Henry McCoy

**Henry "Hank" Philip McCoy** (*Beast*) was born and raised in Dunfee, Illinois, the son of Norton and Edna McCoy. His father worked at a nuclear power plant where he was exposed to massive amounts of radiation during an accident. Norton was completely unharmed, but the radiation affected his genes and, as a result, his son was born a mutant. Unlike most mutants, Hank showed signs of mutation from birth, notably his unusually large hands and feet. A prodigy, Hank was also endowed with an innate superhuman intellect, and during adolescence, he gained the power of simian-like augmented agility, reflexes and strength.

When attending Bard College, thanks to his powers, Hank became a star football player as a teenager and earned the nickname 'Magilla Gorilla'. Hank hid his mutation and thirst for knowledge in plain sight until the school left him to leave after he was exposed as a mutant. Hank's remarkable athletic abilities and brilliance attracted the notice of Professor Xavier, who was forming the original X-Men. Xavier offered Hank, who excelled in the classroom, the chance for unlimited academic opportunities at his prestigious School for Gifted Youngsters.

A brilliant student, Hank completed his doctoral studies and finally left the X-Men and Professor Xavier's school to take a position as a genetic researcher with the Brand Corporation, a division of Roxxon Oil. There, he began working with Dr. Carl Maddicks and started a romance with his assistant, Linda Donaldson. While completing his research, he isolated the hormonal extracted that created mutation. The resulting serum acted as a catalyst for activating latent mutations for short periods of time; this serum would become the bassis for mutant growth hormone. Maddicks grew increasingly envious of Hank and witness his new discovery.

Eager to inform his superiors of his discovery, Hank overheard Maddicks planning to steal his research. Unaware of the consequences, Hank drank the serum, trying to disguise his appearance and underwent radical, physical changes. He grew gray fur all over his entire body, his muscles expanded, ears became larger and pointed, claws sprouted, and his canine teeth became larger, resembling fangs. The serum further increased his physical capabilities. Hank failed to take the antidote within an hour, causing him to permanently retain his altered state.

## Relatives

* Sadie McCoy - paternal grandmother
* Norton McCoy - father
* Edna McCoy - mother
* Robert McCoy - paternal uncle
* John McCoy - paternal uncle

## Powers

**Genetic Atavism:** It is possible that Hank's mutation is a result of genetic atavism. He also possesses neotenous characteristics, which explain why he has a modern brain with an ape-like physique.

Due to secondary mutation, Hank transformed from his original, ape-like physique into a more feline-like physique. A next mutation affected him, and he required the help of his past self, who was able to stabilize him in a new appearance.

* ***Superhuman Strength:*** Originally, in his teenage years, Hank was able to lift about one ton. After his mutation into a simian form, which eventually stabilizes afterwards, his strength was increased to the point where he can now lift about ten tons. This strength is sufficient for him to smash through a brick wall with a single punch and to tie an iron barbell into a knot, as well as smash a tank with his bare hands and punch the ground to create a massive shock wave. He has even lifted part of a full-grown oak tree made of solid gold with effort.
	+ ***Superhuman Leaping:*** This strength also extends to the muscles in his legs, allowing him to leap to a height of 32 feet and 50 feet in a stranding broad jump.
* ***Superhuman Speed:*** Hank can run and move at speeds that are slightly beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete, despite his abnormal size. He can run at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour for short distances, particularly if he runs on all fours. This allows Hank to attack opponents before they can react and pull their trigger fingers and keep up with opponents who can move at low-level superhuman speeds.
* ***Superhuman Stamina:*** Hank's highly advanced musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than that of an ordinary human. He can exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before the build-up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him. He also commented that, after his mutation into a feline-like form, that he no longer needs a full night of sleep, although it is known that he retains this side effect of his stamina after becoming a new ape-like form once again.
* ***Superhuman Durability:*** Hank's bodily tissues are harder and more resistant to certain types of injuries than the bodies of normal humans. His physiology can withstand great impact forces, though he can be injured by many types of conventional weapon, such as standard firearms and bladed weapons. However, he can withstand physical impacts, such as falling from several stories by landing on his feet without suffering any sprains or breaks.
* ***Superhuman Agility:*** Hank's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete. While in his simian form, he has the agility of a great ape combined with the acrobatic prowess of an Olympic level gymnast. He can walk a tightrope or a slack rope as easily as most people can walk on a sidewalk. He can also walk on his hands for many hours or perform a complicated sequence of gymnastic stunts, such as flips, rolls, and springs. He cna easily match or surpass any Olympic record in gymnastics.
* ***Superhuman Reflexes:*** Hank's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are on levels beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete. His training with the X-Men, as well as his experience battling enemies, has granted him the reaction time to evade gunfire. He can react with low-level superhuman speeds. His reflexes are a partial reason why Hank is so agile and fast, despite the abnormal bulk of his body.
* ***Superhuman Dexterity:*** He can perform many tasks with his feet as easily as a human can do with their hands. His manual and pedal dexterity are so great that he can write using both hands at once or tie knots in rope with his toes.
* ***Superhuman Senses:*** Hank possesses enhanced, acute senses that are comparable to those of certain animals, enabling him to see and hear distant objects more clearly than a normal human, and identify and track someone purely by scent over open terrain and his hands and feet are sensitive enough to detect electronic signals (from bombs, listening devices, etc.) through solid walls and floors. He also possesses cat-like night vision that also allows him to see even in near-total darkness, and when asked by Nick Fury, he was able to identify that it was the real Colossus when he came back to life all by scent.
* ***Regenerative Healing Factor:*** Hank's metabolism enables him to repair mild to moderate injuries much faster than a normal human. For instance, he can recover from minor ailments, such as a severe cold or fever, within a few hours. More severe injuries, like broken bones, used to heal within a few days, whereas normal humans might take many weeks or even months. However, his healing abilities have increased to the point where he recovers from mild to moderate injuries within the span of a few hours. However, he cannot regenerate destroyed organs or severed limbs.
	+ ***Foreign Chemical Resistance:*** Hanks also possesses a high immunity to foreign chemicals, such as tranquilizers and certain types of poisons.
	+ ***Temperature Resistance:*** Due to a combination of his own healing abilities and his fine coat of blue fur, Hank is resistant to freezing temperatures. This was evident even before his ape-like form, to the point of being frozen in solid ice by Iceman for a short time and survived with a moderate case of shivers once freed during his early years with the X-Men.
	+ ***Telepathic Resistance:*** Hank possesses a moderate resistance to telepathic manipulation and was able to resist Cassandra Nova's high telepathic powers for a short time until she used his own fears of devolving into a mindless animal against him.
	+ ***Delayed Aging:*** Hank also possesses a slight degree of slowed aging due to his own healing abilities. Despite being 40 years of age since the time of Cassandra Nova's attack, he still retains the physical appearance and vitality of a man in his prime.
* ***Pheromone Manipulation:*** Hank has the ability to secrete pheromones to attract members of the opposite sex.
* ***Razor-Sharp Claws and Fangs:*** Hank sports retractable, 3" razor sharp claws at the tip of each finger and toe. Their natural edges, coupled with his strength, are sufficient to rend most conventional materials including flesh, wood, stone, and even metal effortlessly and enable him to climb up vertical surfaces by wedging his fingers and toes into the smallest of cracks. He possesses elongated canines that he can use, if he chooses to do so, as effective weapons in close quarter combat situations.

## Abilities

**Genius Intelligence:** Hank is one of the eight smartest people in the world. He has six Ph.D.'s, including one in biophysics. A world-renowned biochemist, Hank's greatest asset is his keen scientific mind. As the X-Men's recent technological and medical genius, he possesses extraordinary expertise in genetics, biochemistry, and electronics. He discovered the hormonal extract that is the chemical cause of mutation and cured the Legacy Virus. Among his technological feats, Hank has designed and built Cerebra; a time travel device with the X-Club; a machine which separates the Evolutionaries from cosmic rays; and the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, outfitted with Shi'ar technology as well as a thermonuclear reactor. He is also quite the gifted computer scientist, hacking Bruce Banner's computer and designing a computer system that locked down as soon as Kitty Pryde tried to access it. He has extensive knowledge of a variety of other scientific fields. Cecilia Reyes was impressed with his knowledge of theoretical physics and basic anatomy. Though, he has humbly stated himself to be an amateur in physics and technology. He has an eidetic memory, and it shows in his ability to recall complex mathematical or chemical formulas with little to no research. He can additionally remember and quote historicla texts, literature, or even comic strip quotes from memory. Hank is also an accomplished keyboard musician.

**Excellent Hand-to-Hand Combatant:** The hyperactive, bouncing Hank is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant. He gained his initial combat training from Professor Xavier, and then continued his tutelage in combat gymnastics from Captain America. He typically uses a freestyle form of combat, similar to that of Spider-Man, that allows him to make full use of his great strength and agility. During times of anger, however, Hank is known to resort to brawling and street fighting tactics.

**Multilingual:** He is fluent in several languages, including English, German, French, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, and Latverian. The Black Swan has also been teaching him a few extinct languages.

**Expert Tactician:** He is a capable leader, as he has led his own team of Defenders with fellow X-Men Iceman and Angel as teammates. Even when he is not the leader of a team, he has been a key member in some of the greatest team accomplishments, such as helping to rescue Nova on Mars with the Secret Avengers. He is also a great team player.

**Indomitable Will:** Hank's dedication to science and co-existence between humans and mutants is unwavering. He never gave up on finding a cure for the Legacy Virus in which he eventually did find a cure. He has great compassion for both humans and mutants alike, and his unflagging courage allows him to protect both of them at any cost, even with his own life.

## Weaknesses

**Feral Instincts:** For years, Hank has had to come to terms with his increasing animal instincts, which come with each new mutation. Cassandra Nova took advantage of this by making him act like an animal, much to his humiliation, until Beak managed to break him out of her control. Due to Hank's transformation into a feline-like being, he has developed a carnivorous taste for flesh, which he is conflicted over.

**Vulnerable Senses:** Due to his animal-like mutaiton, the only other weakness that Hank has is the fact that his heightened senses can be taken advantage of.