Polarias (Virtue)

Polarias

Affiliations

As Professor Andrea Keller, Polarias works closely with GIFT by teaching young mutants a variety of science courses. At Paragon City University she is one of the chief professors in physics, astrophysics, quantum physics, and meteorology, recognized as a subject matter expert in all areas even though she is no older than 30. Andrea holds a doctorate degree in all of these fields of study and is one of the world's leading minds on these subjects.

As Polarias, Andrea is the Dean of Squadron X (Virtue Supergroup), a private school sponsored by GIFT that specializes in the observation, development, and training of mutants who are just discovering their special abilities. Squadron X also works with mutants whose powers are unstable and potentially dangerous to those around them.

Backstory

Andrea Keller was born in 1977 to Andreas and Dana Keller in Greenwhich, CT. The Keller family first came to the United States in 1940 a few years before the United States entered the Second World War. Karl Keller, Andreas grandfather, was a geneticist in Germany who pioneered many of the earliest super soldier programs used by the Nazis, and later the Fifth Column. Karl was able to escape to the United States with the help of US intelligence agents and was instrumental in helping the US learn of Germany's secretive programs. Karl elected not to reveal too much of what he knew, fearing that the US would use the knowledge of super soldier programs for similar ends. After the Second World War Karl became a researcher for GIFT and helped Paragon City to develop a number of research and medical programs designed to help superhuman beings.

Andrea's mutant powers are a result of the radiations and chemicals her grandfather was exposed to. Although the trace amounts Karl carried in his body did not harm him they were passed on to his son Andreas. Within Andreas they mutated into a variety of cancers. Andreas died in 1980 when he was 40, leaving Andrea an only child. Andrea's genetic code evolved sufficiently and adapted to the mutagens she inherited from her father, but these mutations did not manifest right away and had a more profound effect upon her body. Andrea first realized that something was amiss at her father's funeral; she couldn't stop crying at the loss of her father, and whenever she cried the whole of Greenwhich was battered by fierce storms of rain and wind. Karl also noticed these coincidences, and immediately made the connection between the bizarre weather patterns to his granddaughter's emotional state.

Karl was able to deduce that Andrea was in fact a mutant, and that his radioactive and chemical exposure was responsible for her abilities as well as the death of his son. Karl regretfully told Andrea about his past, but he helped her to understand what was happening to her. After several months of testing Karl was able to help Andrea realize that she could manipulate the gravitational fields of the Earth, and do so in ways that directly impacted weather patterns into a variety of effects. Although he only saw the tip of Andrea's potential, Karl died of a stroke only a few months later. Greenwhich was once again battered by a number of fierce storms, and Dana Keller was left with a child whose abilities she did not understand.

GIFT

With no one else to help her control her abilities, Andrea's mother grew desperate. Out of concern for her daughter Dana quietly enrolled Andrea with the Genetic Investigation and Facilitation Team, or GIFT. Andrea began to live a double life at an early age, attending college during the week while studying with GIFT on the weekends. During her Ivy League college and university years Andrea excelled in science, particularly those involving physics and weather. By the time she was 28 Andrea already earned several doctorate degrees and was a published author and public speaker in these fields. Andrea's near-instinctive ability to accurately predict weather patterns and gravitational anomolies made her a popular public speaker at science fairs. She even worked briefly for Rhode Island's WPRI Eyewitness News network as a weather anchorwoman during her college years and had a reputation for always predicting the weather accurately.

At 30, Andrea teaches several science classes at Paragon City University and provides some part-time weather coverage for WPRI. She also has a public position with GIFT as a professor for young mutants, and she maintains a secret identity as the heroine Polarias to protect her family.

Squadron X

What Polarias really does for GIFT is serve as the Dean for Squadron X (Virtue Supergroup), a private school for young mutants who are still developing their powers. Although the school's academic programs cover subjects found in traditional private middle and high schools, the programs also include advanced college and graduate studies for mutants seeking a higher education. The Squadron X program is for mutants who desire to use their powers for the good of others. These powers are developed during field training exercises where the school's professors lead small classes of students in Paragon City, helping them to use their abilities safely and effectively in support of the PPD and emergency rescue workers.

Powers

Gravity Control

Polarias' main power is her ability to distort, manipulate, amplify, or negate gravitational fields to a variety of effects. Through force of will Polarias can hurl objects and people into the air, pull objects and people through gravitational wormholes, or hold and crush targets in fields of intensified gravity.

Weather Control

By manipulating the gravitational fields of the Earth Polarias is also able to cause changes in local weather patterns. Typically this involves using gravity to influence the directon and speed of winds, but Polarias can also use these winds to create violent storms and cause rapid temperature changes in the local climate. Polarias has displayed an ability to summon strong gales to buffet and knock down opponents, with speeds up to and including hurricane force winds. By using a combination of gravitational forces and her control over winds Polarias can also create storms of snow, ice, and freezing rain to harrass or hinder her opponents. Polarias can manifest these effects in small, localized areas but her potential could enable her to more effectively control these elemental forces over much broader geographic regions.

Minor Abilities

• Flight: By using a combination of her abilities over gravity and winds, Polarias can fly with relative ease through the atmosphere. Since Polarias can eliminate the effects of gravity, wind resistance, and friction upon her she can reach a high velocity of speed rather quickly. High winds flow right around her, allowing Polarias to see and breathe normally while flying. Since Polarias can use winds to her advantage she can ensure that she has plenty of oxygen available for her to breathe at higher altitudes, but she doesn't have the ability to survive in a high-pressure vacuum or sub-orbital environment without life support equipment.
• Teleportation: Polarias can create gravitational wormholes that allow her to teleport across great distances instantly and with little effort. She uses this ability to travel quickly through areas where flying isn't convenient. Polarias can also use her ability to bring teammates to her position, or to pluck opponents away from their locations into perfectly staged ambushes.

Contact Information

Polarias may be contacted on Virtue by e-mail using her name, Polarias. Her global channel that is valid across all servers is @Major Paragon.