Origin

Cindy grew up as a fairly awkward teenager but desired the same things as other teenage girls want – a degree of acceptance and attention. When she was finished with high school she moved on to college where she hoped to put her past behind her by joining a sorority. The sense of acceptance was fleeting though as the girls in her sorority treated her the same way that she had always been treated, with ridicule and exclusion. After the first such incident she ran away crying. She soon attends a lecture given by a guest lecturer who was in fact Sela. She tells the story of Cinderella albeit a slightly darker one more in line with the actual fairy tale. In this version Cinderella makes a deal with the fairy godmother in exchange for her soul. This version of Cinderella also wishes that her step-mother and step-sisters be killed, a fate to which they succumb (violently.) As this was the period when Sela was being influenced by Belinda’s trickery, Cindy takes the wrong message out of this and seeks revenge.

She later off panel makes a bargain with the Dark One for beauty and power. Seeing as she is in most likelihood a falseblood (as are most characters in Grimm Fairy Tales) it is possible that he simply unlocked her power as opposed to granting power to her.

Creation

Her first appearance was in issue #2 of Grimm Fairy Tales (incidentally also the first appearance of series protagonist Sela.) As the format of the series changed, though she was first seemingly introduced as a one-time character she was later brought back in issue #45 of the same series as an agent of the Dark One.

Character Evolution

Cindy represents perhaps the greatest failure of Sela to intervene to save an individual from their future. Whereas she was successful in other cases with such people as Samantha Darren, Gina Bark and Britney Waters, Cindy was corrupted by the Dark One. This is due to her Sela being influenced by Belinda at the time of her intervention

Major Story Arcs

In the Holiday edition of Grimm Fairy Tales in 2009 there is an attempt to recruit Sela to the forces of the Dark One and to acquire her book (giving him access to a portal to Myst.) She eventually realizes that she is being manipulated though and leaves him and his agents behind. It is then revealed that his backup plan is to recruit Cindy. She is thus recruited by Fenton and taking to Las Vegas where she is given Carnage and some degree of power. Soo after he takes part in a raid on Myst and kills Shang (this would become a recurring source of tension between her and Sela and her and Samantha Darren) though the forces of the Dark One are stopped after a sacrifice by Nissa. The character is thereafter not seen for some time as she is one of the Dark One’s primary lieutenants but he is notably inactive as he plans and schemes. When Sela escapes the confines of Myst she returns to Las Vegas to seek the return of her daughter (not knowing that the Dark One is not actually in possession of her.) Cindy starts in her way but is quickly dealt with one the way to confront Cindy’s master.

Powers and Abilities

The exact derivation of her powers remains unknown. Some of the characters featured in the early Grimm Fairy Tales stories are revealed to be falsebloods, which given her abilities may be the case. As it stands though she believes that her abilities were given to her by the Dark One (who may have simply unlocked them for her.) She is given the sword Carnage, however it is not known if the sword gives her advanced fighting powers or if it is granted to her by the Dark One or simply allows her to focus what power she already has.

Depiction

Cindy’s depiction was a notable departure for the series which displayed female characters in exploitative poses on its covers but then fairly conservative in its actual content. After she became an agent of the Dark One she began to immediately dress more provocatively with her costume consisting of a miniskirt and midriff bearing top. She was also featured in the Grimm Fairy Tales swimsuit edition depicted only in a bikini. Because of her provocative appearance she is sometimes featured on alternate issues for in the various Grimm Fairy Tales series.