Maria Hill

## Background

### 1975 - 1993: Maria Vernon

Maria Hill was born in Chicago, Illinois on a cold night when the temperatures were as low as -44°F. The only daughter of Ed & Alessia Vernon, Maria would solely grow up with her father as her mother passed away the same night she was born. Her father blamed her for her mother's death & abused her throughout her whole childhood.

Her dad got remarried to a woman named Quinn & Maria believed that the lady would somehow help but she continued to allow the abuse to continue. When Maria turned the age of eighteen, she legally changed her name to Maria Hall after her mother's maiden name & joined the Marine Corps.

### 1993 - 2010: Maria Hill

After serving many years with the Marines, Maria joined S.H.I.E.L.D. while she was still fairly young. One of her first missions involved rescuing two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Bradley & Reynolds, whose mission of infiltrating the ranks of the terrorist organization HYDRA became compromised. Even though Reynolds was a senior agent, Hill decided to follow S.H.I.E.L.D.'s rules & relieve him, deeming him mentally unfit to take command. Reynolds refused to listen to Hill, which led to Reynolds being caught in enemy fire.

When they returned to base, Agent Bradley accused Hill of field misconduct but a tribunal found her innocent. The conviction caught the attention of Director Nick Fury, who presented Hill with the chance to be promoted. Many believed she was promoted so that Fury could have some eye-candy around but she soon proved them wrong.

It came to her & Fury's attention that both Bradley & Reynolds were triple agents. Fury asked Maria to carry out the kill order against Agent Bradley. Hill accomplished the mission & was subsequently promoted to the rank of Colonel. Over the years, Maria became well-known for being rather tough-minded & by the book. Her clear-headed pragmatism & reason were valued on multiple important occasions, leading to her eventually being promoted to Deputy Director, becoming Fury's second in command. She is extremely loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D. & especially to Director Nick Fury, having personally helped him several times. However, Hill is willing to discard her loyalties to S.H.I.E.L.D. for the greater good if needed.

## Powers & Abilities

* **Firearms:** Hill is incredibly skilled with firearms. She usually carries a Glock 19 & a compact version of the Smith & Wesson M&P pistol.
* **Hand to Hand Combat/Martial Arts**: Hill is a highly trained combatant & martial artist, capable of engaging & defeating several HYDRA operative. She has displayed incredible skill in martial arts & usually maintains the upper hand throughout fights. Her fighting style consists of Boxing, Shotokan Karate & Krav Maga.
* **Marksmanship**: Maria has an excellent eye for shooting. During her mission to save Agents Bradley & Reynolds, two HYDRA operatives came after her but Hill killed them before they could fire a shot.
* **Tactical Analysis**: Agent Hill is a superb tactical strategist. She serves as Nick Fury's faithful second-in-command & her files describe her as "flawlessly efficient."

### Ratings

* **Acumen:** 4 - Trained / Learned
* **Might:** 4 - Trained / Learned
* **Quickness:** 3 - Average / Basic
* **Mysticism:** 1 - Nonexistent
* **Gadgetry:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **Projection:** 3 - Average / Basic
* **Strategy:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **Battle:** 5 - High / Exceptional
* **TOTAL:** 88 - Power Level 2 / Low Threat

## Trivia

* Hill's favorite pizza is Vinnie's of Savannah, Georgia.
* Maria had a crush on Cyclops.
* She plays Fantasy Football with other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
* She has grown close with Pepper Potts over the years.
* Though very professional when on the job, she jokes with her colleagues & is lighthearted during times of levity. However, she still remains professional & never lets her guard down.

## Notes

* The original character of Maria Hill belongs to the Marvel Universe.