Patriot: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Elijah Bradley

First Appearance: Young Avengers # 1 (April 2005)

Powers: As someone worthy to wear the flag of the United States, Patriot possesses superhuman strength, agility, stamina, speed, endurance, and heals at a pace quicker than a normal human.

Affiliation: Young Avengers and Secret Avengers.

Did You Know? Elijah Bradley is the grandson of the one-time Captain America Isaiah Bradley and the second Marvel character to take on the moniker of Patriot.

A Little History

The origin of Patriot is pretty straightforward. 

Patriot first appeared in Young Avengers #1  back in April of 2005. He was created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung.

During a period that saw the Avengers cease to be, a young Kang the Conqueror traveled back in time to warn the Avengers of who he was to become. That is, before Kang was Kang, a teenage version of himself traveled backward through time to warn the present-day Avengers of what was to come. Unable to contact the defunct team, he downloaded the Vision’s programming and operating system and began to call himself Iron Lad. He knew that stopping himself couldn’t be done by just one person so Kang, now Iron Lad, set out to find recruits for his new team.

He sought out Elijah’s uncle (Josiah) but unfortunately, Josiah had lost contact with his family. His search led him to meet the young Elijah. Desperate to live up to the legacy of his family, Elijah told Iron Lad that he too was a super soldier and that he would join his cause. However, instead of receiving the super soldier serum, Elijah had taken a bunch of illegal Mutant Growth Hormone pills. Worse yet, he told him that he received his power after getting a blood transfusion from his father (Isaiah). After he was accepted, Elijah put on a costume that was eerily similar to that of the original Bucky Barnes costume. Now a member of the Young Avengers, Elijah picked up a triangle-shaped shield and some throwing stars and set out on his first mission.

And that’s it. The origin of Patriot.

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