Apparently, part of Warlock's remains were sold to a right wing organisation that attempted to use genetic modification to create a new race of human-derived, techno-organic Sentinels. These Sentinals were to be programmed to which would assimilate or destroy mutants. The resultant entities, which for some reason called themselves the Phalanx rather than the Technarchy (But then the entire species changed it's name, so who knows), was a techno-organic, shapeshifting group mind, all channelled through the twisted mind of Steven Lang, a long time X-Men enemy.
The Phalanx discovered that (possibly as they were grown from modified parts of Warlock) they could absorb inanimate objects (Which Warlock couldn't, or at least never chose to) and normal human tissue but not mutants. However, they did
Again, with the form of Doug and the substance of Warlock, this being seemed to have partial memories of Doug as well as a link to the Phalanx mind. He resisted full assimilation into the Phalanx group mind, maintaining individuality and withholding information that might have improved their transmoding procedures. (This is the only reason I can imagine the Phalanx would have so much trouble assimilating mutants, when they have the perfect example of such a fusion already present). It has been suggested that he could resist the group mind because his personality template was closer to the original (ie Cyphers) than any other member of the Phalanx (this makes sense when one considers that he was transmoded by "pure" Warlock virus, rather than the Phalanx, which was composed of "corrupted" virus.
Despite his use as a cryptography program, the group mind planned to eliminate the "Ramsey" unit because of his insistence on independent thought, but before it had a chance to do so he was released from the Phalanx by the newly sentient android Zero. Now free, though still having to resist Phalanx thoughts from dominating, he named himself Douglock (To save confusion think of this one, I usually rerfer to him as Douglock 2).
As his form rapidly evolved into a more and more refined physical appearance, Douglock 2 mimicked not only Dougs facial features and build, but also copied a New Mutants uniform. He has since adopted a variation of this as his standard appearance, presumably as an assertion of his hard-won individuality.
In the course of escaping from Stryfe's hunter robots, which were programmed to seek and destroy Zero, they both met Excalibur. Kitty Pryde recognised Douglock 2 immediately, but Douglock 2 insisted that though he had some of Doug's memories, he was a new, independent life form. Kitty was extremely reluctant to accept this but eventually did, as did the rest of the team, who accpeted Douglock into their ranks.
He proved invaluable in the subsequent Phalanx invasion, his memories of the concept of self-sacrifice from Doug pointed him towards the method whereby he could disrupt the Babel spire designed to summon the main body of the Phalanx from space.
Douglock survived the subsequent fragmentation of the Phalanx, because he was no longer a part of the group mind per se, and because he had found something external to care about in the shape of his friends in Excalibur.
Douglock does have some of Doug's memories, but they are like someone else's holiday snaps, of interest for the picture, but without the complete emotional links to them that the original owner has.
Described as "The ghost of a dead boy, cast in wires" Douglock stayed with the team, seeking a fusion of his human and Phalanx natures, a feat he eventually achieved, resulting in a stable personality which differs from Doug's in many ways. Douglock has his own likes, opinions and attitudes and is starting to resent comparisons with his organic progenitor.
It is unknown if he possesses Cypher's translation skills, though as his genetic coding is Doug's and Doug's powers were the result of genetic mutation, it seems likely that he should. The Phalanx using him as a cryptography program also suggests that this is the case.
Recently a story focusing on Douglock changed several premises (eg the writers changed and the hell with continuity). After two years of acceptance, Kitty suddenly decides that Douglock MUST be Doug (Again "Why?" Who knows?) and this becomes an overwhelming obsession. Nightcrawler sends her to check it out, as Douglock is "an unknown quantity and therefore dangerous" (After two years worth of loyal service, and the team risking their lives to save him from the Hellfire Club, that seems a bit rich!).
Kitty phased through Doug's grave, expecting to find it empty (Believing that it would be proof that Douglock 2 was Doug), and found the original Doug's skeletal remains still there (In glorious full-page technicolour.... Bleuch! It certainly hammered the point home though) (Ex 104). She also sneaked into the Ramsey home, to discover that his parents have got on with their lives, and though they have pictures of him all over, his bedroom has been converted into a den.
The upshot of this is the suggestion that Douglock's appearance (and memories, and emotional base) are somehow NOT Doug's and so his reason for resembling him is less than clear. Kitty accepts this and returns to the team with him, overlooking the fact that as all the information they believed they had on him might be wrong, he now genuinely is an unknown quantity.
A resurrection by the "real" Doug seems incredibly unlikely at this stage, even by X-Men standards.
Appropriately, Doug Ramsey's entry in the Xavier School Yearbook lists him, in memorium, as "The student most likely to leave us too soon".
Alternates In true X-Men fashion, numerous versions of Cypher have appeared in titles since he died! Most were based on the assumption that he would be resurrected thanks to his infection by the transmode virus.
