Melina Vostokoff

Melina Vostokoff, also known as the villain Iron Maiden, is a former Soviet agent and scientist. Born in Serov, U.S.S.R., Melina Vostokova became a ruthless assassin and Russian government agent. She eventually abandoned the Russian government to work as a freelance mercenary and assassin. Adopting the armored identity of Iron Maiden, she wore a flexible metal suit that granted her enhanced strength and durability. She joined Superia's all-female terrorist group, the Femizons, was later forced into joining the Thunderbolts during the Superhero Civil War, and operated with the Remont Six. Melina was also a veteran Red Room scientist. In 1992, she posed in Ohio as the "mother" of a sleeper-agent family alongside Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian) and young "daughters" Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Yelena Belova (White Widow). After the mission ended, she returned to the Red Room as a lead researcher. She specialized in chemical engineering and developed the powerful mind-control serum used by General Dreykov to enslave the Black Widow operatives. Years later, she turned on Dreykov. She secretly helped Natasha and Yelena orchestrate a plan to infiltrate the Red Room's floating headquarters, released the chemical antidote to free the mind-controlled Widows, and sabotaged the facility's engines. Her height is estimated to be between 5'6" and 5'9".