Persuasion (Kara Killgrave, formerly known as the Purple Girl and the Purple Woman) is a fictional Mutant Superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Persuasion possesses the mutant ability to generate pheromones that reduce others to a near-mindless state, leaving them receptive to suggestion and turning their skin purple. She can also link the minds of herself and others.

Purple Woman
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAlpha Flight #41 (Dec. 1986)
Created byBill Mantlo and David Ross
In-story information
Alter egoKara Killgrave
SpeciesHuman mutant
Notable aliasesPurple Girl
Persuasion
AbilitiesMind control via pheromone manipulation
Ability to merge her mind with others

Fictional character biography

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Kara Killgrave is the daughter of Zebediah Killgrave / Purple Man and Melanie, a woman he forced into marrying him before genuinely falling in love with her. As a teenager, her abilities manifest and her skin turns purple, leading her to run away from home.

Afterwards, Kara comes into conflict with Alpha Flight before joining them after they rescue her from the Auctioneer.[1][2][3]

Beta Flight

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Kara became a valued member of Beta and Alpha Flights and fought alongside them in battles against such foes as the Dreamqueen, the Great Beasts, the Derangers, Scramble, China Force, and what she believed to be her own father's reanimated corpse. After being injured in battle with China Force and being abandoned by Alpha Flight, she decided to quit the team.[4]

After returning to the group, she is contacted by Talisman, who was recruiting a team to rescue Northstar from Asgard. After this mission, she joined Beta Flight under a re-structured Department H. She struck a close friendship with most members, especially Goblyn, Pathway, and Witchfire. In a supposed training team, she found herself in battle on a number of occasions. During this time, she fought against villains such as Firebug, the Jackal, Omega Flight, the Master, and the Hardliners.[volume & issue needed]

While still in training, Box (Madison Jeffries) had her assist him against the composite being known as Omega. Kara was able to compel it to separate back into Box (Roger Bochs) and Scramble, but Scramble then lobotomized Bochs and reformed Omega. Madison was then forced to kill Omega.[volume & issue needed]

Kara returned home with her friends Goblyn and Laura Dean.[volume & issue needed] Following the Joshua Lord incident and the disbanding of Department H, she was imprisoned in Neverland,[5] the mutant concentration camp created by Weapon X under Malcolm Colcord. She was one of the exceptions after House of M who retained her powers.[5] Much later, Persuasion was one of the mutants who had retained their mutant abilities after M-Day.[5] Kara was seen celebrating the holidays in San Francisco with the X-Men and other mutants still remaining after M-Day.[6]

Fear Itself

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During the Fear Itself storyline, Kara works with the anti-government Citadel to steal a server that would reveal the truth about the Unity Party.[7] However, the Unity Party kidnaps her and brainwashes her into joining Alpha Strike before Alpha Flight free her.[8][9][10][11]

Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter

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Kara later resurfaces in New York City, during which Jessica Jones attacks her while searching for the Purple Man before working with her to stop him and his children.[12][13][14]

Joining the Thunderbolts

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Seeking redemption, Kara joins the new Thunderbolts team led by Luke Cage and Hawkeye, fighting under the name Persuasion.[15]

Other versions

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An alternate universe variant of Persuasion from Earth-295 appears in Age of Apocalypse. This version is a member of a "psychic pyramid scheme" known as the Overmind who is later killed by the Shadow King.[16][17]

References

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  1. ^ Alpha Flight #41
  2. ^ "Alpha Flight" #48 (July 1987)
  3. ^ Alpha Flight #52
  4. ^ Alpha Flight #71
  5. ^ a b c X-Men: The 198 Files #1
  6. ^ Marvel Digital Holiday Special #1(2008)
  7. ^ Alpha Flight vol. 4 #0.1
  8. ^ Alpha Flight vol. 4 #3-4
  9. ^ Alpha Flight vol. 4 #4
  10. ^ Alpha Flight vol. 4 #7-8
  11. ^ Cable and X-Force #9
  12. ^ Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter #1
  13. ^ Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter #2
  14. ^ Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter #3
  15. ^ Zub, Jim (2022). Thunderbolts (2022). Marvel Comics.
  16. ^ Age of Apocalypse #5 (September 2012)
  17. ^ Age of Apocalypse #11 (March 2013)
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