Andromache

ANDROMACHE

Real Name: Andromache

Class: Amazon

Occupation: Majestrix

Group Affiliation: Coda

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Themiscrya, Greece, Earth-50

First Appearance: WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #1 (September, 1993)

Powers: Andromache was extremely long-lived and a masterful combatant in armed and unarmed combat, and she was armed with a clef blade.

History: (WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #2 (fb)) - Andromache was a member of the Coda, a sisterhood of warriors that lived by strict precepts. During the Trojan War the Greeks Menelaus and Odysseus approached the Coda to hire them to defeat Troy. Coda majestrix Zealot agreed in exchange for one hundred of the Greeks’ infant daughters for the Coda to raise as their own and a large sum of gold. The Coda constructed the Trojan Horse as a peace offering to Troy but the hollow structure contained a phalanx of Coda warriors. Once they were within Troy’s walls the Coda attacked, bringing destruction to the city. Zealot ordered Andromache to open the gates to allow the Greeks to enter while she and Artremis led the fight within the city. Zealot and Artemis stormed the royal palace and Artemis wanted to kill the royal family, but Zealot objected, saying she had no heart for the slaughter of defenseless women and children. Artemis believed Zealot was betraying the Coda precepts and they fought. Zealot won, but refused to take Artemis’ life, having formed a blood bond with her the day they started training together. Artemis was furious that Zealot had betrayed the Coda and disgraced her by allowing her to live after falling in combat. Zealot would be banished from the Coda, and Andromache became the new majestrix

(WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #2, 3) - Delphae served as the Coda’s oracle for centuries. Peering in the pool of her underground cave she found Zealot, who was viewed as a traitor to the Coda. Coda sister Artemis teamed with Daemonite Hightower to lure Zealot’s WildC.A.T.S. teammate Grifter into a trap, knowing she’d come to save him. She informed Andromache who ordered Delphae to open a gateway to take her and a phalanx of Coda sisters to seal Zealot’s fate. Hightower and his Hybridroids defeated the WildC.A.T.S. and Zealot and Artemis were engaged in a battle to the death for the life of Zealot’s teammates when the gateway opened and Andromache and her Coda appeared. Andromache wanted not just Zealot dead, but Artemis as well. She had been fomenting revolution, believing the Coda had been led astray from the path of noble warriors by becoming paid assassins. Artemis admitted she was torn between wanting to fight Zealot to the death and asking her to return to Themiscrya with her to overthrow Andromache. Zealot and Artemis tore through the coda, with Zealot saying her old friend should have reached out to her instead of trying to kill her and her friends, and Artemis conceded she had a point. With only Andromache standing Zealot promised she’d remain in exile with Artemis and never bother the coda again if they kept their distance. Andromache still demanded blood, and another cadre of coda poured in through the gateway. Andromache threw a spear at Zealot while her back was turned, but Artemis dove in the way, sacrificing her life for Zealot’s. Zealot cradled her Coda sister and her teammate Grifter arrived, getting the drop on Andromache with his gun. He threatened to kill her if the coda didn’t leave, and Grifter realized Andromache had grown soft, because any other majestrix would have sacrificed their life before surrendering in battle, but she hesitated. The rest of the WildC.A.T.S. arrived, and Emp threatened to burn down all of Themyscrya if Andromache didn’t forget her grudge. Andromache relented, and Zealot insisted she take Artemis back to Themyscrya to be given a warrior’s funeral and grave.

Comments: Created by Brandon Choi, Dafydd Wynn & Jae Lee.

Andromache was originally published by Wildstorm Comics, an imprint of Image Comics, which DC acquired the rights to in January, 1999.

Andromache's' appearance in WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #1, 2 was reprinted in the WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy TPB.