Techno-organic virus

The techno-organic virus is a fictional virus appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In the comics, the techno-organic virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material, which resembles both machinery and living tissue. All techno-organic cells function like independent machines, and carry both the virus and all information on their carriers. This includes memories and appearance, allowing a damaged techno-organic being to rebuild itself from a single cell.

Variants of the virus include the Transmode Virus carried by the Technarchy, and Apocalypse's variant, which was created by Mister Sinister and used by Apocalypse.

Transmode virus

Characteristics

The Transmode virus is used by members of the Technarchy to turn other beings into techno-organic beings. The Technarchy can then feed upon the infected beings and drain their energy. Once the energy has been drained, all that remains of their prey are brittle statues. If an infected creature is not drained of its energy, it becomes a Phalanx. Transmode-infected creatures are usually black and yellow, although they can change their color.

The fictional Transmode Virus is highly virulent. It can transmit via skin contact (though a Technarch can prevent transmission) and will transform a creature into a techno-organic creature within seconds. Only mutants have some resistance to the virus. For instance, Doug Ramsey was infected with the virus after repeatedly fusing his body and genetic code with that of the Technarch Warlock, but his infection progressed slowly and he was unaware he had been infected.

The Transmode virus gives the host the ability to shapeshift, regenerate their body, absorb matter, and interface with machinery. The Phalanx also experience a loss of individuality, forming a hive mind with other Phalanx and the need to contact other techno-organic life.

Known carriers in the fiction

• Every member of the Technarchy, including Warlock and his father Magus.
• Every member of the Phalanx, including Steven Lang and Cameron Hodge.
• Many demons of Limbo including S'ym and N'Astirh. The infection was started by Magus, who was hunting his son.
• Hope, a young girl who is friends with Warlock. While the techno-organic virus did not affect her, she had no control over the virus and would infect others by touch.
• Paradigm, a mutant with technokinesis who was infected by the Phalanx. He is a member of the third group of Hellions.
• Donald Pierce, Leper Queen, Cameron Hodge, Steven Lang, Bolivar Trask, Graydon Creed, and William Stryker were infected by an offspring of Magus whose programming was rewritten by Bastion.
• Eli Bard, an immortal vampire-like mutate who absorbed the virus from an offspring of Magus.
• Thunderbird and his Apache tribe were resurrected and infected by Eli Bard.
• Caliban was resurrected and infected by Eli Bard and used to detect and locate other deceased mutants to resurrect.
• Pyro, Thunderbird, Shinobi Shaw, Destiny, the original Hellions, Berzerker, Stonewall, Hemingway, Banshee, Cypher, Darkstar, Rusty Collins, Risque, Super Sabre, Tower, Hurricane, Spyne, Deadbolt, Feral, Spoor, Katu, Rem-Ram, Unus the Untouchable, Static, Barnacle, Fabian Cortez, Marco Delgado, Mellencamp, Siena Blaze, Skin, Synch, Bolt, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and the population of Genosha were resurrected and infected by Selene during the "Necrosha" storyline.
• X-Men Mirage, Magik, Wolfsbane, Karma, and Strong Guy, who were partially infected in a 'considerate' way when Warlock spread his lifeforce over five of his friends. ^[1] The infection from the first four was eliminated by transferring the virus to a dupe of Multiple Man, known as "Warlox". ^[2]

Apocalypse's variant

Characteristics

It was believed that this strain of techno-organic virus was either created by Apocalypse or discovered by Apocalypse on board the Ship. This virus was actually created by Mister Sinister as a means of killing Apocalypse. This attempt failed due to Apocalypse's immense powers, and the virus fell into Apocalypse's hands. Apocalypse later used the virus to infect the infant Cable.

This strain of virus is less virulent than its counterpart, needing blood contact to transmit, and usually taking a longer time to infect a person, although it can have sudden short bursts of activity.

Known carriers in the fiction

• Apocalypse, who was infected with the techno-organic blood of a time-traveling Cable.
• Gaunt, a warlord from the future. He carried a less virulent version of the techno-organic virus, but Cable infected him with the more powerful strain, paralyzing him with pain. Gaunt was killed shortly afterwards.
• Post, who received a blood transfusion from Cable.
• Cable was infected with the techno-organic virus as an infant. He possesses vast psychic abilities, but largely uses them to keep the virus in check, thus limiting his powers.
• Metus, a childhood friend of Cable, who is accidentally infected by Cable. He was later purged of the virus and taken to be raised at the X-Mansion by Cable, with Metus revealed to not have aged since he was infected.

Other versions

• In Exiles #20-22, the Exiles visit an alternate Earth that had been overrun with a new type of techno-organic virus. In this reality, Doug Ramsey had fallen ill with the Legacy Virus, and his friend Warlock was endeavoring to help him. In trying to heal Doug, Warlock infected him with the techno-organic virus, but the two viruses combined and formed a new and deadly disease. This version is capable of infecting mutants and the world's hero population was quickly subsumed by the new race of Vi-locks, led by Forge. Blink, the team's leader, was also infected, but the timely arrival of Odin and the Aesir saved the day. A group of scientists derive a serum from the blood of the Norse gods to treat the virus.
• In Age of Apocalypse , Apocalypse created a techno-organic virus capable of assimilating both organic and technological materials, going as far as merging two separate beings into one body. This virus was used to empower Donald Pierce's Reavers, a group of techno-organic infected humans serving Apocalypse's regime.

In other media

The techno-organic virus appears in X-Men '97 . Mister Sinister first uses the virus to infect Nathan Summers under the belief that it will make him invincible. The X-Men rescue Nathan, but are unable to save him from the virus, so they send Nathan with Bishop to the future to find a cure. Bastion next uses the virus on a larger scale to turn humans into Prime Sentinel cyborgs.

See also

• Nanomedicine
• Bionanotechnology

References

1. New Mutants: Dead Souls #6 (2018)
2. Uncanny X-Men vol. 5 #15 (2019)

External links

The Techno-Organic FAQ by Soleil Lapierre