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Marrow (comics)
Encyclopedia
Marrow is a Marvel Comics
character
, associated with the X-Men
. She is a mutant
whose bones grow out of her skin and can be removed from her body, providing her with potential knives and clubs as well as body armor.
As a child, Marrow was taken in by the Morlocks
, a band of grotesque-looking mutants who hid in tunnels beneath New York City
. As a young adult, she formed the violent splinter cell Gene Nation
until, under the orders of Morlock leader Callisto
, she joined the X-Men to redeem herself. She made progress controlling her powers and learning a moral code, but eventually fell in with the paramilitary group Weapon X
.
As a child, Marrow first appeared in Cable
#15 (September 1994) and was created by writer Jeph Loeb
and artist David Brewer. However, Uncanny X-Men
writer Scott Lobdell
and artist Joe Madureira defined her powers and temperament.
She has shown herself to be a staunch team player (more-so with the X-Men than with either Gene Nation or Weapon X) who is prepared to risk her own life to protect those of her teammates. Despite her apparent disdain for humanity, she has revealed that she would like nothing more than to be able to fit in with them and be happy.
While there have been occasions that this has happened for her (in an art gallery with Colossus
and immediately following her genetic redesign by Weapon X), they have never lasted long and only served to increase her anger and bitterness towards the world when they have been taken away from her.
. During the Mutant Massacre
that devastated the Morlock community, she witnessed the mauling of Angel by the Marauders
. She was also personally saved by Gambit
, who was not yet known by the X-Men. Years later, most of the surviving Morlocks (including Sarah) were apparently killed by Mikhail Rasputin
, although they were actually brought to another dimension. There, Mikhail had established a citadel for himself on the top of a massive hill. The Social Darwinist
philosophy of "survival of the fittest" was the only thing which governed the society. If someone could reach the summit of the hill, they were considered "fit" and worthy of being part of Gene Nation.
The former Morlock leader Callisto
cared for Marrow during this period and displayed a maternal
attitude towards the young mutant, although the two are not known to be biologically related. When her powers fully manifested she was forced to "up the hill", becoming more savage and killing her opponents to survive. When she managed to reach the top, Mikhail considered her fit to join his elite fighting team Gene Nation
, which eventually became a terrorist group whose mission was to punish humans for their hatred towards mutants.
, they discovered only a few years had passed during their absence. Marrow and the other members of Gene Nation began a homicidal terrorist campaign against surface-dwelling humans. After inconclusive battles with the X-Men and Generation X
, Gene Nation was defeated by the X-Men. Marrow wired a time bomb to her own heart to force the X-Man Storm, who had herself led the Morlocks in the past, to either yield or kill her; Storm tore out Marrow's heart. However, due to Marrow's possession of two hearts to compensate for her random bone growth and superhuman regenerative abilities, she survived. Marrow eventually reunited with Callisto, and while they continued their terrorist activities, Callisto tried to hold back Marrow's more violent ways.
, Marrow and Callisto returned to seclusion. When Callisto was injured by a Prime Sentinel
during the events of Operation: Zero Tolerance
, she directed Marrow to seek the aid of the X-Men. After teaming up with Iceman
and Cecilia Reyes
, Marrow went to the Xavier Institute. She joined the X-Men for a time, coming under the mentorship of Wolverine
and flirting with her teammate Cannonball
. When the team came under the attack of the Shadow King
, Marrow managed to resist when the Shadow King tempted and tortured her in an attempt to gain her loyalty. She also helped Cannonball resist by viciously destroying the illusion of his abusive father. Cannonball was shaken by seeing Marrow slay the illusion of his parent.
Marrow also participated in the fight against the returning N'Garai
, extra-dimensional monsters who were loose on the grounds of the X-Mansion. She saved fellow X-Men Cecilia Reyes
by impaling one of the creatures threatening her.
Around this time Marrow would confront Spider-Man
, because both were interested in investigating a unique type of kidnapping. Eyewitnesses reported the victims literally dragged into the sewers, something which of course interested Marrow, because of her Morlock heritage. Investigating the disappearances, they discovered them to be the work of the vampire-like being known as Hunger, who was swiftly defeated in a confrontation with Spider-Man.
During an adventure in another dimension, Gambit, unable to control his powers, accidentally injured Marrow. She later traveled to the past with the X-Men, ending up on the Skrull
homeworld a short time before the cosmic entity known as Galactus
would destroy it. A medical device gave her more control over her powers, giving her a "prettier" appearance. The suspension-properties of a captured Skrull rescue ship allowed her and her fellow X-Men to make the journey back to earth in real time, without aging at all. Thus, for a while, two Marrows existed in the time stream, one on earth and one in space.
The change of her features led to major softening of her personality, to the point where she reached out to Jubilee
following Wolverine's disappearance in the lead up to "The Twelve" storyline. She also tried to cheer up returning X-Man Colossus in a scheme involving his artwork and her storytelling.
Marrow left the X-Men during the six-month gap preceding the "X-Men Revolution
", though her reasons for doing so are unclear.
She was next seen brainwashed by S.H.I.E.L.D.
under the alias of "Sarah Rushman" (an alias that had also been used by the Black Widow) used as a sleeper agent. Her mission was to terminate rogue Life Model Decoy
s. She had a split personality (mutant Marrow and human teenager Sarah) and had to be periodically injected to keep her implanted memory. With Spider-Man's help (he briefly dated her Sarah personality as Mary Jane
was believed dead at this point), she freed herself from SHIELD's control by faking a suicide.
, who again normalized her appearance and her powers. However, she eventually betrayed Weapon X upon discovering their anti-mutant nature. She used the remnants of Cable's Underground
to reform the Gene Nation terrorist group and, as their leader, led several terrorist attacks on Weapon X until the rest of the group was slaughtered by Agent Zero. Agent Zero left her alone, not wanting her to become a martyr
, but he warned her that he would come after her again after he had hunted down the remaining members of Gene Nation.
Marrow was next seen as a spokesman of a band of Morlocks after M-Day
. She gave an interview to Sally Floyd
for her ex-mutant diaries. Marrow remains underground to protect and give hope to the few mutants who remain and those who fear going to the surface to live normal lives. Mike Marts, editor for the X-Men comic books, confirmed in an interview that although Sarah retains some of the physical attributes of her mutation, her actual mutant powers disappeared during Decimation.
, a terrorist group of former mutants believing that M-Day was caused by the U.S. government. As part of X-Cell, Marrow fought M
and Siryn
of X-Factor Investigations
and after a turn of events in which she and Callisto learned the truth about who is responsible for M-Day, she turned against X-Cell supporter Quicksilver
.
Both heavily injured each other with a knife wound during the fight. Afterwards, she and Callisto managed to escape X-Factor and the government through the sewers. It is unknown where Marrow is in the current stories.
In the Age of X
alternate reality, Marrow again had her powers. Whether she retained them after being returned to Reality-616 with the X-Men and other mutants remains to be seen.
with the ability to enhance the growth of her skeletal structure. Initially this was uncontrollable, but after enhancement by a Skrull
medical facility, and later by Weapon X, she can mostly control this, despite each enhancement having partially failed over time. She utilizes this power in many ways, including the creation of knuckle guards, spear
s, and projectile spikes.
She also possesses a healing factor
and enhanced immune system, much in the same vein as Wolverine
since every time a bone is ripped out a wound remains which closes itself soon after. She also possessed two hearts to compensate for her random bone growth, so when Storm ripped one out she was able to survive. It's possible that the first heart could have regrown due to the healing factor.
Her bones seem to be much more durable than normal; she had easily survived heavy hits in multiple areas of her body. For example, Flagsmasher hit her twice on the head with his mace without much damage, and Sabertooth likewise threw her against a wall without harm. She also jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge twice (something that would have resulted in death or at least crippling injuries) without any major damage, being able to walk away from the scene.
Like most mutants in X-Men who possess a healing factor, she is also more agile and stronger than the average woman in her age group and physical condition. Marrow has excellent tracking skills, spotting a hidden Prime Sentinel even a super soldier like Sabra
hadn't noticed.
An often overlooked part of her mutation is her unusual skin and hair color, which she has possessed since birth. In almost all of her appearances, Marrow has pink hair. While she is sometimes shown with a normal Caucasian skin tone, Marrow is more often shown to have a vivid pink tone in her skin. During her time with Weapon X her hair and skin color was depicted as having a notable purple tone.
Marrow has lost her abilities since M-Day and is a "Rem," a person with visible remains of the lost mutation.
limited series, as a member of the Morlocks, a group of mutants who were victims of Sinister's
experiments at the Breeding Pens. How Marrow became an adult without being at The Hill is not explained.
Marrow appears as a member of the Red Guard whose mission is to capture or eliminate the Hood's gang in Santa Rico. Sarah helped Rogue in killing the Sandman
only to be shot down by the Hood
.
, Marrow is proposed as a member of Emma Frost
's Academy of Tomorrow, but is rejected by the President of the United States
due to her appearance. She is later killed by Mister Sinister
acting on orders from Apocalypse
.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, associated with the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. She is a mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
whose bones grow out of her skin and can be removed from her body, providing her with potential knives and clubs as well as body armor.
As a child, Marrow was taken in by the Morlocks
Morlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
, a band of grotesque-looking mutants who hid in tunnels beneath New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As a young adult, she formed the violent splinter cell Gene Nation
Gene Nation
Gene Nation is a Marvel Comics mutant terrorist organization and enemies of the X-Men. They originated from a group of Morlocks that survived the Mutant Massacre by escaping to another dimension.-First Incarnation:...
until, under the orders of Morlock leader Callisto
Callisto (comics)
Callisto is a Marvel Comics fictional character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #169 ....
, she joined the X-Men to redeem herself. She made progress controlling her powers and learning a moral code, but eventually fell in with the paramilitary group Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
.
As a child, Marrow first appeared in Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
#15 (September 1994) and was created by writer Jeph Loeb
Jeph Loeb
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost, writer for the films Commando and Teen Wolf and was a writer and Co-Executive Producer on the NBC TV show Heroes from its...
and artist David Brewer. However, Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
writer Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell is an American comic book writer.-Early Career:Scott didn't begin to read comics until he was 17 years old, while lying in bed after lung surgery....
and artist Joe Madureira defined her powers and temperament.
She has shown herself to be a staunch team player (more-so with the X-Men than with either Gene Nation or Weapon X) who is prepared to risk her own life to protect those of her teammates. Despite her apparent disdain for humanity, she has revealed that she would like nothing more than to be able to fit in with them and be happy.
While there have been occasions that this has happened for her (in an art gallery with Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
and immediately following her genetic redesign by Weapon X), they have never lasted long and only served to increase her anger and bitterness towards the world when they have been taken away from her.
Origin
As a child, Sarah was one of the underground-dwelling MorlocksMorlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
. During the Mutant Massacre
Mutant Massacre
"Mutant Massacre" was a major Marvel Comics crossover storyline, which took place during the fall of 1986. It primarily involved the superhero teams the X-Men, X-Factor and the New Mutants...
that devastated the Morlock community, she witnessed the mauling of Angel by the Marauders
Marauders (comics)
The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
. She was also personally saved by Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
, who was not yet known by the X-Men. Years later, most of the surviving Morlocks (including Sarah) were apparently killed by Mikhail Rasputin
Mikhail Rasputin
Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin is a Marvel Comics supervillain, older brother of Colossus of the X-Men and Magik of the New Mutants. Created by Jim Lee and John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men ....
, although they were actually brought to another dimension. There, Mikhail had established a citadel for himself on the top of a massive hill. The Social Darwinist
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a term commonly used for theories of society that emerged in England and the United States in the 1870s, seeking to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to sociology and politics...
philosophy of "survival of the fittest" was the only thing which governed the society. If someone could reach the summit of the hill, they were considered "fit" and worthy of being part of Gene Nation.
The former Morlock leader Callisto
Callisto (comics)
Callisto is a Marvel Comics fictional character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #169 ....
cared for Marrow during this period and displayed a maternal
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
attitude towards the young mutant, although the two are not known to be biologically related. When her powers fully manifested she was forced to "up the hill", becoming more savage and killing her opponents to survive. When she managed to reach the top, Mikhail considered her fit to join his elite fighting team Gene Nation
Gene Nation
Gene Nation is a Marvel Comics mutant terrorist organization and enemies of the X-Men. They originated from a group of Morlocks that survived the Mutant Massacre by escaping to another dimension.-First Incarnation:...
, which eventually became a terrorist group whose mission was to punish humans for their hatred towards mutants.
Gene Nation
In that harsh dimension, time passed quickly, and when Marrow and several other members of Gene Nation (of which she had become leader) returned to EarthEarth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
, they discovered only a few years had passed during their absence. Marrow and the other members of Gene Nation began a homicidal terrorist campaign against surface-dwelling humans. After inconclusive battles with the X-Men and Generation X
Generation X (comics)
Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
, Gene Nation was defeated by the X-Men. Marrow wired a time bomb to her own heart to force the X-Man Storm, who had herself led the Morlocks in the past, to either yield or kill her; Storm tore out Marrow's heart. However, due to Marrow's possession of two hearts to compensate for her random bone growth and superhuman regenerative abilities, she survived. Marrow eventually reunited with Callisto, and while they continued their terrorist activities, Callisto tried to hold back Marrow's more violent ways.
X-Men
After a battle with CableCable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, Marrow and Callisto returned to seclusion. When Callisto was injured by a Prime Sentinel
Prime Sentinel
Prime Sentinels are an advanced type of Sentinel which exist in the fictional Marvel Comics universe. They are a human/machine hybrid that uses nanotechnology from the "Days of Future Past" future...
during the events of Operation: Zero Tolerance
Operation: Zero Tolerance
"Operation: Zero Tolerance" was a crossover storyline that ran through Marvel Comics' X-Men related titles during 1997. The story followed from the "Onslaught Saga" and focused on individuals, including Bastion and Henry Peter Gyrich, within the United States government and their attempts to use...
, she directed Marrow to seek the aid of the X-Men. After teaming up with Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
and Cecilia Reyes
Cecilia Reyes
Cecilia Reyes is a Marvel Comics character who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Carlos Pacheco, she first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #65 ....
, Marrow went to the Xavier Institute. She joined the X-Men for a time, coming under the mentorship of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
and flirting with her teammate Cannonball
Cannonball (comics)
Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
. When the team came under the attack of the Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
, Marrow managed to resist when the Shadow King tempted and tortured her in an attempt to gain her loyalty. She also helped Cannonball resist by viciously destroying the illusion of his abusive father. Cannonball was shaken by seeing Marrow slay the illusion of his parent.
Marrow also participated in the fight against the returning N'Garai
N'Garai
The N'Garai are a fictional race found in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The N'Garai first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #96 , and were created by Bill Mantlo, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum....
, extra-dimensional monsters who were loose on the grounds of the X-Mansion. She saved fellow X-Men Cecilia Reyes
Cecilia Reyes
Cecilia Reyes is a Marvel Comics character who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Carlos Pacheco, she first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #65 ....
by impaling one of the creatures threatening her.
Around this time Marrow would confront Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, because both were interested in investigating a unique type of kidnapping. Eyewitnesses reported the victims literally dragged into the sewers, something which of course interested Marrow, because of her Morlock heritage. Investigating the disappearances, they discovered them to be the work of the vampire-like being known as Hunger, who was swiftly defeated in a confrontation with Spider-Man.
During an adventure in another dimension, Gambit, unable to control his powers, accidentally injured Marrow. She later traveled to the past with the X-Men, ending up on the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
homeworld a short time before the cosmic entity known as Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
would destroy it. A medical device gave her more control over her powers, giving her a "prettier" appearance. The suspension-properties of a captured Skrull rescue ship allowed her and her fellow X-Men to make the journey back to earth in real time, without aging at all. Thus, for a while, two Marrows existed in the time stream, one on earth and one in space.
The change of her features led to major softening of her personality, to the point where she reached out to Jubilee
Jubilee (comics)
Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
following Wolverine's disappearance in the lead up to "The Twelve" storyline. She also tried to cheer up returning X-Man Colossus in a scheme involving his artwork and her storytelling.
Marrow left the X-Men during the six-month gap preceding the "X-Men Revolution
Revolution (comics)
"Revolution" was the title given to the May 2000 revamp of Marvel Comics' X-Men-related comic books, timed to coincide with the publication of X-Men vol. 2 #100.-Publication history:...
", though her reasons for doing so are unclear.
She was next seen brainwashed by S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
under the alias of "Sarah Rushman" (an alias that had also been used by the Black Widow) used as a sleeper agent. Her mission was to terminate rogue Life Model Decoy
Life Model Decoy
A Life Model Decoy is fictional android appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is designed to function as an exact body double for VIPs...
s. She had a split personality (mutant Marrow and human teenager Sarah) and had to be periodically injected to keep her implanted memory. With Spider-Man's help (he briefly dated her Sarah personality as Mary Jane
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
was believed dead at this point), she freed herself from SHIELD's control by faking a suicide.
Weapon X
Marrow was later recruited by the most recent incarnation of Weapon XWeapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
, who again normalized her appearance and her powers. However, she eventually betrayed Weapon X upon discovering their anti-mutant nature. She used the remnants of Cable's Underground
Underground (comics)
The Underground was a short-lived team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. They appeared in the comic-series Weapon X.-Fictional team biography:...
to reform the Gene Nation terrorist group and, as their leader, led several terrorist attacks on Weapon X until the rest of the group was slaughtered by Agent Zero. Agent Zero left her alone, not wanting her to become a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, but he warned her that he would come after her again after he had hunted down the remaining members of Gene Nation.
Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
. She gave an interview to Sally Floyd
Sally Floyd
Sally Floyd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Generation M #1 Sally Floyd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Generation M #1 Sally Floyd is a...
for her ex-mutant diaries. Marrow remains underground to protect and give hope to the few mutants who remain and those who fear going to the surface to live normal lives. Mike Marts, editor for the X-Men comic books, confirmed in an interview that although Sarah retains some of the physical attributes of her mutation, her actual mutant powers disappeared during Decimation.
X-Cell
Marrow later turns up as a member of X-CellX-Cell
X-Cell is a terrorist organization in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional team biography:Made up of ex-mutants, the group targets government authorities in an attempt to regain their lost powers after the Decimation event, which de-powered over 90% of the world's mutant population and which they...
, a terrorist group of former mutants believing that M-Day was caused by the U.S. government. As part of X-Cell, Marrow fought M
M (comics)
M is a fictional comic book superheroine, a mutant who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics...
and Siryn
Siryn
Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those belonging to the X-Men family of titles...
of X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics comic book series X-Factor . The agency first appears under the name XXX Investigations in the first issue of the Marvel Comics limited series Madrox #1...
and after a turn of events in which she and Callisto learned the truth about who is responsible for M-Day, she turned against X-Cell supporter Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
.
Both heavily injured each other with a knife wound during the fight. Afterwards, she and Callisto managed to escape X-Factor and the government through the sewers. It is unknown where Marrow is in the current stories.
In the Age of X
Age of X
"Age of X" is a comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics which features an alternate reality of the X-Men. The first issue of the storyline, Age of X: Alpha, was published in January 2011. Publication continued in February, March, and April 2011...
alternate reality, Marrow again had her powers. Whether she retained them after being returned to Reality-616 with the X-Men and other mutants remains to be seen.
Powers and abilities
Marrow is a mutantMutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
with the ability to enhance the growth of her skeletal structure. Initially this was uncontrollable, but after enhancement by a Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
medical facility, and later by Weapon X, she can mostly control this, despite each enhancement having partially failed over time. She utilizes this power in many ways, including the creation of knuckle guards, spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s, and projectile spikes.
She also possesses a healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
and enhanced immune system, much in the same vein as Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
since every time a bone is ripped out a wound remains which closes itself soon after. She also possessed two hearts to compensate for her random bone growth, so when Storm ripped one out she was able to survive. It's possible that the first heart could have regrown due to the healing factor.
Her bones seem to be much more durable than normal; she had easily survived heavy hits in multiple areas of her body. For example, Flagsmasher hit her twice on the head with his mace without much damage, and Sabertooth likewise threw her against a wall without harm. She also jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge twice (something that would have resulted in death or at least crippling injuries) without any major damage, being able to walk away from the scene.
Like most mutants in X-Men who possess a healing factor, she is also more agile and stronger than the average woman in her age group and physical condition. Marrow has excellent tracking skills, spotting a hidden Prime Sentinel even a super soldier like Sabra
Sabra (comics)
Sabra is the alias of Ruth Bat-Seraph, a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:...
hadn't noticed.
An often overlooked part of her mutation is her unusual skin and hair color, which she has possessed since birth. In almost all of her appearances, Marrow has pink hair. While she is sometimes shown with a normal Caucasian skin tone, Marrow is more often shown to have a vivid pink tone in her skin. During her time with Weapon X her hair and skin color was depicted as having a notable purple tone.
Marrow has lost her abilities since M-Day and is a "Rem," a person with visible remains of the lost mutation.
Age of Apocalypse
Marrow makes a brief appearance in the second issue of the 2005 X-Men: Age of ApocalypseAge of Apocalypse (limited series)
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse is a Marvel Comics six-issue limited series which takes place a year after the last story in the X-Men: Age of Apocalypse one-shot, with Magneto's X-Men helping North America recover from Apocalypse's iron fist...
limited series, as a member of the Morlocks, a group of mutants who were victims of Sinister's
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
experiments at the Breeding Pens. How Marrow became an adult without being at The Hill is not explained.
House of M
In House of MHouse of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
Marrow appears as a member of the Red Guard whose mission is to capture or eliminate the Hood's gang in Santa Rico. Sarah helped Rogue in killing the Sandman
Sandman (Marvel Comics)
Sandman is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A shapeshifter endowed through an accident with the ability to turn himself into sand, he eventually reformed, and became an ally of Spider-Man...
only to be shot down by 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:...
.
Ultimate X-Men
In Ultimate X-MenUltimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, Marrow is proposed as a member of Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
's Academy of Tomorrow, but is rejected by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
due to her appearance. She is later killed by Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
acting on orders from Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
.
In other media
Television
- Marrow appears for the time in Wolverine and the X-Men voiced by Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
. She was first doubtful of Charles Xavier's leadership when the Sentinels brought Cerebro to the camp. She is later saved from being squashed by a Sentinel by Professor X. In a later episode, the future Marrow befriends a reprogrammed Sentinel dubbed "Rover". When Rover is destroyed due to Bishop'sBishop (comics)Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
decision of using him as a decoy against other Sentinels, Marrow decides to help the Sentinels against Charles Xavier, since his presence in the future caused the death of her only true friend. This relationship with Rover is a take on the brief series SentinelSentinel (comic book)Sentinel is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics as part of the Tsunami imprint. It is written by Sean McKeever and illustrated by UDON.- Publication history :...
and bears similar plot elements to those of Tom Skylark and Rover in Grant Morrison's "Here Comes TomorrowHere Comes Tomorrow"Here Comes Tomorrow" is the eighth and final story arc in Grant Morrison's run on the Marvel Comics series New X-Men, which ran from issues #151-154...
" arc from New X-MenNew X-MenNew X-Men was a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics within the X-Men franchise. After the end of Grant Morrison's run on X-Men , titled New X-Men, the title was used for a new series, New X-Men: Academy X, serving as a continuation of the second volume of New Mutants...
. However, though she didn't intend for anyone else to get hurt, the Sentinels betray her and attack. She and PolarisPolaris (comics)Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
later help Professor X in the fight against Master MoldMaster MoldMaster Mold is a fictional character, a robot supervillain in the Marvel Universe. Since his primary purpose was to act as a portable Sentinel-creating factory, and the Sentinel robots were primarily used to hunt mutants, Master Mold has almost exclusively appeared in the X-Men and related,...
.
Video games
- Marrow appears as a playable characterPlayer characterA player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in Marvel vs. Capcom 2Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroesis a fighting game, developed and published by Capcom. It is the fourth game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. With the fourth installment of this series, Capcom simplified the controls to make the gameplay more accessible for casual players. The button configuration was trimmed down to 4 main...
. - Marrow makes a background appearance in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 in a Days of Future PastDays of Future Past"Days of Future Past" is a popular storyline in the Marvel Comics comic book The Uncanny X-Men issues #141 and #142, published in 1981. It deals with a dystopian alternate future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps...
-esqe poster, it says she was slain. - Marrow is a bossBoss (video games)A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
character in X-Men LegendsX-Men LegendsX-Men Legends is an action role-playing video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. It was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles in the fall of . Barking Lizards Technologies developed the N-Gage port of the game, which was released in early...
voiced by Nancy LinariNancy LinariNancy Linari is an American voice actress who is most popular as voicing many minor Sonic the Hedgehog characters. She also has recurring roles on Duckman, W.I.T.C.H., The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, and has guest starred on a number of other TV shows. She hails from the northern suburbs of...
. She leads both the Morlocks and Gene Nation. She eventually sides with the Brotherhood after she arranges for Healer's capture. She is mentioned but does not appear in the sequel.
External links
- Marrow at Marvel.com
- Marrow's Marvel vs. Capcom 2 entry at StrategyWiki.org.
- UncannyXmen.net: spotlight on Marrow