Beast

*Looking for another article with the name Beast? Check out the Beast disambiguation page.*
**Beast** is a mutant and member of the X-Men. Beast is a scientist and is very well educated and often quotes William Shakespeare and other poets and philosphers. Beast's body is completely covered with blue fur and his mutant powers gives him enhanced strength and agility.

## History

### Early life

Hank McCoy was one of the first mutants that Professor X recruited into the X-Men. The original team of X-Men consisted of McCoy, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, and Angel. After joining the X-Men, McCoy took the codename, Beast.

At first Beast looked like a normal human except that he had giant ape-like hands and feet.

In his youth McCoy hated being a mutant. Because of this he got a job working for Herbert Landon at the Brand Corporation. McCoy used the resources at the Brand Corporation to develop a serum that was intended to cure him of his mutation and turn him into normal human. However, the chemical instead accelerated McCoy's mutation and he grew blue fur all over his body.

Over time Hank accepted his mutation and even said that he now enjoyed being a mutant, and that being a mutant brought great joy to his life.

### Later life

#### Imprisonment

Beast and the other X-Men broke into the Mutant Control Agency to destroy all files they had on mutants because the agency was using giant robots called Sentinels to hunt mutants down. The X-Men succeeded in destroying the files. However, Beast was captured while the other X-Men managed to escape.

While in prison two prison guards saw Beast reading a book and made fun of his intelligence simply because he was a mutant. Several explosions then occurred outside of the prison and Beast believed that it was Wolverine attempting to break him out of prison. However, it turned out to really be Magneto. Beast had never personally met Magneto before but knew who he was, possibly from Professor X. Magneto told Beast that he was going to free him. However, Beast replied that he wanted to stay in prison so that he could get a chance to prove his innocence in a court of law. Magneto tried to convince Beast that Professor X was leaving him in prison to rot. However, Beast believed that his trial would prove the righteousness of the X-Men's cause.

Beast later went to arraignment court. Beast told his side of what happened as in how the Mutant Control Agency used their files to hunt down mutants. However, no one believed him. Because Beast was not believed the judge thought that Beast posed a danger to the public and denied him bail.

Storm and Rogue later went to a jail to break out Colossus, a wrongly accused mutant. There they saw Beast in his cell. Beast told Storm and Rogue that Colossus claimed he was innocent and Storm replied that she believed him. Rogue offered to break Beast out also. However, Beast refused because he wanted to be proven innocent in a court of law. Beast then told Rogue and Storm to come and see him during regular visiting hours and to tell Jean Grey thank you for the cookies she made him.

When the X-Men saved Senator Kelly from the Sentinels he learned that not all mutants were evil. To thank the X-Men for saving his life Senator Kelly gave Beast a pardon and he was released from prison.

#### Beauty & the Beast

Sometime after being released from prison Hank McCoy began to work at an eye clinic. He worked with another doctor named Alec Bolson. Together they were treating a woman named Carly Crocker who was blind. After studying Carly's condition McCoy and Bolson found a way to restore her sight.

The eye clinic was later attacked by the Friends of Humanity. However, Beast was able to save Carly and the FoH members ran off when the police arrived.

The next day McCoy went to the hospital and Dr. Bolson told him that because of the attack by the Friends of Humanity the director of the hospital was taking him off Carly's case. Carly's father also complained to the director of the hospital saying that he didn't want a "filthy mutant" operating on his daughter. McCoy then went to Carly's room to tell her goodbye. Carly then revealed to McCoy that even though she was blind she knew he was a mutant all along and didn't care. However, much to Carly's dismay she discovered that McCoy had been taken off her case.

McCoy then became angry that because of the way he looks he could never get close to anyone, even Carly who he had fallen in love with. However, Jean Grey convinced McCoy to go to the hospital and talk to Carly and let her decide if she wanted to risk being with him.

McCoy then went to the hospital and into Carly's room. As Dr. Bolson removed the bandages from Carly's eyes she was able to see for the first time and told McCoy how beautiful he was. However, at that moment Carly's father came in and saw that McCoy was in her room. He then began to shout at Hank telling him that his daughter will not associate with a freak. McCoy then left Carly's hospital room but came running back in when he heard Dr. Bolson shout. As McCoy entered the room he saw that it had been trashed and Carly was gone. McCoy then saw the worlds "For Humanity" painted on the wall and realized that Carly had been kidnapped by the Friends of Humanity.

Beast and Carly's father then went looking for Carly. Beast even called in the X-Men to help them. Beast and the X-Men were then able to rescue Carly. With Carly safe Beast told her that as long as people hated mutants they couldn't be together for her safety.

#### Apocalypse's ship

When Professor X discovered a advanced air ship belonging to the evil mutant, Apocalypse, he learned that the ship was sentient. Beast then came up with a plan to use the ship's technology to trap Apocalypse forever.

When Apocalypse arrived at the ship Beast activated the ship's force field trapping Apocalypse inside. However, Apocalypse was the owner of the ship and because of this knew how to override any command Beast gave the ship's A.I. and was able to free himself. However, Beast was able to override Apocalypse's programming and had the ship attack Apocalypse. The X-Men managed to escape the ship before it exploded. Beast had formed a close bond with the ship's A.I. and was saddened when the ship was destroyed.

#### Spider-Man

When Spider-Man arrived at the Xavier Mansion to seek help from Professor X due to his furthering mutation he was confronted by Beast and the X-Men. Spider-Man ran off but was chased down by the X-Men. As Spider-Man ran Beast activated the mansions security system. However, Spider-Man was able to avoid the traps which led him into the Danger Room where he had to fight holographic images of Sentinels. Spider-Man and the X-Men were able to defeat the Sentinels and Professor X approached Spider-Man and asked him why he came to the mansion. Spider-Men then explained that he was mutating into some kind of creature and asked Xavier if he could cure him. However, Professor X explained that his work was not to cure mutants but to help them accept who and what they are. Spider-Man ran off angry at Xavier and Beast followed him. As Beast caught up with Spider-Man he told him that the Brand Corporation has been working on a cure for mutants and that he should seek help there. As Spider-Man left Beast was attacked by some soldiers and captured.

When Beast awoke he found himself in a cage suspended above a vat of chemicals. As Beast grabbed the cage bars he got an electric shock and quickly let go. Herbert Landon then approached Beast and revealed that the chemical below him was based on his early work that he did to cure himself of being a mutant. However, Landon also revealed that he improved the formula and that it could now kill mutants. As Landon continued he said that he planned on using the chemical to destroy all mutants on Earth. Beast was shocked by what he heard and told Landon that he couldn't do this because he is planning to commit genocide. However, Landon began to lower the cage closer to the chemicals saying that he will test the chemical on him first.

However, before Beast was submerged in the chemicals Wolverine and Spider-Man arrived. After defeating the guards Wolverine jumps up to the cage. As Wolverine touches the cage bars he is electrocuted. As Wolverine starts to fall toward the chemicals Beast grabs him. As Hobgoblin arrives he causes the cable suspending the cage to snap and Spider-Man grabs the cable before they fall into the chemicals. Beast and Wolverine are able to get away from the chemicals and get safely to the ground. However, Herbert Landon accidentally fell into the chemicals while trying to shoot Hobgoblin. This causes Landon to transform into a giant reptilian mutant and crashes through the walls of the Brand Corporation and heads into New York City.

Shortly afterwards the X-Men get word on the giant reptilian monster and meet up with Beast, Wolverine, and Spider-Man. Both Spider-Man and Beast discover that Landon must absorb electric energy or else he will be in pain. Beast then tells Spider-Man they have the equipment they need in the Blackbird and they get on board. As the other X-Men distract Landon, Beast and Spider-Man use the Blackbird to drain him of his energy and return him to human form. Beast then realizes that Landon's secretary, Genevieve, is a mutant. As Genevieve reveals that she is ashamed of being a mutant Beast informs her that there is no shame in what she is and tells her that he will introduce her to Professor X so that he can help her. Beast then returns to the Xavier Mansion with the other X-Men.

#### The Phalanx invasion

Sometime later the Xavier Mansion was invaded by a techo-organic being which was able to capture the X-Men except for Beast who managed to escape. Beast then met a member of the alien race named Warlock. Warlock explained to Beast that the alien race was known as the Phalanx and that they only wished to conquer other worlds. Warlock told Beast that he had no desire to cause harm to others so he fled his home world before he could be integrated into the Phalanx's hive mind. However, the Phalanx followed Warlock to Earth and the planet was now doomed.

With all the X-Men captured Beast contacted Forge and asked to meet him somewhere. Beast, Warlock, and Forge later met at a diner and Beast explained to Forge that the Phalanx were planning to conquer Earth. The three of them were then attacked by the Phalanx but were rescued by Mister Sinister.

Beast later ran some tests and discovered that if the Phalanx was not defeated within four days it would assimilate 76% of the world's population.

Beast, Warlock, Forge, and Mister Sinister then went to Muir Island to use the mutant research laboratory there to try and find a way to stop the Phalanx. While there Beast and Forge created a virus to destroy the Phalanx. However, the Phalanx was able to track the four of them to Muir Island. Mister Sinister told Forge to use the virus on the Phalanx creature that was attacking them. However, Forge replied that they had a small amount of the virus and had to use it on the Phalanx's brain that linked to all members of the Phalanx race. Beast, Warlock, Forge, Mister Sinister, and Amelia Voght were able to escape on a plane. Beast and the others then located Magneto and got him to help in the fight against the Phalanx.

Beast and the others then recruited Magneto to help them in their fight against the Phalanx. During this time Beast and the others learned that Cameron Hodge, former ambassador of Genosha, was working with the Phalanx.

When they arrived at the Empire State Building, Forge, Amelia, and Mister Sinister freed the captured mutants while Beast, Forge, and Warlock made their way to the Phalanx core to implant the virus. They were successful in exposing the Phalanx core to the virus which was able to destroy the Phalanx and returned all assimilated humans to normal.

#### The return of Apocalypse

As part of his archaeological research Beast went to Peru. Beast also brought Jubilee along with him. However, unknown to either of them, Fabian Cortez was in Peru and was planning on releasing Apocalypse from the Axis of Time by taking possession of a mutant host body.

A group of mutants working for Cortez called the Hounds sensed Jubilee and chose her as the host of Apocalypse because of her great power. The Hounds attacked Beast and Jubilee. However, one of the Hounds was Caliban who was a member of the Morlocks back in New York City. Both Jubilee and Caliban knew each other. After a brief fight Beast and Jubilee were captured by the Hounds.

The Hounds took Beast and Jubilee to a temple dedicated to Apocalypse. There they learned that Fabian Cortez was still alive and he was planning to return Apocalypse to Earth. Cortez then used his power to enhance Beast's power. Beast gained more power but in the process he became a mindless monster. This mindless version of Beast fought off the Hounds and was able to get away.

Through scent Beast was able to track down their Jeep. As Beast looked into the Jeep's mirror he saw what he had become and began to destroy the Jeep, even though he couldn't remember who he was. Inside the Jeep, Beast found a picture of him and Jubilee. After seeing this Beast ran off.

As Cortez was about to start the ceremony to release Apocalypse so he could take possession of Jubilee's body, Beast ran into the temple and attacked the Hounds. While Beast fought the Hounds, Caliban was able to free Jubilee. As Beast was about to kill Cortez, Cortez used his power to drain Beast of his strength which returned him to normal. Jubilee, Beast, and Caliban were then able to escape the temple before it crumbled down around them. However, Apocalypse was able to possess Fabian Cortez's body and began to plot his domination of Earth.

#### Joining the Avengers

Beast eventually left the X-Men and joined the Avengers. However, Beast later left the Avengers and possibly rejoined the X-Men.

### Alternate timeline

#### Days of Future Past

Because of Senator Robert Kelly's strong anti-mutant stance he was targeted for assassination by Mystique and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Mystique shapeshifted into Gambit and assassinated him in that form. Even though Senator Kelly's death was the result of one mutant all mutants were blamed. After Senator Kelly's death a mutant control law was passed and the U.S. government built an army of Sentinels. The Sentinels then began to hunt down mutants all over the country. Some mutants attempted to fight back. However, the survivors were placed in detention camps where the mutants were killed. However, the Sentinels went out of control and began to target normal humans as well.

Sentinels ruled the future where they would either kill mutants on the spot or capture them and take them to detention camps to be killed.

Beast was killed after being captured and taken to a detention camp.

This timeline was erased when Bishop traveled back in time and worked with the X-Men to save Senator Kelly's life from Mystique.

#### Age of Apocalypse

In the year 2055 A.D., Master Mold was rebuilt. Master Mold then had a mutant criminal named Fitzroy travel back in time to the year 1955 to assassinate a young Charles Xavier. Fitzroy was able to accomplish this and because Xavier was killed at such a young age he was never able to form the X-Men.

Because the X-Men were never formed in this new timeline, mutants and humans were at war with each other. This war devastated the entire planet. In this timeline, Magneto lead the mutant resistance against the human army, which also included meta-humans.

Beast helped the mutant resistance fight off a group of meta-humans that the humans sent in to try and kill them.

The timeline was later restored to normal when Wolverine, Storm, Bishop, and Shard traveled back in time to 1959 and prevented Fitzroy from killing Xavier.

## Non-canon history

Beast appears in The Adventures of the X-Men #3 and Adventures of Spider-Man #3.

When Professor X learned of a young mutant at the Manhattan Orphanage named Adam he sent Beast and Gambit there to protect him. When Beast and Gambit arrived they had to protect Adam from the Friends of Humanity. As Adam fell off the building Beast leaped to grab him. However, a member of the Friends of Humanity threw a rock at Beast and it disoriented him. Adam nearly hit the ground but Spider-Man arrived and grabbed Adam. Beast, Gambit, and Spider-Man then worked together to fight off the Friends of Humanity.

Beast and Gambit wanted to take Adam to the Xavier Mansion but Spider-Man did not trust them. Spider-Man and the X-Men then took Adam to Empire State University so Dr. Curt Connors could run tests on Adam to try and help him.

While the test on Adam were being conducted, Dr. Connors introduced Spider-Man and Beast to a colleague of his named Dr. Essex. After meeting Essex, Beast got a strange feeling that they had met before. During the tests Dr. Essex pushed Adam's powers to their limits. Beast and Dr. Connors tried to get Essex to stop but he wouldn't. Dr. Essex then revealed himself to be Mister Sinister. After a brief fight the laboratory caught on fire and Mister Sinister was able to knock out Spider-Man and Beast. Mister Sinister took Spider-Man and Adam to his laboratory and left Beast at ESU laboratory so he would burn alive.

Moments later Gambit arrived and was able to rescue Beast and Curt Connors from the burning building. A short time later Beast and Gambit were able to locate Mister Sinister's laboratory. As they entered the laboratory, Beast, Gambit, and Spider-Man fought the Nasty Boys. However, when Mister Sinister was done collecting Adam's DNA they retreated. Beast and Gambit then returned Adam to the orphanage.

## Powers

Beast'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 on 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. Beast can also hang upside down by wrapping his toes around pipes of fans on a ceiling.

Beast possesses a limited degree of super strength.

Beast sports 3 inch razor sharp claws at the tip of each finger and toe. Their natural edges, coupled with his strength, are sufficient to tear 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.

Beast also has elongated canine teeth.

Beast is a scientific genius.

## In the comics

Beast was the son of Norton McCoy and Edna McCoy. Norton was employed at a nuclear power plant before Henry's birth. While working at the power plant Norton was exposed to radiation. When Norton and Edna conceived Henry, Norton passed the radiation onto his son which apparently caused his mutation of ape-like hands and feet. Beast was later exposed to a chemical and grew gray fur which later turned blue.

## Appearances

### **X-Men: The Animated Series**

* Night of the Sentinels, Part I
* Night of the Sentinels, Part II
* Enter Magneto
* Deadly Reunions (Mentioned only)
* The Unstopppable Juggernaut
* Days of Future Past, Part I
* The Final Decision
* Til Death Do Us Part, Part I
* Til Death Do Us Part, Part II
* Whatever It Takes
* Red Dawn (Mentioned only)
* Time Fugitives, Part I
* Time Fugitives, Part II
* Beauty & The Beast
* Mojovision
* Reunion, Part I
* Reunion, Part II
* Out of the Past, Part II
* The Phoenix Saga, Part I: Sacrifice
* The Phoenix Saga, Part II: The Dark Shroud
* The Phoenix Saga, Part III: Cry of the Banshee (Mentioned only)
* The Phoenix Saga, Part IV: The Starjammers
* The Phoenix Saga, Part V: Child of Light
* Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part I
* Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part II
* Obsession
* The Dark Phoenix, Part I: Dazzled
* The Dark Phoenix, Part II: The Inner Circle
* The Dark Phoenix, Part III: The Dark Phoenix
* The Dark Phoenix, Part IV: The Fate of the Phoenix
* Cold Comfort
* The Juggernaut Returns
* Weapon X, Lies, And Video Tape
* One Man's Worth, Part I
* One Man's Worth, Part II (Flashback)
* Courage
* Proteus, Part I
* Proteus, Part II
* Sanctuary, Part I
* Sanctuary, Part II
* Beyond Good and Evil, Part I: The End of Time
* Beyond Good and Evil, Part II: Promise of Apocalypse
* Beyond Good and Evil, Part III: The Lazarus Chamber
* Beyond Good and Evil, Part IV: End and Beginning
* Have Yourself A Morlock Little X-Mas
* Love In Vain
* Secrets, Not Long Buried (Illusion)
* Xavier Remembers
* Family Ties
* The Phalanx Covenant, Part I
* The Phalanx Covenant, Part II
* A Deal With The Devil
* No Mutant Is An Island
* Longshot
* Bloodlines (Mentioned only)
* Storm Front, Part I
* Storm Front, Part II
* The Fifth Horseman
* Hidden Agendas
* Graduation Day

### **Spider-Man: The Animated Series**

* The Mutant Agenda
* Mutants' Revenge

### **Avengers: United They Stand**

* Avengers Assemble, Part I

(As a portrait hanging in the Avengers conference room)

* Comes a Swordsman

(As a portrait hanging in the Avengers conference room)

* Remnants

(As a portrait hanging in the Avengers conference room)

### **X-Men '92**

* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #1: Hope You Survive the Experience
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #2: Here Comes Tomorrow
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #4: Love is a Battlefield
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #5: Head Games
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #6: Ten Out of Ten
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #7: Kelly's Heroes
* X-Men '92 Infinite Comics #8: Evolution
* X-Men '92 #1: Let the Game Begin
* X-Men '92 #2: Young Blood
* X-Men '92 #3: The World is a Vampire
* X-Men '92 #4: Pages from the Book of Sin
* X-Men '92 #5: The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix: The Last X-Men (Photograph)
* X-Men '92 #6: Lilapalooza
* X-Men '92 #7: Homesick Alien Blues
* X-Men '92 #8: The Twelve
* X-Men '92 #9: A Force To Be Reckoned With
* X-Men '92 #10: Earth X

## Trivia

* While casting Beast in X-Men: The Animated Series the creators of the series had in mind a voice that sounded like a young, bemused William F. Buckley.
* Originally Beast was not going to be part of the main team on X-Men: The Animated Series. That is why Beast was in prison through much of the show’s first season.
* In the comics, Beast ws the only child of Norton and Edna McCoy. However, in the episode Beauty & The Beast, Beast states that he has multiple brothers and sisters, though an exact number is not given.
* In issue eight of X-Men '92, Beast revealed that he is a fan of Star Trek.

## References

1. ↑ X-Men Casting Sheet at *Spider-Man Animated Wiki*