Piotr "Peter" Nikolayevich Rasputin debuted at the height of the Bronze Age of comic books in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1. A Russian mutant with the ability to transform his body into a metallic form, Colossus has been part of X-Men continuity ever since.
The character received further prominence with his live-action debut in the successful X-Men and Deadpool movies. Still, the films don't reveal much about the character's life or backstory, preferring to use him primarily as comedic relief. However, comic book fans know Colossus is a layered and surprisingly kind figure. Arguably the most selfless and heroic of all the X-Men, Piotr is at the center of some of the team's most compelling and unforgettable stories.
He Had A Happy Childhood
Piotr Rasputin was born in a Soviet collective farm, Ust-Ordynsky, near Lake Baikal in Siberia. He lived there with his father Nikolai, mother Alexandra, and his favorite sibling, younger sister Illyana.
Piotr grew up idolizing his older brother, renowned cosmonaut Mikhail Rasputin. During a mission, Mikhail and his crew are pulled into an interdimensional rift and disappear. The Soviets declare him dead, leaving the Rasputins and especially Piotr devastated.
He Is A Descendant Of Grigori Rasputin
Comic books love using historical figures within their fictional narratives. The limited series Colossus: Bloodlines reveals that Piotr is a direct descendant of Grigori Rasputin. The infamous mystic, known to history for his relationship with the doomed Romanoff dynasty, is a mutant in the Marvel Universe. Back in 1916, the villain Mr. Sinister uses him to create a new race of superhumans.
In the present, Sinister plots to murder Rasputin's descendants until only one is left alive. Rasputin will then be "reborn" onto this sole mutant and presumably help Mr. Sinister take over the world. Piotr and his brother, Mikhail, foil Sinister's plans when Mikhail voluntarily exiles himself to a secluded dimension from which he can never escape. Should Sinister prevail and kill all of the descendants, Rasputin would indeed be reborn on Mikhail, but without any means to escape his confinement.
He Often Risks His Life To Save Others
After his powers emerge at 13, Piotr uses them to benefit the lives of those in his community. Later, he receives an invitation from Charles Xavier to join the second roster of his signature team, the X-Men. Piotr accepts and quickly gains a reputation as a selfless and, at times, reckless hero.
Indeed, Piotr often jumps into unspeakable danger without so much as a second thought. For example, his powers first manifest when he jumps in front of a tractor to save Illyana. When the X-Men first visit the Savage Lands, he fights a dinosaur to protect two women. Piotr also tries to take on the Hulk alone during the World War Hulk storyline and pays dearly for it.
He Once Gets Brainwashed
Now fully adapted to his life in the United States as an X-Man, Colossus's world falls apart when a woman named Miss Locke kidnaps his beloved Illyana. The woman then brainwashes Colossus, turning him against the other X-Men. Under a new alias "the Proletarian," Piotr battles his former teammates mercilessly.
Miss Locke's ultimate purpose is to have the X-Men rescue her employer, millionaire serial killer Arcade, from captivity at the hands of Doctor Doom's robots. The team succeeds in freeing Piotr's mind from her control and rescue Illyana from captivity.
His Sister Spends Time In Limbo
After her release from captivity, Illyana goes to live with her brother in the X-Mansion. The six-year-old girl then gets kidnapped by the villain Belasco and taken to the alternate dimension Limbo, where she spends ten years while only a few hours pass on Earth. Illyana becomes a powerful sorceress during her time on Limbo. Her soul also gets corrupted by Belasco until she creates the Soulsword and takes over Limbo, becoming its ruler.
Upon her return, she joins the New Mutants, staying with the group for a long time. After a conflict in Limbo, Illyana reverts to her seven-year-old self and goes back to Russia before returning to the X-Mansion after the demise of her parents. She eventually becomes the first victim of the Legacy virus and dies, although she later gets resurrected. Illyana made her live-action debut in the much delayed and not-really-worth-it New Mutants and was played by Anya Taylor-Joy.
He Joins Magento's Acolytes
The deaths of Illyana and his family back in Russia dramatically affected Peter. After suffering from a brain injury that leaves him in metallic form, he abandons the X-Men, no longer believing in their methods. He then joins the Acolytes, a group of mutants that hold a near-fanatical allegiance to the best X-Men villain of all time, Magneto.
Piotr eventually heals from his brain injury but chooses to remain with the Acolytes, hoping to provide an alternative to their extremism. His stay is short-lived, though, and after the X-Men attack Magneto's Avalon, Colossus leaves the Acolytes for good and goes searching for his long-time love, Kitty Pride, now a member of the superhero group Excalibur.
He Sacrifices To Cure The Legacy Virus
Even though he is unable to rekindle his relationship with Kitty, Piotr remains with Excalibur. After the team's disbandment, he returns to the X-Men with Kitty and Nightcrawler. Upon his return, Beast discovers a cure for the Legacy virus. In a twist worthy of the weirdest X-Men storylines, the remedy is airborne and will only work after the death of the first user.
Piotr then receives a visit from Illyana's spirit and remembers his selfless and caring nature. He then injects himself with the cure and dies; the remedy works and gets spread worldwide. The X-Men cremate Colossus' body, and Kitty takes his ashes back to Russia.
His DNA Allows The Creation Of The Mutant Cure
Unbeknown to the X-Men, the body they burnt wasn't Colossus' at all. The alien Ord stole Piotr's corpse and brought him back to life, imprisoning and experimenting on him. Over time, Ord and Benetech geneticist Kavita Rao successfully modify the Legacy Virus cure inside Piotr's system and develop a mutant cure.
Alarmed, the X-Men begin investigating. Once inside Benetech's facilities, Kitty sneaks into the basement and discovers Piotr. She releases him, and he aids in the battle against Ord. He then rejoins the team and resumes his love affair with Kitty.
He Becomes The New Juggernaut
Piotr's need to protect others reaches a new level during the Fear Itself storyline. Juggernaut becomes Kuurth, Breaker of the Stone, one of the heralds for the demon Serpent. Piotr lacks the strength to fight Kuurth, so he bargains with the demon Cyttorak and becomes the new Juggernaut. This decision marks the breaking point for Kitty. She becomes tired of his willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good and effectively ends their relationship.
Colossus then willingly locks himself in Limbo with Illyana after he deems his powers too dangerous, asking the X-Men to call him only when necessary. During the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, Magik successfully vanishes Cyttorak and restores Piotr to his previous Colossus persona. However, Piotr feels betrayed when he realizes Illyana could've vanished Cyttorak at any time, and the siblings part ways in anger. Piotr then joins Cable's X-Force before returning to the X-Men and eventually finding his way to the mutant nation of Krakoa.
He Is Gay In The Ultimate Comics
The Ultimate universe is widely divisive to a lot of Marvel fans. Many of the choices regarding the characters received intense criticism, like the incestuous relationship between Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. In this universe, Colossus is a reluctant smuggler for the Russian mob.
At one point, he leaves the X-Men and returns to Russia, becoming a national hero. After finding him, Storm suggests he left because of his unrequited feelings "for a certain team member," later revealed to be Angel. Unlike the mainstream continuity where they are close friends, Ultimate Nightcrawler and Colossus have a strained relationship due to the former's blatant homophobia. Colossus homosexuality is one of the best-received aspects of the Ultimate comics. Critics particularly praised the social commentary and Colossus' romantic relationship with Northstar.