Theatre of Pain (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Theatre of Pain is a fictional organization created by Marvel Comics
for their Marvel 2099
line-up. The group is analogous to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or the Hellfire Club
in that it was one of the main antagonistic organizations against the X-Men 2099
. They were a very well known and feared group that had many resources at their disposal. It was mentioned that the Theatre had more resources than some nations did at the time.
who claimed to be centuries old. The group consisted of a few sadomasochistic individuals who would record the physical and telepathic
torture
of prisoners and then resell it to clientele who had similar fetish
es. In the course of the groups history—before the storyline begins in X-Men 2099 #1- Controller 13 finds and captures a young woman named La Lunatica
—a mutant with the ability to trigger painful memories in others—and forces her into his employ so that he can record the traumatic events and resell them to the Theater's clientele.
Following the formation of the X-Men by Cerebra
, Brimstone Love notices a spike in mutant activity and has Controller 13 send La Lunatica (later known as Luna for short) out to investigate. She captures Bloodhawk
for Controller 13 and he is so delighted by the exquisite images of pain from the man's mind that he sends Luna out to get more mutants. She comes upon Skullfire
, Krystalin
and Meanstreak
and captures the trio to bring back to the Theatre. When Luna attempts to access Skullfire's memories of when he accidentally killed his girlfriend, he releases a huge burst of energy, freeing him and his friends—as well as Luna—from their bonds.
Luna escapes from Brimstone Love and allies herself with the X-Men. However, Brimstone Love does not want to allow his best agent to go free, so he pursues her. However, instead of capturing Luna, Brimstone Love sets his eye on Xi'an
because of his newly rediscovered evil nature. He later offers Xi'an a position in the Theater of Pain, and shockingly, Xi'an accepts.
But before one can join the Theatre of Pain they must go through an initiation
first. For Xi'an it is to face three people from his past, which he passes by the Theatre's standards. Then he is buried alive. While inside of the coffin
, he refuses help from the good side of his persona, effectively entering him into the ranks of the Theater.
Xi'an's friends in the X-Men, along with Junkpile and his S.H.I.E.L.D.
agents, infiltrate the Theater and attempt to free him from Brimstone Love's clutches. Everyone is re-captured but Luna breaks free and liberates the other X-Men. They begin to attack Brimstone Love and, unexpectedly, so does Xi'an who wants control of the Theater all to himself. In a weakened state, Brimstone Love teleports away and he and the Theatre are never heard from again before the series closes at issue #35.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
for their Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099 is a Marvel Comics imprint, started in 1992, that explores one possible future of the Marvel Universe. It was originally announced by Stan Lee in his "Stan's Soapbox" column as a single series entitled The Marvel World of Tomorrow, which was being developed by Lee and John Byrne...
line-up. The group is analogous to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or the Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club (comics)
The Hellfire Club is a fictional society within the Marvel Comics Universe that often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men...
in that it was one of the main antagonistic organizations against the X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099 was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1993 to 1996 that chronicled the adventures of an X-Men team in the year 2099. It extends the Marvel 2099 imprint, which features other future versions of popular Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man 2099 and Hulk 2099...
. They were a very well known and feared group that had many resources at their disposal. It was mentioned that the Theatre had more resources than some nations did at the time.
Fictional history
The founder of the organization was a diabolical (and demonic appearing) mutant named Brimstone LoveBrimstone Love
Brimstone Love is a fictional character appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, under their Marvel 2099 imprint. He is a mutant supervillain who repeatedly appeared as an antagonist for the X-Men of 2099.-Fictional character biography:...
who claimed to be centuries old. The group consisted of a few sadomasochistic individuals who would record the physical and telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
of prisoners and then resell it to clientele who had similar fetish
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
es. In the course of the groups history—before the storyline begins in X-Men 2099 #1- Controller 13 finds and captures a young woman named La Lunatica
La Lunatica
La Lunatica is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics comic book X-Men 2099. During the majority of the series, she is a member of the future version of X-Men led by Xi'an Chi Xan. La Lunatica is a Mexican mutant who was born with the ability to feed on the dark emotions of her opponents,...
—a mutant with the ability to trigger painful memories in others—and forces her into his employ so that he can record the traumatic events and resell them to the Theater's clientele.
Following the formation of the X-Men by Cerebra
Cerebra
Cerebra is a mutant comic book character in the fictional Marvel Universe. She is a founding member of the X-Men 2099 of 2099 and founder of X-Nation 2099...
, Brimstone Love notices a spike in mutant activity and has Controller 13 send La Lunatica (later known as Luna for short) out to investigate. She captures Bloodhawk
Bloodhawk
Bloodhawk is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics, who was featured in X-Men 2099, one of the tites of Marvel's Marvel 2099 imprint. He sees himself as the lone protector of the desert he resides in, attacking all those he perceives as threats.-Fictional character biography:Lemuel had been...
for Controller 13 and he is so delighted by the exquisite images of pain from the man's mind that he sends Luna out to get more mutants. She comes upon Skullfire
Skullfire
Skullfire is a fictional character in Marvel Comics's 2099 universe, a look at superheroes in the year 2099. He was one of the founding members of a future incarnation of the X-Men called X-Men 2099.-Fictional character biography:...
, Krystalin
Krystalin
Krystalin is a fictional character in Marvel Comics's 2099 universe, a look at superheroes in the year 2099. She was one of the founding members of a future incarnation of the X-Men called X-Men 2099.-Fictional character biography:...
and Meanstreak
Meanstreak (comics)
Meanstreak is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics for their futuristic comic book line Marvel 2099 in X-Men 2099. His creators were John Francis Moore and Ron Lim.-Fictional character biography:...
and captures the trio to bring back to the Theatre. When Luna attempts to access Skullfire's memories of when he accidentally killed his girlfriend, he releases a huge burst of energy, freeing him and his friends—as well as Luna—from their bonds.
Luna escapes from Brimstone Love and allies herself with the X-Men. However, Brimstone Love does not want to allow his best agent to go free, so he pursues her. However, instead of capturing Luna, Brimstone Love sets his eye on Xi'an
Xi'an (comics)
Xi'an is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics for their Marvel 2099 imprint. In the title X-Men 2099, he was the founder, leader, and enemy of the team of X-Men who was always haunted by his past....
because of his newly rediscovered evil nature. He later offers Xi'an a position in the Theater of Pain, and shockingly, Xi'an accepts.
But before one can join the Theatre of Pain they must go through an initiation
Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components...
first. For Xi'an it is to face three people from his past, which he passes by the Theatre's standards. Then he is buried alive. While inside of the coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
, he refuses help from the good side of his persona, effectively entering him into the ranks of the Theater.
Xi'an's friends in the X-Men, along with Junkpile and his S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
agents, infiltrate the Theater and attempt to free him from Brimstone Love's clutches. Everyone is re-captured but Luna breaks free and liberates the other X-Men. They begin to attack Brimstone Love and, unexpectedly, so does Xi'an who wants control of the Theater all to himself. In a weakened state, Brimstone Love teleports away and he and the Theatre are never heard from again before the series closes at issue #35.