Cyborg

Origin

Victor Stone

Victor Stone is the only son of Silas and Elinore Stone, two scientists intent on using their research to improve mankind. While Silas and Elinore were brilliant scientists, they were lacking in parental qualities, even using Victor as a test subject for intelligence-boosting experimentation. While the successful experiment granted Victor a genius-level intelligence, he resented his parents for treating him more like a lab subject than a son.

Vic's resentment resulted in rebellious behavior in his youth, culminating in a friendship with a miscreant named Ron Evers. Vic turned away from the sciences in high school, instead pursuing an interest in athletics, much to the chagrin of his father.

Vic's life changed profoundly during a visit to STAR Labs while his parents were conducting inter-dimensional experiments. The experiment accidentally allowed a protoplasmic creature to pass into the lab. Silas managed to return the creature to its home dimension, but not before it had slain Elinore and severely injured Victor. Desperate to save his son's life, Silas used untested cybernetic enhancements to rebuild and reconstruct Victor's body. He succeeded, but didn't anticipate Victor's horror and anger at what he had done.

The reaction of others to his new form made Vic even more resentful, and he isolated himself from his former life as much as possible by moving to Hell's Kitchen. It was in this bad neighborhood that Raven found Vic and invited him to join the New Teen Titans. After the team formed, Vic found a place where he was accepted and appreciated, despite his inhuman appearance. His father, still feeling guilt over what he made his son go through, constructed the Titan's Tower for his son and his companions.

Victor would remain a steadfast member of the Titans for a long time, serving not only as a hero but as a primary supplemental tech source for the team.

Tragedy struck when the Wildebeest Society captured the Titans and more shocking that the leader of the group was their teammate Jericho. Vic was launched in a rocket along with several members and crashed landed in Russia where he was seriously injured and damaged. The Russian scientists with the help of Red Star rebuilt Vic but due to such heavy brain trauma he had become no more than a walking robot with a human appearance. After several months, Vic's mind started to regain his memories but when the race known as the Technis came to Earth looking for a way to integrate with society and save their race. Cyborg sacrificed himself for both the Earth and the Technis was was rebuilt into Cyberion.

Cyberion became their protector as they traveled throughout the galaxy. Some time later, Cyberion was reunited with his former teammates and engaged in an interstellar conflict which resulted in the destruction of Tamaran. But there was triumph to be found in tragedy: The Titans were able to restore Raven - who was reborn in a golden spirit form.

Following that, Raven, Minion and Garfield Logan elected to remain in space as traveling companions to Cyberion. Frightened by Cyberion's total embrace of technology, Gar left his friend and returned to earth. Jarras Minion also had doubts about Cyberion's new attitude and decided to leave as well. Jarras, a sworn pacifist, made Victor a gift of his Omegadrome war suit before he left. The Omegadrome allowed Victor to try to carry out his Technis Imperative: To recreate the planet Technis at all costs.

Having collected a planet-size assortment of technological debris, Cyberion journeyed to Earth to turn its moon into a new Technis world and populate it with his Titans allies.

The JLA and the Titans first clashed, then united, to prevent Cyberion from destroying the planet while saving Vic's soul and downloading it into Minion's morphing battlesuit, the Omegadrome.

Vic was later offered a human body if he would help Vandal Savage harvest Addie Kane's immortal blood. Before he could make a decision, Starfire destroyed Addie's body, thus robbing Vic of the chance to make a choice. Also, Vic had to remain a member of the team, per a deal that Nightwing made with Batman; Following the events of his Technis Imperative, the JLA only trusted Vic to remain free if the Titans kept a watchful eye on him. Feeling like he owed his old friend a debt, Nightwing worked constantly to find a cure for Vic's condition. With Jesse Quick's help, Victor was given a new lease on organic life with a body cloned from cell samples harvested by the Russian scientists who once spared him.Though his mind and cybernetic abilities were still encapsulated in the Omegadrome, Victor inhabited a truly biological body. And for the first time in years, Cyborg knew what it is to live and feel and breathe unaided by mechanized parts. Embarking on a new life, Victor Stone left the Titans for the West Coast. Vic Stone later aided the Flash during the "Our Worlds At War" crisis. At that time, Vic started using the golden Omegadrome to morph into a cybernetic form. Cyborg decided to return to adventuring and settled in Keystone City, home of the Flash. But when Vic Stone linked with the evil computerized Thinker in an attempt to stop him from taking over the city, his body became mechanically paralyzed - reverting him to his silver cyborg form.

Shortly afterward, a mysterious android from the future known as Indigo attacked the Titans and Young Justice , resulting in the apparent deaths of Troia and Omen. At Troia's funeral, Nightwing disbanded this version of the Titans. Meanwhile, members of Young Justice, especially Wonder Girl, felt responsible for the tragic deaths. This led Wonder Girl, Robin, Impulse and Superboy to form a new group of Teen Titans under the guidance of the more experienced Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy. Cyborg, who was damaged in the battle caused by Indigo, has since received an upgrade in his cybernetic parts. He would experience the formation and reformation of the Titans multiple times, mentoring some versions of the team and even starting a short-lived team of his own. But he would always return to the companionship of his original Titans teammates, even to the extent of joining several of them in the Justice League of America.

Major Story Arcs

After the Infinite Crisis Cyborg was fused to Firestorm and entered into a coma. When he finally woke up, he learned that the Teen Titans had dramatically changed. Wonder Girl, Speedy, Kid Flash, Raven, and Beast Boy had left the team; Starfire was lost in space; and Superboy was dead. Along with Robin, Kid Devil, Ravager, and Wonder Girl (who had just rejoined) he started a quest for Raven.

Flashpoint

Flashpoint

When Reverse Flash goes back in time and messes with the timeline, the DC Universe turns into a very different place where the world's greatest heroes are not how we know them to be. In this timeline Cyborg is America's greatest hero, he is based in Detroit where he keeps his headquarters.

When the Amazons and the Atlanteans go to war, Cyborg tries to gather a group of Earth's superhumans to help stop the war that has ravaged half of Europe. None join his group when they find that Batman (Thomas Wayne) has no interest. But before long Barry Allen arrives and convinces Wayne otherwise, and the three set off to gather an army.

The DCnU (post-Flashpoint)

The New 52

After the events of Flashpoint, the DC Comics line relaunches with 52+ all new #1 books. This version of Cyborg is now one of the seven founding members of the Justice League (replacing the Martian Manhunter). He makes his first appearance in "Justice League" #1 but not as part of the team. In fact, he's a high school football player who hasn't even become Cyborg at that time. Vic Stone is a star quarterback for his high school, who has an interest in super human activities but is more focused on going to college on a football scholarship and hoping his father, Silas makes it to his games, the two of them having a distant relationship at the time. After several missed games, Vic finally seeks out his father at his job at S.T.A.R Labs, where Silas tells his son that given the current state of metahumans starting to show up around the planet, Vic's love for football is going to become irrelevant at some point. Discouraged, everything takes a tragic turn when a motherbox unit that S.T.A.R. Labs has been studying springs to life and opens a boomtube and several parademons emerge from the boomtube. Killing several scientists and staff and fatally injuring Vic.

Not intending to lose his son the same way he lost his wife, Silas outfits Vic with experimental bionics that have been reverse engineered from several salvage finds around the globe. With aid from T.O. Morrow, Vic's life is saved and the energies from the motherbox are incorporated into his new form as Cyborg. Allowing him to access the vast New Gods data library and discovering the true plans of the invasion from Darkseid.

Transporting the new team

After aiding in sending Darkseid back where he came from, Cyborg continues to be a core member of the Justice League, using his tech to transport the team. He has not began any process of reconciliation with his father

Powers, abilities, and skills

Cybernetics: Cyborg possesses cybernetic enhancements that provide superhuman strength, endurance and durability. Cyborg can also interface with computers. Built into his body-armor were an infrared eye, computer generator, sound amplifier, and special programming adapters that allowed him to interface with other body extensions.

Shape-Change: (formerly) He also has virtually unlimited shape-changing ability, and can mimic even air or space vehicles. He can reshape his entire body or parts of it and can form such complex shapes as a tank a bicycle or even a gun and simple forms as a cloud or a spring.

Body Resistance: The nature of Cyborg's body provides him with natural body armor offering resistance versus physical damage and energy attacks.

Superhuman Strength: At optimal capacity, Vic can lift/press in excess of four metric tons. If he pushes himself, he can even exceed five tons, but not without causing severe stress to his cybernetic components. Cyborg's upper strength limits have fluctuated with upgrades to his systems over time.

Superhuman Speed: He possessed a degree of superspeed and could leap great distances.

Superhuman Endurance

Superhuman Durability: His bones are reinforced with molybdenum-steel.

Computer Interfacing

Integrated Weapons: His arsenal included a finger laser attachment, telescopic eyepiece, sonic disrupter, electric shockers, grappling hooks, and winches.

Sensor Systems

Physical Statistics

• Height: 6' 5"
• Weight: 385 lbs.
• Hair: Black
• Eyes: Brown

In Other Media

Super Friends

Cyborg appeared in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians from 1985 to 1986. He was voiced by Ernie Hudson. Cyborg's origin was told via a medical journal read by Dr. Martin Stein saying Cyborg was a promising decathlon athlete until an accident destroyed most of his body and his father replaced part of his body with machine parts. Also, he is not a Titan. He becomes fast friends with fellow teammate Firestorm. He is an affiliate of the Justice League of America under Superman. In the introductory episode to Cyborg, "The Seeds of Doom", Cyborg's abilities save Earth from Darkseid's seeds, but as Superman warns, make Darkseid a dangerous enemy to Cyborg, so Cyborg joins the League.

Teen Titans

Cyborg in the animated series

Cyborg appears in the Teen Titans animated series, voiced by Khary Payton. This version of Cyborg is very similar to his comic book counterpart. His nickname is "Cy", and like his teammates, in the animated series Cyborg is never referred to by his given name; however, he does take the alias "Stone" (based on his real last name) in the Season 3 episode "Deception". The two main differences are his design and that he is more easygoing than his comics counterpart. His head is considerably more rounded and bald (based on his Titans Hunt counterpart), and his mechanical parts are bulkier. His primary weapon is a sonic cannon housed in his forearm; initially he uses only his right arm to fire, but later episodes reveal that his left arm has an identical cannon built into it as well. Other on-board weapons and tools, such as an acetylene torch, a remote-operated video camera, and several missile launchers, can be deployed as needed, and his arms and legs are detachable.

Cyborg is the Titans' chief technician and gadgeteer. He is responsible for the construction of the Titan Tower's electronic and security systems and the team's main vehicles, the T-Car and the T-Ship. His most dominant personality faults featured in the series are his enormous appetite and a tendency to be overly vain about his work as a result, he fosters a special dislike for those who abuse his devices irresponsibly, especially Gizmo and Brother Blood. On occasion, Cyborg acts as the team's second-in-command, but he tends to butt heads with Robin on rather trivial matters. In "Cyborg the Barbarian", he was sent back to 3,000 B.C. There, he met a woman named Sarasim and fell in love with her. The relationship ended when Cyborg was brought back to his own time.

Cyborg's age is never specified, but he mentions in "Deception" that he never had a chance to finish high school due to circumstances that made him what he is. The only time Cyborg's personal history has been discussed is in "Deception", in which he discusses his involuntary cyborg status with Starfire, and in the 4th season episode "The End: Part 2". In this episode, Trigon creates duplicates of Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. These duplicates reflect the dark side of each character. During the fight between Cyborg and his duplicate, the dark duplicate says harmful things about Cyborg’s mother and her death.

Smallville

Cyborg appeared in the 15th episode of the fifth season on the 16th February 2006 and is played by Lee Thompson Young. In this version, Victor is a former Metropolis High School football star. He is involved in a car accident that kills him, supposedly, and the rest of his family. However, he is secretly rebuilt by Cyntechnics scientists including Dr. Alistair Krieg, who experimented on a group of test subjects. Victor was the only test subject to survive the experiments. Cyntechnics was bought up by LuthorCorp shortly before Victor's escape. Lex denies any knowledge of Cyntechnics' secretive activities.

Although Victor's cybernetic enhancements are entirely on the inside [under his skin] instead of exoskeletal as they are in the comics and other media, a shot of Clark Kent's X-ray vision reveals that Victor's cranial armor covers the same-shaped area as it does in the comics. He also bleeds a dark fluid as he does in the comics. Smallville never uses the name "Cyborg" in his first appearance. Instead, Victor refers to his enhancements as bionic.

Lee Thompson Young reprises his role of Cyborg in the season 6 episode "Justice", episode about Green Arrow gathering together a group of individuals to combat Lex Luthor and his experiments. The episode premiered on 18 January 2007. In this episode, Victor has finally taken the name "Cyborg", as Green Arrow's team uses code names. Also on the team are Aquaman and Impulse. While Victor was last seen with a girlfriend named Katherine, he explains that his mechanical parts put a strain on the relationship. After their eventual break up, Victor states that it was Green Arrow who kept him from committing suicide. The episode also shows Cyborg wearing a stylized silver vest and black pants, and utilizing further enhancements Green Arrow gave him. One of his new functions allows him to hack into and disable security systems. While connecting to machines, Cyborg's left eye glows red.

Justice League: Doom

Cyborg in Justice League: Doom

Cyborg appears in Justice League: Doom in a major role. The film marks the first time Cyborg has been portrayed as a member of the Justice League in any non-comic form of media. He is voiced by Bumper Robinson.

In the film, Cyborg first appears after Batman asks for his help in discovering how the Royal Flush Gang are pulling off a series of impossible heists. Cyborg later rescues Wonder Woman after she is poisoned by Cheetah, and ends up being brought along during the subsequent attempt to rescue the other JLA members. After saving Superman from a Kryptonite bullet, Cyborg helps the Justice League during the final battle against Vandal Savage and his Legion of Doom. After the League saves the Earth from a massive solar flare, Cyborg is officially inducted into the Justice League as the team's newest member.

What people think of Cyborg

Marv Wolfman, the man who made the Teen Titans great again gives his thoughts on Cyborg.

"I always like Cyborg because I knew he was going to get the most negative comments because of the way we began him. He was very negative and embittered and all that, but I knew we were going to change him. The mail went exactly the way I expected it to, so he is a personal favorite for that reason." - Marv Wolfman

Decker: I guess not. Moving along, it seems like you're possibly kind of edging toward an interracial romance with Cyborg and What ‘semame the girl who...

Wolfman: Sarah Simms.

Decker: Yeah.

Wolfman: Not necessarily. At first I thought of it. And then decided there was nothing wrong with a good healthy friendship that is nor based on a sexual background between them. I received a letter that sort of helped me change my mind, from a black leader who felt that we had seen a lot of interracial relationships, but we haven't seen that many good, solid black-black relationships to show that a black hero doesn't always go together with a white heroine and vice-versa. And that sort of got me thinking. That came very early in the relationship, that it made a lot more sense in terms of their needs to be very good friends. He has no girl friend who he is totally in love with in a sexual way at this time. He's just very good friends with her, And that in itself is a slightly different relationship.

Decker: I think that the scene where he was strolling through the park, and the little kid Lame up to him and asked for his ball back, and it turned out the kid had a prosthetic hand. I thought that was very touching.

Wolfman: Thank you. I have to give credit where credit is due. George and I worked out most of the scene to where he would come together with these kids and such, but George is the one who devised that particular scene. That's what I mean about George adding so much. Obviously that came out of what we had discussed and worked out together but the fact that we can work in tandem) like that adds to the book. And I thought the lack of copy in that particular scene made a lot of it work as well.

Decker: One last word on Cyborg, I've noticed that you've gotten letters thanking you for not making him a heavy-duty black stereotype.

WOLFMAN: Yeah. Intentional. All the white guys don't run around saying "Hey, I'm white. And I'm happy" or "I'm boring because I'm white." So why should every black character run around saying "I'm black and I'm angry." This person was raised in a very scientific area, his anger was at his specific situation, not the fact that he was black. He's highly intelligent in terms of I.Q. And bigotry tends to fall apart when seen through an intellectual gaze. I just wanted a straightforward character who was raised in a specific way, who views the world through his eyes and not through stereotyped eyes because he's black. The fact that he's black obviously has to have some bearing on him because it's the way other people may treat him. But it has nor affected his outlook on other people. He wasn't taught bigotry by his parents, so there would be no reason for him necessarily to believe in it.

Decker: And of course you deliberately changed him over a period of issues, you evolved his character. You didn't make certain qualities be his funny hat.

Wolfman: That was again very intentional since I knew what was going to happen, with his father coming in, and I knew where it was going to go. I wanted him to start in one way and to progress. People do progress in reality when they realize certain situations. What had happened to him was very mind-jarring in many ways. Having his body destroyed and everything else, he would naturally have some antagonism. The mini-series story showed many cases why because he wasn't given the freedom to do what he wanted or didn't understand what freedoms his father was giving him. And what finally had to result was the knowledge of why his father was doing things. There is a feeling among everybody I think, that just because their parents are parents they should be perfect. You look up at them, they're people. I'm a parent now, and I'm no different than I was before my daughter was born. She probably looks up at me thinking I could do everything perfectly, and that's false because I can't, and no one else can. And to think of your parents as people who have to be idealized and that every flaw you see in them makes you dislike that, or cringe or get embarrassed is really silly because everyone has flaws. They're people. No one goes to Parent College. [Laughter]