Publisher Marvel Comics Inherent abilities Varies | First appearance X-Force #10 (May 1992) | |
Created by Rob Liefeld
Fabian Nicieza
Mark Pacella Notable members Absalom
Burke
Candra
Crule
Gideon
Nicodemus
Saul
Selene
Apocalypse
Cannonball | ||
The Externals are a group of fictional characters. Considered a rare subspecies of mutants, most of them were X-Men antagonists. The original, unused name for the group was to be The Prophet$, as seen on the back of the Sunspot & Gideon trading card included with X-Force #1.
Contents
Background
All of the Externals were originally portrayed as immortal and important, playing an extremely major role in the future and Apocalypse's rise to power (as expressed by Cable), but eventually most were killed off. Only Selene, a previously established character, was spared from the purge. Saul, Absalom, Gideon, Nicodemus, Burke, and Crule (to a lesser extent) formed the self-fashioned "High Lords", bent on playing power games and manipulating events behind the scenes. Crule was employed as an enforcer and assassin for the other High Lords, while Candra and Selene preferred to play their own schemes separately and didn't take any part on the High Lords gatherings.
At one point, X-Men regular and former New Mutant Cannonball was declared an External by Cable, although Selene denies this, suggesting it was just a ploy by Cable. More recently however, Cannonball was shot three times through the chest by Reverend Stryker's Purifiers, and was back up and around in a matter of hours. When asked about it, Hank McCoy mentioned Cannonball’s status as an immortal again, though it’s not sure if he was joking or not. Apocalypse has also been referred to as an External on several occasions; his longevity is believed by Selene to be mostly due to technological means, although Apocalypse was already many centuries old before his first encounter with the technology he would later integrate himself with. To note, Selene herself needs to maintain her supply of life force that she drains from human victims.
Each External was claimed to represent an intangible concept:
Only Candra, Selene, Apocalypse and Cannonball are currently alive, although the status of Apocalypse and Cannonball as Externals continues to be unclear.
Askani
In (Earth-4935), the Externals were all killed by Apocalypse who ascended to power and gained control of the entire planet up till the 39th century.
Age of Apocalypse
In the alternate reality created when the time traveling Legion killed his own father, it's unknown what happened with the Externals as only a few had made their presence known as soldiers of Apocalypse. Candra, Selene and Gideon were recruited as the first wave of Horsemen of Apocalypse, Cannonball was a member of Sinister's Elite Mutant Force and his status as an External may never been discovered, and there is some speculation that Crule was the mutant known in this reality as Wolverine. Absalom, Burke, Nicodemus and Saul did not make an appearance nor were mentioned, so it is possible that they were killed at some point during Apocalypse's ascension.