Zelda (Earth-616)

Origin[]

Zelda was one of ten clones^[1] of Wolverine created by Alchemax Genetics, a division of Alchemax. The project was overseen by Robert Chandler, with security provided by Captain Mooney. The girls were created and trained to serve as bodyguards for humanitarian missions and other personnel.^[2] Much like Laura before them, they were often abused by their handlers, particularly Mooney,^[3] though Zelda took special care to protect her youngest sister, Gabby, from the worst of the abuse. As the eldest, Zelda was the de facto leader of the group,^[1] though her control over Bellona could at times be nominal. She was incapable of feeling pain, the result of nanites implanted in her body that were slowly killing her. With six of her sisters dead due to fatalities on missions, or as a result of the nanites, she escaped along with Bellona, X23 3PAR, and Gabby.^[1] They were assisted in their escape by Kimura, who armed and equipped them before sending them after Alchemax for revenge for stealing property from The Facility.^[4]

Revenge on Alchemax Genetics[]

With the arms supplied by Kimura, the Sisters launched a campaign against Alchemax, targeting their personnel for assassination. Following 3PAR's failure to assassinate Chandler's son and subsequent death in Paris, she established a hideout in the sewers of New York City. When Gabby snuck out to confront Wolverine over 3PAR's death, she inadvertently led Laura to them. Laura herself was unknowingly being followed by Captain Mooney, and the Sisters freed her to help them deal with the Alchemax soldiers swarming their hideout, before Taskmaster arrived and shot the three fugitive clones.^[2]

They survived because of their body armor, and with Laura's aid escaped into the streets of New York where they managed to elude Mooney long enough to flee to a safe house. Zelda's health took a turn for the worse after the excitement, so Laura took them to the Sanctum Sanctorum to seek the help of Doctor Strange.^[3] Bellona's temper got the better of her while Laura was consulting with Strange, and unwittingly released a monster from a cupboard in the living room. The Sisters joined Laura in protecting the pedestrians and defeating the creature, but the effort exhausted Zelda and she collapsed. Strange teleported the group to New York Hospital for a closer examination. While he worked, Zelda begged Laura to do everything she could to save Gabby. Strange successfully diagnosed the nanites which were killing Zelda. Unable to operate on them himself, he sent the girls on to Pym's laboratory to borrow an Ant-Man Suit, so Laura could enter Zelda's body to fight the nanites directly.^[1]

They were interrupted by Wasp; however, Jan was ultimately convinced to help them. She and Laura were successfully able to fight the devices off, and Zelda started to recover. No sooner was she back on her feet, however, then Mooney located them. Laura and Jan's attack on the nanites tripped a warning beacon, alerting Mooney to the girls' location. He attacked them at the lab, Zelda was shot, to her surprise feeling pain. Mooney blasted down the wall before they could react, and the girls were scattered through the lab. With Bellona trapped under the debris, Gabby leaped to her defense, but was quickly overpowered. Before he could finish her off Zelda interceded and verbally attacked him over his sadism. This managed to delay him long enough for Laura and Jan to exit her body and restrain him, but not before he shot her a second time, this time fatally. As she lay dying, she promised Gabby that Laura and Bellona would take care of her, and with her dying breaths begged Laura to stop holding back, and make Alchemax pay for what they had done to them.^[5]

Zelda lacked Bellona's unrestrained rage, but was also much more pragmatic than Gabby. She was willing to accept Laura's decision to spare Taskmaster after their encounter, but chose to slow him down by shooting out his kneecaps.^[3] As the eldest of the Sisters, Bellona acknowledged that Zelda had always been in charge, and deferred to her, though at times this control was strained. Her foremost concern was the well-being of her sisters, especially Gabby, and asked Laura to do everything she could to save the younger girl.^[1]

Insensitivity to Pain: As a result of Alchemax Genetics' experiments, Zelda was unable to feel pain;^[2] however, once Wolverine and Wasp succeeded in destroying the nanites infesting her, she began registering pain normally again.^[5]

Expert Covert Ops Training: Zelda was extensively trained as an assassin and bodyguard.^[2]

Despite being a clone of Wolverine, Zelda lacked her healing factor. She also possessed a greatly reduced life expectancy due to the presence of foreign nanomachines in her bloodstream. Presumably the elimination of these machines from her body would have restored her health, however Zelda was killed shortly after.^[6]

Zelda was equipped with body armor and an armored mask.^[7]

• According to Taylor, each of the Sisters reflected a particular aspect of Laura's personality, and Zelda most demonstrated Laura's intelligence, coolness under pressure and tactical acumen.^[8]
• Despite her numerical designation (X23_2ZEL), Zelda was the eldest of the Sisters.^[9]