Agatha Harkness was in reality a member of an ancient race of creatures known as the Tan-Ed-Drul. It is this race that inspired the Greek tales of the seven-headed Hydra, and it is also this race that was responsible for the cataclysm that destroyed Atlantis. In the early 21st century, one of these Hydras assumed human form and took the name Agatha Harkness. As Harkness, she infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. as a psychiatrist and used her new-found connections to gain access to the government think tank known as the Baxter Building. She began conducting sessions with members of the Fantastic Four with the alluded intention of "maximizing the team's efficiency". During this time, Agatha Harkness replicated her own form, creating a gestalt team of superhuman beings known as the Seven. The Seven began operating in New York City, performing various deeds with the intent of one-upping the Fantastic Four. This brought them into several engagements with the team, who were already suffering doubts among themselves due to Harkness's manipulation.