An unexpected X-Men ally and member of X-Factor known for his fun-loving personality once became the ruler of Hell after a tragic death.
Guido Carosella is better known as Strong Guy, a fun-loving member of the government-sponsored X-Factor team of the ’90s. However, during the team’s time operating as X-Factor Investigations, the wise-cracking mutant oddly enough ended up becoming the ruler of Hell in Peter David and Leonard Kirk’s early ’10s X-Factor run.
The fantastical end of Guido’s time with X-Factor was a contrast to the team’s mission. X-Factor Investigations operated as a private detective agency, and while the majority of their cases started off in a traditional manner, the team often wound up dealing with supervillains like Arcade.
Guido’s descent started with a relatively mundane mission. New York Mayor J. Jonah Jameson called in a favor with team leader Jamie Madrox to look into the death of an old friend, General Ryan. Half of the team investigated Ryan’s death, while the other worked as security for Jameson while he attended a protest. Guido was on security detail with fellow powerhouse, and unrequited crush, Monet St. Croix.
The investigation team discovered the identity of Ryan’s assassin, Ballistique, and sent her photo to Siryn. Unfortunately, that didn’t Guido any good, as he elected to take on an unarmed Ballistique on his own. Unfortunately for him, she could fire “cyber bullets” from her fingers. One went right through Guido’s chest, in spite of his durable skin and ability to absorb kinetic energy.
In spite of his wound, Guido was able to stop one of Jameson’s Mandroids from crushing bystanders, after it was disabled by an EMP set off by Ballistique’s teammate Sylvius. The strain triggered Guido’s latent heart problems. As Monet flew him to the hospital, he professed his love to her. He died shortly afterward.
Immediately after a doctor broke the news to Siryn and Madrox, she was informed that Guido had made a miraculous recovery. Not only was he alive, but his wound had completely healed. This was the work of his teammate, Layla Miller, who has the ability to resurrect people. Unfortunately, the use of her power comes with a huge caveat; anyone she resurrects comes back without a soul.
Lacking empathy and restraint, Guido began acting more erratically. His behavior came to a head when the team battled a Dormammu variant. Retreating from battle, Dormammu threatened to kill an innocent bystander, but Guido showed no concern. Monet saved the woman and disowned Guido, calling him a “soulless creature.”
Guido quit the team in disgust. He was recruited by a shadowy figure, who turned out to be Mephisto. The devil of Hell used the mutant as his right hand man during the Hell On Earth War. That put him in conflict with his old team and Mephisto’s rival Hell Lords, who were all looking to gain control of Hell by killing Wolfsbane’s son, Tier.
During a fight with Guido, Monet died due to a traumatic brain injury she suffered batting Pluto. In order to save her, Guido betrayed Mephisto and killed Tier himself, becoming the King of Hell. He resurrected Monet, banishing her from hell as his first act. However, Guido’s reign was short-lived. The Red Hulk, stranded in Hell with the Thunderbolts, helped Mephisto dethrone the “pretender” to his throne. Instead of killing Guido, Red Hulk convinced him that searching for his soul was a better use of his time.
Guido eventually returned to Earth and the X-Men’s orbit, joining the New Mutants. He currently resides on Krakoa with the rest of mutantkind. He hasn’t been active on any team, including the newest incarnation of X-Factor, but he was a candidate in the recent X-Men election. His time as the King of Hell has become a footnote, and isn’t likely to be revisited in the current era.
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