- “Remember, Furno - the nanobots may have already destroyed the last remains of Hero Stormer,
leaving only a deadly enemy within.” - — Nathaniel Zib, The Enemy Within
| Nanobots | |
| |
| Tool | |
| User(s) | Meltdown (Formerly) |
| Functionality | Override Robot and Hero Systems |
| Status | Neutralized |
The Nanobots are a microscopic, viral-like swarm of robotic parasites engineered to override the systems of both Robots and Heroes, turning them into dangerous, uncontrollable assailants. These bots were weaponized by the villain Meltdown after being supplied by Von Nebula, with the ultimate goal of corrupting Alpha 1 team leader Preston Stormer, and using him as a tool of destruction, before they were ultimately neutralized.
History[]
At some point in time, Meltdown acquired a supply of nanobots, most likely from the infamous Von Nebula upon joining his syndicate of villains. The origins of the nanobots remain unclear, but given Von Nebula’s past as a former Hero, it is possible that he had once encountered them during his time at Hero Factory. If so, he may have gained knowledge of their effects and weaknesses, allowing him to repurpose them into a devastating weapon against his former allies. Understanding the potential of these microscopic machines, Von Nebula infused the nanobots into Meltdown’s Tentacle Whip. With every strike, the whip could now deliver more than physical damage—it could infect and corrupt its victims, rewriting their systems and turning them into unwitting agents of destruction. To prove the effectiveness of this new weapon, Nebula devised a plan to use it on Alpha 1 team leader Preston Stormer.
Meltdown infecting Stormer with nanobots during The Enemy Within..
To ensure that Stormer would be exposed, Meltdown tested the Nanobots on a secondary target: Chief Drax of Mekron City, an old friend of Stormer’s. Meltdown ambushed Drax in his own precinct, infecting him before leaving the city in chaos. The chief, struggling against the corruption but aware of its devastating potential, managed to send out a distress signal to Hero Factory, begging for assistance. Right on cue, Stormer answers the call, arriving in Mekron City with three rookie heroes: William Furno, Mark Surge, and Natalie Breez. As they assessed the situation, Drax fully succumbs to the effects of the bots and aims his weapon at stormer before being subdued and cuffed before Meltdown attack the heroes and ultimately attempts to strike Furno with his Whip before Stormer jumps to shield the rookie and takes the hit from the whip before meltdown flees the scene
The Rookie Heroes then brought Stormer and Drax back to the Hero Factory, where Nathaniel Zib diagnosed the nature of the nanobots, and ordered the science team to begin working on a neutralization code/antidote. However, Stormer realises that the nanobots will be uncontrollable and after briefly warning the heroes of the substances dangerous effects, succumbs to the Bots, turning his eyes green before escaping the hero Factory and into Makuhero City, where Furno tracked him down and compares him to Von Ness, causing the small amount of sanity left in Stormer to resist the nanobots, causing the Alpha leader to faint. Stormer was then brought back to the Hero Factory where, at that same time, the rest of the Alpha 1 Team retrieved a vital ingredient from Lunar Tratix for the cure, and it was subsequently used to make an antidote administered to both Stormer and Drax by Quadal, neutralizing the nanobots and returning the robots back to normal.
Functionality[]
Infection Process[]
Injection & Spread
- The Nanobots enter through direct physical contact, usually through Meltdown’s Tentacle Whip or other means of exposure.
- Within Hours, the bots spread through the victims full circulatory systems.
System Override & Transformation
- The victim’s eyes turn glowing green, a clear sign of nanobot influence.
- The infected become incredibly violent, attacking allies and treating everyone as an enemy.
- Their internal resistance weakens, as their systems are constantly being reprogrammed to obey the virus.
Full Corruption & Control
- If resistance fails, the victim becomes a mindless servant of the Nanobots, driven by destruction and chaos.
- Infected Heroes/Robots stop feeling pain and ignore damage that would normally disable them.
Cure[]
The cure for the nanobots required a specialized neutralization code developed by Hero Factory’s science team, but it was only partially effective. The true antidote was synthesized using a rare mineral from Lunar Tratix, which had properties capable of counteracting the nanobots’ programming. Once administered, the antidote successfully purged the nanobots from both Stormer and Chief Drax, restoring their systems and eliminating the infection permanently.
Appearances[]
- The Enemy Within (First Appearance)
- The Enemy Within (Comic)
Gallery[]
