The Marauders refers to one of two teams of
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
al characters appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The original Marauders team included
mutant
In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
warriors and assassins employed by the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
's enemy
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont, the character was first mentioned as the employer behind the team of assassins known as the Maraud ...
, a mad scientist villain often intent on creating a perfect race of superhumans. At different times, the Marauders have been tasked with Sinister to perform kidnappings, assassinations, mass murder, or to simply fight Sinister's enemies. At different times, Marauders have been killed in combat, but often Mr. Sinister later uses his cloning technology to re-create them. This team of Marauders has appeared in many different stories of the X-Men franchise, as well as stories featuring other
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
heroes.
In 2019, the
Dawn of X
"Dawn of X" is a 2019 relaunch of the ''X-Men'' line of comic books published by Marvel Comics in the wake of the twin miniseries ''House of X'' and ''Powers of X''. This initiative culminated in the crossover event '' X of Swords'', which was fo ...
event involved the X-Men and many allies and enemies creating a new all-mutant country on the living island
Krakoa. Teleport gates that only work for mutants were then created at various points on Earth, allowing any mutant who wished to join the new community to instantly do so.
Kitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was ...
then formed a new team of "Marauders" to transport mutants to Krakoa who lived in countries that did not recognize the sovereignty of the mutant nation and/or obstructed the local teleport gates leading to the island. This team also works to protect mutant travelers and refugees from threats. The team's series ''
Marauders'' debuted in 2019.
Publication history
The first Marauders team debuted in ''The
Uncanny X-Men
''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
'' #210 (Oct. 1986), during a crossover called the "
Mutant Massacre
"Mutant Massacre" was a 1986 Marvel Comics crossover storyline. It primarily involved the superhero teams the X-Men and X-Factor. The solo hero Thor, the New Mutants, Power Pack and Daredevil crossed over for an issue each in their own comic b ...
" where the team were sent to slaughter a community of sewer-dwelling mutants called Morlocks. This issue introduced the characters Arclight, Harpoon, Malice, Scalphunter, Scrambler, and Riptide. With the exception of Malice, these characters only appeared in issue #210 as figures in silhouette, but then made their full debut in the following issue ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #211. Two other Marauders known as Blockbuster and Prism made their first appearance in a later chapter of the "Mutant Massacre" featured in ''X-Factor'' #10. The original Marauders team also included the villains
Sabretooth and
Vertigo
Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
, but each had actually been introduced into comics years earlier, while the rest of the Marauders were created for the "Mutant Massacre" story by writer
Chris Claremont and artist
John Romita Jr.
John Salvatore Romita (; born August 17, 1956), known professionally as John Romita Jr., is an American comics artist best known for his extensive work for Marvel Comics from the 1970s to the 2010s. He is the son of artist John Romita Sr.
Early ...
Vertigo had originally been introduced in ''Marvel Fanfare'' #1 (1982), while Sabretooth had debuted as an
Iron Fist villain in ''Iron Fist'' #14 (1977) and then made appearances in Spider-Man stories before it was decided to make him a Marauder and bring him into the X-Men franchise. "Mutant Massacre" was the first story to hint at a connection between Sabretooth and the X-Man called
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
.
In ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #212,
Mr. Sinister is mentioned as the employer of the Marauders. He is seen in silhouette in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #213 (1986) when Sabretooth's mind is scanned. He does not appear with the team (or debut in comics) until ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #221 (1987). Although it is Sinister's team, it is later revealed in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #350 (1997) that with the exception of Sabretooth and Scalphunter (whom had already worked for Sinister many times), it was the mutant thief (and later X-Men member)
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
who recruited and organized the team. Gambit was unaware of the team's true purpose, using his skills to locate the members in exchange for Sinister helping him. Gambit is also said to be the one who led the Marauders to the Morlocks location, but this seems to contradict scenes in "Mutant Massacre" where the team tracks a young Morlock returning home.
During "Mutant Massacre," three Marauders are killed: Blockbuster ''The Mighty Thor'' #374, Riptide in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #211, and Prism in ''X-Factor'' #10. However, all three appeared alive and well two years later during the 1989 "Inferno" crossover issues ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #240. Five years later, ''X-Men'' #34 (1994) revealed that Sinister regularly clones dead Marauders so they can serve him again. ''Gambit'' vol. 3 #8 (1999) adds that each Marauder clone is made so their minds will shut down if they attempt to betray Sinister.
The 1996 miniseries ''
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix
''Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix'' is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The series is a sequel to the '' Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix'' (1994), and was written by Peter Mi ...
'' revealed that Sinister hired a group of criminals known as the Marauders during the 19th century, making it retroactively the first incarnation of the group.
''X-Men'' #200 (2007) featured the original Marauders team with several new members, including
Omega Sentinel (possessed by Malice),
Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind is a fictional character and supervillain, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, the character first appeared as Regan Wyngarde in '' X-Treme X ...
,
Sunfire,
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
, and
Mystique. The team worked alongside members of the
Acolytes team.
Following Sinister's apparent death during the crossover "Messiah Complex", many dormant Marauder clones awakened and fought the new X-Force team in ''X-Force'' vol. 3 #9. In ''Astonishing X-Men'' vol. 3 #48, a new version of the Marauders appeared whose members included: Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Prism, Vanisher, and
Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilici ...
(serving as the new leader). Mister Sinister later formed another incarnation of the Marauders team consisting of
Aries
Aries may refer to:
*Aries (astrology), an astrological sign
*Aries (constellation), a constellation of stars in the zodiac
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Aries'' (album), by Luis Miguel, 1993
* ''Aries'' (EP), by Alice Chater, 2020
* "Aries" ...
, Azimuth, Chimera, and Coda.
Several of the original Marauders (or at least their clones) were later confronted and killed by the mutant Chamber in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' vol. 2 #18 (2019).
The X-Men franchise titles were rebooted for the 2019 event
Dawn of X
"Dawn of X" is a 2019 relaunch of the ''X-Men'' line of comic books published by Marvel Comics in the wake of the twin miniseries ''House of X'' and ''Powers of X''. This initiative culminated in the crossover event '' X of Swords'', which was fo ...
. Professor X, Magneto, and the X-Men, along with many mutant allies and former enemies, created a new mutant community on the living island of Krakoa, a self-sufficient country where they offered sanctuary to any mutant who wished to join them. Various teleport gates were created across Earth to allow mutants (and only mutants) entry to Krakoa. Kitty Pryde then created a team to help transport those mutants whose native countries did not recognize Krakoa and/or blocked the local gates that would allow mutants to travel there. Kitty named this team the Marauders, and recruited the former X-Men Iceman, Storm, and Bishop, along with their old enemy Pyro (now reformed). The team appears in their own series ''Marauders'', which started publication in 2019.
In the 2020 series ''Hellions'', it was revealed that the original Marauders (except for Sabretooth and Scalphunter) refused to join the nation of Krakoa and had taken refuge in Nebraska, only to then be turned into zombie-like slaves of
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
.
Fictional team biography
In Victorian London, during the 1860s, Nathaniel Essex is a biologist and surgeon interested in evolution and the work of Charles Darwin. His interest becomes an obsession after the death of his son Adam due to multiple birth defects. Believing morality has no place in scientific research, Essex decides to experiment on humans to further his research into human genetics, hoping to one day create a perfect race. He meets the criminal Cootie Tremble and his gang, the Marauders, and hired them. For years, the Marauders kidnap homeless and neglected people off the streets of London, bringing them to Essex's lab for his experiments. One test subject who survives is a man named Daniel Summers (an ancestor of the X-Man Scott Summers AKA Cyclops). During this time, Essex meets the Egyptian terrorist and cult leader En Sabah Nur, who might be the earliest example of a mutant on Earth, a person born with an X-gene that grants them superhuman powers and/or traits. Like Essex, En Sabah Nur (who will later be known as Apocalypse) believes in "survival of the fittest", though their methods and ultimate goals differ.
After his wife Rebecca discovers his work and condemns him, dying during labor soon afterward, Essex decides to leave behind his humanity. Using alien technology, Apocalypse turns Essex into an ageless superhuman with chalk-white skin. Essex takes on the name "Mister Sinister" (a reference to how his wife saw him before her death). Though he later cuts ties with the criminal Marauders before moving his operations to America, Sinister repeatedly decides to recruit other agents to act in his stead and serve as his protectors (which becomes more important to Essex after he decides he needs soldiers to use against Apocalypse).
In 1907, Sinister works at the
Ravencroft Institute
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
and temporarily employs the mutant killer
Sabretooth as an agent. During World War II, Sinister works with the Nazi
Dr. Josef Mengele
, allegiance =
, branch = Schutzstaffel
, serviceyears = 1938–1945
, rank = '' SS''-''Hauptsturmführer'' (Captain)
, servicenumber =
, battles =
, unit =
, awards =
, commands =
, s ...
. In 1944, John Greycrow of the US Army is executed by firing squad for murdering fellow officers. A mutant with the ability to regenerate from even potentially lethal wounds, Greycrow emerges from his grave and finds Mr. Sinister waiting. Sinister explains he learned of Greycrow's abilities and deadly nature and wishes to recruit him. Greycrow accepts, calling himself
Scalphunter. Around this time, Sinister creates a clone of the Atlantean warrior Namor, the Sub-Mariner, calling it N2. After the clone is defeated by Captain America, and seeing that the Nazis will lose the war, Sinister and Greycrow leave to pursue their own agenda. Sinister's research during World War II is later recovered and used by the scientists behind the
Weapon X project.
Sometime later during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, Scalphunter brings soldiers and civilians to Sinister for experimentation. Sabretooth, working as a mercenary, is hired to find the truth about the "White Devil" and his connection to reports of missing people, as well as the rumors of "monster men" appearing. Scalphunter tells Sabretooth to leave him and Sinister alone, offering money and teasing that he will let the authorities know the mercenary has been killing prostitutes during his investigation. Sabretooth agrees to leave with the money and Scalphunter indicates that he and Sinister will recruit him in the future.
Many years later, a version of the mutant scientist Hank McCoy arrives on Earth from another timeline where Apocalypse rules. This version of McCoy, called the Dark Beast, is an amoral student and lab assistant of his timeline's version of Sinister. Journeying to New York City, he experiments on several mutants, using the techniques Sinister taught him, in order to see how much he can change or enhance mutation. Several of his surviving test subjects decide to hide from the world, joining the underground community known as the Morlocks. Years later, Dark Beast's experiments indirectly lead to the "Mutant Massacre."
Becoming aware of the mutant teenagers Scott Summers and Jean Grey, Sinister concludes that their combined genetic codes could create a near-perfect mutant, one powerful enough to destroy Apocalypse. Since Jean Grey is already being mentored and watched over by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, Sinister spends years focusing much of his efforts on manipulating Scott Summers. To aid in this, Sinister brings the orphaned Scott to the Essex State Home for Foundlings in Nebraska, an orphanage he secretly runs and uses to monitor and experiment on mutant children. Eventually, Scott leaves the orphanage and is also recruited by Xavier. However, Sinister retrieves cell samples from them and begins working on perfecting his cloning process. When Scott and Jean become founding members of Xavier's counter-terrorist strike force, the X-Men, Sinister decides to obtain fresh DNA samples from all of them. Rather than use Scalphunter or Sabretooth, he hires Kraven the Hunter and the Blob to get the job done.
Forming the first Marauders team
Years after joining the X-Men, Jean Grey joins with the powerful
Phoenix Force. After months of wielding her new cosmic power, Jean is temporarily corrupted, causing the Phoenix Force to warp into a new, murderous persona called Dark Phoenix. To prevent the Dark Phoenix from causing harm, Jean seemingly kills herself. Her death inadvertently activates Sinister's clone of Jean Grey and he decides to use it to further manipulate Cyclops. Named "Madelyne Pryor," the clone encounters Cyclops, and the two fall in love. After marrying and having a child, Nathan Summers, they move to Alaska.
Meanwhile, Sinister decides that the sewer-dwelling mutant community known as the Morlocks represents the worst kind of mutants possible and should not be allowed to risk mixing with the gene pool of other mutants and humans. He is further angered when his studies reveal that several Morlocks bear signs of genetic manipulation based on his own research (due to the fact that many of them were experimented on by Dark Beast). Disgusted that someone has used his "signature" without his permission, Sinister decides to wipe out the Morlocks living in Manhattan's sewers. He hires the mutant thief Gambit to recruit a team of warriors and assassins who will work with Sabretooth and Scalphunter. In exchange, he performs surgery on Gambit to correct a defect that would have ensured the mutant thief would one day lose control of his powers. Recalling the criminals he worked with in London, Mr. Sinister decides to christen his first official team of agents "the Marauders."
Before Sinister sends his Marauders against the Morlocks, Jean Grey is discovered alive and well by the Avengers. Her former X-Men comrades are contacted and a shocked Scott Summers leaves Alaska to see for himself that it's actually her. Rather than return home to his wife and child, Scott remains with his old teammates as they form a new team called
X-Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...
. It is later said this is because Sinister uses his mental influence over Cyclops to encourage him to leave behind Madelyne and Nathan, making them easy targets. With Cyclops gone, Sinister sends his newly formed Marauders to attack the now undefended Summers house in Alaska. The Marauders kidnap Nathan, leaving Maddie injured and near-death. Unbeknownst to Sinister, she survives the ordeal, is taken to a hospital and slips into a coma.
"Mutant Massacre" and "Inferno"
Returning to New York, the Marauders are sent after the Morlocks. Using his stealth and tracking skills, Gambit leads the group to the secret Morlock community in the sewers but abandons the group when he learns they intend to murder the people living there. The Marauders dismiss Gambit and begin their slaughter, causing the "
Mutant Massacre
"Mutant Massacre" was a 1986 Marvel Comics crossover storyline. It primarily involved the superhero teams the X-Men and X-Factor. The solo hero Thor, the New Mutants, Power Pack and Daredevil crossed over for an issue each in their own comic b ...
" event, a series of battles that include the X-Men, X-Factor, and other heroes such as Thor. During the fighting, the Marauders Prism, Riptide, and Blockbuster are killed in action. However, Sinister has now perfected his cloning techniques and simply recreates them.
[''X-Men'' #34 (1994. Marvel Comics).] He also uses his scientific skill and mental abilities to ensure that the minds of the Marauder clones will shut down if they decide to betray him.
Following the "Mutant Massacre", the remaining Marauders attack the X-Men's base at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters (also known as the
X-Mansion
The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X ...
) in Westchester, New York. Scanning the mind of Sabretooth, the X-Man called
Psylocke
Psylocke is the name of two connected fictional mutant superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men.
The first character to use the Psylocke moniker, Betsy Braddock, was initially a suppo ...
learns the massacre was ordered by someone called "Sinister", alerting the X-Men to his presence for the first time. The attack fails, but the Marauders later attack former X-Men member Polaris. Malice succeeds in possessing her mind and then becomes the field leader of the team. After it was discovered that Madelyne Pryor was alive and recovered, the Marauders tried and failed to assassinate her. She rejoined the company of the X-Men, traumatized by the loss of her son and convinced Cyclops had abandoned them.
Maddie's resentment and anger start to corrupt her, leading her to make a deal with demons. Transformed into the demonically powered "Goblyn Queen," Madelyne is at the heart of the "
Inferno
Inferno may refer to:
* Hell, an afterlife place of suffering
* Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire
Film
* ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film
* Inferno (1953 film), ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker
* Inferno (1973 fi ...
" crossover as Hell-bound forces cross into Earth's dimensions. During this time, the Mauraders face Madelyne again, now joined by Sinister who reveals her true origin as a clone. Many of the Marauders are killed during "Inferno," and Maddie later dies herself, her life force and memories merging with those of Jean Grey. Sinister confronts the X-Men and X-Factor teams, revealing how he manipulated both Maddie and Cyclops. Cyclops unleashes a powerful optic blast that seemingly kills Sinister, leaving only bones. This is later revealed to be a ruse performed by Mr. Sinister, who decided it was best to retreat. Without Sinister, the Marauders Sabretooth, Blockbuster, and Malice continue their own attacks on the X-Men. Not long afterward, Sinister appears again, now with a new group called the
Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a group of supervillain Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutants appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. This group exists in Marvel's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.
These characters are the pers ...
. In later adventures, Sinister works with the Marauders again rather than the Nasty Boys, though at times the group seems to follow its own agenda.
In the alternate reality called "Age of Apocalypse," the native version of Sinister uses DNA from Jean Grey and Scott Summers to create a powerful mutant called Nate Grey. After Nate transports to the mainstream Marvel reality and makes a home there, Sinister's agent Threnody befriends him. When she refuses to work for Sinister further, he sends the Marauders and they battle Nate Grey. Using his telepathy, Nate causes Arclight to kill Blockbuster, then manipulates Riptide to kill Arclight. It is soon after this that Gambit discovers Sinister keeps clones of all the Marauders, ready in the event of their deaths.
He rarely attempts to clone Sabretooth, whose healing abilities and feral nature make even his clones resistant to mental control.
Later teams
A new incarnation of the team emerges years later, consisting of Malice (now possessing
Omega Sentinel).
Lady Mastermind
Lady Mastermind is a fictional character and supervillain, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, the character first appeared as Regan Wyngarde in '' X-Treme X ...
,
Sunfire,
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
, and
Mystique, who have all aligned themselves with the former
Acolytes known as
Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Ex ...
,
Random
In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no :wikt:order, order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Ind ...
,
Frenzy
''Frenzy'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career. The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the 1966 novel ''Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Squa ...
,
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
, and
Unuscione
Uatu
Ulik
Ultimaton
Ultimaton, also known as Weapon XV, is a living weapon created by the anti-mutant supersoldier program Weapon Plus. The character was created by Grant Morrison and Chris Bachalo, first appeared in ''New X-Men (2001 serie ...
.
The team is sent after a list of mutants, many of whom are native to alternate timelines and possible future eras. During this assignment, the team kills
Vargas and Dark Mother, and destroys Wohnhaus Strucker, a building with ties to the future. They seemingly kill the mutant teleporter
Gateway and the time traveler Cable (a grown-up version of Nathan Summers), but both later turn up alive. Though they try to kill
Blindfold
A blindfold (from Middle English ') is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the human eye, eyes to disable the wearer's visual perception, sight. While a properly fitted blindfold prevents sight even if the eyes are open, a ...
, she escapes. The Marauders also seek out the diaries of the dead psychic mutant
Destiny
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
, but the books in the X-Mansion are destroyed.
The Marauders play a major role in ''
X-Men: Messiah Complex'', sent by Sinister to track down the first mutant child born after "M-Day," an event that stripped most mutants of their X-genes and powers. During a battle on Muir Island, the Marauders Scrambler and Vertigo seemingly die. Mr. Sinister is killed by Mystique, but is able to transfer his consciousness into a host before then growing a new clone body for himself.
Following Sinister's apparent death, a large contingent of Marauder clones awaken and fight the newest team called X-Force, a black ops team. Nearly all the clones are killed.
[''X-Force'' vol. 3 #9]
Da'o Coy Manh, the half-sister of the mutant known as
Karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
, forms a new incarnation of the Marauders in order to take revenge on her father. The new lineup includes: Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Prism, and Vanisher, with Chimera as the apparent new leader.
Magneto's Marauders
With the exceptions of Malice and Sabretooth, many clones of the other Marauders still exist. Deciding they are long overdue for vengeance in the name of the Morlocks their predecessors killed, Magneto hunts down and kills these clones, except for one of Scalphunter, whose limbs are dismembered. After tracking a group of remaining clones that have yet to be activated, Magneto decides instead to alter their personalities to obey his own commands in the future.
Following
World War Hate, Magneto leads various mutants through the island of Genosha. Magneto later unleashes his loyal Marauder clones against the international intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D., using them as a distraction while he destroys much of the organization's collected data on mutants. Magneto and his Marauders then retreat and go separate ways. Magneto kills the Sabretooth clone when he realizes its feral nature and healing abilities make it resistant to his mental loyalty programming.
[''Magneto'' vol. 3 #16] He and the Marauders apparently part ways later on.
All-New, All-Different Marvel
As part of the ''
All-New, All-Different Marvel
All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline " Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Universe, with nearly 60–65 titles relaunched w ...
'' event, Mister Sinister forms another incarnation of the Marauders in order to capture
Nightcrawler. This team includes
Aries
Aries may refer to:
*Aries (astrology), an astrological sign
*Aries (constellation), a constellation of stars in the zodiac
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Aries'' (album), by Luis Miguel, 1993
* ''Aries'' (EP), by Alice Chater, 2020
* "Aries" ...
, Azimuth,
Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilici ...
, and Coda.
[''Extraordinary X-Men'' #1]
After being manipulated by Emma Frost, the Marauders reform with Scalphunter, Arclight, Harpoon, Blockbuster, Vertigo, and Malice. The X-Men confronts this group, accusing them of committing a second Morlock Massacre. The Marauders deny this charge, but the X-Man
Chamber
Chamber or the chamber may refer to:
In government and organizations
* Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests
*Legislative chamber, in politics
* Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...
burns them alive with his psionic flame. As he burns, Harpoon impales Chamber in the back, killing the young mutant.
Dawn of X
In the 2019 Dawn of X event, Xavier and Magneto work with the X-Men, as well as many allies and former enemies, to create a new mutant nation and sanctuary on the living island of
Krakoa. Krakoa creates teleport gates around the Earth so that mutants (and only mutants) may be able to travel to its land instantaneously and join the new community. However, some countries do not recognize the sovereignty of Krakoa and block their local gates in order to prevent their own mutant citizens from leaving. To aid these mutants who cannot access the gates, Kitty Pryde forms a new group she calls the Marauders, recruiting her now reformed enemy Pyro as well as former teammates Storm, Iceman, and Bishop.
Mister Sinister, Scalphunter, and Sabretooth join the Krakoa community. The other living former Marauders refuse to come to Krakoa, taking shelter in Sinister's former orphanage base in Nebraska. While Sinister is left alone due to now being a member of Krakoa's ruling
Quiet Council, Scalphunter is confronted by Morlocks on the island who inform him it is the anniversary of the Mutant Massacre. Rather than seek to make amends, Scalphunter remorselessly answers with violence and reveals a hidden weapon. He is later grouped with other mutants who are having trouble fitting in with the new community due to aggressive, violent, or villainous attitudes. At Sinister's suggestion, the group becomes a new team of
Hellions whom he hopes to rehabilitate through a form of group therapy. The former X-Men member
Psylocke
Psylocke is the name of two connected fictional mutant superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men.
The first character to use the Psylocke moniker, Betsy Braddock, was initially a suppo ...
joins Sinister as overseer of the group.
For their first mission, the new Hellions go to Sinister's orphanage in order to confront the original Marauders, only to learn they have become zombie-like beings under the control of
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
.
[''Hellions'' #1 (2020). Marvel Comics.]
Members
Original roster
Second roster
During the ''Messiah Complex'' storyline, five former X-Men joined the original roster of the Marauders, and Sabretooth was not among the group.
*
Gambit (Remy LeBeau): Before joining the X-Men, Gambit was hired by Sinister to assemble the Marauders. Feeling responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Morlocks, Gambit kept this a secret from the X-Men until
Rogue absorbed his memories and found out Gambit's secret. His brainwashing by Apocalypse and manipulation by Sinister led him to abandon the X-Men, though he has since returned to the team.
*
Lady Mastermind (Regan Wyngarde): An illusion-creating mutant and one of
Jason Wyngarde
Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek mythology, mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was marri ...
's (the original Mastermind) daughters.
*
Mystique: A
shapeshifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
, mother of
Nightcrawler and the adoptive mother of Rogue. She infiltrated the X-Men in order to betray them from within.
*
Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida): A Japanese mutant and former X-Man with fire generation and manipulation abilities.
* Omega Sentinel (
Karima Shapandar
Omega Sentinel (Karima Shapandar) is a superhero later supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is associated with the X-Men and its spinoff Excalibur.
Publication history
Karima Shapandar first app ...
)
*
Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Ex ...
(Bennet Du Paris)
Third roster
After the ''Schism'' storyline, two enemies of the X-Men joined the Marauders.
*
Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilici ...
: A former interdimensional pirate from an unknown Earth, who can generate dragon-shaped flares of greenish-transparent ectoplasmic energy to strike her enemies on various planes of being (i.e. physical, astral, etc.).
*
Vanisher (Telford Porter): Longtime criminal and former member of the X-Force, he possesses the ability to teleport himself, his clothes, and an as yet undetermined amount of additional mass.
Fourth roster
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
eventually tracked the original Marauders' remaining clones, except for Sabretooth and Malice, and killed them all, which activated new clones of them. He prevented the activation of the clones and programmed them to deploy at his command in the future. Scalphunter was also spared, though his arms and legs were severed.
Fifth roster
As part of the ''All-New, All-Different Marvel'' event, Mister Sinister has formed another incarnation of the Marauders. Besides Chimera, this membership consisted of:
*
Aries
Aries may refer to:
*Aries (astrology), an astrological sign
*Aries (constellation), a constellation of stars in the zodiac
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Aries'' (album), by Luis Miguel, 1993
* ''Aries'' (EP), by Alice Chater, 2020
* "Aries" ...
: A mutant with the horns and hindquarters of a ram. Aries has no connections with the
Zodiac
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the Sun path, apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. ...
.
* Azimuth: A female mutant who can unhinge her jaws to form an oral singularity/black hole that can disrupt even Nightcrawler's teleportation.
* Coda: A mummified mutant with a forked tongue.
Miss Sinister's New Marauders
Following the rebirth of the Multiverse in the aftermath of Secret Wars,
Miss Sinister had made her presence known and assembled several mutants that became stranded from the
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...
into the Prime Universe which she personally handpicked and trained to be killers. Those among her New Marauders are:
*
Jimmy Hudson
Jimmy Hudson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe and is the son of Wolverine (Ultimate Marvel character), Ultimate Wolverine. After the Secret ...
: Rescued by the X-Men Blue team and defected the New Marauders.
* Guardian (Derek Morgan)
*
Quicksilver
*
Armor
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or fr ...
* Mach-II (Nomi Blume)
*
Malice
Miss Sinister kept experimenting on the New Marauders, granting them secondary mutations through a method called the "Mothervine". However, not all attempts were successful, with one of them resulting in Quicksilver's death. Pietro's body was left behind by Miss Sinister in her base once she abandoned it, and it was eventually found by the young X-Men while investigating, nevertheless the New Marauders remained by Miss Sinister's side as she allied herself with Havok, Emma Frost and Bastion to release "Mothervine" globally with the intent to make mutantkind the dominant species. Miss Sinister later attempted to recruit the time-displaced Jean Grey to their cause by making sure she would find a necklace which unbeknownst to her, contained the essence of Malice. However, due to Jean's strong defenses, Malice could not bring herself to possess Jean, instead she was eventually found by Polaris which she immediately possessed. However, because Polaris had already been possessed by Malice, she was able to free herself from the possession, breaking Malice's necklace in the process. Miss Sinister also sent the New Marauders to recruit Xorn to Havok's cause, but Jimmy Hudson and Bloodstorm, intervened and rescued him. Shortly afterwards, the New Marauders were sent to attack Magneto, who had threatened Havok's plans but the master of magnetism evaded them and escaped using his time platform. Following the capture of the young X-Men, Emma Frost finally rejected Miss Sinister's ideal and psychically controlled Mach-II, Armor and Guardian in order to turned them upon their mistress, however, Miss Sinister activated a kill-switch she had implanted in their genetic code, which killed instantly all three.
X-Men team
Other versions
Age of Apocalypse
In the ''
Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comics ...
'' storyline, the Marauders are a band of human terrorists equipped with wrist-armories and air-steppers, serving Apocalypse and consisting of
Arcade
Arcade most often refers to:
* Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine
** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware
** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board
* Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games
* ...
,
Dirigible
An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.
In early ...
, the
Owl
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
and
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
. The group was sent by Apocalypse to destroy the land of Wakanda where Arcade was able to murder Black Panther and together destroy much of the land, the Marauders' life was cut short by Clint Barton and Gwen Stacy.
House of M
In the ''
House of M
"House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a core eight-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel and a number of fictiona ...
'' reality, the Marauders are a covert ops group led by
Callisto Callisto most commonly refers to:
*Callisto (mythology), a nymph
*Callisto (moon), a moon of Jupiter
Callisto may also refer to:
Art and entertainment
*''Callisto series'', a sequence of novels by Lin Carter
*''Callisto'', a novel by Torsten Kro ...
and consisting of
Banshee
A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name i ...
,
Black Tom Cassidy
Black Tom Cassidy (Thomas Samuel Eamon Cassidy) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the X-Men, and of his cousin, Banshee. In addition to fighting the X ...
,
Blob
Blob may refer to:
Science Computing
* Binary blob, in open source software, a non-free object file loaded into the kernel
* Binary large object (BLOB), in computer database systems
* A storage mechanism in the cloud computing platform M ...
,
Caliban
Caliban ( ), son of the witch Sycorax, is an important character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''.
His character is one of the few Shakespearean figures to take on a life of its own "outside" Shakespeare's own work: as Russell H ...
,
Mammomax
The Brotherhood of Mutants, also known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Brotherhood, is a team of comic book mutant supervillains in Marvel Comics' universe who are devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. Their roster has varied ...
,
Sunder, and
T-Rex
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...
.
Mutant X
In the ''
Mutant X'' dimension, a group of thieves calling themselves the Marauders are made up of mostly
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team first appeared in ''New Mutants#New Muta ...
and
Generation X
Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
associates, such as an overweight
Cannonball
A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
,
Jubilee
A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
,
Husk
Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes the protective ...
,
Sunspot and
Wolfsbane.
Ultimate Marvel
In the
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...
universe, the Marauders appear in the ''
Ultimate X-Men
''Ultimate X-Men'' is a superhero comic book series, which was published by Marvel Comics, from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of the Ultimate Marvel imprint. The U ...
'' series and are a white supremacist group led by
Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers (comics), Avengers. The character first appeared in ''Captain America (comic ...
.
What If?
The Marauders are featured in ''
What If?'' vol. 2 #101.
In other media
Television
The Marauders appear in the ''
Wolverine and the X-Men'' animated series, consisting of
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont, the character was first mentioned as the employer behind the team of assassins known as the Maraud ...
,
Arclight
An arclight or arc lamp is a lamp that produces a bright light by generating an electric arc across two electrodes.
Arclight, Arc Light or arc light may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Characters
* Arclight (comics), a mutant super-vill ...
,
Blockbuster
Blockbuster or Block Buster may refer to:
*Blockbuster (entertainment) a term coined for an extremely successful movie, from which most other uses are derived.
Corporations
* Blockbuster (retailer), a defunct video and game rental chain
** Bl ...
,
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, seal hunting, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the t ...
,
Multiple Man
James Arthur Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Len Wein, he first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Giant-Size Fantastic F ...
, and
Vertigo
Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
. Like the comics, they collect
Mutant
In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
DNA by force for Sinister's plans to create the "Ultimate Mutant". In the episode "eXcessive Force" however,
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
disrupts one of their missions while searching for the missing
Jean Grey
Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
, whom he believes Sinister kidnapped. In the episode "Guardian Angel", Sinister transforms the
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
into Archangel after the latter loses his wings. In the episode "Shades of Grey", Archangel joins the Marauders on a mission in which they are temporarily captured, but later escape. It is also revealed that the Marauders are in league with
Apocalypse
Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
.
Video games
* The Marauders appear in the ''
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
'' video game, consisting of Mister Sinister, Vertigo, Blockbuster, and Arclight. After they cost
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
a bounty, he sets about killing them all one by one.
* The Marauders appear in the mobile game ''
Marvel Strike Force
''Marvel Strike Force'' is a turn-based role-playing mobile game by FoxNext (later acquired by Scopely) for Android, iOS, and iPadOS platforms. The game was launched worldwide on March 28, 2018, and is primarily set in the Marvel Universe.
Pre ...
'',
consisting of
Mystique, Mister Sinister,
Sabretooth, and
Stryfe
Stryfe is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero team X-Force. He is a clone of Cable.
Publication history
The character was created by Louise Simo ...
.
References
External links
*
Uncannyxmen.net feature on the Marauders*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marauders (Comics)
Characters created by Chris Claremont
Characters created by John Romita Jr.
Comics characters introduced in 1986
Fictional assassins in comics
Fictional mass murderers
Fictional mercenaries in comics
Marvel Comics supervillain teams
X-Men supporting characters