Zero (comics)

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caption=
character_name=Zero
real_name=ADAM unit Zero
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="New Mutants" volume 1 #86 (1990)
creators=Louise Simonson Rob Liefeld
alliances=Mutant Liberation Front
aliases=
powers=Enhanced strength, computerized intelligence, open teleportation portals, energy damping and absorption, scan for bio-mechanical and technological weapons and neutralize them.|

Zero is a fictional android in the Marvel Comics Universe. It first appeared in "New Mutants" as a member of the Mutant Liberation Front and was killed in Excalibur #80.

Fictional character biography

Zero was created 2000 years in the future by the Askani as a prototype for the Ambient-energy Damping Automated peacekeeping Mechanisms (ADAMs). Only one other ADAM has appeared in comics: Eleven, who worked for the Askani Clan Chosen. Zero was damaged and found by the mutant Stryfe, who opposed both the Askani and their enemies, the Neo-Canaanites. Stryfe reactivated Zero, but didn't repair its speech-functions, leaving Zero mute. Zero would function as Stryfe's most trusted ally, bodyguard and, due to its ability to teleport, transportation. Its programming ensured complete obedience to Stryfe. When Stryfe's armies were defeated by the Neo-Canaanites, Stryfe and Zero fled, travelling back in time to the late 20th century.

In the 20th century, Stryfe gathered several young mutants like himself, who were displeased with the way mutants were treated and formed the terrorist organisation, the Mutant Liberation Front. Stryfe's technology and Zero's teleportation made the MLF one of the most dangerous organisations in existence and they were opposed by Cable and the New Mutants (later known as X-force. Stryfe's reason to return to the 20th century was revealed during the crossover, the X-Cutioner's Song; he wanted to take vengeance on everybody who had hurt him in his life. During the crossover, most of the MLF was dismantled and captured. Stryfe was defeated on the moon and Zero disappeared and was deactivated.

Zero ended up in the possession of the arms dealer, Tolliver, an alias of Tyler Dayspring, son of Cable. Zero was reactivated when the mercenaries Deadpool, Copycat, Garrison Kane and Slayback were all looking for "the ultimate weapon", which turned out to be Zero. Zero was now capable of speech and following his original programming: peace-keeping. It scanned its surroundings for any object and person who were a threat to peace on Earth and eliminated Slayback. He was about to eliminate Deadpool as well, but Deadpool convinced Zero that he had potential for good as well by saving Copycat's life. Zero agreed and left.

Zero joined Tyler Dayspring for a short while, helping him in finding out the true relationship between Cable and Stryfe, but it left Tyler to go on its own quest: to achieve full sentience and become "alive". It sensed the potential to be alive in the techno-organic being known as Douglock and gave it independence from the Phalanx. Zero set out to teach Douglock about his new existence, but Zero was now hunted by killer androids, programmed by Stryfe to destroy Zero in case of his death. Zero and Douglock were assisted by Excalibur and together they tried to deactivate the androids from Stryfe's secret base below The Pentagon. Here, Zero realized that he had become sentient and also the reason why Stryfe wanted him killed: locked within his databanks, Zero had all the secrets of the Legacy Virus, Stryfe's final "gift" to the world. This revelation activated Zero's self-destruct sequence and the killer androids in Stryfe's base. Shadowcat managed to remove the self-destruction device, but Zero realised that his sentience was a cruel joke played on him by Stryfe; it was just programmed to think it was alive. Zero sacrificed itself to protect Excalibur, Douglock and a family of innocents from the base's self-destruction, but in its last few moments on Earth, Stryfe showed his cruelty again: Zero was granted full sentience and had become truly alive, but also set off a self-destruct device in the base to kill Zero. As this happened, a recording of Stryfe delivered the taunting message, "Congratulations. You're human. For the next eight seconds." In its last moments on Earth, Zero transferred all of its memories to Douglock.

So while its body is destroyed, the data that made up Zero's mind is still contained within the mind of Douglock (currently known as Warlock). After Zero's destruction, the Mutant Liberation Front reappeared. At one point they had multiple Zero androids working for them, but these probably were copies of the original.

Powers and abilities

Zero's primary task was peace-keeping and to do so it was equipped with scanners, capable of determining a person or objects capabilities, purpose and potential. It could then use its ability to damp and project energy to neutralize any threats, turning most advanced weapons useless and killing any potentially dangerous humans. Zero also had the ability to teleport: it opened portals between two different points, but it could only keep these portals open for a short period of time as Reaper found out to his regret.

Other versions

Ultimate Zero

In "Ultimate X-Men" #84, the leader of the Mutant Liberation Front, Stryfe, is saved from a Sentinel attack by a young teleporter named Zero. Whether Zero is a mutant or a robot remains to be seen. When Stryfe again used Zero to teleport away from an attacking fleet of Sentinels and encountered the X-Men, Zero fled, teleporting himself away to an unknown location and leaving Stryfe at the mercy of the X-Men.

Sources

Monolith. " [http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/characters/showquestion.asp?fldAuto=1183 Uncannyxmen.net character bio on Zero] ". Retrieved April 14, 2006