Force of Nature (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Force of Nature is a group of super villains in the Marvel Comics Universe who each have elemental
themed powers: earth
, fire
, water
, and wind
. The team was organized by the eco-terrorism
group Project: Earth, who enticed certain criminal/antisocial superhumans into joining their cause with the notion of continuing to commit illegal acts while acting under the guise of ecological activism. They have most often clashed with the superhero team known as the New Warriors
, and first appeared as a team in New Warriors (volume 1) #7.
. The original members consisted of Aqueduct
, Firewall
, Skybreaker
, and Terraformer. They come into conflict with the New Warriors when several members of the Project fake their own disappearances as a publicity stunt; among the missing members is actress Maddie Baldwin, mother of Warriors member Speedball
, who asks for his teammates' help in locating her. The trail leads to the Amazon, where the subterfuge is revealed after the Force of Nature ambushes and captures the Warriors. Speedball pledges the Warriors' aid in an attempt to get close to his mother, but the heroes turn on the Force of Nature when it becomes clear that the villains intend to use lethal force in stopping the clearcutting crews. With the Force on the verge of defeat, Project: Earth abandons them to their fate after an aborted attempt to martyr Maddie Baldwin and blame the developers (foiled by Speedball). The Force of Nature is turned over to local authorities for incarceration.
However, Project: Earth later facilitates the Force of Nature's release and retains them as agents, despite the defection of Firewall to the Folding Circle. After recruiting Firebrand
II as a replacement for Firewall, Project: Earth sends the Force of Nature to deal with oil well fires in the war-torn nation of Trans-Sabal; when the Force of Nature deviates from their assignment and takes a side in Trans-Sabal's ongoing conflict, Project: Earth asks the New Warriors to pull the villains out of the country before their actions further damage the Project's reputation. The Warriors reluctantly agree and eventually succeed in the task (though not before being dragged into the conflict themselves), bringing the Force of Nature out for incarceration in the Vault
.
While in the Vault, Aqueduct, Skybreaker, and Terraformer are part of a prisoner riot that rises out of requests for better inmate living conditions, denied by prison authorities on the basis of the greater security measures required to incarcerate superhuman
criminals (for example, denying Terraformer "communion" with even a small houseplant
, reasoning that Terraformer would use the plant in an escape attempt). The dispute is mediated by New Warriors member Justice (himself an inmate at the time for an accidental murder), who demonstrates good faith on the prisoners' part by allowing Terraformer access to a potted plant from the prison warden's office; Terraformer proceeds to simply "commune" with the plant, as requested. The warden agrees to the possibility of granting privileges to inmates on a case-by-case basis, according to each prisoner's individual behavior and needs.
The Force of Nature did not appear as a full team for some time following the Trans-Sabal incident, and most of the membership was shown returning to criminal activity. Aqueduct (who kept his new alias and costume after the Force of Nature separated) in particular was active as a member of the seventh incarnation of the Masters of Evil
, and more recently as one of the villains recruited for government service by the Thunderbolts
during Marvel Comics' Civil War
event. Firewall/Silk Fever also appeared as a Thunderbolts recruit along with her Folding Circle teammates.
, who is currently in charge of all matters regarding the Superhuman Registration Act
and, in a deal made with crime lord The Hood
, intends to replace many of the registered heroes operating under the Fifty State Initiative
with super-villains who are willing to act as heroes while "enriching themselves in more...subtle ways than they're used to". With the addition of Initiative recruit (and former criminal) Sunstreak
in place of Firebrand II, Force of Nature is revealed as the new Initiative team for the state of Oregon. Osborn orders Force of Nature to attack the Heavy Hitters
after they secede from the Initiative. They help the other Initiative teams to defeat and capture the Heavy Hitters' leader, Prodigy
.
and the Initiative members that are on his side. During the Siege of Asgard, Terraformer is sliced almost in half by an Asgardian sword.
Elemental
An elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus in the 16th century. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines , water elementals*sylphs, air elementals...
themed powers: earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, and wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
. The team was organized by the eco-terrorism
Eco-terrorism
Eco-terrorism usually refers to acts of violence or sabotage committed in support of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes against persons or their property....
group Project: Earth, who enticed certain criminal/antisocial superhumans into joining their cause with the notion of continuing to commit illegal acts while acting under the guise of ecological activism. They have most often clashed with the superhero team known as the New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, and first appeared as a team in New Warriors (volume 1) #7.
Fictional team biography
The Force of Nature first appear as a team when Project: Earth sends them to stop land developers from clearing sections of the Amazon RainforestAmazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
. The original members consisted of Aqueduct
Aqueduct (comics)
Aqueduct , originally known as Water Wizard, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Jim Shooter and Don Heck and first appeared in Ghost Rider #23 .-Fictional character biography:Peter van Zante enlists in the U.S...
, Firewall
Silk Fever
Silk Fever is a villain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Originally using the codename Firewall, Min Li Ng was a member of the Force of Nature, a super villain group funded by the eco-terrorist group Project: Earth. Min Li originally claimed that her pyrokinetic powers...
, Skybreaker
Aireo
Aireo is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publishing history:Aireo first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, and Terraformer. They come into conflict with the New Warriors when several members of the Project fake their own disappearances as a publicity stunt; among the missing members is actress Maddie Baldwin, mother of Warriors member Speedball
Speedball (comics)
Robert "Robbie" Baldwin is a comic book superhero character, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics.Originally known as Speedball, the character was created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Tom DeFalco, initially as a candidate for Marvel's separate New Universe imprint.Baldwin first...
, who asks for his teammates' help in locating her. The trail leads to the Amazon, where the subterfuge is revealed after the Force of Nature ambushes and captures the Warriors. Speedball pledges the Warriors' aid in an attempt to get close to his mother, but the heroes turn on the Force of Nature when it becomes clear that the villains intend to use lethal force in stopping the clearcutting crews. With the Force on the verge of defeat, Project: Earth abandons them to their fate after an aborted attempt to martyr Maddie Baldwin and blame the developers (foiled by Speedball). The Force of Nature is turned over to local authorities for incarceration.
However, Project: Earth later facilitates the Force of Nature's release and retains them as agents, despite the defection of Firewall to the Folding Circle. After recruiting Firebrand
Firebrand (Marvel Comics)
Firebrand is the codename of three fictional supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. All three were normal humans inside powered armor and relied on fire-based weapons...
II as a replacement for Firewall, Project: Earth sends the Force of Nature to deal with oil well fires in the war-torn nation of Trans-Sabal; when the Force of Nature deviates from their assignment and takes a side in Trans-Sabal's ongoing conflict, Project: Earth asks the New Warriors to pull the villains out of the country before their actions further damage the Project's reputation. The Warriors reluctantly agree and eventually succeed in the task (though not before being dragged into the conflict themselves), bringing the Force of Nature out for incarceration in the Vault
Vault (comics)
The Vault is the widely used nickname of a fictional defunct prison facility for technological-based superhuman criminals in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. The prison's full official name is the United States Maximum Security Installation for the Incarceration of Superhuman Criminals.It first...
.
While in the Vault, Aqueduct, Skybreaker, and Terraformer are part of a prisoner riot that rises out of requests for better inmate living conditions, denied by prison authorities on the basis of the greater security measures required to incarcerate superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
criminals (for example, denying Terraformer "communion" with even a small houseplant
Houseplant
A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...
, reasoning that Terraformer would use the plant in an escape attempt). The dispute is mediated by New Warriors member Justice (himself an inmate at the time for an accidental murder), who demonstrates good faith on the prisoners' part by allowing Terraformer access to a potted plant from the prison warden's office; Terraformer proceeds to simply "commune" with the plant, as requested. The warden agrees to the possibility of granting privileges to inmates on a case-by-case basis, according to each prisoner's individual behavior and needs.
The Force of Nature did not appear as a full team for some time following the Trans-Sabal incident, and most of the membership was shown returning to criminal activity. Aqueduct (who kept his new alias and costume after the Force of Nature separated) in particular was active as a member of the seventh incarnation of the Masters of Evil
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a name for a number of fictional supervillain teams that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 , with the lineup continually changing over the years....
, and more recently as one of the villains recruited for government service by the Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
during Marvel Comics' Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
event. Firewall/Silk Fever also appeared as a Thunderbolts recruit along with her Folding Circle teammates.
Dark Reign
Aqueduct, Skybreaker, and Terraformer are recruited with other super-criminals by Norman OsbornGreen Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
, who is currently in charge of all matters regarding the Superhuman Registration Act
Registration Acts (comics)
The Registration Acts—the Mutant Registration Act and Superhuman Registration Act —are fictional legislative bills that have been plot points used in various comic books published by Marvel Comics which, when passed into law, enforce the mandatory registration of superpowered individuals with...
and, in a deal made with crime lord The Hood
Hood (comics)
The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
, intends to replace many of the registered heroes operating under the Fifty State Initiative
Fifty State Initiative
The Fifty State Initiative, often referred to as simply The Initiative, is a fictional governmental plan that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to The Avengers...
with super-villains who are willing to act as heroes while "enriching themselves in more...subtle ways than they're used to". With the addition of Initiative recruit (and former criminal) Sunstreak
Sunstreak
Sunstreak is the code name of a fictional comic book character within Marvel Comics' shared universe the Marvel Universe. She first appeared in Iron Man #330 , and was created by Terry Kavanagh and Jim Cheung.-Fictional character biography:...
in place of Firebrand II, Force of Nature is revealed as the new Initiative team for the state of Oregon. Osborn orders Force of Nature to attack the Heavy Hitters
Heavy Hitters (comics)
Heavy Hitters is a fictional superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. The group of heroes first appear as the official Nevada Fifty State Initiative team and were created by Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli.-Fictional history:...
after they secede from the Initiative. They help the other Initiative teams to defeat and capture the Heavy Hitters' leader, Prodigy
Prodigy (Ritchie Gilmore)
Prodigy is the name of a superhero in Marvel Comics.-Fictional character biography:Ritchie Gilmore is a typical jock, captain of his college wrestling team, and one of the most popular guys in school. But Ritchie wants more from life; he wants to be stronger and more powerful...
.
Siege
Force of Nature joins Norman Osborn in the assault on Asgard alongside the Dark AvengersDark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
and the Initiative members that are on his side. During the Siege of Asgard, Terraformer is sliced almost in half by an Asgardian sword.
Members
- Omar Barrenos (leader) - The head of "Project: Earth" and direct liaison between the Project and the Force of Nature.
- AqueductAqueduct (comics)Aqueduct , originally known as Water Wizard, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Jim Shooter and Don Heck and first appeared in Ghost Rider #23 .-Fictional character biography:Peter van Zante enlists in the U.S...
— formerly the liquid-controlling criminal Water Wizard, renamed "Aqueduct" by Project: Earth. - FirewallSilk FeverSilk Fever is a villain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Originally using the codename Firewall, Min Li Ng was a member of the Force of Nature, a super villain group funded by the eco-terrorist group Project: Earth. Min Li originally claimed that her pyrokinetic powers...
- A Vietnamese pyrokinetic who left the Force of Nature after their first encounter with the New Warriors to join the Folding CircleFolding CircleThe Folding Circle is a team of comic book supervillains in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe. They were created by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley in New Warriors Volume 1 #21...
as Silk Fever. - SkybreakerAireoAireo is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publishing history:Aireo first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
- An InhumanInhumansThe Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This race appears in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics and exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe....
criminal (known as Aireo among his own people) with wind-manipulating abilities. - Terraformer - A plant-based "Stimuloid" duplicate of the criminal PlantmanPlantmanPlantman aka Blackheath is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. The character first appeared in Strange Tales vol. 1 #113.-Fictional character biography:...
who gained sentience and struck out on his own. Terraformer initially resembled his creator's human form (albeit in a different costume), but after sustaining severe damage in battle, transformed into a more plant-like humanoid form. He can mentally control plants, not only altering their rate and size of growth, but causing them to move on their own. A facet of this is the ability to communicate with plants; Terraformer has claimed a need to "commune" with plants in this manner on a regular basis to maintain his physical well-being. - FirebrandFirebrand (Marvel Comics)Firebrand is the codename of three fictional supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. All three were normal humans inside powered armor and relied on fire-based weapons...
(Russ Broxtel) - The second criminal to use the Firebrand identity. He was recruited as the "fire" member after Firewall's departure. He is the only member to depend on technology for his powers. - SunstreakSunstreakSunstreak is the code name of a fictional comic book character within Marvel Comics' shared universe the Marvel Universe. She first appeared in Iron Man #330 , and was created by Terry Kavanagh and Jim Cheung.-Fictional character biography:...
- A fiery supervillain who in lieu of jail time complied with the Superhuman Registration ActRegistration Acts (comics)The Registration Acts—the Mutant Registration Act and Superhuman Registration Act —are fictional legislative bills that have been plot points used in various comic books published by Marvel Comics which, when passed into law, enforce the mandatory registration of superpowered individuals with...
and underwent training with the Fifty States Initiative at Camp Hammond. She was placed with the Force of Nature when Aqueduct, Skybreaker, and Terraformer joined the Initiative under Norman OsbornGreen GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
's management.
External links
- Force of Nature at Marvel.com