View source for Pete Wisdom

{{short description|Fictional character}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox comics character
|character_name = Pete Wisdom
|image          = CAPBMI002_BWcov_col.jpg
|caption        = Cover art for ''Captain Britain & MI:13'' #2.<br>Art by [[Bryan Hitch]].
|publisher      = [[Marvel Comics]]
|debut          = ''[[Excalibur (comic book)|Excalibur]]'' vol.1 #86<br> (February 1995)
|creators       = [[Warren Ellis]] (writer)<br>Ken Lashley (artist)
|alter_ego      = Peter Paul "Pete" Wisdom 
|full_name      =
|species        = [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|Human mutant]]
|homeworld      = <!-- optional -->
|alliances      = {{plainlist|
* [[MI-13 (comics)|MI-13]]
* [[Black Air]]
* [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]]
* [[X-Force]]
* [[Excalibur (comics)#New Excalibur (2005–2007)|New Excalibur]]
}}
|partners       = <!-- optional -->
|supports       = <!-- optional -->
|aliases        = Winston
|powers         = Able to throw "hot knives" of shearing energy from his fingertips<br>Great leaping<br>Experienced spy
}}
'''Peter''' "'''Pete'''" '''Wisdom''' is a fictional [[Spy|secret agent]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. He first appeared in ''[[Excalibur (comic book)|Excalibur]]'' #86 (February 1995), and was created by [[Warren Ellis]] and Ken Lashley.<ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=411}}</ref> Wisdom is a British Secret Service agent with the [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] ability to throw "blades" of energy ("hot knives") from his fingertips.

[[Rob Delaney]] portrays Wisdom in ''[[Deadpool 2]]'' and ''[[Deadpool & Wolverine]]''.

==Publication history==
Pete Wisdom was initially created by Ellis and drawn by Ben Dilworth, in a pitch for ''Electric Angel'' for publisher [[Trident Comics]]. Wisdom was an angry young Essex man, with the power to summon electricity. Ellis said at Toronto Comicon 2005 that the character is based on Jack Regan from ''[[The Sweeney]]''.<ref>[http://www.thecomicbooks.com/Audio/ thecomicbooks.com], bottom of the page, "Warren Ellis on Excalibur"</ref> Later, at Marvel, Wisdom formally debuted, his first appearance was as an agent for the British covert organization Black Air in ''[[Excalibur (comics)|Excalibur]]'' #86 (February 1995).

Along with [[Kitty Pryde]], Peter starred in the ''Pryde and Wisdom'' three-issue [[miniseries]],<ref>''Pryde and Wisdom'' #1-3 (1996)</ref> which introduced Wisdom's sister Romany, as well as his father Harold, a retired [[Scotland Yard]] inspector. Soon after, Warren Ellis became the 'plotmaster' of ''[[X-Force]]'' ([[Ian Edginton]] was the actual scripter). He next appeared in ''[[New Excalibur]]'' scripted by [[Chris Claremont]].<ref>''New Excalibur'' #1-24 (2005-2007)</ref> Originally, the series' mandate was to explore the fallout from ''[[House of M]]'' in Britain.

In November 2006, Pete Wisdom also starred in a six-issue [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] titled ''Wisdom'' under the [[MAX Comics|MAX comics]] imprint. From May 2008 to July 2009 Wisdom appeared as one of the main characters in the series ''[[Captain Britain and MI: 13]].''<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=12837 Super Spy Weekend: Pete Wisdom], [[Comic Book Resources]], March 9, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/120784245582350.htm The British Invasion: Paul Cornell on Captain Britain and MI: 13] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012175841/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/120784245582350.htm |date=2011-10-12 }}, [[Comics Bulletin]], April 10, 2008</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
Pete Wisdom was born to [[Scotland Yard]] detective-sergeant Harold Wisdom. He has a sister, Romany, who is an occultist, a former employee of the police's Department of Unusual Deaths (Dept F.66) and ally of [[Union Jack (Joseph Chapman)|Union Jack]]. His mother was killed by mass murderer Michael Robert Ryan while waiting for Pete to visit, a visit he had blown off after an argument with her (both he and his father blame him for her death).<ref>''Pryde and Wisdom'' #2-3. Marvel Comics.</ref> He went on to join [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]] and later transferred to its fellow intelligence agency [[Black Air]], where he alluded to having been in a relationship with his superior, Michelle Scicluna.

Due to being constantly sent out on [[wetwork]]s (assassination assignments), he grows to hate his job and asks for a transfer. Scicluna tasks him to act as a non-combat adviser to Excalibur, who Black Air had requested to investigate in [[Genosha]] for them, and in return he will be permitted to leave Black Air. He borrows Excalibur transport to reach and help an old friend, being forced to take [[Kitty Pryde]] with him; the two of them end up investigating Black Air's "Dream Nails" facility and the horrors within, and Wisdom is almost tortured to death by one of his employer's agents.<ref>''Excalibur'' #88-90. Marvel Comics.</ref> Following this he is invited to join Excalibur by Kitty and they start a relationship (leading to an ongoing feud between him and [[Lockheed (comics)|Lockheed]]).

Both Wisdom and Excalibur are able to expose Black Air's links to the [[Hellfire Club (comics)|Hellfire Club]], cripple the organization, and prevent its grand scheme. With Kitty, he teams up his father, his sister, and Department F.66 to track down an occult serial killer.<ref>''Pryde and Wisdom''. Marvel Comics.</ref> A remnant cell of Black Air hires a contract killer and former girlfriend of Wisdom's to assassinate him.  He manages to escape, but has [[Nightcrawler (comics)|Nightcrawler]] briefly captured by the cell; the guilt causes him to become far more anti-social, driving Kitty away. Unwilling to see if the relationship can be salvaged, he leaves Excalibur.<ref>''Excalibur'' #119-20. Marvel Comics.</ref>

After Excalibur, and now sporting an unnecessary eye patch to look sexy, he organizes a group of former intelligence operatives to strike out at black-ops agencies and individuals, and requests [[X-Force]]'s aid in recovering a cybernetic brain from Genosha, fighting [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]] in the process.<ref>''X-Force'' #94-95</ref> Wisdom is later seen as the new leader of the team.<ref>''X-Force'' #102</ref>  He acts as a mentor and shows the team members how to use their mutant powers in new ways.  When his sister Romany Wisdom returns as a villain, Pete Wisdom is apparently murdered.<ref>''X-Force'' #105. Marvel Comics.</ref> When the remainder of X-Force (with the exception of [[Domino (comics)|Domino]]) are presumed killed,<ref>''X-Force'' #115. Marvel Comics.</ref> Wisdom is revealed to still be alive. Wisdom's survival is supposedly not known to any members of X-Force.

After [[Decimation (comics)|M-Day]], Wisdom retains his powers and is later ordered by MI-13 to find and team with [[Captain Britain]].  He joins [[Excalibur (comics)#New Excalibur (2005–2007)|New Excalibur]]. Outside of Excalibur, he works in a strike team for MI-13 that deals with "weird happenings", clashing with MI-6, who feel that is their jurisdiction.<ref>''Wisdom''(MAX) #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> As a result of his work, he ends up in an arranged marriage with his teammate Tink (a fairy) to cement a treaty between the United Kingdom and Otherworld.<ref>''Wisdom''(MAX) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> He begins a romance with teammate Maureen Raven, an [[Ulster]]-born psychic, but is eventually forced to kill her to end the Martian invasion of Britain.

Following the invasion, Wisdom once again teams with Captain Britain and other heroes to stop the [[Secret Invasion|Skrull invasion]] of Earth. He is contacted by Merlin, who directs Wisdom into setting him free to resurrect a (temporarily) deceased Captain Britain; in doing so, Wisdom has to knowingly open a prison for evil magics (as well as entities like [[Satannish]]). Now owed a boon by the dark forces, Wisdom is able to have a magical anti-Skrull shield erected around the British Isles, which leaves the nation under constant threat of the supernatural. Wisdom has to cope with the death of his friend, a [[John Lennon]]-impersonating Skrull who had worked with him and [[Spitfire (comics)|Spitfire]] to repel the invasion.<ref>''Captain Britain and MI:13'' #3-4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

MI-13's first battle is against the Duke of Hell Dr Plokta, who gains power when people willingly sell their souls to live in their heart's desire; Wisdom is tempted with the fantasy of Kitty, Maureen and everyone he had gotten killed still being alive.<ref>''Captain Britain and MI:13'' #7. Marvel Comics.</ref> His teammate [[Captain Midlands]] betrays them to Plokta in order to live in a fantasy where his wife had not died; disgusted and angry, Wisdom deliberately destroys his fantasy and has him arrested. Understanding how Midlands feels (due to his own losses), Pete shows him some mercy and gives him the chance to commit suicide.<ref>''Captain Britain and MI:13'' #9. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In the United Kingdom's war against [[Dracula (Marvel Comics)|Count Dracula]], Wisdom takes a key command role. Despite an initial routing, he devises a successful tactic of using misinformation, a staged defeat, a blackmailed Plokta's dream corridors, and pre-emptive strikes to prevent Dracula and his invasion force from realising the UK still has a magical spell that requires a vampire to be invited into its borders. The bulk of the vampire army is destroyed in an instant: Wisdom says that Dracula thought he was playing chess but you would only do so if you "don't care about the pieces... [otherwise] you cheat".<ref>''Captain Britain and MI:13'' #14-5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
Peter Wisdom has the power to absorb ambient heat and solar radiation, and release the absorbed energy from his fingertips as "hot knives" of pure thermal energy, said to be as "hot as the surface of the sun". He can leap from high distances and use the thermal energy to slow his descent. He can fire his hot knives as projectiles, or leave them attached to his fingertips like claws for close physical combat. He also has years of experience in espionage from working for Black Air and [[British Intelligence]].

==Reception==
* In 2014, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' ranked Pete Wisdom 97th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Franich |first=Darren |date=June 9, 2022 |title=Let's rank every X-Man ever |url=https://ew.com/article/2014/05/21/x-men-best-worst/ |access-date=January 26, 2023 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}</ref>

==Other versions==
===Age of Apocalypse===
An alternate universe variant of Pete Wisdom from Earth-295 appears in ''[[Age of Apocalypse]]'' #7. This version is a member of the Knights of Pendragon.<ref>''Age of Apocalypse'' #7. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Earth-9586===
'''Petros Wisdom / Friar Albion''', a member of the [[Captain Britain Corps]] from Earth-9586 inspired by Pete Wisdom, appears in ''[[Excalibur (comic book)|Excalibur]]''.<ref>''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z'' vol. #2 (May 2008). Marvel Comics.</ref>

===House of M===
An alternate universe variant of Pete Wisdom from [[House of M|Earth-58163]] appears in ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]''. This version is a servant of [[Brian Braddock]], the King of Great Britain.<ref>''Uncanny X-Men'' #463. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Ultimate Marvel===
An alternate universe variant of Pete Wisdom appears in the [[Ultimate Marvel]] series ''[[Ultimate Human]]''. This version is a former member of [[MI6]] who was fired after experimenting on himself and transforming into the '''[[Leader (character)#Ultimate Marvel|Leader]]'''. This gives him enhanced intelligence, but his enlarged cranium leaves him wheelchair-bound and requires him to use a head-mounted brace to support his body. After battling the [[Hulk (Ultimate Marvel character)|Hulk]], Wisdom is killed in an unsuccessful attempt to attack him.<ref>''Ultimate Human'' #1-4. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071220102338/http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0712/18/marvelmarch.htm Comics Continuum: Tuesday, December 18 2007: Marvel Comics for March<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==In other media==
* Pete Wisdom, referred to simply as '''Peter''', appears in ''[[Deadpool 2]]'', portrayed by [[Rob Delaney]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderton |first=Ethan |date=March 22, 2018 |title=''Deadpool 2'' Trailer Breakdown: What The F*cksicle Is This? |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/557084/deadpool-2-trailer-breakdown/ |access-date=October 4, 2024 |website=SlashFilm |language=en-US}}</ref> This version is an American human and member of [[X-Force]]. He is killed during the group's first mission, but [[Wade Wilson (film character)|Deadpool]] later rescues him using [[Cable (character)|Cable]]'s time-traveling device.
* Peter appears in ''[[Deadpool & Wolverine]]'', portrayed again by Delaney.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUC8aljHnio |title=Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman Recap 'Deadpool' 1 & 2 |date=July 2, 2024 |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725021719/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUC8aljHnio |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> After Deadpool retires from being a mercenary, Peter helps him get a job as a used car salesman, though he hopes that they will eventually return to their old jobs. Peter later saves Deadpool and [[Logan (film character)|Wolverine]] from the [[Deadpool Corps (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Deadpool Corps]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://marvel.com/universe/Wisdom%2C_Peter Pete Wisdom] at Marvel.com
* [http://uncannyxmen.net/characters/wisdom-pete Spotlight on Pete Wisdom] at UncannyXmen.net
* {{comicbookdb|type=character|id=1765|title=Pete Wisdom}}
* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/w/wisdom.htm Pete Wisdom] at the International Catalogue of Superheroes
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/brotherhoodvisions.htm#PETE Pete Wisdom of Earth-1043] at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe

;Interviews
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310152949/http://www.newsarama.com/SDCC06/Marvel/Mondo/Wisdom.html SDCC '06: Paul Cornell Takes On Pete Wisdom For Marvel/MAX] (cached), [[Newsarama]], July 23, 2006
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061120022824/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/002192610.cfm Speaking With Wisdom] (cached), [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]], October 31, 2006

{{Excalibur}}
{{Deadpool}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wisdom, Peter}}
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1995]]
[[Category:Marvel UK]]
[[Category:British superheroes]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics mutants]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics male superheroes]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with fire or heat abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional British spies]]
[[Category:Characters created by Warren Ellis]]
[[Category:Excalibur (comics)]]