Catwoman

## Background

Selina Kyle's early life was defined by tragedy. When she was just a girl, her brutalized mother Maria committed suicide and her violent father Brian drank himself to death soon after. Selina was separated from her younger sister Maggie when remanded to the Sprang Hall Juvenile Detention Center, an abusive state home for orphaned or delinquent girls. Eventually, she escaped the Center and tried pickpocketing the crowd at a carnival outside Gotham City but failed. She was caught by the man who ran the place and he offered her to join the carnival. Selina agreed and soon she learned the art of contortionism, gymnastics, magic and trickery. Using her new learned skills, Selina also improved her pickpocketing skills. When the owner of the carnival died in a tragic accident, Selina decided to take her chances on the streets of Gotham, surviving as a petty thief. Selina began working as a prostitute in the East End to get by. She watched over an underage girl named Holly Robinson while working for their abusive pimp Stan. After a particularly aggressive beating from Stan, Selina passed out near the Immaculate Virgin Mission, a nunnery where her sister Maggie served as a nun. She was sent to the hospital, where she was visited by Detective George Flannery. He took pity on her and told her of Ted Grant, a man who could teach her how to fight and defend herself. She met with Ted and he agreed to train her. Selina first met Bruce Wayne when he was walking through the East End and solicited by Holly. He rejected her advances and Stan berated Holly, causing Bruce to attack him. Fearing for Holly's safety, Selina approached and fought Bruce, but was knocked out. Later, she returned to Ted and asked him to train her in the use of the bullwhip. One night, Selina was woken up by the news that the Batman was being cornered by police in Robinson Park. She and Holly decided to see for themselves, and Selina saw firsthand Batman making his escape. Seeing Batman in action gave her the idea that she could become a creature of the night like him. Selina returned the beating Stan gave her and left him, taking Holly with her and declaring that she was changing her line of work. She fashioned her own costume, inspired by her love of cats, and began operating as a cat burglar: the Catwoman. On one of her first heists she robbed the home of mob boss Carmine Falcone and decided that, to distinguish herself, she would claw the faces of her victims, starting with Falcone. It was here that Batman saw her in action for the first time, and he left without saying a word.

## Powers & Abilities

* **Expert Martial Artist:** She was trained by the Armless Master, Richard Dragon in martial arts and by Wildcat in boxing and street-fighting. She is a dangerous, clever and resourceful fighter, known for precise, agile attacks and speedy getaways. Her formidable hand-to-hand combat skills are augmented by her cat-like speed, reflexes, balance, and flexibility. Even Batman and Bronze Tiger both have complimented Selina's combat skill. And Batman has mastered every single martial art known to men. Catwoman has mastered the following martial arts styles:
	+ **Boxing**
	+ **Capoeira**
	+ **Dragon Style Kung Fu**
	+ **Hapkido**
	+ **Jujutsu**
	+ **Karate**
	+ **Cat Burglary:** Being a cat burglar, she's an expert in cracking safes, disabling security systems, lock picking, and just keeping quiet in general. She's even managed to steal Batman's utility belt, and Batmobile. Other skills she has include a mastery of disguise, and using her feminine charm to seduce men and women alike.
* **Feline Empathy:** Catwoman has a strong affinity for cats. Feline species tend to flock to her, accepting her almost immediately, recognizing somehow that she is not an enemy but a friend. This allows her to calm injured cats, train them, befriend them, and form strong bonds with them. These animals will even sometimes come to her defense when she is attacked. This has proved most beneficial, especially when it has involved big cats.
* **Acrobatics**
	+ **Gymnastics**
* **Fencing**
* **Magical Enhancments:** This isn't the wizard kind of magic, this kind of magic increases her strength and speed to even greater levels.
* **Deception:** Selina Kyle tricked Batman into trusting her. Kyle then handed the hero over to Bane who in turn broke Batman's back.
* **Nine Lives:** Selina was able to, somehow, avoid deadly situations alive and healthy, no matter how hard to survive.

## Equipment

* **Suit:** This typical skin-tight suit has spiked grip-boots and able to activate lights on her fingers.
* **Retractable Claws:** These sharp finger daggers are sharp enough to cut through metal, and pierce concrete to enable climbing, or more practically for stabbing, impaling, or slashing into enemies.
* **Bullwhip:** Used for keeping opponents at a distance, to ensnare enemies, or pull them of knock them away, it can even snap handcuffs and chains, she often uses it to swing around the city.
* **Metal Balls:** Throws them on the ground to trip up opponents.
* **Exploding Pellets:** Can cause huge explosions powerful enough to destroy buildings.
* **Magnetic Climbing Devices:** Could possibly use them to climb anything made of metal.
* **Grappling Hook:** Used for getting to higher ground, could also be used for pulling enemies closer.
* **Knockout Gas:** Used to incapacitate opponents.
* **Pen-Sized Laser:** A laser than cut through glass, and melt metal down.
* **Goggles:** Her goggles let her see traps, and has X-Ray, Infared, and Night Vision.
* **Motorcycle**: Catwoman occasionally uses a motorcycle for long-distance transportation, but generally prefers rooftop prowling for short distances.
* **Caltrops:** Catwoman uses a custom handheld ball known as a caltrop. When the caltrop hits the floor, it breaks apart into many jack like spikes. If a henchman steps in the trap, they will fall to the floor in pain.
* **Bolas:** Used for tripping up enemies and cause noise far away to distract targets.

## Feats

#### Strength

* Can swing people around effortlessly with her whip.
* Kicked men through metal doors and brick walls.
* Can smash people so hard into the ground it cracks.
* Easily slices through flesh with her claws.
* Pulled down a helicopter with grappling hook.
* Lifted a giant robot arm.
* Tore through vents like they are paper.
* Sent The Riddler flying with a kick.

#### Speed

* Casually dodges gunfire.
* Stole from an Amazon without them noticing until it was to late.
* Outran a panther and an explosion.
* Jumped off of multiple sharks to get to a boat.
* Easily takes out groups of armed men within a few moments.
* Jumped onto a speeding train.
* Casually keeps up/outpaces Batman.
* Reacted to someone teleporting.

#### Durability

* Regularly tanks explosions and comes out uninjured.
* Jumped off a bridge into water and survived.
* Resisted Scarecrow's fear toxin when she injected it into herself, which inficts crippling fear into anyone who is exposed to it, and she just laughed t off.
* Jumped out of a window several stories up onto a moving car with no damage.

#### Skills

* Fought a nightclub, and it was kind of popular.
* Fought with Azrael.
* Teamed up with Azrael and Robin to fight Tracker.
* Defeated Poison Ivy, and Mr. Freeze.
* Killed Black Mask.
* Captured Hush.
* Saved Tim Drake.
* Formed the Gotham City Sirens with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.
* Helped train Catgirl.
* Helped save several people when a 7.6 earthquake hit.
* Able to sneak into Wayne Manor.
* Toys around with Batman multiple times.
* Has been romantically involved with Batman on multiple occasions and in some realities, married him.
* A pretty skilled fencer.
* Breaks into and steals the Batmobile.
* Is praised by Batman himself as a World Class Fighter and one of the Smartest People he has ever met.
* Can defeat groups of several armed thugs in melee combat.
* Capable of using a Green Lantern Ring.
* Soloed the Justice League Of America (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash).

## Weaknesses

* **Kleptomania**: Catwoman has a strong impulse to steal things.
* While her achievements over the years make her a formidable foe, she can still be killed with enough force.
* A skilled enough fighter can take her down.
* She has a history of being a reckless risk taker at times.
* Her suit provides no other benefits.
* Is motivated by greed.
* Doesn't want to rely on others.
* Was taken hostage by The Riddler who put an explosive collar on her.
* Is still only human.
* While her nina lives can let her come back after falling off roofs and taking gunshots, it doesn´t mean it can resurrect her from fatal injuries like impalement, loss limbs, and decapitation.
* Lets her guard down often.
* Has admitted physical inferiority compared to Batman.
* After a near-fatal encounter with Hush, Catwoman's physical and mental capabilities dropped due to PTSD.
* **Mental Illness:** Mental illnesses are **health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior** (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. Mental illness is common.