Crucible:Mayhem

Real Name: Jake "Speedball" Hayduke

Background: Former baseball star Jake "Speedball" Hayduke was on top of the world, known for his rocket-like pitches and unbreakable records. But his career was cut short when a devastating car accident mangled his arm, robbing him of the only thing he ever loved—baseball. Desperate and bitter, Jake agreed when MEK promised to restore his arm. The program, however, went beyond repair.

Jake was turned into a cyborg, outfitted with an advanced exoskeleton. His arm was replaced with a mechanical marvel, capable of throwing objects at superhuman speeds. But the MEK experimenters saw him as a weapon, not a man. When Jake discovered they planned to wipe his mind to create a loyal assassin, he escaped, leaving a trail of destruction.

Now calling himself Mayhem, Jake turned his hatred of the system that used and discarded him into a campaign of chaos. Armed with explosive baseballs and an indomitable drive, Mayhem wreaks havoc on the world of power and privilege, determined to prove that even a broken man can still play hardball—with devastating results. His mantra: “If the world’s gonna treat me like a weapon, I’ll make sure it remembers my pitch.”

Powers: Jake can throw objects at superhuman speeds. He keeps a store of explosive baseballs that he hurls as weapons.

Skills: Jake was a potential Hall of Fame pitcher before his accident, but with his exoskeleton and computerized targeting is even more accurate than before.

Creator: Jeff Messina

First Appearance: THE GAUNTLET #111