Huntington's Chorea, also known as Huntington's Disease (HD) was an inherited neurological disease that caused certain nerve cells in the brain to waste away. Those afflicted with the disease were born with the defective gene that was responsible for the disease, although symptoms didn't start appearing until middle age. Early symptoms of the disease may have included uncontrolled movements, clumsiness, or balance problems, with later symptoms that took away the ability to walk, talk, or swallow. In some cases, it also caused lost memories of family members, while in others, they were aware of their environment and were able to express emotions.
Nora Fries was afflicted with that disease. Dr. Victor Fries, a researcher at GothCorp, placed her into cryogenic stasis, was desperate to have her survive the disease, and find a cure. GothCorp CEO, Ferris Boyle, who was intrigued by Fries' success in placing Nora into cryostasis, recruited him into his cryogenic weapons development program with the promise that he could fund the research for a cure. However, Fries became aware that Boyle had no intention of actually fulfilling his end of the bargain and secretly conducted his own research on finding a cure. That eventually resulted in the lab accident that turned Victor Fries into Mr. Freeze.
Trivia[]
- The reveal that Nora was afflicted with that disease was first chronicled within Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #192: A Medical Review.
- In reality, there is actually a medical condition, known as Huntington's Disease, which displays the same symptoms and served as inspiration for Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #192: A Medical Review, before becoming adapted as a story element for multiple other mediums, including the Cold, Cold, Heart.
Appearances[]
- Batman: Arkham Origins (Cold, Cold, Heart)