Phalanx (Marvel)
The Phalanx are an alien species that feature in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
In June 1982, the UK based covert agency known as Black Air managed to recover a Phalanx specimen that had a Skrull form template with the body being taken in for study. (Excalibur v1 #90)
Phalanx Covenant
Conquest
This saw them send the Galadorian Space Knights as sleeper agents to Hala in order to usurp the Kree defenses and assimilate its inhabitants. After taking over their war-net, a spire was created that turned an entire region of space into a pocket dimension separate from the rest of the cosmos so that the Phalanx could control it. (Annihilation: Conquest: Prologue v1 #1) The entirety of the Kree empire was trapped within this barrier with the Phalanx attempting to solidify their control. Among the forces they engaged were various of the local races that were resisting them and the Annihilation Wave in those territories that had been ceded to them. (Annihilation: Conquest v1 #2)
Overview
The Phalanx were identified as a cybernetic species and rated as the most rapacious threats in the galaxy. An aggressive techno-organic life-form, they had taken went through several upgrades in their existence that altered their appearance. (Nova v4 #4) They were described as a highly-contagious hyper-aggressive techno-organic species. Their ability to adapt to attacks and usurp machinery meant that low-technology weaponry was ideal to use against them. (Annihilation: Conquest v1 #1)
As carriers of the transmode virus, they were able to infect both machines and organics through this technophagic viral strain. Upon being contaminated, subjects were transformed by the infection from the transmode virus and became part of the Phalanx. These were also known as the transmode technophage that was the primary form of the viral program. They were able to transmit a highly aggressive viral program that sought to spread itself and could penetrate even highly advanced artificial intelligences. These packages compromised the primary CPU of machines through the use of an invasive programming with the techno-virus able to be transmitted through communication networks. Powerful artificial intelligence gestalts were able to inhibit the viral transmission of the virus preventing them from succumbing to the prodromal transmode contagion. (Nova v4 #4)
Among their abilities was direct-tech interface. (Nova v4 #4)
They were described as being pathologically methodical and considered all outcomes before any action was taken. (Annihilation Conquest Starlord v1 #4)
Upon being infected, an individual was removed of everything except for obedience with traits such as bonds, duty, family or love being removed. (Annihilation: Conquest v1 #1) Phalanx drones were programmed automatons who obeyed without question. (Annihilation Conquest Starlord v1 #4) After targeting a world, the Phalanx proceeded with infecting the populace and transformed it whereupon they fed off it until all viable resources were exhausted. (Nova v4 #4) Certain processed individuals were disassembled on an molecular level to be used as supply for the Phalanx's constant fuel needs. (Annihilation: Conquest v1 #1)
After their exposure to Ultron, the Phalanx began processing individuals in order to discover those with rare talents or special powers. Such individuals were recruited to become part of the Select that were the elite servants of the Phalanx. (Annihilation: Conquest v1 #1) Specific Select Hunt-Cadres were dispatched in order to capture threats that had evaded assimilation. (Nova v4 #4)
Babel Spires were megastructures that served as foci for the Phalanx's power and activity. (Nova v4 #4)
Members
- Dympha : a Phalanx stationed at the Citadel in Tibet. (Cable v2 #16)
- Extraterrestrial Biological Entity 3.1 : a Phalanx that had a Skrull template and was recovered on Earth in 1982 by Black Air for study. (Excalibur v1 #90)
Notes
- The Phalanx were created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz where they made their first appearance in Uncanny X-Men v1 #305 (April 1994).
- The different Phalanx appearances was explained in Uncanny X-Men v1 #343 where one of the Techno-Organic beings states that the ones fought on Earth were their Transient units that were their foreguardians whilst the ones in Shi'ar space were the pure ones. Their appearance changes again in Annihilation: Conquest v1 #5 due to the actions of Ultron who takes over the Phalanx.
Alternate Versions
- In the Marvel 2099 universe, the Phalanx were seen in 2099: World of Tomorrow story arc where its revealed that they were responsible for the decimation of the Martian Taker civilization. At this time, a planetoid the size of a moon that was actually the Phalanx collective was on a course towards Earth with this chain of events leading to the Phalanx War. This saw the Phalanx search for one of their number called Scout who contained the code to assimilation of all life on Earth and thus send a representative that they call Magus to the planet. As they succeed in capturing Nostromo, Doctor Doom activated a subroutine and sacrifices himself to destroy the Phalanx in Latveria whilst Franklin the semi-sentient robotic database constructed by Reed Richards sets the collective's moon ship to self-destruct thus ending their threat.
- During Exiles, its revealed an alternate version of Earth saw Cypher fall ill due to the Legacy Virus. To save him, the desperate Warlock infected Cypher with the transmode virus with the two viruses mutating into something far more terrifying. Within a year, almost the entirety of the population were transformed into a form of Phalanx drone with this species referring to themselves as Vi-Locks and Forge served as their leader. The Exiles suffer when Blink was infected with the Vi-Lock disease but she was cured when Morph used divine Asgardian blood to destroy the techno-organic disease.
- Deadpool during his search to save Cable encountered one reality where the Phalanx infection had assimilated the entire Earth with Cable serving as its central consciousness.
- In What If: Astonishing X-Men v1 (2010), this world saw Danger becoming Ultron bride where the pair went into space to rule the Phalanx whereupon they threatened all organic life.
In other media
Television
- In X-Men the animated series, the techno-organic race featured in the two part episode "Phalanx Covenant" where their origins were amalgamated with that of the Technarchy. During the episode, its shown that Warlock along with his mate crashlanded on Earth where his female companion was taken captive by human researchers led by Cameron Hodge study her in order to create anti-Mutant weapons. This led to the spread of the Phalanx infection that spread to absorb humans and made Hodge part of its prime consciousness. Their invasion of the Xavier Mansion led to Beast teaming up with Warlock, Forge, Mr. Sinister and Magneto to defeat the Phalanx before they create their Babel Spire to conquer the planet. Ultimately, they manage to create a vaccine that eliminates the rogue Phalanx and restored Warlock's mate to normal whereupon the two depart the planet after everyone was returned to their true forms.
- In the Ultimate: Spider-Man animated series, the Phalanx episode make an appearance in the episode "Home Sick Hulk" where they resemble silver skinned metallic dwarfish insectoids and were known to S.H.I.E.L.D. as being an infectious lifeform that absorbed organic matter. They were responsible for kidnapping the Hulk with the intention of replicating his strength for their race but the Hulk managed to escape captivity. The Hulk crashlands onto Earth where the Phalanx hunting him were defeated but not before one left a barb stinger in the Hulk. This causes the Hulk to be ill until his body rejects the barb which activates a homing beacon to summon more Phalanx. These were defeated with the aid of Spider-Man with the two superheroes follow a fleeing Phalanx back to its base where they attempt to destroy the infestation before it spread. The two heroes battle Phalanx with Hulk levels of strength and were only able to defeat them when the Hulk developed anti-bodies that fought Phalanx infection.
Video games
- In Sega's X-Men 2: Clone Wars, the Phalanx served as the primary antagonists who were seeking to assimilate the entire planet. To accomplish their goal, they captured and cloned a number of captured Mutants for experimentation.
Appearances
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- Excalibur v1: #90
- Annihilation: Conquest v1:
External Links
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