Gertrude Yorkes
Gertrude Yorkes is a female comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Gertrude Yorkes
She was at the gathering of the Pride, where her parents had joined the other families for a supposed charity event. Suspicious of their activities, Gertrude and the other teenagers secretly observed the gathering through hidden passages in the mansion. She witnessed her parents and the other Pride members perform a ritual sacrifice of a young girl, confirming their status as supervillains. This shocking discovery united her with the other Runaways as they fled their parents and vowed to oppose them. (Runaways v1 #1) Gertrude followed the group to explore her home further, uncovering the secret lair her parents had hidden beneath the mansion. Inside, she and the others discovered a living dinosaur genetically engineered by her time-traveling parents, who revealed it was psychically bonded to her. Establishing the connection, Gertrude quickly learned she could communicate telepathically with the dinosaur, gaining its trust and naming it Old Lace. This marked her first step in embracing the unexpected role of protector within the group, as she began to rely on Old Lace as her unique contribution to the Runaways’ survival. (Runaways v1 #2) Gertrude played an active part in the group’s first skirmishes with their parents. As the Runaways tried to process their new lives on the run, Gertrude relied on Old Lace to defend them from pursuit. When her father and mother attempted to lure her back with promises of safety, Gertrude ordered Old Lace to physically oppose them, choosing her friends and newfound independence over her family’s manipulations. This act cemented her decision to fully separate from her villainous parents and stand with the other Runaways. (Runaways v1 #3)
Runaways
The Runaways eventually located one of the Pride's old lairs beneath the La Brea Tar Pits, and took up residence there. They also began defending Los Angeles from all of the villains trying to fill the power vacuum left by the absence of the Pride. After an unsuccessful mission to rescue Excavator from his father and the Wrecking Crew, the team returned to the Hostel to be confronted by a mortally-wounded Heroine, a woman claiming to be Gert's future self and leader of the Avengers. Using the 4-D Time Portico, she narrowly escaped the onslaught of Victorious, with a message to the Runaways: find Victor Mancha and stop him from becoming this deadly super-villain. Heroine then died in Chase's arm. (Runaways v2 #1)
During the Runaways' attempt to bring Victor to the Hostel, he explained to Gert that Old Lace is actually a Deinonychus, not a Velociraptor as previously assumed. Despite the fact that he may one day kill her, Gert quickly sparked a connection with Victor, whom she viewed as her intellectual equal. (Runaways v2 #3)
During a trip to New York City to help Cloak, Gert and Victor had dinner with Spider-Man while Nico and Chase tracked down Pusher Man resulting in a brief kiss. (Runaways v2 #11)
Weeks later, when Gert found out about Chase and Nico's kiss while battling a young Geoffrey Wilder and his New Pride, she was furious, and the ensuing argument allowed the New Pride to kidnap Molly. (Runaways v2 #15) Later, Gert officially ended her relationship with Chase. (Runaways v2 #16)
Death
After the destruction of the Malibu House, Chase left the Runaways to confront his Uncle Hunter. En route to the rendezvous with Hunter, Chase saw a girl who looked eerily similar to Gertrude. While chasing after her, Chase ran into traffic and was hit by a car. (Runaways v3 #14)
Return
A few years after her apparent death at Geoffrey Wildler's hands, Chase Stein managed to fix the time machine Heroine had used to warn them about Victor and used it to travel back in time in order to save Gert before she died. He failed from getting in time before she got hurt, but he retrieved her body and took it to the present to Nico. Albeit reluctant at first, she helped Chase save her life. (Runaways v5 #1) After reuniting with Old Lace, Nico and Chase told her about what happened during the two years she was dead, and how the group drifted apart. Gert resolved to bring the Runaways back together, arguing that they were family. (Runaways v5 #2) During the recruitment drive, Gert expressed that she felt the world had moved on since her death, and cited the bigger age gap between her and Chase as a reason not to get back together. (Runaways v5 #3)
Gert struggled with her place in the present, and decided to change her appearance and hair color to brown. (Runaways v5 #11) While the rest of the team were busy, Victor helped Gert fix the time machine again, and they used it to travel to the late 19th century to observe the migration of a type of butterfly that was extinct in the present. During this time, Victor was only a disembodied head as a result of a traumatic experience during which he accidentally killed his 'nephew' Vin. During their trip to the past, Victor opened up to Gert about his trauma. Gert comforted him, and they kissed. (Runaways v5 #12)
When the Runaways were forced out of the underground Hostel by an inadvertent public drainage work. (Runaways v5 #25) They were welcomed into the mansion of the local vigilante Doc Justice with Victor being eager to join him in his crime-fighting. (Runaways v5 #26) The rest of the Runaways minus Gert followed suit, becoming a new incarnation of Doc Justice's former squad the J-Team. (Runaways v5 #27)
Gert was left behind in part for her lack of combat ability and because Doc Justice didn't see her physique suitable for the media. During missions, she stayed behind with Doc Justice's assistant, Matthew Caniglia, at mission control. The unusually high mortality rate of former members of the J-Team led Gert to become increasingly suspicious of Doc Justice. (Runaways v5 #29)
Reunited
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Gertrude Yorkes was portrayed as a teenage girl with a distinctive goth-punk style. She had purple-dyed hair cut in a choppy, layered fashion, wore round glasses, and favored thrift-style clothing, such as layered tops, long skirts, striped socks, and boots. Unlike many of her teammates, her look was intentionally unglamorous and intellectual, emphasizing her sardonic and cynical personality. (Runaways v1 #1)
Gertrude Yorkes was written as highly intelligent, sarcastic, and fiercely independent. She distrusted authority and openly criticized others, even within her team, yet demonstrated unwavering loyalty to her friends when their safety was at risk. She often acted as the group’s moral compass, pointing out hypocrisies or flaws in plans, but also expressed cynicism about heroism and destiny. Her sense of humor and biting wit became a key part of her character dynamic within the Runaways. (Runaways v1 #2)
Powers and abilities
Gertrude Yorkes was born an ordinary human being and did not possess innate superhuman abilities herself. (Runaways v1 #2)
However, was psychically bonded to Old Lace, a genetically engineered dinosaur from the future. Through this empathic link, she could direct Old Lace’s actions, sense its emotions, and rely on its physical strength and ferocity in combat. This connection made her a formidable asset, as Old Lace was able to overpower enemies far stronger than her teammates while acting in tandem with her mental commands. (Runaways v1 #2)
Notes
- Gertrude Yorkes was created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona where she made her first appearance in Runaways v1 #1 (July, 2003).
In other media
Television
- In Runaways, Gertrude Yorkes appeared in the Hulu live-action television series where she was portrayed by actress Ariela Barer.
Video games
Appearances
- Runaways v1: (2003)
External Links
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