—Burke[source]I'm immortal, Cable. Your threats won't work. There's no pain you can inflict upon me that I haven't already suffered.
History
Origin[]
Burke is a part of a rare subspecies of immortal mutants called Externals in which Burke represents Fortitude in the Branches of Eternity.[2][6]
High Lords[]
At some point Burke joined or helped his fellow Externals to form the self-fashioned "High Lords". Together they manipulated events behind the scenes on a global scale, with the sole goal of political and monetary control over the destiny of Earth.[6][7]
17th-19th centuries[]
Burke was burned at the stake in the 17th century, guillotined in the 18th century, and at some point in the 19th century, he was hanged.[1]
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Tomorrow Starts Today[]
In 1891, Candra decided that she would stop En Sabah Nur's glacier-like crawl to power and took the ability to fold space through her magic, where he used science. For unknown reasons the High Lords did not wish to physically act against her, so once they learned of her plans, Burke and the others had Dr. Nathan Milbury, who worked for En Sabah Nur, deal with Candra instead.[8]
Once Candra made it to En Sabah Nur's sanctum beneath the pyramids outside of Bani Maza in Egypt, thanks to her Thieves Guild and their leader Jean-Luc LeBeau, she began to translate the text. But a time-traveling Gambit, Courier, and Dr. Nathan Milbury stopped her via Milbury's transport ship. When Candra chose to steal the power to fold space another day, she tried to bring down the sanctum, but as the others ran, Milbury quickly overpowered her with his new found metamorphic ability. Defeated she begged him to stop and he revealed Burke and the other four High Lords were the reason for her loss. Candra tried to explain her actions, but Burke and the others knew En Sabah Nor's citadel was not to be touched, his slow rise to power was not to be interrupted. For their greater glory awaited at the Millennial Dawn,[9][10][11] and Candra's actions put that at risk, thus they punished her.[12]
20th century[]
Mystery Of The Externals[]
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In more recent years, the High Lords were searching for the next External to ascend and their next member. For a time, thanks to Gideon believed it was Roberto da Costa,[13] but when Cannonball came back to life moments after his death, it was sensed by Burke and the other four High Lords, who then believed that Samuel was the next External they had been looking for.[14]
Burke and the others gathered at fellow External and High Lord Nicodemus' chalet in the Swiss Alps, to discuss this new revelation. Though Absalom, who already disliked Gideon, was made more so by the months he wasted on recruiting the wrong person, Saul and Nicodemus listened to Gideon’s plan to get Samuel to join them. They were shocked to learn that he planned to use Crule, but Burke was more concerned that Gideon’s plan would only serve to lead Cable, who was already aware of Gideon being an External, right to them. They further feared that this might also draw the attention of Xavier, his X-Men, X-Factor, or X-Force to learn of their existence.[15][6]
Burke's concerns were correct in that Krule's failure exposed them,[16] but more than that, when Saul helped Gideon kidnap three of Samuel's teammates, they where further revealed. X-Force found the hospitalized Krule, who was more than happy to give up his fellow High Lords.[17]
Legacy Virus[]
Burke was later infected by the Legacy Virus. Before his death, he used his precognitive abilities to inform his fellow Externals of the future, including of Sam Guthrie, whom he believed to be an External as well, being the "architect of [their] salvation."[2]
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The Newer Mutants[]
Like the other Externals, Burke returned to life yet again; however he became tired of living. Not having an interest in joining Selene and other Externals, he instead went to live in a chalet in Tonasket, Washington.
There, due to his precognitive powers, he knew that Cable and Armor were coming to inquire about the murderer of Candra.[1] Burke foresaw who is the killer, but refused to tell them as he hoped to be killed as well. As Cable's team left the premises, said assailant appeared and murdered Burke. Burke thanked him as he died;[1] however, his respite was short lived, and he was soon reborn yet again to a couple in Maple Ridge, Canada.[4]
Fall of X[]
Following the Mutant Massacre at the Hellfire Gala at the hands of Orchis, the mutant population of Earth was scattered. And with Krakoa nearly abandoned, Selene, working with Sebastian Shaw and Orchis, took the External Gate that still contend three of the four Externals still trapped within.[18][19] Selene having Burke, Absalom and Gideon join her, she made them and the now free and newly resurrected Nicodemus, Saul and Crule gather mutants (and depowered mutants) from across the globe and bring them back to her base in Nova Roma for her ascension to become a True High Lord.[20]
Using his psychic ability, Burke saw that there were mutants in Camp Gozhoo in Arizona. He was then sent there with Crule, and a number of Selene's undead Orchis soldiers. As Crule kept the brothers Thunderbird and Warpath busy, and the undead Orchis stopped Mirage. Burke was able to slip in and take Somnus, Cerebra and all the mutants there unseen say for Grandma Lozen who quickly told the others.[21]
After, Burke joined the other Externals at Selene's base in Nova Roma. He listened as the others discussed the situation of Selene's ritual and mutants needed for it.[22]
Later, Burke joined Gideon at his Chicago (Illinois) in West Town penthouse. It's there Burke suddenly got a vision of metal, blades gleaming in the light, a gilded sneer and so much blood. Just then Solem appeared, cutting through Gideon's double doors. As Burke watched the two fight, seemingly unaware that Solem was hired to deal with Gideon while several floors down Sunspot, Shatterstar, Trinary, and Wiz-Kid who was back at X-Corps Island attempted to shut down Gideon's mutant tracking software. As the fight continued, Solem tells Gideon that inviting a seer was a mistake and despite fighting two at a time would be fun, all Burke gets is scraps and threw a knife into his chest. But having missed his heart, Burke was unfazed, and told Solem that if he wants to kill him he will have to do more than talk it. With Burke's gift of foresight to useful to lose, Gideon get in between him and Solem. But Solem, jumping over Gideon, plunged his sword into Burke's back and split his spine. As Gideon told Burke to suffer on, because they only needed his head. Solem, as he pulled the blade out of Burke's back, he named him Burke of the Deathwish Unfed.[23]
Shortly after, when Gideon was beaten by both Sunspot and Solem. He promised that if Sunspot freed him, he and Burke will abandon the rite of ascension and his allegiance to Selene.[24]Personality
Attributes
Powers
Burke is an External Mutant that has so far shown the following powers:
Immortality: He is effectively immortal and since Burke's immortality became active after his first death, he no longer ages. Though he can be put out of commission or destroyed for various periods of time, Burke cannot be permanently killed.[6][1][4]
- Rapid Healing: Ability to endure injuries (within unknown limits) without lasting harm or even feeling pain, and could regenerate injures.[25]
- Reincarnation: Like with all Externals, Burke has shown to be able to return from death. Be it burning at the stake,[1] beheading,[1] hanging,[1] the Legacy Virus,[2] or having his heart eaten.[1] Burke was seen to possess an ability to rapidly grow and mature as he was already an adult 10 years later after succumbing to the Legacy Virus.[2][1] Recently, after having been killed by a future Gideon and his body destroyed by Nicodemus, he was seen reincarnated in a new born child's body some time shortly after his killer was behanded.[3][4] Despite being born in a new body, however, Burke retains his memories, powers and unique physical features intact.[4]
- Mind Link: Burke shares a telepathic-link with other Externals that allows them to not only sense each other whereabouts, but also call on each other at will from great distances. He is also able to sense when a new External rises from their first death and when one is killed by another External.[6][7][26][27][28][29]
- External Life-Force: As an External, he can drain the essence of his fellow Externals and temporarily gain their powers. This can be done by either eating the heart or draining the life force of his brethren. Once he has succeeded, he will gain the powers of the ones he has killed in addition to his own powers. The length of time he will be able retain the stolen power is unknown. But it seems to last until the slain External returns, which could take hours or days, and also depend on the individual. It's believed that once the External has successfully taken the essence of all the others, that one will gain a unknown type of godhood.[30][31]
Weaknesses
Notes
- Many Externals had distinctive text bubbles, and Burke's one had a thick black fringe and green background instead of white in X-Force #10.
See Also
- 7 appearance(s) of Burke (Earth-616)
- 1 minor appearance(s) of Burke (Earth-616)
- 9 mention(s) of Burke (Earth-616)
- 9 image(s) of Burke (Earth-616)
- 1 quotation(s) by or about Burke (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Cable #151
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 X-Force #37
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cable #152
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Cable #154
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #134
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 X-Force #10
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 X-Force #14
- ↑ Gambit (Vol. 3) #12–14
- ↑ X-Force #12
- ↑ X-Force #17
- ↑ X-Force #25
- ↑ Gambit (Vol. 3) #14
- ↑ New Mutants #99
- ↑ X-Force #9–10
- ↑ X-Force #8
- ↑ X-Force #14–15
- ↑ X-Force #21–23
- ↑ Marvel's Voices: Pride (Vol. 3) #1
- ↑ Immortal X-Men #14–16
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #121–142
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #121–123
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #128
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #133–134
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #135
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic 134
- ↑ X-Force #53
- ↑ Cable #151–154
- ↑ Excalibur (Vol. 4) #11
- ↑ Excalibur (Vol. 4) #12
- ↑ X-Force 52 54
- ↑ Cable 150 154
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #123
- ↑ X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #133
- ↑ Cable #151–152