Real name: Unrevealed
Former aliases: Hellhound, Death
Identity: Secret
Occupation: (current) Adventurer, (former) Warrior for Apocalypse, (former) locator of mutants for the Morlocks
Legal status: None known
Place of birth: Unrevealed
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: None
Group affiliation: (current) X-Force, (former) Morlocks, X-Factor I, Apocalypse's Horsemen
Base of operations: (current) The Xavier Institute, Salem Center, Westchester County, New York State, (former) The Alley (beneath Manhattan's surface), X-Factor I's sentient starship "Ship," Apocalypse's secret bases
First appearance: X-MEN (first series) #148

History: Caliban is a mutant who was born with a freakish appearance which caused his father to name him (or possibly only nickname him) after the grotesque being in William Shakespeare's The Tempest. At some point Caliban was recruited by the mutant Callisto to use his superhuman ability to locate other mutants for her, whom she organized into the underground community known as the Morlocks. Caliban lived beneath the Manhattan streets with them, but felt lonely even among his fellow mutant outcasts.

One evening Caliban sensed the presence of mutants in a New York City nightclub. He entered only to find himself in combat against the mutants Dazzler, Storm, and Kitty Pryde (now called Shadowcat), as well as against the original Spider-Woman. The battle ended peacefully, with the four women allowing the pathetic Caliban, who only sought friendship, to return to his underground home.

Sometime later, the X-Men, the team of mutant adventurers to which Shadowcat then belonged, found itself in conflict with the Morlocks. Shadowcat, suffering from fever, was held captive by Caliban, who had fallen in love with her. Intent on helping her teammates and escaping, Pryde promised to stay with Caliban forever if he would help the X-Men against his fellow Morlocks. Caliban agreed and carried out his part of the bargain, but Pryde did not keep her promise and returned to the X-Men. Weeks later the Morlocks kidnapped Pryde on orders from the vengeful Callisto and attempted to force her to marry Caliban, but Caliban, realizing that she did not truly wish to live with him, released her from her promise. Since then Caliban and Kitty Pryde have been friends.

The original X-Factor team rescued Caliban from being killed in the massacre of most of the Morlock population by Mister Sinister's Marauders. Caliban vowed vengeance on the killers of the Morlocks. Caliban took up residence at X-Factor's headquarters and soon joined their team.

However, X-Factor's arch foe Apocalypse offered to grant Caliban enough superhuman power to wreak vengeance on his enemies in exchange for becoming Apocalypse's servant. Apocalypse used advanced genetic engineering methods to increase Caliban's size and strength. Apocalypse renamed Caliban "Hellhound," and he joined Apocalypse's Horsemen. Still later, Caliban took the name "Death."

Caliban and the other Horsemen later switched their allegiance from Apocalypse to Mister Sinister. Caliban attacked his former allies Cyclops and Phoenix (Jean Grey), and brought them to Mister Sinister, who turned them over to the terrorist Stryfe. Alongside the other Horsemen, Caliban then battled the X-Men but was defeated by them.

Removed from the influence of Apocalypse and Mister Sinister, Caliban reverted to his original, non-violent personality. Cable recruited Caliban into his team, X-Force, in which Caliban continues to serve loyally to this day. Moreover, Caliban now regards Cable as one of his closest friends.

Later, Caliban once again fell under the thrall of Apocalypse. He mutated even further, becoming much more aggressive. Caliban threatened to kill X-Force in his first act as Pestilence, First Horseman of the Apocalypse. Following the Horsemen's defeat, Caliban sought out Apocalypse, who had merged with Cyclops, stalwart leader of the X-Men. By the time the amalgamated entity released Caliban from his service, he already had begun reverting to his original, childlike personality.

Height: 6 ft. 8 in., (before bioengineering) 5 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 275 lbs., (before bioengineering) 150 lbs.
Eyes: Black pupils, no apparent irises, yellow corneas
Hair: None

Other distinguishing features: Enormous eyes, chalk-white skin with a light purple tinge

Strength level: Before Apocalypse's bioengineering, Caliban possessed the normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in minimal regular exercise. During that period, when Caliban was panic-stricken, adrenaline was released in his body which temporarily gave him superhuman strength. The limits of that superhuman strength are unknown, but he proved to be nearly a match for the original Spider-Woman, who could lift (press) about 7 tons.

Due to Apocalypse's bioengineering, Caliban now possesses superhuman strength at all times. He now possesses Superhuman Class 10 strength, enabling him to lift (press) around 10 tons. It has not been revealed whether adrenaline surges can still increase his strength even further.

Known Superhuman Powers: Caliban is a mutant who possesses the psionic ability to sense the presence of other superhuman mutants within a radius of 25 miles.

Apocalypse's bioengineering has enhanced Caliban's strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes to superhuman levels.

Before Apocalypse's bioengineering, Caliban possessed the ability to absorb the psionic energy in the fear radiated by humans around them and to turn it against them, inducing more intense fear within their minds. He has not demonstrated this power recently and may have lost it.