Betty Ross
Dr Elizabeth Ross (a.k.a. Harpy)
Doctor Elizabeth "Betty" Ross is a scientist and professor at Culver University. In 2005, she joined her father's Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project as a biologist, and was partially responsible for the creation of the serum which caused Bruce Banner to become a Gamma Mutant.
Following a near fatal injury during the Battle of Culver University, she recieved a varient on the Super-Soldier Serum given to Bruce Banner, along with an infusion of Banner's blood, resulting in her becoming the gamma-mutate Harpy.
She was instrumental in stopping Samuel Sterns's terrorist attack on Los Angeles along with Banner, Clint Barton and Helen Cho.
Since 2017, she has been Professor of Celular Biology at Culver University, and is one of the foremost experts on the subject of celular mutation, having published a number of important studies on the subject, including "Am I Human? An Examiniation of a Mutated Subject", a study of her own mutation, co-authored with Dr Kavita Rao, for which she won a number of awards.
She is in a relationship with psychiatrist Leonard Samson.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
In human form, Betty is averagely fit and strong for a woman of her age and build.
Physical quirks
Like all Gamma Mutates, stress and strong emotions can trigger partial transformations. In Ross's case, this includes a red tinge to her skin and eyes, and her finger and toe-nails beginning to transform into talons.
Special abilities
As a Gamma Mutate, Betty has the ability to transform into a mutated form, Harpy.
As Harpy, she is taller, stronger and more muscular than in human form, possessing almost unlimited physical strength and durability, as well as a regenerative healing factor. She has large feathered wings, which allow her to fly, and bird-like feet with sharp tallons.
Like many gamma-mutates, she has enhanced senses, particarly her sense of smell, in both human and mutated forms.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Early Life
Born in California, Betty Ross was the only child of General Thaddeus Ross and his wife Karen Lee. Karen died when Ross was a teenager, and Thaddeus shut his daughter out of his life, claiming that a military base was no place for a young woman. Eventually, she was set away to boarding school.After boarding school, she attended Harvard University, where she met and eventually began a relationship with Bruce Banner. The two both secured jobs at Culver University after graduation.
When her father approached her to work on his Bio-Tech Force Enhancemet Project, she recommended Banner for one of the roles, leading to them working together on the project.
When exposure to Gamma Radiation resulted in Banner's transformation, Ross attempted to reason with Hulk, not realising he was not Banner, but was unsuccessful in taking him down and was injured during his escape.
Though initially devestated by Banner's disappearance, Ross recovered, and began building a relationship with Leonard Samson, a psychiatrist who worked in Willowdale.
Gamma Exposure
When Bnner briefly returned to Willowdale to collect stored research he believed might assist him in his attempts to cure his mutation, Ross became caught in the cross-fire of a battle between Hulk and the Hulkbusters. She was shot by a stray bullet, and Hulk, lacking the maturity to fully understand what had happened, fled with her to a remote national park, where Banner was forced to give her a transfusion of his own irradiated blood in order to save her life.Banner and Colonel Rhodes took her to Samuel Sterns for treatment. Recognising that the radiation in Banner's blood was killing her, Sterns dosed her with his prototype of anti-gamma cure. However, this did not work and instead caused her to mutate further, eventually becoming the Harpy.
Although she fled the laboratory as soon as she woke up, she returned to assist Hulk in his battle against Abomination. After a struggle, it was ultimately Harpy who struck the fatal blow, cutting Abonination's head off.
In the aftermarth, she was offered sactuary along with Banner, but instead chose to leave.
Withdrawal From Society
Although she had not been in regular contect with Banner, she was aware of the persercution he had suffered at the hands of her father. Fearing she would be subjected to the same treatment, she chose not the return to Willowdale.
She traveled north, able to cover large distances without detection in her Harpy form. She eventually arrived in Nome, Alaska. She moved to a cabin on the edge of town, avoiding people wherever possible. In addition to hiding her identity, she surrounded her cabin with traps intended to give her advanced warning if anyone tried to approach her.
The Alliance
When Banner agreed to attempt to cure Samuel Sterns of his gamma poisoning, he realised he would need Ross's assistance. He and Clint Barton travelled to Alaska to recruit her. Believing herself to be partially responsible for Sterns's condition, she agreed to go with them.
Working together, she and Banner were able to save Sterns's life, not by curing him but by recreating the serum which gave Banner his powers, causing Sterns's mutation to progress, becoming a full Gamma Mutant.
During the experimentation process, Ross also developed a cure for Gamma mutation, although it proved to only be affective if administered within 24 hours of the initial exposure.
Believing their work to be done, Ross prepared to return to Alaska. However, while at the airport, Sterns triggered his Gamma bombs, causing uncontrollable mutations in the citizens of San Francisco. Realising this was Sterns's work, Ross returned to San Francisco to assist Banner and Helen Cho in mass producing her Gamma cure before taking to the city in her Harpy form to help distribute it.
Seeing her bird-like form, Bi-Beast mistook her for a Shi'ar and attacked her, eventually forcing Ross to throw it into the sea, apparently destroying it.
She assisted Hulk in fighting the Horde, holding it still so Barney Barton could inject it with her anti-Gamma serum.
The battle changed her perspective. Although she had no interest in becoming a superhero, she also chose not to go back into hiding. Rather than returning to Alaska, she instead moved back to to Willowdale. She was able to get a position as a researcher and guest lecturer at Culver University and resumed her relationship with Samson.
In 2017, she was appointed Professor of Cellular Biology at the college.
Gender Identity
Ciswoman
Sexuality
Heterosexual
Education
PHd in cellular biology from Harvard.
Employment
She lectures at Culver University on cellular biology and biochemistry.
Accomplishments & Achievements
She has recieved a number of awards for her research, primarily her work on mutation, including the Overton Prize, the FASEB Excellence in Science Award, the Women In Celular Biology Senior Award, and the Wiley Prize.
In 2018, she presented the Keith R. Porter Lecture. She has given guest lectures at Yale and M.I.T, and been a guest speaker at the Oxford Union.
In 2017, she gave a TEDtalk on her experiences as a mutate, which has become one of the most viewed talks in the history of the programme on social media.
Mental Trauma
Despite loosing her mother at a young age, Banner's transformation, and her own gamma-mutations, Ross is generally a well-adjusted and mentally healthy person.
Social
Family Ties
She is not close to her father, and has very few other living relatives.
Religious Views
Agnostic.
Hobbies & Pets
She enjoys reading and is a member of a book club. Following her mutation, she took up yoga to assist in her emotional control. She plays piano and flute.
Relationships
Species
Conditions
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
1975 CE
43 Years old
Birthplace
California
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Pronouns
She/Her
Gender
Female
Height
5'10" (Betty) | 6'7" (Harpy)
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
English (native), French (limited), Spanish (limited)
Betty Ross's Life
