Warning: Minor spoilers for Sabretooth & the ExilesOne of the X-Men's longest running villains, the young-minded armor-clad Orphan-Maker, has managed to keep his mutant ability a secret since his debut 35 years ago, but a solicit for the upcoming Sabretooth & the Exiles #3 has revealed that Peter's secret may finally be unveiled.
Orphan-Maker, otherwise known simply as Peter, debuted in 1988's X-Factor #31 as the partner of the cyborg villain Nanny. Peter acted as Nanny's "muscle" as the two kidnaped mutant children and slaughtered their parents, hence the name "Orphan-Maker." The villainous duo played a major role in 1989's Inferno crossover event, but have only been used sparingly in the years since. That changed when they became a major part of the Krakoan Age with their starring roles on the recently disbanded Hellions team.
Orphan-Maker's actual mutant powers have never been revealed. All the readers know is that Nanny "adopted" the young man, who seemingly has the perpetual mind of a child, and encased him in a suit of adaptive armor to make him her muscle, as well as to apparently control Peter's dangerous ability. At the dawn of the Krakoa Age, Orphan-Maker and Nanny were among the former villains who joined the burgeoning mutant nation. Quickly, the pair found themselves drafted onto a new mutant team in Hellions - written by Zeb Wells with art by Stephen Segovia and David Curiel - run by Mister Sinister and led by Kwannon. The team of former villains went on several important missions, with Nanny, Wild Child, and Orphan-Maker all being killed by Tarn the Uncaring in Amenth, resurrected with heightened abilities, and making Peter slightly more mature and rebellious. This rebelliousness led to Orphan-Maker murdering a bunch of humans after they killed Nanny, a violation of one of Krakoa's three main laws, with eventually saw Peter and Nanny sentences to imprisonment in the Pit.
Nanny and Orphan-Maker's Relationship Has Always Been... Complicated
Simultaneously to the events of Hellions, in the pages of Victor LaValle's Sabretooth the new "King of Hell" reigned over the Pit until several other sentenced mutants were thrown into the prison: Oya, Madison Jeffries, Melter, Nekra, Third Eye, and Toad. Right after Orphan-Maker and Nanny were sentenced to the Pit, the powerful Victor Creed was able to escape imprisonment in the Pit, leading directly to the upcoming series Sabretooth & the Exiles - written by Victor LaValle with art by Leonard Kirk - which will follow the group of escaped prisoners as they chase after Sabretooth and run into the anti-mutant group Orchis. The solicit for Sabretooth & the Exiles #3 reveals that Dr. Barrington, new leader of the disgusting U-Men and antagonist from Children of the Atom, will be opening up Orphan Maker's armor in this issue. The solicit from League of Comic Geeks states, "Orphan-Maker's armor keeps his power contained. You do NOT want to open that armor."
Truly nothing is known about what Peter's power could potentially be, besides the fact that he is confirmed to be a mutant with the X-Gene. There is a high likelihood that the reveal of his powers is going to heavily involve Nanny. Nanny has been emotionally and physically manipulative towards Peter since their debut, and it would not be at all surprising to learn that Nanny has lied about Peter's powers to keep him contained and in need of her help, just so that he won't ever leave her.
Whatever terrible secret is lying underneath Orphan-Maker's impressive armor will surely make for a fascinating reveal, one that is more than 30 years in the making, and will hopefully play an important role in Sabretooth's adventure with the exiled X-Men.
Sabretooth & the Exiles #3 debuts in stores on January 25th, 2023.
Source: League of Comic Geeks