Brood Mutants

Origin

After being infected with a Brood egg at a crash site in New Mexico, paramedic Harry Palmer infected his partner Josey Thomas, began seeking out those emergency calls involving mutants, infecting them with Brood eggs to create a force of Brood capable of fighting the X-Men on an equal playing field. He infected Blindside, Brickbat, Dive-Bomber, Lockup, Temptress, Tension, Spitball, and Whiphand.

Major Story Arcs

Earthfall

Robert Delgado, a prominent Denver attorney, suddenly manifested his latent mutant power to hurl super-heated balls of plasma from his mouth, setting his office aflame. The terrified man then suffers a heart attack, as police, fire and paramedics were called. Paramedics Harry Palmer and Josey Thomas sped toward Dynasty Plaza, the site of Delgado’s office. They arrived to find that the fire was out, but Delgado was on the floor, in serious need of medical attention. “Didn’t mean…start fire…couldn’t stop myself…so much pain…so sudden…I don’t want to die.” Harry told him he’s not going to die, in fact, “I can pretty much guarantee…that you’ll live forever!” Palmer’s arm morphed into a Brood limb, entering Delgado’s abdomen and implanting him with a Brood egg, saving his life, but transforming him into the Brood mutant Spitball. Later that night, the X-Men caught up to Palmer, and after a wild chase through the city, cornered him in an alley. Palmer’s Broodlings, however, had been alerted, and sped to the scene. After infected Denver police officers Dale and Ruth failed to stop the X-Men, the Brood Mutants arrived. “We are all of us Brood here. And soon, old enemies, very soon, you will be too!”

Dawn of Blood

The Brood Mutants surrounded the X-Men, and Spitball fired a blast at the startled heroes. The X-Men realized these Brood were mutants, as Palmer gloated how he picked them for that reason. Colossus struck Brickbat, who shrugged it off and knocked the giant Russian backwards. “By the by…the names Brickbat…’cause I hit like one!” As Storm tried to take to the sky, Tension grabbed her and handed her over to Temptress, who used her pheromones to try to control her mind, but Storm panicked and broke free, flying away with Dive-Bomber hot on her heels.

Havok couldn't bring himself to kill Dive-Bomber, as Temptress brushed a tentacle against Rogue, overwhelming her psyche, and then used her pheromones to nab Psylocke. The two then double-teamed Wolverine; Rogue attacking his body and Betsy attacking his mind. Elsewhere, Piotr and Brickbat crashed through cars and buildings, equally matched in strength. As Wolverine struggled with how to defeat Rogue and Betsy without hurting them, Lockup crept up on him, using his powers to paralyze him, and Palmer implanted him with the egg of a Brood Warrior. Brickbat and Colossus continued to tear up downtown Denver, as Dive-Bomber, realizing he’s not fast enough to catch Storm, attacked an airplane, ripping off its engines and forcing Storm to come to the rescue, after which he grabbed her from behind on the ground, and brought her to “Lord Harry” to be implanted with the egg of a Brood Queen. He didn't get far, however, as Havok, with no other alternative, struck him dead. Seconds later a building collapse claimed Brickbat, as he was impaled on a support beam. Palmer realized that the X-Men were willing to kill, and fled with the Brood Mutants to re-group, sending Rogue ahead with the unconscious Logan and Temptress. Havok remorsefully stood over Dive-Bomber’s body as he changed back to human form, further compounding Alex’s grief.

Glory Day

Spitball and Dazzler burst through the windows of the Mile High Diner. Dazzler managed to throw Robert off, but the diner’s patrons, thinking her an evil mutant, grabbed her, only to have Spitball blast at them all. Whiphand’s torturous neural whip arms snared Dazzler, as Blindside, the team teleporter, appeared. A human man runs in to “show that bug-eyed monster what human beings are made of!” To which Blindside replied “I know what human beings are made of. It makes your species among the tastiest of delicacies.” Longshot arrived and rescued the man, only to be ensnared by Whiphand, who taunted him with impending death. Longshot started to smile, “I’m killing you, fool…or are you to stupid to notice!” Just then Colossus grabbed the Brood Mutant from behind, and snapped his neck. Blindside was incinerated by one of Storm’s lightning bolts, and then Spitball decided to choose discretion over valor, and fled.

As Rogue headed toward the site of the Glory Day Ministries sunrise service carrying Temptress and Wolverine, Logan awoke and slaughtered Temptress, causing Rogue to throw him to the earth with the force of a small meteor. Palmer, Spitball, Tension and Lockup fled in Ruth and Dale’s police car, and Psylocke began to scream and thrash around because of Temptress’ death, forcing Tension to hold her down. Spitball asked Palmer if he was wearing his seat-belt just as the car smashed into Colossus. Palmer ordered Spitball to kill the Russian, but his blasts just bounced off his armor. Storm arrived, and Palmer ordered Psylocke to “fry her brains”, but Temptress’ pheromones had worn off. Palmer, Spitball, Tension and Lockup fled to the Glory Day site, as Rogue/Temptress guarded their backs, battling Storm. Dazzler shot Rogue down, finally expunging Temptress’ consciousness from her psyche. Wolverine was also there, and he transformed, briefly, into a Brood Mutant as the Reverend William Connover tried to help him, but the Brood died when Logan’s healing factor kicked in. Tension climbed up to the rigging holding the Mission’s lights, and reached down to strangle the Reverend “You mess with the Brood…you pay the price! You’re dead pal!” Just then Havok fried him. As Havok wrestled with his actions, Spitball fired a sneak attack at him, but Longshot rescued Alex, and the blast hit a wall instead, which fell upon Spitball and Lockup, killing the last of the Brood Mutants. Palmer then grabbed the Reverend's wife, Hannah, as a hostage, but was killed by Wolverine.