Reverend William Stryker

Reverend William Stryker is a fanatical religious leader whose fervent anti-mutant beliefs drive him to crusade violently against mutantkind, convinced he is doing God's work by eliminating what he sees as an abomination against humanity.

Few Marvel villains carry their menace wrapped in a collar and a sermon quite like Reverend William Stryker, who first stepped onto the Bronze Age stage in the landmark Marvel Graphic Novel #5 (1982), courtesy of Christopher Claremont and Brent Eric Anderson. A figure of religious conviction twisted into something far darker, Stryker has haunted Marvel's corners for over four decades, his shadow falling across series like Weapon X and New X-Men. He's kept dangerous company throughout — Wolverine, Sabretooth, and Old Man Logan among those who've shared his pages — which tells you everything about the weight he carries in the Marvel universe. For readers who love a villain with ideological depth and genuine staying power, Stryker is one of the Bronze Age's most enduring and unsettling gifts to the X-Men's world.