The Externals are a group of fictional 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 ...
. Considered a rare subspecies of
mutants
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 ...
, most of them were
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 ...
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
s. The original, unused name for the group was to be The Prophets, as seen on the back of the Sunspot & Gideon trading card included with X-Force #1. The characters first appeared in ''
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 ...
'' #10 (May 1992).
Background
The Externals are all mutants with the additional gift of
immortality
Immortality is the concept of eternal life. Some modern species may possess biological immortality.
Some scientists, futurists, and philosophers have theorized about the immortality of the human body, with some suggesting that human immorta ...
and, as expressed by
Cable
Cable may refer to:
Mechanical
* Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof
* Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...
, they play an important role in the future and
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 ...
's rise to power. Their true origins are scattered throughout history, but its known that they all share a psychic-link with each other that separates them from other immortals as it allows them to not only sense each other and where, but allows them to summon each other at will from great distances and also allows them to sense when one rises from the dead and when one is killed. Saul, Absalom, Gideon, Nicodemus, Burke, Selene, Candra and Crule (to a lesser extent) formed the self-fashioned "High Lords", bent on playing power games and manipulating events behind the scenes. Crule was employed as an enforcer and assassin for the other High Lords, while Candra and Selene preferred to play their own schemes separately and didn't take any part on the High Lords gatherings.
Each External was claimed to represent an intangible concept:
*
Absalom
Absalom ( he, ''ʾAḇšālōm'', "father of peace") was the third son of David, King of Israel with Maacah, daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur.
2 Samuel 14:25 describes him as the handsomest man in the kingdom. Absalom eventually rebelled ag ...
-
despair
* Burke -
fortitude
*
Candra
The Chandra kingdom was a Buddhist kingdom, originating from the Indian subcontinent, which ruled the Samatata region of Bengal, as well as northern Arakan. Later it was a neighbor to the Pala Empire to the north. Rulers of Chandra kingdom were ...
-
guile
Guile may refer to:
* Astuteness, deception.
* GNU Guile, an implementation of the Scheme programming language
* Guile (''Street Fighter''), a video game character from the ''Street Fighter'' series
* Guile (''Chrono Cross''), a video game chara ...
*
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 ...
-
hope
Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large.
As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish ...
(His status as an External is still unclear, while his awakening was felt by all the other Externals, Selene and more recently Cable, had stated that Cannonball is not an External)
*
Crule -
ferocity
*
Gideon
Gideon (; ) also named Jerubbaal and Jerubbesheth, was a military leader, judge and prophet whose calling and victory over the Midianites are recounted in of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible.
Gideon was the son of Joash, from the Abiez ...
-
opportunity
Opportunity may refer to:
Places
* Opportunity, Montana, an unincorporated community, United States
* Opportunity, Nebraska, an unincorporated community, United States
* Opportunity, Washington, a former census-designated place, United States
* 3 ...
* Nicodemus -
wisdom
Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, ...
*
Saul
Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tri ...
-
patience
(or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...
*
Selene
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
-
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
*
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 ...
-
evolution
Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
At one point, X-Men regular and former
New Mutant 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 ...
was declared an External by Cable. Later, Selene betrayed her fellow Externals and despite the efforts of X-Force, she managed to slay them by absorbing their life forces. Selene ultimately escaped, but not before summarily dismissing the assumption that Cannonball was an External, calling into question Cable's conclusion and the reasons for it. Yet, more recently, Cannonball was shot three times through the chest by
Reverend Stryker's Purifiers, and was back up and around in a matter of hours. When asked about it, Hank McCoy mentioned Cannonball's status as an immortal again, though it's not sure if he was joking or not.
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 ...
has also been referred to as an External on several occasions; his
longevity
The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always d ...
is believed by Selene to be mostly due to technological means, although Apocalypse was already many centuries old before his first encounter with the technology he would later integrate himself with. To note, Selene herself needs to maintain her supply of life force that she drains from human victims.
More recently however it was revealed that all Externals previously believed to have been killed by Selene or the Legacy Virus had in fact survived. As it turns out, apparently the only way of effectively killing an External is by destroying their hearts but when that happens the life-force of the slain External is channeled into the others making them virtually all powerful. Selene reveals she didn't accomplishing this deed herself because she could not handle the stress that came with it. Also, Selene's assumptions about Cannonball and Apocalypse not being part of the Externals cannot be taken lightly as she mentions to be a total of seven Externals when there's actually eight. Evidently, even after death, as long as there are at least two Externals alive in the same timeframe, those who died will simply be revived to life and health, as was the case seen with Burke, who was killed by the future version of Gideon only to be reborn as a baby with purple eyes because the present versions of Selene and Gideon were alive. More recently it was confirmed that Apocalypse is indeed an External and the performer of the process that created Candra's gem alongside Selene and the other Highlords eons ago.
Later following the creation of a mutant nation on Krakoa, Apocalypse decided this as the right time to rescue his first Horsemen. He summoned his fellow Externals, Selene, Crule, Gideon, Saul, Candra, Nicodemus and Absolom, to the Eternal Caldera on Krakoa. Revealing his intentions to sacrifice some of their life energy to power the Arak Maw Gate, Apocalypse—along with Selene, Gideon and Absolom, who are revealed to be a part of his plan—quickly turns on their fellow immortals. With the unexpected help of Rictor, the group is actually able to wipe out four of the Externals and extract their life energy to fuel the crystals that powered the gateway to Arakko.
[''Excalibur'' vol. 4 #12]
It is later revealed by Apocalypse's own grandson Summoner (son of Apocalypse's daughter War) and Apocalypse's wife Genesis (Summoner's grandmother and War's mother) that the mutant known only as the "White Sword", the Champion of Okkara (the living continent that was once the single mutant homeland on Earth) and an Omega-level healer with his own personal army of One Hundred Champions, composed of all the warriors he has personally defeated and then resurrected as his followers, is also an External.
Other versions
Askani
In (Earth-4935), the Externals were purged by Apocalypse who ascended to power and gained control of the entire planet up until the 39th century.
Age of Apocalypse
In the alternate reality created when the time traveling Legion killed his own father, it's unknown what happened with the Externals as only a few had made their presence known as soldiers of Apocalypse. Candra, Selene and Gideon were recruited as the first wave of Horsemen of Apocalypse.
In other media
''X-Men: The Animated Series''
* In the episode "Sanctuary Part 2", Saul and Gideon are seen watching
Fabian Cortez
Fabian Cortez is a mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly as an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and writer/illustrator Jim Lee, he first appeared in ''X-Men'' #1 (October 1 ...
announce his scheme to the Earth.
* In the episode "Externally Yours",
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 ...
's past involvement with the respective guilds of Thieves and Assassins, as well as with the External Candra (merely known as "The External") are detailed.
References
{{X-Men characters
X-Men supporting characters
it:Mutante (Marvel Comics)#Externi