Omega Red (real name Arkady Rossovich) is a comic book super villain in the Marvel Comics universe and a foe of the X-Men. His first appearance was X-Men (vol. 2) #4 (1992).

Superhuman powers

Omega Red possesses a variety of superhuman attributes as a part of both genetic mutation and artificial enhancements granted to him by the Soviet government. Omega Red possesses superhuman strength, endurance, and a high degree of resistance to physical injury. If injured, Omega Red's body can recover with superhuman speed and efficiency and will recover from a few moments to a few hours, depending upon the severity of the injury.

He also possesses the ability to secrete an odorless pheremone that has the ability to weaken anybody within his immediate vicinity. The pheremone has never been given a name and is sufficient to render his targets unconcsious, or even to die, if exposed to the pheremone for a long enough period.

The Soviet government implanted one retractable tentacle within each of Omega Red's arm composed of carbonadium , the Soviets' attempt to recreate the artificial alloy known as adamantium. These tentacles are often used by Omega Red as weapons, such as using them as whips, which when combined with his great strength make them highly efficient weapons. His favorite tactic is to use these coils to ensnare his opponents and, while they're wrapped within his coils, he is able to literally drain them of their life energy. The carbonadium tentacles are highly durable, but are not as durable as adamantium.

This vampiric effect is essential to Omega Red's continued health since the carbonadium implants, while great offensive weapons, slowly poison Omega Red and he is required to regularly drain the life energy of a person, or perhaps taking small amounts from larger numbers of individuals, in order to temporarily sustain his immune system.

In order to stablize his condition, Omega Red requires the "carbonadium synthesizer", a device that was stolen by Wolverine, Maverick, and Sabretooth during their final mission together as "Team X" sometime during the 1960s. It is because of his need for the carbonadium synthesizer that Omega Red has continuously sought out these three individuals over the years, believing they may know of its whereabouts.

Special skills

Omega Red is an excellent hand to hand combatant and has been trained in various forms of armed and unarmed by both the Soviet government and various organizations throughout the Japanese underworld.

At some time in the past Omega Red's government decided that due to his uncontrollable and psychopathic nature he needed to be put in cryogenic suspended animation until a method could be found to control him. After the fall of communism in Russia he was released by the clan of ninjas known as the Hand . Omega Red was led to believe that Wolverine knew the whereabouts of the carbonadium synthesizer which could save Omega Red's life. Arkady sought him out in an effort to find this device and has come into conflict with the X-Men and Wolverine many times for this reason.