Real Name: UnknownBack when Forge worked closely with Magneto, he was approached by the mutant Nate Grey from the future. This future Nate informed Forge that a younger Nate Grey would appear briefly in his reality and would need Forge’s help. When the younger Nate Grey did appear, he was rescued by Forge and Magneto. The three then shut down a lab run by Sugar Man and rescued Jason Wyngarde, a mutant whom Sugar Man had been experimenting on. Before escaping, Forge was shot in the eye by Sugar Man. After the younger Nate Grey and Sugar Man were sent back to the 616 reality, Forge created the optic implant to repair his eye and continued to follow Magneto’s dream for peace. He even had a relationship with fellow X-Man Storm but it was short lived.
When a young mutant named Nate (younger than either of the Nate Greys that visited Forge in the past) escaped from the pens and was found by Magneto. Magneto and Forge knew that Nate possessed a power immense enough to destroy Apocalypse as they had seen it from the Nate Grey from the future. Unfortunately, this Nate was untrained and did not know his full potential. Forge was given Nate to raise far away from the war. Over time, Forge became a mentor and father figure to Nate as he trained him in his powers. Despite caring for Nate like a son, Forge was a very strict teacher who worried that Nate’s powers would eventually attract the attention of Apocalypse. Forge tried to convince Nate to not train on his own as his raging power would act as a beacon for the Shadow King but Nate was too headstrong. All the while, Forge had created a small band of rebel mutants consisting of Sauron, Toad, Brute and Mastermind. Under the disguise of a theatre troupe, the six mutants traveled across North America freeing captive humans.
While Forge continued to force Nate not to rely only on his powers, Nate wanted to use his powers to help people. When new mutant Essex (who was actually Sinister in disguise) joined Forge’s group, Forge didn’t trust the man. Essex quickly befriended Nate and continually tested the boy’s powers, wondering if he was capable of defeating Apocalypse. Nate’s powers acted as a beacon for Apocalypse who sent assassins Domino, Grizzly and Caliban to capture or kill the mysterious telepath. At the cost of several of their friends, Forge and Nate managed to defeat the assassins. Forge then confronted Essex and told him that he would never exploit Nate again as long as he was alive. Essex understood this and Forge was almost killed. Nate sensed Forge’s pain through a developed psychic link and found him. With his final words, Forge apologized for not having enough time with Nate to train him and told him to find Magneto. Forge then died in Nate’s arms.
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