Irene was originally the sympathetic antagonist of Sherlock Holmes in the short story A Scandal in Bohemia. Since her entry onto the Sueniverse, she retained her original characterization as seductive and intelligent, but became primarily a tragic heroine. Her Sueniverse infamy comes from that last part- she is known as possibly the unluckiest character on the board. This comes mostly from her author's habit of saying "Sure!" every time someone suggests some new disaster to throw in her path.