The Black King

Real Name: Sebastian Shaw

First Appearence: Uncanny X-Men #131

   Sebastian Shaw is currently the reigning Black King of the reformed Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. Using his ability to absorb kinetic energy and redirect it in the form of super strength as well as his ruthless business stratagies, he has become one of the X-Men's deadliest foes. His first dealings with the X-Men occured when he sent Warhawk to secretly bug the X-Men's mutant scanning device Cerebro. The process suceeded and the Hellfire Club gained access to the X-Men's greatest secrets. Their goal was to gain control over Jean Grey and her considerable power. Using a device constructed by Emma Frost, Mastermind was able to access Jean's thoughts. He made her believe she was a villian through and through. After seemingly defeating the X-Men, the Hellfire Club was defeated and Shaw managed to flee in the confusion.

   Always a close friend to influencial Senator Kelly, Shaw gained access and added to the creation of the mutant hunting Sentinels. With his ever present assistant Tessa, Shaw became a power to contend with. At various times he battled the X-Men, neither side ever gaining a clear victory. On one occasion, Nimrod attacked both the X-Men and the Hellfire Club nearly killing them all. With Shaw unconcious and the police on their way, Tessa began a truce that would eventually benefit both teams. In order to survive in a world with mutant hunters such as Nimrod and the Marauders, the two teams agreed to align themselves and even let Magneto become White King.

   Eventually it was not a threat from without that killed Shaw but rather his own son: Shinobi Shaw. After laying low for a while, Shaw emerged again as a major power with new partner, Holocaust. Their alliance was short lived and Shaw has gone on to reform the new Hellfire Club. In doing so he has met the resurected Madelyne Pryor and has become her consort. He's involved himself in the search for the cure to the Legacy Virus, knowing that whoever posseses the cure can control any infected mutant. Most recently, however, he's apparently joined forces with a mysterious Wraith in order to finally realize his dreams of world domination...

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