Max was created for a secret government supersoldier program called "Manticore" around the turn of the 21st century. She is an genetically engineered enhanced superhuman prototype and has a barcode on the back of her neck, with her identifying number sequence (332960073452) as almost all Manticore's soldiers. She is an X5 model who gives herself the name Max Guevara and is thus referred to as X5-452. Max and her X5 "brothers and sisters", are raised and trained by Colonel Donald Michael Lydecker (John Savage) at a facility located in Gillette (Wyoming). The colonel has also a role in the components of their creation. He trained them as soldiers with harsh and brutal techniques, which is later described by Max as torture. She was once subject of a brutal medical experiment, who is based on the re-healing of deliberately shattered limbs during their training. Max was also required to take part on an exercise where they must hunt on a prisoner with the intention to kill the person. The bad feelings of the exercise haunts her later when she has survived the hunt on her.

She escapes with twelve other X5s out the facility, when they flee through a snow-filled forest. They are hunted by the other Manticore X5s led by Zack (X5-599). Max falls into a frozen pond, but luckily she has learned how she must hold her breath underwater for long periods. She manages to outwit the men who are looking for her, when she was found by Hannah, a sympathetic Manticore nurse who took her to her house. The nurse cures her and allows her to escape to the outside world. She dwells amidst the decadent underground street life of *Seattle* in order to avoid government agents who want to bring her back. She searches for the other X5s, who are scattered in the aftermath of the escape. She encounters Logan, an idealistic cyber-journalist who battles for repression and corruption in post-apocalypse America during her search. The pair has decided to work together and Max becomes his samurai when, they fight against the ruthless power-brokers of the new millennium. Their odyssey leads them closer to the secret of her past who complicates their relationship in the process.

Abilities/Powers/Skills

Max has an extensive combat training including martial arts, acrobatics, infiltration, marksmanship with many weapons and computer technology. She fights exceptionally powerful and is an astute fighter who never loses almost. She is unique among all homo Sapiens who has no "Junk DNA" and every one of her nucleic acid sequences was coded by Sandeman the original maker of the transgenics. Her unique DNA is somehow related to thwarting the plans the Familiar breeding cult's. She possesses also DNA inspired by the late wife of Colonel Donald Lydecker, who is not a clone of her.

Feline DNA

She was genetically augmented with Feline DNA, which gives her "Catwoman" abilities, while her appearance is indistinguishable of a normal human being (except for the bar code on her neck). Max has several physical and mental enhancements as result of genetic engineering. This genetic makeup is often connected with images from classical mythology, (first indicated by the name of her original home ''Manticore'', a creature in Greek mythology). She can jump fifteen feet over a razor wire and can take a linebacker of 250-pound off with her thumb and index finger what makes her an awesome killing machine.

She has the following special abilities as result of her genetic gifts and training

• Enhanced strength, speed, agility, reflexes, durability, stamina and coordination
• Accelerated healing
• Enhanced eyesight, hearing and night vision
• Enhanced immune system
• Eidetic memory
• Very high I.Q.
• Parallel processing
• Expert martial artist and sharpshooter.
• Specialist in close fighting, infiltration and tracking
• Computer proficiency
• Peak athletic condition

Design flaw

Max has also a design flaw which makes her virtually helpless: the inability of her brain, can not create enough serotonin. This condition leads to uncontrollable seizures and complete powerlessness. Her powers can be revived through external means as food supplements, tryptophan or by drinking a glass of milk.