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Agent Zero (Christoph Nord) is a mutant comic book character in the fictional Marvel Universe. His original mutant power was only kinetic energy absorption. Zero's first appearance (as Maverick) was in X-Men #5. Christoph Nord was born in Germany. He joined a black ops unit named Cell Six, and on a mission in Italy, was injured. There he met a nurse that he fell in love with, and married. She was later revealed to be a Russian spy , as one by one, Cell Six's missions failed and all of their agents, save Nord, were killed. In a fit of rage, Nord killed his wife, and as she would reveal with her dying breath, their unborn child as well.
Nord fueled by the betrayal, became one of the most efficient covert operatives in Germany. His exploits caught the attention of the CIA, who asked him to join the cladestine Weapon X project. He agreed, and at this time, changed his name to David North. North's team, referred to as Team X, consisted of himself, Logan (who later became Wolverine,) Victor Creed (who later became Sabretooth,) and John Wraith. During this time with Weapon X, North was experimented on and given a healing factor. During or slightly after this period, North unexplanably lost his kinetic absorption powers. Weapon X eventually disbanded, and all its members went their own way. North picked up the trade name Maverick, and stayed in the world of convert operations.
Maverick then contracted the Legacy Virus, a disease akin to AIDS, that only affected mutants. This development brought the return of his powers, but at random. At first, tried to convince Wolverine to kill him, but Wolverine would not, and Maverick decided to make the best of it. He befriended a young man who also had the disease, and helped him and his family run from a bigot group. North then treked Europe, where a telepathic mutant found him, demanding he help her find Sabretooth, who had killed her parents. They worked together for a time, though he tried to coax her out of her vendetta. Then Legacy Virus took hold, killing North. The girl used her powers to resucitate North, bringing him back from the dead. To his surprise, the Virus went into remission and his powers were back steadily, now stronger than ever. He could release the energy stored in his body as beams of concussive force or use the energy to increase the strength of his physical attacks tenfold. He then reluctantly used his restored powers to help the girl in an assault against Sabretooth, in which she was injured.
The Weapon X project was soon rebuilt, and having brought Sabretooth and Wraith back into the fold, they were sent to recruit Maverick. Maverick refused to join and in a battle with Sabretooth, he was thrown of a 20 story building onto a car on the street below.
Near death, Weapon X again offered him the chance to join, as they could still save him. This time he agreed. They further upgraded him. He now has no scent, wears a vibranium suit that absorbs sound, possesses an enhanced healing factor, and a corrosive was added to his concussive blasts that renders a foes' healing factor useless. For all the world knew, Maverick was dead. He became Agent Zero, the agencies most potent weapon, used on their most dangerous missions. During a mission, he encountered and killed a new Maverick, who turned out to be the same boy he'd befriended years earlier. Weapon X soon disappeared without explanation. Agent Zero is currently waging a one man war against the Gene Nation terrorist organization.
Television and film
Maverick appeared in one episode of the '90s X-Men cartoon; Weapon X, Lies and Videotape. The character Morph briefly turned into Maverick to taunt Wolverine in Whatever It Takes.
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