Cerebra's Files

Strong Guy


Real Name: Guido Carosella
Affiliation: X-Factor Investigations
Previous Affiliations: The Arena, X-Factor
Alternate-X Versions: Carosella (AOA)
Codename Etymology: Pronounced strông gī [From Old English strang] [From English, after Guy Fawkes, perpetrator of the Gunpowder Plot, colloquial for "man"]; A man of great physical strength.
Powers & History: Guido absorbs all kinetic energy directed at him, increasing his strength. However, if he doesn't release the energy fairly soon, his body, which grows to accomodate the extra energy, distorts permanently. Once Lila Cheney's bodyguard, Guido was recruited into the government-sponsored version of X-Factor. Always quick with a joke, he uses his humor to cover up the fact that he's in constant pain from his body's original deformations, caused by his first manifestation of his powers. He had been beaten by bullies at school, then ran and got hit by a bus. Since he didn't know about releasing the energy, his upper body expanded to relatively enormous size.

Guido was a mainstay of the team, but retired from X-Factor when he absorbed too much energy at once and suffered a heart attack. He went back to working for Lila for a short time, but then returned to Earth and got involved with the mutant fighting league called the Arena. As a member of the Tokyo Arena, Guido was effectively enslaved by the reigning Champion until Storm jumped into one match and deposed the Champion. Guido came to Storm's apartment to warn her not to get involved, and showed her to one of Lila's safehouses, which was hidden in a tesseract (pocket dimension). After Storm defeated Masque and won control of the league, Guido stayed, enjoying the fighter's life.

Some time afterwards, Guido was visting his pal Jamie Madrox and helped him open up a private investigation firm, even suggesting the name "X-Factor Investigations." Now reunited with old pal Wolfsbane, plus new additions Rictor, M, Siryn and Layla Miller, Guido is the muscle of the group, and post M-Day teamed with Rahne to stop a riot against ex-mutants, even facing down the cops when they tried to step in. Unfortunately, Guido at some point was brainwashed by Singularity Investigations, a rival firm looking to stop X-Factor from eventually re-powering all the mutants. He was triggered while transporting Dr. Buchanan, a Singularity employee looking for asylum with X-Factor, and he killed the man. Later he went to apologize to the man's widow and she forgave him.
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