Spider Woman

Dove Cameron as Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy

Name: Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy Codename: Spider Woman Faction: N/A Position: N/A Age: 19 Hometown: N/A Gender: Female Height: 5' 5" Build: Slim Muscle Skin: Pale Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue

Details

Background

Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy was born on the 29th of June, in the year 2000. She lived the first few years of her life in Forest Hills, a perfectly normal and happy, bouncy baby, who liked chewing on things and crawling literally everywhere. Her parents were discussing the possibility of a younger sibling, but it never came to pass; when Gwen was two years old and too young to really understand what was happening, her mother died suddenly; all she really knew was that one day her Mom was gone and her Dad was never quite the same; not really, not quite.

Her father raised her alone after that, doing his level best to juggle a rising career in the NYPD and trying to be there for his daughter whenever she needed him. Somehow, he pulled it off, at least most of the time. Well, some of the time, if we're being fair. Gwen learned at an early age, often in the house with just a dozing babysitter for company — or just nobody as she got older — to turn her thoughts inwards to self-reliance and introversion. That was fine, for her, it's not like she suffered or anything, she just learned to be perfectly happy without a lot of company; even surrounded by people as they were once they moved into an appartment. Gwen just didn't know any of them, and that was okay.

It's not that Gwen didn't have friends. Growing up, she hung out with a fellow nerd and serious introvert, occasionally sticking up for him using some of the moves she'd seen (and practiced) from those really bad kung-fu movies that are always on late at night. Eventually a rich kid from some billionaire family joined them to up their ranks to three; he could've had any friends he wanted, but he liked the ones who called him a chump and treated him like one of them without going googley-eyed over his family's money.

In one of her Dad's finer parenting moments, he recognized that all the time his daughter was spending with the big set of noise-cancelling headphones on her head, saying 'What?!' every time he asked her something, might mean there was a budding love of music; so of course, he enrolled her in music lessons, to learn to play the flute. After she flunked that miserably, followed by a similar performance with the piano and then the chello, he let her pick the next instrument. Drums weren't exactly what he had in mind, and it meant a few days spent putting up extra soundproofing in one of the rooms, but in due time Gwen was blasting out a wicked rhythm whenever she wasn't hanging out with her friends, practicing with the all-girl band she sucked it up and joined, or studying under her Dad's watchful eye to get into college.

Get into college she did; aiming for a degree in biochemistry for starters, though music would've been a close second choice. Fortunately, she could make it to the college from her apparentment, and the curriculum seemed really good, with some options to get work experience in with some of the big biotech corporations. Life seemed to be completely on track; which it was, right up until she was working a night shift at the Bodega and out of nowhere this spider bites her on the hand. It turns out this wasn't just any spider; it had been modified with alien DNA to give someone super powers. It wasn't supposed to escape, but it did, and for whatever reason seemed relevant in its tiny little brain, it picked Gwen.

The next thing Gwen knows, she's got the world ringing in her ears, she's ripped the faucets off the sink, and is hanging off the outside of a building. Talk about a wake-up call. One doesn't just become a hero overnight, but when another hero helps you out by giving you a decent costume and a couple of web-shooters, well maybe you've just got to step up to the plate. Really, it was her father's words, ringing in her ears that stuck the most. "…But everyone has something they want. What is it the world around you needs? What is it that only you can give? You're as smart, talented, and resilient as they come, Gwen. If you pay attention — Life will show you where you're needed most."

Well, question answered, Gwen.

Powers

• Danger Sense: Gwen has the benefit of a hyper-sensitive spatial awareness of her surroundings, that gives her advance warning when 'bad stuff' is about to happen — particularly bad stuff about to happen to her. She doesn't need to see or hear when something awful is about to happen to her, and it usually gives her time to duck, dodge, or otherwise get out of the way. …Sometimes this ability does decide to just rebel and not function, however; she's not the boss of it.

• Super Strength: Spiders are quite strong for their size, and now Gwen is, too. She can lift about ten tons, and can throw it around to boot. (She's aware of her strength, and can keep control over what she's about, so she doesn't leave a trail of accidental deaths behind her.)

• Super Agility: Gwen possesses a perfected equilibrium, and can maintain her balance and spatial awareness in extreme conditions (like say, if she's upside down, or someone is blowing up everything in sight.) She's also capable of moving pretty rapidly; while she can't dodge bullets per se, when coupled with her danger sense she can often by out of the way by the time the trigger is pulled.

• Super Speed: Part of the spider package, Gwen is quick; she can keep up with cars in reasonable traffic, as long as they're not going flat out. Of course, she will get tired eventually.

• Really Tough: Gwen is a lot tougher than the average human. She can take a good deal more punishment, and tends to heal up a lot faster; bones don't so much take weeks as days, and cuts might only take a few hours.

• Wall Crawling: Like all spiders, Gwen can stick her fingers and toes to things, and she can latch on really well. She can support her full weight-capabilities, and can cling to any surface no matter how smooth, even upside down. What does cause issues are loose surfaces (like crumbling rocks), or wet or oily surfaces, which might kaibosh the whole idea.

Skills

• Policeman's Daughter: As the child of a ranking policeman, Gwen has shown a proclivity for investigative work and analytical thinking, even technically untrained. She's also somewhat familiar with police protocols and procedures — hey, listen to enough of your Dad's stories, and you'll pick it up.

• Budding Biochemist: Gwen studied hard in school to get into university, and is intimately familiar with the scientific method. Now she's in her first year, and studying hard into the sciences, especially biology and chemistry. Well, as hard as you can when you're up till 5am fighting supervillains, anyway.

• Amateur Martial Artist: Gwen has had no formal training in fighting skills at all — but she's watched all the martial arts TV shows and movies that there has ever been. Like all of them. Coupled with her super powers, she's actually not half bad; she does okay.

• Wicked Drum Skillz: Drums have always been Gwen's musical instrument and stress relief equipment of choice. She's been drumming for years, and it shows with some serious skill.

• Web-Slinging: Flinging web all over the place isn't entirely easy, it takes practice. Gwen is pretty good at it; both at aiming it at people, and swinging around between buildings at high speeds. She usually manages not to run into a telephone pole or something similarly embarassing… usually.

• Spider Parkour: With perfect balance, comes a new freedom to try new things, like running up the side of buildings or jumping off of ridiculous heights. Looks like that gymnastics class she was forced to take is finally paying off.

• Spider Gliding: Being light of frame has its advantages; and spider silk is strong enough, it turns out, to make an effective glider. While not flying per se, it's a pretty slick way to get around.

Advantages

• Superhero Costume: Exactly how it sounds; a tight fitting costume to wear while out looking for criminals to bring to justice! It's pretty durable, easy to fix (and is made in sections that can be replaced individually), and doesn't chafe if you put a little talcum powder into it. Courtesy of a superhero friend, it's made with a durable kevlar weave (it's not bulletproof but it can help absorb some of the impact), it has a heads up display on the right eye, and is linked into the spider-comms system. Other than that, it might not fire rockets or anything, but it does look darn cool.

• Webshooters: The quintessential piece of equipment for any spider; or at least for Gwen. These webshooters filter moisture out of the air to form an advanced web-fluid, that can be fired out in a variety of ways; either the standard rope (or web-strand), but also nets or globs. She can also weave it into some useful forms on the fly, such as a rudimentary shield or web-wings for gliding. The webbing has a very high tensile strength and can support as much weight as she can lift, but is vulnerable to other sorts of damage, like being burnt or dissolved.

• Smartphone: Gwen's smartphone (which is an Android). It has the internet, GPS (and Google Maps), a sweet camera, all her favorite music, and generally contains her whole life. It's also protected by a password and biometrics.

• Bodega Clerk: No matter what goes wrong in Gwen's life, she can always count on employment at the local Bodega. Somehow or other, she just can't fail to get hired at one, which is nice if she's ever broke.

Flaws

• Dad's a Cop: Gwen's father is a captain in the NYPD, and he's very effective in his job; but being Gwen's Dad means that she really feels she needs to protect him, no matter what. …Also, his position means that if the NYPD ever turns on Spider-Woman that he may well be the one tasked with hunting her down. That could be awkward.

• Don't Know When to Quit: Gwen is committed to being the best spider she can be; and she's also committed to throwing out bad puns and sick burns whenever possible, even when it might just be a really bad idea that will almost certainly result in her getting punched, really really hard.

• Newby Hero: Experience comes with time; unfortunately nobody starts being a hero with any experience at all. Gwen is no exception, and she's still figuring this out as she goes along. She's probably going to make any number of mistakes and it probably won't work out super well when she does.

• Designer Powers: The spider that bit Gwen wasn't delivering super-powers by accident. It was engineered, which means it was engineered by someone, and that someone could probably use their knowledge of Gwen's abilities against her.

• Porcine Companion: Sometimes, if Gwen gets hit really hard on the head, she hallucinates a pig of sorts in a spider costume. He hangs around claiming that he'll give advice, but mostly he just criticizes her dietary choices. It's annoying.

• Secret Identity: Being a hero comes with its risks, and Gwen chooses to keep her real identity secret to protect those she loves. Of course, this is extraordinarily difficult, and often results in a level of inconvenience that most people never deal with.

Contacts

• Peter Parker: Gwen's best friend, and of late a Spider-Mentor. Sure is nice to be able to learn from someone.

• Anya Corazon: Fellow Spider-Person and super cool human being to boot.

Soundtrack

Click any of the titles below to play the music. (YouTube will open in a new tab.)

• To The End — Elliphant
  Pretty much Gwen's theme song. Could sometimes be performed by her band.

Gallery

Logs

2020-08-16 - Ascendence
Summary: A mutant arrives at the Tolliver Clinic with a horrifying story. It spurs XMen and allies...
(alison-blair colossus dominant gwen-stacy hank-mccoy hisako-ichiki isis-marik klavdiya-vasiliev nick-gleason plot shayera-hol)

2020-08-13 - Setting Up
Summary: Knowing where and when Klaue is holding a meet is a big thing. Log Info: Storyteller: None...
(avery-aaronson colossus gwen-stacy klavdiya-vasiliev mari-mccabe peter-parker plot spirit-of-anansi)

2020-07-23 - The Secrets We Tell Our Friends Part I
Summary: Hod fills Gwen in on a little secret. Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Thu Jul 23 08:09:04...
(gwen-stacy hod social)

2020-07-12 - The Jonah Incident
Summary: An incident with Atlanteans in New York Harbor leads a team of heroes to a transformed...
(brandon-davis gwen-stacy hercules keiko koa-turner laynia-petrovna plot)

2020-07-04 - House of Mirrors
Summary: A House of Mirrors that gives a true reflection? Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Sat Jul...
(alison-blair avery-aaronson dani-moonstar greer-nelson gwen-stacy isis-marik peter-parker plot priscilla-kitaen shayera-hol)

2020-06-27 - Prized Possession
Summary: A charity concert is crashed by powered thugs looking for a crystal. Log Info: Storyteller:...
(gwen-stacy hank-mccoy keiko koa-turner mera plot priscilla-kitaen steve-rogers)

2020-06-26 - Rats sure are big in New York these days
Summary: Nadia and Gwen fight giant rodents? Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Fri Jun 26 21:39:03...
(gwen-stacy nadia-van-dyne social)

2020-06-25 - Gods and Hot Dogs
Summary: Gwen and Hercules have lunch and a chat. Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Thu Jun 25...
(gwen-stacy hercules social)

2020-06-09 - Dusting A Spider
Summary: Spider senses tingle and Gwen gets dusted Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Tue Jun 9...
(fenris gwen-stacy plot wild-ride zatanna-zatara)

2020-06-06 - What ... Is Your Favourite Colour?
Summary: Transported to a forest in Westchester, heroes are tested and awarded boons. Log Info:...
(dylan-grey gwen-stacy loki peter-parker plot wild-ride zatanna-zatara)

2020-06-04 - Yes, I am Very Pretty
Summary: Hod and Gwen have a little chat between (and during) work duties at Luke's. Log Info:...
(gwen-stacy hod social)

2020-05-22 - Toro Toro and All That Stuff
Summary: The Spiders and indestructible people decide to run the bulls Log Info: Storyteller: None...
(anya-corazon gwen-stacy jessica-jones luke-cage peter-parker plot wild-ride zatanna-zatara)

2020-05-21 - Don't Try The Salad
Summary: A flora monster crashed the evening at a local restaurant. Log Info: Storyteller:...
(ambrose gwen-stacy hanako lena-snart social)

2020-05-19 - Said the Spider to the Fly?
Summary: Spider Woman arrives in time to stop a gang war from getting too out of hand. But one...
(ford-benett gwen-stacy social)

2020-05-10 - Twenty-Three Minutes
Summary: Anya and Gwen stop some bad guys, and dig up a fresh lead on an old case. Log Info:...
(anya-corazon gwen-stacy plot)

2020-04-25 - That's Not the Book Drop
Summary: Four goons, one library door, two Spiders, a little scuffle, and a lot of questions. Log...
(gwen-stacy peter-parker plot)

2020-04-18 - Basketballs at Terminal Velocity Sting a Little
Summary: When gravity briefly inverts at a neighborhood basketball court in Brooklyn, Steve and Gwen...
(gwen-stacy social steve-rogers)

2020-04-12 - Rage
Summary: A disturbance at a flea market becomes a rage. Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Sun Apr 12...
(gwen-stacy hank-mccoy isis-marik plot priscilla-kitaen)

2020-03-29 - Options
Summary: Gwen and Emma have a little chat over hot chocolate. Log Info: Storyteller: None Date: Sun...
(emma-frost gwen-stacy social)

2020-03-15 - Chaos Fest
Summary: A music festival turns nasty when someone plays with a chaos gem they really shouldn't be...
(christopher-powell gwen-stacy loki lydia-dietrich social)

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