THE HELLBENT
Created By: Terry Kavanagh & Jimmy Palmiotti
First Appearance: Mark Spector: Moon Knight #44 (Nov. 1992)
Role: Hidden Race
Group Affiliations: The Hellbent, The Knights Templar, The Omega
PL 6 (56)
STRENGTH 2
STAMINA 4
AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 8
DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0
AWARENESS 0
PRESENCE 0
Skills:
Expertise (History) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 5 (+5)
Perception 3 (+3)
Advantages:
Ranged Attack 2, Startle
Powers:
Various
Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Initiative +3
Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +3
Complications:
Prejudice (Monsters)- Most Hellbent cannot pass for human.
Total: Abilities: 38 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 3 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 9 (56)
-Holy crap, did THIS group prove to be a bigger study session than I thought. I mean, who reads the name "Hellbent" and thinks it's gonna involve reading thirty bios?
-The Hellbent are one of Marvel Earth's many hidden races- descendants of ancient humans with the old races that have long since left the Earth. They ended up allied with some Egyptian deities (many of them served Thoth), and the Knights Templar were formed among the Hellbent in order to protect them (in return for some dark secrets). The "Hellbent Prime" were powerful demons and fallen gods, while the "Omega" were genetically similar to humans, and could pass for them. The Templar eventually began abusing Hellbent and stealing their powers.
-A man named Seth the Immortal had taken several wives, diluting the bloodline greatly- both Marc Spector and his friend Jean-Paul DuChamp turn out to be distant descendants of his. He plays both sides of the Hellbent against each other, hoping for more power, before ultimately being stopped. This whole story arc takes place for around a year, and seems contained entirely to Terry Kavanagh's books, meaning it occurs in
Moon Knight (after Doug Moench left it, I guess),
Web of Spider-Man and...
X-Man? Really? Oh look at that- 1992 saw all of these stories by Kavanagh, and then 1998's
X-Man saw the Hellbent suddenly return thanks to the writing of... TERRY KAVANAGH!! Funny, that. Must've thought he had "one more shot" at making the Hellbent into "A Thing". But they are not "A Thing".
-Really, this whole team seems like a Jobber Army. Every appearance feels about the same- a small group attacks the heroes, but is quickly defeated, and many are killed by The Manx (cat-like monsters). Seth is eventually buried alive and never seen again, with Ness leading the later group against Nate Grey. They're basically rip-offs of The Lilin, but without any of the distinctive character bits or anything that could possibly be interesting.
The Roster:
AGONY- PL 7 (77): "Hair as a Weapon" Damage 8, Elongation 2 (Limited to Hair), Snare 6 (Accurate 2, Diminished Range -1) [21]
BASILISK II- PL 8 (80): "Death Vision" Weaken Stamina 8 (Extras: Perception-Ranged +2) [24]
-Basilisk and Agony were agents of Seth the Immortal, who sent them after Moon Knight. Agony willingly gave up her life to allow her lover Seth to live, while Basilisk was killed by a Templar Knight when she put a mirror in front of her- even HE is not immune to his Gaze Attack.
ARC- PL 6 (68): "Bio-Electric Surge From Eyes" Blast 6 [12]
NESS- PL 6 (82): INT 4, AWA 4, PRE 3, Precognition [26]
-Ness led The Hellbent against Nate Grey after getting a vision of him destroying the world. He ended up dead after blowing up his base to kill some guys named The Gauntlet, with Madelyne Pryor stating that she could have saved him, but chose not to.
DAWN- PL 8 (73): Teleport 8, Dazzle Visuals 8 (Touch Range, Burst) [17]
DUSK I- PL 6 (92): Teleport 8, "Shadows" Concealment (Vision) (Attack, Shapeable Cloud +2) [36]
-Ugh, I seriously have to make the
Slingers character Dusk II because of this nobody? Lame. Dusk & Dawn are sisters.
THE MANX- PL 7 (67): No INT, no PRE, ST 6, STA 6, AGI 4, Infravision, Claws +1 (Split), Concealment 1 (Scent), Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision [11]
-The Manx were trackers, and were all killed by Slaine.
SETH THE IMMORTAL (Seth Phalkon)- PL 7 (99): ST 5, STA 5, INT 3, AWA 4, PRE 4, Immunity (Aging), Weaken Stamina 10 [43]
-A high-ranking member of the Order of the Knight Templar, and the instigator of most of the bad stuff. He resembles Marc Spector almost exactly, and can drain people's strength. He ends up buried alive at the end of the story.
SLAINE- PL 7 (66): Flight 5 (Wings), "Spikes" Damage +4 (Reach) [10]
-Slaine killed the Manx, but died in the process.
SHARD I- PL 6 (83): Spiky Aura 2, Spike Blast 6 (Multiattack, Accurate) [27]
DEMENTIA- PL 8 (80): "Distortion Effect" Affliction 8 (Fort; Dazed & Hindered/Stunned & Defenseless/Incapacitated) (Extra Condition, Burst Area) [24]
VORTEX- PL 6 (70): "Wind Powers" Deflect 8, Wind Blast 6 (Accurate) [14]
-Vortex, Shard & Dementia form "The Cadre", a band of Hellbent that live with humans. They were chosen as part of 1993's "New Character Annuals", getting their own trading card.
CRACKDOWN- PL 8 (76): ST 8, STA 8 [20]
LAVA- PL 6 (71): Fire Blast 7 (Accurate) [15]
SPIKE- PL 7 (81): Blast 4 Linked to "Psycho-Active Drugs" Affliction 8 (Fort; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated) (Ranged, Accurate) [25]
BASS & BELLE- PL 7 (73): "Vibratory Frequency Powers" Blast 8 (Accurate) [17]
MURMUR- PL 7 (64): AGI 5, Stealth 8 (+13) [8]
-Murmur was killed by Agony on Seth's orders for his failure.
BRAMBLE- PL 6 (67): Spiky Aura 2, Blast 4 (Multiattack, Accurate) [21]
NETWORK- PL 6 (72): Teleport 8 [16]
-Network was slaughtered by The Manx.
CUBIST- PL 7 (81): "Distort Visual Perceptions" Affliction 8 (Impaired/Disabled Vision) (Ranged, Limited Degree, Accurate) [25]
GLAZE- PL 7 (74): Snare 6 (Touch Range, Contagious) [18]
TKO- PL 7 (62): "Speed Punch" Damage +0 (Accurate 2, Multiattack 4) [6]
-Was killed by The Manx.
TRIPLEX- PL 6 (61): "Three Heads" Second Chance 4 (Twice Over: Perception Checks, Mind Control), Radius Sight [5]
-Triplex was accidentally pummeled by TKO.
LOWDOWN- PL 7 (68): "Short & Super-Strong" ST 6, STA 6 [12]
-Killed by The Manx.
FIZZURE- PL 7 (68): Snare 6 (Touch Range) [12]
-Killed by The Manx.
GNASH- PL 6 (59): "Mouths For Hands" Damage +2 (Split) [3]
-Killed by The Manx.
TAILSPIN- PL 6 (58): "Tail" Extra Limb 1, Reach 1 [2]
-Killed by The Manx.
-This weird group fought Moon Knight, Werewolf By Night & Gambit, and four were killed by The Manx.
FLARE- PL 6 (68): Heat Blast 6 (Accurate) [12]
-Tortured Jean-Paul DuChamp, temporarily transforming him into his psychotic grandfather, who beat Flare to death.
HOOK- PL 8 (77): ST 7, STA 7, Flight 5 (Winged) [21]
-Allied with the heroes, and survived in the end.
KRUNCH, RIPPER & VAULT- PL 7 (68): ST 6, STA 6 [12]
-Just a goon squad. One is a sexy lady, though.
NIGHTSHADOW- PL 9 (66): Weaken Strength 10 [10]
SLIME- PL 6 (56):
-Slime was Nightshadow's minion, and demonstrated no powers.
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