198 (Earth-616)
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History
With few mutants left after the effects of M-Day, Cyclops opens the Xavier Institute to any mutant who needs refuge in the most difficult times for their kind.
The first few to arrive are Mammomax, Erg, Peepers who are attacked by the Sapien League. The X-Men save them in time before the League kills them. But soon the X-Men have to fight the Sentinel Squad O*N*E*. Soon Outlaw appears with Peepers running again. Later, the Toad is looking through Mutant Town to see if their are any mutants left. He sees Lorelei Travis and he manages to save her, but not before her hair is cut off by humans. When Toad and Lorelei arrive they see many other mutants including: Johnny Dee, Sack, Fever Pitch, Jazz, Karma, Skids, and Empath. They are forced to live in tents as most of the mansion was destroyed in the battle with sentinels and the Spien League. Many, if not all residents, do not like the sentinels guarding over them and the lack of direction. They soon decide to name themselves the '198', and raise a flag with that number on it, in reference to the supposed total amount of remaining mutants on the planet according to Cerebra.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, Mr. M heals his depowered friend Hannah Levy, and she convinces him to help his fellow mutants. As he arrives to the Institute, he takes out a sentinel, saying it was about to step on a rare caterpillar. Magma was upset after her lovers death, and Empath manages to use his powers to calm her down and make her stay with the 198. She bunks with Skids and Outlaw. Johnny Dee pretends to comfort her, but he really only wants a sample of her DNA. With a strand of her hair, he makes a living doll of her. Mr. M displays his amazing powers by regrowing out Lorelei's hair. The X-Men and the O*N*E* Squad are both uncomfortable with this but don't know how to approach the matter. When Erg attmepts to leave the grounds, a battle ensues, only to be stopped by Mr. M. During this time, Arclight, Caliban and Leech are revealed as three more residents of the 198.
Mr. M and Lorelei soon form a relationship together. Some fear that they will have to stay there a long time when Valerie Cooper reveals plans to build more permanent facilities. When some demand to leave, she doesn't allow it, but instead allows them to go around a nearby town, only if they wear elctronical tags. Mammomax is made fun of by a human and he tries to attack, but his tag shocks him. Jazz is trying to buy some drugs when he remembers that he touched Johnny Dee. When Johnny Dee strangles the small doll of Jazz, the real Jazz is being choked and dies. Apparently Jazz knew that, but he was to late. Johnny Dee then dstroys all evidence from him linkning him to the murder. He also manages to make a living doll of Leech when he learns of his powers.
The X-Men are mad at Val when they discover that Jazz is dead. When the 198 learn of his death, they start a riot. The situation quickly gets out of control and Mr. M and Lorelei decide to leave and invite all 198 members to join them. As they leave, the sentinels can only watch. When the sentinels and the X-Men follow them to a nearby islnad, Mr. M proves himself more than a threat to both of them. When Scalphunter threatens Beast, Lorelei tries to stop him, only for him to hit her. Then Mr. M loses it. Meanwhile, Johnny Dee informs General Lazer that he can rid of the threat. General Lazer is in a rough position and agrees. Johnny Dee uses his Leech doll to cancel Mr. M's power. When Mr. M is down, Dee uses his Magma doll to incinerate Mr. M. Magma comes to and blames Empath. Later when Lorelei and Leech watch over Mr. M's coffin, he seems to evolve, giving the 198 hope.
Apocalypse soon comes and offers the 198 salvation and they are curious. When Famine attacks, making all hungry, Apocalypse claims his elixir will heal them. Skids is first in line for it, and Karma is unsure. Apocalypse takes down the sentinels as they drink his elixir. Fever Pitch, Skids, and Scalphunter follow Apocalypse to his ship and stand for him. But when the elixir is destroyed on the battle, Apocalypse leaves. Other members shown include: Collective Man, Diamond Lil, and Beautiful Dreamer. The 198 continue to live at the institute for a while more witnessing the attacks of William Stryker and the Children of the Vault.
Soon another big riot breaks out, led by Caliban and Erg. As their is a response, it is discovered that this was just a distraction for Domino and Shatterstar to blow a hole in the wall, freeing the 198. Roughly half escape with Domino on an aircraft and go to an abondaned SHIELD base. Bishop is put in charge of finding the 198 and the X-Men relaize that if the 198 are found, it could be bad, especially with the charges of the Superhuman Registration Act.
The X-Men discover where the base is, but Domino won't let them in. Meanwhile, General Lazer discovers more of Johnny Dee's power and gives him a sample of Cyclops' DNA, and with it they discover where the X-men and the 198 are located. The president soon releases the other 198. Genreal Lazer then forces Johnny Dee to make Cyclops attack Bishop to prove that mutants are dangerous. When the 198 try to help, Lorelei believs she knows it is Johnny behind it. Only this isto late, as he forces some 198 members to attack. Johnny Dee has a limit, however, and can only control one doll at a time. Shatterstar and Domino leave, and convince the other 198 to stay put.
When Val Cooper learns of Lazer's plan, she arrests him. However, she is to late, and he sets off some weapons that will go off soon in the SHIELD base. When she interrogates him, he realizes to late that Johnny did make a doll of him, and Johnny kills him. As the X-Men realize there is almost no way in, with the help of Iron Man and Ms. Marvel, they manage to get in and rescue the 198 and the weapons explode. Leech saves Cyclops' power from going ballistic, Johnny Dee is arrested, and the 198 are given total amnesty, to come and go whenever they chose.
Only a while after their release, Mammomax is captured by Kimura and killed by a Predator X. It seems the disbanding of the 198 was worse than intended, as many deaths of the group followed his. Peepers was soon killed by Predator X, and later, during Messiah Complex, Caliban was shot and killed by a member of the Reavers. Beautiful Dreamer and Fever Pitch were soon both killed in the pages of the X-Force series.
Arclight and Scalphunter soon rejoined the Marauders while Erg, Skids, Caliban, and Leech were all shown in the Morlock tunnels in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. Empath would be seen with the Hellfire Cult, while Oulaw would rejoin Agent X. Magma and Karma would soon go back to the X-Men while Lorelei, Toad, and others would soon be seen rioting after the events of Dark Reign and the Dark X-Men apprehended them. Johnny Dee would still be locked up while Collective Man and Diamon Lil have not appeared since.
Paraphernalia
Equipment: None known.
Transportation: None known.
Weapons: None known.
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
- Appearances of 198 (Earth-616)
- Team Gallery: 198 (Earth-616)
- Fan-Art Gallery: 198 (Earth-616)
- Images that include 198 (Earth-616)
