Pre-Crisis - Origin

Carolyn Woosan was headed to college in New York, at New York University. At the same time Ben Turner and Richard Dragon had completed a seven year martial arts study under Carolyn's Godfather, O-Sensei. Tagging along with the martial arts duo, Carolyn was attacked in an attempted kidnapping. However, under the protection of Richard Dragon and Ben Turner, her abductors were easily defeated. Meanwhile halfway around the World in San Francisco, Carolyn's uncle mails her a letter that will ultimately seal her fate. After arriving in Manhattan at a home once owned by her late father, who had been killed in a plane crash, Carolyn, Ben Turner, and Richard Dragon, are once again attacked only this time Carolyn is taken. After being tortured by a sadistic doctor named the Swiss, Richard Dragon arrives in time and frees her. However he fails to follow Carolyn outside and she was once again captured by the Swiss.

Subsequently Carolyn was killed in a high speed chase when the Swiss crashed their motorcycle while attempting to escape Carolyn's protector and martial arts pupil of O-Sensei, Richard Dragon. Her death sent her sister, the Lady Shiva, on a path for revenge believing Richard Dragon was responsible. Though only knowing Richard Dragon for a short time Carolyn developed romantic feelings for the martial artist and foreshadowed a possible love connection had they had more time.
 
 
 

Origin – Post-Crisis

 

 After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Shiva’s origin was rewritten. Carolyn and her sister Sandra Woosan were born and grew up in the city of Detroit.  Carolyn was the older of the two and was very protective of her little sister especially after their parents died.
 
 Carolyn and her sister shared a special bond which deepened as the years went on. After learning the martial arts they began practicing  with each other daily. As they did this over a number of years each of them kept improving to the point they developed an ability that allowed them to easily read an opponent’s movement. Not just in fighting but simply how humans move became like a second language to the girls, even the smallest movement of a muscle. 
 
Their life turned to tragedy however when an assassin named David Cain discovered the sisters and in an attempt to spark an unlit fire in Sandra and gain a  mother for his "one who is all" he kills Carolyn one day as she is returning home. 
 
This event serves as the catalyst to turn Sandra into Lady Shiva  and set things in motion for Cassandra Cain 's conception.