Dr. Annabelle Riggs is an archeologist who doesn’t waste time with careful research, instead wanting to take risks and discover things for herself. When she activates an ancient artifact, she summons Brunnhilde, AKA Valkyrie, and without a moment to lose because it also awakened dead Vikings out to get her.
Obtainer of Rare Antiquities
Growing up watching a lot of Indiana Jones movies, Annabelle Riggs eventually becomes an archeologist, earning her doctorate. Working for a museum, she studies ancient artifacts.
The Heart of a Valkyrie
As a human of Earth, Annabelle possesses no special powers and has the strength and fortitude of a person her age. She is, however, a potential Valkyrie, something that the Valkyrie Brunnhilde sees in her. When Annabelle shares a body with Brunnhilde, she’s transported to a pocket realm in the mists surrounding Valhalla while Valkyrie takes her place in the material world.
Annabelle isn’t afraid to wield weapons if she must, having brandished a sword or spear.
Mythological Threats
Due to the nature of Annabelle’s work, studying ancient artifacts, she ends up in a conflict with the Doommaidens—insane Asgardian shield maidens that time forgot—led by Caroline le Fay. Being mortal and without powers or special abilities, she ends up in harm’s way, needing protection from other super-beings. During this conflict, her ally Brunnhilde becomes the Maiden of Rage, and the fearless Annabelle stands up to her at the cost her life.
Resurrected and bonded to Brunnhilde, Annabelle fights or at least summons Brunnhilde to fight against the forces of darkness, most often le Fay and her new Doom Maidens, super-powered mean girls. Sharing a body with Brunnhilde leads her to face the space pirate Nebula and Malekith the Dark Elf’s forces during the War of the Realms.
Asgardian and Superhuman Allies
Annabelle’s friend, colleague, and bionic private eye Mercedes Knight, AKA Misty Knight, often brings her antiquities, which Annabelle purchases on behalf of her employer, the museum. With Misty, Annabelle teams up with Brunnhilde, Danielle Moonstar, AKA Dani Moonstar, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta against an ancient evil known as the Doommaidens as the Fearless Defenders, an offshoot team of women warriors inspired by The Defenders. She allies with their other teammates, monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone, and sorceress Clea.
Annabelle is instantly attracted to Valkyrie and makes her feelings known with a kiss. They become even closer after Valkyrie’s evil alter ego, the Maiden of Rage, kills Annabelle and Brunnhilde resurrects her with the sorceress Clea’s help, who merges their life forces to save her. When Annabelle meets Ren Kimura, dancer turned Inhuman, she invites her to join the Fearless Defenders and then falls for her fast. Their relationship takes off on the dance floor and then in shared sleeping quarters where they share a kiss. Their relationship continues to grow and they defend each other against their enemies.
With Valkyrie bonded to her, Annabelle joins the Asgardians of the Galaxy against the space pirate Nebula, whom they defeated. Kid Loki, who had coordinated the team, gives her a Nova Corps helmet so Annabelle could fight without Valkyrie if need be. With it, she can project energy from her eyes and fists, and she can fly.
An Archeologist’s Journal
While working at the White Mountain National Forest dig site studying a mass Viking grave, Annabelle’s long-time friend and colleague Misty Knight brought her an ancient artifact to sell: a small female figurine with wings and runes carved on it. Annabelle studied it closely and quickly realized it was older than anything she’d find even at the dig site and potentially a representation of an Asgardian messenger spirit. Annabelle felt something was off about it though. When Misty suggested that she visit Asgard in Oklahoma, Annabelle thought it more fun to discover things on her own and in studying the artifact found a seam which triggered it to activate. The figure came to life and began singing a song akin to a music box. Misty realized that something was afoot outside and went to investigate as Annabelle stayed behind in the tent to record the song. The found that the buried Vikings had come to life and Misty began fighting them off, soon to be joined by Brunnhilde and her flying Pegasus Aragorn. The pair fought the restless dead, but Annabelle came out of her tent only to be shocked that there were animated skeletons charging towards her. She was saved by axe-wielding Valkyrie whom she took the opportunity to kiss. Brunnhilde told her that now was not the time and destroyed the figurine. The dead subsequently vanished. The trio gathered themselves and Brunnhilde started to leave stating she had to consult the All-Mother (Freyja, Gaea, and Indunn), to which Annabelle demanded to join her. Brunnhilde, however, did not want to be burdened with a mortal but when Annabelle threatened to summon her back with another artifact if she wasn’t allowed to come. Brunnhilde appreciated her tenacity and allowed her and Misty to join. Brunnhilde then explained that their upcoming journey wouldn’t be pleasant and informed them that the messenger artifact sang of the Blighted Host, a harbinger warning of the Doommaidens return and that it was all Brunnhilde’s fault.
Annabelle and Misty accompanied Brunnhilde to the All-Mother, who informed them of the Doommaidens’ origin and how they replaced the Valkyrior which Brunnhilde was supposed to reform. Hela, the Queen of the Underworld, soon joined them since one of her Valkyrie had recently been taken, that of mutant Danielle Moonstar, AKA Dani Moonstar, who served as Death’s shieldmaiden now and then. Hela believed Dani’s connection to Hel would provide the necessary energy to resurrect the Doommaidens, and therefore offered up Hippolyta to join their budding team against the impending doom. Hela had traced an ancient ritual coming from Harrowpoint Island, Washington and the new team traveled there to rescue Dani. What they found was that the Dooommaidens had already been resurrected in the catacombs of the town. They fought the Doommaidens and saved Dani, escaping with their lives, but not before it was revealed that Brunnhilde was once part of the Doommaidens. They escaped to one of Misty Knight’s safe houses in New York and regrouped. Brunnhilde needed time alone, but Annabelle decided to check in on her. She found Brunnhilde defeated and after she expressed how she had been lied to by Odin, Annabelle encouraged her to rest. Their hands touched and Brunnhilde walked away leaving Annabelle to, thinking she was an idiot. Annabelle followed and overheard Brunnhilde telling Misty she was leaving with Hippolyta and Dani with the intention of slowing the Doomaidens down. Annabelle and Misty stayed behind with Misty calling in some Heroes for Hire as backup.
Annabelle, Misty, and the Heroes for Hire met up with Brunnhilde, Hippolyta, and Dani far away from civilization in Descanso de Deus, Brazil. When Hero for Hire Thundra asked why Annabelle was there, Brunnhilde called her a Valkyrie but ordered her to stay with Misty who could protect her. The heroes fought the Doommaidens and their dragons, led by Caroline le Fay and her murderous mercenary Mr. Raven. When things looked dire, Brunnhilde used Dani’s connection to the underworld to awaken her Doommaiden persona, Maiden of Rage. Rage defeated the Doommaidens but didn’t stop there and attacked the heroes. When they were knocked out cold, she began to move towards a nearby village. The only person left standing was Annabelle, who took up Valkyrie’s sword Dragonfang and confronted Rage. Annabelle tried to talk her down and refused to idly stand by, reminding her of the shield maiden’s purpose. Brunnhilde broke free from Rage’s control for just a second, but she couldn’t stop what happened next: Rage killed Annabelle, but Annabelle’s efforts didn’t die in vain. Brunnhilde regained control of her body and with her head down, she brought the deceased Annabelle back to the recovering heroes. Disppointed in her betrayal, Misty punched Brunnhilde and left her there with Annabelle’s body.
Annabelle, however, had moved on and been welcomed to Valhalla since she embodied a Valkyrie’s code of conduct, and was killed on the field of battle. Although, she didn’t feel like she belonged and blamed Brunnhilde for killing her. Staying in bed, frustrated from the so-called paradise she now resided in, she heard people calling her name and when she left her room, Valkyrie was looking for her with the sorceress Clea, exiled ruler of the Dark Dimension. Valkyrie explained that what happened to her was unjust and told her she deserved to live. Offering her hand, Annabelle took it and Clea began a ritual to raise the dead. She was returned to the land of the living but there was a catch. The only way for Annabelle to revive was to share a body with Brunnhilde. The pair couldn’t exist in the same space at the same time, except in a pocket realm within the mists of Valhalla. Annabelle believed that she was bonded to Brunnhilde to keep her from giving into her dark side.
The Fearless Defenders, now with monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone on their team, helped save new Inhuman Ren Kimura from an attack by the Wardogs of Thanos and le Fay. Le Fay had gathered a new group of empowered Super Villains to harvest new Inhumans. Though, first meeting Ren as Valkyrie, Annabelle revealed herself and offered her hand out to help her. Ren was hesitant to accept her hand since her fingers were like razors, a result of the Terrigen Mists she was exposed to, but Annabelle was unphased by Ren’s hands which ultimately drew blood. They soon developed a romantic relationship, sharing a kiss and a bed in New Amazonia while celebrating with Hippolyta’s Amazons. After a fight with Aradnea, an Atlantean witch and mother of all monsters, Caroline le Fay made her return, hoping to recruit the Amazons to fulfill her own nefarious ends by offering them war not peace. Soon after, Annabelle and the Fearless Defenders went up against le Fay’s Doom Maidens, but Brunnhilde retreats, claiming to need time alone. Annabelle confronted her in the pocket realm and demanded that she join the fight—that it was her responsibility as a Valkyrie. Brunnhilde revealed that she sensed the bargain Annabelle made with the All-Mother: to be Brunnhilde’s master, but Annabelle resolved to talk about it later. They exchanged words about how they were becoming more like the other person and Brunnhilde agreed to rejoin the fight. After seemingly defeating le Fay, by her self-immolation in a mystical fiery pit, Annabelle and the team rejoiced.
With Valkyrie still part of her, Annabelle joined the Asgardians of the Galaxy, a team coordinated by Kid Loki, to help retrieve and secure the Naglfar Beacon, an ancient beacon that could call upon the Naglfar Armada, an army of soulless gods. To do so, they had to face off with space pirate Nebula, who had stolen the beacon, and swiftly defeated her. On their way to Asgard to safeguard the beacon, they discovered that Midgard was the only realm left standing in a War of the Realms started by Malekith the Dark Elf. While Brunnhilde’s fought Malekith, he stabbed her in the back, and she suffered a fatal wound. In the pocket realm, Brunnhilde said her goodbyes to Annabelle, encouraging her to help in the fight against Malekith. Meanwhile, with Annabelle lost in the mists, Clea contacted Annabelle’s girlfriend Ren Kimura to track her down. They were joined by the Asgardians of the Galaxy and rescued Annabelle, returning her to the land of the living once again. Once returned, Annabelle’s girlfriend encouraged her to leave the fighting to the gods, but Annabelle kissed her and insisted that they stay and fight. They defeated their enemies though became separated from some of the other Asgardians.
