Pyro (comics)

Pyro (St. John Allerdyce) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a recurring enemy of the X-Men and later becomes an agent of the U.S. government. He was created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne and introduced in Uncanny X-Men #141 (January 1981) as part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Pyro had the mutant ability to control fire.

Pyro and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are the main antagonists in the Days of Future Past in the X-Men comics as they attempt to assassinate Senator Robert Kelly, which in an alternate timeline leads to a dystopic future where Mutants are hunted, killed or captured by the Sentinels robots. Through time travel the assassination was thwarted.

At a later date the Brotherhood becomes agents of the US government in exchange for a full pardon and the team becomes known as the Freedom Force. While working for the government the team confronts both the X-Men and the Avengers. During a mission to Kuwait Pyro is captured by the enemy. Pyro contracted the Legacy Virus, fatal to all mutants, moments before his death Pyro saved Senator Kelly from another assassination attempt, changing Kelly's anti-mutant stance. Pyro was later resurrected by the Transmode Virus, existing as a techno-organic being under Selene's control.

Publication history

Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 (January 1981).

Fictional character biography

Born in Sydney, Australia, Pyro is a mutant who possesses the power to psionically control fire and flame, though not generate it. He wears a flame thrower on his back to provide the flame which he then takes control of. His ability to manipulate flame emerged in his teens, but he was unable to find a practical use for it. After years of working in Southeast Asia as a journalist and novelist, Pyro met the mutant Mystique, who later recruited him to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants as a professional criminal and subversive. With the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, he attempted to assassinate Senator Robert Kelly, and first battled the X-Men.^[1] With the Brotherhood, he later battled the Avengers,^[2] and then the X-Men again.^[3] Though he never served under the team's original leader, Magneto, Pyro did work with the Brotherhood under the command of several of Magneto's subordinates who alternately supervised the group.

Mystique's Brotherhood later offered the team's services to the United States government in exchange for protection and an official pardon for its crimes, and was renamed Freedom Force. As part of their first mission, the team captured Magneto.^[4] With Freedom Force, he next captured the Avengers on behalf of the federal government.^[5] Later, he clashed with the original X-Factor in seeking to arrest Rusty Collins.^[6] With Freedom Force, he fought the X-Men in Dallas, and was present at the X-Men's apparent demise.^[7] With Freedom Force, he battled Cyclops and Marvel Girl,^[8] sought to arrest Rusty Collins again, battled the New Mutants, and finally arrested both Rusty and Skids.^[9] He and Blob under Spiral's orders attempted to capture a young mutant girl named Amanda, but were defeated by Daredevil.^[10] He later teamed with Blob and Avalanche against the Avengers during the "Acts of Vengeance".^[11]

During Freedom Force's final mission, the team confronts a group of Iraqi operatives known as Desert Sword in Kuwait. There are fatalities on both sides. Super Sabre is decapitated and Pyro kills the Sword operative Veil. Ultimately Freedom Force is defeated and Pyro and Blob are abandoned in Kuwait and captured.^[12] Blob and Pyro are forced to serve as bodyguards to the country's military commanders. Later, Toad buys their release. Blob and Pyro join the Toad's new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and with them battled X-Force.^[13]

Some years later, Pyro contracted the Legacy Virus, a fatal disease affecting mainly mutants. He went to great lengths to find a cure (encountering Cecilia Reyes at one point^[14]), several times at the expense of others, but was unsuccessful in his search and succumbed to the virus.^[15] This was just after saving Senator Robert Kelly from a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. This act of heroism was also instrumental in changing Senator Kelly's opinion on mutants as a whole, and led to his decision to work toward peaceful co-existence between humans and mutants.^[15]

Despite his heroic death, Pyro is resurrected by means of the Transmode Virus to serve as part of Selene's army of deceased mutants. Under the control of Selene and Eli Bard, he takes part in the assault on the mutant nation of Utopia.^[16]

Powers and abilities

Pyro is a mutant who has the psionic ability to manipulate flame by shaping it as he desires, increasing or decreasing its heat, intensity, and size. He cannot actually create fire himself, however, and consequently wears a specially insulated costume with a built-in flamethrower that can throw a stream of flame a maximum distance of 25 feet (7.6 m). He can psionically manipulate the flame to do whatever he desires, and sometimes induces it to take semi-solid form as an animate flame being (these creations, though capable of movement and of grasping or carrying solid objects, are not alive and do not think or act on their own). The degree of Pyro's concentration necessary to manipulate a flame being is directly proportional to the being's size, power, and flame.

Though he cannot be burned by a flame which he is manipulating, Pyro can be harmed by any fire that he does not mentally control. It is generally accepted that he must be able to see a flame in order to take control of it (hence limiting his mental influence to approximately 100 yards). Any of Pyro's fiery creations will immediately revert to ordinary flame if he turns his interest from it.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse, Pyro is one of the many mutants imprisoned in Sinister's breeding pens for refusing to join his Elite Mutant Force. He is killed alongside Avalanche, Artemis, Phantazia, and Newt when the five prisoners attempt to escape. This version of Pyro is capable of creating flames by himself, though he is not immune to being burned.^[17]

House of M

In the House of M, Pyro was a member of the mutant supremacist government in Australia. He works alongside the powerful Exodus. He works closely with Vanisher in the oppression of the human population. They gain the attention of the Hulk when his friends, a community of Aboriginal Australians, are harassed. Here Pyro retains his background as a writer and a sentimental side; he briefly crafts a tiny pixie out of the flame from a match, commenting to the Vanisher, "I used to write Gothic romances. I've got more layers than a parfait".^[18]

Marvel Adventures

In Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, the Human Torch shows up at Midtown High for a demonstration, but loses control of his powers. Spider-Man (then Peter Parker) spots a mysterious figure who turns out to be Pyro, who is manipulating Human Torch out of jealousy that he doesn't get credit for being a fire manipulator. Peter knocks him into the school swimming pool, where Human Torch knocks him out.

Marvel Zombies

Pyro is shown as a zombie twice in the Marvel Zombies reality. He is seen in the background along with a group of zombies trying to catch Blob.^[19] He is also seen fighting the X-Men alongside zombie versions of Freedom Force.

Ronin

Pyro works as a murderous mutant ninja for the Japanese-based Hellfire Club. He battles the X-Men alongside fellow ninjas Iceman and Avalanche.

Ultimate Marvel

In Ultimate X-Men #80 Pyro is seen fighting the Friends of Humanity and meeting Nightcrawler.^[20] This Pyro is a member of the Ultimate Morlocks, and a supporter of Xavier's cause who tells Nightcrawler that he would have liked to have been a member of the X-Men. In issue #82 he is rescued from a Sentinel attack by Bishop and Storm, who recruit him as a member of their new team of X-Men. It is hinted by Bishop that the recruits are "legends" of the future, meaning that Pyro may have much potential. He briefly works undercover in the Mutant Liberation Front, after pretending to defect to their side. Stryfe, the leader of the group, revealed his knowledge of Pyro's intentions but allows him to continue watching, but eventually Stryfe abandons most of the Front, including Pyro, at the mercy of some approaching Sentinels. Pyro is later rescued by Beast, and aids the team in defeating the Sentinels.^[21]

Bishop dies in Ultimate X-Men #90 and Xavier returns alive from the future. Pyro moves into the Xavier Institute and becomes one of Xavier's X-Men. Pyro begins wondering if he belongs at the Institute and Wolverine assures him that he does.

Pyro has apparently defected from the Xavier Institute to Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants, as he and Mastermind are shown capturing the superhero Valkyrie in The Ultimates 3 #4. It is as yet unknown how or why Pyro joined Magneto's Brotherhood. His face is not scarred and he is now immune to flame, despite previous portrayals.^[22]

During the confrontation, he and Mastermind find the unconscious Valkyrie. Pyro suggest they 'play' with her. The woman wakes up, slays Mastermind and despite Pyro's claims of innocence, cuts off his hands.^[23]

Ultimate Pyro, like his Age of Apocalypse counterpart, can generate flames without the aid of machines. He also isn’t as resistant to fire, as his face is horribly burned and most of his body is bandaged. At one point, he cauterizes a bullet wound by pressing flames against it. Because he burnt off his nerves, he does not feel pain.^[20]

In other media

Television

Pyro (right) in X-Men: The Animated Series along with Avalanche.

• Pyro is featured in the 1989 X-Men animated pilot episode, Pryde of the X-Men voiced by Pat Fraley. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists.
• Pyro appears in four episodes of the 1992 X-Men animated series, voiced by Graham Halley. He appears as part of Mystique's Brotherhood of Mutants. Pyro is characterized as British, using stereotypical British slang terms such as "old bean" and "old girl" in conversation.
• Pyro appears in the 2000 animated series X-Men: Evolution, voiced by Trevor Devall. In this show he is one of Magneto's Acolytes. After the Acoyltes disbanded he is seen to be in their base watching a video of Magneto's death repeatedly.
• Pyro is featured in the episodes "Hindsight, Part 1", "Battle Lines" and "Hunting Grounds" of the 2009 animated TV series Wolverine and the X-Men, where he is voiced by Nolan North. He appears first as a captive of the Mutant Response Division, and later as a member of Magneto's Acolytes. Pyro is imprisoned by Magneto for failing him.
• Pyro appears in the 2009 cartoon series The Super Hero Squad Show, voiced by Steven Blum.^[24] He appears in the episodes "A Brat Walks Among Us", "Night in the Sanctorum", and "The Ice Melt Cometh!"

Film

Aaron Stanford as Pyro in X-Men: The Last Stand

• Pyro was included as a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants in early drafts for the 2000 film X-Men, but had to be removed for the film to be greenlit by the studio, due to budget concerns.^[25] Actor Alexander Burton makes a brief cameo as the character in the film, as a student at Xavier's Institute.
• In the 2003 sequel X2, Pyro is played by Aaron Stanford. In the film, Pyro is named John Allerdyce, and is a student at Professor X's and friend of Iceman and Rogue. Pyro keeps a Zippo lighter on him at all times to provide him his fire. Pyro defects from the X-Men and joins Magneto's Brotherhood toward the end of the film.
• Stanford reprises the role in the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand. In this film, Pyro now wears a flame-generating device on his right wrist. He fights Iceman during Magneto's attack on Alcatraz Island.

Video games

• Pyro appears as a boss on the first stage in the 1992 X-Men arcade game, and again in the sixth stage. In the 2010 re-release of the game he is voiced by Kyle Hebert.
• Pyro is a playable character in the Game Boy Color version of the 2000 fighting game X-Men: Mutant Academy.
• Pyro appears as a playable character in the Xbox version of the 2002 fighting game X-Men: Next Dimension, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.
• Pyro is featured as a boss in the 2004 action role-playing game X-Men Legends, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes. John Kassir voices Pyro in its 2005 sequel, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, where he appears as an NPC character across all platforms and a playable character in the PC version.
• Pyro is a boss in the 2006 movie tie-in game X-Men: The Official Game, voiced by Steve Van Wormer. The player encounters him during Iceman's level.
• Pyro appears in the 2011 video game X-Men: Destiny, voiced by Steven Blum.
• Pyro also appears as a boss in Marvel Heroes, voiced by Crispin Freeman.
• Pyro appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes,^[26] voiced by Nolan North.

References

External links

• Pyro at the Marvel Universe wiki

• Pyro on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• Pyro at the Comic Book DB