The high-flying hero known as Angel first graced the pages of Marvel Comics in The X-Men #1, published in September 1963. He was a co-creation of the legendary duo, writer-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Jack Kirby, who together birthed the entire original concept of the X-Men. In the context of the Silver Age of comics, Angel's initial role was clearly defined. He was the “pretty boy” of the group, a stark contrast to the monstrous Beast, the stoic Cyclops, and the jester Iceman. His immense wealth and classic good looks made him an aspirational figure, but also often cast him in the role of the slightly arrogant, carefree playboy. His powers, while visually spectacular, were initially among the most straightforward of the team: he could fly. For many years, this remained his primary characterization. It was not until the 1980s that his character underwent a radical and permanent transformation that would redefine him forever. During the run on X-Factor, writer Louise Simonson and artist Walter Simonson orchestrated one of the most brutal and impactful character arcs of the decade. They stripped Warren of his defining feature—his angelic wings—and had him remade by the villain Apocalypse. This metamorphosis into the cold, metallic-winged Archangel in X-Factor #24 (1988) was a watershed moment. It injected a profound level of darkness, trauma, and psychological complexity into a character previously seen as one-dimensional. This change proved immensely popular and has become the central element of Warren Worthington's identity, influencing nearly every subsequent story he has appeared in.
The story of how Warren Worthington III became a superhero is a tale of privilege, alienation, and the sudden, shocking arrival of a genetic destiny.
Warren Kenneth Worthington III was born into unimaginable wealth and privilege as the heir to the multibillion-dollar Worthington Industries fortune. His idyllic life took a dramatic turn during his adolescence while attending a prestigious private boarding school. It was there that his mutant nature manifested dramatically: large, feathered wings began to sprout painfully from his shoulder blades. Initially, Warren lived in fear and shame, binding the wings tightly to his back and hiding them under his clothes. His isolation was broken one night when a fire broke out in his dormitory. Using his newfound ability to fly, he rescued his fellow students, disguising himself with a long nightshirt and a blonde wig to appear as a literal, divine angel. This act of heroism sparked something within him. He soon adopted the costumed identity of the Avenging Angel, a solo vigilante operating in New York City. His exploits did not go unnoticed. He was soon contacted by Professor Charles Xavier, who was assembling a team of young mutants to be trained in the use of their powers for the good of humanity. Warren accepted the offer, becoming a founding member of the X-Men alongside cyclops, Jean Grey, beast, and iceman. As Angel, he served as the team's primary aerial reconnaissance and combatant. During these early years, he developed a reputation as a confident, sometimes vain, playboy, and nurtured a deep, albeit unrequited, love for his teammate Jean Grey. After leaving the original X-Men, Warren used his inheritance to fund a new super-team based in Los Angeles called The Champions. However, his most significant evolution came after his wings were mutilated by the Marauder known as Harpoon during the horrific mutant_massacre. After doctors amputated his gangrenous wings, a despairing Warren was seemingly killed in a private plane explosion, secretly orchestrated by his childhood rival and anti-mutant fanatic, Cameron Hodge. In reality, he was saved at the last second by the ancient mutant Apocalypse, who offered him a Faustian bargain: a new pair of wings in exchange for his servitude as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—Death. Warren accepted, and his body and mind were twisted. His skin turned blue, and he was given techno-organic wings of razor-sharp steel capable of firing poison-tipped metal “fledgettes.” He became Archangel, a remorseless angel of death, an identity he has struggled with ever since.
Warren Worthington III has not appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) proper. His live-action appearances have been in two separate timelines within the 20th Century Fox X-Men film franchise, with each presenting a significantly different and simplified version of the character. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) In this timeline, a young adult Warren (portrayed by Ben Foster) is the public face of the “mutant cure.” His father, Warren Worthington II, is the head of the company that developed the cure, driven by the shame of his son's mutation. The film's opening scene shows a terrified adolescent Warren trying to saw his own wings off in a bathroom. As an adult, he is scheduled to be the first recipient of the cure. However, at the last moment, he rebels, telling his father, “They can't cure me. You know why? Because there's nothing to cure.” He breaks free, spreads his magnificent wings, and flies out the window. His role in the film is largely symbolic. He represents the mutant who initially struggles with his identity but ultimately embraces it. He later reappears during the final battle at Alcatraz, saving his father from a falling mutant. This version is purely Angel; the Archangel persona and its associated trauma are completely absent. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Set in the 1980s, this film introduces a much younger, more rebellious Warren (portrayed by Ben Hardy). He is first seen participating in an underground mutant cage fight in East Berlin. His left wing is severely damaged in a fight with nightcrawler. Drunk and despondent, he is found by Apocalypse, who enhances his powers. This adaptation directly incorporates the Archangel transformation, but strips it of its comic book context. Apocalypse “heals” his wings, transforming them into powerful, metallic weapons that can be used as both shields and projectile launchers. Warren is then christened “Archangel” and becomes one of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen. He serves as a loyal, mostly silent enforcer until the final battle, where he is defeated by Nightcrawler and seemingly killed in a plane crash. This version captures the visual aesthetic of Archangel but lacks the psychological depth. The transformation is portrayed as a gift of power rather than a torturous corruption of his soul, and his prior history as a heroic Angel is non-existent.
Warren's character is defined by a profound split in his identity, which is directly reflected in his powers and abilities. He is, in essence, two vastly different beings in one body.
Personality: Originally, Warren was the epitome of the carefree aristocrat. He was charming, confident, and often bordered on arrogant, fully aware of his good looks, wealth, and unique abilities. This exterior, however, often masked a genuine desire to do good. His transformation into Archangel shattered this persona. He became brooding, withdrawn, and filled with self-loathing. He was haunted by the acts he committed as the Horseman of Death and constantly struggled against the “killer instinct” programmed into him by Apocalypse. This internal battle made him far more somber and serious. Over the years, he has learned to control his darker side, regaining some of his old self but forever changed by the experience. He is a man who understands loss and trauma on a fundamental level, making him a more compassionate, albeit melancholy, hero. Powers & Abilities as Angel: As the original Angel, Warren's powers were a result of his specific mutant physiology.
Powers & Abilities as Archangel: After his transformation by Apocalypse using Celestial technology, his powers were altered and magnified immensely.
Later Developments (The Heir of Apocalypse): During the Dark Angel Saga storyline in Uncanny X-Force, the Death Seed within him fully matured, transforming him into a new, god-like Apocalypse. In this state, he possessed vast reality-warping powers, techno-organic control, and immense cosmic energy. This form was ultimately purged, but it left him “reborn” as a blank slate, an amnesiac with his original feathered wings and no memory of his past life. He has since slowly regained his memories and the ability to manifest his techno-organic wings at will.
The powers displayed in the films are a much-simplified version of his comic book abilities.
This is the storyline that changed everything for Warren Worthington III. During the 1986 crossover event The Mutant Massacre, the X-Men and X-Factor battled the Marauders, a team of vicious mutant assassins, in the Morlock tunnels beneath New York. In X-Factor #10, Angel was ambushed by the Marauders. He was captured and crucified against a tunnel wall, his wings brutally pinned by Harpoon's energy spears. The resulting injuries were catastrophic. His wings developed severe gangrene, and despite the best medical efforts, they had to be amputated. The psychological toll of losing the very thing that defined him was immense. Plunged into a deep depression and manipulated by Cameron Hodge, Warren seemingly took his own life by exploding his private jet. This event paved the way for Apocalypse to recover his body and transform him into Archangel, who made his shocking debut in X-Factor #24 during the Fall of the Mutants event, now a brainwashed agent of his greatest foe.
Considered the definitive modern Archangel story, this arc from Rick Remender's Uncanny X-Force (issues #11-18, 2011) explored the ultimate consequences of Apocalypse's tampering. The “Archangel” persona, long thought to be a subconscious personality, was revealed to be a “Death Seed” programmed to activate and turn Warren into the new heir of Apocalypse should the original ever fall. With Apocalypse dead, the seed matured, and Warren began a terrifying transformation. His personality was slowly subsumed by a cold, cosmic intelligence that sought to “burn the world clean.” He gathered his own Four Horsemen and used his vast resources to acquire a World-Eater engine and the Life Seed. His goal was to extinguish all life on Earth and start anew. The saga was a heartbreaking conflict for his X-Force teammates, who had to fight their friend and leader. The story culminated in a gut-wrenching final confrontation where Psylocke was forced to stab him with the Celestial Life Seed, killing the ascended Archangel but simultaneously creating a new, reborn Warren—with his natural wings, but completely amnesiac, a tabula rasa.
Beyond his initial transformation, the original X-Factor series is crucial to understanding Warren's character. After being rescued from Apocalypse's control, Warren spent years struggling with his new identity. The series detailed his agonizing battle for his soul, his metallic wings acting as a constant, brutal reminder of his trauma. He often fought against the “death wish” programmed into him, sometimes losing control in battle and terrifying his teammates. This era also saw the first hints of his original personality re-emerging, his slow, painful journey back toward being a hero, and the beginning of his critical relationship with Psylocke.