Deadpool is one of the most popular antihero characters in Marvel comics. He is known for his regenerative healing factor that makes him virtually immortal and invincible. Deadpool’s origin story is quite tragic – he was cursed with his powers and immortality as a result of cruel experimentation. But who exactly cursed Deadpool and made him the immortal “Merc with a Mouth” that fans know and love today? Let’s take a deep dive into Deadpool’s backstory and the key events that led to his cursed immortality.
Wade Wilson’s Origins
Before he became Deadpool, Wade Wilson was just a normal human special forces operative. He was born in Canada and had a difficult childhood where his mother died of cancer and his father was physically abusive. Wade ran away from home as a teenager and eventually joined the Canadian Special Forces. After leaving the special forces, Wade became a mercenary taking on the moniker “Deadpool.” Everything changed for Wade when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Weapon X Program Experiments on Wade
Desperate for a cure to his cancer, Wade agreed to enroll in the top-secret government Weapon X program. The Weapon X program was known for carrying out unethical experiments to enhance mutants’ powers and turn them into living weapons. While Wade willingly entered the program, he had no idea just how horrific the experiments would be.
The Weapon X Facility
The Weapon X program was run out of a remote facility in Canada by the sadistic Dr. Killebrew and his assistant Ajax. They subjected Wade to various torturous experiments designed to trigger mutant gene expression and activate any latent mutant abilities. The experiments included oxygen deprivation, electroshock therapy, and implantation of a healing factor derived from Wolverine’s DNA.
Ajax’s Role
However, the experiments did not initially trigger the desired mutation in Wade. As a “motivation” technique, Ajax would regularly subject Wade to extreme stress and pain to force mutation to occur. This included drowning, asphyxiation, and frequent beatings. Ajax took sadistic pleasure in torturing Wade. His extreme methods triggered the activation of Wade’s mutant genes, giving him his signature healing factor and scarring his skin in the process.
The Healing Factor Curse
While Weapon X succeeded in activating Wade’s mutant healing abilities, they also cursed him with immortality and disfigurement. Wade’s healing factor works by constantly regenerating his cells, preventing him from being killed and dying of cancer or any other ailment. However, his healing factor is limited – it allows Wade to recover from injuries and survive the most extreme traumas, but does not cure his facial scarring or cancer.
Regenerative Powers
Deadpool has one of the strongest healing factors seen in the Marvel universe. Here are some of his regenerative abilities:
- Rapidly heal from any wound, no matter how fatal
- Regenerate limbs or organs
- Survive being decapitated or burnt alive
- Immunity to all diseases, viruses, and toxins
- Does not age and has extended lifespan
- Impervious to most forms of pain or fatigue
While these powers make Deadpool nearly invincible, they come at a terrible cost.
The Curse of Immortality
Deadpool’s healing factor makes him immortal – he cannot die by conventional means. While this may seem like an amazing ability, it is more of a curse than a blessing. Here are some of the downsides to Deadpool’s immortality:
- Constant physical and mental suffering from his disfigurement and cancer
- Isolation and loneliness of outliving everyone he cares about
- Existential boredom from such a long existence
- No escape from the pain and trauma of life through death
- Loss of empathy or morality after centuries of violence
- Perpetual mental health issues and insanity
Deadpool once said, “Eternal life? Immortality? What’s to like about sticking around forever with a bunch of assholes?” His immortality forces him to endure extreme anguish with no end in sight.
Escape from Weapon X
After gaining his powers, Wade was determined to escape from Weapon X and get revenge on those who cursed him. Thanks to his abilities, he managed to escape the Weapon X facility’s security measures and disappear. However, the experiments had left both physical and mental scars on Wade. His skin was left permanently disfigured, earning him the nickname “Deadpool” from his fellow experiment subjects. Mentally, the procedures combined with the trauma of his condition damaged his sanity.
Seeking Revenge
Once free, Deadpool immediately sought revenge against Ajax and Dr. Killebrew for his tortured existence. He managed to blow up the Weapon X laboratory in a fiery explosion, but Dr. Killebrew and Ajax escaped unharmed. With no way to cure his condition, Deadpool was forced to accept his new life and immortality. He adopted a smart-mouthed mercenary persona and decided to use his abilities to earn money. However, Deadpool never forgot what Ajax did and was determined to get vengeance.
Confronting Ajax
It took years, but Deadpool finally managed to track down Ajax to one of his new laboratories. In a confrontation between the two, Ajax confessed that there was never any plan or way to cure Wade’s cancer – the torture had just been for his sick amusement. The two battled furiously, with Deadpool out for blood.
Final Showdown
After an explosive fight across the lab, Wade managed to overpower Ajax. But even with the opportunity to kill Ajax, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, Wade left Ajax in a state between life and death – the same state that Ajax had left Wade in when he cursed him with partial immortality. Ajax was recovered but left severely disabled and disfigured.
No Closure
While confronting Ajax allowed Wade to get some payback, it did not give him the cure or closure he hoped for. He accepted that the Weapon X experiments were irreversible and that he was doomed to walk the earth forever thanks to the curse placed on him. Wade continues his mercenary work under the name Deadpool, trying to cope with the immortality he never asked for.
Who Else Played a Role?
While Ajax was the one who directly experimented on Wade Wilson, there were a number of other key figures complicit in cursing Deadpool:
- Dr. Emrys Killebrew – The unethical scientist who headed the Weapon X program and ordered the experiments on Wade and others.
- William Stryker – The high-ranking government official who founded the Weapon X program and allowed the extreme human experimentation.
- Weapon X/the Canadian Government – Funded and sanctioned the Weapon X experiments that disfigured and cursed Wade.
- Wolverine – His DNA was used to give Wade his healing factor without his consent.
So while Ajax was the direct culprit behind Deadpool’s cursed immortality, the blame extends to the entire Weapon X program and those who allowed its operation.
Could Deadpool’s Curse Be Reversed?
Deadpool has tried to find ways to undo his curse and finally be able to die, but to no avail. Here are some potential cures he has attempted:
Scientific Cures
- Removing Wolverine’s implanted DNA – Failed, as Wade’s healing factor had fully integrated.
- Cell-degeneration bio-weapons – Temporarily neutralized his powers, but they soon came back.
- Magic suppressant drugs – Were ineffective long-term.
Supernatural Methods
- Making deals with demons – Backfired, demons feared Deadpool.
- Imbuing objects with death energy – Items were too difficult to utilize for extended periods.
- Reality distortion – Any changes were temporary as reality snapped back.
Mutant Cures
- Genetic manipulation – Wade’s genes were too unstable to completely reengineer.
- Fission bombs – Molecular destruction was reversed by healing factor.
- Power removal serums – Only temporarily suppressed his abilities.
Based on his failed attempts, it seems highly unlikely that Deadpool’s immortality curse can ever fully be undone. His healing factor always remains intact and brings him back from any mortal wound or condition. While it remains a curse, Deadpool has learned to embrace his immortality and make the most of it.
Conclusion
In summary, Deadpool was cursed with his signature immortality and powers due to the horrific experiments performed on him by the Weapon X program, led by the sadistic Ajax. The procedures activated latent mutant genes in Wade Wilson, giving him a powerful healing factor that prevents him from dying. This ability lets Deadpool recover from any injury but also makes him unable to die by normal means. While Deadpool got revenge against Ajax, he remains cursed, unable to find a permanent cure for his condition. Immortality has become both a blessing and a curse for Deadpool – allowing him to be an effective mercenary but also dooming him to an endless existence of pain and loneliness. His dark origin shows how unchecked human experimentation and exploitation can lead to unintended consequences like the creation of the infamous immortal antihero Deadpool.