open/close all folders
The Young Masters
Alter Egos: Alex Wilder, Black Knight V, Coat of Arms, Death Locket, Egghead II, Enchantress II, Excavator, Executioner II, Mako, Melter II, Mudbug, Radioactive Kid, Snot
Notable Aliases: Young Avengers
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
The Young Masters are a group of teenagers first formed by artist Lisa Molinari better know by her codename Coat of Arms. She created the team as an art project to see how alike good and evil really are. The first iteration of the team was lead by Chris Colchiss aka The Melter. He wanted their team to be part of the Young Avengers and do super hero work. However, those plans fell apart and he ended up teaming up with Iron Patriot and his Dark Avengers. After their defeat, the team stayed together for a while until many members left to pursue other projects. Executioner took the leadership of the team and recruited new team members to pursue and agenda of villain extermination, he was defeated by the new Teen Brigade. The third iteration of the team currently operates in Bagalia and is commanded by Constrictor, instead of being a separate entity, they now do jobs for the Masters of Evil themselves.
In General
Founding Members
Melter II
Christopher "Chris" Colchiss / Melter II
Chris' first costume
:Click here to see Chris' second costume
Nationality: American, Krakoan
Species: Mutant Human
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "It doesn't matter, right? "Hero", "Villain"—! They're just...words."
Chris Colchiss, or Melter, is a mutant with the power to melt any substance. He wishes to be a hero but isn't sure what is required of him to be one. After his stint with the Young Masters, Melter accepted the offer of Krakoan amnesty to all mutants. However, his desire to be important and play a role in Krakoa's leadership resulted in him being thrown into the Pit by Xavier and Magneto.
- Alliterative Name: Christopher Colchiss.
- Bad Powers, Bad People: His powers are melting things, including living beings. Not much good you can do with that. This trope was actually invoked in universe when Coat of Arms told him that she always expected him to become a villain because of his powers but wished he wouldn't.
- Bad Powers, Good People: Coat of Arms theorizes that this is what drove his desire to be a hero.
- Blessed with Suck: His powers turns everything (including people) into a liquid substance. This would be useful against machines or something if Melter had control over them and didn't use them against people when angry or very emotional.
- Demoted to Dragon: He was the leader of the Young Masters when they started, but after he left for some time, he became a subordinate of the Mandarin. Later when he returned with his old team, he became a subordinate of Constrictor and Excavator.
- Driven to Villainy: He was driven to villainy by Patriot of all people. He actually wanted to be a hero at first.
- Fallen Hero: He was the only one of the team who really wanted to become a Young Avenger for the right reasons, but after being rejected by Patriot, he decided to quit trying to be a hero and turned into a villain, and after that he kept falling more and more.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: He was the only member of the original Young Masters who was scared of using his powers or being evil in general. Past some time, some surgeries to help him control his powers and he almost killed War Machine.
- Heel–Face Turn: Attempted one on Krakoa, but his desire to be special and involved in the politics the island nation resulted in him injuring Krakoa itself in his search for the Quiet Council, violating one of the three mutant laws and resulting in his exile into the Pit.
- Horrible Judge of Character: How else dose a nice kid end up joining a team of Supervillans, further exemplified when he joins Krakoa and attempts a fresh start but even after being thrown into The Pit for trying to help and meeting some of the worst treated mutants on Krakoa, he still shows Undying Loyalty to Xavier and tries to stop the others from escaping.
- Jerkass: He was a really nice guy at the beginning, but after leaving the Young Masters the first time, he just got worse. So much that he almost got killed by the Mandarin for starting a fight with Iron Man, using powers in a place where they weren't allowed.
- Legacy Character: There was a Melter before him but he is dead and there's no actual relation between Chris and the original one.
- Near-Villain Victory: He actually defeated War Machine on his battle against him, however the plan was for him to kill Rhodey. Later we saw Rhodey somehow survived.
- Power Incontinence: He accidentally melts an old woman who mistakes him for a mugger. It's later revealed he did the same thing to his parents as a kid.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Patriot is a determined, strong leader while Melter is doubt-filled and insecure.
- Self-Made Orphan: Chris accidentally killed his parents with his powers.
- Start of Darkness: When he accidentally killed his parents.
- Token Good Teammate: He and Sylvie were the only truly altruistic members of the original group.
- What You Are in the Dark: Despite Xavier sentencing him to the Pit, Melter remained loyal to him and attempted to kill Sabertooth for plotting to escape, despite it probably being Melter's only chance to get out as well.
Executioner II
Daniel "Danny" DuBois / Executioner II
Daniel's first costume
:Click here to see Daniel's second costume
Nationality: American
Species: Human
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "No! Do you finally get that? I've shown my commitment. I've been made by losing a parent to crime. We're not your students! We're your Masters."
The son of the Circus of Crime's Princess Python, Danny DuBois' was inspired by the Punisher to become a vigilante known as the Executioner. He soon joined the Young Masters and later took over leadership of the team following Fear Itself.
- Alliterative Name: Daniel DuBois.
- Anti-Villain: He tried to be this at first. By the time of Vengeance, he became an outright villain.
- Badass Normal: Like the Punisher, he doesn't have any powers, just intense training and a lot of guns.
- Berserk Button: Being called a kid or a child.
- Dragon Ascendant: After the defeat of the original group at the hands of the Young Avengers and the departure of many original members of the group, Executioner became the new boss of the Young Masters. Under his leadership, the team became more ruthless but less intelligent and they all ended up being apprehended by Ms. America and the new Teen Brigade. Nowadays he's back at being another member under the lead of Constrictor.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Subverted. He thought he became a big threat after taking over the Young Masters but in reality, he kept losing embarrassingly against the new Teen Brigade and gets captured in the end.
- General Failure: He was this in Vengeance. He had the motivation and the drive but he just sucked as a leader and strategist.
- Jerkass: He trash talks a lot and once, he tried to use blackmail material to bully Kate Bishop into getting him a place on the team and to be his girlfriend.
- Legacy Character: No relation to the original Exeutioner. However, him being in the same team as the new Enchantress might have been an intentional nod.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Executioner and Kate attended school together, which caused friction when he recognized her.
- Seen It All: He thinks he has seen all the scenarios between heroes and villains played out and because of their uselessness, the old villains should die and be replaced by a new generation of villains.
- Self-Made Orphan: The Executioner later attempts to kill his mother by blowing up her car when he realizes that she was the supervillain Princess Python. She survives though, so this trope is subverted too.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Executioner has a big ego, thinking himself as the next Punisher first and later as a much better guy than the old villains who always fail at doing something. He never got anything done before losing the leadership of the Young Masters and turning into a pawn again.
- We Meet Again: A variation of the phrase is said by Executioner when he faces America Chavez again.
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
Lisa Molinari / Coat of Arms
Lisa's first costume
Nationality: American
Species: Human
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "The hero/villain paradigm worked as art. For a while. But art has to evolve."
Coat of Arms is the founder of the Young Masters and a misunderstood artist powered by the magical Coat of Tiboro.
- Avengers Assemble: She assembled the team as a performance art piece on superheroes.
- Bigger on the Inside: The pockets of Tiboro's Coat.
- Co-Dragons: She was one of the two dragons of Jeremy Briggs in Avengers Academy.
- Clothes Make the Superman: Lisa's powers come entirely from Tiboro's Coat.
- Dragon with an Agenda: She was this to Melter. She didn't care about being a Young Avengers or getting revenge against them. She just cared about her art project and meeting her hero, Norman Osborn.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: She clearly had feelings for Tommy and didn't want him involved in her project. She also shows deep concern over Melter when he finally falls from grace and turns evil.
- Evil Former Friend: She is friends with Tommy but they operate on opposite sides. Somewhat subverted since they were still friends the last time they saw each other.
- Fallen Hero: She always had more anti-hero tendencies than normal hero but after seeing Melter give up and turn into villainy, she lost all hope in heroism and went full bad.
- The Fatalist: She believed that, because of his powers, Melter was destined to become a villain. However, she also desperately desired for him to break those chains, defy that destiny and become a hero. He didn't.
- The Knights Who Say "Squee!": A very exact description of her reaction to meeting Norman Osborn.
- Mad Artist: She formed the team as an art project examining superheroes. She is fascinated by heroes and villains alike and fangirls over being threatened by the Green Goblin.
- Meta Girl: Befitting her Mad Artist persona, she loves to muse on the nature of heroes and villains in the context of the Dark Reign event.
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: Her coat gives her several swords and magical weapons and six arms to use them.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Speed's Super Speed enables him to match her in battle. Helps that they have a shared past.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Deliberately invoked by her when she assembled the team.
- Shout-Out: In-Universe example. She named herself after the painting by Nick Walker.
- Straw Nihilist: She formed the Young Masters under the belief that good and evil were one and the same and her project would show how those two concept clash to make a work of art. However, it's later revealed that she also, secretly, hoped that Melter, a kid who had all the makings of a villain, would bring them out of this gray area and show them how to be heroes in the end, he ultimately fails like in any good piece of art.
- Villainous Crush: She clearly had a crush on Speed and he apparently reciprocated those feelings. They never got together though.
- When She Smiles: Though Tommy and Lisa had met before, he never saw her smile until their two teams started fighting. She was, as she called it, "exulting at a unique art event."
The Enchantress II
Sylvie Lushton / The Enchantress II
Sylvie's first costume
Nationality: American
Species: Magically Enhanced Human
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "You really think five minutes out of boob armor gives you the right to question my fashion sense? Back off, skank!"
Sylvie Lushton was empowered by Loki and became the teenage sorceress known as the Enchantress who serves as a powerful member of the Young Masters.
- Co-Dragons: She was one of the two dragons of Jeremy Briggs in Avengers Academy.
- Costume Copycat: Sylvie's codename and general style are based off Amora the Enchantress.
- Dark Mistress: She was in a relationship with Melter and was very loyal to him. When she was chosen to be part of the Young Avengers team but Melter wasn't, she decided to leave with Melter. Is not the only thing that defines her but is important enough to have a lot of focus.
- Deceptive Disciple: Subverted, the Young Avengers thought she was going to be this because they found out the truth about her origin, but in reality, she really wanted to be a Young Avenger (although for the wrong reasons).
- Driven to Villainy: She one day woke up with the powers of the Enchantress that were given to her by Loki, who wanted to do mischief. She basically became a villain because Loki wanted to have fun. Later she tried to get away from that world but she keeps being dragged in by people who promises her a better life or things like fame.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Melter is her boyfriend. She decided to leave with him after the Young Avengers offered her a membership on their team.
- Incompatible Orientation: She tried to come on to Wiccan. It's not clear if this was to help infiltrate the team, actual affection, or was misunderstanding his friendliness for attraction; when he points out his sexuality to her, she doesn't seem to think it's a problem though.
- Legacy Character: She has no relation to Amora but she is somewhat related to Loki.
- Mean Character, Nice Actor: When acting like the Enchantress she can be quite rude and most of the time careless but when she is Sylvie, she is just a girl from Broxton who isn't very bright but wants to have someone who understands her and live a normal life.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Wiccan and Enchantress are both magic users.
- Vain Sorceress: This is one of the most important part of her character.
- Ye Olde Butchered English: Enchantress tries to do this as she wishes to pass as an Asgardian. However, she often misuses old English words or slips into modern English.
Egghead II
Egghead II
Species: Microverse Robot
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "No, I'm a super hero! I'm the new Vision! On alternate days. Otherwise: Villain! Ultron! Bzzt!"
Egghead is a synthezoid and a psychopathic robot who wants to understand humanity.
- Evil Counterpart: He is the evil counterpart of all the Visions. He is childish, erratic, manipulative and kinda stupid. Also, a merciless killing machine.
- Insane Equals Violent: It is always implied his violent tendencies are a result of his memory being manipulated by Big Zero, although he hasn't shown improvements after she left either so he might be just a psycho.
- Legacy Character: Absolutely no relation to the original Egghead. Lampshaded by Black Knight wondering why he chose that codename if he is somewhat stupid.
- Opportunistic Bastard: He leaves his teammates behind on Latveria to survive, it turns out that was exactly what his boss (the Zodiac) had planned and offered him to join him. He, of course, accepted.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: He became one after Big Zero reprograms him.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Vision and Egghead are both sentient androids.
- Psychopathic Manchild: He shows many childish tendencies from time to time.
- Robosexual: Egghead had a twisted relationship with Big Zero. She manipulated everything on him and turned him into a super villain, yet she always pleased him from time to time.
- Robotic Psychopath: The Vision wanted him to be shut down because 1) He's a robot and that's the best solution to stop him without having to kill him and 2) because he's a psychopath.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: He was supposed to join the Zodiac at the end of Vengeance, however he is with the Young Masters in Bagalia nowadays.
Big Zero
Amity Hunter / Big Zero
First Appearance: Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (July, 2009)
- "Didn't sign on to dig through garbage. I better get to kill at least one of 'em. Hopefully the Mexican."
A Neo-Nazi from a fascist world in the Microverse with the ability to alter her size.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: She doesn't even care about her teammates liking her. She just wants to hurt people.
- Moral Sociopathy: She has neo-Nazi ideologies but doesn't even care about them and many times goes to work with anyone who has power.
- Obviously Evil: If her tattoos doesn't give her away, her tendency to speak her mind in the worst ways possible will.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Big Zero is a neo-Nazi.
- Plot Tailored to the Party: Stature and Big Zero are both Size Shifters, enabling them to match up in a fight. Also, they're both kind of involved with the team robot.
- Robosexual: She was in a relationship with Egghead.
- Some of My Best Friends Are X: Big Zero uses this to convince Stature that she isn't really a Nazi. Stature doesn't believe her and Big Zero doesn't care.
Later Members
Mako
Mako
Nationality: Atlantean
Species: Atlantean
First Appearance: Vengeance #1 (July, 2011)
- "Does it involve murder...? I wanna murder something."
The first Atlantean test tube baby. His DNA is a mixture of cells from various water-breathing villains such as Attuma, Orka, Meranno and Tyrak.
- For the Evulz: He just likes to kill and eat people. Can't care less about motivation or anything.
- I'm a Humanitarian: He eats the people he kills.
- The Killer Becomes the Killed: He kills a lot of people and gets killed by Lady Bullseye in the end. However, his death somehow doesn't stick.
- Sadist: Again he likes to kill for fun.
- Super-Strength: He is a big and strong Atlantean.
- Unexplained Recovery: He was beheaded by Lady Bullseye, however nowadays he is with the Young Masters in Bagalia with his head in its place and not even a scar.
Black Knight V
Black Knight V
Species: Human
First Appearance: Vengeance #1 (July, 2011)
- "Good" versus "Evil"...tough to tell the difference, if you ask me. Not sure if your optimism takes into account what's really out there...things we never hear about."
Young female Black Knight and member of the Young Masters.
- The Cracker: She is supposedly an expert cracker that could hack into Avengers tower from an old Hydra base.
- Dragon with an Agenda: She shares the same ideas of Executioner but couldn't care less about him or anyone else on the team. She leaves the team after a while to take care of her things but nowadays she is back on the team under Constrictor's lead.
- Enigmatic Minion: Her objectives are never too clear. She shares Executioner's ideas but also helps Ultimate Nullifier. She leaves the Young Masters to take care of some mysterious issues and nowadays she is back with the team.
- The Faceless: She has never been seen without her helmet.
- Legacy Character: Her relation to the original Black Knight is completely unknown. She is probably just a fan but the question of where she got her Ebony Blade is left in the air.
- Straw Nihilist: Just like Lisa, she thinks good and evil are very much alike, in contrast to the first (evil) Black Knight and the second (good) Black Knight.
- Villainous Crush: She had a thing for Ultimate Nullifier.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: We never had any resolution to her story after Vengeance, she is back with the Young Masters again nowadays.
Radioactive Kid
Radioactive Kid
Kid's first costume
First Appearance: Vengeance #1 (July, 2011)
- "We're gonna make a big noise! We're gonna burn the world down!"
A kid that emits radioactive energy which makes his skin visibly glow. Requires a protective suit to prevent radiation poisoning/burning of those around him.
- Bad Powers, Bad People: Radiation powers are usually to kill people. Something this guy embraces fully.
- For the Evulz: He shares Executioner's beliefs to some extend but mostly he just wants to see the world burn.
- Hate Sink: The only reason he keeps talking about how he killed his parents or killing in general is to invoke this trope.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: Subverted. He almost had a breakdown after Ultimate Nullifier took his powers for a while.
- Legacy Character: No relation to the Radioactive Man. He doesn't even know him.
- Make Them Rot: One of his powers.
- Poisonous Person: His powers are basically this. He actually leaves a nice present in Ultimate Nullifier's face in the form of a melted skin.
- Self-Made Orphan: He killed his parents by turning them radioactive and all the nasty side effects did the rest.
- The Trope Kid: After the Radioactive Man.
- Unexplained Recovery: He is run over by a car and later Hellstrom says he has been effectively neutralized while holding him. He turned out to be alive and later was seen being part of Constrictor's Young Masters on Bagalia along with his old friends.
Excavator
Ricky Calusky / Excavator
Notable Aliases: Captain Shovel
Nationality: American
Species: Human mutate
First Appearance: Runaways Vol 2 #1 (April, 2005)
Ricky Calusky is Piledriver's son. He decided to follow in his father's footsteps and became a criminal joining forces with the likes of Baron Zemo. Empowered by a magic shovel similar to Wrecker's Crowbar.
- Patricide: At least according to Ulysses Cain, he intended to kill his father and obtain his powers. Given how Ulysses' powers work, he probably only only just thought about it long enough to be merely a likely outcome.
- Shovel Strike: Excavator's weapon of choice was a long shovel complete with a handle at the end.
Morg
Morg
Nationality: Latverian
Species: Human vampire
First Appearance: Infinity: The Hunt #2 (October, 2013)
Morg was a vampire who was often claiming falsely that he was Morbius's son, being a pathological liar. He was one the students at the Latverian School of Science, but had trouble to be integrated due to his mythomania.
Mudbug
Ledbetter / Mudbug
Nationality: American
Species: Mutant Human
First Appearance: Wolverine and the X-Men #20 (November, 2012)
Ill-tempered mutant from rural Alabama and former student at the Hellfire Academy.
Snot
Snot
Species: Mutant Human
First Appearance: Wolverine and the X-Men #31 (June, 2013)
A mutant, former student of the Hellfire Academy.
Death Locket
Rebecca "Becca" Ryker / Death Locket
Notable Aliases: Deathlok-ette, Deathlok, Ryker, Deathlok-Girl, Deathlok Version 2.0
Nationality: American
Species: Human Cyborg
First Appearance: Avengers Arena #1 (December, 2012)
Harlan Ryker's daughter who was gravely injured by a Deathlok sent back in time to stop him from inventing the technology. Desperate to save her life, he replaced her damaged body parts with cybernetic implants.
See Avengers Arena
Chase Stein
Victor Chase Stein
Notable Aliases: Gun Arm, Talkback, Pumpkin Eyes, Chasehawk, Darkhawk, Leeroy Jenkins, Neo
Nationality: American
Species: Human
First Appearance: Runaways #1 (April, 2003)
Chase Stein is the eldest member of The Runaways. He's the son of scientists Janet and Victor Stein; members of the Pride. He was Gert's boyfriend and when she died, he was given control of Old Lace.
Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder
Notable Aliases: A-Wild, Childish Gambino, Youngblood
Nationality: American
Species: Undead Human
First Appearance: Runaways #1 (April, 2003)
Alex was a founding member of The Runaways. He's the son of Geoffrey & Catherine Wilder who were also the leaders of the villain supergroup The Pride. He served as the Runaways' first unofficial leader.
