Stacy, Gwendolyne

Esther Lenore Smythe is the amnesiac wife of Mr. Smythe and mother to their child, Gregory. She was thought to have been killed by the Green Goblin, when she was really injured and only to awaken with amnesia. Her supposed death deeply affected Peter for years to come and also served as the catalyst for Peter's relationship with Mary Jane.

She was born Gwendolyne "Gwen" Stacy and was a high school classmate of Harry Osborn and later into their college years. She was a classmate of Peter Parker while they were undergraduates at Empire State University. Initially, Peter's problems as Spider-Man made him ignore her advances, and in return, she felt insulted by his aloofness. Gradually, however, a romance developed. Gwen, a science major, seemed to appreciate Peter's intellectual personality, different from that of jocks like Flash Thompson and preppies like Harry Osborn. She was Peter Parker's first taste of a passionate bond and ex-girlfriend.

## Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy

### Aliases

Esther Smythe (name taken during amnesia), Momma (Gregory), Honey (husband), Mrs. Smythe, Gwendy, Gorgeous Gwen, Gorgeous Gwendolyne

### Relatives

Gregory Smythe (son), Mr. Smythe (husband), George Stacy (father, dead), Helen Stacy (mother, dead), Arthur Stacy (uncle), Nancy Stacy (aunt by marriage), Jill Stacy (cousin), Paul Stacy (cousin), Spencer Smythe (relative by marriage), Alistaire Smythe (relative by marriage)

### Affiliation

Standard High School (graduated), Empire State University (formerly, never graduated)

### Occupation

Model (formerly), Student (formerly), wife and mother

## Biographical information

### Place of birth

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States of America

## Physical description

### Species

Homo sapien (formerly), Homo sanguinum (human nosferatu)

### Weight

130 LBS (58.97kg) (ages 17-18), 135 LBS (ages 23-26)

## History

### Early years

Gwen was born to a Captain of the New York City Police Department George Stacy and his wife, Helen. Her Childhood is unknown.

### High School Years

Gwen attended Standard High School alongside Harry Osborn.

### College Years

Gwen attended Empire State University as a Science Major alongside Harry Osborn and soon to be beau, Peter Parker. When Peter's Aunt May lay sick, Peter gave everyone the cold shoulder, including new classmates Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy. As a result, Peter began to get snubbed by Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn for being anti-social. Gwen later attended a space exhibit where Peter was also in attendance. Gwen became frustrated when Peter only noticed the exhibits and remained completely oblivious to her presence. When the criminal known as the Looter showed up to steal a meteor, Spider-Man arrived to prevent it. Peter attempted to try and talk to Gwen, but she wrote him off as a coward for running when the villain showed up.

Over time, Gwen started to see Peter in a positive light, admiring his strength and courage. When Peter went to school on his bike, Gwen noticed his new ride and mentioned it. As he told her that she’s got a lot to learn about him, they both really noticed each other for the first time. At Empire State University, Gwen invited Peter to a party at her house on Sunday, but he declined so as to meet his neighbor's niece, Mary Jane Watson. Gwen and her friends later learn that Flash Thompson has been drafted for the war.

Gwen met up with Peter, Harry and Flash at a local café. While talking about Flash being drafted, Mary Jane walked in and the boys were stunned. They became even more surprised when Peter revealed that he knew her and Gwen became jealous when Peter and Mary Jane left together. Gwen and her friends planned a going away party for Flash Thompson before he left for the armed forces to fight in Vietnam. She also visited an unwell Peter Parker. Gwen started to notice Peter's depression over his Aunt's illness, which started to affect his grades. With Gwen and her friends' help, Peter was made to feel better about his life. Flash Thompson returned home on furlough from the war, meeting with the gang: Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson.

Peter asked Gwen to accompany him to a science symposium with Professor Warren. At the symposium, Doctor Octopus attacked and stole a device called a “nullifier”, a device designed as missile defense. Spider-Man tried to stop him, leaving Gwen on her own feeling abandoned by her date. Peter visited Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy, where both competed for a date with him, but he left them both to check on his Aunt May. Gwen and her friends all got together at the Coffee Bean Barn. Peter and Mary Jane went to his Aunt May's House to assess the damage done by the attack by Dr. Octopus, where they were joined by Gwen. Suddenly, Peter went missing, causing Gwen and all his friends and family to worry.

Once Peter returned, he, Gwen, and the rest of their friends met up and decide to go and check out a nightclub where Mary Jane had taken up a job as a go-go dancer. However, the club was a criminal front where Dr. Winkler's brainwashing techniques were being utilized to further a criminal organization. They gave Mary Jane a special camera that briefly puts people under their control, forcing them to go in back and get legitimately brainwashed. When this was done to Captain George Stacy, Gwen began to worry about her father when he didn't return from getting fresh air. Peter, also finding it suspicious, decided to go look for him but as Spider-Man. Spider-Man went in back and caught Winkler in the process of brainwashing George Stacy, but before Spider-Man could stop him, he was grabbed by Winkler's employer: Kingpin. Once Kingpin completed the brainwashing, he let Stacy go. Stacy met up with Gwen and Harry, who were being told by Mary Jane about Spider-Man's appearance at the club; George attempted to alleviate any concern they had about what happened. When Peter later tried to confront George as Peter Parker, Stacy attacked him, forcing Peter to defend himself. Gwen walked in on the situation, and her father accused Peter of going mad and attacking him. Gwen refused to listen to anything Peter said and demanded that he leave.

When Gwen Stacy confronted her father about his involvement in the attempted theft of top-secret plans, his brainwashing wore off and he told her the truth of what happened. With George wanted by the police and slated to be killed by the Kingpin's men, they decided to try and flee the city. Peter (having deduced they may be in trouble from the Kingpin's men) came to their rescue but arrived to find their home full of the Kingpin's goons. When Spidey defeated them, he found that they had also been brainwashed and were useless for getting any more information from Kingpin. Peter developed a special gas mask to protect him from the Kingpin's gases and began searching for any clue to the Kingpin's hideout, but the Kingpin's men managed to stop Gwen and George at the airport. Then, they were taken back to Osborn Industries, and were about to be killed by a giant vat of a boiling hot chemical. This was interrupted by the arrival of both Norman Osborn and Spider-Man. The two fought off the Kingpin and his goons, and while Winkler was killed, the Kingpin escaped. Spider-Man saved Gwen and George from a painful death. Afterwards, the true story came out and with Osborn's corroboration of the events, George Stacy's name was cleared of any wrongdoing. Peter Parker tried to patch things up with Gwen, to no avail.

Gwen was told by her father, whose memories from when he was brainwashed have come back that Peter never attacked him when he was under the Kingpin's influence, which brought Gwen happiness as she hopes to patch things up with Peter. However, her joy was replaced with worry when Betty Brant and Ned Leeds told Gwen that Peter was on the roof of the Bugle building when the Vulture attacked. Gwen's father was taken hostage in prison but was rescued by Spider-Man, who had been recently arrested. Peter repaired his relationship with Gwen and Captain Stacy. After a fight with the Synthetic Man Peter was left bed ridden and Gwen and Mary Jane came over to look after him but ended up both going out with Harry instead. When Peter picked up Gwen for a date, they witnessed the Man Monster attack the home of Captain Stacy. Peter sent Gwen for help and then changed into Spider-Man in an attempt to save Captain Stacy.

#### First "Love"

Gwen developed strong romantic feelings for, Peter Parker. She lost her father after he sacrificed himself to save a defenseless child. But thanks to misinformation began to blame Spider-Man. Tired of Peter neglect, lies, and emotional abuse (unintentional on his end), Gwen found she could no longer trust him and so ended their relationship.

##### Perils of Love

The Green Goblin had targeted Spider-Man through Gwen by making an attempt on her life. All that there was left of the incident was a nearly destroyed corpse of a blonde girl of 17-20 years with Gwen's student ID card which was used to identify the body.

### Awakening

Months later in a hospital, she awakened and was diagnosed with a severe dissociative amnesia. Later on, she starts to learn that she has an attraction to older men. During her time out since understanding her illness, she goes grocery shopping but does not notice that Mary Jane has seen her.

### Love and Happiness

When she meets Mr. Smithe. After a few years, she falls genuinely in love with him.

#### Marriage and Child

After getting married, the couple have their first child, Gregory.

### Vampyrism

Mrs. Smythe is grabbed at night by a nosferatu and rises 3 days later. Upon her rising her regenerative abilities allows her to mind to heal thus curing her amnesia. Looking back at her life during her amnesia and mocks Peter for being a child.

## Illnesses

### Dissociative amnesia

Gwen has difficulty remembering important information about herself, such as her name, personal history, or family and friends.

Dissociative amnesia may be caused by a traumatic or stressful event, such as being in combat or being the victim of a crime. It usually occurs suddenly and may last for minutes, hours, or days. In rare cases, it may last for months or years.

## Attributes

### Powers

#### Reproduction and Sustenance

Like all vampyr, Gwen requires fresh blood of living beings in order to sustain their physical existence and, usually, obtained it by biting their victims and draining their blood via fangs (usually the canine teeth of human nosferatu). The bite of a vampire transferred a very mysterious enzyme found only within the saliva of a vampyr into the bloodstream of the prey. If she drinks enough blood to cause the near death of the victim, the enzyme would trigger an unusual metabolic change within the victim's body, beginning with the production of an unusual green liquid referred to as ichor into the bloodstream.

After roughly three days, there would be enough of this liquid in the victim's body that it would begin to course through the prey's veins in the same way their blood once did. The victim then returned as a vampire and was capable of all the basic capabilities of ordinary humans, with the exception of being able to have children, plus a number of superhuman abilities. However, if the victim retained sufficient blood to survive the vampyr's attack, he or she would begin to show signs of anemia because of the presence of the enzyme in his or her bloodstream. The victim would not die under such circumstances. Until a newly created vampyr's body metabolized the enzyme, a process that might take as long as several months in some cases, he or she would be extremely weak and highly susceptible to hypnotic suggestions, verbally or through long range mental contact, by the vampyr responsible for the attack. There was also a distinct possibility of the newly turned vampyr developing a perverse sexual attraction for the vampire responsible for the transformation.

A new vampire is not created unless the attacking vampire wishes to do so or loses control and injects too much enzyme. The attacking vampire can free its victim from becoming a vampire before the final transformation.

**Summoning:** Gwen can summon and control certain creatures such as bats, wolves, and rats.

**Shapeshifting:** she can also transform herself into a bat, and maybe a wolf, while retaining her human intelligence in these forms. It is possible Gwen can even become a human-sized bat. It is possible she can also transform themselves into mist at will, while still retaining her normal consciousnesses in that form.

**Mind Control:** Gwen can control the will of those she bites, even before her victim fully transforms into a vampire, although those with great willpower can defy control. A vampyr can make most human beings into its temporary slave if he or she could catch their gaze for a sufficient amount of time, usually only a matter of seconds. The exact length of time needed to mesmerize the victim depends on the strength of will of the vampire and that of his or her victim.

**Health:** in most cases, nosferatu were able to heal themselves from minor injuries within a very brief period of time. Most other vampires might require several days to heal the exact same injury. Vampires were not able to regenerate missing organs or severed portions of their anatomy, with the exception of hair. Apart from periodic inconveniences, injuries like these would not critically impair a vampire's effectiveness. Because the ichor was similar in function to blood, poisons and other toxic substances that were circulated in its bloodstream would adversely affect a vampire, although no dosage was large enough to cause death.

### Abilities

**Gifted Biochemistry Student**

**Investigative Skills:** Following her father's footsteps, Gwen sometimes helped the police in some of their cases.

**Will Power:** The overall extent of a vampire's abilities depended upon the strength of the vampire's will. Exceptional vampires with powerful wills, such as Dracula or Varnae, were capable of summoning and controlling thunderstorms, even though the mystical concentration required to do so left them extremely weak for a certain period of time. The vampire's willpower could also determine the extent to which he or she could master their craving for blood and retain the same personality they had in life. However, most people that became vampires quickly found themselves unable to resist the all consuming craving for blood. They quickly degenerated into cruel and animalistic hunters of ordinary human beings, even if these new vampires had been kind and sensitive people in their mortal lives.

#### Average Strength Level

Most vampires possessed superhuman physical strength anywhere from 10 to 20 times greater than they possessed in their mortal lives. The vast majority of known and recorded vampires were capable of lifting from 1,000 lbs to 4,000 lbs, with only Count Dracula and his predecessor Varnae being known to lift more at 4 and 7 tons respectively due to their special stance as ruler of Earth's vampire race.

### Weaknesses and Limitations

Vampires have many limitations imposed upon their supernatural abilities, and even upon their very existence. Below are a listing of weaknesses common to supernatural vampires. Popular fiction depicting vampires often causes others to be skeptical of their reality. Once convinced of their existence, however, the same media provides an education on basic anti-vampire tools, such as religious symbols, sunlight, wooden stakes, and holy water, although those using them may not fully understand details of the tools' requirements.

#### Blood Consumption

Vampires are regularly required to consume a few pints (litres) of blood every other night. Failing to do so would cause the vampire to weaken and after an extended period without blood seemingly perish. A vampire's ability to metabolize blood and their frequency of feeding usually varies however depending on a number of factors: Length of time between feedings, damage or injury to the body, resurrection from a near death state, and excessive use of their supernatural abilities and strength.

#### Native Soil

Typically, vampires cannot travel more than 100 miles (160 km) from their land of birth, unless they bring at least one pound (500 g) of their native soil wherever they choose to sleep during the day. For example, Dracula would typically have coffins with dirt from his native Transylvania shipped to his various hideouts all over Europe and the United States so that he would have a place to rest unharmed from the sun.

However, in many instances vampires (including Dracula) have been depicted being able to travel to far off places and sleep in locations that do not have their native lands earth on hand.

What happens to a vampire who does not do this remains unknown but given the instances that a vampire has slept without being around soil from their native land suggests that this is not a lethal weakness.

#### Sunlight

A vampire's greatest weakness is sunlight, due to their altered metabolism, vampires were unable to withstand direct sunlight. Sunlight somehow caused the ichor to congeal within the vampire's veins and the skin to rapidly decay. Direct exposure to sunlight caused the vampire to dehydrate completely and turn to powder, or even explode in certain cases. Artificial sunlight can also hurt vampires, although not as effectively; when Monica Rambeau attacked Dracula with ultraviolet light, he was hurt but not destroyed.

Some vampires, such as Dracula have been able to reform their bodies following being turned to powder from the sun, while others have been completely obliterated from contact with the sun. The conditions in which a vampire can come back from the dead may be particular to one who is rightfully the lord of all vampires.

#### Religious Symbols

Vampires also had an aversion to any religious symbol (such as a crucifix/cross (including objects assembled into a cross, like wood branches), Star of David, or holy water) wielded or placed by anyone who believes in the religious significance of the symbol (for example a cross held by a Jew had no effect). The size of the symbol was not a consideration on its ability to repel vampires, only the strength of belief: for example, a believing Christian wielding a small cross could hold a vampire at bay. The symbol will even sear the vampire's flesh simply by touching him or her with it.

However, the deity must be one that was believed in at the time of the vampire's original death; a cross had no effect on Varnae, for example, since he died approximately 16,000 years before the crucifixion.

Another consideration is if the vampire in question worshiped the faith whose religious symbol is being used against them. For example, when David Eshocl used the Star of David against Dracula, Dracula was weakened by its sight, but stated that because he followed Christianity and not Judaism before becoming a vampire, the Star had a lesser effect on him. On another occasion, he was hurt by a silver Star of David (it is unknown if it was the silver or the star who impacted him). On Earth-1610, a cross wield by Blade against a Jewish Vampire was completely ineffective.

If a worshipper of a god is turned into Vampyr he will burst into flames when touched by the god in question. Thor realized this when a Vikings settlement was turned in to vampires.

Further, there may be an element of belief by proxy or a vampyr's own belief that a symbol may harm them, as there have been instances where a crucifix has been used by someone who is not holding the item. For example, Quincy Harker and Elainne Turac have both utilized weapons that would project the symbol of the cross against Dracula while not actually holding the religious symbol. Further, Quincy's faithful dog Saint, has a collar lined with silver crosses that were able to harm Dracula. It's highly improbable that Saint understands the symbolism let alone having faith in Christianity, however either Quincy's faith, or Dracula's belief that the crosses could harm him caused the vampire lord pain.

Lastly, a religious symbol can lose its power over a vampire if the vampire is capable of making the believer's faith falter. In such situations, the strength of the religious symbol's ability to repel a vampire would weaken.

#### Invitations Only

Vampires have a mystical aversion to entering any human dwelling place to which they were not verbally invited. A human bitten by a vampire but not fully transformed can invite a vampire. This appears to only be the case with personal dwellings, as vampires have been seen entering public buildings without the need of being invited inside. Vampires have been shown to burst into flames if they enter a private residence without being invited first.

#### Impaling the Heart with Wood

Another weakness of vampires is to impale them through the heart with wood, which will cause them to eventually decompose into a skeleton. Originally, it was thought that a wooden stake would be the only means of doing so; however, advancement in vampire hunting techniques have indicated that any wooden object that can break through a vampire's chest and pierce the heart is sufficient in killing a vampire. Their flesh is extremely sensitive to any kind of wood but anything piercing the heart will do. Oak, however, will reduce the body to dust upon piercing the heart.

For example, Blade learned that wooden daggers would prove to be just as effective, while Frank Drake and Rachel van Helsing have used wooden bullets.

However, very powerful vampires, such as Dracula, can reanimate if the stake (or other object) is removed, so long as the body isn't destroyed.

#### Silver

Silver is highly harmful for vampyr, to the point even Dracula himself can be crippled if impaled through the heart with a silver wheelchair spoke. Silver weapons can kill vampires in a similar fashion to wooden ones, though very powerful nosferatu such as Dracula are resistant enough so they cannot be killed by such. Vampyr were rendered immune to the ravages of disease and of aging. Their allergy to silver makes their bodies rapidly age should particles of the metal be introduced in the bodies. However, if deprived of blood for a lengthy period of time, such as his or her hair turning gray. Upon ingesting fresh blood, the vampire would revert to the age in which he or she had been at the time of death. Dracula learned this the hard way.

#### Garlic

The scent of garlic can sap the strength of a vampire. It has been used as a rope to bind vampires, sapping their strength sufficiently to prevent them from breaking the bonds. Garlic is not lethal to vampires, but it can make them more vulnerable to other means of attack. Knowing this, the undead tend to avoid places that have garlic suspended in it; thus, the source of the medieval superstition that garlic repels vampyr.

#### Magic

Magic wielders such as Doctor Strange and Topaz have been able to harm vampires with magic, and some spells have the effect to kill a vampire. The most lethal spell is the Montesi Formula is a spell from the Book of Darkhold which can destroy all vampires. Doctor Strange invoked the spell which destroyed all vampires on Earth (save Hannibal King, who he and his allies were able to restore to human life), but when the spell was broken all the vampires that were destroyed were restored to life.

#### Radioactive Blood

Radioactive blood has proved harmful to Vampires that consume it. Also, individuals with it that have been bitten have reverted back to normal once the radiation kills the enzymes responsible for their transformation. On Earth-12041, in the case of gamma radiation, the individual returns to normal when the blood cells super heat, burning the Vampire cells like micro suns. A sanitized sample of Hulk's blood was used to cure the Black Widow when she was on the early states of the transformation.

Every cell of a Majesdanian can absorb solar radiation. If a nosferatu drinks the blood of a fully-powered Majesdanian, this is the equivalent of consuming liquid sunlight, turning the vampire to ash. It is unknown what would happen if a Majesdanian were to be fed upon after completely draining their solar reserves at night.

#### Other Limitations

Vampyr cast no reflections, and their images cannot not be captured on film. Originally it was believed that the lack of a reflection came from the fact that in the past mirrors had a silver backing (supposedly because silver was a "pure" metal) and that it was a sign that these undead do not have a soul. Later Dracula discovered that because he was in a weakened state (probably because he had not slept in his native soil for some time) that he did have a reflection.