Gideon (comics)

Gideon
Cover to X-Force#12 featuring Gideon (above) and Krule (below) Art by Mark Pacella
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	New Mutants (vol. 1) #98 (Feb 1991)
Created by	Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza
In-story information
Alter ego	Gideon
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Externals High Lords
Abilities	Ability to copy and amplify the advanced skills, talents, or powers of nearby people or mechanical beings and redirect them

Gideon is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza. Gideon was a member of the Externals, a unique type of immortal mutant, and an adversary of the X-Men spin-off group X-Force.

Before Gideon's mutant powers emerged, he was a sailor with the Spanish armada sailing for the Americas several hundred years ago. On one journey, he succumbed to scurvy and was buried when the ship reached land. He awoke a few hours later, discovering his immortality.

Over several centuries, Gideon was able to amass a vast personal wealth. He also encountered and allied himself with several other Externals. He became the owner and CEO of Ophrah Industries in Denver, Colorado. At the end of the 20th century, the group began seeking out their newest member, whom Gideon erroneously believed to be Roberto da Costa, a young mutant who had joined the New Mutants, the junior division of the X-Men, and taken the codename Sunspot. Gideon had known Roberto from a young age, having business relations with his father, a wealthy Brazilian businessman. Gideon had his servant Eve poison Roberto's father Emmanuel, and Gideon approached the boy, telling him he needed to take over his family's business. He took the young boy in under his wing and began to mentor him.

Gideon later had AIM recreate Proteus. Gideon and Sunspot were later held captive by Arianna Jankos, Black Tom Cassidy, and Juggernaut. Gideon then publicly declared Cable and X-Force to be criminals. Gideon also clashed with and defeated the group of young superheroes known as the New Warriors, while taking a bath in his Jacuzzi. He then spent some time brutally torturing them for various reasons.