Fictional character biography
Little is known about the past of Arkady Rossovich except that he was a serial killer born in Soviet Russia. He was captured by Interpol agent Sean Cassidy and turned over to the KGB, which wanted to experiment and attempt to create a super-soldier similar to Captain America. [5]
In another version of Omega Red's past, Arkady Rossovich was a Soviet soldier stationed in a small Siberian town. He was a murderer, his crimes easily discoverable due to the town's small size and limited number of potential victims. He was caught by his fellow soldiers and summarily executed via a gunshot to the back of the head. His superiors were astonished when Rossovich survived the execution, and recommended him for the aforementioned Soviet super soldier project, a brutal process; it is suggested that Rossovich survived solely due to his evil and cruel nature. He became an operative for Soviet intelligence and the KGB. [6]
The Soviet government implanted a retractable carbonadium coil within each of Omega Red's arms. Carbonadium was the Soviets' attempt to recreate the artificial alloy known as adamantium, as carbonadium is a more malleable form of adamantium. Omega Red is able to wrap others in his coils to drain them of their "life" energy. This vampiric tendency is essential to Omega Red's survival; the carbonadium implants, while great offensive weapons, slowly poisoned him and he was required to regularly drain life energy to sustain himself. In order to stabilize his condition, Omega Red requires the Carbonadium Synthesizer, a device that was stolen by Wolverine, Maverick, and Sabretooth during their final mission together as "Team X" in the 1960s.
At some time in the past, the Soviet government decided that Omega Red was too unpredictable and treacherous to be relied upon and placed him in suspended animation until a method could be found to control him. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Omega Red is revived by Matsu'o Tsurayaba, the leader of the Hand. Omega Red became a warrior serving Tsurayaba and was led to believe that Wolverine knew the whereabouts of the Carbonadium Synthesizer which could save his life, and sought him out in an effort to find this device.
After Omega Red is captured by S.H.I.E.L.D., the Red Room buys his freedom with the hopes of using him to their own ends. Wolverine, Colossus, and Nightcrawler encounter him after he has freed himself from his master, however, and they engage in combat. Omega Red is largely impervious to Wolverine's claws; the Red Room had been experimenting on his body in an effort to enhance his healing factor. After Nightcrawler intervenes and knocks Omega Red unconscious, he is returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. [7]
Omega Red is killed after being stabbed in the heart by Wolverine. [8] The members of the Church of St. Mitrophan later obtain Omega Red's corpse and resurrect him in a mystical ceremony. However, the resurrection is incomplete, leaving Omega Red in danger of dying again until the Russian mafia uses Magik's abilities to restore him. [9]
Arriving bloodied and beaten at Krakoa and seeking asylum, Omega Red is met by Wolverine, who tries to persuade Magneto that Omega Red is too dangerous to be allowed on the island, as he poses too serious a threat to the women and children living there. Investigating his claims of a secret vampire enclave hidden in Paris, Wolverine is captured by Vlad Dracula, who has rejuvenated himself by drinking his blood. As per their agreement, Dracula presents Omega Red with the Carbonadium Synthesizer, warning him that it now contains a detonator. Omega Red will serve as a spy in the service of Dracula to aid against any interference from the mutants towards the Vampire Nation's hidden agenda. [10]
At Wolverine's insistence, Omega Red is restrained by Krakoa and psychically interrogated by Jean Grey, whereupon X-Force discovers that Omega Red has indeed been mesmerized by Dracula to possibly serve as a spy for the Vampire Nation in exchange for the Carbonadium Synthesizer. While Beast discusses with Forge about creating a duplicate Carbonadium Synthesizer containing audio surveillance and homing beacon capabilities, it is revealed that the original detonator has exploded, killing Omega Red. Omega Red is resurrected by the Five, but is left with no memory of his death or rebirth, allowing him to serve X-Force as a double agent in his future dealings with Dracula. [11]
Powers and abilities
Omega Red is a mutant with superhuman strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes, and the ability to secrete pheromones referred to as "Death Spores". The spores are fatal to humans and can kill within seconds. Furthermore, Omega Red possesses durable carbonadium coils in his wrists and the ability to drain the life force of others.
Omega Red is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant and military tactician. He was trained in various forms of armed and unarmed combat by both the Soviet government and various organizations throughout the Japanese and Russian criminal underworlds. Highly intelligent, he has quickly become highly skilled in the management of criminal organizations.
