Midnight’s Fire, whose real name is Aaron Chord, is the son of Andrew Chord, a Vietnam War veteran who stumbled upon an ancient temple of a cult called Dragon’s Breath in Cambodia. The cult worshipped the Well of All Things, a source of primal energy that they believed could create a superior race of children by uniting the ways of the West and the East. Andrew Chord and his fellow soldiers were chosen to be the fathers of these children, one of whom was Tai, the mother of Silhouette, Aaron’s sister.

Aaron and Silhouette inherited the potential to access the power of the Well, which manifested as enhanced physical abilities such as strength, speed, agility, stamina, senses, and healing. They also had a degree of resistance to aging and disease. Aaron later adopted the codename Midnight’s Fire and became a skilled martial artist and acrobat. He also used various weapons, such as knives, guns, and explosives.

Personality and Motivations

Midnight’s Fire is a complex and conflicted character who has been both a hero and a villain. He started as a street vigilante who teamed up with his sister and Dwayne Taylor, the future Night Thrasher, to take down gangs and drug lords in New York City. However, after Silhouette was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in a botched operation, he blamed Dwayne and became bitter and vengeful. He turned to crime himself and became a cop killer and a drug lord, hoping to lure Dwayne into a fight he could not win.

He also developed an obsessive love for his sister, who rejected him and sided with Dwayne. He tried to manipulate her several times by appealing to their family history and connection to the Well of All Things. He also resented his father for abandoning them and being involved in the Pact that led to their birth.

Despite his dark side, Midnight’s Fire still had some redeeming qualities. He cared deeply for his sister and wanted to protect her from harm. He also had a sense of honor and loyalty to his allies, such as the Folding Circle, a group of other children of the Pact who sought to claim the power of the Well for themselves. He was willing to sacrifice himself for their cause and even helped the New Warriors defeat Tai, who had betrayed them.

Major Storylines

Midnight’s Fire has been involved in several significant storylines in Marvel Comics, such as:

– The New Warriors: Midnight’s Fire first appeared as an enemy of Night Thrasher and the New Warriors, who Silhouette joined. He clashed with them several times over his criminal activities and attempted to sway his sister to his side. He also kidnapped Namorita, Night Thrasher’s girlfriend at the time, to use as leverage.
– The Folding Circle: Midnight’s Fire joined forces with the Left Hand, another child of the Pact who had stolen the power of the Well from his son. They formed the Folding Circle with other children of the Pact, such as Smiling Tiger, Bloodstrike, Silk Fever, and Tempest. They traveled to Cambodia to confront Tai, who had manipulated the New Warriors into opening the Well for her. They fought against Tai and the New Warriors until Night Thrasher and the Well killed Tai was sealed. The Folding Circle escaped in an Avengers Quinjet.
– Madripoor: The Folding Circle crashed in Madripoor, an island nation ruled by crime lords. They decided to take over the drug trade from Aardwolf, a mutant crime lord with connections to Wolverine. They succeeded in overthrowing him but were confronted by Night Thrasher and Silhouette again. They were defeated and arrested by Madripoor authorities.
– Civil War: After the superhuman Civil War that divided heroes into pro-registration and anti-registration factions, Midnight’s Fire aligned himself with a mysterious benefactor who offered him money and power in exchange for hunting down unregistered heroes. He fought against Ironheart (Riri Williams), a young hero who took up Iron Man’s mantle after he went into a coma.
– Ten Rings: Midnight’s Fire resurfaced as a member of the Ten Rings terrorist organization led by Mandarin (Tem Borjigin), Iron Man’s archenemy. He was sent to assassinate Tony Stark but was stopped by Ironheart again.

Little Known Facts

Here are some little-known facts about Midnight’s Fire that you may not know:

– He has a dragon tattoo on his chest, representing his connection to the Well of All Things and the Dragon’s Breath cult.
– He once had a brief romance with Firestar, a member of the New Warriors and the Avengers, who was unaware of his true identity and motives. He tried to use her to infiltrate the Avengers but was exposed by Night Thrasher.
– He is one of the few characters who knows Night Thrasher’s secret identity as Dwayne Taylor and his family history and involvement in the Pact.
– He has a rivalry with Bandit, another former member of the New Warriors who also had a romantic relationship with Silhouette. They fought over her several times and even teamed up once to rescue her from the Folding Circle.
– He has appeared in other media, such as video games and animated shows. He was a playable character in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, where Phil LaMarr voiced him. He also appeared in the animated show Iron Man: Armored Adventures, where Vincent Tong voiced him.

Media Appearances

Midnight’s Fire has made some appearances in other media besides comics, such as:

– Video Games: He was a playable character in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, where he was part of the anti-registration faction and had a unique dialogue with Night Thrasher. He also appeared as an enemy in the video game Iron Man 3: The Official Game, where he was a member of the Ten Rings.
– Animated Shows: He appeared in the animated show Iron Man: Armored Adventures, where he was a member of the Ten Rings and fought against Iron Man and War Machine. He also had a crush on Pepper Potts, who was unaware of his true identity.