Pyro (comics)
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Pyro (real name St. John Allerdyce) is a mutant in the Marvel Universe with the power to control fire.
Character history
Born in Sydney, Australia, his mutant power to manipulate flame emerged in his teens, but he could not think of a practical way to use it.
After years of working in Southeast Asia as a journalist and novelist, Pyro met the mutant Mystique, who later recruited him to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He served in this team under several leaders, including Toad, but not under Magneto, its original leader. Mystique's Brotherhood later offered its services to the United States government, in exchange for protection and a pardon, and became known as Freedom Force.
Some years ago, Pyro contracted the Legacy virus, a fatal disease only mutants can contract. He committed several crimes in attempts to find a cure, but was not successful. He died just after saving Senator Robert Kelly's life from a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but the Senator was shot and killed soon after by a human-supremacist.
Powers and abilities
Pyro's power is the ability to manipulate flame by shaping it as he desires, increasing or decreasing its heat, intensity, and size. However, he cannot actually create fire and usually carries a flamethrower or cigarette lighter. Pyro cannot be burned by any fire he controls, but if he turns his attention from them, the flames will return to normal and can harm him. Pyro sometimes uses his powers to shape semi-solid creatures out of fire. The creatures have a greater solidity than normal flame and a fiery bird might be able to pick up an object with its talons.
Appearances in other media
Pyro has appeared in the X-Men films, played by different actors. He had only a brief cameo in X-Men, but his role was greatly expanded in the sequel X2: X-Men United and was played by Aaron Stanford. In the movies, Pyro is American rather than Australian, and attends Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted before joining Magneto's Brotherhood. Pyro (and Stanford) are expected to return for X-Men 3.