Jesse Chambers
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Jesse Chambers is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Chambers, who first uses the superhero names Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, and inherited their powers.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
[edit] Origin and early career
In hopes of creating a successor, Johnny Quick taught the formula that gave him his enhanced speed to his daughter Jesse. The formula worked on Jesse as well and she gained superspeed. Contrary to what her father had intended however, Jesse instead opted to continue her education, rather than becoming a costumed crimefighter.
While Jesse was studying at Gotham University, the first superhero team, of which her parents had been colleagues, the Justice Society of America, reemerged, following a long absence. Naturally, her thesis topic became "The Impact of Superheroes on Society" and she began to follow the returned heroes, cataloging their adventures. When her father asked her to deliver some documents to the Society, that encounter would result in her aiding the team as Jesse Quick, finally living up to her father's dream of her being a costumed crimefighter.
It was during that time that she would meet Wally West, the Flash, who would later ask of her to be his replacement, if something were to happen to him. It was all an elaborate plan on his part, trying to force Bart Allen, Impulse, to take his role in the legacy of the Flash more seriously, and be Wally's successor. Although she felt betrayed, she would end up saving his life, although her leg was hurt in the process. When Wally returned from the mythical Speed Force, he healed her leg, and the earlier deception was largely forgiven, but not forgotten.
When shortly after, Jesse lost her enhanced speed, the person she blamed was Wally, who had been directly using the Speed Force energies, instead of simply tapping them like the other speedsters did. In fact it turned out to be the villain Savitar was the cause, having severed her connection to the Speed Force, as well as multiple other speedsters. Nonetheless, Wally chose the depowered Jesse to accompany him to Savitar's lair, where she succeeded in regaining her powers. During the following battle with Savitar, her father gave his life in order to protect his daughter from one of Savitar's forces and merged with the Speed Force. Although Wally would ultimately triumph over the villain, Jesse was left to mourn her father.
[edit] Titans
Jesse accepted the reins of managing her father's corporation, Quickstart Enterprises, while also operating as Jesse Quick, even joining the members of the New Titans to stop a nuclear threat. When the Titans were later going through a reorganization, Wally, a founding member, selected Jesse to join the roster, hoping to soothe their old wounds. After initially declining the offer, she ultimately joined the Titans, but was only on the team for a short time, feeling herself to be second-best to Wally.
It was Nightwing, another founding member, that persuaded Jesse to return to the Titans. Later, Jesse became involved in a murder mystery, that involved her own widowed mother, Libby Lawrence as well. The victim was Philip Geyer, who was Libby's fiancé, and a following investigation by the Titans revealed not only the killer, but also an ongoing affair between Philip and Jesse, which had contributed to his death. Although Jesse attempted to reconcile with her mother, the saddened Libby found it hard to forgive her daughter, although she apparently did, as in later appearances, the two had returned to their friendly relationship. The Titans were disbanded not long afterwards, as two of the team's members were killed in an attack by a rogue Superman robot.
[edit] Powerless
Following that disbanding of the team, Jesse threw herself back to the her responsibilities at Quickstart Enterprises. When Wally would later need assistance to defeat the villain Zoom, Jesse lent him a portion of her special abilities, temporarily boosting Wally's speed so that he was moving almost faster than light, but leaving her powerless and unable to remember the formula. Although Wally knew the formula, she told him not to remind her, reminding him that he'd earlier told her that she needed to slow down anyway.
Since then, she has taken a new position as business manager for a newly-reformed Justice Society of America. Jesse was affected by the disappearance of Rick Tyler, the JSA member known as Hourman, to whom she had grown quite close, but he has since returned. A reunion between the two has not been shown, although she did meet the JSA when they were able to rescue her mother, who had returned to her role as Liberty Belle, but whose powers had gone out of control. In that same adventure, mother and daughter reconciled.
[edit] One Year Later
As of Justice Society of America vol. 3 #1, Jesse has become a member of the Justice Society, carrying on her mother's legacy as the new Liberty Belle. She is married to Hourman.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Just like her father, Jesse initially believed that her powers of flight and accelerated speed resulted from the visualization of the speed-formula: 3x2(9YZ)4A. Instead, her powers are linked to the Speed Force. Also, she had a special burst of super strength which became active during times of extreme stress. Since then, Jesse has lost her powers.
As Liberty Belle, her new powers are yet to be revealed. It is likely that she has her mother's superhuman strength and reflexes.
