Discord

__** Discord **__



__**History **__

Michael “Discord” Schwartz entered Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters as a seventh grader. Attractive and charismatic, he quickly surrounded himself with friends. He also became a bit of a prankster and bully. He had several run-ins with prefects and the head boy and girl when he broke school rules. By the time he was a sophomore, the head of his team had to pull him aside and warn him that he had to shape up, or he’d never become “X-Men material.”

Michael wanted to be an X-Man. For the remainder of his sophomore year he cleaned up his act and tried to live up to the standards of being an X-Man. He helped out wherever he could, assisted younger students, followed all the rules, and so on. It must have worked – at the end of his sophomore year he was asked to be a prefect.

Michael was thrilled be to a prefect as a junior. He enjoyed the authority and responsibility. He believed he was on the fast-track to becoming head boy as a senior and an X-Man once he graduated. Then the end of the year arrived. Professor Summers invited Michael into his office and asked him to be a prefect again. Michael was shocked. Nearly every junior prefect had always been asked to be head boy or girl in their senior year!

Michael accepted the prefect position for the second year in a row, but his heart was no longer in it. He began avoiding his responsibilities. His grades suffered. His relationship with Meghan ended. He barely managed to graduate, and by the time he left everyone called him “the lazy prefect.”


 * High School Never Ends **

After graduation Michael entered the workforce, doing whatever odd jobs he could to afford a share of rent and groceries. He never lasted long at any given job, and he had no future to speak of. That’s when Michael ran into Mystique. She invited him to join the Brotherhood of Mutants. He agreed. After all, what had the X-Men done for him? And besides, Magneto’s philosophy had been appealing to him more and more. He took his place on Mystique’s Brotherhood alongside the Blob, Sabertooth, Burner, Probe, and Avalanche. They seemed impressed by his mutant ability to confuse opponents, and Mystique could tell that he had potential he hadn’t achieved – potential the X-Men never helped him train!

Soon Mystique had a job for Michael. Mystique was searching for Magneto, who had mysteriously disappeared. In the absence of the X-Men, Mystique wanted him to infiltrate Xavier’s school. She had a plan to use a thrall of hers known as Connover and her brood allies to attack the school as Michael arrived. After Michael fought at the students’ side, they would be more likely to accept him. Once inside, he was to win the trust of the seniors who were in charge. Mystique asked him to approach students who seem sympathetic to Magneto’s vision instead of Xavier’s. She asked him to approach Samantha and feel her out specifically about her beliefs (will her own daughter be loyal to Magneto, or to Xavier?). Lastly, they had a plan to kidnap a certain student…

Mystique’s plan worked. Michael helped the New X-Men defeat Devak and his Brood allies. The seniors welcomed him into the school. And while Michael was unable to ascertain Samantha’s loyalties, he tricked Billy (“Blur” – the omega-level mutant at the school) to visit a New York City nightclub along with Meghan. At the nightclub Mystique was able to kidnap Billy. She activated a backup version of Danger at the school to distract the New X-Men. But that’s when the plan fell apart. Before the Brotherhood of Mutants could escape with Billy, the Travelers attacked and put them all into a temporal coma – including Michael. Michael was only freed from the coma later when Victorious was defeated and the Travelers disappeared.


 * Welcome to Paradise **

Michael pops up again as a member of Mystique’s new Brotherhood of Mutants and a faculty member of her new west coast mutant school, Academy M. Along with Pyro (somehow resurrected), Switch, Quill, Leech (under mind control), Cordelia Frost, and Feral, Michael helps run the school. He faces Academy X’s mutant team, the eXalts, in combat after Mystique kidnaps one of the Academy X staff members, Jessica and a student, Dagan. Mystique tests Hope (a mutant “cure”) on Jessica and extracts from Dagan’s memory the location of Magneto. When the battle turns against them, an Academy M student with teleportation abilities teleports the Michael and the Brotherhood to safety.


 * My Generation **

After Mystique leaves Academy M in the hands of Headmistress Cordelia Frost, Michael remains on the faculty. The faculty now includes Cordelia Frost, Feral, Pyro, Quill, Scrambler, and Switch. Following a tragic “mutant pride march” where Purifiers attack and kill several mutants, Academy M gets a lot of negative publicity. To distract some of the attention, Michael brings a “gift” (a mutant family album) to Academy X to ostensibly build bridges between the schools but really to reveal the secret mutant school to the press. Later Academy M investigates the Purifiers. Michael and the other Academy M staff members are surprised by the eXalts when investigating a Purifier lab. Several eXalts jump to the conclusion that the Academy M staff are working with the Purifiers and a battle breaks out. Eventually they realize they’re on the same side – against the Purifiers – and the Academy M staff walk away (but not before Michael uses his powers on David).


 * Valley of Lost Souls **

After Academy M disbands following the Purifiers’ final attack, Michael finds another opportunity: along with former classmate St. John Allerdyce, Michael joins Hellfire Club: Los Angeles. Due to his family’s wealth, he’s invited into the Inner Circle as a White Knight. St. John is merely a pawn. But his membership with this group doesn’t last long, either. Hellfire Club: Tokyo, the group secretly behind Academy M, begins targeting Hellfire Club: Los Angeles. After most of the Inner Circle is wiped out and Michael fears he’s next, Michael turns to Academy X for help. Michael was given a vision by the precognitive member of the Inner Circle which he believes will lead them to Hellfire Club: Tokyo. He convinces the eXalts to decipher the vision and strike Hellfire Club: Tokyo. In the ensuing battle Michael helps the eXalts fight several Hellfire Club: Tokyo agents, including Sunfire, Lady Deathstrike, and the Silver Samurai. While Hellfire Club: Tokyo is able to teleport away when the battle turns against them, the group is able to rescue Wolverine’s adopted daughter and kidnapped Academy X student Agape.


 * Empire of the Damned **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michael manages to somehow obtain a telepathy-blocking helmet to keep himself safe from Hellfire Club: Tokyo. He traded an unspecified favor to Academy X for information he uncovered. At the apartment belonging to the former Black Queen of Hellfire Club: Los Angeles, Michael found a journal kept by the precognitive mutant. Michael says that Renee foresaw that a student at Academy X would cause a “coming firestorm” and would rain “fire and lightning down” before the winter solstice. Renee also thought that the student might be from South America.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bloodlines **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Following the attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier over San Francisco, David sends former Mutant Revolutionary Force member Christine to Michael in hopes that he can help her. Later, David contacts Michael and learns that he has found an old Hellfire Club: San Francisco hideout where he and Christine are safe. David suggests he look into the defunct Mutant Revolutionary Force and Michael insinuates he may be interested in re-starting it…


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remix **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michael visits the school to discuss Mac joining the Peaceful Coexistence Party and helping support their gubernatorial candidate, James Sangrey, for whom Michael is an advisor.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Six **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michael is the Vice Exarch and is ruling the country while Dagan deals with her "memory loss" in the year 2020.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tinderbox **

David asks Alex Summers to pressure Vice-Exarch Michael (now leading the Mutant Republic since Exarch Dagan lost her memories) to put at least one suggestion from X-Corporation: San Francisco’s leader Heather Cameron’s action plan to help humans into effect. Alex says he has bigger problems now with potential war with the New United States looming. Later in the week, David receives a phone call from Michael. Michael tells David that the Mutant Republic will be starting a draft. He needs David to sort the Academy X students into three categories: Category 1 is for students with evident combat abilities; Category 2 is for students with possible combat abilities; and Category 3 is for students with no combat ability. David agrees to do so. Michael then asks David if he’d be willing to serve as general of the Mutant Republic. Alex Summers is capable, but David is the most well-known and respected mutants on the west coast. David agrees on one condition: that when conflict between the two mutant countries begins, Dagan will be at his side. After all, she’s his daughter and he wants to keep her safe. Michael agrees, as long as the doctors agree that Dagan is up for it.


 * Explosive**

Heather Cameron of X-Corporation: San Francisco speaks at a huge rally in Los Angeles. In the middle of her speech, a group of mutants emerges from the crowd and assassinates her! The crowd goes wild. As news of her death spreads throughout the Mutant Republic, the humans riot. Michael no longer has any patience for the human protestors. S.H.I.E.L.D. teams are sent in to end the protests by any means necessary. The eXalts watch on television as humans are gunned down in the streets.


 * Extremist**

While the eXalts have "returned" to their time to find clones have taken their place, they realize that they do not have many allies. Samantha decides to call Michael, chairman of the Peaceful Coexistence Party. He doesn’t answer, possibly due to not recognizing the number. Sam leaves a message asking him to pick up. When she calls back, he answers. She tells him the entire story and he listens patiently. In the end he says he’ll only trust her if they meet and if she comes alone. He’s in Sacramento helping governor-elect James Sangrey prepare for his inauguration. He tells her to meet him in an all-night diner outside Sacramento. The eXalts debate the wisdom of attending the meeting, fearing for Sam’s safety. In the end Sam decides to go and to go alone. She arrives early and watches Michael enter. He slides into the seat and asks to hear the story again. He asks pointed questions about the condition of the so-called clones. When Sam mentions the hemolytic anemia, he says he believes her story. He then hits her with a tranquilizer dart under the table and she passes out.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Sam re-awakens in a storage unit. A half dozen men in masks surround her. Directly in front of her is Michael. Michael says they are all wearing telepathy-blocking earpieces. Unfortunately that means no one can read Sam’s mind, either. Michael will have to trust her. He agrees that X has to be stopped from using Cerebra, if her story is true. He says he’ll go to Academy X, see what he can find, and contact her later. Sam gives him her contact information (a burner phone). He then tranqs her again. She wakes up in a stall at another diner. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">**Jinxed** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> Sam calls Michael to see how his plan to visit Utopia is going. Michael texts back that he will put his plan into motion soon and to wait. The eXalts don’t have to wait long to find out Michael's plan. They hear on the radio that James Sangrey (Peaceful Coexistence Party governor-elect of California) will be taking a delegation to Utopia. This is obviously Michael’s cover to get onto the island and into Academy X. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">**Exposed** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Sam flies the stolen S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopter to the closest cell tower. She has a message waiting from her for Michael. She returns the call. Michael says he had an agent infiltrate the school during his visit to Academy X. The agent entered the medical lab and obtained the clones’ medical records. The records prove their bodies are breaking down due to hemolytic anemia. Michael now believes their story and is willing to help them. Michael and Sam make a plan to meet in twenty four hours once Michael has found a safe place in San Francisco. From there they’ll launch a raid onto Utopia to access Cerebra. Then the eXalts can get their powers back, defeat X, depose the clones, and regain control of the mutant school.

Michael tells the team to meet him on top of an apartment building on the outskirts of San Jose. The building was never completed, as it was started just before the housing collapse of 2008. A helipad was installed, however, so the eXalts should be able to fly in. Since Melissa has never been near the building, the team agrees to fly the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopter to the building. The stealth helicopter is able to make it to San Jose, but its tank is running low. The stealth technology works, and the vehicle lands on top of the apartment building without being detected. The group exits the helicopter to find two cloaked figures waiting for them. The lead figure pulls back his hood and is revealed to be Michael. He greets the group. David asks who the other figure is. Michael says it’s okay to show himself. The man pulls back his hood – it’s Cougar, leader of the Mutant Revolutionary Front! Michael says he’ll never admit that he spends time with the man in charge of the terrorist group. The eXalts agree not to mention the connection. Michael says he’s trusting the group, but he has a backup just in case. Appearing out of thin air is former Academy X student, Christine Cord, AKA Tattoo! After she dropped out of the mutant school, she joined the MRF. The team thought she’d died on the Purifier attack at the convention center months ago. Sam realizes the mutants that died in the attack were mindless clones created by a mutant in Michael’s employ. Later X abducted that mutant, which is how she was able to create clones of the eXalts. Then X used her telepathy to copy the eXalts’ minds into the new bodies. Christine never died – her mindless clone did! And Christine has explosive strapped to her body. If the eXalts try anything, she’ll detonate the bomb. Mac is upset that his partner (he agreed to join Michael’s political party) would use such underhanded tactics. Staging the deaths of mutant teenagers just to win the gubernatorial election is reprehensible! Michael is more pragmatic – he did what he needed to do, and very few were hurt in the process. The rest of the group gangs up on Michael, but Dane tells them to stop. After all, Michael is helping them. The group fills Michael in on everything that’s happened. Michael agrees to deploy the MRF to help them.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> The eXalts and their allies from the MRF lay siege to Utopia. They infiltrate the school and find the Cerebra unit. After taking out Danielle Robataille, Michael nervously puts the device’s helmet on. His eyes go wide. Cerebra’s lights begin blinking wildly. Red blinking lights suddenly illuminate the room. Using Cerebra has set off the school’s alarms. After the fight with their clones, the group discovers that Michael has not left the Cerebra unit. When they check on him, they find that he’s a vegetable. His brain was essentially “fried” by using Cerebra to re-activate latent mutants. Sam enters his mind but finds there’s nothing she can do for him. The group decides to see if Xavier can help when he returns.
 * Climax**

Bastienne is checking on baby Davan to see how he’s doing after being harmed during the battle. She’s surprised to realize the scar he received from his injury is the same scar Michael has! Michael and Davan even have the same eye and hair color. When she tells everyone her suspicion, the group decides to run DNA tests to check. It’s confirmed. Michael and Davan are the same person. __**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Powers and Abilities **__

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michael has the ability to confuse others mentally or even control their minds.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Currently in a vegetative state on the east coast being looked after by Professor Xavier.