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Quote1 --LISTEN UP! You've all been talking. Gossiping. About one of our classmates is going to go to jail. You should be ashamed of yourselves. He's a mutant. Just like you and me. Some flatscan from the FBI shows up and says he's dangerous. And you all believe it? So Kevin Ford is dangerous? We all are. We're the next step in evolution and they want to shut us down. And all you can do about it is gossip. Take a good look at Kevin 'cuz he could be you. Quote2
Hellion[src]

History

Early Years[]

Julian Keller (Earth-616) from New X-Men Hellions Vol 1 1 0001

Hellion

Born to a wealthy family, Julian Keller had always been the black sheep in his family. When his mutant abilities surfaced, his parents did not reject him but advised that he keep them hidden. When he insisted on using them in public, they shipped him off to Xavier's.[citation needed]

Julian Keller (Earth-616) from X-Men Divided We Stand Vol 1 1 0001

That's one way to use your powers

He was originally an advisee of Northstar, were he became good friends with Anole, but his constant punishments caused him to switch advisors to Emma Frost, who saw in him great potential for heroism as well as a frightening disposition for personal gain and villainy.[citation needed]

His young age notwithstanding, Keller had already learned to employ his genetic mutation in a variety of inventive ways, including flight and concussive force blasts as well as the creation of telekinetic shields and transport platforms.[5] Always looking for trouble, he was involved (along with Elixir) in reviving Magma and nearly incinerating the medical wing, as well as turning away Noriko (Surge) because she was homeless.[citation needed]

Julian named himself 'Hellion' in tribute to the former White Queen's first class of students,[6] and when the students were divided into squads, Keller was made the leader of the Hellions, the training squad instructed by Miss Frost. Hellion demonstrated quite a significant interest in Sofia Mantega (Wind Dancer), the half-Venezuelan co-leader of the rival New Mutants squad.[7][8] He had a bully approach to most of his colleagues, but was particularly hard on Prodigy, the New Mutants' other co-leader,[8] whom he viewed as possessing a particularly useless mutant power[9] and as a genuine competitor as a leader and strategist.[citation needed]

True to his namesakes, Hellion was hard-pressed to stay out of trouble. Despite this, he did possess a talent for leadership, as evidenced by his squad's winning of the first school Field Day prize.[10][11] His status as team leader would however sometimes lead his teammates to feel obligated to participate in his reckless behavior, such as the time he led his squad to try and rescue Wither from FBI custody.[12] This attempt was luckily stopped by the New Mutants squad before they could interact with the government agents.[8]

Following the end of school, Julian invited his squad to his parents' house in California. Getting a boy made of rock and a girl made up of metal onto a plane proved difficult, and Hellion started a minor brawl with airport security. After standing down, he called his family lawyer and got the Department of Homeland Security to let them on the plane. On arrival at his house, however, his parents were disappointed in the public embarrassment he caused and effectively disowned him. Julian was livid and recalled that his parents' wealth happened very suddenly, so he broke into their safe and found documents about a "Kingmaker," and the Hellions summoned him.[13]

The Kingmaker arrived and agreed to grant the Hellions one wish. Julian wished for fame and glory and soon was in a position to save the Governor of California from a sniper.[14] In return, the Hellions were asked to bring the Kingmaker a bio-weapon from Genetassist, Inc., which he planned to give to Dr. Octopus. Hellion led the raid, taking out Diamondback and Paladin in the process, and retrieve the canister.[15] However, Hellion only agreed to give it to the Kingmaker in return for voiding their contracts. When the Kingmaker agreed, Hellion attacked, and with his full squad managed to defeat the villain, in the process also destroying the bioweapon before turning it over to S.H.I.E.L.D..[16]

Cessily Kincaid (Earth-616) and Julian Keller (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 31 0001

Hellion

Post M-Day[]

In the aftermath of M-Day, the previous squad system was abandoned due to the diminished number of powered students. Those left were placed to join the only squad that would train under the X-Men, called the New X-Men team. Just prior to the competition, Emma asked Julian to make sure that X-23 was eliminated early. However, when given the chance to knock her out, he saved her instead, because he owed her for doing the same during a session in the "Danger Cave". As a result, Emma placed Surge as a team leader to punish Julian. Surge and Hellion had a well documented mutual dislike for each other, which only intensified after M-Day. Hellion was also assigned by Cyclops and Emma to help them take down Wolverine.[citation needed]

During the fight with Nimrod, X-23 was severely injured and was unable to heal herself. Hellion took it upon himself to rescue her by flying to the Institute and, realizing he wasn't fast enough, begged Emma Frost to help him. She did so by removing the blocks that kept him from using his powers to his full potential. As a result, he was able to save Laura by reaching the Institute in time and having Elixer (who was up until that point catatonic) heal her. The removal of the mental blocks caused severe physical injuries, however.[citation needed] Like the rest of his squad, Hellion was red-flagged by the O*N*E, and his threat level readjusted.[17]

While asleep he was watched over by X-23, who left seemingly hurt when a still dreaming Julian spoke Sofia's name. Julian later woke up and was in perfect physical condition, however his powers had increased to dangerous levels and he lost some of his fine control.[citation needed] This resulted in a few incidents, including Julian throwing Rockslide out a window, along with Julian's bed and accidentally blowing up the floor of the Danger room while picking up a paper clip.[17]

Julian flew with X-23 in his arms to New York City so that she could confront her former handlers who had recently kidnapped Mercury. He was shocked by her disregard for human life and made her promise not to kill anyone else on the mission. [18]

Alongside Nori, Hellion was one of the students who wasn't transported to Limbo.[19] While he and Surge argued about his reckless disregard for her leadership by leaving with X-23 to save Mercury and not telling her, the other students inside the X-Mansion got transported to Limbo while they were still outside.[20] Trance used her powers to get a message to the two. She told them that they were taken to hell and then she said "Belasco" and disappeared. Surge and Hellion went to the O*N*E. They found out that Amanda Sefton was in a coma in Germany. The two demanded that they be the ones to go see her.[19] Later Hellion, Surge, and a Sentinel were transported to Limbo by Sefton. They were greeted by thousands if not millions of demons.[21] After Illyana came to her senses, she teleported everyone back to the X-Mansion.[22]

Hellion was one of the students who went up against the Hulk when he showed up at the Institute. He used his powers to pin down the Hulk in the first attack but Hulk knocked him away. When Hellion went in for a second attack he was the first to be defeated. Hulk realized he was a telekinetic so to get him out of the way, Hulk smashed his hands together, creating a boom that knocked out Hellion and ruptured his eardrums.[citation needed]

Later, the students all gathered to find out who the youngest student was. During the meeting, Nori kissed Julian in front of Prodigy.[23] Julian pushed her off and noticed an upset X-23 leave. He told Sooraya (Dust) that his best friend (Brian Cruz) was dead, the girl he thought he loved was gone (Sofia Mantega), his mentor (Emma Frost) had flipped out, he couldn't stop thinking about a girl who literally scared him (Laura Kinney), and now he had to deal with Nori. He then walked in on Nori and David in the middle of a fight. He threw David against the ceiling and when he asked Nori if she was OK, David hit him from behind and injured him. He then told David that he 'didn't kiss her,' to which David replied, 'I know.' He was then told he should go see Elixir about his injuries.[24]

Messiah Complex[]

While recovering from her injuries, Blindfold predicted that Hellion would be injured. Some of the New X-Men decided to launch a preemptive strike against the Purifiers. After spying on the Purifiers, they were ambushed by the Reavers and Lady Deathstrike, who critically wounded Hellion.[25] Pixie managed to teleport the team out, but they were spread between Washington and the Institute.[26] He was treated aboard the X-Jet by Mercury. After getting him to what was left of the infirmary after a Sentinel attack, Beast and Prodigy managed to stabilize him. Later, when Predator X attacked the mansion, Hellion was teleported by Pixie along with all the other wounded mutants and New X-Men to Muir Island.[citation needed]

Post Messiah Complex[]

Julian woke up in a hotel room, still hooked up to medical equipment. He found Emma Frost watching over him, who soon informed Julian that the X-Men were no more and that the school was gone. Julian immediately panicked, claiming Cessily and Sooraya would never have left him and Emma put him back to sleep. When Julian awakened again, Emma was gone and he tried to go back home, only to find his parents had put their house up for sale and moved without telling him. Julian began to search for Magneto, soon finding him and claiming that Magneto needed him.[citation needed]

Magneto refused, telling him that he knew Julian was extremely hurt by the people he loved, so much so that he wanted to hurt them back by joining their "greatest enemy". Magneto left Julian, telling him to enjoy his time off because a new war for mutant-kind would come soon enough.[citation needed]

Julian was later kidnapped along with Boom Boom and Surge by the Leper Queen and her Sapien League. The Leper Queen injected him with a modified version of the Legacy Virus. After X-Force came to save the mutants, they found out Surge and Hellion had been sent to the United Nations building. Before Wolverine could kill the Leper Queen, X-Force was teleported out by Cyclops, leaving Boom-Boom at the hands of the Leper Queen, who shot and nearly killed her. Arriving back in the present, X-Force made their way to the UN building in time to rescue Hellion from the Sapien League.[citation needed]

Utopia[]

An outraged Julian practically started the riots in San Francisco, calling the campaigning humans "cavemen" and stating that "these streets belong to the future!" When the riot started, Julian pounded on Simon Trask but was then taken down by some near-by humans, while the scene was broadcasted live on Television. Later, Julian, Sunspot, Avalanche, Meld, Adam X, Match, and Lorelei decided to go out to break the newly imposed curfew. Osborn's X-Men quickly intervened and subdued the rioters, sending them prisoners to Alcatraz. Emma Frost personally took out Julian, previously Hellions part of her squad and who used to be her favorite. He was later freed by X-Force, helped by Emma and Namor who had betrayed Norman Osborn. He then took residence on the island of Utopia.[27]

Hellion was seen with Surge and Prodigy, fighting the resurrected Rusty Collins.[28]

Second Coming[]

Hellion was seen fighting Nimrods alongside other X-Men. During the battle, he was shot by a Nimrod tearing off his hands and most of one forearm, leaving him alive but seriously injured.[29] He was later moved to the sickbay on Utopia.[30]

Loss of Hands[]

Hope Summers (Earth-616), Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616), and Julian Keller (Earth-616) from X-Men Second Coming Vol 1 2 0001

There, he intervened in a conversation between Hope Summers and Magneto about whether Hope was dangerous or not. Hellion sarcastically commented about how he would scratch his head and ponder the thought. Magneto told him to leave which he did, but as he left he glares at them out of the corner of his eye. He also went on to compare wounds with Karma insisting that losing both hands was worse than losing a leg.[30]

After this, Hellion turned down an offer to join Rogue along with Magneto, Loa, Anole, and Indra on their trip to India. Filled with anger and resentment, he acknowledged that he did not want to be in public due to his fear of the public reaction to his current handicap.[31]

X-23[]

Julian was seen along with some of the other New X-Men having a party. At the beginning he was apathetic and resentful of the Cuckoo's attempt to help him eat a slice of pizza. He was shown being able to feed himself telekinetically, although now the telekinetic energy emanates from his head rather than his hands. When X-23 showed up he was the first to talk but interrupted by Surge's criticisms of X-23's tenure on X-Force, even though X-Force saved her from the Legacy Virus.[32]

Hearing of X-23's involvement in the Half-Way House explosions; Julian went to see Laura in Utopia's Med Wing. There he witnessed Laura stab Wolverine, who unknowingly to Hellion was not Wolverine but the demon who was possessing Wolverine's body. Using his TK, he restrained X-23, whom he thought had gone crazy. He tried talking to her. telling her that she was his best friend, but got stabbed in the back by the demon who was possessing Wolverine's body. X-23 than agreed to go with the demon in the exchange for reviving Hellion.[33]

After Laura defeated the demon, she and Julian woke up in the Medical Wing. Julian had no memory of the demon stabbing him. Laura then visited his room to say goodbye, but when she saw that he was sleeping she didn't say a thing and walked away after watching him a bit. Unbeknownst to Laura, Julian was awake.[33]

Fables of the Reconstruction[]

Wanting to help Hellion after the loss of his hands during Second Coming, Dr. Kavita Rao modified the mechanical hands that Madison Jeffries made and grafted them on to Hellion. Eventually growing displeased with the prosthesis, in a fit of rage, he wrecked the lab and removed them. Complaining, Hellion ranted that that the X-Men had brought back the dead but couldn't give him back what he lost. Rogue once again appeared and drafted him into Cyclops' team to help the rebuilding efforts in SF.

While at the worksite, Hellion and Hope had a chat about the nature of her powers and status as the Mutant Messiah. Hellion was still embittered over his belief that someone who was supposedly all-powerful was unable to help him. Hope argued that if she could help him she would, but Hellion only berated her and stormed off. Feeling the urge to blow off some steam, Hellion then proceeded to violently blow up debris, which landed dangerously near Hope and a small girl she met while doing volunteer work. The two girls then decided to "chew out" Hellion, but before they could, the three were attacked by Omega Sentinel.[34]

Cyclops then interrogated Hellion while he recounted what happened next. Hellion explained that during the attack he felt his powers amplify, including telekinetic control at the molecular level. This allowed him to steer his attack through Hope and the girl, not harming them and delivering a major blow to Omega Sentinel. The rest of the team showed up and demanded Hellion stand down, but the attack from Omega Sentinel continued. Karima was successful in attacking and subduing most of the team, coming close to killing Hope, until Hellion intervened. Hellion delivered a massive attack, violently striking blows to Omega Sentinel as she begged for him to kill her while she could still consider herself human. Hellion paused for a moment only to happily deliver the finishing blow.[citation needed]

As the interrogation from Cyclops continued, he asked Hellion if he had any regrets about what he did, Hellion argued that Cyclops was a hypocrite and he felt no remorse for his actions. Claiming to have no choice but to put Hellion on probation, Cyclops noted that most of the X-Men have come close to going down the road Hellion may be traveling but they never took it. Hellion retorted that they didn't have the stones to do it. As he left he was encountered by an angry Rogue who threatened to "shut him down at the source" if he ever became a threat to the X-Men. Hellion passed by unacknowledged by Rockslide, Anole, and Loa - the people he considered friends. Staring off he reflected on how he may no longer need either.[35]

Monster?[]

When Blindfold was investigating a hidden monster that would threaten the X-Men, she came across Hellion. The two exchanged words about the fact that Hellion hadn't decided yet which path to follow. Blindfold then left him, but not without telling him he wasn't the kind of monster she was looking for.[36]

Due the extreme testing and experience he gathered during the Age of X, Julian gained significantly greater fine motor control over his hands and telekinesis.[37]

Jean Grey School[]

When Wolverine chose to leave Utopia behind and start the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, Hellion went with him along with most of the students.[38][39]

At one point labeled a problem student, Julian was placed in Mr. Spider-Man's special class. He grew into his role as a leader of the squad, and started a relationship with Shark-Girl.[40]

M-Pox[]

Julian was one of the mutants poisoned by the Terrigen Cloud roaming the Earth's atmosphere. Suffering from the M-Pox, he tried to get help from the X-Men but failed to find them. Julian then went to the New Attilan, as he decided that his death should be witnessed by the Inhumans.[citation needed]

Keller's powers went out of control and started to destroy the city. Synapse disabled his powers, while Queen Medusa ordered her subordinates to take Hellion to the physicians and treat him with care.[4] Hellion was treated and cured of his M-Pox symptoms at the New Attilan General Hospital. As an act of gratitude, he decided to pay the hospital back with volunteer work.[41]

Krakoa[]

Hellion later became a citizen of the new mutant nation of Krakoa. He was seen reunited with the Hellions Squad in the Akademos Habitat.[42]

Attributes

Power Grid[46]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Some Training:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Long Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Regenerative:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Superhuman:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Normal

Powers

Julian Keller (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 9 0001

Hellion using his telekinesis

Julian Keller (Earth-616) and Laura Kinney (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 2 31 0001

Advanced Telekinesis: Hellion is classified as a first-class telekinetic of extreme strength and magnitude. Before the psionic blocks on his mind were unlocked, he was able to telekinetically move, levitate, control, and manipulate people, and multiple inanimate objects with mere thought via his hands or eyes alone. He can use this to various effects. He is able to fly, create small bright green-colored telekinetic shields and barriers, unleash incredibly powerful blasts of bright green telekinetic force and, freely control and manipulate several objects from a huge distance. Since his abilities are mind-based, it means that if he's unable to concentrate or form a thought, he's unable to use his powers. This also means that most of his powers are controlled by his emotions and feelings and can often get out of hand if he gets angry enough, causing nearby objects to telekinetically combust (similar to the ability of molecular combustion) or random destructive telekinetic bursts to happen, even sending things flying depending on how passionate he's feeling. Even when Julian's just annoyed, his eyes will turn green by instinct. He also lacks fine motor control and has trouble focusing on tiny objects without them exploding and taking out everything. Recovering, it appears that while his power levels have come down from Frost's telepathy, they have stabilized at a much higher power-level than ever before, and he is having trouble fully focusing his abilities e.g. blowing holes in the floor while picking up a paper clip, knocking Rockslide through a wall. He also jettisoned Kimura through a building and 27.3 miles away when rescuing his teammate Mercury. When using his exceptionally strong telekinetic abilities, Julian's hands, outer edges of his body, and the objects or people he telekinetically manipulates and controls glow in a light green telekinetic aura. When Hellion uses his psionic ability, the telekinetic energy he creates glows a bright green and makes a 'Vrrrrm' sound effect. (The color only became apparent halfway through the New X-men: Academy X series, while the sound effect was introduced in New X-men: Childhood's End).

  • Telekinetic Aura: Hellion's telekinesis generally forms a shield around his body.
    • Telekinetic Strength: This telekinetic aura often pumps Hellion's stokes with his telekinesis behind it, making it a formidable attack. and that allows him to pretty much punch through everything if necessary, simply because of the amount of thought he puts behind it.
    • Telekinetic Flight: Hellion is able to fly. When Emma Frost had telepathically unlocked subconscious blocks on his ability, Hellion was able to reach a flight speed of at least twice the speed of sound, but was severely injured from the physical strain afterward. When flying, he is surrounded by a force field that protects him from the negative effects of high-speed flight.
  • Telekinetic Blast: Hellion can create powerful blasts of green telekinetic force.
  • Telekinetic Force Field Creation: Hellion's telekinetic force-fields and barriers can and survive fighting Nimrod.
  • Matter Manipulation: Hellion can control matter at a molecular level. This was proven when he sent a light green-colored telekinetic blast through Hope and into Omega Sentinel without harming Hope, but completely destroying Omega Sentinel in the process.

Low-Level Telepathy: Occasionally, Hellion has displayed a low degree of telepathic power, allowing him to sense and/or detect the thoughts and memories of others.[citation needed]

According to the O*N*E, Hellion was a Significant Threat at the time of the M-Day.[43] Nimrod classified him as a Threat Level: High,[44] and after defeating him and having his powers unlocked by Emma Frost, he was red-flagged and reclassified as a Severe Threat by the O*N*E.[17]

Abilities

Hellion has some training in self-defense and martial arts from his education at the Xavier Institute.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Flight by using his telekinesis. Occasionally the X-Men Blackbird.

Trivia

  • During his appearances in Spider-Man and the X-Men, his telekinetic aura is colored purple instead of its previous emerald.

See Also

Links and References

References

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