The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

First appearance (original team): X-MEN (first series) #5

The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is a group of superhuman mutants dedicated to the cause of mutant superiority over humans. In all of its forms, its agenda has gravitated towards either subjugating the human race to the will of mutants, or eradicating humans all together.

The first version of the Brotherhood appeared shortly after the X-Men were made known to the public. Led by Magneto, the Brotherhood, including the Toad, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, the Blob, and Mastermind, initiated an attack upon humans, which was thwarted by the X-Men. After the encounter with the X-Men, Quicksilver and his sister, the Scarlet Witch, revolted at the thought of being terrorists, left the Brotherhood and soon joined the newest version of the Avengers led by Captain America after the founding members had taken an extended leave.

Magneto reformed the Brotherhood soon afterwards with the mutants the Toad, the Blob, Mastermind, Unus the Untouchable, and Lorelei. Magneto attempted to create his own mutant with unlimited power named Mutant Alpha. In an encounter with the loose-knit super team the Defenders, the already unstable Mutant Alpha unleashed his powers, reducing the Brotherhood to a state of infancy. Magneto was restored to adulthood by the Shi'ar Operative Eric the Red, but it is unrevealed how the other members of the Brotherhood regained adulthood.

The Brotherhood was then resurrected by the mutant Mystique and regained the service of some of the Brotherhood's former members. The new team of the Brotherhood included the Blob, Pyro, Destiny, Avalanche, and Mystique's foster daughter Rogue. This new team had battled both the X-Men and the Avengers on separate occasions, and Rogue soon encountered the Avenger known as Ms. Marvel, and permanently absorbed her psyche and powers. Rogue soon left the Brotherhood and became a member of the X-Men, where she remains today.

Soon afterward, Mystique's Brotherhood gained the trust and support of the United States Government. With the addition of the vigilantes Crimson Commando, Silver Sabre, and Stonewall, who were retrieved from a forest in New York State where the latter three were hunting down drug dealers, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants became Freedom Force. Teaming up with the being known as Spiral, Freedom Force attacked the X-Men, who were branded as outlaws by the American government, in Dallas. Freedom Force remained as government operatives after the X-Men's apparent demise at the hands of the Adversary in Dallas.

Freedom Force continued missions for the government, including rescuing the thirteen mutant children that were taken by the demon N'astirh in an attempt to keep a portal between Earth and Limbo open. When the members of the New Mutants, Rusty and Skids, investigated, they were captured and detained by Freedom Force. Rusty and Skids were eventually rescued but then brainwashed by the madman Stryfe and his Mutant Liberation Front. Discovering the X-Men were alive, Freedom Force traveled to Muir Island in an attempt to retrieve the outlaws. Freedom Force battled the mutant Legion, who was under the control of the Shadow King, and Destiny and Stonewall were killed in the ensuing battle. Mystique, now possessed by the Shadow King, and Spiral, working for Mojo, soon left the team.

The remaining members of Freedom Force (the Blob, Crimson Commando, Silver Sabre, Pyro, and Avalanche) were sent on a mission to retrieve a nuclear physicist named Harvey Kurtzman, who was being held captive in Kuwait during the Gulf War. The mission went unsuccessfully, Pyro killed Kurtzman, and the super team Desert Sword killed Silver Sabre and Crimson Commando. Avalanche escaped with American soldiers, leaving Blob and Pyro as prisoners of the Iraqi army (Blob and Pyro eventually escaped or were released by unknown means).

The Toad, who allied with the Morlock Masque and the mutants Blob, Pyro, Thornn, Sauron, and Phantazia, eventually reformed the Brotherhood. The new Brotherhood's mission was to kill Cable, leader of X-Force and retrieve the mutant Feral, who had escaped from the Morlocks. The Brotherhood battled X-Force, and was defeated, resulting in the death of Masque and the apparent death of Sauron (who later reappeared). The Brotherhood disbanded soon afterward. Phantazia's whereabouts are unknown, the Toad was last seen living in a mansion abandoned by Emma Frost, Pyro is currently suffering from the Legacy Virus, and Sauron returned to the Savage Land.

The Blob received an increase in his powers from the entity known as Onslaught, and recently encountered the members of X-Force known as Meltdown, Domino, and Siryn. The Blob was soon recruited in the New Brotherhood (which dropped the "of Evil Mutants" label) by Havok. Havok, deciding that Xavier's dream was futile, reformed the Brotherhood as a proactive mutant team against humanity. The most recent Brotherhood included Havok, McCoy ( Black Beast), Fatale, and the Blob. The team recently encountered Nate Grey, and offered him membership after Nate assisted the Brotherhood in rescuing the mutant Aurora from anti-mutant zealots. The New Brotherhood was disbanded when Havok attempted to stop the Black Beast's plans and he returned to his life with X-Factor.