History: With wealth and prestige going back over five generations, the Worthington family is among one of the most prestigious and respected names. Having built their wealth from the ground up through a mix of heavy industry and consumer goods, the aptly named Worthington Industries stands as one of the most influencial and successful corporate entities in the world. Part of the company's tradition is that it has always been owned and run by the Worthington family and from day one, Warren Worthington III was groomed to continue that tradition.

Being born into a world of wealth and privlidge, young Warren enjoyed a very comfortable life growing up. His parents constantly pampered him and the world around him was always happy and supportive. He spent most of his early years in the upper class suburbs of the Hamptons in New York. There he was thrust into the Worthington with fancy private schools and rigorous tutoring to prepare him for the world that awaited him. But as he was growing up, he didn't always take kindly to his pre-determined path. As an only child, Warren developed somewhat of a rebelious attitude towards his parents' set ways. It was an ongoing struggle between being himself and being who his family wanted him to be. He was willing to continue the family traditions to a point, but through his childhood and into his early teen years there was constant tension.

But a great deal of this tension was set aside when Warren's mother fell ill. He was only nine-years-old at the time and the whole family was affected. Warren's mother developed a series of tumors that left her weakened and sick. Because of the Worthington family resources, she was able to get advanced treatment. It prolonged her life, but also prolonged her suffering and Warren spent much of his early teen years watching her endure. They became much closer in the process and it was also around this time Warren started developing mysterious lumps in his back. At first it was thought that he may have something similar to his mother, but when the doctors tried to perform a biopsy of it they were shocked to find wings growing out from his back. Within weeks these wings were strong enough to allow him to glide from hills and rooftops. Within months he was able to fly. When final confirmation came that he was a mutant, the Worthington family was left stunned and in a compromising position. But in a mix of luck and tragedy, word never got out about Warren's new powers because his mother died as a result of her illness.

In wake of his mother's death, Warren became more distant from the path his family set out for him. In growing closer to her, he became more determined to help people avoid such suffering. With his new wings, he started dressing up in a mask and flying around as a winged vigilante in New York City. He performed such heroic deeds as saving people from muggers, breaking up robberies, and assisting emergency crews with rescues. It became a big part of his life and caused a further rift between him and his father. While nobody knew the winged vigilante was Warren Worthington III, it was still a difficult a risk to everything they built. At first he tried to compromise with his son. He sent him to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning where he could still learn the family business and enjoy his powers. He even allowed him to be part of the X-men, provided he wear a mask and not make his name publically known. But his father still insisted that he would have to give this life up for the good of the family. It was a conflict that would eventually come to a head.

As Warren grew into a strong, resourceful man he seemed poised to take over the family company. But as the mutant issue became more difficult and the business environement more fragile, Warren's father came to the conclusion that his son could not continue the family tradition and still be a mutant. So using Worthington Industry's pharmaceutical division, he worked to develop a cure for mutation. At one point it appeared they had a working prototype and Warren's father wanted his son to be the first patient. Warren was disgusted by the idea and outraged that he would even consider such an option. It led to a fight and an even greater rift. It eventually ended with Warren refusing the cure and instead leaving the comfortable world of the Worthington family to become a full-time student at the Xavier Institute.

While not officially separated from his family name, Warren's claim to the Worthington name remains tenuous. His father has not cut him off, but he and his son are not on speaking terms. They remain distant while Warren pursues his own path with the X-men.

Character Breakdown: Warren Worthington III is someone who embraces the unique aspects of his personality more than most. Growing up in a highly structured, highly ideal world there is often little means of distinguishing one's self from the crowd. Warren from an early age had a need to be more than just another rich boy. He had no clear identity and for that reason, he clashed with the ridged set of rules his parents laid out for him. This gives him a somewhat rebellious and arrogant personality.

But what really helps contrast these traits are the lingering effects his mother's illness had. Beyond the emotional toil he had to endure, he grew close to her and stood by her while she suffered and died at the hands of forces nobody could control. This is an important development for Warren because he comes from a world where he and everybody like him are used to getting what they want no matter what the cost may be. In the case of his mother it didn't matter how rich they were or how many of the best doctors they had working with them. It was not enough to save his mother. In that sense Warren went through a similar experience that Charles Xavier went through when he found that having wealth and influence didn't set him apart from anybody else. It humbled him to a point where he understood that humanity is fragile and it can't always be protected by wealth and prestige.

From here, his powers gave him an opportunity to do more than his money could ever do. He became a hero, saving lives in a way that involved more than just throwing money at the issue. This resonated strongly with him because it is very much a part of his Angel persona. He almost feels obligated to behave in a way that people would associate with real angels. This resonates strongly with him and plays a major role in how he comes to embrace Professor Charles Xavier's ways. As part of the X-men he can do even more. It does not bother him that he is risking his family wealth and the prestigious world that awaits him because to him having an identity is more important. The identity of Angel has become such a big part of his psyche that to not be this way is like being a caged bird. And as evidenced by the rejection of his father's ultimatum, he has made it clear that he will not be caged.

Overall, that touch of arrogance works together with his embracement of his Angel identity to make him dedicated and adamant believer in the X-men. To him being part of the team isn't just a means to express who and what he is. It's a way for him to pursue his own path that is very different from the one his family laid out for him. Because this path is one that he chose on his own, he is much more certain about the direction of his life and can dedicate much more of his energy and passion into being what he wants to be.