Tyson Sykes, also known as Gravedigger, is the world's first documented meta-human, a former American soldier turned leader of the Markovian military who is attempting to invade Freeland and capture the metas who were created there. He maintained his age due to the original version of the serum Helga Jace used on Tobias Whale.
Biography
Becoming a meta-human
During the second World War, Tyson was a soldier in the United States Army. However, he was bullied by his co-workers due to his skin color and he fought back. He was later given a choice to go to a court-martial or becoming a subject for the government.
After numerous experiments, he gained various superhuman powers, including enhanced strength and the ability to control a person's movement with his vocal command.
Joining Markovia
Tyson became part of the Markovian military at some point
War against Freeland
In the war against Freeland, Sykes ordered the Markovians to exterminate all of Freeland and capture all metas. Many Freeland citizens were killed.
Powers and abilities
Powers
- "The U.S. government experimented on me almost eighty years ago, granting me abilities beyond that of a normal person. I am, officially, unofficially, the first meta."
- —Tyson Sykes[src]
- Meta-human physiology: Sykes was given his abilities as part of an early attempt in the US military to create an army of super-soldiers. Sykes was the only test subject to survive, his trials unlocking a dormant "meta-gene" that manifested itself in superhuman abilities. [1][2]
- Command inducement: Sykes's chief ability is that he is able to mentally dominate the actions of others. This also grants him immunity from anyone else with this ability. [1]
- Superhuman strength: Sykes is far stronger than any normal human, able to overpower them with ease, even without using his commanding power. [1]
- Superhuman durability: Sykes is extremely resistent to damage, able to survive Black Lightning's electric blasts, even while the latter used an extreme current due to his anger. Sykes was even able to withstand a combined attack from Jennifer and Brandon.[3]
- Accelerated healing factor: Sykes can heal in considerably accelerated rates, being able to recover from extreme electrocution induced by Black Lightning's powers within minutes.
- Enhanced longevity: One of Sykes' original abilities was to slow his aging process at a significant rate. He has been in his physical prime for over seventy years. [2] This ability was so rare, it took billions of dollars in research (as well as several decades) in order to create a serum with similar effects, with the only other example of it working is Tobias Whale.
- Superhuman speed: Sykes raced across an entire hallway within a fraction of a second and was able to outmaneuver Painkiller, an engineered assassin. His top speed is unknown.[1]
Former Powers
- Meta-booster abilities: After taking a serum designed by Lynn Stewart, Sykes is able to take on the powers of other metahumans. While the serum has only shown to work for short periods of time, because the serum is based on the one that triggered his meta-gene to begin with, he could retain the new abilities indefinitely.[2] However, he lost all of these powers when Lynn Stevens injected him with the anti-booster serum.
- Telekinesis: Sykes is capable of controlling the gravitational pull of objects, allowing him to levitate them in the air and move them as he wishes. He displayed this power for the first time by killing Yuri Mosin for insubordination. [4]
- Shapeshifting: Tyson is capable of changing his entire appearance into that of another individual.[5]
- Flight:[5]
- Superhuman sonic scream: Sykes is able to emit a sonic scream that is capable of knocking even powerful metas like Black lightning to the ground.[5]
- Radiogenesis: Sykes is able to generate multiple forms of radiation.[5]
- Heat vision: Sykes was able to emit a red beam of heat from his eyes in order to counter Jennifer and Brandon's attacks while fighting him.[5]
- Meta-booster abilities: After taking a serum designed by Lynn Stewart, Sykes is able to take on the powers of other metahumans. While the serum has only shown to work for short periods of time, because the serum is based on the one that triggered his meta-gene to begin with, he could retain the new abilities indefinitely.[2] However, he lost all of these powers when Lynn Stevens injected him with the anti-booster serum.
Abilities
- Peak of human physical condition: As a soldier, Gravedigger is in top physical condition.[1] His metahuman abilities allow him to retain his prime age even through he is over a century old (as he is a meta-human for about 80 years now, having been a soldier during World War II).
- Master hand-to-hand combatant/Martial artist: Gravedigger is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist.[1] He was able to outmaneuver and defeat several soldiers at once during his time as an American meta-assassin. [2] He later manages to defeat Painkiller, who is programmed with hundreds of different fighting styles.
- Expert marksman: Gravedigger is a very skilled marksman.[1]
Weaknesses
- Anti-booster serum: The serum Lynn made is able to negate if not take away all Sykes new meta powers he got from the meta-booster serum.
Appearances
Black Lightning
Season 3
- "The Book of Markovia: Chapter Three" (mentioned)
- "The Book of Markovia: Chapter Four"
- "The Book of War: Chapter One: Homecoming"
- "The Book of War: Chapter Two"
- "The Book of War: Chapter Three: Liberation"
Trivia
- Tyson Sykes is the first documented meta-human in Earth-Prime's history.
Behind the scenes
- In the comics, Tyson Sykes is the second African-American fictional character known to use the codename Gravedigger. He is a Checkmate operative whose field designation is Rook Alpha. Tyson gains special telepathic abilities by injecting himself with a solution called Apocritic made from Starro's DNA