- For other uses of the name Grace, see Grace.
- For her Worldkiller personality, see Pestilence.
- "Stop it? Why would I ever wanna stop it? This is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I don't have to worry about saving anyone anymore because I don't want to. I get to choose who dies."
- —Grace Parker embracing Pestilence[src]
Dr. Grace Parker (died 2018) was a renowned surgeon in National City and a Kryptonian Worldkiller known as Pestilence. In the 31st century of an erased timeline, Grace was also known as Blight. However, since the Legion altered the timeline and helped the Superfriends battle the Worldkillers, Grace was killed and never became Blight.
Biography[]
Early life[]
She was one of the three genetically engineered Kryptonian Worldkillers, along with Reign and Purity. In the wake of Krypton's destruction, she was sent to Earth as an infant to grow strong and awaken once Reign was ready. Her pod presumably landed on Earth around 1989, the same time as Reign.[1]
At some point, she was adopted by a woman, who named her Grace Parker. Grace was raised by her adoptive mother to believe in the strength of morality and character, with implied religious teachings.
Grace developed an interest in medicine and in adulthood, she graduated from Metropolis University in the School of Medicine at the top of her class. Afterwards, Grace became a doctor at National City General Hospital, practicing emergency surgery. Over the years, her healing career took off and soon, she became a top surgeon in National City.[2] In spite of her success however, Grace became disillusioned with the world her career brought upon her and forsook her previous ideals, coming to the conclusion that being good yielded no rewards nor change.[3]
Embracing her powers[]
By spring 2018, Grace's Worldkiller half, Pestilence, began manifesting. Eager to use her newfound powers to exact judgment on Earth and control death, Grace quickly embraced her alternate personality. She began her vendetta with killing plants and wildlife, particularly birds, by infecting them with a lethal poison carried in her claws.[4]
Grace's powers eventually grew strong enough to kill humans and she first targeted the authority figures in City Hall. Through working at a mobile flu unit in the building, she scratched the desired targets to pass the plague onto them. By the next day, Grace had infected the mayor, police commissioner, and multiple city council members, resulting in a complete quarantine of City Hall.
Supergirl, the D.E.O., and emergency medical assistance began investigating the situation. Grace also arrived with National City General to maintain her cover. She conversed with D.E.O. agents Alex Danvers and Winn Schott, confirming that all of the ill patients were found with scratches from the aliment's source. Since the plague wasn't transmittable, Grace requested that the quarantine be lifted so the infected could be transported to the nearest trauma facility for treatment. Alex revealed her organization was working on a cure, much to Grace's surprise (and shock). She dismissed Winn's attempt at humor and agreed to work with Alex to distribute the cure once it was ready. As she left, Grace discreetly scratched the two in an attempt to derail their plan.
That night, using her crystal, Grace went to Silvermine Health Insurance. Transforming into Pestilence, she aimed to kill the corrupt CEO and board of directors for cheating their customers but was confronted by Supergirl, Mon-El, and Imra Ardeen. Supergirl attempted to reach Grace by reminding her of the oath she took to do no harm when becoming a doctor, seemingly spurring Grace to resist her Worldkiller persona. Musing on her adoptive mother's philosophy, Grace reflected on how she realized there's no point in being good upon becoming a surgeon. Supergirl insisted they could fight this together, citing how her powers only brought death. However, Grace refused, relishing in how her powers made her a god. She transformed into Pestilence and attacked the superheroine.
After a short, yet intense battle, Imra managed to trap Grace in a telepathic bubble and mortally wounded her, suppressing her Worldkiller side. Grace began dying, but sensed the arrival of a fellow Worldkiller. Sure enough, Purity arrived and healed Grace through their Worldkiller link. Pestilence once again surfaced in Grace as the two left and united with Reign.[3]
Death[]
After Supergirl and the Legion found the Worldkiller Fortress, they fought. The Worldkillers were winning until Purity, controlled by her human form, turned on them. Pestilence killed her but not before being killed by Purity herself. After her death, her and Purity's powers were absorbed by Reign who escaped after the fortress collapsed.
Erased future[]
According to Mon-El, in the 31st century, Grace has evolved and became Blight who killed many people across Earth and countless other planets. The Legion traveled to the present while she was still Pestilence to prevent her evolution.
Personality[]
- "They say that surgeons have a god complex, but it's simple. I am a god!'"
- —Grace Parker transforming into Pestilence[src]
Unlike the other Worldkillers, Grace did not have a split personality; she did have two people living inside one body, however, they just happened to be similar people.
As a civilian, Grace gives out an outward show of empathy, but she was really enjoying hurting people. Once she found out about Pestilence, she was overjoyed, and started infecting others in her human form. It seems to be possible because the two may have made an agreement in the mind, however, Grace is also shown to be willing to give her life for her alter-ego, Pestilence, as she stated that Grace gave up and shriveled without a sound.
However, it should be noted that Grace at least used to have some ideals, as she was shown to be dissatisfied with the corrupt healthcare system and made some reasonable points about the sketchy nature of the industry.
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- Dark magic-empowered Kryptonian physiology: Grace's physiology was altered due to experiments of genetic engineering and dark magic conducted by the Children of Juru. Normally, Pestilence's abilities were no greater than a normal human of her host Grace's physical conditioning, However, once charged by the energy of a yellow sun and metabolized into her body, she becomes able to perform a variety of otherworldly feats. Due to her dark magic enhancements, Grace's powers were naturally greater than any normal solar-powered Kryptonian, as the sun wasn't the sole source of her powers. It was said that she and her sisters were born from Rao's fire. It is likely that Grace was just as powerful, if not more, as Superman, since she had been on Earth for at least 35 years - the same number of years that Superman has spent under the Earth's yellow sun - though had augmented, much more potent powers; making Grace one of the most powerful beings in the entire multiverse.
- Extended longevity: According to Mon-El, Grace will eventually evolve into "Blight" by the 31st century; implying that she doesn't physically age or she did so, but at an extremely slower rate.
- Worldkiller link: The Worldkillers appear to have a link with each other using Reign as a nexus point. This is evident as no Worldkillers awoke until Reign did. While holding hands or in close proximity to each other, they amplify each other's powers, and can fire off a powerful blue blast.
- Dark Magic: As a trinity, the Worldkillers can use dark magic that is powerful enough to cause an eclipse for long enough to destroy all life on Earth.
- Flight: Grace has the ability of flying herself through the air at tremendous hyper-sonic speeds. Though she has only been seen using this ability once, it is implied that she can fly at speeds as fast as Supergirl, and has been shown to be able to hover and levitate as another application of her ability to fly.
- Super strength: Grace has demonstrated a high level of super strength, as she was able to fight Supergirl and Mon-El at the same time. It is unknown if her super strength is as powerful as Reign's, but from her demonstrations of super strength, she is likely stronger than Supergirl.
- Invulnerability: Grace was able to take multiple punches from Mon-El and Supergirl and still being able to fight back. She has managed to take a punch from Reign who is implied to be the strongest Worldkiller.
- Pestilence inducement: As Pestilence, Grace can spread some kind of contagious virus that can kill any living thing she comes into contact with as seen when dozens of pigeons fell dead from the sky, when people at city hall started having nose bleeds before collapsing and when a plant immediately died upon being touched. According to Mon-El, it was 100% fatal.
- Retractable claws: As Pestilence, Grace can grow her nails into yellow claws, sharp and dense enough to pierce Supergirl's invulnerable skin, and presumably any other being. Her claws can also induce pestilence when she grows her nails upon physical contact. Her nails are retractable, and can reform to normal size.
- Evolution: As Pestilence, Grace can "evolve" into more powerful and potent forms of herself, including turning into diseases and creating new ones. As mentioned in the 31st century, Grace had evolved into a most powerful known form of herself, Blight.
Abilities[]
- Expert hand-to-hand combatant: As Pestilence, Grace had skills in unarmed combat as seen when fighting Supergirl but was bested, implying she was not as skilled as Reign or Purity, both who have been able to gain the upper hand on Supergirl. She was able to defeat Mon-El and Imra Ardeen.
Weaknesses[]
- Kryptonite: Like all Kryptonians, even while empowered, Grace is vulnerable to the exposure of Kryptonite, a radioactive mineral from her home planet Krypton. Depending on the nature of the said Kryptonite, it will cause a different and adverse effect on her. Due to the augmentation of her physiology, much more is required to sufficiently weaken her.
- Green Kryptonite: Green Kryptonite not only physically hurts Grace, but weakens her physical attributes, leaving her vulnerable to weapons and anything in general that can kill a normal human; presumably, if she is exposed to it severely for too long, it will kill her. Though she is more resistant than normal and unaltered Kryptonians so more Green Kryptonite is required to weaken her.
- Force fields: Pestilence was unable to break free from Imra Ardeen's telepathic force field.[1]
Equipment[]
- Pestilence suit: Grace wears a protective suit as her super-villainess alter-ego, Pestilence.
Erased future equipment[]
- Blight suit: Grace wears a protective suit as her super-villainess alter-ego, Blight, in the 31st century of an erased timeline.
Appearances[]
Supergirl[]
Season 3
Season 5
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