MAELSTROM

 

MAELSTROM

Real Name: Unknown

First Appearance: Marvel Two-In-One (Vol. 1) #71, January 1981

Powers: Maelstrom was born to a Deviant mother and an Inhuman father. Deviants (Homo sapiens descendus) are an evolutionary offshoot of humanity created through experiments performed by the alien Celestials. Deviants tend to look monstrous and have no set phenotype. Their unstable genetic coding for physical characteristics is common to all members. Inhumans (Homo sapiens inanthropo) are a genetically engineered offshoot of humanity created by the Kree to possess heightened strength, speed, agility, endurance, and reaction time, roughly 50% greater than humans. Maelstrom's hybrid genes grant him these characteristics, but twice as strong.

He was also exposed to the mutagenic properties of the Terrigen Mist, a mutagenic or mutation-causing substance discovered by the Inhuman scientist Randac. It is potent enough to cause any living organism to mutate from exposure to it, although the Inhumans zealously restrict its use to Inhumans only. Maelstrom's exposure to it granted him the power to siphon and control all forms of kinetic energy, the energy of motion.

He can mentally manipulate all forms of kinetic energy and transform it into physical strength. This process, the nature of which is unknown, involves a body-wide interaction with kinetic energy from any ambient source. While Maelstrom can derive power from the motion of a single, room-temperature neutron, it is not yet known what the largest source of kinetic energy is that he can tap, or how much energy he can synthesize for use at the same time. He frequently uses the power of his opponents to energize himself. Once energized, he can direct kinetic energy in great storms of force. His body constantly absorbs kinetic energy and translates it into a bio-luminescent plume of force which whirls around his body. Its rate of motion is often affected by his mood, while its depth (volume) is a function of the amount of energy he has synthesized for use. He controls the amount of energy he synthesizes over his body's minimum capacity by force of will.

His absorption is capable of slowing and inhibiting molecular motion in his environment. Maelstrom is even capable of leeching away the motion of the planet Earth itself, slowing the planet's revolution and rotation. This siphoning effect can be used to freeze projectiles or opponents in place to prevent them from reaching him, or he can kill someone by stopping their heart from moving and pumping. Maelstrom can convert his energies into strength and mass, increasing his physical power and stature at will. He can also stir up storms of concussive energy that radiate out from his person, or project directed blasts of energy from his hands. The intensity of his bio-kinetic releases is controlled mentally, and can be used to cause intense pain, stun opponents into unconsciousness, strike with tremendous force and even reduce a target to nothing but powder. He also briefly possessed abilities stolen from Anomaly and Oblivion, respectively the ability to alter reality and perceive all reality within the cosmos (cosmic awareness).

Maelstrom was an extraordinary genius with highly advanced knowledge of genetics, genetic engineering, and cloning.