Orca

Orca's History

Grace Balin was a dedicated marine biologist and humanitarian until a tragic accident drove her down a path of self-destruction in the quest to heal herself. She managed to cure her affliction, but at the cost of becoming a monstrous anthropomorphic orca hybrid who resorted to a life of crime.

Grace attended Gotham Gate College and quickly became fascinated with the ocean. She received a Ph.D in Marine Biology and Bio-Medicine, acquiring a job at the Gotham Aquarium. She was a very charitable person who funded an after-school program for underprivileged youths, as well as volunteering at a shelter for the homeless.

Sadly, Dr. Balin was involved in an accident that left her paralysed and dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. Despite her disability, Balin continued to work in Gotham Aquarium, while secretly conducting her own intensive research into a solution for her paralysis. She obsessively studied spinal cord regeneration using samples of orca tissue, funding her intensive research by diverting the Aquarium's assets, eventually forcing it to close. However, her experimentation yielded some results. She desperately used the chemical formula she developed, causing her to transform into a killer whale hybrid, naming herself Orca.

Orca began a crime spree in Gotham City by stealing a valuable diamond called the "Flame of Persia" from rogue millionaire, Camille Baden-Smythe, drawing the attention of Batman. Orca aimed to sell the diamond and use the proceeds to help fund several projects for the underprivileged. After her attempt to sell the diamond back to Camille Baden-Smythe failed, Orca tried to kill her. Camille's security forces shot Orca several times, seriously wounding her and initiating the transformation back into human form. She told Batman the only chance she had for survival was to take the rest of the chemical formula, to which Batman agreed. Upon ingesting the solution, she confided that the change would now be permanent, as would her criminal career. She swam away before Batman could apprehend her. The jewel was sold to its original owner and the money was used to build a new recreation centre near the aquarium, as well as "...gentrify a derelict waterfront tenement."