As a child, Alex Summers was separated from his family (his brother Scott would later become the hero Cyclops) and unknowingly raised as Mr. Sinister's Pawn to take advantage of Alex's latent mutant powers. Havok struggled for years to control his ability to absorb cosmic radiation and turn it into powerful plasma blasts. His immense power, combined with his standoffish attitude, have often put him at odds with his brother and the rest of the X-Men; but Havok has remained a proven ally to the heroes' cause.