Zero (comics)
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Zero is a fictional android in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in New Mutants as a member of the Mutant Liberation Front and was killed in Excalibur #80.
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[edit] Character history
Zero was created 2000 years in the future by the Askani as a prototype for the Ambient-energy Dampening Automated peacekeeping Mechanisms (ADAMs). Only one other ADAM has appeared in comics: Eleven, who worked for the Askani Clan Chosen. Zero was damaged and found by the mutant Stryfe, who opposed both the Askani and their enemies, the Neo-Canaanites. Stryfe reactivated Zero, but didn't repair his speech-functions, leaving Zero mute. Zero would function as Stryfe's most trusted ally, bodyguard and, due to his ability to teleport, transportation. His programming ensured complete obedience to Stryfe. When Stryfe's armies were defeated by the Neo-Canaanites, Stryfe and Zero fled, travelling back in time to the late 20th century.
In the 20th century, Stryfe gathered several young mutants like himself, who were displeased with the way mutants were treated and formed the terrorist organisation, the Mutant Liberation Front. Stryfe's technology and Zero's teleportation made the MLF one of the most dangerous organisations in existence and they were opposed by Cable and the New Mutants (later known as X-force. Stryfe's reason to return to the 20th century was revealed during the crossover, the X-Cutioner's Song; he wanted to take vengeance on everybody who had hurt him in his life. During the crossover, most of the MLF was dismantled and captured. Stryfe was defeated on the moon and Zero disappeared and was deactivated.
Zero ended up in the possession of the arms dealer, Tolliver, an alias of Tyler Dayspring, son of Cable. Zero was reactivated when the mercenaries Deadpool, Copycat, Garrison Kane and Slayback were all looking for "the ultimate weapon", which turned out to be Zero. Zero was now capable of speech and following his original programming: peace-keeping. He scanned his surroundings for any object and person who were a threat to peace on Earth and eliminated Slayback. He was about to eliminate Deadpool as well, but Deadpool convinced Zero that he had potential for good as well by saving Copycat's life. Zero agreed and left.
Zero joined Tyler Dayspring for a short while, helping him in finding out the true relationship between Cable and Stryfe, but he left Tyler to go on his own quest: to achieve full sentience and become "alive". He sensed the potential to be alive in the techno-organic being known as Douglock and gave him independence from the Phalanx. Zero set out to teach Douglock about his new existence, but Zero was now hunted by killer androids, programmed by Stryfe to destroy Zero in case of his death. Zero and Douglock were assisted by Excalibur and together they tried to deactivate the androids from Stryfe's secret base below the Pentagon. Here, Zero realised that he had become sentient and also the reason why Stryfe wanted him killed: locked within his databanks, Zero had all the secrets of the Legacy Virus, Stryfe's final "gift" to the world. This revelation activated Zero's self-destruct sequence and the killer androids in Stryfe's base. Shadowcat managed to remove the self-destruction device, but Zero realised that his sentience was a cruel joke played on him by Stryfe; he was just programmed to think he was alive. Zero sacrificed himself to protect Excalibur, Douglock and a family of innocents from the base's self-destruction, but in his last few moments on Earth, Stryfe showed his cruelty again: Zero was granted full sentience and had become truly alive, but also set off a self-destruct device in the base to kill him. As this happened, a recording of Stryfe delivering the taunting message, "Congratulations. You're human. For the next eight seconds." In his last moments on Earth, Zero transferred all off his memories to Douglock. So while his body is destroyed, the data that made up Zero's mind is still contained within the mind of Douglock (currently known as Warlock).
[edit] Powers and abilities
Zero's primary task was peace-keeping and to do so he was equipped with scanners, capable of determining a person or objects capabilities, purpose and potential. He could then use his ability to dampen and project energy to neutralize any threats, turning most advanced weapons useless and killing any potentially dangerous humans. Zero also had the ability to teleport: he opened portals between two different points, but he could only keep these portals open for a short period of time as Reaper found out to his regret.
[edit] Notes
- After Zero's destruction, the Mutant Liberation Front reappeared. At one point they had multiple Zero androids working for them, but these probably were copies of the original.
[edit] Sources
Monolith. "Uncannyxmen.net character bio on Zero". Retrieved April 14, 2006
