Prodigy (David Alleyne)

Prodigy
Prodigy by Skottie Young
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	New Mutants, vol. 2 #4 (October 2003)
Created by	Nunzio DeFilippis (writer) Christina Weir (writer) Keron Grant (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	David Alleyne
Species	Depowered Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Young Avengers New Mutants training squad New X-Men Xavier Institute X-Men-In-Training
Abilities	Possesses the combined knowledge of every mind he has encountered up to M-Day, including the X-Men High-level intellect Formerly: Ability to mimic the knowledge possessed by others

Prodigy (David Alleyne) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Prodigy is a student at the Xavier Institute, member of the New X-Men squad, and a former mutant who lost his superhuman abilities.

Created by writers Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir and artist Keron Grant, David Alleyne first appeared in New Mutants, vol. 2 #4 (October 2003). He was originally a mutant with the ability to absorb the knowledge and skills of anyone within a limited distance. He could not control this ability and would forget his acquired knowledge once they became out of range. He attends the Xavier Institute and becomes co-leader of the New Mutants training squad. After the events of House of M and the ensuing "Decimation" of mutants, David loses his powers, but he remains at the Institute, becoming a member of the New X-Men team and utilizing his natural intellect to assist his teammates. He later regains all the knowledge and skills he had absorbed before becoming depowered, including many of the X-Men's considerable expertise in science and physical combat, making him a stronger addition to the X-Men. Despite being human, he remains with the X-Men as a substitute instructor and trainee for stories over a number of years.

David Alleyne is a naturally intelligent boy, who finds upon becoming a teenager that the answers to his exams and assignments begin appearing in his head whenever he is in the same room as his teachers. He realizes that he is a mutant with the ability to know anything that the people nearby know. Wanting to retain this knowledge, David becomes driven to study even harder. He takes college-level courses while finishing high school and drops subtle hints to his family about his powers, but they fail to realize he is a mutant until the campus anti-mutant group outs him. Realizing he can no longer be a mutant in secrecy, David accepts an invitation from Danielle Moonstar to attend the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. His parents and sister are supportive of his decision.