Inertia (Marvel Comics)

Inertia is the name of two separate, but related superheroes from the fictional Marvel Universe.

Various incarnations of Inertia
The first Inertia was a character from Earth-712 (the world of the faux JLA characters known as the Squadron Supreme). Like most of the newer characters created for the Squadron Supreme mini-series, she bore no DC counterpart. Her powers were based on using kinetic energy against the enemy. The second Inertia is a member of the rebooted Squadron Supreme, from the Supreme Power universe, also known as Earth-31916.

Fictional character biography
Edith Freiberg had the power to absorb and redirect kinetic energy (motion). After being recruited by Nighthawk to the team of super powered "Redeemers", she was one of the Redeemers who joined the Squadron Supreme's "Utopia Program" in hopes of stopping it. Inertia was then revealed to have joined the Squadron as a double agent. During her time in the Squadron, she developed a romantic relationship with Haywire. Alongside Nighthawk's Redeemers, she attacked the Squadron Supreme. During the fight, she battled Power Princess and was Doctor Spectrum.

Alongside the Squadron Supreme, Professor Imam, and Master Menace, Inertia attacked the Nth Man, a universe-absorbing entity that was encroaching into the Earth-712 universe. Inertia died in an attempt to use her powers against the Nth Man backfired and she was sucked through a breach in space and dissolved in a pink haze.

Powers and abilities
Inertia had the ability to transfer inertia (momentum) from one person or object to another.

Inertia (Supreme Power)
Edith Freiberg is a lesbian Army private, first introduced in Part III: High Command where she is seen trashing a bar and attacking several men (using her powers to redirect kinetic energy) before being introduced to the public as part of the Squadron Supreme. She is portrayed as having problems with men and with authority and in issue #4, her back story is fleshed out.

Edith's father was the head of an ultra-conservative church and a highly prejudiced and abusive man. Her powers manifested at a young age when a nurse trying to give her a vaccination could not get the needle through her skin. Her father believed this was sign of demonic power and, unable to hurt 'Eddy', would beat her mother for any of Edith's perceived transgressions.

In high school, she was attacked and raped by three boys (her classmates). While she could easily have defended herself, Edith was aware that this would only result in her mother receiving a beating and so did not attempt to defend herself. The stress of this event and her inability to use her powers when she most needed to left her in a catatonic state for sometime. Despite this, her father refused to believe she had been raped (citing the lack of injury), instead accusing her of being promiscuous.

Edith's mother soon discovered that her husband was having an affair and confronted him. Edith's father accidentally caused a car accident that killed Edith's mother and attempted to cover up the event to save his reputation. Edith recovered after hearing the news, finding and killing her father - then killing the boys who had raped her.

During 'Operation Long Walk' (the Squadron's mission in the Middle East), Edith finds a young girl whose mother and older sister were raped and then stoned to death by four male relatives on the pretext of erasing the shame of the rape ("Honor killing"). The girl had apparently been hiding to avoid a similar fate. Using Emil Burbank as a translator, Edith finds the relatives and buries them up to their necks. She then tears a steel bar off a nearby railing, gives it to the girl, and walks away. The girl apparently kills them.

So far, her behavior has been shown to be erratic and possibly psychotic. Stanley Stewart (The Blur) has attempted to reach out to her, and Edith has thanked him for his concern, but she still refuses his offer of friendship.