When most people hear the name Medusa they think of a woman with hair made of snakes and a glare that turns men to stone. But for Marvel fans, the name carries a different, albeit equally terrifying, meaning. So just how much do you know about this red-headed villainess turned heroine?

Medusalith Amaquelin Boltagon, alternatively Medusa or Madam Medusa, debuted in Fantastic Four #36 in 1965. Like most Marvel Comics in the ’60s, she was the brain child of writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Medusa grew up as royalty on the Inhuman city-state of Attilan, where most children were exposed and mutated by Terrigen mists. Similar to mythology's Medusa, much of her power lies within the strands of her hair. Every strand has greater strength, elasticity, and shear resistance than an iron wire. She uses psychokinetic ability to animate her hair for a number of feats, and can psionically move her hair in any manner imaginable. Like most Inhumans, Medusa also possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes.

During her adolescent years, Medusa would visit her distant cousin Black Bolt in confinement. Black Bolt's abilities lie in his voice, because of this he has undergone rigorous training to never utter a sound. Medusa became skilled at interpreting Black Bolt's body language, and through her many visits fell in love with him. Unfortunately, his brother Maximus the Mad intervened and caused an accident resulting in Medusa suffering from amnesia. Through this time, Medusa joined the quartet The Frightful Four, who were the Silver Age nemesis of the Fantastic Four. Medusa served the team well and even defeated Sue Storm (The Invisible Girl) several times.

Eventually, Medusa's senses retuned and she joined forces with the Fantastic Four, even becoming a temporary replacement for a time. Black Bolt had been searching for Medusa and once reunited with her, they married and returned to Attilan. Black Bolt was made King of the Inhumans, making Medusa his Queen, Royal consort, and interpreter. When Medusa became pregnant, the Attilan Genetics Council feared her child would possess the same insanity of Maximus. After fleeing to Earth to live anonymously in the desert, Medusa gave birth to a beautiful boy named Ahura. Later on, Medusa reconciled with Black Bolt and returned to Attilan with her son.

Whew, and you thought soap operas were complicated…Inhuman drama is way worse.