| King Bedlam | |
|---|---|
Cover to X-Force #88 featuring King Bedlam Art by Jim Cheung |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
Factor X #1 (first actual appearance) X-Force #87 (March 1999) |
| Created by | John Francis and Jim Cheung |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Christopher Terrence Aaronson |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Team affiliations | Hellions |
| Notable aliases | Terry Aaronson |
| Abilities | Ability to generate telepathic static |
King Bedlam (Christopher Aaronson) is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe, created for their comic book series X-Force. He was the long-lost brother of X-Force member Jesse Aaronson and made his first appearance in X-Force #87.
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When Christopher killed his parents by causing them to crash their car, he was separated from his brother Jesse, and what happened to him is unknown. What is known is that the White Queen hoped to recruit him into the original Hellions, an offer he declined, although Tarot had fallen in love with him. Somehow, the two lover's souls became inextricably bound to one another, resulting in Tarot's reincarnation even after being slaughtered by the homicidal maniac Trevor Fitzroy.
Years later, he resurfaced, leading the New Hellions, and hoped to ransom the United States government for a fortune by unleashing the Armageddon Man. His brother Jesse—who had joined X-Force in the meantime—found him after years of searching, and was almost convinced into joining Christopher's cause. However, as the events began to unfold it became clear that Christopher would crush anyone, even family, who got in his way. He even devised a clever plan of switching the mind of Domino with one of his operatives in order to keep X-Force from discovering the devious nature of his plan. Even though his plan was carefully laid, King Bedlam did not succeed at his goal.
As a result of the Scarlet Witch's actions in the House of M crossover, over 90% of the mutants in the entire world have been stripped of their mutant abilities in an event named M-Day. Included among the damaged ones is King Bedlam, whose power loss was confirmed in New Avengers #18.
Christopher alongside with his brother made their first appearance on the Marvel Universe in the reality known as Age of Apocalypse. In this reality, Christopher was called Terrence and along with his brother Jesse, was part of Sinister's Elite Mutant Force that patrolled the Breeding Pens. Along with his brother, he made up the happy-go-lucky, lighthearted group known as the Bedlam Brothers.
When Sinister was first found to be missing, it was Terry's mutant ability that granted the Elite Mutant Force access to Sinister's quarters as it was locked down by the Gatekeepers. When not attending to his duties as a member of the Elite Mutant Force, Terry, as well as his brother, were frequent visitors of Heaven, a club owned and operated by the wheeling and dealing Angel. During his stays in Heaven, he helped bring in Henry Peter Gyrich and their friend, singer Scarlett McKenzie when she was found to be in league with the Human High Council. They thought it would be better if someone she knew brought her in. Unlike their fellow comrades in the Elite Mutant Force, the Bedlams were not without a heart.
He eventually turned on Havok, in order to help Cyclops and Jean Grey to escape the pens. In that skirmish, Terrence defeated Samuel by flooding his thoughts and causing him to cannonball himself into a wall.
Following that melee, Terry and his brother fled underground, knowing what the repercussions for treason would be. He is currently at large and wanted by the X-Men for the part he played in the empire of Apocalypse.
King Bedlam is a mutant whose brain produces psionic interference that protects his own mind from telepathy and other forms of psionic manipulation, and can be projected outwards to disorient and disable his opponents. People affected by his mental attacks become incapable of concentrating on any conscious action, and are often completely disabled to the point where lose control of their autonomic motor functions, collapsing into a semi-conscious heap. A signature of his power is that his victims begin spouting gibberish.