Riptide

RIPTIDE

Real Name: Leanne Michaels

Current Alias: Riptide

Identity: Public

Alignment: Good

Affiliation: Youngblood (Home Team)

---

Overview

Riptide is a foundational member of the Youngblood Home Team, serving as their primary elemental manipulator and high-speed aquatic specialist. Known for her vibrant blue aesthetic and mastery over water, Leanne Michaels is a celebrity hero whose career has been marked by both immense popularity and significant internal team controversy. Her presence on the team provided the Home Team with versatile crowd-control capabilities and a unique tactical advantage in coastal and maritime operations.

---

Origin

Leanne Michaels’ history is deeply connected to the legacy of superhuman experimentation within the United States. She is the daughter of a legendary government operative, though her relationship with her father’s legacy was often fraught with tension. Born with a latent Nu-Gene that granted her control over water molecules, Leanne was groomed for the superhero spotlight from a young age.

Her recruitment into the Youngblood program was a centerpiece of the initiative’s media strategy, portraying her as the “all-American” face of the next generation of government-sanctioned heroes.

---

Creation

Riptide was created by artist and writer Rob Liefeld, making her first appearance in Youngblood #1 in April 1992. Her design, featuring a specialized suit that allowed for maximum maneuverability in and out of the water, was intended to evoke the fluidity of her power set.

---

Character Evolution

Riptide’s narrative is famously tragic within the Extreme Universe. While she initially enjoyed the fame and celebrity status afforded to Youngblood members, she became the center of a dark mystery following her sudden and violent death.

Her murder, initially attributed to an outside threat, was eventually revealed to have been committed by her teammate Chapel during a moment of mental instability. The investigation into her death and the subsequent cover-up by government handlers became a major turning point for the series, exposing the corruption beneath the polished surface of the Youngblood program and leading to significant roster changes.

---

Powers and Abilities

• Hydro-Kinesis: Riptide can mentally manipulate water, allowing her to create crushing tidal waves, high-pressure water jets, and defensive “water-walls”.
• Aquatic Adaptation: She can breathe underwater indefinitely and is immune to the crushing pressures of the deep ocean.
• High-Speed Swimming: She can propel herself through water at speeds exceeding 100 knots.
• Dehydration: In high-stakes combat, she has shown the ability to draw moisture out of the air or, more rarely, out of a target’s body to cause rapid fatigue.
• Martial Arts: As a Youngblood operative, she received elite hand-to-hand combat training, specializing in styles that utilize her momentum and flexibility.

---

Vital Statistics

Property	Detail
Height	5′ 9″
Weight	135 lbs.
Eyes	Blue
Hair	Blue
Status	Deceased