Abigail Brand's father was an extraterrestrial. She inherited the X-Gene from her mother. She has the mutant ability to coat at least her hands in some type of blue energy flame that is potent enough to burn through most metals. Her tongue is shaped differently allowing her the ability to speak alien languages that humans cannot.
She was a Special Agent of the United States Government and the head of S.W.O.R.D., a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D., charged with defending the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. She had earned a full command by the age of 28.
She also had a half-brother named Lothithanriaxiaxus, who was a green, furry alien and a ne'er-do-well.
Breakworld
Brand encountered the alien Ord in her capacity as a S.W.O.R.D. agent, who was convinced that a mutant from Earth was destined to destroy his planet. In order to avoid an interplanetary war, Brand acquiesced to Ord's plan to avert the destruction of his world by allowing him to create a cure for the mutant "condition". It was later learned the mutant prophesied to destroy Breakworld was Colossus. After her involvement in this plan became known to the X-Men Brand faced a board of inquiry to face charges of misconduct. She defended her actions on the grounds that averting interplanetary warfare was a responsibility so great as to justify courses of action that would otherwise be considered immoral or illegal.
Despite their past differences, she attempted to work with the X-Men to find a solution to the crisis. In an attempt to draw Breakworld's forces away from the Earth, Brand had the X-Men, Ord, and Ord's ally Danger teleported aboard a S.W.O.R.D. starship and traveled to the Breakworld itself. Ord was able to contact his homeworld to alert them of Colossus' location, unaware that this was all part of Brand's plan. However, Breakworld forces caught up with the S.W.O.R.D. vessel before Brand had predicted they would, forcing the X-Men and the S.W.O.R.D strike team to use the ship's escape pods to finish their journey to the Breakworld. Once on the surface, Brand and the X-Men made the last-ditch assault on the Breakworld's doomsday device before it could be fired at Earth. Brand dove into the path of a laser blast meant for Beast and was wounded.
After the Breakworld mission ended, Brand offered Dr. Henry McCoy a job with S.W.O.R.D., needing someone who would question her actions. Brand was attracted to McCoy. She referred to herself as his Xenophiliac Experimentation Partner.
Despite the antagonistic relationship she and Nick Fury demonstrated toward each other, she was considered a Nick Fury loyalist by Fury's replacement at S.H.I.E.L.D. director Maria Hill. Brand made no effort to hide her dislike for Hill.
Powers and Abilities
Power Grid
Powers Tactile Pyrokinesis: Brand has exhibited the ability to coat at least her hands in flames that is potent enough to burn through most metals via tactile contact. This flame has been shown colored both blue and red, though it is unknown whether the colors have any specific significance. Although it was originally believed that this ability stems from her half-alien heritage, Brand herself revealed that her power is the result of her half-human heritage and is mutant in nature. She has enough control over her powers to either heat or set others aflame.
Enhanced Durability: Brand survived a laser cannon blast to the torso. How this was possible, however, has yet to be explained.
Abilities
S.W.O.R.D. Field Agent Training: First rank armed/unarmed combatant.
Multilingualism: Her tongue has the ability to shape alien languages that humans are unable to make. For example, she was able to fluently communicate with Lockheed in his native tongue, a fact that clearly surprised her crew.[citation needed] She also spoke the Skrull and Kree languages, though she was more accomplished with the Kree language than with that of the Skrulls. Brand stated that she could write a book in Kree, but believed she sounded like a 'drunken infant' in comparison when speaking the Skrull language.
Paraphernalia
Weapons
Various high-powered laser guns.
Notes:
Brand has a tattoo on each biceps; one reads "Grace", the other "Anna". The significance of these tattoos has yet to be revealed. While speaking with Beast, he referred to himself as a 'blue furry monster' to which she replied 'so was my father'. It is unknown whether or not this was a factual statement though her paternal half-brother is covered in green fur so it is possible she was being truthful.
