Mister Sinister has fallen into the habit of cloning himself, which can get messy for us.
The last we see of “classic” Sinister is in X23v3 6 where his consciousness ended up in a blonde female clone body as “Alice.” We haven’t seen “Alice” since.
In his next appearance, UX 544, he’s back in a male body, then incinerates himself. Later in UX 544, a new Sinister is hatched, and it seems like he retains his memories; he realizes he’s in a new and improved body. Also, he’s now dressing in a Victorian style.
In UX2 4-FB, we learn that Sinister experimented on a captured Phalanx and learned how to create a hive mind.
In UX2 14, we see that Sinister has created a society of Sinister clones, but one is still in charge. Also, Sabretooth clones and Madelyne Pryor clones.
In UX2 20, Sinister appears in a clone body of Kate Kildare.
In WS 1, he’s back to his classic look and steals Wolverine’s corpse.
In EXX 2, he’s still in his classic look.
I think it's safe to say all of these are the same Sinister. He's just moved his consciousness around through different bodies.
In HOX/POX, we’re back to a society of Sinister clones. There are Sinisters killing each other, some with Thunderbird’s DNA, and one purposefully to avoid a mindwipe from Professor X.
So here’s the question: Are we still seeing the “prime,” original Mister Sinister post-HOX/POX? Or, when does POX 4-FB take place? Is it still the same “prime” Sinister after that?
We know he can transfer his consciousness into different bodies. We know that he’s created a hive mind throughout his various clones. If his original body dies, does a different clone still have all of his memories? Is he sill considered the “main” Sinister?
Thoughts?
What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Moderators: Col_Fury, michel, Arthur, Somebody, StrayLamb
-
Col_Fury
- Site Admin
- Posts: 7758
- Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2005 3:37 am
- Location: on a Helicarrier, above Illinois
- Contact:
What’s up with Mister Sinister?
-Daron Jensen
-
Midnighter
- Chronology Guru
- Posts: 708
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 7:47 am
- Location: Venice, Italy
- Contact:
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Well, I would tell you to have a little more patience because apparently this will be the theme of the next issues of Hellions, as a seemingly dead clone of Mr. Sinister is back on the scene with bad intentions.
At the moment I would say that in principle the main Mr. Sinister is a role that from time to time moves into a different body. Every Mr. Sinister we see possesses the consciousness of the original, developed as a hive mind, even though they occasionally see themselves in conflict with each other.
But since on Hellions it now appears that a cycle of stories is about to start in which one Mr. Sinister will operate in direct contrast to the other, perhaps we will have some clarification.
Also because, and we hope not, going to separate the various Mr. Sinister could lead to considering each resurrection on Krakoa as the birth of a new character, and it would really be a mess at that point.
At the moment I would say that in principle the main Mr. Sinister is a role that from time to time moves into a different body. Every Mr. Sinister we see possesses the consciousness of the original, developed as a hive mind, even though they occasionally see themselves in conflict with each other.
But since on Hellions it now appears that a cycle of stories is about to start in which one Mr. Sinister will operate in direct contrast to the other, perhaps we will have some clarification.
Also because, and we hope not, going to separate the various Mr. Sinister could lead to considering each resurrection on Krakoa as the birth of a new character, and it would really be a mess at that point.
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
POX 4: In a "X⁰" segment (which just means "The Past" rather than literally "Year One" despite the caption - present-dayish stuff, including the scene with Xavier taking Cypher to Krakoa for the first time "months ago" later in the issue, is X¹), somewhere between Moira & Xavier recruiting Magneto and their schism with him c. X-Men (1991) #1 (i.e., per the HOX 2 timeline, between "Year 43" and "Year 47" of Moira's tenth life; 5-9 years before House of X #1, "Year 52"), Xavier (in his yellow hoverchair, which may be an error...) and Magneto (classic costume) go to Bar Sinister to recruit the proprietor. The first Sinister they meet, when Xavier ask for Nathaniel Essex, asks "Which one? There are so many of us." Magneto tells him they'll settle for the one in charge, and some magnetic brutalisation later, they get to meet him. The guard specifically addresses this one as "Mister Sinister".
The first thing Mr. Sinister does is demand to know why he's not got a cape, and has his obsequious butler-Sinister executed for claiming he always thought he should have one and yet never mentioning it (Important thing to take: This guy has never worn a cape)
The Mr Sinister in charge rejects them, claiming that he tried making a Sinister incorporating the mutant gene and didn't like the results (Note: Original-Sinister got a mutant gene from Courier in GAM3 13-14, which gave him his shapeshifting powers).
However, "the Sinister with the mutant gene" (per the "Sinister Secrets" page, the mutant gene came from John Proudstar, presumably from graverobbing since "that really isn't an interesting story") then kills him and takes his place. This one wears full classic Sinister costume, including the cape.
He is then brainwashed by Xavier into collecting all the DNA of all mutants and forgetting that Xavier did so.
Even if we ignore all the ancillary Sinisters (like the guards, butler, etc), we have at least two Sinisters at this point: The capeless one, who may be the original Nathaniel Essex (but I don't think is meant to be such, not least since he doesn't have a mutant gene), and the "Mutant Gene" Sinister in the classic suit who replaces him.
However, the "Sinister Secrets" column goes on to say: "Which brainwashed mutant Sinister was replaced long before a certain bald somebody knew and has been in on the game for almost as long as the game was being played? Shhhhhh." So the Mr. Sinister we know (who acted far less flamboyantly) may already be III or IV at this point.
He's then killed by Mystique (using Rogue's amplified powers) during Messiah CompleX, but backup copies of his mind appear in several stories, culminating in X23V3 6, where the copy that was in Miss Sinister's mind and gradually overwriting her ultimately ends up in one of the clones of a girl called Alice. (I'm counting all these backups as the same Sinister for the same reason we will presumably count all the Krakoa "resurrections" as the same character)
0
He explains how he is a backup plan who replaced the original after death in UX2 3:
He proceeds to propagate - every time he's killed, another one of the Sinister clones takes over the mind of the lead Sinister.
When defeated, all these iterations are wiped out, and a new one is created with no continuity of identity and less Cyclops:
(Note that UX2 14 is narrated by a "rebel" Sinister)
Skipping ahead to POX 5, the Krakoa Sinister appears to be standing over a bunch of dead Sinisters, one of which (bottom left of panel) may be the Gillen Sinister, and another of which (bottom right) appears to be Sinister's Messiah CompleX look, during the "Xavier's Krakoan recruitment" scene. This guy has the basic look of Sinister-Classic, but acts similarly to the original "mutant gene" Sinister or Gillen's Sinister.
So, what it looks like the intention is roughly
MR. SINISTER I (original)
(Pre-modern)
MR. SINISTER II (capeless)
POX 4 (died to a Klingon promotion)
MR. SINISTER III (mutant gene)
POX 4 (replaced due to mindwipe)
MR. SINISTER IV (classic)
(Mutant Massacre - X23V3 6)
MR SINISTER V (Gillen I)
UX 544
UX2 1
UX2 2
UX2 3
MR SINISTER VI (Gillen II)
UX2 3
[...]
POX 5 death?
Post-Gillen, pre-Krakoa it gets fuzzy, since it's now established we have multiple Sinisters running around - is the classic-suit Sinister in Wolverines/EXX/Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda (Who is severely underpowered vs. precedent in at least the last one, but that's a trait which carries on into the Krakoa era) the Gillen one? The one in the Alice clone mostly restored? (Note that Alice-Sinister was sitting over an unconscious Miss Sinister in that last scene, and she has reappeared since in Cullen Bunn's X-Men Blue.) Another one altogether, who kills the rest in POX 5?
The first thing Mr. Sinister does is demand to know why he's not got a cape, and has his obsequious butler-Sinister executed for claiming he always thought he should have one and yet never mentioning it (Important thing to take: This guy has never worn a cape)
The Mr Sinister in charge rejects them, claiming that he tried making a Sinister incorporating the mutant gene and didn't like the results (Note: Original-Sinister got a mutant gene from Courier in GAM3 13-14, which gave him his shapeshifting powers).
However, "the Sinister with the mutant gene" (per the "Sinister Secrets" page, the mutant gene came from John Proudstar, presumably from graverobbing since "that really isn't an interesting story") then kills him and takes his place. This one wears full classic Sinister costume, including the cape.
He is then brainwashed by Xavier into collecting all the DNA of all mutants and forgetting that Xavier did so.
Even if we ignore all the ancillary Sinisters (like the guards, butler, etc), we have at least two Sinisters at this point: The capeless one, who may be the original Nathaniel Essex (but I don't think is meant to be such, not least since he doesn't have a mutant gene), and the "Mutant Gene" Sinister in the classic suit who replaces him.
However, the "Sinister Secrets" column goes on to say: "Which brainwashed mutant Sinister was replaced long before a certain bald somebody knew and has been in on the game for almost as long as the game was being played? Shhhhhh." So the Mr. Sinister we know (who acted far less flamboyantly) may already be III or IV at this point.
He's then killed by Mystique (using Rogue's amplified powers) during Messiah CompleX, but backup copies of his mind appear in several stories, culminating in X23V3 6, where the copy that was in Miss Sinister's mind and gradually overwriting her ultimately ends up in one of the clones of a girl called Alice. (I'm counting all these backups as the same Sinister for the same reason we will presumably count all the Krakoa "resurrections" as the same character)
- X23V3 6 Last Sinister.jpg (134.95 KiB) Viewed 4141 times
I think you've missed the point of that scene. For one thing, look at the pile of bones in the incineration chamber - this is not the first iteration. Also, he's literally rebuilding himself from scratch, represented by imagining X-Men history whole cloth and reiterating when he gets something wrong, which is why he tells the machine what changes to make to the next version. This is an all-new version, based heavily on Cyclops' brain patterns, IV or V if we don't count the rejects.Col_Fury wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 1:08 am In his next appearance, UX 544, he’s back in a male body, then incinerates himself. Later in UX 544, a new Sinister is hatched, and it seems like he retains his memories; he realizes he’s in a new and improved body. Also, he’s now dressing in a Victorian style.
- UX 544 Sinister iteration.jpg (165.36 KiB) Viewed 4141 times
- UX2 3 New Sinister.jpg (208.51 KiB) Viewed 4138 times
When defeated, all these iterations are wiped out, and a new one is created with no continuity of identity and less Cyclops:
- UX 3 New New Iteration.jpg (203.83 KiB) Viewed 4132 times
Skipping ahead to POX 5, the Krakoa Sinister appears to be standing over a bunch of dead Sinisters, one of which (bottom left of panel) may be the Gillen Sinister, and another of which (bottom right) appears to be Sinister's Messiah CompleX look, during the "Xavier's Krakoan recruitment" scene. This guy has the basic look of Sinister-Classic, but acts similarly to the original "mutant gene" Sinister or Gillen's Sinister.
- POX 5 Sinister.jpg (101.12 KiB) Viewed 4143 times
MR. SINISTER I (original)
(Pre-modern)
MR. SINISTER II (capeless)
POX 4 (died to a Klingon promotion)
MR. SINISTER III (mutant gene)
POX 4 (replaced due to mindwipe)
MR. SINISTER IV (classic)
(Mutant Massacre - X23V3 6)
MR SINISTER V (Gillen I)
UX 544
UX2 1
UX2 2
UX2 3
MR SINISTER VI (Gillen II)
UX2 3
[...]
POX 5 death?
Post-Gillen, pre-Krakoa it gets fuzzy, since it's now established we have multiple Sinisters running around - is the classic-suit Sinister in Wolverines/EXX/Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda (Who is severely underpowered vs. precedent in at least the last one, but that's a trait which carries on into the Krakoa era) the Gillen one? The one in the Alice clone mostly restored? (Note that Alice-Sinister was sitting over an unconscious Miss Sinister in that last scene, and she has reappeared since in Cullen Bunn's X-Men Blue.) Another one altogether, who kills the rest in POX 5?
-
Col_Fury
- Site Admin
- Posts: 7758
- Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2005 3:37 am
- Location: on a Helicarrier, above Illinois
- Contact:
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Mr. Sinister/Essex was wearing capes/cloaks in the 1800s, in those Gambit issues you cite (see the last page of GAM3 13 and the middle of GAM3 14). He's worn capes for over a century. Meaning, the Sinister that gets shot in POX 4-FB (who's enamored with Magneto's cape) isn't the real Sinister, but rather a decoy, and the one who shoots the decoy is the real deal.
We know Mr. Sinister learned to make hive minds as a result of the Phalanx Covenant, so POX 4-FB has to be after that. The first time Xavier and Magnus are both either alive or not comatose and on good terms is XCAL3, shortly before HOM. That would seem to be the earliest POX 4-FB could go (note that it's only Xavier and Magnus recruiting Mr. Sinister; Moira's not there and could easily be after she fakes her death). Maybe POX 4-FB is after HOM (no more mutants) and that's why Xavier/Magnus want Mr. Sinister's help in repopulating mutants?
So 1800s thru X23v3 6, including POX 4-FB somewhere in there, is classic Mr. Sinister/Essex, all of whom wear capes.
The question then, is, since Mr. Sinister has a hive mind, can a new Sinister access the original's memories, still making a "new" Sinister the original? The Guillen version keeps talking about his "earlier selves," but could he be misleading the X-Men with language? Maybe he means his earlier self would fail because he didn't have the upgrades he has now.
I mean, he's still the same character, basically.
In POX 5-FB, where Mr. Sinister is standing on a pile of various looking Sinister bodies, could he have just improved himself further and this is a symbolic image to get that across to the audience?
I guess the question is, how messy do we want to make this? Do we have to split his chronology up? Or can we find a way to interpret things so that we don't have to split his chronology up?
Of course, Hellions might blow everything up and we might have to...
We know Mr. Sinister learned to make hive minds as a result of the Phalanx Covenant, so POX 4-FB has to be after that. The first time Xavier and Magnus are both either alive or not comatose and on good terms is XCAL3, shortly before HOM. That would seem to be the earliest POX 4-FB could go (note that it's only Xavier and Magnus recruiting Mr. Sinister; Moira's not there and could easily be after she fakes her death). Maybe POX 4-FB is after HOM (no more mutants) and that's why Xavier/Magnus want Mr. Sinister's help in repopulating mutants?
So 1800s thru X23v3 6, including POX 4-FB somewhere in there, is classic Mr. Sinister/Essex, all of whom wear capes.
The question then, is, since Mr. Sinister has a hive mind, can a new Sinister access the original's memories, still making a "new" Sinister the original? The Guillen version keeps talking about his "earlier selves," but could he be misleading the X-Men with language? Maybe he means his earlier self would fail because he didn't have the upgrades he has now.
I mean, he's still the same character, basically.
In POX 5-FB, where Mr. Sinister is standing on a pile of various looking Sinister bodies, could he have just improved himself further and this is a symbolic image to get that across to the audience?
I guess the question is, how messy do we want to make this? Do we have to split his chronology up? Or can we find a way to interpret things so that we don't have to split his chronology up?
Of course, Hellions might blow everything up and we might have to...
-Daron Jensen
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Or the "Sinister with the mutant gene" isn't the first one to get a Klingon promotion, and the true, original Essex is long dead.Col_Fury wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 4:33 pm Mr. Sinister/Essex was wearing capes/cloaks in the 1800s, in those Gambit issues you cite (see the last page of GAM3 13 and the middle of GAM3 14). He's worn capes for over a century. Meaning, the Sinister that gets shot in POX 4-FB (who's enamored with Magneto's cape) isn't the real Sinister, but rather a decoy, and the one who shoots the decoy is the real deal.
Can't be. The data pages, especially her diary entries from POX 6 (below), make it very explicit that (a) it happens before X-Men #1 and (b) Moira isn't there because she didn't find out until after they'd already done it and, uh, strongly disapproves of them doing it.Col_Fury wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 4:33 pm We know Mr. Sinister learned to make hive minds as a result of the Phalanx Covenant, so POX 4-FB has to be after that. The first time Xavier and Magnus are both either alive or not comatose and on good terms is XCAL3, shortly before HOM. That would seem to be the earliest POX 4-FB could go (note that it's only Xavier and Magnus recruiting Mr. Sinister; Moira's not there and could easily be after she fakes her death). Maybe POX 4-FB is after HOM (no more mutants) and that's why Xavier/Magnus want Mr. Sinister's help in repopulating mutants?
Note that there's no sign there is any sort of hive mind on Bar Sinister, just a lot of clones. (This also holds true in X of Swords/Hellions, where Sinister has no idea what the clone he sent to Amenth found out and is bluffing like hell to pretend otherwise)
- POX 6 Journal Entries 0.jpg (155.52 KiB) Viewed 4097 times
- POX 6 Journal Entries 1.jpg (194.51 KiB) Viewed 4102 times
- POX 6 Journal Entries 2.jpg (145.61 KiB) Viewed 4102 times
Well, none of the other images (Exodus and various Acolytes, Gorgon, three guys I don't recognise) appear to be symbolic, nor does the rest of the scene.
I'm fine with messy (haven't you seen some of the analyses I've done? :p ). "Finding a way to interpret things" seems tantamount to rewriting what's on the page. Which isn't a "never", but shouldn't just be done to make our lives easier.
One more thing, although more of a side issue than the main point...
Actually, checking UX2 4, there's no sign on the page that the Phalanx of "Phalanx Strain 264theta" are Phalanx Covenant-related. The narrator, the one captured by Sinister, says the strain "came to the green/blue globe" AS Phalanx. Which the Phalanx Covenant Phalanx didn't - they were Earthborn, made from Warlock's transmode.
(Also, the opening caption is literally "Longer ago than you'd think." If it was Phalanx Covenant-related, it would be exactly as long ago as you'd think
)Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Actually, I've just had a thought on why Hickman might want this placed in the run-up to X-Men #1 - what if he's working on the idea that the original Sinister was *ACTUALLY* killed by Cyclops' optic blast in Inferno?
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
The really weird thing is that entry 29 states "Apocalypse has made himself known to the world". That would have to be circa X-Factor 5-6 or 24-25. But that's while Xavier was in space. And entry 48 is Xavier and Magneto telling her about their visit with Sinister. So, if entry 48 takes place after entry 29, it would have to take place after Xavier returned from space in X-Men 277. And since Moira is mind-controlled in X-Men 277-280, it would have to take place after X-Men 280- right before X-Men 1, the first time we see Xavier in his hover chair.
(The other possibility is that Xavier and Magneto visited Sinister before Xavier started walking again in New Mutants 14 and only told Moira about it much later.)
(The other possibility is that Xavier and Magneto visited Sinister before Xavier started walking again in New Mutants 14 and only told Moira about it much later.)
-
Col_Fury
- Site Admin
- Posts: 7758
- Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2005 3:37 am
- Location: on a Helicarrier, above Illinois
- Contact:
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
In Mr. Sinister's chronology:
……
XF 39 (Inferno)
X-23 3 (right before Acts of Vengeance)
XF 71-BTS (right before X2 1)
……
Given Moira's journal, POX 4-FB would go before XF 71-BTS. Which makes sense; how would Xavier and Magnus know Sinister is even a thing until the X-Men meet him during Inferno? Moira wouldn't have told them about Sinister; she REALLY didn't want them working with him.
Good observation about UX2 4-FB (classic look Mr. Sinister). That means it's possible Sinister encountered the Phalanx before the Mutant Massacre, maybe long before:
……
UX 389-FB (Xavier in college)
XF 39 (8:1)-FB (adult Jean Grey clone finished but comatose, classic look) (needs to be moved to later)
UX 241 (15:3)-FB (starts working on cloning Jean Grey, classic look)
UO 1 (1 - 7) (orphanage)
XF 39 (6:5 - 6:9)-FB (Scott in orphanage, classic look)
XF 39 (11:3 - 11:5)-FB (messing with Scott, classic look)
UO 1 (8 - 10)
XF 35-FB
CX 41/2
CX 42/2 (1 - 10)
UO 1 (11)
CX 42/2 (11 - 12)-BTS (orphanage)
XF -1 (Alex already adopted, classic look)
X3 14-FB (between X 9-10, classic look)
UX 376-FB (shortly-ish before X 54, classic look)
X&SM 1 (shortly after X 66, classic look) (moved to here)
XF 39 (8:1)-FB (adult Jean Grey clone finished but comatose, classic look) (move to here)
UX 241 (15:5 - 15:8)-FB (same time as X 138, Jean clone finally wakes up, classic look)
XF 38 (29:2)-FB-BTS
X&SM 1 (shortly after X 66, classic look) (this needs to be moved, obviously)
UX 193-BTS
……
We could put UX2 4-FB either before he starts cloning Jean and messing with Scott or after, I guess.
-edit-
SUMMERS, MADELYNE JENNIFER PRYOR
UX 240-FB
*XF 39 (8:1)-FB
UX 241-FB
……
……
XF 39 (Inferno)
X-23 3 (right before Acts of Vengeance)
XF 71-BTS (right before X2 1)
……
Given Moira's journal, POX 4-FB would go before XF 71-BTS. Which makes sense; how would Xavier and Magnus know Sinister is even a thing until the X-Men meet him during Inferno? Moira wouldn't have told them about Sinister; she REALLY didn't want them working with him.
Good observation about UX2 4-FB (classic look Mr. Sinister). That means it's possible Sinister encountered the Phalanx before the Mutant Massacre, maybe long before:
……
UX 389-FB (Xavier in college)
XF 39 (8:1)-FB (adult Jean Grey clone finished but comatose, classic look) (needs to be moved to later)
UX 241 (15:3)-FB (starts working on cloning Jean Grey, classic look)
UO 1 (1 - 7) (orphanage)
XF 39 (6:5 - 6:9)-FB (Scott in orphanage, classic look)
XF 39 (11:3 - 11:5)-FB (messing with Scott, classic look)
UO 1 (8 - 10)
XF 35-FB
CX 41/2
CX 42/2 (1 - 10)
UO 1 (11)
CX 42/2 (11 - 12)-BTS (orphanage)
XF -1 (Alex already adopted, classic look)
X3 14-FB (between X 9-10, classic look)
UX 376-FB (shortly-ish before X 54, classic look)
X&SM 1 (shortly after X 66, classic look) (moved to here)
XF 39 (8:1)-FB (adult Jean Grey clone finished but comatose, classic look) (move to here)
UX 241 (15:5 - 15:8)-FB (same time as X 138, Jean clone finally wakes up, classic look)
XF 38 (29:2)-FB-BTS
X&SM 1 (shortly after X 66, classic look) (this needs to be moved, obviously)
UX 193-BTS
……
We could put UX2 4-FB either before he starts cloning Jean and messing with Scott or after, I guess.
-edit-
SUMMERS, MADELYNE JENNIFER PRYOR
UX 240-FB
*XF 39 (8:1)-FB
UX 241-FB
……
-Daron Jensen
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Xavier may remember him from his childhood. A storyline in "X-Men:Legacy" #212-214 (2008) established that Sinister used Xavier as a test subject when Charles was a child, and while Mr. Sinister and Brian Xavier worked together in the Alamogordo facility.Col_Fury wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:03 pm
Given Moira's journal, POX 4-FB would go before XF 71-BTS. Which makes sense; how would Xavier and Magnus know Sinister is even a thing until the X-Men meet him during Inferno? Moira wouldn't have told them about Sinister; she REALLY didn't want them working with him.
The same storyline established that Sinister implanted his own DNA into four children, hoping to use them as host bodies for his consciousness. The children were Charles Xavier, Cain Marco, Sebastian Shaw, and Carter Ryking. He even boasts that he is Xavier's real father, and that Xavier has inherited some of his traits:
*I was your true father, Charles. Not pliable Brian Xavier or school bully Kurt Marko!’ ... "Your audacity. The spark that burns so brightly within you. You get these things from me!’ ... I’m written on your DNA, Charles."
Re: What’s up with Mister Sinister?
Here's where I think I am with this:
MISTER SINISTER (original)
(Everything up to XF 39, dies to Cyclops' blast in Inferno)
MISTER SINISTER II (capeless)
POX 4-FB (dies to a Klingon promotion)
MISTER SINISTER III (mutant gene)
POX 4-FB
X-23 3 (is killed and replaced in short order because of Xavier's mindwipe, per Sinister Secrets)
MISTER SINSTER IV (90s-2000s iteration; Cyclops-blast-proofed after the death of Sinister I. Sinister is a system...)
XF 71-BTS
...
X23V3 6
[Wolverines]
EXX 2
EXX 3
EXX 4
EXX 5
[Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda]
POX 5 (corpse)
MISTER SINISTER V (this is playing with a technicality that the various dead iterations don't get named on panel, to avoid pulling a Ghost Rider with the numbering. There's no continuity of identity between the iterations, they get information but not identity, which is why they get separated)
UX 544
UX2 1
UX2 2
UX2 3
MISTER SINISTER VI (replacement born at the end of UX2 3, has to guess what his predecessor was up to. All the clones within but not between iterations are treated like Madrox dupes, identified only if they're significant)
UX2 3
...
UX2 20
POX 5 (corpse)
MISTER SINISTER VII (Krakoa)
POX 5
(etc)
MISTER SINISTER (original)
(Everything up to XF 39, dies to Cyclops' blast in Inferno)
MISTER SINISTER II (capeless)
POX 4-FB (dies to a Klingon promotion)
MISTER SINISTER III (mutant gene)
POX 4-FB
X-23 3 (is killed and replaced in short order because of Xavier's mindwipe, per Sinister Secrets)
MISTER SINSTER IV (90s-2000s iteration; Cyclops-blast-proofed after the death of Sinister I. Sinister is a system...)
XF 71-BTS
...
X23V3 6
[Wolverines]
EXX 2
EXX 3
EXX 4
EXX 5
[Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda]
POX 5 (corpse)
MISTER SINISTER V (this is playing with a technicality that the various dead iterations don't get named on panel, to avoid pulling a Ghost Rider with the numbering. There's no continuity of identity between the iterations, they get information but not identity, which is why they get separated)
UX 544
UX2 1
UX2 2
UX2 3
MISTER SINISTER VI (replacement born at the end of UX2 3, has to guess what his predecessor was up to. All the clones within but not between iterations are treated like Madrox dupes, identified only if they're significant)
UX2 3
...
UX2 20
POX 5 (corpse)
MISTER SINISTER VII (Krakoa)
POX 5
(etc)