Real Name: Christoph Nord Maverick is not exactly an ally of the X-Men. Once, Maverick helped the team find the Carbonadium Synthesizer and keep it out of Omega Red's hands. Another time, Mav confronted Iceman over the fate of Chris Bradley, a mutant teen who was infected with the Legacy Virus and was on the run from anti-mutant groups. Maverick had also contracted the Legacy Virus, and Chris opted to go with Maverick (rather than with the X-Men), who put him and his family into a kind of Witness Protection Program with new identities. Mav kept tabs on Chris, though they later had a falling out when Maverick's infection went into remission. Later, Maverick was in the throes of death when his current traveling companion, a telepath named Elena Ivanova, pulled his consciousness back from oblivion. The shock of his death and "rebirth" somehow reactivated Maverick's mutant power and sent the Virus into remission. Maverick's powers were also boosted to the point where he could rechannel the kinetic impacts he absorbs and expel the energy as concussive blasts. This power faded after a time, and Maverick's Legacy infection also flared up again. Finally, while battling the Confessor and other agents of a Russian crimelord, Maverick was abandoned on a mountaintop and was freezing to death.
Somehow, Maverick survived, Presumed dead, he was in fact found by Weapon X and brought to headquarters in critical condition. Offered a chance to live and was later cured of Legacy. He was then betrayed to the new Weapon X Program by former colleague John Wraith and was attacked by Sabretooth. Maverick shot Wraith but was viciously mauled by Creed and thrown out a window. Sabretooth recovered the mortally wounded Maverick and brought him to the Director. When offered the chance to join Weapon X, the wounded mutant refused at first, but with five minutes of life left, recanted and accepted the Director's offer. The new "Weapon Zero" was upgraded by Weapon X to emit a highly corrosive substance with his concussive blasts. In addition, thanks to Weapon X's genetic manipulation, Weapon Zero's body produces no discernible scent.
Following his rehabilitation, Weapon Zero was outfitted with adamantium-tipped blades, a vibranium (sound-absorbing) field suit and anti-metal bullets in a very powerful gun. Zero demanded a mask to hide his indentity. He was sent to kill Wolverine but failed to do so, and discovered that the Director had installed a pain-inducing device in his head. The Director had in fact known that Zero would miss, and the "magic bullets" were in reality fakes.
Zero works best out of the "office" and does a lot of the dirty missions against drug lords and the like. However, he was recalled to the States to find and capture Sabretooth, who had escaped Weapon X control and was trying to sabotage their efforts and set up a rival organization. Zero met with Omega Red and was able to discern Creed's location. he laid a trap for the rogue mutant and subdued him.
Later, when the "Underground" attacked the Weapon X compound, Zero faced a new Maverick, but they did not have the chance to fight. Afterwards, Zero tracked down the rogue agent Marrow and found her running a new Gene Nation, of which Maverick II was now a part. Assuming that Maverick II had truly turned terrorist, Zero shot him, thinking that he was going to blow up New York's Grand Central Station. Unfortunately, Maverick II was in reality Chris Bradley, who had adopted Maverick's identity after his mentor's presumed death. Zero also failed to stop the Gene Nation attack, and hunted down all the cells and destroyed them in retaliation.
Following M-Day, Weapon Zero/Maverick was de-powered. Some weeks later, Wolverine found him in a meeting hall for ex-mutants, working alongside Jubilee. Logan had come for the C-Synthesizer, but Omega Red arrived at the same time. While Maverick helped the non-combatants exit, Logan fought Omega Red, but was knocked out. Maverick was attacked by Omega Red and left for dead, but refused to reveal the location of the device. Wolverine found Maverick wounded but alive, and left him while he went searching for Red, indicating that Nord's injuries were probably not life-threatening...
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