Elizabeth "Liz" Sherman is a pyrokinetic human woman, and a field agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. At age eleven, she destroyed an entire city block, killing thirty-two people—including her parents and younger brother. Since then, she has been a ward of the Bureau, fighting evil forces and learning to live with her abilities.
Appearance[]
Liz Sherman is seen as a young but beautiful woman with an aura of introversy, having fair skin, hazel colored eyes, and blackish brown hair. She would wear the typical uniform of the bureau but more often sticks to outfits with a black coloration such as black tank tops, jeans, and boots. Originally her hair was a bob cut until she allowed it to grow past her shoulders due to compliments from Milo Thatch. Whenever Liz uses her powers, she becomes engulfed in a torrent of flames, with the first sign being her eyes glowing a bright orange.
History[]
Background[]
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 15, 1962, Liz had a normal childhood until her pyrokinetic abilities began to manifest themselves when she was ten. Raised Catholic, Liz felt that the fires were a result of her sins, and for a short time managed to keep the fires under control by a combination of prayer and sheer force of will. Her parents occasionally found evidence of the fires, but seem to have been unsure how to approach it or didn't believe it was pyrokinesis.
In July 1973, Liz thought the problem had gone away. But at a neighborhood birthday party, a boy pulled hard on her ponytails, surprising the young girl. In the ensuing fire, an entire city block was destroyed. Thirty-two people were killed in the flames, including Liz's entire family and home. Firefighters discovered Liz, miraculously unharmed, standing in the middle of the smoldering rubble among the bodies.
Agent of the Bureau[]
The B.P.R.D. was called to the scene and wanted to take custody of Liz immediately, but the request was denied by Liz's family, who refused to believe that she was the cause. They soon learned otherwise as small fires began to flare up out of her control. Over the next ten months, Liz grew increasingly depressed as she was passed from relative to relative; her extended family became understandably afraid of her destructive powers, and finally rescinded custody to the Bureau in May 1974.
Her isolation was broken by Hellboy, who came into the room with a lollipop as a way to break the ice. The large red demon eventually became her closest friend and older brother figure for most of her life. Hellboy helped Liz to come out of her shell and adjust to life at the Bureau. For the next six years, Liz and Hellboy remained extremely close; he traveled frequently on assignment but made sure to check on her regularly as she trained with the B.P.R.D. and slowly developed tenuous control of her abilities. Overtime, she became a reliable and powerful agent of the Bureau, with her flames acting as the trump card of the B.P.R.D. She was also instrumental during the Apocalypse and became part of the Dark Knight Initiative through the B.P.R.D.
Personality[]
Elizabeth Sherman is a quiet, shy and introverted individual who suffers from deep guilt and lack of self-esteem over her rampant powers. While she would at times willingly join her comrades during certain missions, she would only do so if it does not involve her using her pyrokinetic abilities as she believes that her own powers pose a danger to not only herself but also her loved ones.
Whenever Liz would use her powers, she would begin to lose control and enters a trance-like state, requiring outside forces to snap her out of it. This resulted in her isolating herself more and more until someone like Hellboy would break her out of her episodes, something she is quite honestly grateful for as her self-isolation would prompt her to have dark thoughts.
Nonetheless, Liz speaks with an air of sarcasm but combined with pessimistic or cynical quips. Due to her upbringing, she has a hard time smiling or laughing but when she does she becomes a friend. She is not one to socialize much but she is very caring and humble towards others, especially individuals that she considers as kindred spirits.