Manifold
Manifold, from the variant cover to The Avengers (vol. 5) #5 (February 2013). Art by Carlos Pacheco.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Secret Warriors #4 (July 2009)
Created by	Jonathan Hickman Stefano Caselli
In-story information
Alter ego	Eden Fesi
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Secret Warriors Avengers S.W.O.R.D.
Abilities	Space Communication Teleportation Portal Creation Remote Teleportation Time and Reality Bending Space Folding Invisibility

Eden Fesi, also known as Manifold, is a fictional, mutant superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli, the character first appeared in Secret Warriors #4 (July 2009), and joined that comic's regular cast.^[1] Fesi is an Aboriginal Australian mutant with the ability to shape the universe and bend time and space, connecting one piece to another and allowing him to teleport. Fesi joined the Avengers as a part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. In 2013, ComicsAlliance ranked Manifold as #12 on their list of the "50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics".^[2]

Publication history

Eden Fesi first appeared in Secret Warriors #4 (July 2009), and was created by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Stefano Caselli. He appeared in the book until its conclusion in issue #28 (September 2011). He also made guest appearances as a member of the Secret Warriors in Dark Avengers #9 (November 2009), New Avengers #62 (April 2010), and Siege #2-3 (April–May 2010).

Fesi, as Manifold, appears as a member of Hickman's Avengers, beginning with Avengers (vol. 5) #1 (December 2012), a part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. Hickman said that, when creating the character, he had initially intended to give him the codename "Calabi–Yau", named after a Calabi–Yau manifold, but when adding the character to the Avengers roster he decided on the codename "Manifold" instead.^[3]

Fictional character biography

Eden Fesi, a mutant teleporter living in Kata Tjuta, Australia under the tutelage of Gateway, is recruited by Nick Fury to be a part of his Secret Warriors. Hesitant at first, he agrees when Gateway gives his blessing.^[4] Almost immediately after being recruited, Eden has to teleport the entire team into the middle of a large battle aboard a dock to save Fury.^[5] He accompanies the team on several missions, including an infiltration of the H.A.M.M.E.R. base that brings them into conflict with the Dark Avengers^[6] and an attack on a HYDRA base that leaves Eden critically wounded.^[7] The team disbands, as Hellfire had betrayed them and Eden slips into a coma.^[8] Eden eventually makes a full recovery.^[9]

As part of the Marvel NOW! event, Eden is now operating under the moniker Manifold. He is recruited by Captain America and Iron Man to the Avengers, as a part of their attempt to make the team more global in scope.^[10] As part of the Avengers, he encounters the Guardians of the Galaxy when the latter team is ambushed and nearly slain by mysterious aliens.^[11]

During the Secret Wars storyline, Black Panther prepares Manifold for his task which calls on him to sacrifice himself to teleport other heroes to the safety of Mister Fantastic's lifeboat. Manifold teleports other superheroes like Spider-Man and Star-Lord to Mister Fantastic's lifeboat, a feat that cost him his life, although he was restored back to life later on.^[12]

Manifold found himself in Wakanda, where he aided in stopping the revolts against Black Panther, who now considered him a close friend and valuable ally. He traveled with T'Challa to meet with the Emperor of the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, however both were captured and had their memories wiped. Manifold was brainwashed and forced to serve the Empire as a brutal killing machine enforcer, but was eventually freed and rejoined T'Challa and his forces against the empire.

When mutants founded the island nation of Krakoa, Manifold was subsequently recruited to the island's space program - the latest incarnation of S.W.O.R.D. - as the 'Quintician', one of 'The Six', and leader of the Teleport Team.^[13]

During Destiny of X, Eden Fesi tells Cable he is leaving the S.W.O.R.D team.^[14] Together they formed a team with Wiz Kid, Weaponless Zsen, and Khora of the Burning Heart to combat Abigail Brand and her allies. Hunting down Orbis Stellaris, who stole a sample of Cable's Techno-Organic Virus, Eden was able to use his powers to track him down. They later discovered that his Progenitors brainwashed Vulcan into working for Brand. During the confrontation, the Progenitors expressed an interest in Eden for his powers and proceeded to torture him by opening a portal in his chest. They were stopped by Cable, who would be thanked by Eden by teleporting the Progenitors away, with the assistance of Lactuca the Knower. Having stopped Stellaris and Brand, Wiz Kid became the Station Commander of S.W.O.R.D. and Manifold chose to stay under the new management.

Later on, it would be revealed that Destiny's abilities allowed her to see a vision about Manifold becoming essential to the future of Krakoa and the survival of mutantkind, and tasked her daughter and son-in-law Rogue and Gambit to bring him to her. Manifold, who was preoccupied with investigating the disappearances of many criminals and found Destiny's conditions unreasonable, refused to come with them. The couple offered to assist him, as a way to keep an eye on him. However, this would lead to Manifold unfortunately being kidnapped by the Power Broker. By the time Rogue and Gambit were able to track him down, it was too late, and Eden along with the other prisoners were held captive under mind control through a device that kills the wearer when removed. Despite the rest of the hostages being freed, Eden's device was not removed and he was kept away in a pod by Destiny to help prevent in a future crisis.

Powers and abilities

Eden's mutation allows him to bend reality, fold and twist space-time, and speak with the very universe. Daisy Johnson described him as a "souped-up teleporter".^[4] Eden's portals stay open until he chooses to close them. It was recently revealed that Eden actually talks to space and is described as a quintician. Abigail Brand reported that Eden asks space to do things for him, such as fold so he can walk across and essentially teleport, ask space to bend light around him rendering him invisible, and even teleport solar plasma from the sun to his hand.^[13]

Other versions

In an unnamed alternate reality, Caucasian version of Manifold (wearing the same costume as Eden) appears in Wakanda alongside the villainess Black Swan. Black Swan later kills this Manifold after his teleportation abilities cease to function.^[15] In the following issue, she refers to her actions as a mercy killing, stating that a Manifold is unable to use his or her abilities once they leave their own universe.^[16]

In other media

References

External links

• Eden Fesi on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• Eden Fesi at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• World of Black Heroes: Eden Fesi Biography