SLATER
SLATER
Real Name: Slater (Full name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Head Technician for the Chicago Sentinel Program
Group Membership: The Sentinel Program, the U.S. Government
Affiliations: Dr. Metellus, The staff of the Sentinel Program
Enemies: The Chicago branch of the Morlocks (Angel Dust, Cell (Deceased), Electric Eve, Litterbug, Postman , Shatter, Trader (Deceased)); Mutants in general
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Slater wore the number 32 on his uniform, though I’m unsure of its significance.
Base of Operations: A Sentinel base in Chicago, Illinois
First Appearance: (unnamed) Morlocks I#1 (June, 2002);
(named) Morlocks I#2 (July, 2002)
Powers/Abilities: Slater presumably possessed a genius level intellect in mechanics and robotics
History:
(Morlocks I#1)- Slater was present when Dr. Metellus came to examine a
Sentinel after a successful “mission” slaughtering mutants who had taken refuge
in a Chrysler warehouse. Slater remarked that NEWSDAY magazine had listed the
Sentinel as one of humanity’s top ten greatest inventions in human history,
number 3, to be precise. When Dr. Metellus requested the tapes of the slaughter
be sent to his desk at once, Slater was confused, but complied.
(Morlocks I#2-BTS)-Slater called Dr. Metellus at home to express his concerns that his staff was overworked, but Metellus was adamant about exterminating the Morlocks, and promised Slater and his team a reward for their hard work, after reminding him that he was doing his “American duty, keeping the country safe.” Metellus then popped in the video of the Sentinel’s mutant slaughter, cursing all mutants.
(Morlocks I#3)-As the Sentinels returned from a battle with the Morlocks, Slater again expressed concern, citing the damage to the Sentinels. Metellus ignored his concerns, telling him to keep the Sentinels in the air until the Morlocks were exterminated, and then told him to lower the safety settings. Slater countered that the safety settings were for the protection of the public, but Metellus simply ignored him, ordered the newest tape of the Sentinel attack to be brought to his office, asked not to be disturbed, and licked his lips as he went into his office.
(Morlocks I#4)-After receiving information that the Morlocks had been killed, Slater went to inform Metellus, disturbing his sadistic little peepshow. Metellus complemented Slater on his team’s work, and immediately asked for the tapes. As the pair walked toward the arriving Sentinel, they heard a grating sound, and the Morlocks ripped out of their hiding place within the Sentinel itself. Slater was horrified, and attempted to initiate some sort of emergency protocol, “Protocol Six-Six…” Well, that’s as far as he got, as Postman snuck up behind him and erased all memory of Sentinels from his mind.
Comments: Created by Geoff Johns, Shawn Martinsborough and Gregory Wright.
It’s unclear what happened to Slater, as the Sentinel base blew up shortly after he was last seen; I feel it likely he fled beforehand. Postman had erased his memory of Sentinels, so he was likely terrified to find himself in the midst of a Sentinel battle and ran for his miserable life.
Note that the Morlocks limited
series has a dubious spot in Marvel continuity, given that its depictions of a
government-run Sentinel agency eliminating mutants has more in common with Days
of Future Past than any present-day Earth-616 Marvel continuity. -Prime
Ed-ternal.
I personally don't see this as any more out of the
norm than the whole Operation: Zero Tolerance campaign--Snood
Clarifications:
Slater, has no known connection to
images:
(Morlocks) (I)#4, p11, pan2
(Morlocks) (I)#3, p13, pan2
(Morlocks) (I)#4, p14, pan1,2
Last updated: 02/09/04
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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