MASTERMIND
Real Name: Martinique Wyngarde
Identity/Class: Human mutant;
British citizen
Occupation: Criminal
Group Membership: None; formerly Sisterhood (Chimera, Lady Deathstrike/Yuriko Oyama, Lady Mastermind/Regan Wyngarde, Psylocke/Elizabeth Braddock, Red Queen/Madelyne Pryor, Spiral/Rita Wayword), X-Corps (Abyss, Banshee, Fever Pitch, Husk, Jubilee, M, Multiple Man), Brotherhood of Mutants (Avalanche/Dominic Petros, Blob/Fred J. Dukes, Post/Kevin Tremain)
Affiliations: Arcade, Delilah, Eli, Hopkins, Mrs. Gwynn, Opal, Mystique, Ron, Saturnine
Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Senator Robert Kelly, Foggy Nelson, X-Men (Angel, Anole, Beast, Bishop, Cable, Chamber, Colossus, Cyclops, Dazzler, Emma Frost, Gambit, Hepzibah, Iceman, Psylocke, Rockslide, Storm, Hope Summers, Wolverine, X-23)
Known Relatives: Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde, father), Lady Mastermind (Regan Wyngarde, half-sister), Pixie (Megan Gwynn, half-sister)
Aliases: Martinique Jason, Goddess
Base of Operations: Mobile;
place of birth Wimbledon Village in London, England
First Appearance: Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#2 (October, 1995)
Powers/Abilities: Martinique Wyngarde inherited her father's abilities to create illusions, anything from projections of nightmares, distractions, or fantasies for individuals to mass illusions that can cover entire cities. Martinique possesses low-level telepathy (the ability to read minds and project thoughts) as well, which can influence her victims into being even more lost in her illusions, or even allow her to place the illusion directly into someone's mind. Martinique's powers lessen when she is distracted, emotionally influenced, or physically hurt. At the height of her power, Martinique (using the name the Goddess) placed a mass illusion over much of the city of San Francisco, changing the identities, ideals, and drives of anyone under her influence, which slowly spread across the city. She has at times used the resources of Murderworld in villainous plots.
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 130 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
History:
(Heroic Age: X-Men#1 (fb) - BTS) - Martinique Wyngarde is the daughter of Jason Wyngarde, the original Mastermind, long-time foe of the X-Men who served on the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and Hellfire Club as their mutant illusionist. While nothing is known of Martinique's mother, Martinique developed an adversarial relationship with her half-sister, Regan. Both of them inherited versions of their father's illusion powers, with Martinique's taking on a particular telepathic intensity. After the death of Jason Wyngarde, Martinique adopted the codename Mastermind and began a life of crime. She also at times used the alias Martinique Jason.
(Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#4 (fb) - BTS) - Arcade reached out to Martinique Jason, telling her that the X-Man Wolverine had killed his long-term aide, Locke. Mastermind agreed to create illusions to help Arcade get revenge, feeling disdain for the X-Men due to her father's history with the mutants. Arcade designed robots to look like Wolverine and sent them out to kill innocent women, then he captured Wolverine and made Jason believe that Wolverine had killed the women.
(Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#1 - BTS) - A fifth victim, Detective Alexandra Davies, turned up dead, and Gambit arrived in London to investigate. He found Wolverine on the streets, his claws bloody and with no memory of how he got there.
(Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#2) - In England, Jason picked up Wolverine and Gambit, who were surrounded by police who assumed they were responsible for the recent murders. Jason said she was an Interpol agent who had been sent in by Nick Fury, and they escaped in a high-speed chase, driving the car into the water to get away. When Wolverine and Gambit came aware, they saw Jason's corpse in front of them and panicked. They realized someone was messing with their senses and saw themselves get lost in the sewers before Jason revealed she was alive. Jason said she was not an Interpol agent and was seeking to get revenge for the murdered women. Wolverine slashed Jason open, exposing her as a robot. Behind the scenes, Jason called herself Mastermind as she plotted with Arcade.
(Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#3) - Mastermind put Gambit through a series of illusions, where he saw himself as a master thief interacting with Alexandra Davies, and she pitted him against Wolverine in the conflict. Wolverine had been in an illusion where he interacted with Mariko Yashida. Arcade commended Jason on her illusions, saying they were better than her father's.
(Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#4) - While psi-linked with Arcade, Jason realized that Arcade had been lying to her, and that he had killed Locke himself. Wolverine and Gambit remained trapped in Jason's illusions until they broke free, destroyed the robots, and confronted Arcade. When Arcade tried to escape, Jason read his mind and realized he had killed the women himself. Mastermind told the X-Men the truth of Arcade's lies, promised that she would bear emotional scars over the deaths of the women, ensured them she'd make Arcade pay, and then left.
(Daredevil I#352 (fb) - BTS) - Mastermind began studying all of the super hero files kept by Arcade, rich with intel, and she decided to put one of them to the test, plotting to lure Daredevil in.
(Daredevil I#352) - Martinique showed up at the office of Foggy Nelson asking for his assistance in real estate. Foggy recommended she find another attorney, but she used her powers to persuade him to take the case.
(Daredevil I#353 - BTS) - Martinique apprehended Foggy and tied him up in Murderworld.
(Daredevil I#353) - Daredevil, investigating Jason on behalf of Foggy, entered the abandoned amusement park, where illusions of his greatest foes attacked him, including the Owl, Typhoid Mary, Kingpin, and Bullseye, and she made him choose his friend Foggy or his love Elektra in one illusion, letting him watch Elektra die again. Mastermind revealed herself, freed Foggy, and then departed.
(Cable II#87 (fb) - BTS) - Mastermind teamed up with Blob, Avalanche, and Post to form the Brotherhood of Mutants, and they planned an assassination attempt on Senator Robert Kelly.
(Cable I#87) - The Brotherhood attacked Kelly, but a team of X-Men, including Cable, Bishop, Beast, Gambit, and Colossus, stood against them. Mastermind used illusions to confuse the heroes until Cable knocked her out with his Psimitar.
(Uncanny X-Men I#401) - Mastermind lay comatose with a virtual reality helmet on her head, and she was subjected to an intense vision where she loved Toad, forcing Magneto to kill her as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch looked on. Mastermind's body was taken by several Multiple Man dupes.
(Uncanny X-Men I#402) - Banshee kept Mastermind in a stasis tank at X-Corps, manipulated by Banshee.
(Uncanny X-Men I#405 (fb) - BTS) - Banshee began using Mastermind's powers to force villains and other mutants to be his operatives in the X-Corps, wanting to make the world a safer place for mutants. Mastermind began telepathically working with Mystique (posing as Surge) and her team of villains to counter Banshee's plans.
(Uncanny X-Men I#403) - Chamber discovered Mastermind in stasis, and she assaulted him with a hallucination of the Brotherhood led by Magneto.
(Uncanny X-Men I#404) - Mastermind revealed herself to Chamber telepathically, and she revealed that she had been living her own worst impulses while trapped in her own mind, such as self-harming and a romance with Toad. After taunting Chamber for a time, Mastermind gave him the illusion of being burned in a fire, then left him. After monitoring Multiple Man's missions with X-Corps, she met telepathically with her allies, "Surge", Fever Pitch, Avalanche, and Blob, and they encouraged her to be patient as they monitored Banshee. Chamber then entered, seeing the villains.
(Uncanny X-Men I#405 (fb) - BTS) - Chamber was defeated and left behind as "Surge", using Mastermind's powers to mentally influence some of Banshee's operatives, including Multiple Man, launched an attack on Paris.
(Uncanny X-Men I#405) - Banshee revealed to the X-Men that he had been using Mastermind's powers for what he considered the greater good, but they were horrified. As the attack on Paris proceeded and Chamber was found, Banshee struggled to maintain control of Mastermind, but Mystique snuck in and stabbed Banshee in the throat.
(Uncanny X-Men I#406) - Mystique freed Mastermind, who emerged from the tank bald and ranting about her sister being free while she was trapped. Mystique and Mastermind seized control of X-Corps, then sent their operatives, including the mind-controlled Madrox, to attack places in Europe, seeking to restore fear in mutants across the globe. Mastermind began losing control of the Madrox dupes. When Banshee freed Abyss, Mystique disappeared in the mutant's void, and Mastermind fled.
(Uncanny X-Men I#498 (fb) ) - After M-Day, when the mutants were disappearing, Mastermind was disoriented by all of the missing telepathic energy. Several older civilians, including Ron, Eli, and Delilah, reached out with concern, and Mastermind looked into their innermost thoughts for comfort, finding a longing for the 1970s Hippies era. She used her powers to create a mass illusion, making them look young, and began spreading that influence to the world around, making everyone embrace a peace and love mindset. Mastermind made herself over in flowing gown and flowers, and called herself the Goddess. The mass hallucinations spread for months.
(Uncanny X-Men I#495 - BTS) - Angel went to San Francisco to investigate and he found it looking like the 1960s. He quickly became part of the mass hallucination.
(Uncanny X-Men I#496) - Angel and Hepzibah were among the citizens continuing the party, including Eli, Opal, and Delilah. Cyclops and Emma Frost investigated, but Emma found her telepathic powers blocked.
(Uncanny X-Men I#497) - Cyclops and Emma infiltrated the hallucination as it continued to spread. The Goddess woke up in bed with Eli and sensed someone trying to telepathically probe her mind, so she sent the police, including Hopkins, against them. The Goddess suddenly realized they were X-Men.
(Uncanny X-Men I#498) - The Goddess remembered her name was Martinique. Cyclops and Emma found Warpath (using the name Running Sun), Hepzibah (using the name Lady Kitten), Iceman (using the name Frosty), and Angel among the hippies.
(Uncanny X-Men I#499) - Mastermind began losing control of her illusions as Emma telepathically assaulted her, then a blast from Cyclops knocked Mastermind out. Mastermind was teleported away by the Red Queen, who recruited her for a new team, the Sisterhood.
(Uncanny X-Men I#504) - The Red Queen, flanked by her recruits Mastermind and Chimera, recruited Spiral and Lady Deathstrike.
(Uncanny X-Men I#508) - Madelyne Pryor recruited Regan Wyngarde (Lady Mastermind) and brought Martinique to give testament of Red Queen's powers. No matter how much the sisters hated each other, they agreed to work together with Red Queen, when she promised to resurrect their father, Mastermind. Pryor had her operatives retrieve the body of Kwannon from Tokyo, then she completed a complex spell to prepare the body, as the Mastermind sisters bickered. Soon, she swapped her mind with that of Psylocke, and welcomed her to the team.
(Uncanny X-Men I#509) - The Sisterhood got Psylocke settled in to her new form, then they planned an attack on the X-Men at Utopia. Martinique teamed up with Chimera, and the two of them attacked Cyclops and a few of the students.
(Uncanny X-Men I#510) - Emma broke Cyclops free of Mastermind's illusions. The X-Men got the upper hand and the Sisterhood retreated, having stolen a lock of Jean Grey's hair to gain her DNA.
(Uncanny X-Men I#511) - The Sisterhood arrived at a building in San Francisco, where Red Queen abandoned Psylocke and the Mastermind Sisters, even as the X-Men (Storm, Emma Frost, Dazzler) closed in, easily defeating the villains.
(X-Men: Pixie Strikes Back#2) - Regan and Martinique, dressed identically, were in their father's estate fighting with insults and fists when the demonic Mrs. Gwynn entered, telling them another heir to Mastermind's estate was on her way.
(X-Men: Pixie Strikes Back#3) - Mrs. Gwynn, after resisting the illusions of the Mastermind sisters, explained that she was the mother of Jason Wyngarde's third daughter, Megan Gwynn, Pixie of the X-Men. She convinced the sisters to help her go after Megan, but they found the X-Men (Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, Anole, Psylocke, Rockslide) waiting.
(X-Men: Pixie Strikes Back#4) - The Mastermind sisters watched as the X-Men battled demons, and Pixie learned from Mrs. Gwynn that Mastermind was her father. Pixie initially argued with the sisters, but then knocked out Emma Frost before casting an illusion that convinced the demon Saturnine to kill the other demons and herself. Before X-23 could attack, Pixie teleported the Mastermind sisters away.
(Heroic Age: X-Men#1 - BTS) - Steve Rogers wrote an assessment of Mastermind for his government files.
(Cable and X-Force I#9 (fb) - BTS) - Mastermind ended up in jail.
(Cable and X-Force I#9 (fb) ) - Hope Summers was in the visiting room when Mastermind entered, allowing Hope to copy her powers temporarily.
(X-Force VI#12) - Martinique was present when Beast brought Colossus through the Krakoan gates, but Wolverine chased her and the others off.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Hellions I#10 (fb) - BTS) - Arcade kidnapped Martinique Wyngarde and kept her in restraints and under armed guard, in order to force her father, Mastermind (who'd been resurrected on Krakoa) to work for him.
(Hellions I#10) - Martinique remained in captivity.
(Hellions I#11) - When Jason freed himself and took over Aracde's mind, he convinced the guard to free Martinique, then Jason ordered Martinique to kill the man, which she did.
Comments: Created by Jeph Loeb (writer) & Tim Sale (artist).
Mastermind has a handbook profile in All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#7 (September, 2009) and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC#7 (2009).
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Mastermind is directly related to:
And Mastermind should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Uncanny X-Men I#508, cover (black costume)
Wolverine/Gambit: Victims I#2, p4, pan1 (firing gun)
Uncanny X-Men I#406, p12, pan5 (bald)
Uncanny X-Men I#498, p5, pan2 (the Goddess)
Appearances:
Wolverine/Gambit: Victims#1-4 (September-December, 1995) - Jeph Loeb (writer), Tim Sale (artist), Mark Powers (editor)
Daredevil I#352 (May, 1996) - Ben Raab (writer), Shawn McManus (artist), Bob Harras (editor)
X-Men: Pixie Strikes Back#2-4 (May-July, 2010) - Kathryn Immonen (writer), Sara Pichelli (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
Cable I#87 (January, 2001) - Robert Weinberg (writer), Michael Ryan (penciler), Rick Ketcham (inker), Joe Quesada (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#401-402 (February-March, 2002) - Joe Casey (writer), Ron Garney (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Mark Powers (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#403 (April, 2002) - Joe Casey (writer), Aaron Lopresti (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Mark Powers (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#404-405 (May-June, 2002) - Joe Casey (writer), Sean Phillips (artist), Mark Powers (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#406 (July, 2002) - Joe Casey (writer), Aaron Lopresti (penciler), Mark Morales, Danny Miki (inkers), Mark Powers (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#495-498 (April-July, 2008) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Mike Choi (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#499 (August, 2008) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Mike Choi, Ben Oliver (artists), Nick Lowe (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#504 (January, 2009) - Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Nick Lowe (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#508-510 (June-July, 2009) - Matt Fraction (writer), Greg Land (penciler), Jay Leisten (inker), Nick Lowe (editor)
Uncanny X-Men I#511 (August, 2009) - Matt Fraction (writer), Greg Land, Terry Dodson (pencilers), Jay Leisten, Rachel Dodson (inkers), Nick Lowe (editor)
X-Men: Pixie Strikes Back#2-4 (May-July, 2010) - Kathryn Immonen (writer), Sara Pichelli (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
Heroic Age: X-Men#1 (February, 2011) - various writers, Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Cable and X-Force I#9 (August, 2013) - Frank Tieri (writer), Salvador Larroca (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
Uncanny Avengers III#5 (April, 2016) - Gerry Duggan (writer), Carlos Pacheco (penciler), Mariano Taibo, Dave Meikis (inkers), Tom Brevoort (editor)
X-Force VI#12 (November, 2020) - Benjamin Percy (writer), Oscar Bazaldua (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Hellions I#10-11 (July, August, 2021) – Zeb Wells (writer), Stephen Segovia (artist), Jordan White (editor)
First Posted: 08/31/2019
Last updated: 01/01/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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