Early Life[]

Bennet du Paris was born in the 12th century, in Medieval France. He had always felt different, as if he had a deep hidden power. As an adult he was a Crusader for the Knights Templar sent to Jerusalem during the Crusades and became best friends with Eobar Garrington, the Black Knight of that era. The two had set out on a quest to find the Tower of Power, the domain of the mythic "Eternal Pharaoh" in Akkaba when Dane Whitman (the future Black Knight) and Sersi had been transported back to the 12th century, Whitman transported into Eobar's body.

Eobar retained control but felt something was wrong. Sahreed a secret servant of Apocalypse challenged the Black Knight and Bennet to a duel, which he won with a single kick, before throwing Sahreed out of the tent. When he came into contact with Sersi he abandoned the quest, angering du Paris. Paris left to find the tower alone, traveling several miles away^[8] and half a mile short of death he would see something that he then compared to Moses' burning bush and Constantine's vision of the true cross. Was it somehow both or something else, as a man of faith Paris had no answers. But in modern times, as a mutant of faith, he would believe he saw the Phoenix Force.^[11] Some time after Paris finally collapsed, a voice spoke to him, asking him if he was willing to risk everything to become one of the strong. Paris was then tested. When suddenly a boulder came crashing down towards him, and for a brief moment his powers manifested and he shattered the boulder. Surprised by this he was then ambushed by Scarab, and as the two fought, she taunted him so he would release his powers. It worked and he vaporized the Scarab. And with his mutant powers active for the first time proving himself strong, he disappeared from the spot.^[8] Meanwhile Sersi had awakened Dane's mind and he now had control of his body as Eobar passed on. While searching for Paris, the two were captured by Apocalypse.

When they awoke they found Bennet du Paris had been transformed into Exodus, recognizing him as the same Exodus from the future. Apocalypse commanded Exodus to destroy the Black Knight. When Dane refused to kill Exodus, Sersi intervened, though her attack proved useless. Apocalypse again commanded Exodus to kill Sersi and Dane, though this time Exodus refused. He turned on Apocalypse calling him a "false god". However, Exodus was no match for him. Apocalypse stripped Exodus of his power and sealed him away in a Tomb in the Swiss Alps. Six months later, Dane found the crypt in which Exodus was trapped in a coma-like state. He found there was a "curse" preventing Exodus from leaving, yet others were allowed to come and go as they pleased. Dane left guards who had sworn to look after the crypt for generations to come, and he and Sersi returned to their time.^[8]

Modern Age[]

Acolytes[]

Sometime later, in the modern age, Magneto found and freed Exodus, taking him back to Avalon. Exodus became Magneto's right-hand man, replacing Fabian Cortez who had betrayed Magneto. Exodus appeared before the government-sanctioned X-Factor team.^[12] It seemed as though Exodus wanted to tell them something, but he refrained and left. Exodus then appeared before the mutant team X-Force to retrieve Cannonball and Sunspot and take them back to Avalon. They weren't going to come quietly, but the team proved no match for Exodus. Exodus was followed back, and X-Force invaded Avalon to rescue their teammates. X-Force fled the station, but not before Cable was mortally wounded by Magneto.^[13] He later travelled to Key West to recruit the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to their cause, but they refused much to his frustration.^[14][15] When Charles Xavier wiped Magneto's mind clean in an attack by the X-Men on Avalon, Exodus assumed leadership of the Acolytes. Exodus would converse with the mindless Magneto, believing he could hear Magneto's voice.^[16] When Colossus joined the Acolytes he suffered a crisis of faith and was allowed to return to Earth to find Kitty Pryde and bring her back to Avalon.^[17]

Bloodties[]

Soon after, Fabian Cortez resurfaced in Genosha, where he had taken Magneto's presumed granddaughter Luna prisoner. The tension between the mutants and humans had erupted and Genosha was in a state of war. When Luna's mother, Crystal realized Luna had been taken, she and the Avengers left for Genosha.^[18] Meanwhile Quicksilver and the X-Men had also gone to Genosha to save Luna. Exodus arrived in Genosha to save the mutate people and destroy the humans. He quickly came to blows with the Avengers, defeating both War Machine and Sersi before leaving. Exodus then found Fabian Cortez in the sewers of Genosha, using the baby Luna as a human shield. Cortez tried his best to escape, telling Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Crystal, and Jean Grey they must kill Exodus if Luna was to survive.^[19][20]

They were no match for Exodus, and he took control of Cortez making him hand over Luna, then seemingly killed him. Exodus then appeared to the mutates of Genosha, telling them to kill all humans or the entire island would be crushed under his force field. The Avengers and X-Men teamed up and took the fight to Exodus, but it proved futile. It wasn't until Professor Xavier unleashed a powerful psionic attack on Exodus, which allowed the Black Knight to sneak up on Exodus, cutting through him with his energy blade. Exodus, weakened and defeated, left for Avalon, but not before unleashing a powerful attack on Quicksilver, almost killing him. Black Knight remembered Exodus, but couldn't figure out how, as he had not yet gone back in time to meet him.^[21]

High Evolutionary[]

Exodus survived, his powers reverted to normal, and he returned to lead the Acolytes. Seeing the High Evolutionary's experiments as crimes against nature, Exodus sent an army of Mutates and a team of Acolytes, in an attack against the Evolutionary's base, Wundagore Mountain. Despite opposition from Quicksilver and the Knights of Wundagore, Exodus successfully gained control of the citadel, while the High Evolutionary escaped.^[22]

Exodus considered it his "holy mission" to rid the world of impure and artificial mutants such as the High Evolutionary and his creations, the beings known as the Inhumans, and those infected with the Legacy Virus. He sent a team consisting of Pyro, Avalanche, Omega Red, and Feral among others to find the High Evolutionary promising the infected members a cure to the virus, while never intending to cure them. He also sent Fabian Cortez on a mission to destroy the Terrigen Mists in the Inhuman city of Attilan; however, in the end, Cortez failed.^[23] The High Evolutionary decided it was time to regain control of Mount Wundagore, and set off with a team towards the citadel. There he was betrayed by Man-Beast who stole the scepter housing Isotope E, greatly empowering him. Exodus and his Acolytes appeared, and Exodus demanded the isotope be handed over. Man-Beast refused to comply.^[24]

After a horrific battle between Exodus and Man-Beast, the two came to the conclusion that they had much in common and decided to share the isotope and together took Quicksilver, the Knights of Wundagore, and the Heroes For Hire prisoner.^[25] Quicksilver eventually escaped, gained control of Isotope E himself, turned the isotope on himself, and became more powerful than he had ever been before. Exodus apparently proved no match for the super-charged Quicksilver and was soundly defeated. Just as Pietro began to celebrate however, the High Evolutionary, now 20 feet tall and thoroughly insane, smashed through the wall behind them.^[26] The Acolytes refused to help in the battle against the High Evolutionary, prompting Exodus to call them cowards; the mutant announced that the High Evolutionary was an abomination and that Exodus would defeat him by any means necessary. Thena and Exodus' subsequent attacks proved ineffective, until Man-Beast appeared and suggested that the three of them unite their psionic powers.^[27]

This tactic worked and the High Evolutionary began to shrink back down as a result of their combined assault, however Quicksilver intervened and convinced them to stop before they could kill the High Evolutionary. In the aftermath of the battle (with the High Evolutionary de-powered, Quicksilver reverted back to normal, and Thena incapacitated) Exodus attempted once more to destroy the High Evolutionary but was once more halted in his attempt - this time by the voice of the Black Knight. The Knight allowed Exodus into his mind where the mutant discovered that this Black Knight was his friend from centuries ago. The two then engaged in combat where the Black Knight defeated Exodus.^[28] Exodus was once again sealed him in the Tomb Apocalypse had created.^[29]

Apocalypse: The Twelve[]

Later on, Exodus escaped from his prison yet again, this time emerging as a changed man. Disguising himself as Magneto, Exodus used his psionic power (boosted by technological means) to bring peace to the island nation of Genosha, forcing humans and mutants to coexist. When he was eventually unmasked by the X-Men, Exodus proclaimed himself a penitent trying desperately to atone for his bigoted past. Without his control however, Genosha descended into civil war once more, leaving Exodus emotionally devastated.^[30]

Brotherhood of Mutants[]

This experience apparently led Bennet to renew his conviction that mutants were superior and that they were intended to inherit the earth. Having formed a new Brotherhood he recruited the reality hoping Nocturne^[31] The rest of the team consisted of Avalanche, Sabretooth, Mammomax, and Black Tom), Exodus led an attack on a group of humans but was thwarted by the X-Men. After escaping, this new Brotherhood decided to attack the X-Men in their home. The attack proved a complete disaster, and resulted in most of the Brotherhood, Exodus included, being sucked into the mutant Xorn's head. It is not known how he freed himself from that state.^[32]

M-Day[]

Exodus was one of the few mutants who retained his powers after the events of the M-Day, being listed as a severe danger by O*N*E.^[33] Exodus brought together a new team of Acolytes (Frenzy, Tempo, and Random) and attacked a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, hoping to use their equipment for a broader Cerebro search of new mutants. However, Rogue and the X-Men stopped them in time to let them know that there weren't any new mutant births since M-Day. Furious, Exodus left and later approached Mr. Sinister to join him in saving the mutant race.^[2] Exodus and the Acolytes would join Sinister's Marauders and hunted down any precognitive mutants^[34] before fighting the X-Men again to determine the fate of the first born mutant child since M-Day.^[35]

After Professor Xavier was shot by Bishop, Exodus tried to repair his damaged brain. He was unable to make Xavier's mind take its memories back and he was forced to seek the aid of Magneto. Magneto was able to restore some of the Professor's memories, but Exodus was angered when Magneto harmed the Acolyte known as Frenzy. He began to choke Magneto, but Xavier challenged him on the Astral Plane. Xavier won the battle and threatened to shut off Exodus' powers permanently if he attacked them again. Exodus stated that he did not want to battle him but to offer him the chance to lead the Acolytes. Xavier refused, calling Exodus a fool for making such an offer, given how much pain and suffering had befallen those who had been entrusted to Xavier's care in the past.^[36]

After another meeting with Xavier, Bennet disbanded the Acolytes, denounced his name Exodus, and went out on a pilgrimage as to find another way to serve mutants.^[37]

Schism Aftermath[]

Bennet reappeared once again after the events of Utopia's Schism. He arrived at the Jean Grey School in order to unite the divided mutants, either by making them see the error of their ways or forcing them back Utopia. A battle broke out between Exodus and Wolverine's X-Men, during which Rogue and Wolverine opened their minds to Exodus so he could see why they left. Once he read their minds, he put the blame on Cyclops and left to go kill him. Wolverine and his team realized they sent Exodus after Cyclops, so they rushed off to stop him.^[38]

They engaged him in battle, but Rogue realized that they weren't strong enough to defeat him by themselves and sent a distress call to Utopia - hoping that Cyclops's Extinction Team would aid them - despite Wolverine's objections. The Extinction Team was otherwise occupied however, and the call was answered by Hope Summers and her team.^[39] Together the two teams managed to incapacitate Exodus and he was taken to Utopia where he was put in jail.^[40] After the destruction of Utopia, Exodus was released from the X-Brig by Danger.^{[citation needed]}

Someday Enterprises[]

In light of the M-Pox crisis, Exodus took over the operations of Someday Enterprises, a shady organization that promised to protect mutants by placing them in stasis but had been weaponizing them instead. Exodus intended to use Someday's Sleepers to attack an anti-mutant rally in Washington, D.C. to stoke the fires of fear towards mutants.^[41]

He was confronted by Magneto and his team of X-Men who were trying to free the mutants under his control, and Exodus claimed he had been trying to build Magneto an army to consolidate mutant power in the wake of the Terrigen threat through terrorism. Magneto defeated him and had him sealed up in Xorn's temple to be used as a fail-safe in case the threat towards mutants reached its peak.^[42] When Magneto returned to his ruthless methodology to ensure mutantkind's survival, he established a new Brotherhood of Mutants with Exodus as one of its members.^[43]

House of X[]

After the creation of the mutant nation of Krakoa, created by Xavier, Magneto, and Moira X, Exodus was extended an invitation to join the nascent nation. He entered through the teleportation gateway alongside other villainous and fractious mutants who had been invited to join the nation in order to heal the fractures within mutantkind and start over as a whole species together.^[44]

Exodus was asked to join the Quiet Council as part of the Winter section. The Winter section consisted of himself, Mister Sinister, and Mystique, representing the more zealous, criminal, and morally ambiguous elements of mutant society. Exodus would frequently clash with Sinister on the council, whom he despised.^[10]

Exodus took well to his new life on Krakoa, spending time telling stories of mutant history to children.^[10][45] When Magneto launched a plan to terraform Mars, Exodus was one of the Omega-Level mutants who aided in the processes.^[46]

When Mystique launched a plot to resurrect her deceased wife Destiny behind the backs of the rest of the council, she managed to gain Exodus' support in granting Destiny a seat on the council.^[47] When Magneto announced that he was leaving the council sometime thereafter, Exodus approached Hope Summers, encouraging her to seek the vacant seat. Exodus voted in her favor and helped make Hope the newest member of the Quiet Council.^[48] After her allegiances were (rightfully) called into question, Exodus would attempt to kill Quiet Council member Selene, but he would be stopped by Storm.^[49]

Fall of X[]

Exodus was one of the hundreds of thousands of mutants finding themselves in the White Hot Room after the events of the third Hellfire Gala, during which Professor X was compelled by the terrorist organization Orchis to force the mutant population to walk through sabotaged Krakoan gateways to their apparent doom.^[50] Believing the barren landscape of the White Hot Room to be similar to the one he found himself in centuries prior, Exodus would step up as the leader and guide of the marooned mutants.^[51]

After Hope and Askani resurrected the mutants killed during the war with Orchis and brought the White Hot Room's mutant fighters back to Earth, Exodus would play a leading role in the war for mutant survival.^[52]

After the White Hot Room's mutant civilian inhabitants and their leader Kafka elected to relocate Krakoa to the White Hot Room permanently, Exodus would come to blows with the X-Men to prevent this, instead fighting for the mutant homeland to stay on Earth. However, he and the X-Men would make peace, and he would help them defeat Apocalypse and join them in their farewell to Krakoa.^[53]

Mutant Physiology: Exodus is one of the most powerful mutants alive. He was described as a Psionic of Highest Order.^[54] He possesses vast superhuman powers, including telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, and durability. His high-power levels are inexplicably linked to tampering by Apocalypse. He was later confirmed to be an Omega-Level Mutant by Charles Xavier.^[55]

• Confidence Empowerment: Exodus's mutant abilities are enhanced when others around him or he himself, have faith in him and his abilities.
• Telekinesis: Exodus is an Omega-level telekinetic and one of the most powerful telekinetics on the planet.^[55] He possesses the ability to levitate, propel and manipulate objects and matter with his thoughts. He is capable of very fine control over objects down to the molecular and even subatomic level, even allowing him telekinetically accelerate the chemicals in someone's body.^[19] His ability to manipulate and control objects also extends to a macroscopic level, as he was able to pull Arakko through the External Gate with the help of Jean Grey.
  • Intuitive Aptitude: He can disassemble complex devices explosively (separating every component, such as screws, nuts, circuit boards, etc.) and just as quickly, easily assemble complex devices. This also has enabled him to even attain awareness and control over objects as small as individual electrons in an atom. His acute control of his telekinesis was even capable of completely repairing Charles Xavier's brain atom by atom after Xavier had been shot in the head.
  • Force Field: Exodus can create protective force shields that can deflect even the most powerful of attacks, makes him nearly invulnerable, as well as crush objects within them.^[38] His telekinetic force-fields are powerful enough to easily shield himself from the vacuum of outer space and even the sun's harsh environment, and even traps all of Genosha in a massive unbreakable telekinetic shield.^[11]
  • Concussive Blasts: He can project telekinetic energies as powerful blast beams directed from his eyes,^[41] hands,^[39] or entire body,^[39] that can affect matter with concussive and/or explosive force.^[37] His psychokinetic blasts are strong enough break through the shields of Magneto.
  • Telekinetic Constructs: During a confrontation with Apocalypse, Exodus manifested the ability to manifest his psychokinetic power in the form of psionic constructs that can injure his opponents both physically and mentally. He used this ability to create a large psionic spear, and a massive fist capable of injuring the Uni-Mind.^[11]
  • Electromagnetic Blasts: He can manipulate the various types of energy of the Earth's electromagnetic spectrum to release tremendous amounts of heat to incinerate specific targets.^[39]
  • Telekinetic Flight: By levitating himself, he can “fly” at for very long distances and at speeds of Mach 2.^[39]
  • Telekinetic Healing: He is capable of healing others, for example repairing Xavier's brain using his powers after he had been shot in the head atom by atom.^[56] (Note: Exodus essentially brought Xavier's body back to life, but more was needed to return Xavier's consciousness)
  • Tactile Telekinesis: He can use telekinesis to enhance his own strength 100 tons, speed,^[57] and reflexes.^[58]
  • Teleportation: Exodus can psychokinetically transport himself, his clothing, and additional mass across vast distances. He has also been shown to teleport others as well.
• Empathy: He can psionically sense, control, alter/manipulate the feelings, sensations, and emotions of other people/animals psionically.
• Telepathy: Exodus is a High-Order Telepath, who can read minds and project his own thoughts into the minds of others across a vast, potentially limitless radius. His telepathic skill and prowess are powerful enough to compete with and even overpower other powerful telepaths including Professor X,^[32] a young Nate Grey, Psylocke, and Selene Gallio.^[48] His telepathic powers include:
  • Telepathic Tracking: He can detect and track other sentient beings by their unique psionic emanations (thought patterns contained in the psionic portion of the spectrum).
  • Heightened Awareness: Demonstrated the ability to detect a threat to his well-being in his immediate vicinity before they commit the action and possesses enhanced intuition.
  • Telepathic Cloak: He can mask his presence from being detected by others. His abilities can at times go undetected or be counteracted by other more powerful telepaths depending on their level of skill in using their own psi abilities. He can extend these defenses to others around him as well.
  • Mind Control: He can control the minds of others only if the target is in his physical presence.
  • Telepathic Illusions: He can create illusions to make himself seem to be invisible, look like someone else, or make others experience events that are not truly happening.
  • Mind Possession: He can possess the mind of another and use that being's body as her own.
  • Mind Alteration: Exodus can alter the minds of others by force of will, changing their personality partially or entirely.
  • Psionic Shield: He can erect a psychic shield for protection of his and of other minds.
  • Mental Paralysis: He can induce temporary mental or physical paralysis.
  • Mental Amnesia: He can erase any awareness of memories or cause total amnesia.
  • Psionic Blasts: Exodus can project psionic force bolts which have no physical effects, but which can affect a victim's mind to cause the victim pain or unconsciousness and/or turn someone brain-dead.
  • Astral Projection: He can project his astral form from his body onto astral planes or the physical planes. In the physical plane he can only travel in astral form over short distances. In the astral plane, he can mentally create psionic objects and manipulate the aspects of his environment.
  • Absorb Information: He can quickly process and store information, by mental transference.
  • Intuitive Multilingual: He can intuitively translate new languages.
• Psionic Vampirism: Exodus can also 'feed' upon the psionic energies of others, absorbing and stealing psionic energy from those around him and using it to his own advantage.^[54][59]
• Superhuman Durability: Exodus's skin, bone, and muscle tissues are augmented to levels that are considerably stronger and harder than normal humans and can withstand extreme temperatures.
• Regenerative Healing Factor: Exodus has an accelerated healing factor that allows him to rapidly regenerate any damaged, missing and/or destroyed bodily tissues, cells, limbs, and organs.^[60]
  • Disease Immunity: Due to his highly efficient immune system, he is immune to all Earthly poisons, toxins, venom, viruses, bacteria, diseases, disorders, parasites, allergens, gas attacks, and nerve-toxins of any kind.
  • Advanced Longevity: Exodus has lived for hundreds of years without further aging due to extensively healthy cells regenerating.

Damascus steel longsword.

• Has a danger-rating of "severe" by the O*N*E.