SHORT CIRCUIT

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human/demon

Occupation: Mass murderer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Nightstalkers (Blade, Frank Drake, Hannibal King), the warden

Known Relatives: Lilith (grandmother), the Lilin (Bad Timing, Blackout, Bloodthirst, Creed, Dark Legion, Doc, Fang, Girth, Infinks, Meatmarket, Nakota, Outcast, Parasite, Pilgrim, Pixil, Scatter, Sister Nil, Skinner, Skitter, Spitfire -- brothers, sisters, etc.), Aehr, Lillu, Ardat, Irdu (ancestors)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Nebraska

First Appearance: Nightstalkers#12 (October, 1993)

Powers/Abilities: Short Circuit had the ability to absorb electrical energy and use it to create portals into other worlds. Any energy-based attack hurled at him would be absorbed into his aura, and he could send any physical object flung at him into another dimension. He relied upon electrical energy to live.

History: (Nightstalkers#12 (fb) - BTS) - Short Circuit's mother was one of the Lilin, the children of Lilith, but he did not become aware of his demonic heritage until recent years. He began to have visions of Lilith in which he learned of his connection to her, and of the Midnight Sons, the Lilin's sworn enemies. He became a mass murderer, and killed 14 children, propping up their bodies in cornfields like scarecrows as an offering to Lilith. He was finally captured and sent to death row in a Nebraska prison.

(Nightstalkers#12) - As he was on death row, he had more visions of Lilith, and called out to her for power. When he was finally placed in the electric chair and the switch was thrown, his demonic powers were activated as he absorbed the electricity into himself, and his humanity was purged.

(Nightstalkers#13 (fb)) - Short Circuit slew most of the prison's staff and set the other prisoners free. The prisoners worshipped him like a god, and violent riots broke out all over. Short Circuit used his powers to open doors into other realities, and began sending people through. The people who survived these trips were driven insane.

(Nightstalkers#12) - The Nightstalkers came to investigate after the sister of one convict hired them to explore the blackout. When Short Circuit saw them, he recognized them as three of the Midnight Sons, and when Hannibal King attacked him, he sent him into another dimension. Frank Drake attempted to use his Exorcist gun "Linda" against Short Circuit, but the Lilin was able to absorb its energy into himself, becoming even more powerful.

(Nightstalkers#13) - Drake and Blade managed to evade Short Circuit long enough to repair the damage done to "Linda," and Blade then flung himself at Short Circuit so that he would be sent to the same world as King and bring him back. Drake realized that Short Circuit needed the prison's power to remain alive, and destroyed main power, but Short Circuit tried to siphon "Linda"'s energies again. Drake stuck "Linda" into Short Circuit's aura and fired a blast inside of him, opening a portal to the world where Blade and King were, and his allies were able to return to Earth-616. Once they were through, Drake turned off the prison's auxilliary power, depleting Short Circuit of his last reserves. With no more power to feed him, Short Circuit was burned up from the inside, dissolving into a cloud of smoke.

Comments: Created by Steven Grant, Vince Giarrano, Kirk Van Wormer and Bill Anderson.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Short Circuit should not be confused with:

• Short-Circuit, Henry Wallinger, mutant, used by Reignfire and Locus, @ X-Force I#79

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