X-Men '97 is set to resurrect one of the most beloved Marvel series of the 90s. Many Marvel cartoons gave their heroes and villains a substantial boost in popularity, but no one earned more than the School for Gifted Youngsters. The original cartoon featured some great villains and lesser-known threats like Mister Sinister. Both will be coming back.
In many cases, superheroes are only as good as the villains they fight. Batman wouldn't be as popular as he is without the Joker, Scarecrow, or Bane in his rogues gallery. The X-Men are best known for throwing down with Magneto, but it keeps getting harder to see him as a villain, so they need another big bad to battle. Mister Sinister isn't anyone's first choice, but he may be soon.
Who is Mister Sinister?
Mister Sinister was created by legendary X-Men scribe Chris Claremont in 1986. He was initially introduced as the leader of a group of assassins called the Marauders. His first full appearance was reserved until The Uncanny X-Men #221 in September 1987. His comic appearances have been well-received, but Sinister is always overshadowed by more popular villains like Magneto and Apocalypse. Mister Sinister is the central villain of much of season 2 of X-Men: The Animated Series. He has a brief appearance in the 2009 animated series Wolverine and the X-Men and an even briefer appearance in M.O.D.O.K. Many fans were likely introduced to the character when he appeared as the final boss in High Moon's iconic 2013 Deadpool game.
Mister Sinister was born Nathaniel Essex in the mid-1800s. He became a biologist in 1859, the same year Charles Darwin finally compiled notes and findings he'd collected 23 years earlier into his landmark text On the Origin of Species. Essex found inspiration in Darwin's work and began researching distinctive factors that contributed to human evolution. After the tragic passing of his young son, Essex started kidnapping homeless people off the streets of London for his experiments. He discovers the mutant gene and learns the story of En Sabah Nur, the first mutant. With the help of his Marauders, Essex awakens En Sabah Nur and allies with the ancient Egyptian lord. Nur uses his access to alien technology to mutate Essex into a new form. His skin turns chalk white, his mind expands, and his body becomes ageless. Nathaniel Essex takes the name Sinister to compliment his substantial upgrade.
Sinister and En Sabah Nur have a falling out shortly after the transformation. Nur orders Sinister to create a devastating plague, but he refuses, arguing that wiping out most of humanity would be antithetical to scientific discovery. En Sabah Nur demonstrates a shocking amount of mercy by acknowledging Sinister's show of strength through defiance and returning to his slumber. Sinister spends the following centuries experimenting on every mutant he can catch. He steals power from several mutants and gradually works towards understanding the mutant gene. Mister Sinister is a complicated guy. He works with Josef Mengele and abducts civilians during the Vietnam War, but he's also working towards the eventual goal of breeding a mutant who can defeat Apocalypse. He becomes obsessed with the Summers family, bringing him into frequent conflict with the X-Men. Sinister's research has been wildly unethical, but it's also been crucial in understanding human mutation.
What are Mister Sinister's Mutant Powers?
In most continuities, Sinister was not born a mutant. He was given power by Apocalypse's technology and years of self-experimentation. He generally prefers to act through manipulation and hired help. When Sinister has to fight, he has a sweet of powers he stole from other mutants. The alien technology made Sinister one of the most capable telepaths of all time. He also possesses substantial telekinetic strength, which allows him to lift more than 100 tons, fly, create force fields, and produce concussive blasts that rival Cyclops' optic beam. From Courier, Sinister gained complete control over every cell in his body. He can assume the form of any other being, shift into a semi-liquid state, harden his body like armor, and recover from almost any injury. Sinister also stole Thunderbird's superhuman strength, speed, and endurance. Without their powers, Sinister is a genius who created a variety of incredible technological innovations, most of which can be controlled with his mind. From drones to clones, Sinister is incredibly dangerous.
Mister Sinister is an interesting character with a motivation that perfectly fits the X-Men universe. His suite of powers bounces off of the other mutants in engaging ways. His methods are unquestionably villainous, but his motivation sees him sliding onto both sides from time to time. If Mister Sinister is set to be a big part of X-Men '97, fans will finally get a modern showcase for one of the most underrated X-Men villains in the catalog. His name may be silly, but he really is Sinister.