Rictor
X-factor (Volume
1):
While in
X-factor, Rictor
made quick
friends with
Beast and even
showed traits of
idolizing him a
little. He also
became friends
with Tabitha
Smith, Sally
Blevins (Skids),
Rusty Collins,
Artie and Leech.
He began
experimenting
with his
abilities while
under their
care, and lost
control quite a
few times at the
thought of being
tortured again.
He instantly
grew frightened
of X-factor’s
business
manager, Cameron
Hodge, and
quoted him to
have a ‘cold
voice’ like the
leader of The
Right. Though
fearful, he did
show some
bravery in
traveling with
Skids and Artie
to find an
injured Rusty
when the time
came. Still, he
was unable to
control his
emotions, which
often resulted
in him shaking
the world around
him. Rictor held
onto this
quality until
his powers were
taken from him
due to the House
of M reality
warp.
Rictor wasn’t
with X-factor
long before he
got captured by
The Right again.
Pay attention to
that because,
really; it’s a
pattern in his
history. He gets
kidnapped often,
but he’s such a
trooper. Rictor
didn’t want to
get taken
without a fight,
and he did put
up one. He had
many claims that
he’d rather be
dead than go
back to them.
Due to Leech
dampening
abilities, the
fight didn’t
last long, and
the kids of
X-factor were
soon taken and
imprisoned.
This arc brought
a look into
Julio’s
emotional state,
showing how
quick he was to
just abandon
everything and
desire an end to
his existence.
He’ showed a
great fear in
that of Cameron
Hodge, and it
was something
that he never
shook out of..
Every time he
has encountered
Hodge, he has
shown a
horrifying
reaction,
feeling scared
and hopeless.
Julio was given
a helmet that
repressed his
powers, and tied
up as he waited
to be tortured
yet again. This
was when he met
Tabitha Smith,
the girl of many
code names. She
had to hide in
order to save
him, and during
their time
apart, Rictor
was taken to
another place to
be tortured.
Absolutely
horrified at
this, he begged
to just be
killed before he
had to go
through it once
more. Tabitha
saved him just
in time, and
helped him run
off for a short
while. She freed
him of the power
repressor, but
the two soon
found themselves
in peril of
which they had
to let
themselves fall
to death, or get
captured. Rictor
wanted to die
desperately at
this point, as
he couldn’t
stand being held
captive by these
people again,
but Tabitha
talked him out
of it. He pulled
them away from
fatalities, and
The Right had
him once more.
Though unaware
at the time,
this was a huge
turning point
for him, and he
would not let
her forget it.
Shortly after he
was in returned
to The Right’s
custody,
X-factor crashed
the party and
the kids were
given a chance
to fight back,
even if
powerless from
their helmets.
Rictor fired a
gun during all
of this, proving
he was an
excellent shot.
Rusty asked how
he learned that,
and it’s the
first time some
of his
background is
hinted at. It
isn’t touched
upon until much
later, though.
The fight goes
on, and X-factor
eventually drops
the kids off in
a safe place
before they rush
out to another
battle in the
midst of
everything.
Among some
Christmas joy
and cliché
messages, Rictor
and the kids
fall into
trouble again.
Doing that is
basically their
point of living,
as all of their
histories go to
show. They get
stuck inside
Apocalypse’s
ship, and almost
blow up because
of it. Due to
X-factor, they
are all saved
yet again, and
the ship becomes
their new home.
During a fight
with Infectia,
Beast was
injured, and
Rictor went
through turmoil
because of it.
He blamed
himself for what
happened, and
then joined up
with the other
kids to fight
against the fake
avengers who had
been attacking
the ship. They
had been locked
in a room to
avoid the
battle, but they
freed themselves
and won the
scuffle for
X-factor. This
fight was what
made the team
decide that the
environment was
not safe for
kids. The next
issue they are
taken clothes
shopping, and
then X-factor
ships them to a
special boarding
school.