(Uncanny X-Men Annual I#4/Marvel Comics Presents I#103/Uncanny Origins#8/Nightcrawler III#11 - all BTS) - Possessed by the Hive, Stefan Szardos killed several Neuri children. Due to the Hive's influence he was able to see the Neuri as the monstrous beings they were. Eventually his brother Nightcrawler stopped Stefan, who got his neck broken during their fight. (see comments)

(Nightcrawler III#8 - BTS) - Someone controlled by Hive and several monsters attacked the Jahrmarkt searching for the Soulsword.

(Nightcrawler III#9 (fb) - BTS) - Hive and the other monsters tortured Feuer and other Jahrmarkt members and revealed that they would next search in Florida for the Soulsword at Jardine Circus.

(Nightcrawler III#9) - Still seeking the Soulsword Hive took control of Nightmare and invaded Magik's castle in Limbo after putting her guardians Brad and Roger to sleep. As Nightmare he beat her up until Margali came to her aid. Hive then left Nightmare's body.
  Hive took control of Amos Jardine. Nightcrawler warned the Hive-possessed Jardine of the coming danger, but Jardine didn't seem to care and welcomed death. Flies constantly flew around Jardine.

(Nightcrawler III#10) - Nightcrawler saved the Hive-possessed Jardine from Man-Thing. Outside several other monsters attacked Jardine's staff and Jardine constantly told Nightcrawler to just give them what they wanted. Nightmare, Margali and Magik arrived and Nightmare put all monsters to sleep. Margali and Magik revealed that the Soulsword was hidden inside Nightcrawler and pulled it out. Hive-possessed Jardine wanted to touch it, but according to Magik he reeked of evil and Margali didn't give it to him. Hive then left Jardine and Nightcrawler finally realized that demons were involved because flies are familiars to demons. He told everyone to close their eyes and cover their ears, but Wolverine didn't do it and was now possessed by Hive. As Wolverine, Hive stabbed Christine Palmer and promised to kill as many as it needed to get the Soulsword.

(Nightcrawler III#11) - Nightcrawler teleported with the Hive-possessed Wolverine into Jardine Circus' mirror house and then hid from him. While searching for Nightcrawler, Hive told him that they had met before when Hive had possessed Stefan Szardos. Nightcrawler teleported the Hive-possessed Wolverine onto a rollercoaster and broke his neck. Nightcrawler went to get the Soulsword from Margali and when he returned with it, Hive left Wolverine's body to get it. But the sword's cleansing fire killed many flies and then Nightcrawler found the real demon among them. Hive revealed that all the attacks by Belasco on Nightcrawler's family weren't just to get the Soulsword, but also to kill Margali and Amanda like Stefan. That the plan was older than Nightcrawler himself and that it was all part of a brewing war. Hive was then killed from afar. He just blinked out like a firefly.

(Nightcrawler III#12 - BTS) - Mephisto revealed Hive's real name to Nightcrawler and told him that Hive wasn't lying about the unholy war.

Comments: Created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Darick Robertson & Rodney Ramos.

Stefan Szardos' many deaths:

Uncanny X-Men Annual I#4: The murders of the children are first mentioned and Stefan's actual death wasn't seen, but we were told that Nightcrawler killed Stefan by accident.

Marvel Comics Presents I#103: Nightcrawler followed Stefan for weeks. He finally caught up with him and stopped Stefan from murdering a baby inside a house. They jumped through a window to the outside where Stefan commited suicide by breaking his own neck with Nightcrawler's tail. The children were revealed as Neuri.

Uncanny Origins#8: Nightcrawler finds Stefan two days after leaving the Jahrmarkt at a campfire with several dead children lying around. Stefan died during their fight after a kick by Nightcrawler broke his neck.

Nightcrawler III#11: Nightcrawler returns from the United States after Jimaine told him on the phone that Stefan was worse than ever before. This was after Nightcrawler had escaped from Jardine Circus. Upon returning to Winzeldorf, Nightcrawler finds Stefan at the town's fountain. The fountain is filled with Stefan's victims. Stefan tells Nightcrawler about the voices and the monsters he sees. A child is not dead yet and Nightcrawler has to stop Stefan from killing it and accidentally kills Stefan by pulling back his head and breaking his neck.

  The stories leading up to Stefan's death are all different, but at least his broken neck was consistent.

Halphas is not a nobody in demonology! He was first mentioned in Johann Wier's "De praestigiis daemonum" (first published in 1583) as part of the "Pseudomonarchia daemonum" Appendix. There he was described as the 38th spirit, a Great Earl of Hell in the form of a stock dove (a dirty pigeon, disgusting) with a hoarse voice. He was said to build towers and fill them with ammunition and weapons (making him obviously a demon of War) and ruled 26 legions. The demon was later reused by S.L. MacGregor Mathers in "The Lesser Key of Solomon" (1904; as part of the "Ars Goetia" chapter) where he received the aliases Malthous and Malthas.

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Hive (Halphas) has no known connection to:

• Hive, Sakaar natives including Miek @ Incredible Hulk III#92
• Hive-Mind of Earth, took control of Humbug in the Savage Land @ Heroes for Hire II#10
• hivemind mechas, advanced LMDs created by Hydra @ Livewires#4
• Hive Trolls, Flying Trolls of Thryheim @ Journey into Mystery I#124
• Hyve of Earth-9470, living insect swarm, Exiles member @ X-Men Millennial Visions 2001
• any other character with a similar name

images: (without ads)
Nightcrawler III#11, p21, pan4 (main)