Doctor Helen Cho is a world-renowned geneticist and an ally of the Avengers. She was called to Avengers Tower to assist the Avengers with her research and technology in the war against HYDRA. She also co-created Vision while under Ultron's mind control.
Biography
Working with the Avengers
Saving Clint Barton
- "The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. His cells don’t know they’re bonding with simulacrum."
"She is creating tissue." - ―Helen Cho and Bruce Banner[src]
Cho and Maria Hill await the Avengers
Cho was called to Avengers Tower by Tony Stark after Clint Barton was injured in a battle against HYDRA and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. She was invited to set up her equipment in Bruce Banner's lab, where she had worked before, and awaited the Avengers' arrival alongside Maria Hill. Once the Avengers arrived, Cho quickly addressed Barton's injuries and had him moved into the lab.
Cho successfully saves Clint Barton's life
Cho used a machine called the Cradle to rebuild Clint Barton's damaged skin, saving his life in mere minutes. Once Barton was stable and joking about living forever, Cho explained how the machine worked, greatly impressing Bruce Banner and the others watching. When Cho suggested that Barton's own girlfriend would not be able to tell the difference, Barton insisted he did not have a girlfriend. Tony Stark later invited Cho to a party the team was having to celebrate their victory. At first, she declined but changed her mind when she learned that Thor would be attending.[1]
Victory Celebration
Cho hides from Ultron during the fight
- "I expect to see you at the party on Saturday."
"Unlike you, I don’t have a lot of time for parties. Will Thor be there?" - ―Tony Stark and Helen Cho[src]
Cho attended the party and stayed behind after many of the guests had returned home. During the after-party, many of the Avengers challenged themselves to lift Mjølnir while Cho watched. They were interrupted by Ultron, an AI robot accidentally created by Tony Stark, who attacked the group. Cho found a place to hide behind a grand piano during the Attack on Avengers Tower. When a corrupted Iron Legion drone attempted to kill Cho, Ultron signaled for it not to fire and spared her life.
Before long, the Avengers managed to overpower and defeat Ultron, although the AI's mind disappeared through the internet. The group gathered in Tony Stark's lab where they discussed what they had witnessed. Cho questioned why the design Stark had built had turned against him and watched the Earth's Mightiest Heroes turned against one another as they discussed how Stark and Bruce Banner could have created the being in the first place and what they could do to destroy it. While the Avengers travelled the world to hunt down and destroy Ultron, Cho returned to her lab in Seoul to continue her own work.[1]
Creating Vision
Ultron takes control over Cho's mind
- "The Vibranium atoms aren’t just compatible with the tissue cells, they’re binding them. And S.H.I.E.L.D. never even thought…"
"The most versatile substance on the planet and they used it to make a Frisbee. Typical of humans." - ―Helen Cho and Ultron[src]
While working with her team of scientists on the U-GIN Genetic Research Facility in Seoul, Cho returned to her lab to find Ultron was waiting for her with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. He explained to her the reason why he spared her life, foreseeing her usefulness in his future plans, and threatened to kill her work staff if she alerted them. Ultron then used the Scepter on her to control her.
She assisted Ultron in building a human-like body for him using her technology from the Cradle, which was given life when the gem from the Scepter was placed onto its forehead. When Scarlet Witch touched the Cradle, she saw what Ultron's main goal was, to destroy all human life on Earth. Horrified, she freed Cho from the hypnosis so that she could stop him. Cho recovered her senses and proceeded to disconnect Ultron from the uplink. She was consequently shot with a concussive blast by Ultron while Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch escaped.
Cho is rescued by Captain America
While Ultron attempted to escape with the Cradle, Cho recovered from her injuries. Captain America later entered the facility and tended to her wounds; however, she told him about Ultron's plan to use the Cradle, warning Rogers that the Cradle must be recovered but not destroyed as the power inside the Mind Stone had the potential to destroy all of Seoul. Cho survived Ultron's blast and her work gave birth to the Vision, a powerful robot with the mind of J.A.R.V.I.S. who helped the Avengers destroy Ultron.[1]
Back in the Field
Cho and Hill in the New Avengers Facility
Due to her continued impressive work for the Avengers in creating the Vision, Cho was invited to work with the Avengers at their New Avengers Facility as a new team was trained under the leadership of Captain America and Black Widow. She and Maria Hill toured through the new laboratories filled with her team of scientists as they begun their work to assist the Avengers in keeping the world safe from all kinds of threats.[1]
Personality
Cho seems to be a very polite and friendly character. She is selfless; having built the Cradle which has the potential to save millions of lives. She has also displayed high levels of courage and quick thinking as shown when she immediately stopped the download of Ultron's programming into the Vision after being freed from his control. She seems to be upbeat and have a very motivated nature. She doesn't seem to be particularly sociable, declining her invitation to the party and only changing her mind when she discovered that Thor would be in attendance. Whilst under the control of the Mind Stone, Cho appears to be enthusiastic towards helping Ultron and was keen to experiment to create Vision.
Abilities
- Genius-Level Intellect: Cho is one of the most brilliant geniuses in the world, her intellect rivaled that of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner.
- Master Scientist: Being a world famous geneticist, Cho has tremendous knowledge and unmatched understanding in the fields of cell biology having invented the Cradle, a machine that can regenerate skin tissue, something that amazed even the likes of Bruce Banner. Ultron kept Cho alive when he realized how important she could have been to his plans. She also co-created Vision, Ultron's desired body who ultimately became an Avenger.
- Master Physician: Cho could apply her knowledge of cell biology and genetics for healing purposes, having created the Cradle and other gadgetry highly useful to the Avengers for medical purposes.
- Multilingual: Cho speaks her native language, Korean, and fluent English.
Relationships
Allies
- Avengers
- Tony Stark/Iron Man - Employer
- Steve Rogers/Captain America
- Thor - Crush
- Bruce Banner/Hulk
- Clint Barton/Hawkeye
- Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
- Vision - Co-Creation
- Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver † - Enemy turned Ally
- Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch - Enemy turned Ally and Liberator
- James Rhodes/War Machine
- Sam Wilson/Falcon
- Nick Fury
- Maria Hill
- Erik Selvig - Colleague
Enemies
- Ultron † - Temporary Enslaver
Trivia
- In the comics, Helen Cho is the mother of Amadeus Cho. Amadeus appeared in The Incredible Hulk but seems to have no connection to Helen.
- Cho has a crush on Thor, as she attended Tony Stark's party mainly to see him.
