Legacy Virus
This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (October 2009) |
The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline in Marvel Comics titles, from 1993 to 2001, during which it swept through the mutant population of the Marvel Universe, killing hundreds, as well as mutating so that it affected non-mutant humans as well.
Description
The Legacy Virus, contrary to the name, was a
Legacy-1 and Legacy-2 searched for a target organism's "X-factor," the sequence of mutant genes that gave a mutant their superpowers. If it did not find an activated X-factor in the target, the viroid would die off, leaving the person completely unaffected. If, however, it did detect the X-factor, it would begin inserting introns into the transcription codings of the victim's mutant RNA, the process commonly being triggered after the patient used their powers for the first time after contracting the disease. The result was a major compromise of the replication and transcription process so disruptive that it eventually rendered the body incapable of creating healthy cells, ultimately resulting in the death of the victim. Prior to death, the viroid causes its host's powers to flare out of control.[citation needed]
Legacy-1 attacked general transcription and replication of all cells, a messy and non-selective process that resulted in a condition akin to a fast-replicating
Legacy-2 was much closer to Stryfe's original template and more in tune with his desire to stir a species war between non-mutant humans and mutants. Its attacks were selective, working only on the X-factor genes. The net result was that a victim would eventually lose control of his superhuman powers. In addition to developing at a far slower rate than Legacy-1, victims of Legacy-2 developed skin lesions, fever, cough and overall weakness (symptoms displayed by the telepathic X-Man
Legacy-3 was accidentally created in the body of the mutant woman
The Legacy Virus is strongly suggested to be an allegory for the AIDS epidemic. Although all strains of the Legacy Virus were more dangerous than HIV, they shared similar symptoms such as skin lesions, fever, fatigue, and coughing.[1] In addition, comics featuring the Legacy Virus illustrated the similar social impact of the further isolation of a stigmatized group.
History
The Legacy Virus first appeared in X-Force #18. It was based on a virus created by
During the
When
Eventually, reporter Trish Tilby, Beast's former lover, reported to the general public the existence of the Legacy Virus.[3] Later, Xavier and Beast call a press conference to assuage fears in the general populace. While watching the press conference, Moira MacTaggert has an insight that the virus worked as a "designer gene".[4]
The virus raged on for some time in the mutant population, until Mystique, in an effort to make the world safe for mutants, modified the virus to affect only humans.[5][volume & issue needed] When Moira found out about this strain of the virus, she finally grasped what the key to the cure was. Unfortunately, she was mortally wounded by Mystique during the Brotherhood of Mutants' attack on Muir Island and did not live to complete the cure. Professor X did manage to telepathically retrieve the critical information before Moira died.[6]
With this information, Beast was able to synthesize the cure a few weeks later, though one that had a price; the virus had first been released by the death of the first victim, and the release of the cure would have the same effect. Colossus, who did not want any more people to suffer his sister's fate, snuck into McCoy's lab and injected the cure into himself and activated his mutant powers, transforming his body into organic steel. This "supercharged" the Legacy cure, simultaneously killing him and stopping the spread of the Legacy virus, instantaneously curing even those dying of the virus at that moment[7] (Although it was later revealed Colossus had been resurrected by alien technology and was being used as a test subject for an experimental formula that would reverse mutations before he was rescued by the X-Men[8]).
Unfortunately, this rapid cure had unforeseen geopolitical effects. Thousands of Legacy-infected mutants had been quarantined on the island nation of Genosha, which was controlled by Magneto at the time. The instant cure gave Magneto a vast army overnight and allowed him to begin carrying out his plans for world conquest in the Eve of Destruction crossover.
In X-Factor vol. 3 #10, it was revealed that Singularity Investigations was creating a virus designed to kill mutants. While Jamie Madrox referred to this as the Legacy Virus, it is unclear whether Singularity is actually recreating Stryfe's virus, creating what is to later be Stryfe's virus, or merely engineering a new one with a similar purpose.
In X-Force #7, the Vanisher is seen to be in possession of a mutated strain of the Legacy Virus. It was later destroyed by Elixir in X-Force #10.
During the
The Legacy Virus has returned once more as it turned out there were other samples that fell into the hands of
Infection list
Listed below in alphabetical order are the characters infected by the Legacy Virus:
Character | First Appearance of Infection | Notes |
---|---|---|
Absalom
|
X-Force #37 (Aug. 1994) | Virtual immortality, ability to extend razor-sharp spines from his body. Killed by Selene in X-Force (vol. 1) #54 before the Legacy Virus could claim him. |
Abyss
|
Cable vol. 2 #40 (Feb. 1997) | Malleable body houses a dimensional vortex. Was saved from death when Colossus sacrificed himself to release the cure. |
Aminedi
|
X-Men Annual vol. 2 #2 | Air Particle Transformation. Dies from the Legacy Virus. |
Avalanche | Powerful vibration generation. Survived the Legacy Virus. | |
Bolt
|
X-Men Unlimited #8 (Sept. 1995) | Bio-Electric generation/manipulation. Survived the Legacy Virus. |
Burke | X-Force #34 (Aug. 1994) | Killed by the Virus. |
Feral | X-Force #37 (Aug. 1994) | Feline appearance. Survived the Legacy Virus. |
Infectia | X-Men vol. 2 #27 (Dec. 1993) | Mutagenic touch. Killed by the Legacy Virus in X-Men vol. 2 #27 (Dec. 1993). |
Gordon Lefferts | X-Force #18 (Jan. 1993) | Telekinesis and Telepathy. Revealed dead in X-Men vol.2 #23; revealed to have been the first victim killed by the Legacy Virus in X-Men vol. 2 #27 (Dec. 1993) |
MacTaggert, Moira | Excalibur #80 (Aug. 1994) | Publicly designated as the first human to contract the Legacy Virus in X-Men Prime. Killed by Mystique before the Legacy Virus could claim her.
(Revealed in House of X #2 that she was secretly a mutant, and that the infected Moira was actually a "Shi'Ar golem") |
Madrox, Jamie | Duplicate infected in X-Factor #91 (June 1993). | Duplicate died from Virus in X-Factor #100 (March 1994). |
Magik (Illyana Rasputina) | Magic user, chrono-variant teleportation. Killed by the Legacy Virus in The Uncanny X-Men #303 (Aug. 1993). Later revived. | |
Mastermind | Illusionist. Killed by the Virus in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #17. | |
Maverick | Healing factor put Virus into remission. | |
Mister Sinister[citation needed] | Immortal. May have been infected.[citation needed] Though if so, his own healing factor must have greatly slowed its progression[citation needed], nevertheless saved when Colossus sacrificed himself to release the cure. | |
Mutate #24601 | Only Genoshan Mutate "named"; many others infected and presumed killed. | |
Nicodemus | X-Force #20 (March 1993) | Undefined fire-based abilities. Revealed to have been killed by the Virus in the same issue. |
Pyro | X-Men Annual #2. | Psionic manipulation (but not generation) of fire. Killed by the Virus in Cable #87 (Jan. 2001) after saving Senator Robert Kelly from an assassination attempt.
|
Psynapse | X-Men #21 | Implied to have contracted the Legacy Virus. Was "killed" by teammates for being infected and causing him to be "unfit". Revealed to have tricked his teammates and saved from death when Colossus sacrificed himself to release the cure. |
Revanche | X-Men Annual #2. | Telepathy, psionic blade generation. Mercy-killed by Matsu'o before she succumbed to the Virus in X-Men #31 (April 1994). |
Numerous X-Skrulls | Secret Invasion: X-Men #4 | Powers based on the X-Men. |
Beautiful Dreamer
|
Behind the scenes prior to X-Force vol. 3 #12. | Injected with the Legacy Virus by the Leper Queen to be used as a biological weapon, killing thousands of humans and herself. |
Fever Pitch
|
X-Force vol. 3 #12. | Similar fate to Beautiful Dreamer, perishing along with hundreds of other humans in a wave of fire. |
Hellion | X-Force vol. 3 #13. | Captured by the Leper Queen and injected with the Legacy Virus to be used as a biological weapon. Healed from the Legacy Virus by Elixir. |
Surge | X-Force vol.3 #13. | Similar fate to Hellion. She was healed from the Legacy Virus by Elixir. |
Other versions
The
In other media
Television
- In healing factor.
Film
- In Logan, a variation of the Legacy Virus is created by Zander Rice to wipe out the world's mutant population to avenge his father's death by Wolverine during the Weapon X program. By the year 2029, mutants are on the brink of extinction and Rice is working for Alkali-Transigen to engineer child mutants to be used as soldiers.
Video games
- In X-Men 2: Game Master's Legacy, the game's plot centers around the X-Men and the Legacy Virus.
- In the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, a side mission includes saving a S.H.I.E.L.D. Omega Base Computer, which contains research data on the Legacy Virus. If the computer is saved, the data will be used to create a cure for the virus. If not, the Legacy Virus will become a plague that drives the mutant race nearly to extinction.
References
- ^ "Los Angeles Review of Books". Los Angeles Review of Books. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
- ^ X-Force #18 (Jan. 1993)
- ^ X-Men Prime (1995). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #326.
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #388.
- ^ X-Men #108
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #390 (March 2001)
- ^ Astonishing X-Men #4 (Aug. 2004)
- ^ X-Force vol. 3 #13
External links
- Legacy Virus at Marvel Wiki
- Legacy Virus on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki