In Episode 120 of CEREBRO, Connor and ComicsXF publisher Dan Grote light one up with the willful Pete Wisdom! Created by Warren Ellis and Ken Lashley, the cantankerous, chain-smoking Wisdom — a British secret agent and mutant assassin — was introduced as the unlikely new love interest for Kitty Pryde, whose time in Excalibur had seen her grow from the X-Men's teen sidekick into an independent young superheroine.

Though the Pryde and Wisdom relationship was popular with many readers, it did not survive to the end of the 90s. Wisdom did, however, becoming a reliable supporting player for Marvel stories set in the UK — and a marketable leading man in stories by writer Paul Cornell. He most recently served as a major recurring character in writer Tini Howard's Betsy Braddock stories during the First Krakoan Age.

The CEREBRO character file on Wisdom begins at 39:54.

(Content Advisory: Pete's story includes torture and various other war crimes. He's a black ops secret agent. The vibes are not always great.)

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In Episode 119 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel writer Murewa Ayodele (Storm, I Am Iron Man) heat things up with the inimitable Idie Okonkwo! Created by Matt Fraction, Kieron Gillen, and Whilce Portacio for the series Generation Hope, Idie — best known by the codename Oya — was one of the first post-Decimation mutants to manifest following the messianic arrival of Hope Summers. A devout Catholic teenager from rural Nigeria, Idie was hunted as a witch when her new powers over fire and ice catalyzed to disastrous effect. Her resulting self-loathing made her an unlikely superheroine, but in the 15 years since her debut she has played a critical thematic role in the X-Men franchise. After a memorable role in Victor LaValle's work during the First Krakoan Age, Idie has taken the new codename Temper as a regular team member in writer Jed McKay's current run on X-Men.

The CEREBRO character file on Oya/Temper begins at 49:41.

(Content Advisory: Idie's story includes racism, religious trauma, and the legacy of colonialism in Africa.)

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In Episode 118 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel/DC writer Josh Trujillo (What If? Gambit, Blue Beetle, Wiccan and Hulkling) play a game of thrones with the liberal Lilandra Neramani, Majestrix Shi'ar! Created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum as the primary love interest for Charles Xavier, alien princess (and sometime empress) Lilandra became a major player in intergalactic politics and a frequent friend — but sometimes foe — of the X-Men. Her assassination in the 2009 cosmic event War of Kings was a devastating blow to social progress in the Shi'ar Imperium, but in recent years her daughter by Charles, Xandra, has taken the throne and worked to finally realize the reforms her mother championed.

The CEREBRO character file on Lilandra begins at 51:27.

(Content Advisory: Lilandra is the ruler of an imperial state built on conquest and slavery. She tries to improve things from within, but there's a lot of rough stuff in here. This episode also discusses current events in America and — without going into detail — the sexual misconduct allegations against Neil Gaiman.)

You can support CEREBRO on Patreon!