Maelstrom employs a trio of superhumanly powered agents to carry out his bidding. Although their origins are unknown, Maelstrom's three minions are believed to be either human beings or Deviants upon whom Maelstrom has conferred superhuman powers by means of Terrigen Mist. Maelstrom has an undisclosed number of clones of his minions as well as himself. When a minion fails in a task, he is executed, and a cloned successor is released from an incubation-cell. These clones are hidden in various locations across the Earth. It is believed that each clone is given the memories of its predecessors including the memory of its death. Besides the three main minions (Gronk, Phobius, Helio), Maelstrom has employed others, notably one named Falon, as servants and laboratory technicians. The activities of Maelstrom's minions have generally been covert. Their first known public appearance occurred when they were dispatched to Hydro-Base to steal the Anti-Terrigen Compound invented by Reed Richards and the Inhumans. Although they succeeded in this task, they were captured and Maelstrom sent his then-ally Deathurge to execute them. Subsequent clones were killed when Maelstrom's sub sea base caved in while in battle with the Thing and the Inhumans. A third set of clones battled the East and West Coast Avengers at Maelstrom's bidding. Their current whereabouts are unknown.