Techno-organic virus

A techno-organic virus (also known as T-O virus) is a fictional virus in the Marvel Comics universe. The virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material. Techno-organic material resembles both machinery and living tissue. All techno-organic cells function like independent machines and carry both the virus and all information on their carriers, including memories and appearance. This allows a techno-organic being to rebuild itself from a single cell when destroyed.

There are two known variants of this disease in the Marvel Universe: the virus carried by the Technarchy, known as the Transmode Virus, and the variant created or discovered by Apocalypse.

The Transmode Virus

Characteristics

The Transmode virus is used by members of the Technarchy to turn other beings into techno-organic beings. The Technarchy can then feed upon the infected beings and drain their energy (visible as lights flowing through the infected creature). Once the energy has been drained, all that remains of their prey are brittle statues. If an infected creature is not drained of its energy, it becomes a Phalanx. Transmode-infected creatures are usually black and yellow, although they can change their color.

The Transmode Virus is highly virulent. It can transmit via skin contact (though a Technarch can prevent transmission) and will transform a creature into a techno-organic creature within seconds. Only mutants have some resistance to the virus. For instance, Doug Ramsey was infected with the virus, but his infection only progressed very slowly.

An infected creature also gains the ability to shapeshift. They can quickly restore themselves when damaged and can interface directly with machinery. While Technarchs feed by draining other techno-organic beings, Phalanxes have the ability to directly absorb matter (both organic and inorganic).

The Phalanx also experience a loss of individuality, forming a hive mind with other Phalanx and the need to contact other techno-organic life (a safety precaution created by the Technarchy, which considers the Phalanx to be a plague and which exterminates them whenever it discovers them).

Known carriers

* Every member of the Technarchy, including Warlock and his father Magus.
* Every member of the Phalanx, including Steven Lang and Cameron Hodge.
* Many demons of Limbo including S'ym and N'Astirh. The infection was started by Magus, who was hunting his son.
* Cable, previously infected with Apocalypse's variant, has cured himself. Since "Cable and Deadpool" #12, Cable lives in symbiosis with an infant Phalanx.
* Hope, a young girl who is friends with Warlock. While the techno-organic virus did not affect her, she had no control over the virus and would infect others by touch. Hope could even infect inorganic material, something the Transmode Virus is usually incapable of doing.
* Paradigm, a mutant with technokinesis, who was infected by the Phalanx. He is a member of the second group of Hellions.

Apocalypse's variant

Characteristics

It was believed that this strain of techno-organic virus was either created by Apocalypse or discovered by Apocalypse on board the Ship. This virus was actually created by Mister Sinister as a means of killing Apocalypse. This attempt failed due to Apocalypse's immense powers, and the virus fell into Apocalypse's hands. Apocalypse later used the virus to infect the infant Cable. The virus has many similarities to the Transmode Virus and the two may be closely related. Techno-organic matter of this kind usually appears as blue/grey metal.

This strain of virus is less virulent than its counterpart, needing blood contact to transmit, and usually taking a longer time to infect a person, although it can have sudden short bursts of activity, during which spikes of techno-organic matter form from the diseased body and the body's parts change their forms. Another difference with the Transmode Virus is that infection is very painful and can incapacitate a person.

Humans infected with this virus receive increased strength and the ability to directly interface with machinery. While infected material can change its shape, it is unknown whether a fully infected person is capable of shapeshifting (Apocalypse can, but he already had this power before being infected).

Known carriers

* Apocalypse, who was infected with the techno-organic blood of a time-travelling Cable.
* Gaunt, a warlord from the future. He carried a less virulent version of the techno-organic virus, but Cable infected him with the more powerful strain, paralyzing him with pain. Gaunt was killed shortly afterwards.
* Post, who received a blood transfusion from Cable."Former carrier":
* Cable, who cured himself in "Cable" #100.

Alternate versions

*In "Exiles" #20-22, a team of interdimensional heroes visited a world that had become horribly stricken with a new type of T-O virus. In this reality, Doug Ramsey had fallen ill with the Legacy Virus, and his friend Warlock was endeavoring to help him. In trying to heal Doug, Warlock infected him with the T-O virus, but the two viruses combined and formed a new and deadly disease. This version is capable of infecting mutants and the world's hero population was quickly subsumed by the new race of Vi-locks, led by Forge. Blink, the team's leader, was also infected, but the timely arrival of Odin and the Aesir saved the day. Some of the top scientists derive a serum from the blood of the Norse gods and it effectively combatted the disease.

*In the Age of Apocalypse, Apocalypse also created a techno-organic virus, one capable of assimilating both organic and technological materials, going as far as merging two separate beings into one body. This virus was used to empower Donald Pierce's Reavers, a group of T-O infected humans serving Apocalypse's regime.

Notes

* There are cases of techno-organic infection where the strain of virus is unclear. For example, Kig, one of the scientists on the Darkhawk Project, had developed technology to control the T-O virus that ravaged his homeworld; this strain of virus was used on John "St. Johnny" Trane by Evilhawk, allowing Evilhawk to control Trane. Whether this was the transmode virus, Apocalypse's strain, or a new third variety is unknown. (This T-O derivative may be the primary material in the Darkhawk androids themselves.)
* There are also several techno-organic creatures in the Marvel Universe, who don't seem to carry any type of techno-organic virus, like Zero and his fellow ADAM-units.
* The airborne cure for the Legacy Virus also affected Cable's T.O. Virus, allowing him to cure himself.
* A story arc of the X-Men animated series guest-starring Cable and Bishop involved a 'mutant plague' that bore a strong resemblance to the virus. Bishop attempted to destroy the virus and Cable tried to stop him, as destroying the virus would make things even worse in the long run. In the end, Wolverine was exposed to it and because of his healing factor antibodies could be made.

ee also

*Nanomedicine
*Bionanotechnology

External links

* [http://www.cuug.ab.ca/~lapierrs/creative/comics/t-o.faq.html The Techno-Organic FAQ by Soleil Lapierre]