WORM

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human (Savage Land) mutate

Occupation: Subservient

Group Membership: Savage Land Mutates (Amphibius, Barbarus, Brainchild, Gaza, Lupo, Vertigo, Whiteout)

Affiliations: Electro (Max Dillon), Sauron, Scorcher, Sun People, Zaladane

Enemies: Avengers (Luke Cage, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)), Dimitri, Semyon Eduardovitch, Nick Fury, Vassily Illyich, Ka-Zar, Lasha, Magneto, Nereel, New Mutants (Cannonball, Cypher (Doug Ramsey), Karma, Mirage (Dani Moonstar), Sunspot, Warlock), Peter, Rogue, Yuri Semyanov, Shanna, SHIELD, X-Men (Colossus, Dazzler (Alison Blaire), Havok, Polaris, Psylocke)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Savage Land

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men#250 (Early October, 1989)

Powers/Abilities: Worm secretes a mucus-like slime that he covers others with, making his victims subject to his control for as long as they are covered. He can control multiple entities at once, and can transfer the control of the entity to another. He loses control of his subjects if knocked unconscious. Worm has a reptilian appearance; though he is still humanoid, he has a snake-like lower half.

Height: 9'4" (length)
Weight: 740 lbs.
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: Unrevealed

History:

(Uncanny X-Men#250 (fb) - BTS) - Brainchild created an additional Mutate, Worm, and put him under Zaladane's control. Zaladane used Worm's powers to bring others to her will. She used Worm and the other Mutates (Amphibius, Barbarus, Brainchild, Gaza, Lupo, Whiteout) as her personal operatives.

(Uncanny X-Men#250) - Worm accompanied Zaladane as she raised a tower, destroying research station Vostok 3, and took control of the survivors for her. Crewmen such as Semyon Eduardovitch and Dimitri were either captured or killed. Back at their base, he brought captives Vassily and Lasha under his control as well, horrifying them. When the X-Men (Colossus, Dazzler, Psylocke) neared, Worm brought Dazzler under his control. Soon, several more captives were brought in, including Ka-Zar, Shanna, Nereel, young Peter, and Ka-Zar's baby. Havok and Polaris attacked, causing much chaos, and young Peter managed to take down Worm by firing a gun into the ceiling above him and letting it crash down. All those under Worm's control were freed, and the X-Men departed, destroying some of their base on the way out.

(Uncanny X-Men#274 (fb) - BTS) - Zaladane began amassing power across the Savage Land. She took over the High Evolutionary's former base, took control of the Savage Land Mutates (Amphibius, Barbarus, Brainchild, Gaza, Lupo, Worm, Zaladane), and constructed several towers across that Savage Land that would draw in magnetic power, increasing her own abilities. Worm began capturing several natives and turning them to Zaladane's will. In time, she had control of much of the Savage Land, her power slowly increasing, and she sought to gain even more. When Nick Fury and a SHIELD transport came to investigate, Zaladane struck them down, then made it so no electronics (beyond those maintained by her or their own generators) could be used.

(Uncanny X-Men#275) - Semyanov allied with Zaladane, speaking for the United Nations and promising her rulership of the Savage Land if she killed Magneto. Brainchild oversaw the siphoning of Magneto's powers just as Rogue, Ka-Zar, and Fury attacked, easily defeating Gaza, Lupo, Brainchild, and Worm. Magneto then murdered Zaladane. Rogue absorbed Worm's powers and commanded all of Zaladane's soldiers to flee before the headquarters exploded.

(X-Men Unlimited I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Sauron took control of the Mutates (Barbarus, Brainchild, Gaza, Lupo, Whiteout, Worm) and, growing mentally unstable, sought a stable energy source for his hunger. He ordered Whiteout and Worm to capture Havok and return him to the Savage Land. Sauron had many natives captured and brought before him, so that he could drain their lives. Whiteout and Worm were sent to America in a restored Pangean ship (that Brainchild had restored) to capture Havok. Worm covered Havok in his slime, controlling him into accompanying back to the Savage Land. Brainchild, meanwhile, worked to set up an energy draining system for Sauron to place Havok in.

(X-Men Unlimited I#6) - As they flew back into the Savage Land, their ship crashed and Havok began to roam free. Worm wasn't worried, but Whiteout suggested they hurry and find him as she worried about Sauron's stability. Barbarus and Lupo were sent to find Worm and Whiteout, and they nearly came to blows over whether or not they should follow Sauron, Barbarus stating that he may make a better leader. Worm stopped them from fighting, and they returned Havok to Brainchild. Sauron entered and was eager to feed, despite Brainchild's warnings to pace himself, but chose to use Havok as bait when he sensed the other X-Men near. After Sauron defeated the heroes, Brainchild set Cyclops and Havok up in the machine to drain their energy while the Mutates looked on. Sauron continued to struggle with insanity, causing Barbarus to question him more. Sauron drained the energy too quickly, and Brainchild could not shut the machine down. Sauron began to transform with too much power. Polaris and Phoenix attacked, destroying the machine and freeing their allies. Barbarus and Gaza moved to attack them, but Phoenix mentally manipulated Barbarus' reservations and they agreed to stand down. Brainchild took immediate control of the Mutates and allowed the X-Men to depart. Sauron was soon defeated and left a mindless beast.

(New Avengers#5 (fb) - BTS) - The Mutates tried hiring the Scorcher to break Lykos out of jail, but he refused. They weren't aware that Scorcher notified Wolverine about this contact.

(New Avengers#2 - BTS) - In the chaos of the breakout, orchestrated by Electro, Lykos slipped quietly away and returned to the Mutates.

(New Avengers#4 - BTS) - The New Avengers (Luke Cage, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)) managed to find out that the Mutates were behind the breakout. To apprehend Lykos, they traveled to the Savage Land, where Wolverine was also.

(New Avengers#5) - The heroes were attacked by a group of mutated primates, then put to sleep by Vertigo (who was red and blue and had different powers, able to command the heroes to sleep, and seemingly able to shut their powers down temporarily). They woke up in the base of the Mutates (Amphibius, Barbarus, Brainchild, Lupo, Vertigo, Whiteout, Worm), naked and in restraints. Soon, Iron Man managed to summon his armor and blow up Brainchild's machine, then opened fire on the Mutates. Sauron was later re-arrested.

(New Mutants IV#10 (fb) - BTS) - Amphibius, claiming that the sea had spoken to him and that Magneto's Asteroid M had risen to the surface, told his fellow Mutates about this, but they didn't want to go find him. Worm put Sauron, Barbarus, and Lupo under his control, and they commandeered a ship to find Magneto.

(New Mutants IV#10) - When threatened by the military at Kitakyushu, Japan, Sauron destroyed an armed vehicle, creating an international incident. The New Mutants (Cannonball, Sunspot, Warlock) investigated and found the Mutates on the deck of the ship. In the skies, Cannonball attacked Sauron, mindful of what had happened the last time they'd fought. While battle broke out on the boat, Karma realized the Mutates were immune to her powers of psychic possession. Barbarus got Sunspot in a hold while Cypher and Warlock dodged the blows of Amphibius and Lupo, respectively. Worm went scuttling to the bows of the ship. Cannonball defeated Sauron by plowing him through the ship, and the New Mutants swiftly defeated the other three Mutates. Worm spread his slime through Barbarus, soon getting Cannonball and Sunspot under his control. After breaching the hull of the ship, exposing Worm's hiding place, Karma and Moonstar attacked and Moonstar swiftly defeated Worm with a kick, allowing Karma to get the others under her control. Worm battled Karma for control of his mind, but she entered his mind and learned why they were there. Karma convinced a disbelieving Worm that the X-Men were in charge of the Asteroid, and of Magneto, and Worm ordered the Mutates to return to the Savage Land.

Comments: Created by Chris Claremont, Mark Silvestri and Steve Leialoha.

Worm has a small entry in the Marvel Encyclopedia: X-Men and a full entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update'89#8 and the Master Edition.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Worm has no known connections to

• Worm, Winston Hobbes, Bishop enemy @ District X#7
• Worm of Darkness, Dark-Crawler alias @ Marvel Fanfare I#8
• Worm-Digger, vampire, killed by Blade @ Blade I#1
• Wormhole, of Earth-691 @ Guardians of the Galaxy#39
• Wormhole, of New Universe @ DP7#9
• Worm Man, Communist @ Strange Tales I#I78
• Worms of the Earth, of Earth-Nightside @ Nightside#2
• Wormwall, prison, Dr. Angst @ Marvel Treasury Edition#12
• Wormwood, alias of Marduk the world-destroying "planet" @ Silver Surfer IV#7
• Wormwood, Malekith ally @ Thor I#347
• Wormwood, Stoker ally @ Gambit II#2
• Wormworlds, of the Quadriverse @ Dr. Strange II#24
• or any other "Worm" characters

Vassily Illyich and Lasha

(Uncanny X-Men#250) - Vasily and Lasha were among the Russians stationed at the Antarctic research station of Vostok 3. Zaladane, with her army, killed many of the crew there and took many others captive. Vassily and Lasha were among those who were put under the control of Worm, who coated them in a mucus-like substance that negated their will. Later, Worm was knocked unconscious and his captives were freed.

--Uncanny X-Men#250

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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