Typhoid Mary (character)

Typhoid Mary Fisk (

The character was portrayed in the film Elektra by Natassia Malthe. Alice Eve portrayed the character in the second season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Iron Fist.

Publication history

Typhoid Mary first appeared in Daredevil #254 (May 1988), and was created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Romita Jr.^[1] Her name comes from early 20th-century Irish-American cook and typhoid fever carrier "Typhoid Mary" Mallon.^[2]

The character first appeared as Mutant Zero in Avengers: The Initiative #4 (September 2007) as a member of Henry Peter Gyrich's black ops team but she was eventually revealed to be this character. Prior to this, writer Dan Slott stated that the "mysterious character" was secretly a well-known character in disguise.^[3]

She's a mutant chick who's been cover-worthy many times... When that mask comes off, there will be a 'whoa' among those reading it. People who don't even follow comics regularly will know who it is.

Fictional character biography

Typhoid Mary is an enemy and former lover of

Born Lyla, she grew up "somewhere out in New Mexico" and ran away from home to escape an abusive father. She came to New York City hoping to become a dancer or an actress, but she instead started working for a brothel frequented by criminals and organized crime.^[4]

Her condition was accidentally caused when Matt Murdock had tracked a villain down to the brothel where Mary worked. Matt attacked the man, but surprisingly, the women working at the brothel surrounded and attacked Matt. Panicking, Matt lashed out, knocking Mary out of the window. It was at this moment that she somehow became "Typhoid Mary" and vowed no man would ever hurt her again.^[5] In later appearances, however, she would imply that she was a victim of child abuse.^{[volume & issue needed] [6]}

Suffering from dissociative identity disorder, Mary Walker has three other abnormal personalities in addition to her seemingly healthy one. Her "Mary" personality is a timid, quiet, and pacifistic; her "Typhoid" personality is adventurous, lustful, and violent; and her "Bloody Mary" persona is brutal, sadistic, and misandrous. Mary once claimed that there was a fourth personality who is 'lost' but has not since been mentioned. Aside from highly developed martial arts skills, she also possesses telekinetic powers and, more dangerously, pyrokinesis, the ability to set people or objects in her immediate vicinity aflame.

In her first appearance, she met Murdock, and was hired as an assassin by the

Following a series of events involving the Kingpin (fall from power, subsequent near-death coma, recovery, rising back to power, and taking out enemies to retake the criminal empire),^[19] the Kingpin distracts Daredevil by paying a visit to Walker at her show and, with a blunt slap, released the abnormal personalities. Murdock's bodyguards Luke Cage and Jessica Jones managed to take her down after she confronted Daredevil's secret identity and set the man on fire. Mary was imprisoned on a maximum security prison for super-powered criminals.^[20]

Electro later led an attack on the Raft, breaking out the prisoners. While the Avengers arrived and managed to stop some of the prisoners, Mary managed to escape and was briefly mentioned as once more working for the Kingpin.^[21]

At some point after the superhuman

Typhoid Mary joins the Sisterhood of Mutants, as Lady Deathstrike promises to use Arkea to reintegrate Mary's personalities, which Arkea then does.^[28] The sisterhood, specifically Arkea and Amora, resurrect Selene and Madelyne Pryor. Before the Sisterhood can recruit additional members and go on an offensive, the X-Men attack. Typhoid Mary is defeated by Psylocke. Arkea is killed, while Madelyne swears to maintain the Sisterhood and continue the war against the X-Men.^[29]

During the "Infinity Wars" storyline, Typhoid Mary is among the villains that accompany Turk Barrett to a meeting with the Infinity Watch at Central Park.^[30]

Powers and abilities

Typhoid Mary is a mutant and possesses a number of limited

However, she has three separate personalities as a result of her mental illness. The timid, pacifist "Mary" personality has no psionic abilities. The "Typhoid" personality has the full range of these psionic powers which are strongest in the "Bloody Mary" personality. Her original "Mary Walker" personality is supposed to be a balanced amalgam of all of these, but is seldom dominant. Because of the different heart rates and voice patterns of her different personas, not to mention the different ways of dress, even Daredevil's super-senses were long unable to tell the different personas all belonged to the same woman, and she took advantage of this situation to hide from Daredevil/Matt Murdock even within earshot.

As Mutant Zero, Mary appears to possess the same psionic powers utilized by both Typhoid and Bloody Mary. It is unknown whether the powers Mutant Zero possesses are equal to or stronger than those of Bloody Mary. Recent battles suggest they are more powerful, but take their toll on Mary when used as a result of this strength. Mutant Zero is also equipped with a suit of full body armor that appears to enhance her physical strength and an arsenal of weapons, including guns and various blades.

Typhoid Mary is in excellent physical condition. She has sufficient reflexes to block and redirect a bullet back at its shooter. She has peak human agility, and is highly athletic. She is also trained in the martial arts, particularly Judo and Kendo. She has exceptional skill in wielding and throwing bladed weapons, and is usually armed with a variety of machetes and smaller knives.

Other versions

House of M

In the alternate timeline seen in the 2005 "House of M" storyline, Typhoid Mary appears as an assassin of Wilson Fisk.^[31]

Mutant X

In the parallel dimension seen in the 1998–2001 miniseries, Mutant X, Typhoid Mary is a member of the Avengers. She is later killed by Captain America while battling the Six.^[32]

In other media

Television

• Typhoid Mary appears in
  Vault before eventually becoming an enforcer for the Red Skull. Additionally, a pirate-themed Battleworld
  incarnation of Typhoid Mary appears in the episode "The Vibranium Coast".
• Mary Walker appears in the
  Danny Rand, Mary tries to warn Rand.^[36] When Davos steals Rand's powers, Walker betrays the former to help the latter defeat Davos. Walker later discovers the third personality has begun operating as a vigilante serial killer.^[37]