Master Mold is a

supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...

appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

most commonly appearing as an enemy of the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...

and the leader of the

Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring granit ...

mutant-hunting robots.

Publication history

Master Mold first appeared in ''The X-Men'' #15–16 (Dec. 1965–Jan. 1966), and was created by

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

and

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (; born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comics artist, comic book artist, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew ...

. The character subsequently appears in ''The Incredible Hulk'' Annual #7 (1978); ''X-Factor'' #13–14 (Feb.–March 1987); ''Power Pack'' #36 (April 1988); ''Marvel Comics Presents'' #18–24 (May–July 1989); ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #246–247 (July–Aug. 1989); ''The Sensational She-Hulk'' #30 (Aug. 1991); and ''Cyclops: Retribution'' #1 (Jan. 1994). Master Mold received an entry in '' The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89'' #5.

Fictional character biography

Original version

The original version of Master Mold was created by Dr. Bolivar Trask during the original run of ''X-Men'' comics. Fearing superhuman mutants such as the X-Men, Trask makes a super-computer in the shape of a giant robot that will control and facilitate the construction of the Sentinels (mechanical warriors programmed to hunt and capture superhuman mutants). Secretly, the original version was also programmed by the time-traveling Madame Sanctity of the Askani Sisterhood with the mission to find and destroy The Twelve, a group of mutants that are linked to

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre originating in Judaism in the centuries following the Babylonian exile (597–587 BCE) but persisting in Christianity and Islam. In apocalypse, a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a ...

's rise. Master Mold had Trask captured, and decided to take over humanity in order to keep it safe. The original Master Mold prototype was eventually destroyed when Trask sacrifices himself by causing an explosion to prevent the Sentinels taking over humanity (but several other versions are later built by other bigots who want to manufacture Sentinels).

Second version

Another version of Master Mold had Steven Lang's brainwaves. After Project Armageddon, Lang tries to activate Master Mold which merged the former's mind with it instead. The computer suffered great damage by the

Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...

who was with

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

and Iceman in Master Mold's meteor space base and was seemingly destroyed when the base exploded, after the trio manages to escape. However, Master Mold survived and creates the Retribution Virus to wipe out mutant-kind. It blames

Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...

entirely for its "death" as Lang. He hypnotizes and utilized Moira MacTaggart to unleash the virus, infecting Cyclops,

Callisto CALLISTO (''Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss-back Operations'') is a reusable VTVL Prototype, demonstrator propelled by a small 40 kN Japanese LOX-LH2 rocket engine. It is being developed jointly by the CNES, French ...

, and

Banshee A banshee ( ; Irish language, Modern Irish , from , "woman of the Tumulus#Ireland, fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or kee ...

before MacTaggart breaks free of his grasp. While she attempts to cure the virus, Cyclops and Callisto team with Conscience (another artificial construct developed from Lang's brain engrams) to stop Master Mold and save mutant-kind as well as all humanity, which had become threatened by the virus. Cyclops was weakened from the disease's effects but nearly single-handedly destroys Master Mold before finally succumbing to the illness and falling unconscious. As Master Mold prepares to kill Cyclops and finish unleashing the virus, he is suddenly attacked by the cured Banshee who uses his sonic scream to "finish the job that Cyclops started" and destroys Master Mold. The virus is then cured before it has a chance to spread. The remains of Master Mold later merge with the advanced Sentinel

Nimrod Nimrod is a Hebrew Bible, biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Books of Chronicles, the Books of Chronicles. The son of Cush (Bible), Cush and therefore the great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod was described as a king in the land of Sh ...

from the future thanks to the Siege Perilous to form the humanoid cyborg

Bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...

which acts like an almost-human version of Master Mold.

Third version

A Master Mold-esque factory is built in secret in the jungles of

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

. This particular version builds the Wild Sentinels which are capable of assimilating non-organic materials to assume different shapes, such as an insectoid, as well as a breed of Nano-Sentinels. The Wild Sentinels are taken over by Cassandra Nova to destroy

Genosha Genosha ( ) is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in the Marvel Universe and a prominent location in the X-Men comics. The fictional nation served as an allegory fo ...

and in her subsequent plan to destroy the X-Men. Following their defeat by Rogue's X-Men team, the Children of the Vault escaped and regrouped in this Ecuadorian location.

Other versions

In '' X-Men: Second Coming'',

X-Force X-Force is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #100 (April 1991 ...

travels to the Days of Future Past timeline where there are two Master Molds, one producing Nimrods and another one protecting the first Master Mold. Mendel Stromm was approached by a mysterious benefactor involving a Master Mold that specializes in the creation of Tri-Sentinels.

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...

was able to take remote control of the Tri-Sentinels and send them back to Master Mold to destroy it.

Mother Mold

A new version called Mother Mold is seen in "

House of X and Powers of X ''House of X'' and ''Powers of X'' (abbreviated as ''HOX'' and ''POX'') are two 2019 comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics featuring the X-Men by writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Pepe Larraz, R. B. Silva, and Marte Gracia. Both bo ...

Orchis ''Orchis'' is a genus in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), occurring mainly in Europe and Maghreb, Northwest Africa, and ranging as far as Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. The name is from the Ancient Greek ὄρχις ''orchis'', meaning "testicl ...

creates a variant designed to create other Master Molds. It is later revealed that Mother Mold will be the Sentinel generation that lead directly to the creation of Nimrod.

Capabilities

Dr. Bolivar Trask equipped Master Mold with powerful weaponry and the ability to speak; Master Mold was also mobile so that it could defend itself from mutant attackers or so that it can be relocated easily if Trask had to find a new headquarters. The Steven Lang Master Molds were also capable of self-repair.

Other versions

Infinity Warps

Master Mole, a fusion of Master Mold and

Mole Man The Mole Man (Harvey Rupert Elder) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is depicted as a recurring foe of the Fantastic Four and was the first villain they ever faced. His schemes usually consist of ...

created by the Infinity Gems, appears in '' Infinity Wars: Infinity Warps'' #1.

Ultimate Marvel

Two characters based on Master Mold appear in the

Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe, later known as the ...

universe (Earth-1610): * The first equivalent is an alternate timeline variant of

Wolverine The wolverine ( , ; ''Gulo gulo''), also called the carcajou or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species, member of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscular carnivore and a solitary animal. The w ...

who was used as a template to create an army of Sentinels before being mercy-killed by the present-day Wolverine and Rogue. * The second equivalent is a giant Sentinel which houses William Stryker Jr.'s consciousness.

Weapon X: Days of Future Now

In the alternate reality of ''

Weapon X Weapon X is a fictional government genetic research facility project appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They were conducted by Department K, which turned willing and unwilling beings into living weapons to carry out c ...

: Days of Future Now'', one of Madison Jeffries's Boxbots, dubbed "Bot", becomes the new Master Mold and traps Jeffries within its body to harness his powers.

What If?

In '' What If? Age of Ultron'' series set in an alternative future, Wolverine, the Hulk, Peter Parker and a Ghost Rider travel to the

Savage Land The Savage Land is a fictional prehistoric land that features in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a tropical preserve, hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs in '' Uncanny X-Men'' as well as other relate ...

to confront Ezekiel Stane using Master Mold to reproduce Iron Man armors. Stane uses an unnamed girl, described as an orphan, the sole remaining Trask descendant, and referred to only as 'Ms. Trask', to operate Master Mold that had apparently been left behind in the Savage Land. Seeking to unleash a wave of the armors upon the world, Stane is stopped, and Master Mold ultimately destroyed.

X-Factor Forever

In ''

X-Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

Forever Master Mold'', Master Mold is bonded to Cameron Hodge by Apocalypse to form Master Meld.''X-Factor Forever Master Mold''

In other media

Television

* Master Mold appears in '' X-Men: The Animated Series'', voiced by David Fox in the first season and Nigel Bennett in the fourth season. This version was created by Bolivar Trask and Henry Gyrich. He usurps the two and kidnaps various world leaders in an attempt to replace their brains with computers and bring them under his control, only to be foiled by

Professor X Professor X (Prof. Charles Francis Xavier) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 ( ...

and

Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...

and destroyed by Morph. In possible dystopian futures, Mold takes over Earth, places mutants in concentration camps, and has

as an extension/enforcer. ** Several variants of Master Mold appear in ''

X-Men '97 ''X-Men '97'' is an American animated television series created by Beau DeMayo for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. It is a revival of '' X-Men: The Animated Series'' (1992–1997) produced b ...

'', voiced by

Eric Bauza Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian voice actor based in the United States. He is mostly known for voicing several ''Looney Tunes'' characters, for which he won three Emmy Awards for his performances in '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'' (20 ...

. A lobotomized version was constructed in the

Sahara The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...

until it's destroyed by the X-Men. A version resembling a Wild Sentinel was utilized by

for Genosha's destruction. * Master Mold appears in '' Wolverine and the X-Men'', voiced by Gwendoline Yeo. This version was developed for the Mutant Response Division and resembles

Danger Danger is a lack of safety and may refer Places * Danger Cave, an archaeological site in Utah * Danger Island, Great Chagos Bank, Indian Ocean * Danger Island, alternate name of Pukapuka Atoll in the Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean * Danger Island ...

. In a dystopian future that is later erased from existence, Mold takes over the world and captures mutants in detention facilities with a cyborg warden as an enforcer.

Video games

* Master Mold appears in a boss in ''

Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge ''Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge'' is a video game released for the Super NES in 1992 by LJN. It was released for the Genesis and Game Gear (under the Flying Edge brand) as well as the Game Boy. The game features Marvel Comics char ...

''. * Master Mold appears as a background character in '' X-Men: Children of the Atom''. * Master Mold appears in '' X-Men 2: Clone Wars''. * Master Mold appears in '' X-Men Legends''. This version is a giant Sentinel piloted by anti-mutant extremist William Kincaid. * Master Mold appears in '' X-Men: The Official Game''. This version was created by

William Stryker Reverend William Stryker is a fictional character in Marvel Comics, known for his recurring role as an adversary of the X-Men. A former sergeant and a devout Christian minister, Stryker harbors an intense hatred for mutants, often leading campai ...

and HYDRA. * Master Mold appears as the final boss of ''The Uncanny X-Men - Days of Future Past''. * Master Mold appears as a boss in '' Marvel: Future Fight''. * Master Mold appears in '' Marvel Snap''.

Miscellaneous

Master Mold appears in '' Wolverine: The Lost Trail''.

References

External links

* {{Jack Kirby Comics characters introduced in 1965 Fictional artificial intelligences Fictional dictators Fictional private military members Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics robots Marvel Comics supervillains Robot supervillains X-Men supporting characters