| Wasp | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Real Name | Janet van Dyne | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alternate Identity | Wasp | ||||||||||||||||||
| Powers and Abilities | Shrink or Grow in Size, Flight, Energy Blasts | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team Affiliations | Avengers | ||||||||||||||||||
| Allies | Fantastic Four New Avengers | ||||||||||||||||||
| Family and Friends | Hank Pym (Boyfriend) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Janet van Dyne, better known as the superheroine Wasp or by her nickname Jan, is in a relationship with Henry Pym, better known as Ant-Man. She has the ability to shrink, grow wings, increase in size, and shoot beams of energy. Jan is impetuous and the youngest of the Avengers. She is the one who came up with the idea of naming the team the "Avengers."
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Little is known about the early life of Janet van Dyne. However, at some point, she had obtained her powers from Hanky Pym through the use of Pym Particles.
When Hank Pym was attacked by Klaw and his thugs in Africa, Wasp and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arrived to help him. She was glad he was unscathed by the attack, but annoyed by Pym's flippancy regarding several mercenaries left to be saved from attacking ants.
As Janet van Dyne, she became bored of Hank's research on ants when she saw Whirlwind and engages the villain in the streets. She tried to convince the villain to change his ways, but came to no prevail. She was aided by Ant-Man, who feared for her safety. However, she was able to convince him otherwise.
She went with Hank to go see Nick Fury in the Big House. She stood by as Nick Fury and Ant Man argued about the status of supervillians and the possible formation of a team to bring them in. Wasp later apologized after Hank refused the offer made by Nick Fury.
The Breakout[]
The Wasp walked in the hallways in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to talk about Nick Fury's offer. Nick Fury liked the idea of her and Ant Man joining S.H.I.E.L.D., mainly because he needed a team of heroes to help with capturing remaining fugitives. She wanted to join, but Ant Man disagreed with the offer. Then, Wasp was speaking with Maria Hill while they were walking down the hall. They walked pass by Black Widow. She asks who she was. Maria replied that it was classified, which made Wasp have doubts about the offer. She was surprised by a moment of a black-out.
After the prisoner escaped from the Big House, she stings the Contrictor who held an agent captive, She flies by side with Maria to go to the bridge, but Wasp decides to go find Ant Man. Arriving at the room where the Big House resides, she captures a shrunken Ant Man who had fallen over from Whirlwind's grip and asked him how his day had been going so far. Later after The Breakouts occurred in all four prisons, she saves Nick Fury and engages Graviton. Wasp and Hulk attack Graviton head on, but, he proves too powerful for the two to defeat alone.
Luckily, Iron Man, Thor, and Ant-Man arrived and battled him together. Wasp defeated him easily after Thor blasted him with the full immense power of his hammer. She and the other four Avengers were hailed as heroes for the first time, she coins the team the Avengers, a name Hulk agrees with.
Avengers Assemble[]
As she and the others met at Avengers Mansion, she decided to move in despite Hank's protests. When the Avengers were looking at the remaining super villains, she waved at Hulk, only for him to look at her in disgust. She then returned the favor. She and the other Avengers fought to keep Hulk under control. Hulk seemed to be less angry around her and proved it when after knocking her unconscious and placing her on Ant Man. She seemed to be the most disappointed about his decision to leave the team.
When the Avengers went looking for Hulk, Wasp thought she was piloting their jet, only to be disappointed when Iron Man revealed that it was really on autopilot. She scouted through the ice after leaving the jet, only to be flicked by a shield. It turned out the shield was really Captain America's, who was also in the ice.
After she and the other Avengers found Captain America frozen in ice, he attacked them and jumped off their ship. Before he could fight her, she managed to convince him to stop fighting them as she showed him the honorary statues of him and Bucky on Ellis Island. As Iron Man, Thor and Ant-Man went to stop Arnim Zola's Doughboy creatures, she went to check on Steve as she felt so sorry to see how sad the legend from the past felt for missing his world in the 1940's. Her walking-in on him managed to convince him that he still was relevant and could make a difference.
At some point, she had dinner with Tony by themselves. She and Thor scouted throughout the city and fought villains. They ran into M.O.D.O.C. and several A.I.M. soldiers, M.O.D.O.C. proved to be easy with their combined efforts. However, at the last minute, M.O.D.O.C. trapped them in the building they were fighting in with the intention of the two roasting alive. Thor put Wasp in his hands and took the whole blast, he then admitted that scientists could not be trusted, to which, Wasp wholeheartedly agreed and wondered if the others were okay. Wasp was at the base with Ant Man, Iron Man and Captain America when Black Panther was caught spying on them. Black Panther easily defeated all of them. Wasp then questioned Black Panther about his need of their help, he then explained himself to her and the others. Wasp then flew with the other over to Wakanda and was attacked almost immediately. Wasp then broke up the fight between Black Panther and Iron Man. She, Iron Man and Ant Man were left alone to fight the whole of Wakanda, HYDRA, and a super villain. Wasp and the two managed to defeat them. Wasp was then present when Black Panther announced that Wakanda would no longer hide from the outside world and be lead by the council and that he would join the team. Wasp managed to convince Iron Man with the reasoning of him being their best bet for a ride home, which allowed Black Panther to be part of the Avengers.
Powers and Abilities[]
Wasp has the ability to fly, reduce and/or increase her size, and bio-electrical "wasp" stings.
Janet is only able to fly at her reduced size. Her reduced size also means that she is vulnerable to being crushed and has been rendered unconscious by other attacks due to her size such as Zemo's gun.
Wasp relies on her stingers and fast flight to take down foes. She often used her variant of the Space Armor which greatly enhances her stings' effectiveness.
Personality[]
Wasp is enthusiastic about being an Avenger, and crime fighting in general. She appears shallow and self-absorbed at times, but beneath it all she is a compassionate person who is willing to reach out to others in need, and genuinely cares about others. An opinionated individual, Wasp is not afraid to share what is on her mind and firmly stands up for what she believes. She likes to have fun and hates being bored. She is laid back and lighthearted, and finds seriousness stifling. She is also likes to talk smack to her enemies. Despite being an adult, she has shown some very childish behavior, such as when she mimicked Hulk's angry face and stuck her tongue out then turned away
Relationships[]
Hank Pym[]
Jan's relationship with Hank is a sweet but complicated one. She genuinely cares for Hank, but she is also frequently frustrated by him. The two often clash on their opinions, Jan being someone who wants to take action while Hank is more of a pacifist who prefers being a scientist to an Avenger. Jan is infuriated with the way she has to compete with Hank's passion for science for his attention and retaliates by trying to make him jealous. Hank is often confused by her frustration.
Hulk[]
Wasp seems to be the only member of the Avengers who tries to act nice to Hulk whenever possible besides Captain America, when Hulk originally left the team she seemed the most disappointed. Earlier that day, when the Avengers were looking over the escaped supervillains she turned and waved at Hulk. Although, all he did was look at her angry, she imitated his expression and then turned around. She has tried on numerous occasions to try and be friends with Hulk, usually to little or no success. One time, she even relaxed at the pool with him and Hawkeye.
Ms. Marvel[]
Wasp has a friendly relationship with Carol, talking to her anytime she can about her relationship with Hank; this is makes them currently the only Avengers to talk about romance or romantic relationships with other members. Wasp was glad when she first joined the team, because this meant she would no longer be the only female Avenger. Wasp was the only member of the team that did not pick a side when Hawkeye was accused of being a skrull.
Captain America[]
Wasp has a great respect for Captain America when he first comes to join the team; she is one of the few who does not fight him and explains to him the truth about him being in the future by showing him a statue placed to remember him. Later on she went to comfort him and checked on his well being whilst the other Avengers left on another mission. They have a rather close relationship and his opinion in an argument is of great importance to her and she usually chooses to side with him as shown when the Captain and her try to free Hulk. She normally chooses to seek reasurance from Captain America when things have gone wrong and he could be seen as a father figure for her, someone who she can trust and relies upon as seen when she is about to be examined by the Kree when she seeks his reassurance and he escapes to save her. At the end of the final episode of the series, she and Captain America hug happily to see that they are both alright after the fight with Galactus.
Background[]
Wasp is voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey.
Christopher Yost stated that Wasp is his favorite character to write for. [1]
In the Comics[]
Janet actually married Hank. Though, because of his abusive attitude she divorced him.
Has actually led the Avengers.
External links[]
- Marvel
- Wikipedia
- Janet van Dyne (Earth-8096) at Marvel Database
- Janet van Dyne (Earth-616) at Marvel Database