Marvel Database
Advertisement

Quote1 I know what The Beast knows about science. I know what Wolverine knows about where limbs snap. Even stuff I can't use, I know. I'm a black belt in psychic warfare. And there's the rest. Oh, the rest. I know how Emma Frost and Scott Summers like to kiss each other. I know how all major X-Men like to wipe themselves. I know lots of stuff. Quote2
—David Alleyne to Speed[src]

History

Origin[]

David Alleyne was raised by his father and mother with his younger sister, Kim, in their home in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, David was always bright and intelligent, but when his mutant powers activated, the answers just started coming to him. He quickly realized he was a mutant with the ability to telepathically absorb the knowledge and skills of anyone nearby. Concerned that this knowledge was not authentic, David kept his mutation a secret and began studying even harder. He began taking college-level courses while finishing high school and started working with Karma at the university library until he was outed by the hate group Purity. After his cover was blown, Danielle Moonstar recruited him.[13]

New Mutants Squad (Earth-616) and Joshua Guthrie (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 6 0001

Prodigy leading the New Mutants Training Squad

New Mutants Training Squad[]

David was enrolled in the Xavier Institute, given the codename Prodigy, and placed on Moonstar's New Mutants Training Squad along with Surge, Elixir, Wind Dancer, Wallflower, and Wither.[1] Dani appointed Prodigy as team leader, but he declined and Wind Dancer took over. She turned out to have some limits, and in the end, Prodigy and Wind Dancer chose to become co-leaders.[14]

In an attempt to increase his usefulness, Prodigy asked Emma Frost to remove the mental block despite Moonstar's apprehensions. Instead of removing the block, Emma and Dani secretly subjected David to a startling vision of a possible future should David's powers enhance. Frightened by this grim vision, Prodigy opted not to have his powers enhanced,[15] and began distancing himself from this friends especially Nori.[16] The revelation that Josh was having a secret relationship with Wolfsbane only deepened the rift.[17] In an attempt to mend bonds, Sofia (Wind Dancer) tricked everyone into a camp-out on the grounds of the Institute. While bickering and even fist fighting broke out, Sofia was able to eventually reconcile her teammates.[18]

David Alleyne (Earth-616) and Noriko Ashida (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 22 0001

Prodigy and Surge

Decimation[]

In the wake of the M-Day, David lost his powers.[19] To transform the X-Mansion into a mutant sanctuary, all depowered students were asked to leave. Unfortunately, the bus was blown up by the Purifiers, killing all aboard.[20] Luckily, David was not on the bus.[21] With the Danger Room inactive, Prodigy built the Danger Cave in the caverns below the school to allow his teammates to train after he left.[22] However, Cyclops and the Alleynes decided that it would be safer for him to remain at the mansion since Rev. William Stryker was targeting depowered mutants.[23]

When Stryker attacked the mansion, Prodigy was wounded by one of the Purifiers while protecting the Stepford Cuckoos. Deciding to become more proactive in their battles, Prodigy joined the New X-Men and helped to lead the assault on Nimrod at Forge's place in Dallas, Texas.[24] He proved useful to the team, and with the defeat of Nimrod, Cyclops offered Prodigy a permanent place on the New X-Men and at the Xavier Institute. His actions consequently red-flagged him by the O*N*E along with the other New X-Men.[25]

Quest For Magik[]

Along with his class and teammates, Prodigy was pulled into Limbo by Belasco during his search for Magik. He was interrogated by Belasco, and as he told him she was dead, Belasco tore out his heart in a rage.[8] Prodigy collapsed dead, but Elixir was able to act quickly and regrow his heart.[9] David then tended to the drained Elixir, freed the Stepford Cuckoos from Belasco's special telepathy proof helmets, and organized Mercury and Dust in battling Belasco. Belasco was finally defeated by Magik, who sent all the students and X-Men back to the mansion.[26]

David Alleyne (Earth-616) and Stepford Cuckoos (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 42 0001

The Stepford Cuckoos approaching Prodigy with an offer

The trip to Limbo deeply affected all the New X-Men. Fearing for David's life, Surge kissed Hellion in front of the other students in hopes of driving David away.[27] Prodigy decided to leave, but was confronted by the Stepford Cuckoos, who offered to restore all of the memories he had previously gained. Prodigy accepted the offer, and with his restored knowledge, he was made a junior teacher to the New X-Men, responsible for their training when the other X-Men were away.[7]

World War Hulk[]

When the Hulk attacked the school, Beast ordered David to protect the other students, instead of taking part in the fight against the Hulk.[28]

Messiah Complex[]

When Surge decided to lead the New X-Men in an assault on the Purifiers in Washington, D.C., Prodigy disagreed with the decision and opted to remain at the mansion with Elixir and Dust.[29] He began repairing Cerebra despite Rockslide's insistence that it was "deep-fried."[30] Later, Prodigy aided Beast in providing medical aid to their wounded comrades in the infirmary.[31] He helped protect the wounded from the attacks of Predator X, and was part of the group teleported by Pixie to Muir Island for the climactic battle of the fate of Messiah baby.[32]

San Francisco & Utopia[]

Although no longer a mutant, Prodigy moved to San Francisco when invited by the X-Men to join them in their new mutant haven. He helped in battling the Skrulls invasion force,[33] moving the X-Men to Utopia,[34] constructing a clean water system for the island,[35] and defending Utopia from the Evolutionaries.[36]

Second Coming[]

When the Mutant Messiah returned to the present, Prodigy aided Doctor Nemesis and the X-Club on Utopia.[37]

Schism & Regenesis[]

When Wolverine and Cyclops decided to part ways, Prodigy was a vocal proponent for remaining on Utopia with Cyclops.[38][39] He was later appointed leadership of the younger X-Men on Utopia.[40]

Avengers vs. X-Men[]

Prodigy was among the young X-Men detained in the Avengers Compound with the Avengers Academy, during the war between the Avengers and the X-Men.[41]

Post-AvX[]

David Alleyne (Earth-616) from Young Avengers Vol 2 6 003

Prodigy working as superhero support

David opted not to return to Westchester to attend Jean Grey School for Higher Learning with the other young mutants despite urging from Transonic. He refused X-teams affiliation, as he sensed that the teachers and leaders were using them since the beginning. Instead, he joined a company hiring superhumans, as a hot-line consultant for exotic situations, as his former allegiance to Cyclops' X-Men and leadership of the Utopian students cataloged him as a terrorist.[40]

There, he met Tommy Shepherd of the defunct Young Avengers. Together, they investigated a mysterious thief resembling Patriot, resulting in Speed's abduction.[40]

Young Avengers[]

To rescue Speed, Prodigy tracked down the Young Avengers and joined them as they followed the Patriot across the Multiverse.[40][42] After officially joining the Young Avengers, Prodigy revealed his feelings for Hulkling and his bisexuality,[43] helped defeat Mother and Leah,[44] and finally rescued Speed from the Patriot.[45]

Prodigy later auditioned for the position of Chief of Security at Stark Industries, competing against Victor Mancha, Beetle, and Ant-Man. He ultimately lost the position to Scott Lang.[46]

Along with Hulkling, Prodigy went to Noh-Var's space station to tell him that his ex-girlfriend was destroying space.[47] He decided to help The Hood extract the information that affected people in the vicinity of the Watcher's eye exploding, before it killed them.[48]

David attended Sotomayor University as a classmate of his former teammate, America Chavez. They were project partners in creating an ancient revolutionary simulation. [49] He helped her fight against a cyborg attack on the school.[50]

David worked alongside the New Mutants as an employee for the Hatchi Corporation. [51]

Empyre[]

Tommy and David had since started dating and often went out with Hulkling. When Teddy felt lonely because Billy was off with Strikeforce, they invited him to go out drinking at a gay bar where Tommy teased Teddy about his relationship problems with his brother. After being approached by agents of the Kree-Skrull alliance, a group of Skrulls, who didn't believe he was the rightful heir to their throne, attacked the bar. Speed fought them alongside David.[52]

Krakoa[]

Prodigy later died and was later resurrected on Krakoa with his mutant powers restored and with no memory of what had happened to him.[6][53] He joined the all new X-Factor Investigations to solve the mystery of Aurora’s disappearance, and, afterwards, the team remained together to investigate other disappearances and find proof of death before the mutants were resurrected.[6]

David Alleyne (Earth-616) from X-Factor Vol 4 1 001

David's resurrection

The following day at their HQ, a package arrived with blood and ballerina shoes in it. Prodigy created a search engine that could search on a multiversal level, allowing him to identify the logos on the shoes as having come from the Mojoverse. With that intel, X-Factor went to the Mojoverse, understanding a mutant had been murdered there.[54]

There, Spiral revealed that the victim was his former teammate Sofia and that she had willingly been shot live to appeal to her fans. They then discovered that this was all part of her plan to escape the Mojoverse and bring help to rescue the other prisoners. Shatterstar, who was also there against his will, had been the one who sent them the shoes to warn them. After bringing the body back to Krakoa, The Five proceeded with Sofia's resurrection.[55][56]

After David's boyfriend, Tommy, found out through Sofia that David had died and been resurrected by The Five,[57] he paid him a visit and David insisted that he had died when Xavier's institute was attacked, but Tommy explained to him that he was with him that night and that an anonymous person had taken a photo of them and posted it and tagged him.[53] Later he analyzed the photo Tommy found, only to realize that it contained a hidden message from himself.[58][59]

Prodigy traveled to Wakanda during this time in order to help T'Challa fend off an intergalactic army led by Erik Killmonger. Prodigy was put in a machine that helped him absorb the knowledge of the assembled heroes to help him think of ways for them to use their powers together.[60]

Back On Krakoa, the Morrigan, who had possessed Theresa Cassidy, took over the Boneyard and killed most of the team members. He and Eye-Boy escaped and later informed X-Factor of the possession.[58] After entering Terry's mind, he found out that Shatterstar had to be the one killing The Morrigan, leading to a rescue operation that ended with The Morrigan's death at the hands of Shatterstar and Theresa being successfully freed from her curse.[61]

On X-Factor's way to the Hellfire Gala, Prodigy left with a poor excuse. He went to Club Pepper, where he had gone missing after being abducted by producer Buck Thatcher, a sexual predator who had been murdering young Black queer men. He was met there by Eye-Boy and told him how he had found his murderer, also revealing he hadn't had the courage to kill him. Returning the gala, he met Tommy and tried to have a good time with his boyfriend, however, fate wouldn't have it that way, as they soon discovered the dead body of Scarlet Witch, Tommy's mother.[59]

The team were sent to investigate Wanda's death with help from the X-Men and X-Force, they unanimously concluded Magneto was their top suspect.[62] Later after a conversation with Wiccan he realized that the killer could have used magic, making it possible Magneto was framed.[63]

Fall of X[]

Prodigy would be elected to join the new X-Men roster at the third Hellfire Gala. However, he would die mere seconds later during Orchis' attack on the event.[10]

Attributes

Power Grid[72]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Master: Several Forms of Combat:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/None:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Super-Genius

Powers

Prodigy is a mutant, who had previously lost his mutant powers due to the effects of M-Day.[19]

The Stepford Cuckoos unlocked all the knowledge in his mind that he had previously absorbed. As a result, Prodigy has access to all the knowledge and skills he had briefly obtained with his mutant power, but he cannot psychically gain new information from others.[7]

He has since regained his mutant status after being killed and resurrected by the Five.[6]

Psychomimetic: Subconscious, uncontrolled, form of limited telepathy, allowing temporary mimicry of skills and knowledge from nearby targets.[13][64] Prodigy could acquire mental and physical abilities, be it knowledge over a subject, a foreign language, or mastery of a fighting style. He could even predict the attacks of others in order to avoid them.[65] However, he was unable to retain that knowledge. When the person left his immediate proximity, Prodigy no longer retained information. Emma Frost described this mental block as a defense mechanism.[66] It is unknown after his resurrection by Krakoa if he still retains this mental block.

Abilities

Super-Genius Intelligence:[67] Due to Stepford Cuckoos restoring Prodigy's previous memories and skills, Prodigy has all the skills and abilities of everyone he met while his powers were active including:

Even without his acquired knowledge, Prodigy is very intelligent. Without using his powers, he's completed college-level courses while in high school,[13] operated complex technology, piloted the Blackbird,[5] and built the Danger Cave.[22]

Weaknesses

Paraphernalia

Equipment

David Alleyne (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 15 0001

Prodigy's goggles display

Prodigy wears a visor/goggles with a headset and digital display for computer access, data analysis, and information files.[1][68]

Transportation

Notes

Trivia

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #2
  2. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #7
  3. 3.0 3.1 New Mutants (Vol. 2) #10
  4. New Mutants (Vol. 2) #7
  5. 5.0 5.1 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #29
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 X-Factor (Vol. 4) #1
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #43
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #38
  9. 9.0 9.1 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #39
  10. 10.0 10.1 X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1
  11. Dead X-Men #1
  12. New Mutants (Vol. 2) #8
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 New Mutants (Vol. 2) #4
  14. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #6
  15. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #1011
  16. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #1215
  17. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #12
  18. New X-Men: Academy X Yearbook #1
  19. 19.0 19.1 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #20
  20. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #23
  21. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #24
  22. 22.0 22.1 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #21
  23. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #26
  24. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #3032
  25. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #33
  26. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #41
  27. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #42
  28. World War Hulk: X-Men #12
  29. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #44
  30. X-Men (Vol. 2) #206
  31. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #45
  32. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #46
  33. Secret Invasion: X-Men #14
  34. X-Men: Legacy Annual #1
  35. Nation X #1
  36. X-Men (Vol. 3) #1315
  37. 37.0 37.1 X-Force (Vol. 3) #26
  38. X-Men: Regenesis #1
  39. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) #1
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #6
  41. Avengers Academy #3033
  42. 42.0 42.1 42.2 Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #8
  43. 43.0 43.1 Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #9
  44. Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #13
  45. 45.0 45.1 Young Avengers (Vol. 2) #15
  46. Ant-Man #1
  47. Original Sins #1
  48. Original Sins #3
  49. America #1
  50. America #2
  51. New Mutants: Dead Souls #1
  52. 52.0 52.1 Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 X-Factor (Vol. 4) #7
  54. X-Factor (Vol. 4) #2
  55. X-Factor (Vol. 4) #3
  56. X-Factor (Vol. 4) #5
  57. X-Factor (Vol. 4) #6
  58. 58.0 58.1 X-Factor (Vol. 4) #8
  59. 59.0 59.1 X-Factor (Vol. 4) #10
  60. Black Panther (Vol. 7) #24
  61. X-Factor (Vol. 4) #9
  62. X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #1
  63. X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #4
  64. 64.0 64.1 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #1
  65. New Mutants (Vol. 2) #45
  66. 66.0 66.1 66.2 66.3 New X-Men (Vol. 2) #10
  67. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #9
  68. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #15
  69. New X-Men (Vol. 2) #31
  70. https://ardatli.tumblr.com/post/630254130580127744/ardatli-northstarfan-ardatli-david-alleyne]
  71. Champions (Vol. 3) #1
  72. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 9
Advertisement