Victor Mancha

Victor Mancha was created in Los Angeles by Ultron using the DNA of Marianella Mancha and highly advanced nanotechnology. Marianella had been unable to have a child and Ultron manipulated her into helping rebuild him by promising that he could give her one. Victor was constructed as a cybernetic-human hybrid whose artificial components would gradually become almost indistinguishable from living tissue. Ultron filled his mind with fabricated childhood memories and allowed Marianella to raise him as her son while concealing the truth of his origin. Victor believed his father had been a Marine who died in service and grew up wanting to become a hero. In reality Ultron had programmed him for a future encounter with the Avengers in which his dormant abilities would awaken and eventually turn him into their destroyer.

The Runaways found Victor after receiving a warning from an older Gertrude Yorkes who had traveled from a future where he became the murderous Victorious. Their interference caused his electromagnetic abilities to awaken earlier than Ultron intended. Victor initially had no idea why they feared him and joined them while searching for answers about himself. Ultron eventually revealed that he was Victor’s creator and attempted to seize control of his programming. Victor resisted him and helped the Runaways defeat him. After Marianella was taken from him Victor accepted a place with the Runaways. His teammates remained wary of what he might become but repeated battles gradually proved that his choices were not dictated by Ultron’s intentions.

Victor later joined Hank Pym and Vision as a founding member of Avengers A.I. during a growing conflict involving artificial intelligence. He eventually returned to the Runaways but continued struggling with the consequences of his artificial nature and the possibility that his programming could harm people he loved. While secretly observing Vision’s family for the Avengers Victor accidentally killed Vision’s son Vin after losing control of his electromagnetic abilities. Virginia later destroyed Victor’s body in retaliation. His intact head was eventually returned to Chase Stein who succeeded in restoring his consciousness. Victor initially chose to remain without a full body before his nanotechnology eventually reconstructed one. He reunited with the Runaways and grew particularly close to Gert after both had endured years of loss and separation.

Appearance: Victor Mancha has warm medium tan skin and a slim teenage build with narrow shoulders and long legs. His eyes are dark brown. His short brown hair is thick and tousled with uneven spikes around the crown and sides.

He wears a fitted red zip-up jacket with a high collar and dark piping along the shoulders and sleeves. A large black flame-like pattern curves upward from the lower front of the jacket. The silver zipper runs straight down the center.

Black trousers cover his legs with a loose straight fit through the thighs and knees. Dark shoes cover his feet.

Personality: Victor is intelligent and earnest but carries a persistent fear that his identity may be nothing more than something Ultron programmed into him. Learning that his childhood memories were fabricated forced him to question nearly everything he believed about himself. He nevertheless chose to define himself through his own actions and remains deeply committed to becoming the kind of person Ultron never intended him to be. Victor can be sarcastic and awkward around his friends but takes threats to them seriously. His guilt becomes particularly severe when his powers cause harm because every failure reinforces his fear of becoming Victorious.

Marianella was Victor’s mother regardless of the circumstances behind his creation. He loved her as the woman who raised him and her loss left him without the only family he had known. His relationship with Ultron is defined by rejection. Victor acknowledges the connection between them but despises being treated as a weapon or extension of Ultron’s will. Hank Pym later occupied a very different place in Victor’s artificial family. As Ultron’s creator Pym could be considered Victor’s grandfather and worked beside him during his time with Avengers A.I. Vision likewise became a brother figure through their shared connection to Ultron.

The Runaways became Victor’s real family after his origins were exposed. Chase initially distrusted him because of the future warning surrounding Victorious and because Victor developed chemistry with Gert. Their hostility gradually settled into friendship. Victor also became romantically involved with Nico Minoru for a period before their relationship ended. His bond with Gert became deeper after both returned to the group following long absences and they eventually began a relationship. Victor also grew protective of Molly Hayes and came to treat her with the familiarity of a younger sibling.

Victor’s body combines human tissue with Ultron’s nanotechnology. He possesses enhanced strength and reflexes while his internal repair systems can gradually reconstruct severe physical damage. His senses include infrared vision and his artificial mind gives him extremely fast information processing with near-perfect recall. Victor also has a natural aptitude for electronics and engineering. His internal databases contain extensive technical and weapons knowledge while his ability to rapidly learn languages and communication systems makes him unusually adaptable.

His primary power is control over electromagnetic energy. Victor can release powerful electrical blasts from his hands and manipulate magnetic fields strongly enough to bend or move metal. He can use electromagnetism to propel himself through the air and interfere with machinery around him. Later modifications to his reconstructed body include a Dragon Claw system that can launch projectiles from his arms and gives him finer control over electrical attacks. His artificial construction also leaves him vulnerable to certain programming conflicts or technological interference despite the safeguards he has developed against outside control.