Warning: contains spoilers Ultimate Universe: One Year at #1!An iconic hero of X-Men officially joined the new Final Universe as one of the victims of a sinister villain who has a truly frightening and vampiric way of acquiring power. It appears that the mutants of Earth-6160 can be drained of their power through blood transfusions, and a member of Reed Richards' evil assembly of world leaders has revealed his true power, which gives Sunspot a disturbing new story.
Final Universe: One Year Later #1 – written by Deniz Camp, with art by Jonas Scharf – Ultimate Emmanuel Da Costa is introduced as a South American leader and member of the Hellfire Club and the world-dominating collective of villains, the Maker's Council. When Emmanuel appears taking advantage of fire abilities, it is revealed that he actually uses his mutant son's blood to gain temporary superpowers.
Nick Fury even notes that his solar-powered son is just one of many that Emmanuel drains blood from. This malevolent, vampiric twist makes Emmanuel a great Marvel villain and gives the New Mutant a harrowing origin.
Earth-6160's Sunspot Revealed as 'Blood Boy', Frighteningly Used to Make His Evil Father More Powerful
Final Universe: One Year Later #1 – Written by Deniz Camp; Art by Jonas Scharf; Color by Mattia Iacono; Lyrics by VC's Travis Lanham
First debuting as part of Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod's The New Mutants, and more recently being adapted in projects such as X-Men '97 animated series, Sunspot has become a fan-favorite superhero, which makes his current status in the Ultimate Universe all the more devastating. Although he is not explicitly named as Roberto Da Costa in the Final Universe: One Year Later one shot, the powers that Emmanuel possesses from his blood transfusions are clearly Sunspot's mutant abilities. Attached to his villainous father intravenously, Roberto is thin and sickly, clearly being drained of his power and life by his father's vampire ways.
Emmanuel Da Costa, who debuted alongside his son in Marvel graphic novel #4, by Claremont and McLeod, has had some villainous tendencies. However, the character's portrayal in the current Ultimate Universe is the most evil yet. The villains of Earth-6160 truly dominate the Universe, and Emmanuel's display of power in Final Universe: One Year Later #1 officially makes him one of the most terrifying antagonists in the world. While actively harming his son to gain temporary access to his mutant abilities, Emmanuel even flexes this stolen power, using them to shockingly burn Nick Fury alive at the end of the one-shot.
The sinister origin of the new mutant and X-Men hero was ripped from the headlines
Continuing a definite in-universe trend by highlighting real-world issues
Sunspot being a “blood boy”It's a shocking development for the character, but it also strangely has some basis in a bizarre true story. Resembling Emmanuel's new storyline, a real-life tech mogul recently went viral for his family blood plasma transfusions, spending millions on using his teenage son's transfusions as an anti-aging technique and also being hit with comparisons scary vampires. The Ultimate Universe has often used its characters to comment on the real world.from the new version of the Helicarrier representing state-sanctioned violence and the bold new version of Hawkeye being reimagined as an environmental activist.
Therefore X-Men hero perhaps slated to join the Ultimates, this tragic version of Sunspot could expand his role in the Final Universe finally facing his blood-draining father.
The Da Costa family's Earth-6160 update not only makes Emmanuel one of their most sinister villains, but it could also give Roberto a true hero's journey if he can escape his family's clutches and take their power into his own hands. While the main continuity's Sunspot has been somewhat hamstrung by Marvel, his Ultimate counterpart has the potential to become a major player in the world going forward. Therefore X-Men hero perhaps slated to join the Ultimates, this tragic version of Sunspot could expand his role in the Final Universe finally facing his blood-draining father.
Final Universe: One Year Later #1 is now available from Marvel Comics.