At a young age, everyone called Undertow Officer a "mermaid" because of her fondness for the ocean. While she was a naturally skilled swimmer, she was ruthlessly competitive to a fault. She followed a rigorous regimen, and allowed her trainers to systematically administer chemicals to give her speed and endurance, and help her body regenerate even in the coldest waters. This enabled her to win countless local competitions, but when Olympic victory was in her grasp, the performance enhancing chemicals were discovered, and she was stripped of her titles.