Natalia Kassle

Natalia Kassle is a former KGB spy who was recruited by Danger Girl. Her true loyalties, however, were with the Hammer Empire.

Origin
Natalia is originally from Russia, though very little of her background is revealed. Seemingly at some point in the past she was a member of Russian special forces or had received some espionage training.

Creation
She was created to be one of the original members of the Danger Girl team and appeared in Danger Girl #0 in 1997. As the members of Danger Girl are partially spoofs of Bond Girls, it is possible that her appearance was partially inspired by some of the Russian characters of the series and potentially the character Tatiana Romanova from From Russia, With Love.

Character Evolution
Very little changes for Natalia in her appearances. She appears initially as a hero, but as more is developed around her character it is easy to see how her previous actions were all a ruse.

Danger Girl
The original appearance of the Danger Girl team was centered primarily on Abbey Chase with the remainder of the team appearing much more confident and competent as compared to their recent recruit. In the original story Abbey is recruited onto the team, partially as she fits the profile and partially as the team is in need of an archaeological expert. The team’s first observed deployment is to save Abbey as she is in danger in Costa Rica after running afoul of an artifact thief. The team is able to save Abbey at the last moment (with Sydney piloting the helicopter and teammate Natalia on the ladder.)

Abbey is taken aboard the Danger Yacht where she meets the members of the team – Natalia, Sydney, Silicon Valerie and Deuce. Their next mission is to be to Paris where they hope to intercept an archaeological dealer known as the Peach as he is dealing a shield of some value to the team. Abbey goes undercover while others provide surveillance. After a double cross in a deal by the Peach a shootout occurs followed by a car chase. Abbey is able to chase down a helicopter in her souped-up sports car while Sydney follows in a troop transport. Abbey launches her car in the air and manages to pull the pin on a grenade on one of the soldiers in the helicopter before she falls. Sydney “catches” her in the canvas of the troop transport, and the two are forced to make their way to the next checkpoint. Unknown to them, the kind old man that gives them a ride is in fact Secret Agent Zero.

The team moves on to Switzerland where the Peach has the shield at a party. Abbey attends the party in the company of Johnny Barracuda and she is able to retrieve the shield before being forced to flee with Johnny. The escape on a snowmobile, and they are successful in outlasting their pursuers but then must also outrace an avalanche. They jump off of a cliff and land in icy water. They seek shelter nearby and are soon found by Sydney, who catches them almost in mid-kiss.

Once back to the Danger Yacht, Abbey determines that the shield forms a part of a trio of artifacts which when joined together give the wielder massive power. They determine that the criminal organization known as the Fourth Reich (and resurgent movement of the Second World War era Nazis) intends to retrieve the artifacts and launch a new war. They are unable to obtain the second piece (a helmet) as they are ambushed when they go to the collector’s house who is in possession of the artifact.

Sydney and Johnny are captured and taken to Hammer Island, where they see the effects of some medical experiments into superhumans. Meanwhile Abbey retrieves the last piece of the artifacts, a sword, from the bottom of the ocean. When she returns to the surface she finds that the team has been betrayed by Natalia, who has been working for the Fourth Reich. Natalia has also stolen the shield. Abbey and Secret Agent Zero infiltrate the island while Sydney and Johnny escape. As they are escaping, the two share a kiss as they expect imminent death but are eventually rescued. Abbey kills Natalia and the team manages to avoid the rise of the Fourth Reich and all remaining members successfully escape.

Back in Black
Hammer agents are seen trying to resurrect her in this series towards the end.

Powers and Abilities
As with the other members of the Danger Girl team, she has no superpowers but is in excellent physical condition. She is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant that relies on knives in battle. She is also adept at piloting various kinds of vehicles.