Old Lace

• Core Identity: A genetically engineered Deinonychus from the 88th century bound by a powerful tele-empathic link to a member of the runaways, serving as the team's loyal protector, heavy-hitter, and emotional anchor.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: Old Lace is far more than a simple pet or beast of war; she is a core member of the runaways, intrinsically linked to the team's emotional state through her psychic bond, first with gertrude_yorkes and later with chase_stein. She functions as the team's primary physical powerhouse and unwavering guardian.
• Primary Impact: Her existence is a constant, living reminder of the bizarre and dangerous legacy of the Runaways' supervillain parents, the_pride. The tele-empathic bond she shares with her human companion is one of the most unique and emotionally resonant relationships in Marvel Comics, defining the lives and tragic deaths of her partners.
• Key Incarnations: The fundamental difference between her comic and MCU origins lies in time. In the Earth-616 comics, she is a custom-designed creature from the 88th century, brought back in time by Gert's time-traveling parents. In the MCU's Runaways television series, she is a modern-day creation of the Yorkes' brilliant but misguided bio-engineering experiments, streamlining her origin for a more grounded narrative.

Old Lace first charged onto the comic book scene in Runaways Vol. 1 #2, published in August 2003. She was co-created by the seminal creative team of writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona. Her creation was integral to the core concept of Runaways, a series designed to subvert typical teen superhero tropes. The premise—that a group of kids discovers their parents are a cabal of supervillains—required each child to inherit or discover a unique aspect of their parents' legacy. For the cynical and brilliant Gertrude Yorkes, Vaughan and Alphona eschewed a standard superpower in favor of something far more visually and narratively compelling: a telepathically linked dinosaur. The choice of a Deinonychus, a dromaeosaurid often popularly (though inaccurately) referred to as a “raptor,” was a direct and clever nod to the cultural phenomenon of Jurassic Park. It instantly provided the team with a unique and powerful visual hook. Giving the “nerdy, sarcastic girl” the “coolest pet imaginable” was a deliberate character choice, creating an immediate and iconic pairing. The name “Old Lace” itself is a piece of character-building, a reference made by Gert to the classic 1944 film Arsenic and Old Lace, perfectly encapsulating her blend of classic pop culture knowledge and acerbic wit, as she intended to take the name “Arsenic” for herself.

The specific details of Old Lace's creation differ significantly between the prime comic universe and the live-action adaptation, reflecting the different narrative needs of each medium.

In the primary Marvel continuity, Old Lace's origin is inextricably linked to the secret lives of Gertrude's parents, Dale and Stacey Yorkes. While they presented themselves as simple antique dealers, they were in fact criminal time-travelers and key members of The Pride. Their frequent journeys through the timestream allowed them access to wonders far beyond the 21st century. During one such trip to the 88th century, a time of advanced genetic engineering, the Yorkes commissioned a unique gift for their daughter. They requested a custom-designed, genetically engineered Deinonychus, modified for superior intelligence, loyalty, and, most importantly, the capacity for a permanent tele-empathic bond with a specific individual—their daughter, Gertrude. This creature was not a prehistoric animal brought forward in time, but a bespoke creation of future science, designed from the ground up to be the perfect guardian and companion. The Yorkes brought the dinosaur back to their own time and kept her hidden in a secret, climate-controlled chamber beneath their Los Angeles home. It was here that the Runaways, fleeing their parents after discovering their sacrificial rituals, stumbled upon her. The moment Gertrude laid eyes on the dinosaur, the latent psychic link flared to life. Gert, initially terrified, quickly realized the creature mirrored her own feelings of fear and confusion. She instinctively understood their connection and, in a moment of inspired pop-culture referencing, named her “Old Lace.” From that point forward, Old Lace became a non-negotiable part of the team, her fierce loyalty to Gert making her the Runaways' most dependable and dangerous member.

The Hulu television series Runaways, set within the broader continuity of the MCU (specifically, Earth-199999), presented a more scientifically grounded and contemporary origin for Old Lace. In this version, Dale and Stacey Yorkes are not time-travelers but brilliant, albeit morally compromised, bio-engineers. Their company, Synnergy Bioengineering, works on cutting-edge genetic science. This iteration of Old Lace was created in their modern-day laboratory, hidden in the basement of their home. The project was ostensibly a scientific breakthrough, but its true purpose was deeply personal: a living, breathing guardian for their daughter, Gert, whom they loved but also feared for in their dangerous world. The tele-empathic link was not a product of 88th-century super-science but a result of a complex neurological interface designed by Stacey Yorkes, linking the dinosaur's brain chemistry to Gert's. As in the comics, the Runaways discover Old Lace while hiding in the Yorkes' basement. The activation of the psychic bond is a key plot point, with Gert's anxiety medication initially dampening the connection. Once she stops taking it, the link solidifies, and she finds she can communicate with and command the dinosaur through shared emotions and mental commands. This change from a time-travel artifact to a contemporary genetic experiment served several purposes for the show: it simplified the complex backstory of The Pride, reduced the need for expensive and complicated time-travel exposition, and rooted the fantastic element of a pet dinosaur in a more plausible (for the MCU) scientific context.

Old Lace's capabilities are a unique blend of prehistoric ferocity and futuristic biotechnology, making her a formidable presence on any battlefield.

• Genetically-Engineered Deinonychus Physiology: Old Lace is not a naturally occurring dinosaur. She is a superior specimen engineered for combat and loyalty.
• Superhuman Strength: While her exact strength level is unquantified, she has demonstrated the ability to tear through steel doors, shatter concrete, and effortlessly lift and throw full-grown humans. She can easily overpower multiple armed assailants at once.
• Superhuman Speed and Agility: As a dromaeosaurid, she is incredibly fast and nimble, capable of closing distances with shocking speed and leaping great heights. Her agility allows her to navigate complex environments and outmaneuver opponents.
• Enhanced Durability: Her scaly hide is tougher than that of a normal reptile, granting her resistance to small-arms fire and blunt force trauma. However, she is not invulnerable and has been seriously injured by high-caliber weaponry and powerful superhumans like daken.
• Natural Weaponry: Her primary offensive tools are her biological weapons. Her mouth is filled with dozens of serrated, razor-sharp teeth capable of slicing through flesh and bone. Her most iconic weapon is the enlarged, sickle-shaped claw on the second toe of each foot, which she uses to disembowel and incapacitate her targets with terrifying efficiency.
• Tele-Empathic Link: This is her defining and most critical “power.” It is a two-way psychic bond that connects her mind and emotions directly to her designated human partner.
• Mental Command: Gertrude, and later Chase, can issue complex commands to Old Lace purely through thought. This allows for perfect coordination in combat without the need for verbal cues.
• Emotional Symbiosis: The link is deeply empathic. If Gert or Chase feels fear, pain, or anger, Old Lace feels it too, often responding with heightened aggression. Conversely, any physical injury Old Lace sustains is psychically transmitted as pain to her human partner. This is a significant weakness, as harming one can incapacitate the other.
• Finite Range: The link has a limited, though considerable, range. If Old Lace and her partner are separated by too great a distance, the connection weakens and eventually breaks, causing distress for both.
• Personality and Intelligence: Old Lace possesses a level of intelligence far exceeding that of a normal animal, a result of her genetic engineering. She demonstrates complex problem-solving, strategic thinking in battle, and a deep emotional range. She is fiercely, almost suicidally, protective of her human partner and the Runaways as a whole. She has displayed clear signs of grief, affection, loyalty, and rage. She is not a mere beast but a sentient character who communicates through action and emotion.

The MCU's version of Old Lace in the Runaways series retains the core aspects of her comic book counterpart, with some adaptations for live-action storytelling.

• Physiology and Appearance: Visually, Old Lace was brought to life through a combination of practical puppetry and CGI. Her design is largely faithful to a modern paleontological understanding of a Deinonychus. Her physical abilities—strength, speed, and weaponry—are depicted as formidable, allowing her to easily dispatch Jonah's private security and other threats. Her durability is shown to be high, but she is still vulnerable to advanced weaponry.
• Tele-Empathic Link: The show places a strong visual and narrative emphasis on the link.
• Visual Representation: The connection is often shown from Gert's perspective, with her vision cutting to what Old Lace is seeing. The shared pain is a recurring plot device, used for both dramatic tension and to track one another's location.
• Command and Control: Gert's control is less about silent, precise commands and more about a general empathic direction. She “feels” what Old Lace should do, and the dinosaur responds to her emotional state. This makes their interactions feel more organic and less like a master-and-pet relationship.
• The Transfer: The transfer of the link to Chase in the final season follows the comic's precedent after Gert's (temporary) death. The show explores the emotional weight of this, with Chase struggling to manage the bond and the constant psychic reminder of his loss.
• Personality: The show's creators used Old Lace as a key non-verbal character. Her personality is expressed through her body language and actions. She is shown to be curious, playful with the Runaways in moments of peace, and utterly terrifying when they are threatened. The practical puppet allowed for intimate scenes that highlighted her connection to Gert, making their bond a believable and central emotional arc of the series.

• Gertrude “Gert” Yorkes: The single most important relationship in Old Lace's life. They are two halves of a whole. Gert, who often felt like an outsider, found in Old Lace an unconditional and powerful form of acceptance and protection. In turn, Old Lace's existence was defined by her mission to protect Gert. They were “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a perfect, snarky, and deeply loving pair. Gert's death was the greatest trauma of Old Lace's life, a psychic wound that echoed long after the physical loss.
• Chase Stein: After Gert's death, her dying act was to psychically transfer her bond with Old Lace to her boyfriend, Chase Stein. This act burdened Chase with a profound responsibility. Initially, the shared pain and constant psychic presence of Old Lace was a torturous reminder of his failure to save Gert. Over time, however, their relationship evolved into a true partnership. Chase became Old Lace's protector and caretaker, and Old Lace became Chase's living link to Gert's legacy. Their bond is one of shared grief and mutual protection, different from her bond with Gert, but just as deep.
• The Runaways: Old Lace is the unofficial mascot and the definitive heavy-hitter of the team. She is deeply protective of all the members, especially the youngest, Molly Hayes. While her primary loyalty is to her bonded partner, her actions have saved every member of the team on multiple occasions. She is a stabilizing, non-judgmental presence in their chaotic lives.

• The Pride: As the organization of the Runaways' parents, The Pride was Old Lace's first set of adversaries. While the Yorkes created her out of a twisted form of love for Gert, they still represented the threat that the Runaways were fighting against. Old Lace did not hesitate to attack any member of The Pride who threatened Gert or the team.
• Geoffrey Wilder: The man directly responsible for Gert's death. The future version of Alex Wilder's father, Geoffrey, traveled back in time and fatally stabbed Gert. Old Lace's rage and grief in this moment were immense, and she would forever view him as the ultimate enemy.
• Daken: During the “Dark Reign” era, the Runaways had a violent confrontation with Daken, the psychopathic son of wolverine. Seeking to manipulate the team, Daken engaged them in a brutal fight and grievously wounded Old Lace, slicing her open with his claws. This event was traumatic for both Old Lace and Chase, highlighting her vulnerability to truly high-tier threats and strengthening Chase's resolve to protect her.

• runaways: Old Lace's one and only true affiliation. She is a founding member in spirit, present from their very first days on the run. Her identity is completely intertwined with the team's.
• The Yorkes Family: A complex affiliation of creation. She was made by them and for one of them. This makes her relationship with Dale and Stacey Yorkes one of the most complicated in the series, a mix of creator/creation and enemy/enemy.

This foundational storyline introduces Old Lace to the Marvel Universe. When the kids go on the run after witnessing their parents murder a young girl, they seek refuge and supplies in their own homes. In the Yorkes' basement, they discover the hidden dinosaur. The immediate, instinctual activation of the tele-empathic link between her and Gert establishes their core relationship. Throughout this first arc, Old Lace proves her worth immediately, serving as the team's much-needed muscle in their initial skirmishes with The Pride, solidifying her role as the group's guardian.

This is arguably the most pivotal storyline in Old Lace's history. During a confrontation with a time-traveling Geoffrey Wilder, the villain bypasses the team's powers and fatally stabs Gert. In her final moments, with the team's time-traveling benefactor, a future version of Gert, unable to intervene, Gert uses her last breath to perform a selfless act. Knowing Old Lace would be lost and uncontrolled without their psychic link, she begs Chase to take on the bond. She transfers the tele-empathic connection to him, saying, “Take care of her. I love you.” Old Lace's raw, animalistic grief, mirrored by Chase's own, is a gut-wrenching moment that permanently alters the team's dynamic and sets both Chase and Old Lace on a new, tragic path.

In this controversial series, arcade kidnaps sixteen super-powered teenagers, including Chase and Old Lace, and forces them to fight to the death in his new Murderworld. This storyline pushed the Chase/Old Lace bond to its absolute limit. Early in the conflict, Old Lace is severely burned and injured in an attack by Apex. Chase is forced to become her full-time caretaker, desperately trying to keep her alive while fighting for his own survival. Her vulnerability underscores the immense danger of their situation, and their shared trauma deepens their co-dependent relationship, cementing them as survivors.

Years after her death, Chase succeeds in a risky plan involving time travel to rescue Gert from the moment of her death, bringing her to the present. The reunion between Gert and Old Lace is a profoundly emotional highlight of the new series. However, the situation is complicated. The psychic link, which had been solely with Chase for years, does not simply revert. Both Chase and Gert now share a connection to Old Lace, leading to a complex and sometimes confusing psychic triangle. This storyline explores the lasting impact of trauma and how relationships, even psychic ones, can change and adapt over time.

• Secret Wars (2015): In the Battleworld domain of Arcadia, ruled by A-Force, a version of Old Lace exists. She is part of the security detail for the team, fiercely loyal to the variant of nico_minoru who leads that domain's young heroes. This showcases her iconic role as a guardian, even in an alternate reality.
• Ultimate Marvel (Earth-1610): In the Ultimate Universe, a dinosaur that strongly resembles Old Lace makes a brief cameo during a sequence where the Ultimate X-Men visit the Savage Land. While not explicitly named, the visual homage is clear to longtime fans.
• Marvel Zombies: The dark reality of Earth-2149 features zombified versions of nearly all of Marvel's heroes and villains. In the Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness crossover, a zombified version of the Runaways, including Old Lace, is briefly seen, a grim testament to the fact that no corner of the multiverse is safe from the hunger plague.
• Video Game Adaptations: Old Lace has appeared as a playable or companion character in several video games. In LEGO Marvel's Avengers and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2, she is often a summonable character for Runaways members, using her bite and tail-swipe attacks to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Her inclusion highlights her status as a fan-favorite and integral part of the Runaways' brand.

• runaways
• gertrude_yorkes
• chase_stein
• the_pride
• brian_k_vaughan

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