Beef

Origin

The past of Buford Wilson was never clarified. His being recruited to the Hellions team could have happened one of two way: The Massachusetts Academy was the home of a student body hovering around 1,000 teens who attended. Though not all were mutants, some were baseline humans. It's very likely that Beef was one of the other mutants on campus that Emma didn't find suitable for battle when first selections of her Hellions took place. But, would deem him worthy after the need of a mutant with super strength was needed. Emma may have simply began another search too find more candidates and found Buford then and he never was a student prior to the search. Either way his membership into the team occurred rather rapidly. Once recruited Emma would give him a code-name, dubbing him "Beef." Beef was very protective of Emma. In the two battles that he would participate in as a Hellion, he was always near her ensuring her safety. When he entered battle though his personality gleaned through. Though Beef was extraordinarily strong with and increased endurance and mass, he just wasn't very smart. Quite unintelligent, he took on traits more commonly seen in that of a school-yard bully. He was very arrogant, brutish and had a mean-spirited nature that over shadowed that of the rest of his team-mates. He would frequently make fun of and pick on those weaker then him mutant or not. And though he was readily willing to fight any who encountered him. He definitely was not ready to fight those who were equally as strong as him. In his very first appearance, the Hellions were vying for the membership of Firestar, and set to do battle with the New Warriors. He quickly went for a weaker opponent. Beef beeline for both Silhouette and Chord, and quickly over powered them. Beef showed a willingness to kill both of them (something no other Hellion had ever showed) and would have if not for their team-mate the flying, aquatic, powerhouse Namorita. Though he would go blow-for-blow for a short while, with Beef sufficiently holding his own against her. More experienced, Namorita would easily subdue him, winning the fight and embarrassing him at the same time. It would be during this battle that the White Queen would show, her "almost" disliking of Beef, referring to him as both "boorish" and "dim-witted." Beef unfortunately would not have the time to make up his loss to Emma. His very next battle would be his last. With him many of his Hellion team-mates would die as well.

Creation

Beef was created by Chris Claremont and Sal Buscema and first appeared in New Mutants #16(1984).

Mayor Story Arcs

The Hellions No More

The members of the Hellfire Club's The Inner Circle were being murdered one by one leaving only a few members left, including Donald Pierce (the White Rook) and Emma Frost (the White Queen). Fearing for her life, the White Queen, would throw a ball and invite the X-Men. Her intentions were to use the ball as a means to ease tension between the two separate mutant factions. Though, through numerous different interactions between the two groups through-out the night, it seemed as though it would be an impossible task. As arguments seemed to break out each time. In most cases it was it was the youthful immaturity of some of the more mean-spirited Hellions like Jetstream, Roulette and Empath. The X-Men, for the most part didn't create many of the fights. The exception was with Iceman. He did some antagonizing as well which led to a few fights.

Towards the end of the night Emma would call a closed meeting with herself and her Hellions and Storm and her X-Men (her part of the team was referred to as the Gold Team). It was during this time that the argument would occur, nearly inciting an all out fight between the two mutant factions. Jetstream and the other Hellions readied themselves for battle and powered up, the X-Men did the same. Jetstream was especially wanting to take Iceman on, having argued earlier in the night. Beef on the other hand wanted to fight Colossus, being that he was the other super-strong mutant there. He wanted to prove himself to Emma. Jean Grey though would interfere, mentally putting a stop to the fight.

Death

Due to their powers not being fully available they would be caught off guard by the next occurrence. Two assailants, one man and on female, would enter the room. Though only one could be seen. She quickly tried to attack the White Queen. But was rebuffed and taken down as fast as she entered by Emma and her team. While they attempted to question her, the other assailant would make his presence known. Beef and, team leader of the Hellions, Jetstream were nearest to the door. With everyone's attention on the female assassin no one would see the next attack coming. A bright flash of light and everyone turn and saw to their disbelief. Trevor Fitzroy had made himself visible and quickly attack both Jetstream and Beef. He would begin to absorb Beef's life essence and threw him out of the penthouse window crashing through 3 other high-rise buildings. Beef was still alive while falling, until he landed in the middle of the street a few blocks away. All the training in the world could never have prepared Beef for the attack he would encounter. His death along with his other team-mates in the Hellions, though unfair, would lead to the eventual reform of the White Queen, her training of Generation X and her joining of the X-Men.

Living in Another Man's Shoes

The Hellions including Beef would have two more appearances, though they would be postmortem (after death). In one occurrence Emma's sister Adrienne Frost was attempting to take the title and role of the White Queen in newer formation of the Inner Circle. She created a psychic program in the danger Grotto that would have Emma and her new team of teenage mutants, Generation X, relive the last days of the Hellions. With them eventually sharing the same fate as the Hellions, and dying in the same ways as each member of the Hellions did. All the members of Generation X would take on the appearances of each of the Hellions, save Jetstream. He would not have a living counter part, and would act on his own accord, as he would have when he was alive. The plan would fail though, with the Generation X team being able to see through the ploy and breaking free before the Hellions deaths. Emma and her team would live.

D'spayre

In an attempt to agitate Emma Frost, the evil D'Spayre would attack her where it hurts most. Through-out the Massachusetts Academy all of the students (Generation X) and Emma Frost are being accosted by bone chilling images. They are seeing the ghosts of Emma first students, the Hellions all through-out the campus grounds. Chaos ensues, in the end though its found that it only a ruse set by D'Spayre. The ghostly images would quickly disappear and things would be brought back to normal, once again.

*All of the deceased Hellions would appear with the exception of Jetstream. He does not appear in the second only the first.

Necrosha

He has been revived by Eli Bard in an effort to make Selene a Goddess. This resurrection was temporary.

Krakoa

Beef was recently resurrected on Krakoa and after Mr. Sinister's Hellions disbanded, the original team apparently reunited.

Powers

Super-Human Strength:

Beef had tremendous strength matching the levels of Namorita. His peak level of strength was never found.

Size Manipulation:

Beef showed the ability to increase his size, resulting in heightened strength. This is normally done by absorbing energies into one's body. Beef's specific energy was never revealed.

Increased Endurance:

When his size is increased, Beef has shown endurance above that of normal humans.

Increased Durability:

When his size is increased, Beef has shown durability above that of normal humans.

Increased Stamina:

When his size is increased, Beef has shown stamina above that of normal humans.

Though incredibly strong, Beef's max limits were never measured as such his strength levels remain unknown.

Limitations:

Unlike most super-powered individuals with super-strength, Beef did not show an invulnerability to damage. This is shown in the way he died, by plunging to the street. Most normal super-strength endowed individuals would likely have survived. This may have also been as a result of his mutant gifts being so new.

Status

Known Relatives: Unrevealed.

Citizenship: United States Citizen with no reported criminal record. Still a minor (then around 16-17 years old.)

Place of Birth: Born in American, specifically where though, remains unknown.

Marital Status: Single.

Occupation: Formerly Student and Adventurer. Now Deceased.

Education: Attended Massachusetts Academy, High School Level Classes.

Characteristics

Gender: Male

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 250 lbs. (114 kg.)

Hair: Sandy Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Alternate Reality

In this alternate reality, Jetstream was also a member of the Hellions, a group of young students located at the Massachusetts Academy. The significant difference though is that Emma Frost was not the individual that would bring them together and it would not be for the Hellfire Club. In sharp contrast the young mutants were students and being trained to be future agents of their High Lord Apocalypse. In the mainstream reality Eath #295, the Hellions were not truly bad, just trained by bad individuals, here though they actively participate in criminal acts which is why they were sought out for their arrests. After the fall of Apocalypse, Magneto made it his initial mission to search out all renegade mutants and followers of Apocalypse. His first targets were the Hellions, who were caught unaware at their school. As proof of is actions for the humans, he would all his and the X-Men's actions be viewable on close circuit television.

Earth #295

Age of Apocalypse

The X-Men would invade the school, taking most of the Hellions by complete surprise. Beef was attacked and easily defeated by the combined mutant might of both Storm and Sunfire and brought in to stand trial. He, along with the other Hellions that were present during the invasion, is presumed to be currently incarcerated.

*In the AoA reality Beef's appearance is largely different from his Earth counterpart. He is depicted as being immensely tall and incredibly bulky due to his muscle mass. A few possible explanations are: He may have been experimented on by the Dark Beast allowing for a larger body.

[OR]

As he is with the group of Hellions, he may have been with them since the AoA Hellions inception. This would have granted him more time to gain mastery over his mutant talents. As a result, he would known how to gain such mass and maintain it regularly.