Marrina Smallwood

Marrina Smallwood
Art by John Byrne
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Alpha Flight #1 (Aug 1983)
Created by	John Byrne
In-story information
Species	Plodex
Team affiliations	Alpha Flight Beta Flight Avengers
Notable aliases	Leviathan
Abilities	Underwater breathing Transformation

Marrina Smallwood is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a member of Alpha Flight and an honorary member of the Avengers.

Marrina first appeared in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #1 (August 1983) and was created by John Byrne.

Marrina was a member of the alien species known as the Plodex, a species which sends its eggs to various planets. When the eggs hatch, young Plodex are born and take the forms of the native species they encounter.

The egg which would become Marrina was unlucky by Plodex standards. The egg landed in the Atlantic Ocean about 40,000 years ago, at the turn between the Middle Paleolithic and the Upper Paleolithic and remained dormant for thousands of years. The egg, containing the genetic material that would become Marrina, became water-permeable; this permeability was responsible for her adaptations to aquatic environments.

The egg was found by fisherman Tom Smallwood as he was drowning during a storm. He was drawn to its glowing nature and compelled to free it from the ocean floor and it proved to be buoyant enough to bring him to the surface and thus save his life. Tom took it home to Newfoundland, Canada. The egg was opened prematurely by his wife Gladys Smallwood, causing Marrina to imprint a human female form. The genetic code of the human beings who touched it were added to the Plodex DNA, giving Marrina her female humanoid appearance. She was but an infant who needed raising like any other of her age. The Smallwoods accepted her as their own daughter and she matured well in the small town who were equally welcoming.

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Wikipedia