifying heroes powerful enough to beat her, and thus to challenge Darkseid. In this case, her talk about conquering men is a smokescreen.

As in the Marvel Universe, where she bonds with the Thing because he’s powerful enough to challenge her, she’s happy to encounter men like Superman, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, etc.. Though she’s still more comfortable around Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

Amazing amazons

The Apokolips storyline has a lot of potential. But I’d go the Amazon route myself.

Themyscira and the Amazons are obvious parallels for Femizonia, and Thundra’s abilities are appropriate for a super-Amazon.

The simplest approach is just to make Thundra a modern-day Amazon. From either Themyscira or Bana-Mighdall. Thundra certainly has some of the Bana-Mighdallian vibe, and could easily replace Artemis as the Bana-Mighdallian rival to Diana.

In that way, Thundra would have temporarily replaced Diana as Amazon champion and Wonder Woman during the second Contest.

Probably she disapproves of Diana’s partnership with male heroes and, as temporary Wonder Woman, set out to prove female superiority and improve the world by putting men in their place.

Future Amazon (part 1)

Another way to handle Thundra-as-Amazon is to make her from the 23^rd century and keep her Marvel timeline and mission.

Perhaps the Femizons are a more militant offshoot of Amazons. Perhaps they *are* the main group of Amazons, having become more militant since the 20^th century.

Interestingly, the Legion of Super-Heroes has twice clashed with worlds that wanted to turn Earth and the United Planets into a matriarchy. The first was Queen Azura of the planet Femnaz (Adventure Comics #326, 1964). (Yes, it was as awful as the name suggests — Ed.).

She used brainwashing to convince the female Legionnaires to take down their male teammates and help her take over. Azura’s Femnazians, though, are so incompetent that they manage to blow up their own moon.

They thus need to be bailed out by their male subjects along with male Legionnaires Mon-El and Ultra Boy, so Azura changes her mind. A woman’s prerogative, you know.

Future Amazon (part 2)

In 1968’s “The Mutiny of the Super-Heroines!”, the LSH clashed with the super-strong Thora, from planet Taltar. An ambassador to Earth and the United Planets, her secret purpose was to spread her world’s matriarchal ways.

Thora used technology to simultaneously enhance the powers and physical strength of the female Legionnaires while brainwashing them to believe women should rule. They battled and defeated the male Legionnaires.

This fell apart due to Supergirl’s resistance. Thora killed herself with a poison tooth rather than report failure. But in her absence her matriarchal world has suffered a revolt.

Future Amazon (part 3)

Pulling all this together, I propose that Thundra be a Femizon from the 30^th century, and the champion of a consortium of worlds. The United Sisterhood Republic is descended from militant off-shoots of the Amazons who colonized other planets to be free of patriarchal influences.

They see the spread of UP as unacceptable. Thora’s plot was an initial attempt to weaken the UP by undermining and subverting the Legion. When it fails, a more ambitious plot develops.

To my mind, Thundra in the DCU *has* to deal with Superman, the 20^th and 21^st centuries’ strongest man. After all, he is the essential inspiration for the Legion and the UP. Physically beating him in battle may not be necessary, but altering the past to lessen his impact on history is.

So Thundra visits the past, making tiny changes, enhancing the role of women, and subtly undermining Superman.

Future Amazon (part 4)

Her interactions with the FF (if the FF is also in the DCU) are to subvert one of the great legacies of Superman. The FF, after all, are directly inspired by him, the man who went public when he rescued their spaceship when they were first struck with cosmic rays.

Talk of the threat of invasion from “Machus” is mostly code. The true threat is the United Planets. But there might also be revolts in USR territories, perhaps on a planet named Machus, and one such revolt result might result in Mahkizmo.

In any case, Thundra becomes tied up in the Superman mythos. You might also get creative figuring out the relationship between Thundra and Maxima.

She’s a wonder

This version of Thundra might also challenge Diana for the role of Wonder Woman, or simply challenge the way Diana carries out the role.

Perhaps she blames Diana for allowing Superman to outshine her, and is trying to have Wonder Woman take Clark’s place as the guiding inspiration behind the Legion and the UP.

She might also reveal future knowledge to Diana and the Amazons. Implying that equality with the men of Earth and the UP is a bad idea.

One final thought. When Thundra fails to replace Diana permanently as Wonder Woman, she again turns to time travel. This time, she is transported back to the World War II-era, and adopts the role of Wonder Woman.

In this timeline, Diana is now suddenly less important, as she’s simply the successor to Thundra! Thundra, as the Wonder Woman of WWII, proceeds to do her best to outshine all the male heroes and push for female superiority.

Her actions have some effect, including launching the feminist movement earlier and more quickly than in our history. But so far she’s not been able to take Superman’s place in history.

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