History
The Death Seed is an artifact of Celestial design and was created as one of a number of cosmic relics forged by the Celestials. The Celestials give the Death Seed to select individuals who were charged by the Celestials with the goals of aiding natural evolution of superior species on worlds. The individuals ascend in power and strength, but their minds become so twisted to the point that they will see death as something beautiful that makes space for something new to come and will not have any problem in killing millions if not billions of living beings to achieve their goal. Those infected by the Death Seed had the singular duty of ensuring the rising of a superior species such as Mutants that could only be achieved by the elimination of an inferior race such as humans and failure to do so meant that the Celestials would eventually arrive and eradicate the entire planetary population of the failed experiment.[1]
Apocalypse, one of those who agreed to be the instrument of the Celestials on Earth to ensure the natural evolution of superior species, is known to had held a number of Death Seeds in his possession. Using these, he transforms individuals into the Horseman of Death. When Apocalypse dies, one individual implanted with a Death Seed will ascend to succeed him. This happened with Archangel.[1]
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Psylock being implanted with the Death Seed
After the death of Sanjar Javeed, Archangel needed a new Death, so he needed a new Death Seed to choose his successor. He went before the Dreaming Celestial in order to acquire a new Death Seed.[2] When asked by Dark Beast would who would he choose as his successor, Archangel commented that the choice was only natural in that he would select Psylocke. The process would transform her into the latest incarnation of Death[3] until the Age of Apocalypse Jean Grey used her powers to remove that persona and return Psylocke back to normal.[4]
Later on, Death Seeds were stolen from the Celestial Gardner by Eimin and Uriel in a bid for revenge against Kang the Conqueror, their cruel surrogate father who left them in the Red Onslaught's mutant concentration camps for most of their childhood. They used the four stolen seeds to empower their four Horsemen of Death, consisting of four resurrected heroes and villains close to the Avengers Unity Squad roster.[5]Notes
- The only way to break the influence of the Death Seed is to implant the infected person with a Life Seed. However in the only example seen, the Life Seed destroyed the original persona along the Death persona and start a completely new persona.
- Given that the newly ascended Archangel was called the Master of the Seven Seeds there is the possibility there are more.[6]
- Later comments made by Rick Remender in an interview said there are also seeds for the Pestilence, Famine, and War personas: X-Position: Remender Unites "Uncanny Avengers"
- As stated by Doom, the seeds are gifts that give their users cosmic power on par with that of the Phoenix Force. Whenever its current host dies, both its power and entitlement passes onto the next person hosting it or are bestowed with it by a Celestial.[7]
- Despite having their minds twisted by the Death Seeds those who have a strong feelings and belief or attachments for a creed or someone else will retain them even after ascending to the role of Apocalypse. For example En Sabah Nur strictly believed that only the strong survive a belief that he kept during his time after receiving the Death Seed, Weapon Omega love for his wife Jean Grey remained the same after ascending to the role of Apocalypse and Archangel feeling for Psylocke whom he tried to make into his own Horseman of Death was the same.
- The Death Seed turns its recipient's skin blue, ex. Archangel and the Apocalypse Twins' Horsemen of Death, but this isn't always the case, ex. Psylocke.
See Also
- 14 appearance(s) of Death Seed
- 7 minor appearance(s) of Death Seed
- 5 mention(s) of Death Seed
- 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Death Seed
- 7 image(s) of Death Seed