Art by Bryan Hitch
Apollo and Midnighter were originally with Stormwatch, The Authority’s predecessor. Henry Bendix, Stormwatch’s director, recruited a number of superhumans to a covert strike team. Apollo was a field officer and Midnighter a field agent. Apollo and Midnighter were among volunteers for a black ops mission. The mission was secretive that all records of it and the team were destroyed.
The covert team was teleported into the facility to carry out its orders, a smash and grab. What they were completely unprepared to find was that this facility was guarded by Daemonites. Unknown to the team, Bendix had altered the teleporter to allow them to return only if they were in possession of the item.With nowhere to go, they fought hard against the Daemonites. Only two survived the onslaught. Apollo and Midnighter escaped due to their powers. Both Apollo and Midnighter rebelled against Bendix. For the next five years they lived on the fringes, fighting crime on the street until rescued by a new Stormwatch under the guidance of Jackson King. They were given new identities, and it seemed were ready to leave this world behind until Jenny Sparks came into play with a new team.
These two members were often speculated by gay readers to be gay. Warren Ellis wrote clues into his stories but the characters’ sexual orientation wasn’t confirmed at first. The confirmation started in earnest in a scene from issue #7. It shows Apollo collapsing in a battle with the forces of Sliding Albion, an alternate Earth which has fused its technology, culture and politics with an alien race. Midnighter cradles Apollo close to his chest as if it might be their last moment together. Ellis at first addressed their sexuality with a nonchalant “so what?” until a deluge of positive mail was sent by readers.
Mark Millar has taken over as writer after Ellis’ departure. Millar has confirmed that Apollo’s and Midnighter’s relationship will be still be seen in his stories. In issue #13, we see the cover to the tabloid HELLO? Magazine featuring Apollo and Midnighter in an article called “Apollo and Midnighter: A Look Around the Carrier With the World’s Finest Couple.”
The Authority attempt to recover the reincarnated soul of Jenny Sparks from a Singapore hospital ward. Their attempt fails when Dr. Krigstein, head of an ultra secret U.S. military command sends a band of super powered thugs to steal the baby. Storm-God and Tank Man brutally attack Apollo, and there are strong visual clues that lead readers to interpret that Apollo is raped by Commander. Millar has stated that he wrote the scene to be ambiguous, but confirms the outcome and any repercussions will be told in future issues.
In issue #28 Midnighter is attacked and from appearances murdered by Seth, a super human soldier who’s part of a team created by world government leaders to replace The Authority. The Engineer saves Midnighter’s life in issue #29. By the end of the story the real Authority are back. Apollo and Midnighter celebrate their love in a commitment ceremony.
Apollo possesses super strength, flight, near invulnerability, laser/ thermal vision. He draws energy from the sun and is able to store it within his body.
Midnighter is the ultimate fighting machine. He relies on both enhanced senses and mind to proccess all information and analyze all possible scenarios before a fight has even begun. Once he’s analyzed the best combination of moves, his super human agility, speed and strength allow him to follow through. It’s also been shown that because of his cybernetically enhanced senses, he can detect enhancements and brain wave activity in others.
Apollo and Midnighter first appeared in Stormwatch #4, volmume two and were confirmed gay in The Authority #7.
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