MASTERS OF THE MATRIXMASTERS OF THE MATRIX
Membership: "Ainley", "Delgado", "Gomez", "Jacobi"
Purpose: To guard the blueprint matrix, the focal point of creation from which the entire multiverse was spawned.
Aliases: The Elders, the Matrix Masters
Affiliations: Dark Angel, the Encoders, the Guide
Enemies: Mercenaries (indirectly); formerly the Encoders
Base of Operations: Matrix-Microverse;
formerly their
village;
formerly their citadel
First Appearance: Hell's Angel#5 (November, 1992)
History:
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb)) - The Masters of the Matrix-Microverse were beings so
rarified that they existed only as pure concepts, a mere gas-plasma of
energy-matter floating in deep space. Their duty was to guard the blueprint
matrix, the focal point of creation from which the entire multiverse was
spawned.
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb) - BTS) - As guardians they have a symbiotic relationship with the Matrix. Damage to them would also damage the Matrix.
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb) - BTS) - However, the Matrix-Microverse was breached, seeding the creation of a physical universe and giving physical form to the concept beings. Some of these became the Encoders, and posed a threat to the Masters and the Multiverse. The Master's had to adopt physical forms also to combat the Encoders.
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb) - BTS) -The Masters created a village as a base of operations and an amphitheatre.
(Hell's Angel#5) - The Masters watched as Dark Angel and the X-Men arrived in their micro-universe. They announced that Hell's Angel was the source of their problem, and that they would remove everybody's powers until they knew the secret of her dimensional portal. They hoped to remove her "costume", not realizing that the black portion of Shevaun's skin was part of her body. Upon learning this, they said she would need to stay. Shevaun agreed on the condition that the X-Men could go free, though her friends refused to leave without her. They offered to help deal with the Encoders. The Masters sensed the Encoders had become more powerful and were moving nearer. One of them tried to block them with a mind shield, but failed. Shevaun finally convinced the Masters to restore her powers, and those of the X-Men. A blast from Bug of the Encoders was aimed at the Masters, but it was unclear if they had been hit and destroyed or had simply de-materialized.
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb) - BTS) - The Masters had merely taken a more subtle form to avoid destruction.
(Hell's Angel#5) - After a short battle, Hell's Angel decided to try and use her portal to undo the pollution. The Masters reappeared and urged her to act. She did so, pulling all the matter from the microverse into the vortex and returning it to its rightful place.
(Hell's Angel#5 (fb) - BTS) - The Encoders' life-essences fled, but their bodies remained, and were saved by the Masters of the Matrix.
(Hell's Angel#5) - After she had returned the matter and energy to Earth-616, the Masters appeared to her and the X-Men. Psylocke verified that the Encoders were devoid of evil using her psychic abilities. The Masters thanked them all, including the Encoders. Although the Encoders had brought the situation to a dangerous head, the Masters were pleased that an effective solution had been found through perseverance in the face of conflict. They declared that the Matrix and Multiverse was indebted to them, and that they would never be forgotten. They said farewell.
(Dark Angel#16) - Sensing cosmic danger, the Masters looked on as Death's Head (Minion) wielded a piece of the fabric of the universe. They noted that the fabric failed to respond to Death's Head's call for destruction.
(Dark Angel#16 (fb) - BTS) - They became aware that Death's Head's rampage had drawn the attention of mercenaries, who were moving in.
(Dark Angel#16) - The Masters contacted Dark Angel and the Guide to warn them of the mercenaries.
(Dark Angel#16 (fb) - BTS) - The Masters continued to watch as Dark Angel, the Guide, and the Encoders dealt with the danger posed by Death's Head, as well as the Anti-Being and Mys-Tech.
(Dark Angel#16) - Watching over Earth, the Masters noted that Dark Angel had been successful.
Comments: Created by Bernie Jaye, Geoff Senior and Martin Griffiths
In Hell's Angel#1 we see an energy beam hit Shevaun and be transferred to the "dimension within the black void of her inner being", causing a "molten pool of alchemical life force" to be "blasted into activity". I've read the Hell's Angel/Dark Angel series many times over, and still find this a bit confusing. I'm not 100% sure whether or not this is meant to be the Matrix Microverse, in which case this event could be what triggers the events of Hell's Angel#5. I've also wondered if this is the void in Inner Space where we've seen Dark Angel send the Anti-Being, but again I'm not 100% sure.
In Dark Angel#16, the Masters are described as guardians of "Earth's blueprint" rather than guardians of a blueprint responsible for a whole multiverse as in Hell's Angel#5. However, as Earth's blueprint would presumably be a part of a multiversal blueprint, it's not exactly an error.
I've listed both their village and amphitheatre as former bases of operations. Although only the village was shown to be destroyed, if all matter was taken from the microverse then the amphitheatre presumably no longer exists in physical form. And as concept beings, their need for such an amphitheatre as a base of operations seems unlikely.
None of the Masters are given individual names. As concept beings, they may not even have them. For the purpose of identifying them in this profile, I've used the surnames of those who played the character called the Master (or as he/she is more recently known, Missy) in Doctor Who. Speaking of Doctor Who, the concept of the Matrix was introduced in the Deadly Assassin - the same story that reintroduced the Master after the unfortunate death of the original actor, Roger Delgado. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the Masters of the Matrix were in some way inspired by concepts from Doctor Who, though that is simply my own personal conjecture. There is something about their garb that reminds me of some of the Time Lord's clothing.
Thanks to Alan Green for the images.
Profile by Changeling.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Group name has no known connections to
This Master was present as Shevaun and the X-Men arrived in the microverse. He was the first to speak to the humans, and also the last to do so as he thanked both them and the Encoders for dealing with the situation. He was also the Master who spoke with Dark Angel to warn her about mercenaries tracking Death's Head.
Along with his fellow Masters he was able to remove the powers of physical beings within the microverse. This may have been a gestalt ability they could only use as a group, or one they each had separately that was increased by pooling their power together. He had powers of mental creation, and was able to alter his physical form while he had one. In this manner it was possible to make it look like his physical form had been destroyed. He is likely able to alter his concept form. He presumably has similar abilities to his fellow Masters.
I refer to the character as "he" due to his appearance in the strip, though as this is an extra dimensional concept being perhaps I shouldn't be applying my notions of gender to it. If any of the group was a leader, I'd nominate this character as he had the most dialogue, and tended to be the first to get a word in.
"Ainley" refers to Anthony Ainley, who played the Master in Doctor Who from 1981 to 1989.
--Hell's Angel#5 (Dark Angel#16
This Master was present as Shevaun and the X-Men arrived in the microverse. He did very little, other than to encourage Shevaun's decision to remove the matter from the microverse using her portal.
Along with his fellow Masters he was able to remove the powers of physical beings within the microverse. This may have been a gestalt ability they could only use as a group, or one they each had separately that was increased by pooling their power together. He had powers of mental creation, and was able to alter his physical form while he had one. In this manner it was possible to make it look like his physical form had been destroyed. He is likely able to alter his concept form. He presumably has similar abilities to his fellow Masters.
I refer to the character as "he" due to his appearance in the strip, though as this is an extra dimensional concept being perhaps I shouldn't be applying my notions of gender to it.
"Delgado" refers to Roger Delgado, who was the first actor to play the Master in Doctor Who. After he passed away, the role was taken over by Peter Pratt (heavily made up as an emaciated incarnation, and later portrayed in this manner by Geoffrey Beevers) in a story that featured the (Galifreyan) Matrix. See the comments section above! Anyhow, this Master (of the Matrix) was the first on the left of the group as they first appeared in Hell's Angel#5, hence my naming him for the first to play the Doctor Who character.
--Hell's Angel#5 (Dark Angel#16
She was present as Shevaun and the X-Men arrived in the microverse. She explained to them about the pollution of the microverse, and asked for Shevaun to hand over her costume.
Along with his fellow Masters he was able to remove the powers of physical beings within the microverse. This may have been a gestalt ability they could only use as a group, or one they each had separately that was increased by pooling their power together. He had powers of mental creation, and was able to alter his physical form while he had one. In this manner it was possible to make it look like his physical form had been destroyed. He is likely able to alter his concept form. He presumably has similar abilities to his fellow Masters. She was able to sense the approaching Encoders.
I refer to the character as "she" due to her appearance in the strip, though as this is an extra dimensional concept being perhaps I shouldn't be applying my notions of gender to it.
"Gomez" refers to the Michelle Gomez who plays the current incarnation of the Master (in this case, Missy) in Doctor Who, at the time of writing this profile. She is also, at present, the only official female version of the Master, hence her name being chosen to represent the female Master of the Matrix. Joanna Lumley portrayed a female Master in a comedy sketch, but this isn't part of the regular Doctor Who continuity.
--Hell's Angel#5 (Dark Angel#16
This Master was present as Shevaun and the X-Men arrived in the microverse. During the Encoders attack he attempted to block them with his most powerful mind shield.
Along with his fellow Masters he was able to remove the powers of physical beings within the microverse. This may have been a gestalt ability they could only use as a group, or one they each had separately that was increased by pooling their power together. He had powers of mental creation, and was able to alter his physical form while he had one. In this manner it was possible to make it look like his physical form had been destroyed. He is likely able to alter his concept form. He presumably has similar abilities to his fellow Masters. He was able to generate a powerful mind shield by visualizing a protective barrier.
I refer to the character as "he" due to his appearance in the strip, though as this is an extra dimensional concept being perhaps I shouldn't be applying my notions of gender to it.
"Jacobi" refers to Derek Jacobi, who was the first actor to portray the Master in the revived series of Doctor Who.
--Hell's Angel#5 (Dark Angel#16
images: (without ads)
Hell's Angel#5, p1, pan1 (main image)
Dark Angel#16, p24, pan1 ("Ainley")
Hell's Angel#5, p3 ("Delgado")
Dark Angel#16, p24, pan1 ("Gomez")
Dark Angel#16, p3, pan1 ("Jacobi")
Appearances:
Hell's Angel#5 (November, 1992) - Bernie Jaye (writer), Geoff Senior (pencils
and inks), Martin Griffiths (inks), Caroline Steeden (letters), Helen Nally
(colors), Helen Stone (editor), Paul Neary (editor-in-chief)
Dark Angel#16 (December, 1993) - Bernie Jaye (script), Salvaor Larroca
(pencils), John Stokes (inks), Janey Rutter (letters), Marina Graham (colors),
Bambios Georgiou (editor), Paul Neary (editor-in-chief)
Last updated: 06/17/16.
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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