Deathlok

"This is a disaster." "No, it's an origin story"

- Debbie and Michael Peterson

Michael "Mike" Peterson was an ordinary man until he was approached by a mysterious group who granted him superpowers through use of the Centipede Device. However, when he compromised the secrecy of the project, they decided to eliminate him, but they were stopped by a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents led by Phil Coulson. Some time later, Peterson decided to join S.H.I.E.L.D.

Peterson would later be captured by agents of the Centipede Group and transformed into the cybernetic operative, "Deathlok".

Early life
"Michael Peterson, factory worker. Married, one kid. Gets injured, gets laid off, wife jumps ship. Good guy, bad breaks. Best guess is, somebody tells him they can make him strong again. Make him super."

- Phil Coulson

Not much is known about Peterson's early life. He lived alone with his son, his wife having left him when he lost his job due to injury.



The Centipede
"You said that if we worked hard, if we did right, that we'd have a place. You said it was enough to be a man. But there's better than man. There's gods. And the rest of us, what are we? They're giants. We're what they step on."

- Michael Peterson

At some point during his rehabilitation he was approached by a woman known only as Raina, who represented an organization that created a treatment that could restore his health and put him back to work.

Raina introduced Mike to a doctor known as Debbie. Debbie treated Peterson with the Centipede Device, which utilized, among other things, unstable Extremis technology. A side-effect of the treatment was Peterson's development of super-powers, including strength and durability.

When Debbie's lab was destroyed by the detonation of another Centipede user, Peterson saved Debbie from the burning building. This action was observed and recorded by Skye, who was investigating Centipede for the Rising Tide. Skye posted her video online, giving Peterson an unwanted celebrity, as he only desired to find work and raise his son in peace.

Peterson was later tracked down by Skye, who led him to believe that he was in danger from S.H.I.E.L.D.. Soon after, Peterson's condition began to deteriorate, both mentally and physically.

In desperation, Peterson returned to his former workplace, hoping to regain his old position. After being rebuffed, he attacked his old manager, putting him in the hospital. He then visited Debbie in the hospital, who convinced him that he needed to disappear, as the people behind Centipede did not want to be exposed.

Mike's condition from the Centipede soon grew critical. However, Mike was still convinced that he needed to try and rebuild his life. He took his son and broke into Skye's van, ordering her to take him to the nearest train station. He soon discovered that Skye was working with S.H.I.E.L.D., and escaped into the station. He was confronted by Agent Phil Coulson who tried to talk him down, before being shot by Agent Grant Ward with the Night-Night Gun, which tranquilized him with a curative agent created by agent Jemma Simmons, saving his life.

He was then taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. protective custody for rehabilitation, and his son taken to live with Mike's sister Mindy during his recovery.



Fighting Back
"Did I beat Captain America's time?" "Not even close."

- Michael Peterson and a S.H.I.E.L.D. trainer after strength training.

After recovering Mike decided to make up for his actions by working for S.H.I.E.L.D. Eventually Agent Coulson asked for his help to help bring down the organization that gave him his powers: the Centipede Group. While on the "Bus" their were some hostile feelings from some members of the team (mainly Ward and May), but after being outfitted with a Tactical Suit and helping Coulson and the team attack one of Centipede's bases he earned the group's trust. While back on the "Bus" Micheal thought about joining S.H.I.E.L.D. full time, afraid to return to his son after he had seen his outrage at the train station, but Coulson assured him his son would think no different of him and told him to think on his decision.

The Bridge
Mike called his son to tell him he would return, only to have Raina, who had somehow found Ace's location, threaten to kill him if Peterson did not trade Coulson for Ace. With no choice Mike was forced to trick the team into thinking they wanted him.

When the exchange started Mike attempted to break off the deal by threatening Raina's life but Coulson told him it was okay, understanding that he had no other choice. After getting his son to safety Mike attempted to redeem himself by going back to rescue Coulson only for Raina and her group to have the Bridge explode, brutaly burning him and destroying his right leg.

Deathlok
"The Clairvoyant isn't happy. You led S.H.I.E.L.D. right to us."

- Deathlok to Sofia

Mike was revealed to have survived the blast, and was ultimately recovered by Centipede agents, badly burned, missing his right leg, and implanted with a monitoring ocular implant similar to Akela Amador's Backscatter X-Ray Eye Implant.

Now under the thrall of the Clairvoyant, Peterson was ordered into the service of Ian Quinn, who arranged to have Peterson's destroyed right leg replaced with a Cybertek Prosthetic Leg (Labeled "Project: Deathlok") designed by Cybertek Industries at a cost of $10 million.

After the procedure to be outfitted with the prosthetic leg, which was witnessed by S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant Skye, the Clairvoyant ordered Peterson to kill the Cybertek representatives and exit the sc ene without engaging the just-arriving S.H.I.E.L.D. team, who had come to arrest Quinn.

Peterson was last seen asking his handlers if it were possible for him to see his son, and being told "Not yet".

Powers and Abilities
Due to use of the cybernetic Centipede Device, a blood-filtering device made of Chitauri metal that delivers a combination of Extremis, Gamma Radiation, and elements of the Super Soldier Serum into his system, Michael Peterson has come to possess various superhuman abilities.


 * Superhuman Strength: Mike possesses strength that is greater than a normal human. He can lift much heavier objects that cannot be moved without use of machinery and overpower normal humans and send them flying about tens of feet away. With his strength, he can tear any solid objects like concrete with ease. In addition, his strength extends into his leg muscles as he is able to leap great distances.


 * Superhuman Speed: Mike can move at speeds much faster than any normal human athlete. After exiting the building, he was able to reappear behind his son to leave the scene.


 * Superhuman Agility & Reflexes: Mike has agility and reflexes far greater than a normal human being.


 * Enhanced Durability: While he is not bulletproof, Mike can withstand physical damage much greater than that of a normal human. He was able to withstand a fall from the higher level of the train station down to the ground.


 * Regenerative Healing Factor: If injured, Mike is able to heal much faster than a normal human being. He took a shot from a shotgun but showed no siginificant damage upon getting up.

Other abilities granted by his cybernetic enhancements include the following:


 * Enhanced Vision: Thanks to his Backscatter X-Ray Eye Implant, Mike is capable of seeing through solid objects and has a form of night-vision.


 * Cybertek Prosthetic Leg: Peterson's right leg has been replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic designed by Cybertek Industries. Its capabilities are currently unknown.

Relationships

 * Family
 * Ace Peterson - Son
 * Mindy Peterson - Sister
 * Coulson's Team
 * Phil Coulson
 * Melinda May
 * Grant Ward
 * Leo Fitz
 * Jemma Simmons
 * Skye - Friend
 * Centipede Group
 * The Clairvoyant - Handler
 * Debbie - Doctor †
 * Raina - Recruiter turned enemy
 * Brian Hayward - Enemy †
 * Ian Quinn
 * Gary - Former Boss

Trivia

 * An unrelated character named Mike Peterson appeared in the comic books. He was the best friend of Slapstick.
 * Michael Peterson shares the first name and many traits with the Michael Collins version of Deathlok in the comics.