When it comes to the world of DC Comics, there are few teams as strange and charismatic as the Doom Patrol. As with most teams, each member brings their own history, power and skills that further the squad’s story and mythology as a whole. One of Doom Patrol’s founding --and most unique-- members is Elasti-Girl.
Better known by some as Rita Farr, the once-famous-Hollywood-actress-turned-superhero is not only an iconic figure for the Doom Patrol, but was a breakout hit on DC Universe’s Doom Patrol show. She's still very mysterious, though, so here are ten things all DC fans should know about Elasti-Girl.
10 She Was An Olympic Swimmer
Any long-time fan of Rita Farr and the Doom Patrol knows that Rita is well known for being an iconic Hollywood starlet, reminiscent of the Hollywood stars of the 1940s and 50s. It was on a film shoot in Africa that Rita was exposed to the toxic gases that transformed her into a metahuman.
One of the things fans may not know is that Rita was also an Olympic Gold Medal swimmer. This showcases an athleticism and agility that may indeed have aided Rita in her transition into heroism, after joining the Doom Patrol many years later.
9 Married Hero Steve Dayton
While the show on DC Universe hinted at the romance between Rita Farr and Steve Dayton, the comics took the relationship much further and indicated the depths of the love the two had for one another. In the comics, Rita and Steve Dayton had actually gotten married.
Dayton was also known as the hero Mento. A wealthy man who built a special helmet to enhance his powers, Steve worked to impress Rita with his heroism. Despite clashing with some of the other members of the Doom Patrol, the two fell in love and ended up getting married.
8 Adopted Beast Boy
After Rita married Steve Dayton, the makeshift family they were building added a new member to the team. After enduring much hardship, the future hero Beast Boy, aka Garfield Logan, was adapted by Elasti-Girl and Mento, joining the Doom Patrol and the family Rita had begun to build for themselves.
A shape-shifting metahuman who can turn into any animal, the green-skinned, green-haired boy found a home with Rita and Steve. He would eventually go on to join the Teen Titans, however, after Rita was caught in the explosion that ended the first iteration of Doom Patrol.
7 Martian Manhunter Is A Fan
While it isn’t uncommon for teams in the world of comics to meet one another and embark on crossovers, it is always interesting to see larger-than-life heroes interact with fan favorites like Rita. This occurred during the JLA: Year One storyline, when she discovered an iconic Justice League member is a fan of her acting.
When speaking with Martian Manhunter, she learned J’onn J’onzz is a fan of hers. He loved her “chiller pictures” and had hoped she would return to the acting profession one day. She thanked him, kissing him on the cheek and suggesting he watch Sigourney Weaver.
6 Sacrificed Herself With Doom Patrol
One of the most memorable moments in the history of the Doom Patrol has to be when they faced their ultimate fate. When long-time enemies known as the Brotherhood of Evil (led by Madame Rogue at the time) threatened to destroy a small fishing village in New England, the Doom Patrol came to stop the chaos.
The time came, however, for the team to make the ultimate sacrifice. Rita joined the rest of the original team in sacrificing their lives in order to save the small fishing village. She would remain lost until the team’s retcon in 2004.
5 Brought Back By Superboy-Prime
In 2004, writer and artist John Byrne took it upon himself to revive Doom Patrol. The original team returned, including Rita Farr. Elasti-Girl would join the team on new adventures, until they learned the truth about what really happened to them after the explosion hit.
Rita remembered being on the island and then nothing but darkness. It was revealed that she had indeed passed away, and only lived now because of the actions of Superboy-Prime. He had been pounding on the barrier of reality itself, which altered certain events and memories in history, including the Doom Patrol's death.
4 Fought Two Major DC Villains
The events of Infinite Crisis included an iconic moment where the Secret Society of Super-Villains attacked the city of Metropolis, and the heroes of the DC Universe came together to do battle with them.
Rita joined that fight, and found herself fighting the iconic villain Giganta through the ruins of Metropolis. In the year following the event, during the series 52, Rita made a brief cameo in issue #50. Here she was seen battling none other than Black Adam, right next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
3 Regrown By Dr. Caulder
After the events of One Year Later, many of the events of the DC Universe were either retconned or wiped from continuity. This included the 2004 retcon of Doom Patrol by John Byrne. In this new continuity, Rita’s resurrection had a much more scientific (and darker) origin than previously thought.
It turns out that after the explosion that ended her life, Dr. Niles Caulder (having survived the blast) found a piece of her skull and took it with him. This led to him using his technology to regrow her body, as her powers made her body as a whole very malleable.
2 Brainwashed By The Chief
After her body was regrown and she returned to the land of the living, Rita’s personality changed, along with many of the other members of the Doom Patrol. She became very docile and very rarely questioned the Chief or his actions. The Chief theorized that her malleable form hampered her ability to think, which made her dependent on him.
However, Robin observed her with Caulder, and deduced he was actually using a form of mind control over her and some of the others. After the Chief berated Kid Devil, Mento stood up to the Chief, breaking Rita’s mind control as she stood by her husband’s side.
1 Became Elasti-Woman
When she broke free of the control the Chief had over her and regained her sense of self, she decided it was time for a change. In more recent years, Rita has changed her code name to Elasti-Woman. This was not the only change to Rita, however.
When the Chief regrew her, he did so using protoplasm, so that he could eliminate what he considered to be weaknesses, which included organs and bones. This means Rita is no longer human, as it takes concentration to retain her human form. While she's asleep, she... well, becomes a pile of goo, to put it bluntly.