“ | I am Elektra Natchios. Not even the stars are safe in the sky. | „ |
~ Elektra. |
“ | Do you see now, Matt? I loved poppa--and so he died. He had to die. I was a part of him. They killed him to show me this. | „ |
~ Elektra to Daredevil. |
“ | I know that you would do anything to protect your father, but this is something I must do alone. Because I do not want to bury any more of my friends. | „ |
~ Elektra to Kento Roe. |
Elektra Natchios, mainly referred to as Elektra, is a fictional superheroine and anti-heroine from the Marvel Comics and Universe, appearing as the main protagonist of the titular comics, and a supporting character in the Daredevil comics.
She is known to be an on-and-off ally and love-interest of the vigilante of Hell's Kitchen, Daredevil. Elektra has peek athletic abilities, martial arts skills, enhanced agility, and a master assassin. She also has been a member of the Heroes for Hire, Code Red, Red Hulk's Thunderbolts, S.H.I.E.L.D., Savage Avengers and the Hand.
Since her debut in Marvel's comics, she has appeared in numerous media. She was portrayed by Jennifer Gardner in Daredevil and starred in a film with the same name, which the film has met with mostly negative reception from critics. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she was portrayed by Élodie Yung.
She was created by Frank Miller, and first appeared in Daredevil #168 in January of 1981.
History[]
Background[]
Elektra has mixed backgrounds and the cannon associated with them is often base-break for fans trying to keep track of a single continuity. What is established as constants are that she is a Greek assassin. Elektra is from a wealthy family that embodies the concept of 'Old Money'. Elektra's mother, Christina, died giving birth to Elektra, leaving her father Hugo Natchios to raise her as a single parent.
Hugo was Greek diplomat and used his position to open a variety of doors for himself and Elektra. Hugo's prestigious position would eventually attract the wrong kind of attention and he would be targeted by terrorists, the chaos of the experience (the exact nature of which depends upon version) would ultimately cost Hugo his life, leaving Elektra with a chip on her shoulder from age 20 onward.
Matt Murdock, AKA the "Daredevil", tried and failed to save Hugo Natchios (in most versions) but with his failure Elektra decides that a strong and extreme response is needed.
Training[]
Elektra leaves the law abiding life after her father's death and drops out of college to make good on her notion of being prepared for the extremists of the world. Elektra uses her wealth and contacts to join the martial-arts organization, Chaste, in China. Chaste taught it's members any known martial-art but made certain it's students had the mental discipline to use them responsibly before-hand with some of the more inherently treacherous ones. Elektra, being denied ninjutsu by her teachers until she was ready, began to resent them and became easy pickings for agents of rival organization, The-Hand, to recruit her.
The-Hand taught Elektra all the disciplines Chaste would deny her until she could be trusted and under The-Hand's instructions Elektra became a deadly living weapon, the trade off they demanded in return was for Elektra to work as an assassin for the group. Elektra would eventually free herself of The-Hand's reigns over her and left, both because she eventually found the work to be too ethically murky and because she disliked the notion of being controlled just as much as she disliked the notion of being coddled.
Once free of The-Hand, Elektra became her own boss as a private assassin-for-hire. As her own boss she could select only clients she felt comfortable serving, which also meant she would routinely be asked to kill criminals and terrorists, giving her a chance to make people like those that killed her father pay.
Adventures[]
Elektra would come into contact with Daredevil on her missions more than once, some times as a target, other times as an obstacle between her and her target. Elektra and Daredevil would have an on and off romance and complicated love/hate relationship. The precise nature of which has morphed through-out the years. Where Daredevil would show mercy, Elektra would not, preferring to fight extremes with extremes and incidentally get paid well for it in the process. The two would sometimes team up, most notably fighting against the Hand, Kigri, and Bullseye. Things changed between the two, however, when Elektra was hired by the Kingpin to assassinate Ben Urich. She was thwarted by Daredevil, which resulted in Kingpin assigning her to kill Murdock's friend Foggy Nelson, but she spared his life when Nelson recognized her.
Bullseye was angered that Elektra and Daredevil had defeated him, and also that he lost his status as Kingpin's chief assassin. Wanting to regain his status, Bullseye decided to kill Elektra, impaling her with her own psi before dying in Daredevil's arms. Despite her death, the Hand resurrected her since she was one of their greatest assets, and Daredevil helped purify her spirt to erase the Hand's corruption.
Becoming Daredevil[]
After being assisted by Stick in finding a book, it noted that the ancient "Fist" needed a "king" and "queen" and only one of them would survive. Shen then learned that Daredevil planned to have Tony Stark buy an auction of Hell's Kitchen, and she decided to outbid Stark to win Matt's trust. When Daredevil was convicted of murder, Elektra revealed that she won the bid on the auction, and the vigilante admitted in court that he committed second degree manslaughter. Meeting Daredevil in prison, Elektra attempted to earn Matt's trust once again, but he refused, telling her to show to him that she was on the side of the light. Wanting to prove to Murdock that she wasn't just a murderer, she took on the mantle of Daredevil.
Portrayals[]
Films[]
- In the 2003 Daredevil and the 2005 Elektra, she was portrayed by Jennifer Gardner, who also played Sydney Bristow in Alias, Jenna Rink in 13 Going on 30, and Riley North in Peppermint.
Television[]
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she was portrayed by Élodie Yung.
Video Games[]
- In Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, she was voiced by Jani Jakovac.
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, she was voiced by Gabrielle Carteris.
- In Lego Marvel Super Heroes, she was voiced by Laura Bailey, who also voiced Lust in 2003s Full Metal Alchemist, Rayne in BloodRayne, Serana in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Helena Harper in Resident Evil 6, Fiona in Tales from the Borderlands, Nadine Ross in the Uncharted series, Catwoman in Telltale's Batman series, Supergirl in Injustice 2, Mary Jane Watson in Marvel's Spider-Man, and Polina Petrova in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
- In Marvel Heroes, she was voiced by Kathryn Cressida.
- Cressida reprised her voice for the character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order.
Quotes[]
“ | I am Elektra, the assassin. To look upon me......is to see the end of life. | „ |
~ Elektra. |
“ | I was bored. I do things like this when I'm bored. | „ |
~ Elektra. |
“ | I've won your stupid game, Arcade. Face me for real! | „ |
~ Elektra to Arcade. |
“ | You're a test, aren't you? The universe heard me say I'd try. Try Matthew's way. And then you crawled from your hole and killed dozens of innocent people. You're the test I'd gladly fail. | „ |
~ Elektra to Bullseye. |
“ | I'm Elektra Natchios. I am the culmination of my past. I'm Daredevil... and I am the hunter. | „ |
~ Elektra accepting the mantle of Daredevil. |
Gallery[]
Images[]
Trivia[]
- Considered an Omega level threat by H.A.M.M.E.R. agent Commander Brothers.
- Ranked 22nd in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.