X-51

 

X-51

Real Name: Aaron Stack (legal name); Z2P45-9-X-51 (model number)

First Appearance: 2001: A Space Odyssey #8, July 1977

Powers: X-51 was an experimental model of artificially intelligent robot, created by Doctors Stack and Broadhurst and raised by Abel Stack as if he were his son. Otherwise known as Aaron Stack or the Machine Man, X-51 possessed a solar energy power supply which gave him considerable stamina providing he powered down occasionally for sleep and recharge. He had superhuman Class 5 strength, reflexes nine times faster than a normal man, a titanium exo-structure that was both laser and temperature resistant, and computer-enhanced processing ability. In extreme temperature conditions, he could use thermal vents and siphons in his hands to drastically alter his body temperature and adapt to his surroundings. These thermal units could also be used to super-heat or freeze objects on contact. X-51 also had telescopic and infrared vision, and could receive radio and television transmissions from his environment, and use his eyes to project the television images for all to see. His neck, arms, and legs could each extend over 100 feet on collapsible metal cable. His right arm contained a series of weapon modules in his fingers, capable of projecting shockwave blasts, lasers, solar-intensity flames, or stun beams. He also had a projectile tangle wire in his chest which could wrap up and restrain his opponents. For transportation, he had retractable tank treads under his arms which could propel him along on his stomach, and plates on his feet which connect into a skateboard underneath him. Machine Man also had magnetic plates on his feet and suction cups on his fingers allowing him to scale surfaces, spring coils on his soles, and was able to generate anti-gravity in order to make him and anything he carried weightless. Jets on his boots could propel him faster with either his treads or skateboard, or combine with his anti-gravity generator in order to fly at supersonic speeds. However, his anti-grav units were significantly damaged and rendered inoperative shortly after he escaped into the real world. He did adapt a dimensional transfer device into his circuits, allowing him to teleport across a city in a moment's notice. Machine Man could modify his components for various situations, such as removing the wheels from his treads and attaching them to his feet to glide along on rail tracks, or affix his weapon modules to his soles and use them like a short-term rocket booster.

After being critically damaged in battle with the Hulk, X-51 was rebuilt with a large number of his experimental systems removed to cut down strain on his circuitry. His anti-gravity and boot jets were restored, but he could only fly at about 50 mph and his weapon modules, dimensional transfer, treads, skateboard, coils, etc were all disabled. He was given a number of new modular instruments stored in his belt which could be attached to his fingers if he needed them, including regular and electronic lock picks, spectroscope, cellular transmission receiver, laser torch, .357 magnum, video receivers so that he can see around corners and over a distance by telescoping his hands, and so on. He also began demonstrating the power to channel electricity and magnetism: He could expel his own power supply as arcs of electricity from his hands, or tap into generators and funnel that power through his hands as well, or use it to artificially construct a magnetic polarity field. Early on, he required a wig and synthetic face mask in order to disguise himself and walk among normal humans undetected. Later on, however, he adopted the ability to reconfigure his exo-structure, shifting between his regular armored appearance and a more human, plain-clothed look.

During a conflict with MasterMold, X-51 was temporarily taken over by the Sentinel and infused with nanite enhancements. He regained control of himself, and his new power capacity became dormant until he suffered critical systems damage in a battle with the Red Skull on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. He only sustained himself by downloading his consciousness into a Life Model Decoy, and later totally regenerated into a new Machine Man by attaching his original severed head in place of the LMD's own lost head. In this new form he had vastly increased strength and durability, as well as the hyper-adaptability of most later-model Sentinels. If he was damaged in combat, X-51's systems could repair that damage and adjust his systems to prevent him from ever suffering injury that same way again. He had extensive internal files on all known mutants and superhumans, in addition to ranged sensory scanners allowing him to make new identifications instantaneously. Whether based on past data in his files or new data acquired through first-hand analysis, Machine Man could reconstruct his internal systems in order to create a variety of defensive and offensive measures specifically tailored to battle any given opponent. He generally manifested concussive plasma blasts, telescopic arms, and supersonic thrusters as his typical features. In later months, Aaron demonstrated the ability to physically reconstruct his entire body at will, such as changing into a motorcycle-like mode for transportation. He is now capable of manifesting all manner of tools and weapons out of his chest or hands simply by willing them to form.