Real Name: Nathaniel EssexAs a brilliant geneticist and scientist, Essex was one of the first to discover and analyze the mutant gene. His quest to create the perfect genetic creation led him to Apocalypse, who made Nathaniel Essex his first Horseman, Sinister. Sinister was at Apocalypse’s side when Legion killed Charles Xavier and stood loyally by his master during his war on humanity. At the start of this war, Sinister discovered two orphaned brothers (Scott and Alex Summers) and adopted them after witnessing their vast genetic potential. Throughout Apocalypse’s war, Sinister worked with the Beast on several projects including various genetic experiments, running Apocalypse’s holding pens and creating Apocalypse’s Infinite soldiers. When X-Man Jean Grey was captured and placed in the pens, Sinister used her and his adopted son Scott’s DNA to secretly create the perfect genetic creation. He called the creation Nate Grey and his purpose was to have Nate eventually challenge and defeat Apocalypse.
The creation of Nate Grey was the first indication of Sinister’s wavering loyalty to Apocalypse. As time passed, Apocalypse’s survival of the fittest vision clashed with Sinister’s aim to preserve genetic potential. This caused Sinister to betray his master and send former X-Men Weapon X and Jean Grey to deliver secret plans to the Human High Council. Sinister then destroyed his labs (and any traces of his work on Nate Grey) and disappeared.
Under the disguise of the lone traveler Essex, Sinister joined Forge’s band of rebels. This was to retrieve Nate Grey who was also a member of this group and under the tutelage of Forge. Essex became fast friends with the boy and helped Nate tap into his immense power. Unfortunately, Essex’s true identity was revealed by Brute and Sinister killed him. After that he was confronted by Forge and the two fought. Sinister killed Forge and then revealed to a distraught Nate his origins and purpose in life. Enraged, Nate unlocked his full potential and fought Sinister. After defeating Sinister, Nate Grey flew away to defeat Apocalypse and left Sinister to die alone.
Miraculously, Sinister did not die from his wounds and returned to discover Apocalypse and his regime destroyed. He fled to a hidden lab only to discover that Magneto, the savior of humanity and mutantkind alike was a fraud. The equipment in Sinister’s lab detected that Magneto did not stop the nuclear bombs from detonating; it was the dying Jean Grey instead. Armed with this information, Sinister blackmailed Magneto and had the master of magnetism vow to never seek Sinister out in return for his silence. Magneto accepted this offer and Sinister began working towards his most secret project. Upon discovering that Jean Grey was still alive when he dug up her body, Sinister realized that she was what he’d been looking for so long. He had discovered the presence of Mutant Alpha. Mutant Alpha was the very first mutant whose genetic code eventually created all mutants. Sinister discovered its presence and near limitless power inside Jean Grey and brainwashed her to use it for his own purposes.
When Magneto and his X-Men finally came to stop Sinister, he revealed his ‘Sinister Six.’ The ‘Sinister Six’ was composed of brainwashed mutants such as Sonique, Cloak and Dagger as well as the resurrected Jean Grey. The battle between Sinister and the X-Men ended when Psylocke freed Jean of her brainwashing. Free from her mind control, Jean Grey, Magneto, Weapon X and Kirika killed Sinister so the world would never face his evil again.
820