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History[]

Nathaniel Essex was a biologist in Victorian England who developed advanced theories on human evolution and was obsessed with Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, though he felt Darwin and his contemporaries were shackled by too many moral constraints.

While pursuing his own research in 1859, he discovered that humanity was undergoing increasing mutation, due to what he called “Essex Factors” in the human genome. His theories were mocked, making him bitter. His son’s death (at the age of four from numerous birth defects, including crooked bones & hemophilia) drove him deeper into his work. He approached many groups in search of funding, including the Hellfire Club, though all turned him down. He hired a group of thugs, whom he named Marauders, to kidnap people off the streets of London so he could perform experiments on them; he even went so far as to dig up his dead son and experiment on him. A geneticist of unparalleled genius, he foresaw the coming mutations that would transform mankind. However, his unorthodox experiments resulted in his ouster from the Royal Society and caused his wife to shun him. These rejections led him to ally himself with Apocalypse, an immortal mutant who has witnessed virtually the whole of human history. Apocalypse transformed Essex into an ageless being of extraordinary pallor at the cost of what remained of his humanity. With his new abilities and dispassionate outlook, Essex took a new name—Sinister, the last word his wife spoke to him as she died, after discovering the horrors he’d been engaged in (the stress also caused her to miscarry their unnamed child).

A time-traveling Cyclops and Jean Grey tried to prevent Essex’s transformation but failed. In fact, Madame Sanctity of the Askani had sent Cyclops and Jean to the past to ensure the transformation, as Sinister was necessary for the birth of Cable. Cyclops & Jean also freed many of Sinister’s captives, two of whom (a man named Oscar Stamp and an apparently mute boy named Daniel) traveled to America and took the name Summers.Apocalypse’s first command was to create a plague to destroy the weak of the world, but Sinister would not do it—he had clarity of purpose, and destruction for its own sake was not part of it. The plague Sinister created attacked only Apocalypse, driving him into hibernation.

In 1882, Sinister was present at Darwin’s funeral, reveling in the irony that the man who was once vilified was being buried in Westminster Abbey, the highest church of England. Soon after, he left for The United States.

Sinister has conducted numerous experiments in his time. He operated an obstetrics clinic in New York in the late 19th century and performed side research on society's deviants. Renamed Nathan Millbury (an alias based off the name of the manor of his former wife), he had unrestricted access to an abundance of generational genetic material to study, including that of the adult Daniel Summers and his wife, Amanda Mueller. As Dr. Millbury, he influenced the work of Herbert Wyndham, the man who became the High Evolutionary.

It was in 1891 that Sinister came across another pair of time traveling mutants from the future, the X-Man Gambit and a shape changer called Courier. Using his scientific equipment, Sinister managed to replicate the shape shifting abilities of Courier; before that, he’d hidden his pale complexion with common makeup. Gambit needed help getting back to the present, and to do so had Sinister re-implant a piece of tissue into his brain. Once the piece was restored, Gambit’s powers increased exponentially and he was able to return himself and Courier to the present. A century later, Gambit and Sinister would meet again.

In 1915, Essex went back to England and granted Jacob Shaw, who would become Sebastian Shaw's father, the ability to shapeshift. Jacob was the brother of Esau Shaw, and was extremely envious of his brother’s better lot in life, such as having been recruited into the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle by Sir Waltham Pierce, seemingly an ancestor of Donald Pierce, and Sir Harry Manners. Jacob used his newfound powers to imitate Sir Waltham Pierce, then killed his brother Esau. Jacob planned to then take on Esau’s place, but first he shapeshifted into a woman and planned to kill Waltham. Before he could finish his deed, however, Union Jack (Montgomery Falsworth), a friend of Esau’s—stepped in and accused Pierce of sedition against the crown and the murder of Esau. Before Waltham could answer, Jacob shot at Union Jack, then ran off into the night. What Sinister hoped to obtain from aiding Jacob Shaw remains a mystery.

In the 1920s, Essex encountered a man named Herbert Edgar Wyndham, who dreamed of doing what Sinister had already accomplished—breaking the genetic code for human DNA. Essex worked side by side with Wyndham, who would later become better known as the High Evolutionary. By 1928 Wyndham had begun crude experimentations on lab animals with radiation exposure with little success. During a trip to an international conference on genetics in Geneva, Switzerland, Wyndham suddenly felt ill. Stumbling out into the street he met the hypnotic gaze of a man in a top hat and coat, shrouded in darkness. From this stranger Wyndham was handed a gift that should not exist in that time—a blueprint for breaking the genetic code. Whether Wyndham's benefactor is Sinister or not remains unrevealed.

In the 1930s, Essex spent some time in California, gathering subjects for his experiments; while in Los Angeles, he met and fell in love with radio comedienne Faye Livingstone, though he never admitted his feelings. Discovering his secret laboratory one night, Essex confronted her with the truth—she carried the x-factor in her genes, and her offspring would produce special children, children that would be more than human. Horrified, Faye tried to leave, but Essex kept her prisoner.

Months passed, filled with degrading examinations; affected pity gave way to foul contempt. Essex broke her in mind and spirit, and made her (not let her) see behind the illusion that was Nathan Essex. Then, in the middle of a raging storm one night, Essex flung the door open and released her, without speaking or gesturing.

In time, Faye was brought to the Carlysle Nursing Home in San Diego, California, her mind & body falling to cancer. Due to her love for Essex, Livingstone had never married, and never had children. The offspring Sinister so eagerly anticipated never came to exist. Once a year, a Mister Essex would come and visit her, though he would never admit to anyone (not even himself) why. Genesis forced Sinister to confront both her and himself about the relationship, but Sinister refused, adamantly maintaining that she was nothing more than a useless husk to him. After sharing a telepathic dance with Essex, Faye died in his arms.

In the 1940s Sinister worked with the Nazis, earning at Auschwitz the nickname “Nosferatu,” due both to his pale visage and his habit of taking blood from everyone; he frightened even the Nazis. He often gave children candy in exchange for their blood as a means of bribery. Young Magnus, who one day would become Magneto, witnessed Nosferatu's actions.

During this time, Essex created Experiment N2, a clone of Namor the Sub-Mariner, which could forcibly suck the water out of Namor and use it to douse the android Human Torch’s flames. To Sinister’s considerable surprise, though, Captain America was able to defeat N2.

It was during this period, in 1944, that Essex came across a man named John Greycrow, who would become Scalphunter, his first “new” Marauder.

In 1946, a Dr. Nathan Milbury (apparently Sinister in disguise) was involved with Project: Black Womb, a secret government project headed by Amanda Mueller & aided by Alexander Ryking (father of Carter Ryking) and Kurt Marko (father of Cain Marko), and (possibly) Irene Adler (the blind precognitive known as Destiny), which studied, but did not alter, thousands of children, mostly mutants, in post-natal holding tanks. Brian Xavier (father of Charles Xavier) was a colleague of Ryking and Marko at the project, which was based in Alamogordo, New Mexico, but whether he was involved with Project: Black Womb remains unclear.

In 1968, Sinister was present in Vietnam, where he and the ever-loyal Scalphunter kidnapped both soldiers and villagers to perform experiments on. Sinister became known as the White Devil. Sabretooth was hired to investigate the disappearances. However, his employer was beheaded by Scalphunter, who gave Creed a large sum of money to buy him off and to recruit him as one of Sinister's "enforcers".

For decades, Sinister secretly observed the development of mutant children as they grew (many of which had been “earmarked” by Project: Black Womb) in the State Home for Foundlings in Omaha, Nebraska. He cruelly manipulated their childhood developmental processes and even tried to control their adult lives so they might become his minions.

The hero Cyclops was among his subjects; one of Scott’s roommates in the orphanage was named Nate, and another alias of Sinister’s was Mike Milbury, neighbor to Scott’s grandparents (Phillip & Deborah Summers), in Alaska. It was from his laboratory under the orphanage that many evils issued, and most likely will issue.

At some point, Sinister spliced mutant genes from Alex Summers into Ahmet Abdol, who became the Living Monolith, able to absorb cosmic energies and use them to grow to enormous size.

Sinister is responsible for the Morlock Massacre, ordering his band of Marauders to kill all of the sewer-dwelling mutants. It was later revealed that Gambit was the one who had assembled Sinister’s Marauders.

Gambit did this, and many other tasks, for Sinister because he owed the geneticist a huge debt. When Gambit’s powers first manifested, they were largely uncontrollable. He heard through underworld contacts of Sinister, and approached him, asking for help. Sinister agreed, and removed a portion of Gambit’s brain, which reduced Gambit’s power but allowed him a greater degree of control over his abilities. In exchange, Gambit had to perform many tasks for him, such as assemble the Marauders for the Morlock Massacre.

It is possible that Sinister recognized Gambit from a century prior, and agreed to help him in order to insure the series of events that lead to Gambit (and Courier) going back in time—which allowed Sinister to gain Courier’s powers—occurred. As for the reason behind the Morlock Massacre—due to various twistings of time and dimensions, the Dark Beast from the Age of Apocalypse timeline arrived in the mainline reality twenty years prior. Many of the Morlocks were experiments of the Dark Beast’s. Since the Dark Beast had learned genetics from his reality's version of Sinister, and that Sinister’s methods were similar to those mainline reality's Sinister, Sinister could see his “signature” in the Morlocks.

To prevent further unauthorized usage of his theories, he had the Marauders wipe out the Morlocks. He considered a similar course of action for the Genoshan mutates, who were created by the Sugar-Man using his Age of Apocalypse counterpart's technology as well, but decided against it because the process had turned the mutates infertile; consequently, he didn’t consider them a contamination of his work.

Though some of his Marauders died during the Massacre, Sinister’s mastery of genetics and cloning technology has enabled him to recreate his Marauders again and again and again.

Sinister is obsessed with the Summers genetic line, which includes Cyclops and Havok, and has taken a proprietary interest in the family because Daniel Summers is a direct ancestor of Scott & Alex Summers. For a time, Sinister continued to advance his master plan to serve Apocalypse (and his own ends), but in general prefers to let bloodlines breed naturally (rather than hastily transforming them) in order to produce the most racially-supreme beings.

Sinister eventually believed -- or realized -- that Scott Summers’ and Jean Grey’s mingled genelines would create a mutant of unparalleled power, one that could destroy Apocalypse and thus free him from the yoke of that ancient tyrant.

To this end, he created Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey, though he was disappointed that the clone manifested no powers at adolescence and he considered the whole project a waste of time and effort. Upon “Jean’s” death on the Blue Area of the Moon (at the culmination of the Dark Phoenix Saga), the Phoenix Force left her body and entered Madelyne’s, much to Sinister’s delight. He arranged a set of false memories for her, and left her where Scott would eventually encounter her.

Eventually the two wed and produced a child, Nathan Christopher Charles Summers. Madelyne convinced Scott to move with her back to Alaska and live out their lives there, a subconscious suggestion implanted by Sinister—the remote location made it easier for him to study and if need be abduct the child. Sinister eventually took the child, then lost it to Madelyne (now the Goblin Queen), briefly regained it (following her death), then lost it to Cyclops, who blasted him with a supercharged Optic Blast and reduced him to a skeleton. It is unknown how Sinister came back from that—it may well have been a clone he had sent in his place for that battle, or he may have teleported away at the last second and placed a body in his place as Cyclops’ blast struck or he may have used his shapeshifting abilities to simulate his death (a later engagement with Cyclops showed that his optic blast can do little to no permanent harm to Sinister who can simply reform himself after being hit) —but return he did, now safe under the cover of presumed death.

Before Sinister could re-claim young Nathan, however, Apocalypse awoke. Sensing the threat posed to him, he infected Nathan with a technorganic virus which threatened to consume him. The only hope of saving him was for Scott & Jean to give him to a woman known as the Askani, who spirited him away to the future. Nathan survived, and came to be the man better known as Cable.

Later, a group of mutants known as the Nasty Boys appeared, working alongside an evil duplicate of James Madrox. The evil Madrox wished to kill the true Madrox to ensure his continued independence and sought Sinister’s help in doing so; he sent the Nasty Boys to aid Evil Madrox by fighting X-Factor. Eventually, the Evil Madrox was re-absorbed by the original Madrox, and subsumed into him.

Meanwhile, Quicksilver’s powers were being secretly overcharged by Senator Steven Shaffran, who was trying to discredit X-Factor in order to spur on his political career. Unknown to Shaffran, though, Sinister took the senator’s appearance and revealed Shaffran’s deeds to the team. Shaffram later confronted Sinister, and planned to kill him, but only succeeded in killing himself when his bullet ricocheted off of Sinister's armor. Later, Sinister sent his Nasty Boys to track down a rogue Malice, who was trying to break free of Sinister.

In an earlier confrontation with X-Factor, Malice had possessed Polaris, but Polaris’s powers prevented the possessing entity from departing Lorna Dane’s body—something Sinister knew would happen. Malice did eventually break out of Dane’s body, and was determined to escape Sinister’s control—for a being used to existence as an incorporeal energy being, entrapment in a physical body, even one as powerful as Polaris’s, was Hell for her. A massive fracas between Sinister and the Nasty Boys, Malice, and Havok and Polaris broke out. Both Alex and Lorna tried to absorb Malice (in order to prevent the other from being possessed), but the strain wound up fatally disrupting Malice’s energy form (as planned by Sinister). Seeing as the conflict had no meaning anymore, Sinister and his minions withdrew.

Sinister unwittingly unleashed the Legacy Virus upon the Earth, a plague engineered by Stryfe, a clone of Cable. Sinister revealed to Cyclops Stryfe’s trick, and mentioned Cyclops’ “brothers,” something Cyclops picked up on and dubbed by many fans as the “third Summers brother”—though, technically, it wasn’t said that the brother was a Summers. (Speculation abounds as to who that third brother was, though most evidence—and some quasi-official statements—indicate Adam X the X-Treme, is that brother. It was theorized that Adam-X is the product of the rape of Cyclops’ mother by the former Shi’ar emperor D’Ken, thus making Adam-X the illegitimate heir to the throne of the Shi’ar Empire. However, the third Summers brother has been revealed to be Vulcan, who was born at the time in which Christopher and Katherine Summers were prisoners of the Shi’ar. In any event, Sinister did not mention a number of brothers, thus Adam-X could still be another brother of Cyclops, Havok and Vulcan, though not technically a Summers.

Sinister later took in the mutant Threnody, and used her unique powers to track down victims of the Legacy Virus, which he could then study and work on to develop a cure. Moira MacTaggart, long-time ally to the X-Men and one of the top genetic immunologists on the planet, eventually developed a cure for the Virus. This cure was released thanks to the sacrifice of the mutant Colossus. Sinister offered to clone him to his fellow X-Men as a form of gratitude (though he may have had ulterior motives), but they refused.

When the High Evolutionary activated a satellite that stripped all Homo superior of their mutations, Essex, who had come to support his student's work, revealed himself as Sinister and modified the beam to mutate every human on Earth, hoping to create an entire planet of lab subjects. Soon after, the mysterious Neo attacked many of Sinister's facilities.

Fortunately for Sinister, Cable also had a deep grudge against Apocalypse, and when Apocalypse merged with Cyclops at the climax of The Twelve story arc, Cable and Jean Grey tracked the merged being back to Apocalypse’s birthplace of Egypt. Jean separated Apocalypse’s astral form from Cyclops’ body, and Cable sundered the freed spirit, fulfilling his destiny as written by Sinister. This gave Sinister the freedom he’d long sought, as Apocalypse had always kept him on a tight leash.

While Sinister has succeeded in his quest to eliminate Apocalypse, this has by no means ended his task. Mister Sinister desired research above all else in his world of genetics; bloodlines and gene pools are his chess pieces. Apocalypse was a threat to this work. Now without hindrances, Sinister can truly begin his work in genetics, no matter the cost in lives or suffering.

By eliminating Sinister’s former master, the X-Men may have unleashed an even greater threat to the world. Sinister continues his research into mutant genetics, and recently reappeared in the pages of the newest Weapon X series, in the guise of Dr. Robert Windsor.

As Windsor, Sinister supposedly helped a number of prisoners escape from Weapon X's concentration camp Neverland. However, Sinister merely took these mutants to his personal labs to perform experiments on them. At the same time, Sinister created a group of superpowered beings called The Children, which he was forced to give up to John Sublime, after Sabretooth killed the first of the Children: Hans.

As recently revealed, Sinister also had a history with the 'mad monk' Grigory Rasputin. He has been tracking his descendants as the 'Pale Man', most notably Mikhail Rasputin and Colossus).

He paired with Mikhail to kill off all of his living relatives to allow the essence of Grigory Rasputin to be concentrated in one host and become reincarnate. After the brothers fought Sinister’s influence, it was discovered that the reason he wanted Grigory in power was to stabilize his own failing abilities. Sinister admitted that he was weakened—being unable to shapeshift or teleport and actually sustaining injuries from Colossus’ attack—but vowed vengeance for when he did have his abilities restored.

Mister Sinister’s had a small, yet significant, presence in the divergent House of M reality. While remaining a physiologically altered geneticist, this Sinister was a quite genteel, friendly person—even to the point of offering the visiting trio of Deadpool, Cannonball and Siryn a (drugged) barbecue dinner. Sinister was apparently rejected from society for experimenting on mutants, which was taboo under Magneto’s rule, and lived on a secluded Nebraska farm. Despite the difference in personality, this Sinister was also responsible for the birth of an infant Cable, who Sinister believed was a potential savior for the world of the House of M.

Beyond a one-panel appearance in House of M: The Day After one-shot (not identified as Sinister by name, but his facial markings were unmistakable), Mister Sinister has not made his presence known. Also unknown is how his 100 years of genetic sampling reacted to the effects of the Decimation. Sinister enhanced himself with mutant DNA samples, which could have been affected by the Scarlet Witch "no more mutants" decree.

Mister Sinister reappears in X-Men: Endangered Species crossover, sending the Marauders and Acolytes out to murder all those who have knowledge of the future. Sinister, leads many of the remaining evil mutants to seek out the first mutant child born since Decimation (also known as "M-Day", when the Scarlet Witch de-powered most of the world's mutant population). However, the character is killed by Mystique who presses his face onto an unconscious Rogue, whose powers had been amplified into an instantaneous death-touch. [[]]EnlargeMiss Sinister. Art by Scot Eaton.Mister Sinister had predicted own death, and put events in motion that would lead to his resurrection. His consciousness and powers were transferred to a machine that would activate itself after his death. Sinister manages to take control of Professor Xavier's body to save him from a gunshot wound. However, the combined efforts of Sebastian Shaw and Gambit destroys the machine, enabling Xavier to successfully drive Sinister's consciousness from his mind and body. At the end, a female character appears called "Miss Sinister". Her name is revealed to be Claudine Renko, and she possesses telepathy and a healing factor similar to Sinister, but not the memories or mind due to the fact that she was a clone of Mister Sinister.

Claudine later on approaches Gambit and X-23, the latter having left the X-Men's base to strike out on her own seemingly asking for the former's help. Claudine at this point seems to be suffering from injuries earlier inflicted by Wolverine's son, Daken. A near fatal strike from X-23 reveals the nature of the injury as Claudine's body morphs into that of Mister Sinister.

X-23, flanked by Gambit, encountered a young girl named Alice and witnessed her being murdered though the next day Alice appeared to them somehow alive. Encouraging them to follow her to a peculiar desert laboratory, Alice introduces them to her employer/owner/adoptive mother: Claudine. Revealing herself openly to X-23, Claudine explains that Alice is also a clone, fourth of a series of five created by Essex as another experiment alongside several other children that live in the complex. She then expands upon her own origins, stating that the process of becoming what she is left her with vague, but invasive memories of Essex's life and that as a malignant presence within her mind, he is slowly killing her as a means of self-ressurection, he even manages to manifest briefly before being re-absorbed back into her. Claudine then incapacitates Gambit and straps X-23 to a peculiar chair, stating her aim to switch their bodies - thus inheriting Laura's Healing factor, something she'd wanted after her stabbing, and thereby freeing herself of Essex. The plan backfires when Essex in fact controls Laura's body and uses her to mortally wound Claudine again. Laura manages to overcome Essex presence in her mind, expelling it through force of will. Laura, Alice and Gambit manage to escape the laboratory as it collapses and arrange for the children to be given new homes before setting off on their journey again. However in the wreckage left behind, Claudine is still alive, although just barely and is being watched over by the fifth Alice Clone - the new host of Essex.

Now dressed in Victorian era garb, Mr. Sinister resurfaced in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #544. In Uncanny X-Men v2 #1, he merges with the Dreaming Celestial and warps its head to match his own and uses the power he gained as a result, to turn San Francisco's residents into dopplegangers of himself.


Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

Known Powers: Following the genetic alterations done by Apocalypse, Sinister possesses a wide array of powers. Over the years, Sinister has used the genetic material of other mutants to grant himself further a vast array of powers.

He has been stated to be an Alpha-Level Mutant.[1]

Cellular Shape-Shifting: Sinister possesses the ability to control every molecule of his body, allowing him to assume the form of anyone or anything he wishes. He once reduced himself into a semi-liquid state and with total control of his body. Not only can he control his muscles and even his pain, but he can also create weapons, clothes, assume animal forms and their abilities and also divide himself in multiple forms. Enabled via Implanted X-gene taken from the bio-molecular meta-morph Courier.

  • Regenerative Healing Factor: Mister Sinister is able to rapidly regenerate lost or damaged tissues with much greater speed and efficiency than an ordinary human. Sinister can fully heal from injuries that result in massive tissue damage or loss such as multiple gunshot wounds, slashes, puncture wounds, broken bones, and severe burns within a matter of moments. It is unknown if he can regenerate missing limbs or organs, but his healing factor has been compared to that of Wolverine and his healing factor has allowed him to reconstruct his body from almost nothing so his feats suggest that he can.

Superhuman Stamina: Mister Sinister's muscles produce considerably less fatigue toxins than the muscles of ordinary humans. He can exert himself at peak capacity several hours before the buildup of fatigue begins to affect him.

Superhuman Speed: Mister Sinister is capable of running at speeds far greater than those of the finest human athlete. His speed can be further enhanced by the use of his ability to fly at incredible speeds.

Superhuman Durability: Mister Sinister's muscles and tissue are far more durable than those of an ordinary man allowing him to resist gunshot, physical damage, shocks and also energy blasts however he has been heavily hurt by Cyclops´s blast in the past. Although it is possible to harm Mister Sinister in this kind of way, he is able to instantly regenerate his wounds with his extraordinary healing factor plus he can enhance his durability by the use of his telekinesis and his personal force fields.

Superhuman Strength: Mister Sinister possesses superhuman strength, which may be a product of his shape-shifting abilities. Sinister is able to press lift within the 2 to 10 ton range, maybe even more, but he can also access his telekinesis to enhance his physical strength to more powerful levels.

Superhuman Reflexes: Mister Sinister's reflexes and agility are enhanced to levels that are beyond the human body's natural limits.

Telepathy: He can read minds and project his own thoughts into the minds of others within a radius of 250 miles (on Earth). With extreme effort he can greatly extend that radius. Not only is Mister Sinister himself resistant to telepathy due to his mutant gene but his clone, Miss Sinister with all his powers has revealed she had telepathic powers that could match those of Emma Frost, making Sinister one of the most powerful telepaths in the world, manifesting the following abilities:

  • Mental Paralysis: ability to induce temporary mental or physical paralysis and also pain into the minds of others.
  • Mind Control: capable of controlling the minds of others but only one at a time and if the target is in his physical presence. He can also manipulate memories, creating new ones or erasing others, such as he as done with his clones and also alter perceptions and appearances.
  • Dilate Power: ability to mentally paralyze a foe he's touching and the ability to psionically "turn off" the superpowers of any mutant, creating a mental block. He can also create mental links with others and even to objects and locations like the bases he has used over the years.

Telekinesis: possesses telekinetic abilities enabling him to levitate and manipulate living beings, inanimate objects, and to some extent energy, psionically. He can “lift” as much as 10 tons of weight and possibly even more and can achieve other effects.

  • Concussive Blasts: Sinister can fire blasts of concussive force from his hands, eyes or from the diamond-shaped scarlet mark on his forehead. These blasts are powerful enough to match Cyclops´s energy blasts at their full power for a considerable period of time and have a great destructive power.
  • Force Fields: Sinister can erect multiple force barriers to repel, reflect and defend against incoming onslaughts, they're potent enough to stand against Cyclops's optic blasts with ease. He normally uses them on a personal level but it is assumed he can not only increase and decreased the protection level but also enhance the size of the shield to englobe others and even entire areas.
  • Flight: Sinister has shown he can use his telekinesis on himself to accommodate flight. How fast is undetermined, but it's speed is still impressive nonetheless.

Teleportation: Mister Sinister has exhibited the ability to teleport across large distances, however Beast believes this is a function of his headquarters and this fact remains to be cleared.

Technology Interface: Sinister is able to directly interface with various technologies he has at his disposal.

Immortality: Mister Sinister is functionally immortal in the sense that he is immune to aging and diseases and he can rapidly regenerate almost any lost or damaged bodily tissues. However, it was possible for him to be killed. He also doesn't require food, water, or even air to breathe and can survive indefinitely in a complete vacuum. This ability originated from his healing factor and from his exposure to Celestial technology from Apocalypse.

Abilities[]

Genius-Level Intellect: Sinister is a genius with expertise in various fields of science, mainly genetics, with years of his research at his command, mutations and their powers, human and alien biology, cloning, all levels of physics, engineering (including mechanical, genetic and electrical engineering) and more. His intellect has been said to match Reed Richards and Doctor Doom, and he is one of the smartest people on Earth. Sinister, having lived for over 150 years, has acquired vast knowledge over many known fields, being a formidable scientist and a talented inventor. Considered the most brilliant mind of his time, Dr. Essex was already a genius with a PhD and an M.D and other honors in biology and genetics and was a member of the British Royal Society. His intellect later grew to new levels after his time with Apocalypse and the advanced Celestial technology he had access to, mastering not only this and all technology from Earth (allowing him considerable expertise in cybernetics, robotics and computers) but also new sciences to aid him in his goals to create the perfect mutant.

Genius-Level Geneticist: Sinister is a genius and a geneticist of the highest order, able to predict genetic mutations and splice DNA. It is quite probable his powers are the result of self-experimentation - his shape-shifting power is due to a procedure he performed on himself with help from a time-traveling Gambit. He can also produce large amounts of clones; he has done so with all his Marauders, and with Jean Grey and he is an expert on the art of cloning and also on mutants, with vast knowledge of powers, genes and more due to the hundreds of samples of mutant DNA he has access to. He is normally described as the world's greatest geneticist and along with Professor X, is one of the leading authorities on mutants of the entire world.

Master Surgeon: He is a master surgeon, having excised a portion of Gambit's brain, only to later restore it (although from Sinister's point of view, he restored a portion of Gambit's brain and later excised it, as Gambit was traveling back in time when the restoration was completed; possibly a predestination paradox). Besides this area, he is also a skilled doctor, one of the best from his time in England with honors in medicine and later in biology.

Skilled Mechanical Engineer: having created devices that seem to have been taken from the tales of Jules Verne, his inventions include advance ships, devices that negate all mutant powers except for his own or transfer them, perform healing and almost resurrection, teleportation, genetics, project energy blasts and other attacks using mutant powers from many of the X-Men, aircraft and many more. Although his inventions are not as spectacular as those of Iron Man, he is a very talented inventor and engineer with a skill rivaling that of Iron Man among many others.

Master Manipulator: He possesses a good deal of knowledge in psychology, and is a skilled manipulator, being able to conceive others with simple words and facial expressions. Mister Sinister is also a capable leader and a master strategist, capable of creating plans with ease and even outmatch brains like those of Professor X, Cyclops, Apocalypse, Storm and Magneto, being several steps ahead of his opponent.

Trained Combatant: Mister Sinister trained himself in martial arts and unarmed combat, capable of defending himself from stronger opponents and even other trained combatants.

Strength level[]

Class 10; while the exact amount has never been revealed Sinister can lift within 2 to 10 ton range.

  1. X-Men Vol 2 94
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