WARLOCK

 

WARLOCK

Real Name: Warlock (English approximation of his real name)

First Appearance: The New Mutants (Vol. 1) #18, August 1984

Powers: Warlock is a member of the Technarch, an alien race from the planet Kvch. They utilize a transmode virus as part of their physiology, giving them techno-organic bodies that are black with cables, sensors and other surface structures outlined by glowing lines. An immature mutant by Technarcy standards, Warlock experiences a greater range and variety of emotions than other members of his race do.

Warlock's bio-mechanical body can be reconstructed into any organically or technologically-appearing shape he can imagine, as well as energy projectors, sensory equipment, and to increase his physical size and strength, merge with computer systems to download information and schematics, deciphering protocols that allow him to intuit spoken, written and binary languages, and natural adaptability which helps his systems reconfigure to deal with new threats or opponents. When he takes the form of a machine, he retains his intelligence and uses his own life energies to empower himself in machine form (Hence, if he assumed the shape and form of a helicopter, his own energies would enable lift, flight, and mobility, not gasoline). He can exist in the vacuum of space without protection, as well as enter hyperspace and travel through it at great speeds. Warlock's shape-changing powers allow him to reduce himself to liquid form and then change back to solid form.

Warlock replenishes his life-energies by drawing electrical current from an outlet or by transforming living creatures into techno-organic beings. He accomplishes this by infecting an organic matter with his transmode virus, transforming the being or matter into a techno-organic being like himself, and then siphoning their life energy, killing them in the process. Though he can transform a living being to into techno-organics without draining their life energy, he cannot reverse the transformation. The circuitry in his body emanates a white glow when his power is at its peak, a yellow glow under normal circumstances, and a blue glow when he is low on energy.

Warlock can physically and mentally merge with another living being and thereby creating a single being that operates as a gestalt, he he has done with his teammate Doug Ramsey (Cypher). When they would merge, they took the form of Ramsey's body, but covered with Warlock's organic circuitry. Ramsey could perceive his environment as Warlock could. At first, their minds would remain separate within the body, but eventually their consciousness rapidly began to exhibit traits from both beings. The Cypher-Warlock gestalt could change its form so that both bodies were separate, but linked at certain points. The danger in creating the merger was that Warlock could infect Cypher with the transmode virus. Additionally, the longer the merger lasted, the greater the risk that his and Cypher's minds would so closely resemble one another that they would not want to regain separation.

After his death at the hands of Cameron Hodge, Warlock was later repowered and programmed with the engrams of Cypher as well as infected with Phalanx techno-organics derived from his own form. Warlock's genetic make-up is once again primarily Technarch, but with elements of both Phalanx and human genetics.