Warren Worthington III, aka Angel, was a founding member of the X-Men and spent his earliest years as a mutant training under Professor Charles Xavier. But as with all students, the original X-Men strove to make a way for themselves out from under their teacher. Masquerading as the mutant hunters X-Factor, they hoped to find young mutants that needed their help before more sinister forces could reach them. Under just such an operation, Warren lost both his wings. Sensing his desperation, the villain Apocalypse offered Warren new wings under the condition that he would serve him as his Horseman of Death. Agreeing to the terms, Angel was no more, and the violent Archangel was let loose upon the world to rain razor sharp death from above!