Elektra (October 7, 1980) This Day In Comics

Elektra was born on a Greek island near the Aegean Sea. She first appeared in Daredevil #168 (October 7, 1980).

Her mother gives premature birth to Elektra just before dying. When a nine-year-old Elektra was assaulted by kidnappers, the men were all killed by Orestez, who had grown into an accomplished martial artist after leaving home. Orestez advised his father that Elektra needed to learn self-defense. Hugo hired a sensei to teach her the martial arts. Hugo Natchios eventually served as a Greek ambassador to the United States. 19-year-old Elektra attended Columbia University, New York City,New York.

There, Elektra began dating classmate Matt Murdock. A year later, Elektra and her father were kidnapped by terrorists. A rescue attempt by Matt went wrong, and Hugo Natchios was gunned down. Elektra lost faith and hope. She quit Columbia and returned to China to study martial arts. Stick, a member of the benevolent organization called the Chaste, recognized the darkness in her soul and attempted to train her himself, but she ultimately sided with the Hand, a sect of mystical ninja who trained her as an assassin. She later broke away from them and became an independent agent, and in this role she again encountered Matt Murdock, who was now active as Daredevil. She defeated Daredevil in her mission to kill the criminal Alarich Wallenquist. However, she failed her assignment, and Daredevil had to save her from being killed by Eric Slaughter, revealing his secret identity to her in the process.

Although the pair worked together to fight the Hand, they also came into conflict frequently. She soon became the chief assassin in the employ of New York City’s premier crime lord, the Kingpin. Elektra was fatally stabbed by Bullseye with one of her own sai in a battle over which of them would be the Kingpin’s assassin.

Elektra (October 7, 1980) This Day In Comics