Stella Maeve || Jessica Drew || Spider-Woman || Avenger || Identity: Not common knowledge || 30 || Female || London, United Kingdom || Private investigator/Avenger || Unregistered || Unlisted || PLAYED BY ALICIA
Born to famed geneticists and HYDRA agents, Miriam and Jonathan Drew, Jessica was raised in a research lab surrounded by uranium. The lab was tucked away in the mountains, safely hidden from society so Jonathan could conduct controversial experiments without concern. Jessica, still a child, was unaware of the strange things that her parents worked on and merely continued playing, learning and exploring the mountainside. Unfortunately, the peace did not last long and Jessica was soon poisoned by the uranium surrounding their makeshift home. Jonathan, an expert in cell repair and arachnids, injected his daughter with an untested serum containing various rare spiders’ blood.
Unfortunately, without an incubation period, the serum was useless. Miriam was opposed to the horrific experiment that her husband was testing on her daughter, but Jonathan was a stubborn and vicious man. Their arguments were intense regarding the matter, but Jessica, too young to understand, merely observed. Inevitably, HYDRA, invested in what one of their lead geneticist was working on, ‘removed’ her from the lab. Jonathan, free to do as he wished, sealed Jessica in a stasis pod that accelerated the serum. It worked slowly, but after several years, the serum took full effect and Jessica awoke a young adult woman.
Shocked and confused, Jessica expected her father to be nearby, but she was very, very wrong. The people she awoke to were high level agents of HYDRA, pleased to see that Jonathan’s Drew experiment was a success. Immediately, Jessica began her training in HYDRA, learning how to properly use her powers, learning several forms of martial arts and of course, espionage. HYDRA intended to mould Jessica into the perfect spy and assassin and naive, but Jessica rebelled naturally against HYDRA’s expectations. Rather than wear green as they instructed, she wore a red costume, though her small acts ultimately did little. Jessica was still an agent of HYDRA at the end of the day, going through with their assignments despite the revulsion.
Eventually, as Jessica learned more of the world, she realized that HYDRA were truly terrorists, forcing her on destructive missions and not the heroes that they had manipulated her into believing that they were. Knowing that she had been taken advantage of, Jessica dutifully accepted another mission from HYDRA, knowing that her escape would be easiest if away from the base. Luckily, the mission lead her into Amsterdam, a hit against a rival SHIELD agent, and Jessica, once safely away from the majority of HYDRA, attacked her handler. Ultimately, Jessica won the battle and boarded a train to London.
Free from the organization, Jessica began living her life as she saw fit, finally embracing freedom. She formed friendships, went on dates, found a somewhat steady job, but unfortunately, her luck quickly ran out when SHIELD approached her. Immediately, the agent made it abundantly clear that they were intimately aware of Jessica’s exploits with HYDRA and after some coaxing, explaining that she could do some good as an agent of SHIELD, Jessica agreed. Admittedly, a quiet life in London didn’t suit her and if she could right some of the wrongs she had done as an agent of HYDRA, Jessica was more than willing.
Espionage was familiar to Jessica and now that she had the opportunity to learn the ways of the world, SHIELD suited her well. She excelled in missions, quickly rising through the ranks, going on various undercover missions across the globe. However, SHIELD wasn’t quite enough for Jessica and she began donning the guise of Spider-Woman, albeit reclaimed version of it. Rather than harm people in the spandex, Jessica began helping them, combating everyday criminals and more serious threats.
In a twist of luck that truly suited Jessica’s life, however, it was revealed that HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD and the organization that she had passionately been aiding crumbled. Infuriated, Jessica began hunting down rogue HYDRA cells across the globe, increasing Spider-Woman’s heroic profile. After countless cells were destroyed and various bad guys defeated at her hands, Jessica returned to New York City, and in the process, was offered a place among the Avengers. Unsurprised by the offer – Jessica had worked hard to establish Spider-Woman as a well respected, feared hero – she accepted and began (once again) rebuilding a life for herself in New York.
Without any spy organization to make a steady income from, Jessica ultimately opted to open her own private investigation firm called ‘Drew Investigations.’ Business was never booming, but it was an easy job for her, having had years of experience in espionage, and it allowed her to monitor the city in and out of her Spider-Woman guise. As Jessica split her time between Drew Investigations and the Avengers, the Accords formed, immediately, Jessica decided that she would never again support the government. After making that mistake once with SHIELD, she refused to repeat it. Alongside her fellow unregistered heroes, Jessica fought passionately against the Panel and later, the Syndicate.
Peace never last long in New York and when the Skrulls arrived on the scene, Jessica was wary. It was obvious that the enemy had the advantage right off the get go, able to disguise themselves in plain sight, and drawing on experience, Jessica intimately knew how difficult a threat like that was to face. That being said, the heroes were once again victorious, creating a pattern that Jessica was wary to rely on.
Now that they’re stuck in a pocket dimension and Doom has released his list, Jessica is still paranoid from SHIELD’s crumble and the original Panel. The government hasn’t proven to treat heroes well – or even decently – and Jessica is steadfast in her pessimism that the trend will continue. Thus far, the good guys have won, but Jessica knows intimately how easily luck can run out. For now, Spider-Woman is working with the Avengers, closely monitoring Doom, and taking easy cases as a PI.
