Once known as Angel , not to be confused with the Golden Age Angel
Briefly known as Death, not to be confused with the current Death
Real Name-- Warren Kenneth Worthington III
Class-- mutant
Occupation-- adventurer , heir to fortune , former chairman and stockholder at Worthington Industries
Affiliations-- X-men , former member of the Champions , former member of the Defenders , founder of the defunct X-factor , member of the Hellfire Club
Base of Operations-- nationwide , resides either in New York or Colorado
Powers: Worthington's mutant nature grants him two natural, feathered wings jutting from his shoulders, by which he can fly at moderate speeds. Worthington has become amazingly adept at flying and aerial maneuvers. The duration of the time Worthington can stay airborne is difficult to discern, and would depend on headwinds and other weather conditions, but he has been known to hover in place for hours as well as fly non-stop for 12 hours. Worthington's average cruising altitude is 10,000 feet, but has been known to ascend to 29,000 under duress.
Worthington's whole physiology (bones, musculature, fat cells, etc.) is adapted for flight and is extremely light. The result is that he suffers much less physical damage when he drops for a great distance, can see and breath normally even at high altitudes, and has eyesight as keen as many predatory birds.
During a period of time when Worthington lost his wings, he had similar wings grafted onto him by the extremely powerful mutant Apocalypse, a process that tinted his skin blue. These cybernetic wings were constructed out of an organic-type metal and capable of retracting into a harness that was grafted onto Worthington's back. The wings allowed Worthington to rocket at incredible speeds, as well as project a barrage of deadly "fletchette" feathers that carried a neural toxin, disrupting a victim's nervous system. These wings contained programming by Apocalypse and would lead Worthington to lash out in berserker rages, and they would even attack independently of his control.
During a period of time when he possessed psionic abilities, Worthington's wings and hair seemed to glow with light. He claimed to be an embodiment of hope, and used his abilities to heal others. The full range and extent of these abilities remains unclear.
History:Heir to the Worthington fortune, Warren Jr. learned to hide his mutation early. However, a fire at his private school dormitory led him to use his flying power to rescue his fellow students. To conceal his identity, Worthington wore a long, blond wig and a long nightshirt so he looked like an angel. The rescue was successful, and Worthington became a costumed adventurer in New York City under the name of the Avenging Angel.
Shortly thereafter, Worthington was contacted by Professor X to join his new School for Gifted Youngsters and thus form his original X-men. As the Angel, he served the X-men for some time, until being captured by the island monster Krakoa and being rescued by a new team of X-men. Worthington left the team, as did the rest of the original members, and after his parents' deaths, inherited their vast wealth, living the life of a wealthy heir/playboy.
Later, Worthington used his fortune to help form the super team, the Champions, at which point he publically revealed his identity. The team never lasted beyond a few missions, and Worthington moved back to Colorado. Around this time, he developed a serious relationship with Candy Southern, and together, they helped make the loosely-defined superteam called theDefenders a more cohesive group. Soon, however, Worthington left to join the rest of the original X-men and his childhood friend Cameron Hodge in forming a new team, called X-factor.
During one mission, however, when saving the underground Morlocks from a "mutant massacre," Worthington's wings were pinned to the wall by the villain Harpoon. His wings were severly injured to the point that amputaion was necessary for him to live. Distraught by this experience, Worthington attempted suicide, and was believed dead, although he was rescued by Apocalyspe. Worthington agreed to serve Apocalypse for return of his wings, and Apcalypse warped him, body and mind, into his own "Angel of Death," calling him "Death" and placing him a part of his team of Horsemen. When fighting the rest of X-factor, Worthington was soon brought out of his brainwashing and rejoined his team as the somber and brooding "Archangel."
At this point, Worthington was often the target of attack by his friend-turned-traitor, Cameron Hodge. Hodge eventually killed Candy Southern, and Worthington apparently killed Hodge in retailiation. Continually fighting an inward battle to fight his killer instincts, Worthington eventually won over Apocalypse's influence.
About the same time, the original X-factor became a part of the X-men fold again, and Worthington often adventured with the X-men's "Gold Team." Soon, he became romantically involved with fellow X-man Psylocke. When fighting the mutant Sabretooth, both he and Psylocke were gravely injured. Worthington helped his friend Wolverine search for a cure for Psylocke, and eventually revived her with help from the Crimson Dawn, at the same time regaining his original, feathered wings when his cybernetic ones "molted" away. Soon, he was left with two wings akin to his original feathered ones, although he retained his blue features. Worthington left the X-men with Psylocke to recouperate.
Worthington joined a splinter X-Men group to assist the Mannites in their battle with the latest bearer of the name Death. When Worthington returned home, he was attacked by an alien doppelganger of the X-Man Wolverine. This prompted him and Psylocke to rejoin the X-Men, and they became involved in stopping the latest plan of the villain Apocalypse to gain ultimate power. During a fight with the brainwashed Wolverine, Angel became more and more ruthless, until he was overcome by a transformation that left him with glowing wings and hair as well as psionic abilities. He used these abilities to track down the first Horseman known as War, who had somehow once again become a paraplegic, and healed him. Worthington explained that he had become the embodiment of hope, and then he used his newfound psionic powers to heal War.
Worthington then divided his time between running his fortune, Worthington Industries, and working with the X-Men. Over time, his new abilities disappeared and his relationship with Psylocke drifted apart.
Eventually, Worthington returned to the X-Men full-time. He helped the X-Men defeat the threats of the X-Corps and the Vanisher's mutant drug cartel. Worthington has become the leader of the X-Men's active away team, and even took the opportunity to address a European summit about mutant rights. This move and the cause that he promoted have helped turn the X-Men from an outlaw band of heroes to a recognized global rights group.
