Michael Cray is Deathblow, a professional soldier with limited psychic abilities. He began his career working at I.O. with Team 7, where he was exposed to the Gen-Factor. When he stopped working for the government, he became an independent warrior fighting for his own reasons.
History
Origins
Michael Cray was born to a US Navy Admiral. He has a brother named Alexander. His parents were slain by terrorists and he joins the military to avenge their deaths. He became a Navy SEAL prior to being transferred to International Operations newly formed Team 7. Like all members of that group, he was a highly experienced Special Forces operative.
Team 7
Main article: Team 7: Gone Animal
The team had been sent on a mission (or so they believed) when in reality they were sent to be exposed to the Gen Factor by Miles Craven (head of I.O.). Unlike the other surviving members of Team 7 (not everyone survived the exposure to the gen factor treatment), Michael's powers did not manifest until many years later. Despite the lack of power, he would fight for his teammates, such as taking a Naval officer hostage when the other powered-members of Team 7 were literally being nuked as a test (they got through). When the majority of Team 7 went underground (with their families), Cray continues to serve I.O. (as did John Lynch, Jackson Dane & Backlash). Miles Craven assigns Cray to the Special Operations Group. He did many wetwork and blackbag assignments for them.
Deathblow
Michael Cray left I.O. when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He wanted to atone himself for all the innocent men and women he killed during his missions. He got his chance when he became involved with the Order of the Cross. Their adversary, the Black Angel awoke, a demonic entity bent on killing a young boy with miraculous abilities. It turned out that Cray's cancer was in fact a result of the Gen Factor, giving him regenerative abilities. It would also give him the ability to manifest psionic shields to protect himself, but he could not control it and was not even aware it existed. Cray defeated the Black Angel with the help of Sister Mary, a former police officer turned nun, Gabrielle D'Angelo, his ex-wife who had become a vessel for the archangel Gabriel, and several of his Team 7 colleagues. After the death of the Black Angel, the young child restored the damage he had done by rewriting reality, but in the new reality, Gabrielle had died during their honeymoon.
WildStorm Rising
Michael spends time working for Rayna Maure, who ran a bodyguard agency called 'Executive Protection Services'. Cray then is involved in the Brothers In Arm incident as Craven goes after all the surviving members of Team 7. Cray also deals with alien forces who are pursuing keys to an ancient warship. On a Team 7 mission long ago, Cray had actually found one of the keys, sticking up out of the mud.
Fire From Heaven
Deathblow dies during the Fire From Heaven event, sacrificing himself in order to kill Damocles.[1] After the events of Captain Atom: Armageddon and the Worldstorm, Deathblow was revived.
StormWatch
During the events of World's End, Cray is part of Stormwatch: Post Human Division leading missions on a post-apocalyptic Earth. He later regrouped with John Lynch and the other former members of Team-7, and learned of Tao's nihilistic intentions and joined in Lynch's mission on stopping him. After teaming up with the Wildcats and following Tao's defeat, Cray was among the few heroes to leave Earth on the Authority's departing Carrier. Subsequently, he became an official member of the re-roster Authority.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Gen-Factor: Michael Cray's Gen Factor took much longer than the others in Team 7 to manifest itself. Initially believing his Gen-Active exposure to be the result of a malignant cancer cropping up in his brain, was in actuality what had given him his extraordinary powers.[2] Which were primarily strong regenerative application, but it wasn't until the his battle to the death during the Fire From Heaven crossover that other facilities like the Mojo began to kick in. Moreover, Cray could use his abilities without the maddening consequences that come with it. Like the Rush suffered among other Team 7-members.[3]
- Regeneration: Since his initial subjection to the Gen Factor chemical, Crays healing abilities have appeared on and off again at various intervals. Having had a hole blown into his chest vi double barrel buckshot and recovering from it in seconds.[4]
- Immortality: After the events of World's End, Cray's healing power has advance to a staggering level,[5] such as that he can't die because his body keeps regenerating itself even after wounds severe enough to shut down his biological functions.[6]
- Psychokinesis
- Mental Shields: Offering protection against other telepaths or other forms of mind-control.[7]
- Telekinesis
- Force Field: Cray showed before the moment of his death that he can create a skin layer telekinetic shield over his body which offers protection and physical augmentation.[3]
Abilities
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)
- Military Protocol: Cray has unsurpassed skill as a soldier.
- Weaponry
Weaknesses
- The Rush: The side effects of using his psionic powers are terrible to say the least. It was nicknamed The Rush due to the effect that the use of it is likened unto a drug. Raw, telekinetic energy which left unchecked can ravage the mind and body of the wielder, driving him to insanity.
- Uncontrolled Psionics: The downside to these powers were that they were nearly impossible to control.
- Physical Strain: Using the powers also put a terrible strain on Lynch himself; trying to keep them under control would often cause blood vessels to rupture and he would weaken.
- Affect Mind: Prolonged use would threaten his sanity and outside forces (like I.O. telepath Alicia Turner) were needed to calm him down and make him regain control.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 147 Appearances of Michael Cray (Wildstorm Universe)
- 43 Images featuring Michael Cray (Wildstorm Universe)
- 5 Quotations by or about Michael Cray (Wildstorm Universe)
- Character Gallery: Michael Cray (Wildstorm Universe)
External Links
Footnotes