Janos Quested, code-named Riptide, is a mutant with the ability to spin his body at an incredibly fast rate. Actor Álex González portrays Riptide, a member of the Hellfire Club, in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class. He was knocked out when Erik pulls a piece of the submarine hull out on top of him. After Sebastian Shaw is killed, Riptide joins Magneto's new Brotherhood of Mutants, along with Mystique, Angel and Azazel.
Powers and Abilities
Riptide is a mutant with the ability to create and manipulate powerful whirlwinds of various sizes by spinning his hand. He is also capable of using the wind to spin at tremendous speeds, becoming, at best, a human tornado with enough force to toss a submarine and the X-Jet a large distance.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Darwin
Armando Munoz, code-named Darwin, is a mutant with the power of "reactive evolution", the ability to develop a resistance or immunity to whatever they were injured by or exposed to, or instantenous adaptation to any situation. Actor Edi Gathegi has been cast as Darwin in the upcoming film X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Darwin has the power of "reactive evolution". The exact nature and limits of his powers have not been revealed, but what this means is that his body automatically adapts to any situation or environment he is placed in, allowing him to survive possibly anything. Examples of his powers include: gaining night-vision after a few seconds in the dark; functional gills after being submerged in water; fire-proof skin after being exposed to flame; increasing his own intelligence; converting his body into pure energy; no longer requiring oxygen after being sucked into space; and acquiring comprehension of the Shi'ar language merely by looking at written samples. His power may concern itself with more efficient methods of survival than Darwin himself might choose; for example, instead of continually increasing Darwin's powers when taking punishment from the Hulk, his body simply teleported him away from the fight.
Powers and Abilities
Darwin has the power of "reactive evolution". The exact nature and limits of his powers have not been revealed, but what this means is that his body automatically adapts to any situation or environment he is placed in, allowing him to survive possibly anything. Examples of his powers include: gaining night-vision after a few seconds in the dark; functional gills after being submerged in water; fire-proof skin after being exposed to flame; increasing his own intelligence; converting his body into pure energy; no longer requiring oxygen after being sucked into space; and acquiring comprehension of the Shi'ar language merely by looking at written samples. His power may concern itself with more efficient methods of survival than Darwin himself might choose; for example, instead of continually increasing Darwin's powers when taking punishment from the Hulk, his body simply teleported him away from the fight.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
X-men First Class character study: Banshee
Sean Cassidy, code-named Banshee, is a mutant with the ability of hypersonic screaming and flight. Banshee possesses a "sonic scream," capable of harming enemies’ auditory systems and causing physical vibrations. He is named after the banshee, a legendary ghost from Irish mythology, said to possess a powerful cry, although the banshee spirit is invariably female.
Actor Caleb Landry Jones has been cast as a younger Banshee in the upcoming film X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Banshee is a mutant whose superhumanly powerful lungs, throat, and vocal cords could produce a sonic scream for various effects, in concert with limited, reflexive psionic powers which directed his sonic vibrations. He could hover or fly at the speed of sound, and could carry at least one passenger. He could overwhelm listeners with deafening noise, stun them with tight-focus low-frequency sonic blasts (effective even against shielded ears by penetrating the skull via bone conduction), plunge them into a hypnotic trance, disorient them, nauseate them, or simply render them unconscious. Using sonic waves, he could rapidly vibrate himself or other masses at will. He could generate sonic blasts which struck with tremendous concussive force, liquefying or outright disintegrating targets at his highest levels of power. By radiating sound waves outward and reading the feedback, he could locate and analyze unseen objects in a sonar-like fashion. By modulating his scream's harmonics, he could confuse most scanning equipment. He could instinctively analyze, replicate, and block sonic waves or vibrations from other sources.
Banshee generated a psionic field which protected him from the detrimental effects of his sonic vibrations, though his sonic powers could still injure him when pushed beyond safe limits. For a while, his sonic powers were gone after having to use them up and down the harmonic scale to stop a weapon of Moses Magnum's. His physiology seemed fully vulnerable to conventional injury when his sonic powers were not engaged. Banshee had selective hearing, enabling him to focus upon, enhance, or totally block out any given sound in his environment; this shielded him from the deafening sound of his own screams, and made him a superhumanly acute eavesdropper in surveillance situations. Sean and his cousin Black Tom were immune to each other's natural mutant energy powers, though Sean's immunity did not extend to the new powers Tom later developed via artificial mutations.
A gifted detective, veteran undercover operative, and formidable unarmed combatant, Cassidy was an excellent marksman and a competent amateur machine-smith, well-versed in combat strategy & tactics, and teamwork drills, from his training at Interpol. An effective educator, organizer, and lobbyist, he was also an avid American country music aficionado and skillful amateur piano player. As Cassidy, he wielded conventional firearms, sometimes loaded with explosive "micro-bombs." As Banshee, he wore synthetic costuming designed to resist air friction, usually including underarm wings that helped him glide on air currents and his own sonic waves. The "ribbons" on Banshee's costume (a visual trademark of the character) aid him in his flight.
Actor Caleb Landry Jones has been cast as a younger Banshee in the upcoming film X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Banshee is a mutant whose superhumanly powerful lungs, throat, and vocal cords could produce a sonic scream for various effects, in concert with limited, reflexive psionic powers which directed his sonic vibrations. He could hover or fly at the speed of sound, and could carry at least one passenger. He could overwhelm listeners with deafening noise, stun them with tight-focus low-frequency sonic blasts (effective even against shielded ears by penetrating the skull via bone conduction), plunge them into a hypnotic trance, disorient them, nauseate them, or simply render them unconscious. Using sonic waves, he could rapidly vibrate himself or other masses at will. He could generate sonic blasts which struck with tremendous concussive force, liquefying or outright disintegrating targets at his highest levels of power. By radiating sound waves outward and reading the feedback, he could locate and analyze unseen objects in a sonar-like fashion. By modulating his scream's harmonics, he could confuse most scanning equipment. He could instinctively analyze, replicate, and block sonic waves or vibrations from other sources.
Banshee generated a psionic field which protected him from the detrimental effects of his sonic vibrations, though his sonic powers could still injure him when pushed beyond safe limits. For a while, his sonic powers were gone after having to use them up and down the harmonic scale to stop a weapon of Moses Magnum's. His physiology seemed fully vulnerable to conventional injury when his sonic powers were not engaged. Banshee had selective hearing, enabling him to focus upon, enhance, or totally block out any given sound in his environment; this shielded him from the deafening sound of his own screams, and made him a superhumanly acute eavesdropper in surveillance situations. Sean and his cousin Black Tom were immune to each other's natural mutant energy powers, though Sean's immunity did not extend to the new powers Tom later developed via artificial mutations.
A gifted detective, veteran undercover operative, and formidable unarmed combatant, Cassidy was an excellent marksman and a competent amateur machine-smith, well-versed in combat strategy & tactics, and teamwork drills, from his training at Interpol. An effective educator, organizer, and lobbyist, he was also an avid American country music aficionado and skillful amateur piano player. As Cassidy, he wielded conventional firearms, sometimes loaded with explosive "micro-bombs." As Banshee, he wore synthetic costuming designed to resist air friction, usually including underarm wings that helped him glide on air currents and his own sonic waves. The "ribbons" on Banshee's costume (a visual trademark of the character) aid him in his flight.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Havok
Alex Summers, code-named Havok, is a mutant who has the ability to absorb cosmic energy and discharge destructive blasts from the energy. He has had difficulty controlling this power at first, and has to wear a special containment suit equipped with special sensors for measuring and controlling his power output. In the comic timeline, Havok is the younger brother of Scott Summers aka Cyclops and older brother to Gabriel Summers aka Vulcan. Actor Lucas Till has been cast as Havok in X-Men: First Class. According to executive producer Bryan Singer, Havok will not be portrayed as Cyclops' brother in the film but somehow be related to him 'in a way that works for the film'.
Powers and Abilities
Havok is a mutant possessing the power to absorb ambient cosmic energy, process it and emanate it from his body as waves of energy that heat the air in the path, turning it into plasma in the form of a blast or discharge, with a tell-tale concentric circle pattern. These waves will emanate from his body in all directions unless he purposefully tries to channel them in a single direction, usually along the length of his arms. This results in control over an extremely powerful sort of destructive force. Havok is immune to the adverse effects of most forms of radiation and heat. In the past, he was not entirely able to control this ability, which made him a danger to those around him unless he wore a special containment suit equipped with special sensors for measuring and controlling his power output. Havok is immune to his own powers and to those of his brother Scott. He is resistant but not immune to Vulcan's powers.
Despite past accounts, the energy that Havok releases is not truly a concussive force. When Havok strikes an object with hot plasma, the sudden temperature jump often causes objects to shatter or disintegrate. Should Havok direct his energy at the lowest level, he can project it towards a human being and his target will suffer a severe headache, but will not burn up. He can absorb cosmic energy from his environment (such as starlight, x-rays, and gamma radiation) and store them in his cells, metabolizing the energy to generate plasma wave discharges that super-heat and disintegrate objects. His absorption is normally passive, but he has shown that he can actively drain and absorb energy as well.
Havok's body is constantly absorbing cosmic radiation. When his body reaches its capacity, excess energy is then immediately re-emitted in negligible quantities. The circle on his chest is an indicator as how much energy he has left. Upon the expenditure of all his available energy, it takes Havok about 16 to 17 hours to recharge to peak level. The concentration involved in releasing his energy in focused beams is exhausting for Havok, especially if he does it over an extended period.
Havok has the normal human strength, height, and build of a man who engages in intensive regular exercise. Havok is well-educated in the field of geophysical science where he has earned a masters degree and completed some doctoral work. He is an instinctive tactician and strategist.
Powers and Abilities
Havok is a mutant possessing the power to absorb ambient cosmic energy, process it and emanate it from his body as waves of energy that heat the air in the path, turning it into plasma in the form of a blast or discharge, with a tell-tale concentric circle pattern. These waves will emanate from his body in all directions unless he purposefully tries to channel them in a single direction, usually along the length of his arms. This results in control over an extremely powerful sort of destructive force. Havok is immune to the adverse effects of most forms of radiation and heat. In the past, he was not entirely able to control this ability, which made him a danger to those around him unless he wore a special containment suit equipped with special sensors for measuring and controlling his power output. Havok is immune to his own powers and to those of his brother Scott. He is resistant but not immune to Vulcan's powers.
Despite past accounts, the energy that Havok releases is not truly a concussive force. When Havok strikes an object with hot plasma, the sudden temperature jump often causes objects to shatter or disintegrate. Should Havok direct his energy at the lowest level, he can project it towards a human being and his target will suffer a severe headache, but will not burn up. He can absorb cosmic energy from his environment (such as starlight, x-rays, and gamma radiation) and store them in his cells, metabolizing the energy to generate plasma wave discharges that super-heat and disintegrate objects. His absorption is normally passive, but he has shown that he can actively drain and absorb energy as well.
Havok's body is constantly absorbing cosmic radiation. When his body reaches its capacity, excess energy is then immediately re-emitted in negligible quantities. The circle on his chest is an indicator as how much energy he has left. Upon the expenditure of all his available energy, it takes Havok about 16 to 17 hours to recharge to peak level. The concentration involved in releasing his energy in focused beams is exhausting for Havok, especially if he does it over an extended period.
Havok has the normal human strength, height, and build of a man who engages in intensive regular exercise. Havok is well-educated in the field of geophysical science where he has earned a masters degree and completed some doctoral work. He is an instinctive tactician and strategist.
Friday, May 20, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Angel Salvadore
Angel Salvadore, also known as Tempest, is a mutant with insectoid physiology. She is portrayed by Zoë Kravitz in X-Men: First Class.
In 1962, Angel was working as a stripper when she was approached by Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, who persuade her to join the X-Men. Angel later meets her other teammates at the Division X facility and get to know them. They give themselves codenames and display their powers. The Hellfire Club attacked the Division X facility where they were staying. Sebastian Shaw explained that he did not want to hurt the X-Men, but is thinking about recuiting them. She was the only one to join, although her former teammates Havok and Darwin tried to stop her - Darwin was killed by Shaw in the process. Salvadore joined the battle against her former teammates during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She fights Banshee in the air, but is subsequently beaten by Havok, who destroys half of her wings with an energy blast. After Lehnsherr kills Shaw, he recuits the remaining Hellfire Club members and Mystique into his new Brotherhood. They leave to free Emma Frost, who had been captured by the CIA.
Powers and Abilities
Angel possessed several superhuman abilities akin to those of the common housefly. She had a pair of veined wings growing from her back that allowed her to fly and which she could vibrate at high speed to create a deafening ultrasonic sound. She is capable of aerial deceleration to the point where she can hover in place, mostly stationary aside from the rapid beating of her insectoid wings. She usually hides her wings by having them fuse with her skin, in which they take the form of tattoos.
Oral Projectiles - Salvadore can launch gobs of corrosive or explosive saliva to ranges that she might otherwise be able to throw small hand-held objects. The corrosive properties been been demonstrated to be sufficient to eat through stone and as a concussive blast, the spitting attack produces a small concussive blast and gout of flame.
In 1962, Angel was working as a stripper when she was approached by Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, who persuade her to join the X-Men. Angel later meets her other teammates at the Division X facility and get to know them. They give themselves codenames and display their powers. The Hellfire Club attacked the Division X facility where they were staying. Sebastian Shaw explained that he did not want to hurt the X-Men, but is thinking about recuiting them. She was the only one to join, although her former teammates Havok and Darwin tried to stop her - Darwin was killed by Shaw in the process. Salvadore joined the battle against her former teammates during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She fights Banshee in the air, but is subsequently beaten by Havok, who destroys half of her wings with an energy blast. After Lehnsherr kills Shaw, he recuits the remaining Hellfire Club members and Mystique into his new Brotherhood. They leave to free Emma Frost, who had been captured by the CIA.
Powers and Abilities
Angel possessed several superhuman abilities akin to those of the common housefly. She had a pair of veined wings growing from her back that allowed her to fly and which she could vibrate at high speed to create a deafening ultrasonic sound. She is capable of aerial deceleration to the point where she can hover in place, mostly stationary aside from the rapid beating of her insectoid wings. She usually hides her wings by having them fuse with her skin, in which they take the form of tattoos.
Oral Projectiles - Salvadore can launch gobs of corrosive or explosive saliva to ranges that she might otherwise be able to throw small hand-held objects. The corrosive properties been been demonstrated to be sufficient to eat through stone and as a concussive blast, the spitting attack produces a small concussive blast and gout of flame.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Azazel
Azazel is a member of the Hellfire Club, a red-skinned demon with the ability to teleport. He is said to be the biological father of Nightcrawler, the result of an affair with the shapeshifter Mystique. Actor Jason Flemyng has been cast as Azazel in X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Azazel has the ability to teleport across interdimensional distances, generate bolts and streams of paralyzing energy, as well as destructive energy which causes a form of disintegration, and can disguise his appearance. In addition to this, he and all other Neyaphem are negatively affected by the healing blood of the Cheyarafim which causes their body to begin to break down. Azazel also has the ability to mentally communicate with and control individuals of inferior mental capacity that originate from the brimstone dimension, and has a great knowledge of ancient magic.
Azazel also seems to be immortal as he has lived since biblical times. His long lifespan has also allowed him to study swordsmanship to such a degree that he has become a near unparallelled master with bladed weapons.
Powers and Abilities
Azazel has the ability to teleport across interdimensional distances, generate bolts and streams of paralyzing energy, as well as destructive energy which causes a form of disintegration, and can disguise his appearance. In addition to this, he and all other Neyaphem are negatively affected by the healing blood of the Cheyarafim which causes their body to begin to break down. Azazel also has the ability to mentally communicate with and control individuals of inferior mental capacity that originate from the brimstone dimension, and has a great knowledge of ancient magic.
Azazel also seems to be immortal as he has lived since biblical times. His long lifespan has also allowed him to study swordsmanship to such a degree that he has become a near unparallelled master with bladed weapons.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Mystique
Raven Darkholme, codename Mystique, has been a supervillain, founding her own Brotherhood of Mutants and assassinating several important people involved in mutant affairs. Mystique herself is a mutant, a shapeshifter whose natural appearance includes blue skin and yellow eyes.
Actress Rebecca Romijn portrayed Mystique in all three of the X-Men films. In the upcoming 2011 superhero film, X-Men: First Class, Jennifer Lawrence will play the role of a younger Mystique.
Powers and Abilities
Mystique is a mutant shapeshifter with the ability to psionically shift the formation of her biological cells at will to change her appearance and thereby assume the form of other humans. She can also alter her voice to duplicate exactly that of another person. Originally, it was clearly stated that Mystique's powers were limited to appearances only; she could not assume the powers of the people she morphed into or alter her body to adapt to different situations. In addition, she cannot change her overall body mass when taking on the appearance of a person larger or smaller than she is.
Her body is not limited to purely organic appearances. She has the ability to create the appearance of clothes out of her own body. Mystique is shown in at least one instance transforming a metallic part of her costume into a functioning blaster pistol. Whether this is a function of her powers or of the costume piece itself is unclear. She can transform part of her body into a separated, clear and hard substance that appears to be glass, as she does when she appears to be wearing glasses.
As a shape-shifter, Mystique is able to constantly alter and rejuvenate her body's cells and thereby retain her youthful appearance despite being older than she looks. She can even compress nearly two-dimensional like a sheet of paper to glide on air currents, similar to Mister Fantastic, which she uses to survive an explosion. She has moved her vital organs out of place in order to survive a gunshot to her torso. She is also now able to hold a shape when knocked unconscious.
Damage to her biological tissue is known to heal at a relatively fast rate and she can form a resistance to poisons upon contracting them. Recently she has stated that her body mass is not fixed and can change when she does. While she retains her advanced powers, she now appears in her old form without scales. Her powers grant her immunity to diseases, enhanced agility, and agelessness.
In the films, Mystique has the ability to duplicate retinal patterns (as shown in the first film) and hand prints (as shown in the second). In the third film, she was shown to seemingly alter her mass by taking the form of a child. In addition to her mutant powers, Mystique is extremely nimble and flexible, able to slip out of restraints with ease and use her feet as dexterously as her hands. Her transformation is shown as skin pigments overlapping a part of the body as a scaly domino-like effect takes over the body.
Mystique is a cunning strategist in terrorist and commando operations, and adept at martial arts and information technology. She has a talent for finding, stealing, and understanding cutting edge weaponry. She is a talented actress. She has some natural resistance to telepathic intrusion and wears devices to prevent her mind from being read by telepathy. Furthermore, with over a century's experience in posing as other people she has picked up the uncanny skill of being able to identify people posing as others based on body language and changes in behavioral cues.
Actress Rebecca Romijn portrayed Mystique in all three of the X-Men films. In the upcoming 2011 superhero film, X-Men: First Class, Jennifer Lawrence will play the role of a younger Mystique.
Powers and Abilities
Mystique is a mutant shapeshifter with the ability to psionically shift the formation of her biological cells at will to change her appearance and thereby assume the form of other humans. She can also alter her voice to duplicate exactly that of another person. Originally, it was clearly stated that Mystique's powers were limited to appearances only; she could not assume the powers of the people she morphed into or alter her body to adapt to different situations. In addition, she cannot change her overall body mass when taking on the appearance of a person larger or smaller than she is.
Her body is not limited to purely organic appearances. She has the ability to create the appearance of clothes out of her own body. Mystique is shown in at least one instance transforming a metallic part of her costume into a functioning blaster pistol. Whether this is a function of her powers or of the costume piece itself is unclear. She can transform part of her body into a separated, clear and hard substance that appears to be glass, as she does when she appears to be wearing glasses.
As a shape-shifter, Mystique is able to constantly alter and rejuvenate her body's cells and thereby retain her youthful appearance despite being older than she looks. She can even compress nearly two-dimensional like a sheet of paper to glide on air currents, similar to Mister Fantastic, which she uses to survive an explosion. She has moved her vital organs out of place in order to survive a gunshot to her torso. She is also now able to hold a shape when knocked unconscious.
Damage to her biological tissue is known to heal at a relatively fast rate and she can form a resistance to poisons upon contracting them. Recently she has stated that her body mass is not fixed and can change when she does. While she retains her advanced powers, she now appears in her old form without scales. Her powers grant her immunity to diseases, enhanced agility, and agelessness.
In the films, Mystique has the ability to duplicate retinal patterns (as shown in the first film) and hand prints (as shown in the second). In the third film, she was shown to seemingly alter her mass by taking the form of a child. In addition to her mutant powers, Mystique is extremely nimble and flexible, able to slip out of restraints with ease and use her feet as dexterously as her hands. Her transformation is shown as skin pigments overlapping a part of the body as a scaly domino-like effect takes over the body.
Mystique is a cunning strategist in terrorist and commando operations, and adept at martial arts and information technology. She has a talent for finding, stealing, and understanding cutting edge weaponry. She is a talented actress. She has some natural resistance to telepathic intrusion and wears devices to prevent her mind from being read by telepathy. Furthermore, with over a century's experience in posing as other people she has picked up the uncanny skill of being able to identify people posing as others based on body language and changes in behavioral cues.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Beast
Henry "Hank" McCoy aka Beast is a former scientist and political activist who transformed into a frightening looking mutant with blue skin and sharp teeth in an attempt to cure himself, but is kind at heart. Despite his inhuman appearance, he is a brilliant man of the arts and sciences; he is a world authority on biochemistry and genetics, the X-Men's medical doctor, and the science and mathematics instructor at the Xavier Institute (the X-Men's headquarters and school for young mutants). He is also a mutant political activist. Fighting his bestial instincts and fears of social rejection, the Beast dedicates his physical and mental gifts to the creation of a better world for man and mutant. He also has a witty sense of humor.
In X-Men: The Last Stand, he was played by Kelsey Grammer, and in X2, Steve Bacic portrayed him in a very brief cameo in a newscast scene as a human. Nicholas Hoult will portray a younger version of Beast in the 2011 film, X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
It is possible that Beast's mutation is a result of genetic atavism. However, he also possesses neotenous characteristics, which may explain him having a super genius intellect despite his animal physique. He possesses also superhuman strength, speed and agility. He is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, employing a unique style of acrobatic combat, from combat training he received at Professor Xavier's and coaching from Captain America.
Anthropoid/Simian physique (seen in X-Men 3)
Originally, Hank McCoy retains the basic features of a normal human alongside a generally simian physiology (e.g., elongated limbs and enlarged extremities) equivalent to that of a Great Ape. This mutation gives him superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, agility, flexibility, dexterity, coordination, balance, and endurance. He is equally dexterous in all four limbs; able to perform tasks with his feet or hands with equal ease. Because of his talents and training, Beast can outperform any Olympic-level athlete, contorting his body and performing aerial feats gracefully. Later, Hank mutated further (from drinking an experimental solution), first through the growth of grey - then blue - fur covering his entire body. He gained claw-like nails and fang-like teeth, and his overall appearance became more bestial. With this physique, Beast used his claws to climb vertical surfaces (though, he has been depicted performing this feat prior to his furry transformation). Beast gained the ability to emit mood altering pheromones, causing sexual attraction in women, and he became strong enough to withstand falls that would crush the bones of a normal human. Beast developed extremely powerful limbs, allowing him to make astounding leaps and to run at great speeds for a short duration. Prior to restoring this form, Hank McCoy had returned to his humanoid/simian form but as a result he began losing his intellect but also increasing his physical strength as a result of this process.
Feline physique (seen in X-Men: First Class)
After being critically wounded, Hank's body undergoes a secondary mutation, jump started by Sage. The result is a more feline appearance equivalent to that of a big cat. His strength, speed, stamina, sturdiness, and senses increase further with this change. He gains cat-like agility, flexibility, coordination, and balance, and all his senses are enhanced to twenty times that of a normal human being. In addition, Beast develops an accelerated healing factor that allows him to repair mild to moderate injuries within the span of a few hours. Following the X-Men's relocation to San Francisco, Beast discovers that he had regained some of his old manual dexterity. In the first issue of Warren Ellis' Astonishing X-Men run, Beast also comments he no longer needs full sleep.
Genius intellect
Hank possesses a brilliant intellect. He is a world-renowned biochemist, having earned a Ph.D. in biophysics and genetics. He frequently functions as both field medic and in-house physician for the X-Men, despite not technically having an MD. His intelligence and expertise in genetics rival that of Professor X, Moira McTaggert, and Kavita Rao. Despite this, he has never received a Nobel Prize or been elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences. A Renaissance man, McCoy is well-versed in many fields including languages (fluent in English, German, French, Latin, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and Russian), literature, philosophy, psychology, and sociology, history, art and art history, anthropology, linguistics, and music, as well as in political science and economics with a special affinity for science and technology and a penchant for quoting literary classics. His vast scientific knowledge ranges from theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, differential equations, nanotechnology, anatomy, biomedicine, analytical chemistry, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering to the construction of a hyper-magnetic device. An electronics expert, he often repairs Cerebro and makes upgrades to the Danger Room settings.
In X-Men: The Last Stand, he was played by Kelsey Grammer, and in X2, Steve Bacic portrayed him in a very brief cameo in a newscast scene as a human. Nicholas Hoult will portray a younger version of Beast in the 2011 film, X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
It is possible that Beast's mutation is a result of genetic atavism. However, he also possesses neotenous characteristics, which may explain him having a super genius intellect despite his animal physique. He possesses also superhuman strength, speed and agility. He is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, employing a unique style of acrobatic combat, from combat training he received at Professor Xavier's and coaching from Captain America.
Anthropoid/Simian physique (seen in X-Men 3)
Originally, Hank McCoy retains the basic features of a normal human alongside a generally simian physiology (e.g., elongated limbs and enlarged extremities) equivalent to that of a Great Ape. This mutation gives him superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, agility, flexibility, dexterity, coordination, balance, and endurance. He is equally dexterous in all four limbs; able to perform tasks with his feet or hands with equal ease. Because of his talents and training, Beast can outperform any Olympic-level athlete, contorting his body and performing aerial feats gracefully. Later, Hank mutated further (from drinking an experimental solution), first through the growth of grey - then blue - fur covering his entire body. He gained claw-like nails and fang-like teeth, and his overall appearance became more bestial. With this physique, Beast used his claws to climb vertical surfaces (though, he has been depicted performing this feat prior to his furry transformation). Beast gained the ability to emit mood altering pheromones, causing sexual attraction in women, and he became strong enough to withstand falls that would crush the bones of a normal human. Beast developed extremely powerful limbs, allowing him to make astounding leaps and to run at great speeds for a short duration. Prior to restoring this form, Hank McCoy had returned to his humanoid/simian form but as a result he began losing his intellect but also increasing his physical strength as a result of this process.
Feline physique (seen in X-Men: First Class)
After being critically wounded, Hank's body undergoes a secondary mutation, jump started by Sage. The result is a more feline appearance equivalent to that of a big cat. His strength, speed, stamina, sturdiness, and senses increase further with this change. He gains cat-like agility, flexibility, coordination, and balance, and all his senses are enhanced to twenty times that of a normal human being. In addition, Beast develops an accelerated healing factor that allows him to repair mild to moderate injuries within the span of a few hours. Following the X-Men's relocation to San Francisco, Beast discovers that he had regained some of his old manual dexterity. In the first issue of Warren Ellis' Astonishing X-Men run, Beast also comments he no longer needs full sleep.
Genius intellect
Hank possesses a brilliant intellect. He is a world-renowned biochemist, having earned a Ph.D. in biophysics and genetics. He frequently functions as both field medic and in-house physician for the X-Men, despite not technically having an MD. His intelligence and expertise in genetics rival that of Professor X, Moira McTaggert, and Kavita Rao. Despite this, he has never received a Nobel Prize or been elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences. A Renaissance man, McCoy is well-versed in many fields including languages (fluent in English, German, French, Latin, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and Russian), literature, philosophy, psychology, and sociology, history, art and art history, anthropology, linguistics, and music, as well as in political science and economics with a special affinity for science and technology and a penchant for quoting literary classics. His vast scientific knowledge ranges from theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, differential equations, nanotechnology, anatomy, biomedicine, analytical chemistry, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering to the construction of a hyper-magnetic device. An electronics expert, he often repairs Cerebro and makes upgrades to the Danger Room settings.
Friday, May 13, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Emma Frost
Emma Frost aka the White Queen is a mutant telepath who can also change her body into diamond form; also a member of the Hellfire Club. Actress January Jones will portray the character in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class.
Powers and abilities
Telepathy
Since her introduction, Emma Frost's primary mutant power has been telepathy. She is capable of extraordinary psionic feats, including the telepathic standards of: broadcasting and receiving thoughts, mind-control, altering perceptions and memories, psychic shielding, astral projection, mind switching, brain engram modification, mental sedation, and induction of mental pain via touch. She is also able to boost or activate a mutant's powers through access of their brain's neurological pathways, and can communicate across global distances unaided. The exact level of her telepathic power has varied depending on writers and has ranged from weaker than other prominent telepaths to rivaling the abilities of Charles Xavier himself. She has also been referred to as a "psi of the highest order," been ranked among the five most skilled telepaths on the planet, and has demonstrated the ability to overcome more powerful telepaths, such as Nate Grey, or Rachel Summers, through greater experience and skill. Later, under the writing of Matt Fraction, Emma was classified as an "omega-level" telepath, the highest ranking for mutants, defined as having "unlimited potential".
Diamond form
At the moment of the destruction of Genosha, Frost manifested a secondary mutation giving her the ability to transform her body into organic diamond. In this form, Frost is translucent and retains mobility while being nigh invulnerable and able to support incredible amounts of weight, though different writers have shown varying accounts of her strength.
Emma's diamond body is virtually tireless as she does not produce fatigue poisons and has no need for water nor food. She is also numbed from emotion, pain and empathy, impervious to cold, and resistant to heat in this form. Despite this high level of invulnerability, her diamond form has a single molecular flaw, which if exploited – such as being shot with a diamond bullet – can cause her body to shatter. Though the exact location of the flaw in her diamond body has not been stated outright, clues point to it being located in between her eyes.
Frost's full range of abilities between her diamond state and regular form have been inconsistent; however, later occurrences depict that Frost cannot access her psychic powers in diamond form, explained by different writers as either a distinct genetic flaw or suppression by her diamond form's adamantine luster. Depictions have also stated that Emma has a degree of telepathic immunity while in diamond form, though the extent of this immunity has been portrayed inconsistently as well, ranging from total shielding from psychic invasion to vulnerability to psychic attack. Her diamond form is also stated to emit low-level ultraviolet light, causing it to glow in darkness.
Innate traits and expertise
Frost has a gifted intellect with college degrees in multiple fields, including a Bachelors of Science in Education with a minor in Business Administration from the prominent Marvel Universe's Empire State University. A superb businesswoman, Emma Frost for many years was founder and CEO of Frost Enterprises, a major multinational conglomerate headquartered in New York City that rivaled Stark Enterprises and Worthington Industries and specialized in shipping, aerospace engineering and new technology R&D.
Frost is also a highly capable planner, an electronics expert, and can invent machines that grant various psionic abilities, such as "Multivac", a mutant locater capable of monitoring the psionic levels of mutants; the "Hallucinator" used to induce hypnotic hallucinations to brainwash others; the gun-like device that enabled her to exchange minds and powers with Storm; and the Mindtap mechanism which enhanced and enabled her Hellfire cohort Mastermind to project his illusions directly into the mind of the Phoenix.
Powers and abilities
Telepathy
Since her introduction, Emma Frost's primary mutant power has been telepathy. She is capable of extraordinary psionic feats, including the telepathic standards of: broadcasting and receiving thoughts, mind-control, altering perceptions and memories, psychic shielding, astral projection, mind switching, brain engram modification, mental sedation, and induction of mental pain via touch. She is also able to boost or activate a mutant's powers through access of their brain's neurological pathways, and can communicate across global distances unaided. The exact level of her telepathic power has varied depending on writers and has ranged from weaker than other prominent telepaths to rivaling the abilities of Charles Xavier himself. She has also been referred to as a "psi of the highest order," been ranked among the five most skilled telepaths on the planet, and has demonstrated the ability to overcome more powerful telepaths, such as Nate Grey, or Rachel Summers, through greater experience and skill. Later, under the writing of Matt Fraction, Emma was classified as an "omega-level" telepath, the highest ranking for mutants, defined as having "unlimited potential".
Diamond form
At the moment of the destruction of Genosha, Frost manifested a secondary mutation giving her the ability to transform her body into organic diamond. In this form, Frost is translucent and retains mobility while being nigh invulnerable and able to support incredible amounts of weight, though different writers have shown varying accounts of her strength.
Emma's diamond body is virtually tireless as she does not produce fatigue poisons and has no need for water nor food. She is also numbed from emotion, pain and empathy, impervious to cold, and resistant to heat in this form. Despite this high level of invulnerability, her diamond form has a single molecular flaw, which if exploited – such as being shot with a diamond bullet – can cause her body to shatter. Though the exact location of the flaw in her diamond body has not been stated outright, clues point to it being located in between her eyes.
Frost's full range of abilities between her diamond state and regular form have been inconsistent; however, later occurrences depict that Frost cannot access her psychic powers in diamond form, explained by different writers as either a distinct genetic flaw or suppression by her diamond form's adamantine luster. Depictions have also stated that Emma has a degree of telepathic immunity while in diamond form, though the extent of this immunity has been portrayed inconsistently as well, ranging from total shielding from psychic invasion to vulnerability to psychic attack. Her diamond form is also stated to emit low-level ultraviolet light, causing it to glow in darkness.
Innate traits and expertise
Frost has a gifted intellect with college degrees in multiple fields, including a Bachelors of Science in Education with a minor in Business Administration from the prominent Marvel Universe's Empire State University. A superb businesswoman, Emma Frost for many years was founder and CEO of Frost Enterprises, a major multinational conglomerate headquartered in New York City that rivaled Stark Enterprises and Worthington Industries and specialized in shipping, aerospace engineering and new technology R&D.
Frost is also a highly capable planner, an electronics expert, and can invent machines that grant various psionic abilities, such as "Multivac", a mutant locater capable of monitoring the psionic levels of mutants; the "Hallucinator" used to induce hypnotic hallucinations to brainwash others; the gun-like device that enabled her to exchange minds and powers with Storm; and the Mindtap mechanism which enhanced and enabled her Hellfire cohort Mastermind to project his illusions directly into the mind of the Phoenix.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Sebastian Shaw
Sebastian Hiram Shaw is the leader of the Hellfire Club, a secret society bent on world domination. He possesses the ability to absorb kinetic energy and transform it into raw strength and speed. Shaw will be portrayed by Kevin Bacon in the upcoming 2011 superhero film, X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Sebastian Shaw is a mutant with the unique ability to absorb kinetic energy and other forms of energy like electricity, although to a lesser degree, and use this energy to augment his strength, speed, stamina and recuperation capabilities to superhuman levels. He absorbs the energy of any blow he is struck by, including not only physical strikes, but also bullets, and less successfully, concussive energy beams; notably Cyclops' optic blasts. By absorbing enough blows from an opponent, Shaw can surpass the strength level of said opponent and then over power them. Whether it is possible for him to reach Hulk-level strength (or surpass it) is unknown, but he has, in the past, been known to over power Colossus who is close to 100 ton strength level. He is capable of absorbing the cutting, piercing and thrusting energy from a blade which makes it exceedingly difficult to cut or stab him with sharp edged weapons. While Shaw is highly resistant to injury, especially kinetic ones, even he can be damaged by powerful enough blows. Because of this, it would stand to reason that with enough physical punishment, even Shaw could possibly be killed during a fight, but, so far, no one has caused him any more damage from a physical fight than moderate bruising.
Without any absorbed kinetic energy Shaw is merely a strong ordinary human in excellent physical condition, but regularly works to keep his strength at a superhuman level. For example, in one instance, he was shown to spend time hitting a wall after waking in order to build up his power reserves before starting the day. It is not known how long these power levels can be maintained without absorbing more kinetic energy. If Shaw is captured and bound so he could not move at all, he would be helpless. (But even the slightest give could start to increase his strength, such as friction from rubbing against his bonds.)
Shaw also can forgo sleep if he receives enough kinetic energy. Often he will have his mercenaries pummel him so that he need not sleep for some time. As a way of aiding himself in combat, Shaw is adept at taunting, and will not let enemies realize his power until they have hit him one too many times. Members of the X-Men have learned the best way to defeat him is to remove him from the field of battle. The most dramatic example of which was when Rogue threw him hundreds of feet directly up into the air and away from the fight, essentially temporarily defeating him. It is not known if other human limits apply to Shaw, such as, among other things, whether he can be hurt or killed from drowning or from a lack of air.
Shaw is vulnerable to being incapacitated, or being attacked psionically. Shaw has also been overloaded by being struck by lightning and by falling a great distance when his gravity was increased.
Other key traits are his successful business acumen and his access to sophisticated weaponry. He not only prides himself on his power and the connections it allows him, but on knowing his opponents and how best to defeat them, whether in battle or in business. He also possesses technology that can block telepathic intrusions by Professor X.
Powers and Abilities
Sebastian Shaw is a mutant with the unique ability to absorb kinetic energy and other forms of energy like electricity, although to a lesser degree, and use this energy to augment his strength, speed, stamina and recuperation capabilities to superhuman levels. He absorbs the energy of any blow he is struck by, including not only physical strikes, but also bullets, and less successfully, concussive energy beams; notably Cyclops' optic blasts. By absorbing enough blows from an opponent, Shaw can surpass the strength level of said opponent and then over power them. Whether it is possible for him to reach Hulk-level strength (or surpass it) is unknown, but he has, in the past, been known to over power Colossus who is close to 100 ton strength level. He is capable of absorbing the cutting, piercing and thrusting energy from a blade which makes it exceedingly difficult to cut or stab him with sharp edged weapons. While Shaw is highly resistant to injury, especially kinetic ones, even he can be damaged by powerful enough blows. Because of this, it would stand to reason that with enough physical punishment, even Shaw could possibly be killed during a fight, but, so far, no one has caused him any more damage from a physical fight than moderate bruising.
Without any absorbed kinetic energy Shaw is merely a strong ordinary human in excellent physical condition, but regularly works to keep his strength at a superhuman level. For example, in one instance, he was shown to spend time hitting a wall after waking in order to build up his power reserves before starting the day. It is not known how long these power levels can be maintained without absorbing more kinetic energy. If Shaw is captured and bound so he could not move at all, he would be helpless. (But even the slightest give could start to increase his strength, such as friction from rubbing against his bonds.)
Shaw also can forgo sleep if he receives enough kinetic energy. Often he will have his mercenaries pummel him so that he need not sleep for some time. As a way of aiding himself in combat, Shaw is adept at taunting, and will not let enemies realize his power until they have hit him one too many times. Members of the X-Men have learned the best way to defeat him is to remove him from the field of battle. The most dramatic example of which was when Rogue threw him hundreds of feet directly up into the air and away from the fight, essentially temporarily defeating him. It is not known if other human limits apply to Shaw, such as, among other things, whether he can be hurt or killed from drowning or from a lack of air.
Shaw is vulnerable to being incapacitated, or being attacked psionically. Shaw has also been overloaded by being struck by lightning and by falling a great distance when his gravity was increased.
Other key traits are his successful business acumen and his access to sophisticated weaponry. He not only prides himself on his power and the connections it allows him, but on knowing his opponents and how best to defeat them, whether in battle or in business. He also possesses technology that can block telepathic intrusions by Professor X.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Magneto
Erik Magnus Lehnsherr aka Magneto is the leader and founder of the Brotherhood of Mutants and one of Professor X's best friends until conflicts of opinion create a rivalry between them and their teams. A powerful mutant with the ability to generate and control magnetism, Magneto has been the X-Men's most prominent enemy ever since his first appearance. In his early appearances, his motives were bent on megalomania, but writers have since fleshed out his character and origin, revealing him to be a Jewish Holocaust survivor whose actions are driven by the purpose of protecting the mutant race from suffering a similar fate. His role in comics have varied from supervillain to antihero to even hero.
Sir Ian McKellen portrayed Magneto throughout the first X-Men film trilogy, while Michael Fassbender will play a young version of the character in the spin-off X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Magneto is a mutant with the power to manipulate the electromagnetic force to achieve a wide range of effects.
The primary application of his power is control over magnetism and the manipulation of metal. He can affect a very large quantity of metal at one time. For example, he has levitated objects as heavy as a 30,000 ton nuclear submarine and has used his power to move large asteroids several times. The maximum amount of mass that he can manipulate at one time is unknown. He can manipulate a large number of individual metal objects simultaneously and has assembled complex machinery with his powers. He can also affect non-metallic and non-magnetic objects to a lesser extent and frequently levitates himself and others.
Another way in which Magneto frequently uses his power is the projection of force-fields which selectively block out matter and energy. These fields are strong enough to withstand the detonation of multiple thermonuclear weapons; hence Magneto is invulnerable to most harm when surrounded by his shield and can survive in deep space thanks to it.
Magneto can also channel his powers through his own body to increase his strength and durability far beyond human limits and has a baseline reaction time 15 times shorter than that of regular humans.
On occasion he has altered the behavior of gravitational fields around him, which has been suggested as evidence of the existence of a unified field which he can manipulate. He can also generate electromagnetic pulses of great strength and generate and manipulate electromagnetic energy down to photons. He can turn invisible by warping visible light around his body.
Although Magneto has been shown capable of manipulating matter on a subatomic level (insofar as the electromagnetic force is responsible for bonding electrons to protons within an atom), the use of his powers in this way seems to be difficult for him, and he has not been frequently depicted as doing so.
He has demonstrated the capacity to produce a wormhole and to safely teleport himself and others via the wormhole. His powers have also demonstrated that he can condense planetary objects into subatomic size.
Magneto has been consistently and frequently depicted as able to resist all but the strongest or most unexpected of telepathic attacks. A number of explanations have been proposed for his unusually strong resistance to telepathy, among them:
(a) technology wired into his helmet (the explanation given in the X-Men film series and several comic plotlines),
(b) some physical aspect of his electromagnetic powers that can interfere with telepathy (he once used the Earth's magnetic field to dampen the powers of all telepaths within his reach)
(c) latent telepathic powers of his own or,
(d) sheer force of will (cf. X-Men Vol. 2 #2).
In some of his earliest appearances, Magneto was depicted as capable of engaging in astral projection. He has also, on rare occasions, been shown reading other's dreams, issuing telepathic commands, and probing the minds of others. He has demonstrated the ability to shield his mind, while in intense meditation, so completely that even Emma Frost was not able to read his thoughts, despite being directly in front of him and actively attempting to do so.
In addition to his powers, Magneto has many other skills. He is a genius with competence in various fields of advanced science, especially in genetic manipulation, particle physics, engineering, and other fields of technology. He has engineered advanced weaponry, space stations, superpowered humanoid lifeforms, devices that generate volcanoes and earthquakes, devices that block telepathy, and devices that can nullify all mutant powers except for his own. He has reconstructed computerized devices from memory. He is fluent in many human languages and once single-handedly deciphered the unknown language of a lost civilization. He possesses extraordinary skill in "reading" the microexpressions on others' faces and sensing what they are thinking and feeling, whether they are lying, fearful, etc. a skill which he refers to as "taking your enemy's measure." He also is a master strategist and tactician with extensive combat experience, and has often been successful in single-handed combat against entire groups of superhuman adversaries. He also has some military training in hand-to-hand combat and has been shown to be effective with his fists, but he prefers to use his powers when in combat situations.
Sir Ian McKellen portrayed Magneto throughout the first X-Men film trilogy, while Michael Fassbender will play a young version of the character in the spin-off X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Magneto is a mutant with the power to manipulate the electromagnetic force to achieve a wide range of effects.
The primary application of his power is control over magnetism and the manipulation of metal. He can affect a very large quantity of metal at one time. For example, he has levitated objects as heavy as a 30,000 ton nuclear submarine and has used his power to move large asteroids several times. The maximum amount of mass that he can manipulate at one time is unknown. He can manipulate a large number of individual metal objects simultaneously and has assembled complex machinery with his powers. He can also affect non-metallic and non-magnetic objects to a lesser extent and frequently levitates himself and others.
Another way in which Magneto frequently uses his power is the projection of force-fields which selectively block out matter and energy. These fields are strong enough to withstand the detonation of multiple thermonuclear weapons; hence Magneto is invulnerable to most harm when surrounded by his shield and can survive in deep space thanks to it.
Magneto can also channel his powers through his own body to increase his strength and durability far beyond human limits and has a baseline reaction time 15 times shorter than that of regular humans.
On occasion he has altered the behavior of gravitational fields around him, which has been suggested as evidence of the existence of a unified field which he can manipulate. He can also generate electromagnetic pulses of great strength and generate and manipulate electromagnetic energy down to photons. He can turn invisible by warping visible light around his body.
Although Magneto has been shown capable of manipulating matter on a subatomic level (insofar as the electromagnetic force is responsible for bonding electrons to protons within an atom), the use of his powers in this way seems to be difficult for him, and he has not been frequently depicted as doing so.
He has demonstrated the capacity to produce a wormhole and to safely teleport himself and others via the wormhole. His powers have also demonstrated that he can condense planetary objects into subatomic size.
Magneto has been consistently and frequently depicted as able to resist all but the strongest or most unexpected of telepathic attacks. A number of explanations have been proposed for his unusually strong resistance to telepathy, among them:
(a) technology wired into his helmet (the explanation given in the X-Men film series and several comic plotlines),
(b) some physical aspect of his electromagnetic powers that can interfere with telepathy (he once used the Earth's magnetic field to dampen the powers of all telepaths within his reach)
(c) latent telepathic powers of his own or,
(d) sheer force of will (cf. X-Men Vol. 2 #2).
In some of his earliest appearances, Magneto was depicted as capable of engaging in astral projection. He has also, on rare occasions, been shown reading other's dreams, issuing telepathic commands, and probing the minds of others. He has demonstrated the ability to shield his mind, while in intense meditation, so completely that even Emma Frost was not able to read his thoughts, despite being directly in front of him and actively attempting to do so.
In addition to his powers, Magneto has many other skills. He is a genius with competence in various fields of advanced science, especially in genetic manipulation, particle physics, engineering, and other fields of technology. He has engineered advanced weaponry, space stations, superpowered humanoid lifeforms, devices that generate volcanoes and earthquakes, devices that block telepathy, and devices that can nullify all mutant powers except for his own. He has reconstructed computerized devices from memory. He is fluent in many human languages and once single-handedly deciphered the unknown language of a lost civilization. He possesses extraordinary skill in "reading" the microexpressions on others' faces and sensing what they are thinking and feeling, whether they are lying, fearful, etc. a skill which he refers to as "taking your enemy's measure." He also is a master strategist and tactician with extensive combat experience, and has often been successful in single-handed combat against entire groups of superhuman adversaries. He also has some military training in hand-to-hand combat and has been shown to be effective with his fists, but he prefers to use his powers when in combat situations.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
X-Men First Class character study: Professor X
Professor X is the telepathic leader and founder of the X-Men and one of Magneto's best friends until conflicts of opinion create a rivalry between them and their teams. Throughout most of his comic book history, Xavier is paraplegic, although his body houses one of the world's most powerful mutant minds. As a high-level telepath, Xavier can read, control and influence human minds. A scientific genius, he is also a leading authority on genetics, mutation, and psionic powers. Patrick Stewart has portrayed Professor X throughout the X-Men films, and the X-Men Legends games. Actor James McAvoy will portray the character in the upcoming 2011 superhero film, X-Men: First Class.
Powers and Abilities
Professor X is a mutant who possesses vast telepathic powers, and is among the most powerful Earth-born telepaths in the Marvel Universe.
Professor X is able to perceive the thoughts of others or project his own thoughts within a radius of approximately 250 miles (400 km). With extreme effort, he can greatly extend the range of his telepathy. He can learn foreign languages by reading the language centers of the brain of someone adept, and alternately "teach" languages to others in the same manner; Xavier once trained a new group of mutants mentally, subjectively making them experience months of training together, while only hours passed in the real world.
Xavier's vast psionic powers enable him to manipulate the minds of others, warp perceptions to make himself seem invisible, project mental illusions, cause loss of particular memories, and induce pain or temporary mental and/or physical paralysis in others. Within close range, he can manipulate almost any number of minds for such simple feats. However, he can only take full possession of one other mind at a time, and must strictly be within that person's physical presence. He is one of the few telepaths skilled enough to communicate with animals and even share their perceptions. He can also telepathically take away or control people's natural bodily functions and senses, such as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or even mutant powers. A side effect of his telepathy is that he is gifted with an eidetic memory. However, he cannot permanently 'reprogram' human minds to believe what he might want them to believe even if he wanted to do so, explaining that the mind is an organism that would always recall the steps necessary for it to reach the present and thus 'rewrite' itself to its original setting if he tried to change it.
Professor X can cause the loss of specific memories or even total amnesia. He can also project powerful mental 'bolts', enabling him to stun the mind of another person into unconsciousness or even cause death. These 'bolts' inflict damage only upon other minds, having a negligible effect on non-mental beings, if any. The manner in which Xavier's powers function indicates that his telepathy is physical in some way, as it can be enhanced by physical means (for example, Cerebro) and can be disrupted by physical means (for example, Magneto's alteration of the Earth's magnetic field).
Xavier can perceive the distinct mental presence/brain waves of other superhuman mutants within a small radius of himself. To detect mutants to a wider area beyond this radius, he must amplify his powers through Cerebro and subsequently Cerebra, computer devices of his own design which are sensitive to the psychic/physical energies produced by the mind.
Professor X can project his 'astral form' into a psychic 'dimension' known as the 'astral plane.' There, he can use his powers to create objects, control his surroundings, and even control and destroy the astral forms of others. He cannot project this form over long distances.
Charles is a genius with multiple doctorates. He is a world-renowned geneticist, an expert in mutation, possesses considerable knowledge of life sciences, and is the inventor of Cerebro. He is the leading authority on genetics, mutation, and psionic powers, and possesses considerable expertise in other life sciences. He possesses a Ph.D. in genetics, biophysics, and psychology. He is highly talented in devising equipment for utilizing and enhancing psionic powers.
During his travels in Asia, Xavier learned martial arts, acquiring "refined combat skills" according to Magneto. When these skills are coordinated in tandem with his telepathic abilities, Xavier is a dangerous unarmed combatant, capable of sensing the intentions of others and countering them with superhuman efficiency. He also has extensive knowledge of pressure points.
Powers and Abilities
Professor X is a mutant who possesses vast telepathic powers, and is among the most powerful Earth-born telepaths in the Marvel Universe.
Professor X is able to perceive the thoughts of others or project his own thoughts within a radius of approximately 250 miles (400 km). With extreme effort, he can greatly extend the range of his telepathy. He can learn foreign languages by reading the language centers of the brain of someone adept, and alternately "teach" languages to others in the same manner; Xavier once trained a new group of mutants mentally, subjectively making them experience months of training together, while only hours passed in the real world.
Xavier's vast psionic powers enable him to manipulate the minds of others, warp perceptions to make himself seem invisible, project mental illusions, cause loss of particular memories, and induce pain or temporary mental and/or physical paralysis in others. Within close range, he can manipulate almost any number of minds for such simple feats. However, he can only take full possession of one other mind at a time, and must strictly be within that person's physical presence. He is one of the few telepaths skilled enough to communicate with animals and even share their perceptions. He can also telepathically take away or control people's natural bodily functions and senses, such as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or even mutant powers. A side effect of his telepathy is that he is gifted with an eidetic memory. However, he cannot permanently 'reprogram' human minds to believe what he might want them to believe even if he wanted to do so, explaining that the mind is an organism that would always recall the steps necessary for it to reach the present and thus 'rewrite' itself to its original setting if he tried to change it.
Professor X can cause the loss of specific memories or even total amnesia. He can also project powerful mental 'bolts', enabling him to stun the mind of another person into unconsciousness or even cause death. These 'bolts' inflict damage only upon other minds, having a negligible effect on non-mental beings, if any. The manner in which Xavier's powers function indicates that his telepathy is physical in some way, as it can be enhanced by physical means (for example, Cerebro) and can be disrupted by physical means (for example, Magneto's alteration of the Earth's magnetic field).
Xavier can perceive the distinct mental presence/brain waves of other superhuman mutants within a small radius of himself. To detect mutants to a wider area beyond this radius, he must amplify his powers through Cerebro and subsequently Cerebra, computer devices of his own design which are sensitive to the psychic/physical energies produced by the mind.
Professor X can project his 'astral form' into a psychic 'dimension' known as the 'astral plane.' There, he can use his powers to create objects, control his surroundings, and even control and destroy the astral forms of others. He cannot project this form over long distances.
Charles is a genius with multiple doctorates. He is a world-renowned geneticist, an expert in mutation, possesses considerable knowledge of life sciences, and is the inventor of Cerebro. He is the leading authority on genetics, mutation, and psionic powers, and possesses considerable expertise in other life sciences. He possesses a Ph.D. in genetics, biophysics, and psychology. He is highly talented in devising equipment for utilizing and enhancing psionic powers.
During his travels in Asia, Xavier learned martial arts, acquiring "refined combat skills" according to Magneto. When these skills are coordinated in tandem with his telepathic abilities, Xavier is a dangerous unarmed combatant, capable of sensing the intentions of others and countering them with superhuman efficiency. He also has extensive knowledge of pressure points.
Monday, May 09, 2011
X-Men First Class - Summary
X-Men: First Class is an upcoming 2011 American superhero film directed by Matthew Vaughn. It is based on the characters appearing in Marvel Comics and is the fifth installment of the X-Men film series and prequel to X-Men. X-Men: First Class is scheduled for release on June 1, 2011 in the UK and June 3 in the U.S.
The film is set in the 1960s and will focus on the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the origin of their groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film stars James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Other cast members include Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, Zoë Kravitz, and Lucas Till. The film was mostly shot in England and parts of the United States. Fox envisions this film as the first in a new trilogy.
The film is set in the 1960s and will focus on the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the origin of their groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film stars James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Other cast members include Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, Zoë Kravitz, and Lucas Till. The film was mostly shot in England and parts of the United States. Fox envisions this film as the first in a new trilogy.
The film is a prequel to the first three movies, set in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. X-Men: First Class parallels the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement. The villains of the film will be the Hellfire Club. The plot is as follows:
"X-MEN FIRST CLASS charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men."
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