Elektra: A Deadly Heroine

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Elektra is strong, mysterious, with dark eyes, long dark hair, long legs, likes the color red and packs a mean punch. If she is your idea of the dream woman, then you, like millions of people worldwide, are probably smitten by Elektra, the female assassin with highly advanced training and skills in martial arts.

Who is Elektra?

Elektra Natchios is the creation of Frank Miller for Marvel Comics. Her first appearance was in Daredevil No. 168 in 1981. She has since enjoyed increased popularity with the release of her very own comicbook series.

History of Elektra

Elektra is the only daughter of Hugo Natchios, a Greek diplomat, and wife Christina. She has an older sibling, Oreztez Natchios. Elektra's history is filled with intrigue and violence. She was, for example, born premature when her mother was shot while pregnant with her. She grew up motherless but was spoiled by her father. The young girl, however, grew up to be a troubled young woman. In college, she met the love of her life, Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil. She later lost her father during a botched kidnapping rescue. Embittered, Elektra turned to martial arts under the tutelage of Stick, a master and leader of the Chaste. She later quit and joined the mystical sect known as the Hand and became a deadly assassin. Unsatisfied, she left and began accepting assignments independently. During some of her activities as a free agent, Elektra also worked with Daredevil who assisted her in battling the Hand.

Elektra's weapon of choice is a pair of sai but she is equally as deadly with daggers, the shuriken, the katana and with her bare hands. An eponymous film came out in 2003 starring Jennifer Garner in the title role.

Villains of Elektra

Some of Elektra's most famous antagonists are the Hand, the very sect of ninjas that trained her in the dark martial arts; King Pin, the crime lord she used to work for; Ken Wind, the presidential candidate who was chosen by the Hand to lead the U.S. and start a world war; the Beast, a mystical half-beast half-human that plagued her mind; and Bullseye, another assassin who defeated her and fatally stabbed her with her own sai.

Why Elektra is worth it?

As dark and deadly as she is, Elektra is one of Marvel's most fascinating characters. Her nearly super-human strength, mental capabilities and fighting skills make her a top choice as a super heroine and yet she remains very human, even with some vulnerabilities - qualities that make her irresistible to comicbook fans. She has appeared in many notable series, such as Daredevil, Wolverine, PunisherMax and Mutant X, to name a few. However, it is in her own series, such as Elektra Saga in 1984, Elektra: Assassin in 1986 and Elektra Lives Again in 1990, that she truly shines. She is one of Frank Miller's finest creations, both in text and in art and she has also been brought to life by artists such as Mike Deodato, Yoshitaka Amano and Bill Sienkiewicz.

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