Nathaniel Malick

**Nathaniel "Nate" Malick** was the brother of Gideon Mallick and a member of the HYDRA faction that worshiped Hive. When their father died, Nathaniel was betrayed by his brother and selected to be teleported to Maveth as a sacrifice to Hive.

## Biography

### Learning the Truth

#### Raised within HYDRA

Nathaniel Malick grew up alongside his brother Gideon and their father Wilfred, a loyal member of HYDRA who taught them to worship an ancient Inhuman known as Hive who was exiled to planet Maveth thousands of years ago.

#### Death of Wilfred Malick

*"To be chosen as the traveler is a great honor."*
"An archaic blood sacrifice."

In 1970, Malick's father passed away and he and his brother were ordered to visit Daniel Whitehallat the Rat. During Wilfred's funeral, Malick reminded Gideon that they had been summoned to Whitehall's prison cell to discuss their place within HYDRA; despite his reluctance, Gideon agreed to go with Malick.

Upon arrival, Whitehall addressed the Malick brothers, telling them that because they were of age, it was time for them to choose their path in HYDRA, and heavily suggested following his own scientific path, insulting their family's rituals, calling it an archaic blood sacrifice. Malick remained silent as Gideon passionately defended their beliefs. Whitehall then insinuated that their father cheated to survived all past sacrificial ceremonies and instructed the boys to check a book called *Paradise Lost* in their father's study.

#### Family Secrets Revealed

*"Dad... he would swap in this stone during the ceremonies and feel for the notch to make sure he never drew it from the bag."
"He would never do that."
"But he did. It's all right here, Gideon. Dad was afraid to be the Traveler. He was a coward... and a cheater.""*

Deciding to take Daniel Whitehall's advice, Malick went to his father's study at the Malick Mansion. Sitting at the table, Malick found a notched white stone inside, which confirmed that their father was a coward who cheated for years during ceremonies to avoid being the Traveler, leaving Malick very upset at both his deception and cowardice. When Gideon Mallick entered the room, Malick told him that Whitehall was right about their father.

Gideon, who was initially reluctant to believe the charges against his father, realized that he had no choice but to accept the truth. Malick and Gideon traveled into the mansion's garden. Gideon decided to throw the stone to the lake and promised each other they would be together to the end and become better men than their father was, with Malick unaware that Gideon threw a regular stone and in fact kept the notched stone to himself.

#### Becoming a Sacrifice

*"I thought we had a deal."*

During their first ceremony as young adults, Gideon Mallick handed the bag of stones around to the members of HYDRA to select the sacrifice to Hive. When they opened their hands Malick received the white stone and looked to his brother in horror, noting that they had a deal which Gideon had betrayed.

However, the ceremony was finished and Malick was taken to the Monolith and sacrificed while Gideon did nothing to save him. Upon arriving on Maveth, the planet on the other side of the portal, Nathaniel was intercepted by Hive who took him as a host, absorbing his memories.

### Legacy

#### Hive Memories

*"What happened to "together to the end," brother?"
"Oh, I meant every word of that. I wanted you by my side, but I-I didn't have a choice."
"Is that what you've been telling yourself?"
"I never gave up on you, Nate. I carried on the tradition. I gave up everything so that you could return."
"You were never willing to give up everything."*
In 2016, Hive returned to Earth, and using Nathaniel Malick's memories and personality, spoke with Gideon and his daughter Stephanieabout Gideon's betrayal and their father's cowardice. A few months after his return, Hive fell into a trap that forced him to recall random memories from random hosts, including Nathaniel.