Part of a eugenics program that alters his physiology, Wade Wilson ends up as a super-powered operative for the despot En Sabah Nur, AKA Apocalypse. He joins Apocalypse’s team of Pale Riders, a group of brutal assassins to enact his survival of the fittest violence.
Crude Changes
Wade Wilson hails from Earth-295, where mutant and world-conqueror Apocalypse rises to power and humanity becomes enslaved to mutantkind. Wade undergoes experimentation in a eugenics program that imbues him with a crude healing factor. However, his healing ability does nothing to help his deformed skin and physical appearance. He becomes an assassin for Apocalypse known as Dead Man Wade.
Superhuman Healing Factor
While in the eugenics program, Wade receives a healing factor that gives him superhuman durability and a regenerative healing factor that prevents him from dying. Though it damages his skin, which remains unaffected by his ability to heal. He also suffers from PTSD, at times reliving memories from his time in the program.
Cohorts and Opponents
Wade is a devout follower of Apocalypse and a member of the Pale Riders alongside Emma Steed, AKA Damask, and Danielle Moonstar, AKA Moonstar. His teammate Moonstar derives pleasure in tormenting Wade by inflicting physical pain. His fellow teammate Damask comes to his defense though she ultimately turns on him.
Wade is tasked to follow Kurt Darkhölme, AKA Nightcrawler, to discover the location of the human and mutant refuge known as Avalon. Though Nightcrawler proves to be a fierce and deadly opponent.
A Dead Man’s Life
When assigned by Apocalypse to follow Nightcrawler to Avalon and torch the place, Dead Man Wade joins his teammates, the Pale Riders, on the mission. After Moonstar threatened Wade with more pain, fellow team member Damask lost patience and killed her for it. Despite Moonstar’s abuse, Wade remained defensive of his abuser and was confused when he found out that Moonstar never liked him.
When attacking Avalon and following Apocalypse’s orders, Damask had a change of heart and turned on Wade, choking him. But Wade regenerated and threatened to kill her. Nightcrawler intervened and teleported his head away to stop him.
Resurrected by Henry McCoy, AKA Dark Beast, Wade returned to lead Apocalypse’s army of Infinites, creations by Nathaniel Essex, AKA Sinister, and Beast. He was later seen being recruited by Dreadpool to take down the Deadpool Corps and perished in an ensuing battle.
