Summary

  • Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4 introduces Marvel-themed skins, including the unique addition of Gwenpool, sparking player excitement.
  • Gwenpool originates from Marvel Comics, with a complex backstory that involves breaking the fourth wall and interacting with Earth-1218.
  • Despite her appearances in Marvel games and now Fortnite, Gwenpool's character struggles with existential questions and her place in a fictional world.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4, titled Absolute Doom, has gained significant attention for its Marvel-themed skins, cosmetics, and characters. Alongside Captain America Jonesy, Peelverine, and Doctor Doom, Gwenpool’s addition has sparked excitement as well. However, some players may not be familiar with Gwenpool’s character.

Players might recognize Gwenpool as a Marvel Comics character rather than a Fortnite original. Her name can be misleading, leading some to think she's a blend of Gwen Stacy and Deadpool. While this isn't entirely inaccurate, her backstory is much more complex.

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Gwenpool's Origins in Marvel Comics

Gwenpool's Backstory Stands Out as One of Marvel's Most Unique

Gwenpool initially began as a concept by Chris Bachalo in 2015. Her first appearance was on the cover of Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars #2, though at that point, she had yet to develop a backstory. The Gwen Variant series was designated as a celebration of Spider-Gwen, wherein many versions of Gwen Stacy were mashed up with other Marvel characters such as Thor, Groot, Captain America, and Wolverine. While none of these iterations stuck, the version of Gwen that borrowed features from Deadpool quickly gained traction online, inspiring fan art and cosplays of the character.

As for how she came to be a superhero, Gwendolyn Poole originally hails from the "real" universe, which is designated as Earth-1218. In this world, superheroes are merely fictional characters owned by Marvel Comics. A dedicated Marvel fan, Gwen escapes the realities of her life by immersing herself in comic books, longing to inhabit their fantastical world. In a mysterious turn of events, one day Gwen is thrust into the Marvel Universe, mirroring the Japanese isekai trope where characters are transported to an alternate reality.

Gwenpool's Unique Abilities Allow Her to Break the Fourth Wall

Recognizing the predicament, Gwen quickly concludes that she must become a significant character in this new reality to avoid becoming an "extra." Therefore, she heads to Big Ronnie's Custom Battle Spandex to acquire a tailored superhero outfit. When the costume designer inquires about her name, she mistakenly believes "Gwen Poole" must mean "Gwenpool," and assumes she desires a costume reminiscent of Deadpool's.

"When the costume designer inquires about her name, she mistakenly believes 'Gwen Poole' must mean 'Gwenpool,' and assumes she desires a costume reminiscent of Deadpool's."

Notably, Gwen is aware that she exists in a comic book universe, allowing her to frequently break the fourth wall and communicate with people on Earth-1218. She frequently surprises superheroes by revealing that she knows everything about them, including their secret identities. Suited with a happy-go-lucky personality and loose morals, Gwen periodically finds herself in dangerous situations because of her theory that consequences in the Marvel Universe don't truly matter.

Since Gwen lacks standard superhero powers, her greatest asset is her extensive comic book knowledge. She can often be seen leaping through the white space of panels, referred to as 'Gutter Space,' and manipulating comic book text to transform her surroundings. This self-aware meta-breaking ability is comparable to She-Hulk and Deadpool.

Gwenpool's Relationships in the Comic Books

Gwenpool Fortnite Casual Outfit

Interestingly, despite Gwenpool donning a Deadpool pin on her costume in Fortnite, the two haven't always seen eye to eye in their comic-book encounters. When asked to share her comic book knowledge of Deadpool in The Unbelievable Gwenpool #13, she states that she doesn't read Deadpool because "he's just a little too 'LOL memes'" and constantly clutters up comic book pages with his multiple speech bubbles. Conversely, Deadpool views Gwenpool with disdain, considering her an inferior imitation of himself.

Due to her belief that she's the only "real" person in a fictional universe, Gwen often makes questionable choices. Ultimately, her narrative is a surprisingly existential tale of a girl struggling to find her place in a world she doesn't feel she belongs to. With Gwenpool recently appearing in Marvel Snap and Fortnite, and her pet Jeff the Land Shark featured in Marvel Rivals, it seems Earth-1218 is starting to recognize just how uniquely compelling this superheroine is.

Gwenpool has also made appearances in Marvel Future Fight, Marvel Strike Force, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Marvel Contest of Champions, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, and Marvel Duel.