History
When Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond were caught in a mixture between a TNT and Nuclear explosion, instead of dying they fused together to make the composite being known as Firestorm. Initially, Ronnie Raymond was the dominant host and Prof. Stein a passive, non-corporeal entity seen and heard only by Ronnie Raymond. The theory behind this is that the Firestorm Matrix is a combination between two active physical forces that collide and are fused together by a Firestorm-like explosion. Every merge therein after has always reacted explosively if not dangerously.
Many have become and inhabited the Firestorm Matrix. Firestorm is a combination of two acting forces.
When Ronnie was knocked unconscious or rendered helpless, the Professor could take over and become the dominant host or the "driver" of the two. The "floating head" can speak and listen to the "driver", as well as look into the "driver's" memories or abilities (such as when Ronnie drew from the Prof's intelligence in nuclear matters).
While the Professor and Ronnie's switch of consciousness over the Gestalt body was a simple "slide" sometimes if the "passenger" has enough willpower or strength they can overthrow the "driver" such as when Jason Rusch was taken over by one of his "passengers".
Firestorm, given enough intelligence and willpower, can function perfectly on his own. Ronnie Raymond and Prof. Stein ran Firestorm by themselves on a number of occasions and for a period of time. Stein postulated that Firestorm as a single being isn't what the Matrix was intended to do and it would need two at a certain point to function.
Eventually, Ronnie acting as Firestorm by himself became basically a walking nuclear accident waiting to explode, and did so eventually. Being alone drove the Prof over the edge mentally and drove him to become lucid and amnesiac.
Jason Rusch can't hold onto one merge for too long, otherwise Firestorm starts to reject the consciousness; this isn't the case for Ronnie and Jason's fusion, Jason's normal time limit for merges were a few hours but Ronnie could remain in Jason's head for a number of days before his time ran out.
Firestorm's passengers don't remember the merge after they're expelled from the body. They do retain the information locked in their head until the next transformation though. This was evident when Jason and Mick Wong merged for second time and while Mick didn't remember that Jason was Firestorm he did regain all of his knowledge when he became the "passenger" again. Prolonged exposure to the Firestorm Matrix without being the host or experience with Firestorm results in total loss of body and mind. The person simply disintegrates - although Ronnie Raymond defied this, returning after his apparent death.
Notes
- Firestorm once experienced a vision of "Maya", the personification of the Earth, who informed him he was a Fire Elemental belonging to the "Parliament of Flames", and that she had created the Elementals to force humanity to advance into space. However, he later admitted that "perhaps it was only a dream -- or an illusion -- or a delusion."[1]
- Many people have entered the Firestorm Matrix and most have partnered with Jason Rusch as he rallied for control over his powers.
- Ronnie Raymond seems to be a test to the limits of Firestorm as whenever he is present, the Matrix's power levels and abilities increase tenfold and its limits become deluded. This may be because of his prolonged experience with the Matrix.
Related Articles
- Firestorm (Volume 1)
- Firestorm (Volume 2)
- Firestorm (Volume 3)
- Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men (Volume 1)
See Also
- Appearances of Firestorm Matrix
- Concept Gallery: Firestorm Matrix
- Catalogued images related to Firestorm Matrix
- ↑ Firestorm #92