Keeper of Infinite Earths - Legacy
Lightning
Alter Ego: Jessica (Jessie) North
Occupation: Nursing Student
Known Relatives: Justin (Thunderer) North, father, Diane Kane-North,
mother
Group Affiliation: The Legacy
Base of Operations: Atlanta, GA
Background/History:
In one of Thunderer’s earliest adventures, he was embroiled in a battle with a
troll summoned to Earth by Loki and the battle spilled into Oak Dale Hospital. A
brave young nurse, Diane Kane, helped distract the troll long enough for
Thunderer to get in position to move the battle away from innocents. They became
smitten that day and eventually married. Jessie seemed perfectly normal as a
child, very smart and very athletic, but no sign of super powers. When the
Circle of Justice disbanded and Thunderer went into semiretirement, he took to
hanging his hammer over the mantle. Jessie was dusting and picked it up by the
head when a bolt of lightning shot through her and blew a hole in the living
room wall. Justin raced in fearing an attack by some old enemies or some such
and found his daughter with her hair standing on end, holding his hammer,
staring at the wall, and sobbing. He quickly realized what must have happened
and explained to her that she would continue the bloodline of their family and
she had inherited the promise of Thor, as he had. Once the reality of the
situation had sunk in, she was thrilled. She had entered nursing school to
follow in her mother’s footsteps and now, she could be a hero like her father.
Her parents initially tried to convince her otherwise, but she was as determined
as her father. Thunderer went to Asgard to ask for advice from Thor. Thor was
perplexed until he realized that some vestige of the power that had been locked
in the hammer still remained after Thunderer had been granted the power full
time. Thor knew that Thunderer would hate to part with his hammer, so he broke a
piece off of it and had it mounted in a gold brooch carved like a lightning
bolt. Jessie could use the brooch to transform into Lightning with the power
that remained in the stone hammer, even as Justin used to change into Thunderer.
He trained her to properly use her powers and eventually took his place. While
digging the foundation for a building, some workmen stumbled over an old hideout
of the nefarious Dr. Shmit. Triggering a fail safe, a set of robotic duplicates
of the silver age team, the Circle of Justice, were activated and started on a
rampage. When word of the robots hit the news, Lightning took off. Barracuda,
Brickhouse, and Nimh hearing the report that apparently Scribble and Fin were
involved headed there as well. The old robots were easily defeated by the
childhood friends, but it inspired them to form a team to replace their parent’s
old group. Recruiting some of the children and grandchildren of older heroes,
they formed a team dedicated to continuing the tradition of heroics established
since the 1940s and called themselves The Legacy.
Personality/Motivations:
Raised with the heroes of the Circle of Justice around, Jessie was used to
people being different and being dedicated to helping others. She became a nurse
to help others and, when she gained her powers, vowed to use them for good, to
carry on her family tradition, and to make her parents as proud of her as she
was of them.
Quote: "Lightning never strikes the same place twice, I won’t have to hit you again."