Ben Hammil (Earth-616)

Match
Name	Ben Hammil
Current Alias	Match
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	X-Men (Xavier Institute student body Formerly Paragons Squad
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	5′7″ (1.7 m)
Weight	128 lbs (58.06 kg)
Unusual Features	Head is always covered with a flame, and skin glows
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Mutant
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Personal Information
Identity	Secret
Citizenship	American
Occupation	Student
Education	Some high school
Base of Operations	Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York; formerly Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, X-Haven, Limbo (formerly Salem Center, Westchester County, New York); Utopia, San Francisco Bay, California; Graymalkin Industries, Marin Highlands, San Francisco, California
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, Carlo Barberi
First	New Mutants (Vol. 2) #7 (November, 2003)
First	New Mutants (Vol. 2) #7 (November, 2003)

History

Origin

Little is known about Match's past. When his pyrokinetic powers first manifested, Ben accidentally set fire to a park in his hometown. Afterward, Ben was enrolled at the Xavier Institute.

Paragons

When the Xavier Institute originally began the training squad system, Ben was placed with Wolfsbane's Paragons and codenamed Match. Though short tempered, Match was a natural leader and was eventually made the field leader of the Paragons Squad.

File:Paragons Squad (Earth-616) from New X-Men Yearbook Special Vol 1 1 0001.jpg

Match with the Paragons

Like the rest of his squad, Match was upset and saddened by the departure of Wolfsbane. Along with the other Paragons and the Alpha Squadron, Match was briefly mentored by Karma. Ultimately, former New Mutant, Magma stepped in to become the Paragons' mentor.

participating in Emma Frost's battle royale to become a member of the New X-Men

M-Day and Limbo

In the wake of M-Day, only 27 students (including Match) retained their mutant powers. Along with most of the other powered students, Match participated in Emma Frost's battle royale to become a member of the New X-Men.

Match, along with several of his fellow students, was sucked down into the realm of Limbo by Belasco. When attacked by demons, he quickly joined the fight, showing a great amount of control over his powers, killing several demons while trying to protect Pixie and Blindfold.

San Francisco and Utopia

Match with his anger issues

Following the birth of the first mutant born since M-Day and the apparent death of Professor X, Cyclops disbanded the X-Men. Shortly after that, the X-Men and the majority of the world remaining mutant population, including Match, relocated to San Francisco.

During the rioting over the anti-mutant reproductive legislation, Proposition X, Match was seen putting out fires with Angel. Later, after Dark X-Men declared that a city wide curfew, Match was seen in Avalanche's bar, with Hellion and other mutants. Angered by the U.S. government's response to the riots, the small group decided to cause a scene of after curfew hours riots. Match spread fire throughout Union Square until the Dark X-Men came to arrest the trouble-making mutants. He was briefly arrested and detained on Alcatraz Island until being freed by the X-Force.

Match participated with Loa and Rockslide in their raid on the Utopia food storage to steal ice cream. However, he was defeated when Warpath stuck him in a gas stove. Match was also one of the victims of the Stepford Cuckoos boredom, when they decided to begin trapping fellow students in horrible film inspired mental illusions. Match was trapped in a well with an Asian ghost girl, probably inspired by The Ring.

Schism and Regenesis

Following the schism between Wolverine and Cyclops, Match chose to relocate back to Westchester, and attend the newly opened Jean Grey School of Higher Learning.

Attributes

Powers

Match using his powers

Match is a mutant with pyrokinetic abilities including:

• Pyrokinesis: As with most pyrokinetics, Match has the mutant ability to psionically manipulate molecules in the air exciting them to burst into flame. Once created, he has absolute control of it. Differing from most though is that his body produces a constant flow of fire and as a result, his body is constantly engulfed in flame and his body radiates with an orange color. Match able to manipulate fire to great extents thus granting him the ability to execute a number of different fire based attacks including.
  • Pyric Form: Match's body is constantly burning and glowing. His head, in particular, gives off a constant flame. Although his body constantly burns and his temperature is higher than the average human, his body flame is still cooler than an actual flame, which prevents him from burning his clothing.
  • Fire Manipulation: Not only is Match is able to create fire but he too is able to mentally control it in large amounts and to great levels.
  • Immunity to Fire & Heat: Match is seemingly immune to fire and high temperatures. As a side effect of his powers, thermal production causes his skin to glow with heat and constantly radiates flame from his scalp.
  • Energy Based Shield: Match is able to focus the heats he generates into that of a shield that can cover his body that can withstand some energy attacks and melts most objects upon touch.
  • Concussive Blasts: Match is able to release fire from his body as powerful concussive blasts of pure fire and extreme heat capable of dealing out incredible damage.
  • Fire Extinguishing/Absorption: Match is either able to absorb or mentally extinguish any fire in his vicinity.

Abilities

• Skilled Leader: Match has shown himself to be a capable team leader.

Notes

• Ben's impulsive nature and fiery temper has led some to wonder if it is due to his power. On the other side, he was quoted as giving credence to the Doctor Lucius Kleinstein's theories supposing "a correlation between an individual's personality traits and the nature of their genetic mutation".
• It is theorized that by generating enough fire and heat, Match can create thrust below him allowing flight similar to that of a rocket. This would be similar to Human Torch.

Trivia

• Ben's first name was first revealed in New X-Men (Vol. 2) #5.
• Match was the field leader of the Paragons Squad.
• In the New X-Men Yearbook Special #1, Match was voted “Shortest Temper.”
• In the New X-Men Yearbook Special #1, Match lists his likes as being in charge and winning, and his dislikes as indecision.

See Also

• 86 appearance(s) of Ben Hammil (Earth-616)
• 3 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Ben Hammil (Earth-616)
• 5 minor appearance(s) of Ben Hammil (Earth-616)
• 4 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Ben Hammil (Earth-616)
• 57 image(s) of Ben Hammil (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Ben Hammil on Wikipedia.org