Cheshire is a deadly international terrorist and an enemy of the Teen Titans, often recognized as one of the world's greatest and most ruthless assassins. Her skills include mastery over physical combat, various weaponry, and she is an expert on exotic poisons. In the past she has had multiple romantic relationships and given birth to two children with different fathers, Lian Harper with Arsenal and Thomas Blake, jr with Catman. She has been a member of the Ravens, Tartarus, Injustice League, the Secret Six and Titans Villains for Hire. Cheshire first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2. (1983)
Plot[]
Born (allegedly, see below) to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery. As a young adult, after killing her master, Jade was informally adopted by Chinese freedom fighter Weng Chan, who taught her all he knew about guerrilla fighting. She acquired knowledge of poisons from Kruen Musenda, a famed African assassin known as the "Spitting Cobra", whom she was married to for the two years prior to his death.
She is a long-standing rival of the superhero team the Teen Titans. However, when Roy Harper, a.k.a. the archer Speedy went undercover for the government in a mission to get her confidence and turn her over, the two fell passionately in love. Knowing he would not be able to turn her in, he walked out; Cheshire would not learn his true identity until later. The result of their romance was a daughter, Lian, whom Roy raised.
Returning to her mercenary ways after leaving Lian behind for Roy, Jade saved Deathstroke's life so he could help her in stealing nuclear weapons from Russia in an attempt to blackmail the world. To prove she is not bluffing, she obliterates the fictional Middle East nation of Qurac, reasoning that since Qurac is a stronghold of Onslaught terrorists, that Western countries would be secretly grateful. Cheshire's plans were foiled when her base came under attack and she was forced to flee. She later created her own team, The Ravens.
Cheshire volunteered to join Tartarus, a group created by Vandal Savage with the objective of destroying the Titans. During a confrontation with the Titans and the H.I.V.E, Savage shot Cheshire to distract Arsenal. She recovered, but was taken into custody for cri
mes including destroying Qurac. Sentenced to life imprisonment, she was broken out by the Ravens. Arsenal, however, forced her back into custody.
Eventually, Cheshire discovers that her biological father was a Senator named Robert Pullman, and she attempted to torture and kill him. To that end, she defeated Lady Shiva, and devised a plan to use her to fake her own death and flee the country with her daughter. Jade ties up Shiva, gags her and locks her in the trunk of her car (which was wired to explode), hoping that the authorities will find the charred body of an Asian woman in the flaming car wreck and believe that Jade was killed while fleeing the Senator's murder. Unfortunately for her, Catwoman and Gypsy show up and unties Shiva, while Huntress and Black Canary stop Jade from murdering the Senator, and then took her into custody. While escaping the scene of the attempted assassination, Jade is punched in the face and thrown out of the helicopter the women were escaping in by Black Canary to avoid being beaten to death by an enraged Shiva.
In 2005, she appeared in the Villains United as a member of the Secret Six.Cheshire had been blackmailed into joining by Mockingbird, who claimed that there was a small bomb implanted in the back of Lian's head. During the series, she slept with Thomas Blake, a.k.a. Catman, and became pregnant with a replacement child, thereby allowing her to leave the team and no longer needing to worry for Lian's safety. At the end of the miniseries, having betrayed the Six to Luthor's Society, she is shot and critically wounded by Deathstroke. As the faux Luthor orders the Society's withdrawal, one of his last commands is to bring Cheshire with, provided she is still alive.
In Cry for Justice, Star City is destroyed by Prometheus, killing Lian. Cheshire attacks Roy, outraged at him for not keeping Lian safe, injuring him in the process.] Both Roy and Cheshire continue to fight however Roy manages to pin Cheshire against the wall. Cheshire loses the will to fight and tearfully recalls the loss of her child. Roy comforts her and the two of them attempt to sleep together. However, due to Roy's impotence he is unable to please Cheshire in bed, which causes more turmoil in Roy's life forcing him to angrily leave.
In Secret Six, Cheshire's son from her involvement with Catman is kidnapped, chronologically this takes place after the death of Lian. Catman goes on a murderous rampage believing the child to already be dead only to find the man who orchestrated the kidnapping has given the boy to a loving childless couple and that the kidnapping itself was an act of revenge against Cheshire for murdering his family. Catman, after realizing the child is better left where he is, informs Cheshire that their son is dead. This sends her in to a sorrowful rage, while Catman tells his son to rest in peace after killing all of the kidnappers involved.
Cheshire is now a member of Deathstroke's new team of Titans. It is unforeseen how long she will stay on the team, but it seems one of Deathstroke's goals is to taunt her into overcoming her lost edge after Lian's death. She later contacts Roy, forcing him into joining Deathstroke's team so the two of them can kill Deathstroke. Cheshire rationalizes that Roy "owes" her for Lian's death, but while it appears Roy double-crosses her, it is part of Cheshire's plan. Afterward, Deathstroke and his team arrive at South Pacific Island to kill cult leader, Drago, over the arena production of blind warriors; however, his team, Cheshire, and Roy betray him, revealing that they had been working with Drago. Cheshire and Roy's plan backfired, because Drago never intended to give Cheshire her freedom back. Their attempt to defeat Drago and escape failed miserably. Later, Drago explained to Cheshire that he needs an heir,and she was going to provide him with one. Drago tries to convince Cheshire to succumb to him, but Drago was reading her mind and using her thoughts against her. Cheshire is rescued by Deathstroke and the Titans. When Drago was defeated, Deathstroke allows him to live and the Titans then leave from his island. Chesh
ire and Roy choose to re-join the Titans. Upon returning to the labyrinth, Deathstroke reveals to them that his proceeding items were used to create a healing machine called "Methuselah Device" for his dying son,Jericho. After healing Jericho, Deathstroke claims the machine can also resurrect the dead, offering Cheshire and Roy the chance to revive Lian. Cheshire accepts, but Roy refuses, saying that he has been punishing himself for his daughter's death and that Lian is in a better place. Cheshire fights the other Titans to destroy the Methuselah Device.After Cinder sacrifices to destroy the Methuselah, Cheshire leave and tells Roy that she will never forgive him.
In other media[]
- Cheshire appears in the western animated series Young Justice episode "Infiltrator", voiced by Kelly Hu.
- Cheshire appears as a boss in video game Young Justice: Legacy, with Kelly Hu reprising the role.
Trivia[]
- Cheshire's voice actress Kelly Hu played triad henchwoman Sona in 2003 action film Cradle 2: The Grave.
- She then assumed the role of mutant Lady Deathstrike in X2.
- Kelly then played Lana , a henchwoman to an evil librarian in The Librarian: Quest for the Spear in 2004.
- In 2008 she provided voice over for co commander Suki Toyama in Red Alert 3.
- Kelly Hu also played DC comic villain China White in Arrow.
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