STONE

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human magic user

Occupation: Warrior, sensei, martial arts instructor

Group Membership: Chaste (Claw, Flame, Shaft, Star, Stick, Trahn, Wing, others)

Affiliations: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Elektra, Christine Harris, Karen, Morbius, Eddie Passim, Jerry "The Whale" Sabini, Pamela Sennet, Derek Tully, Yamato-Take

Enemies: Erynys, John Garrett, the Hand (Izanami, Kirigi, Kuroyama, others), Snakeroot (Budo, Enteki, others)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The Chaste's fortress on top of the Wall in Japan

First Appearance: (In shadows) Daredevil I#187 (October, 1982); (fully seen) Daredevil I#188 (November, 1982)

Powers/Abilities: A trained warrior of the Chaste, Stone is a master of ninja techniques, specializing in the use of swords. He has lived for over hundred years and has demonstrated several super powers, including enhanced strength, the ability to heal and recharge through meditation, the ability to look into the future and predict his enemy's moves while meditating, the ability to channel life force from one person into another (including from himself to someone else), and the ability to be completely impervious to harm so long as he was aware of the attack. Stone seems to have some ability to mentally communicate with other members of the Chaste, most prominently Stick.

Height: 6'4" (by approximation)
Weight: 240 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Bald

History:
(Daredevil I#190 (fb) - BTS) - For generations, Stick trained the members of the Chaste, including Stone, at a nearly unreachable fortress in the high mountains. He kicked out trainees that did not suit their purposes.

(Elektra: Root of Evil#1 (fb) ) - When 12-year old Elektra climbed the mountain to find the Chaste, she was overcome by the snowstorm. When she first saw Stone and Stick standing there, she pictured them as the Tengu, ninja demons that she had heard of, but they snapped her out of it and brought her inside.

(Daredevil I#190 (fb) / Elektra: Root of Evil#2 (fb) ) - Elektra Natchios tried climbing the mountain to the Chaste again after the murder of her father, but she fell short. They carried her among them and Stone felt she didn't belong, but Stick pushed Stone to let her try and become one of them. They trained her for a full year and she excelled. Just as Stone began to believe in her, Stick realized Elektra's pain was too great and she was not learning to find peace and could never be one of the Chaste. He asked her to leave. Stone worried that the enemy might recruit her, and Stick realized it was likely.

(Daredevil I#187 (fb) - BTS) - Stick called the seven of the Chaste to a meeting at the apartment of Matt Murdock in New York City.

(Daredevil I#187) - When only four (Stick, Claw, Shaft, and Stone) of the seven attended the meeting, Stick assumed that the others had been hunted down by the Hand. He reasoned that Matt Murdock could be made one of them. Just then, Matt entered the room as Daredevil and collapsed, begging for help as his super-senses were out of control.

(Daredevil I#188) - Members of the Chaste watched Black Widow pass by Matt Murdock's apartment; they let her go in peace. Stick reassured the Chaste that Matt had what it took to be one of them, reminding them that he'd trained each of them. When Kirigi attacked, the Chaste fought back: Shaft fired arrows, Claw hit him with his razor-sharp claws, and Stone killed him with his swords. Matt came out of the tank in time to see the battle. Just then, Black Widow entered, poisoned and seemingly dissolving.

(Daredevil I#189) - On Stick's order Stone used his powers to resurrect Black Widow after she died, even when the Chaste protested that involving two outsiders in their quest was too many. Dozens of the Hand then attacked and the Chaste killed as many as they could, with Daredevil and Black Widow aiding in the fight. When Claw was killed in combat, Stick and Shaft touched hands and used their powers to kill the remaining dozens of Hand members, but Stick and Shaft were overcome with the energy and dissolved, leaving only Stone with Daredevil and Black Widow.

(Daredevil I#190) - Stone explained to Daredevil that the Hand were planning to resurrect Elektra to kill Stone and that she was never truly evil because of her love to Matt They went to the cemetery were Elektra was buried and allowed the Hand to exhume to attack them when they were least weary. They had already suspected it to be a trap set up by the Hand and had Black Widow throwing gas grenades at the Hand ninjas ascending from the ground. Despite their best effort Stone and Daredevil failed to stop the Hand from stealing Elektra's coffin, which was taken away by a helicopter. Stone got angry at Daredevil and Black Widow, but then apologized because it was his own plan that had failed this day. Daredevil soon left on his own to find the Hand. Stone revealed to Black Widow that Stick never alowed Daredevil to become one of the Chaste because he was controlled by his passions. He feared he could become their enemy just to see Elektra be resurrected. Stone feared for the future of the Chaste because he was the last one left.

   Daredevil found out that the Hand were trying to resurrect Elektra at an abandoned church. Daredevil took Stone and Black Widow to the church and they battled the Hand. Stone was stabbed in the back and begged Daredevil to come to his aid, but Daredevil was too invested to bring Elektra back to life. Daredevil failed. Moments later henchmen of the Kingpin stormed the church and shot all Hand ninjas. Daredevil asked them to leave Stone alone because he was an ally. When Stone was going to destroy Elektra's corpse he felt that she clean, seemingly purged of her evil during Daredevil's failed attempt to resurrect her. Stone felt weary and formed a new plan.

(Daredevil I#190 - BTS) - Stone apparently resurrected Elektra, leaving behind his garments. (see comments)

(Daredevil I#296 (fb) - BTS) - Stone recruited Spear to the Chaste, not realizing he was loyal to the Hand. (Daredevil I#296) - Stone, Spear, Flame, Star, and Wing of the Chaste, argued about tactics now that Stick was dead, attacked a Hand warehouse (it was a church) in New York City, where Izanami and Jonin, as well as many Hand ninjas, were battling Daredevil, while keeping several civilians strung up, including Christine Harris, Jerry "The Whale" Sabini, Derek Tully, and Pamela Sennet. After defeating the ninjas, the Chaste liberated the civilians, and Izanami was shot and killed by the police. The Chaste quickly faded away. In civilian clothes, Stone soon reached out to Matt Murdock, saying they needed further help against the Hand, and Daredevil soon joined the Chaste as they waited for Izanami to come back to life and attack them. Spear turned on the others, knocking out Star as Izanami attacked. A massive fight broke out and Izanami tried to kill Daredevil, but Spear rushed in to do it himself. Daredevil defeated Spear, then used his weapon to kill Izanami. Stone comforted Daredevil, reminding him that Izanami wasn't even human.

(Daredevil I#320 (fb) - BTS) - After the death of Elektra, the Chaste realized she had left some of her essence behind, and that the Hand planned to corrupt that essence.

(Daredevil I#320) - The Chaste, including Stone and Flame, met to discuss the Hand's plans. Stone took a sai and planned to end the Hand's plans himself.

(Daredevil I#321) - Stone attacked Budo, of the Snakeroot, in his apartment.

(Daredevil I#324 (fb) ) - Stone realized that Elektra's corpse was pure, and he no longer worried about seeking to contain the darkness within her.

(Daredevil I#324 (fb) - BTS) - Stone took Elektra's corpse back to the Chaste for preservation.

(Daredevil I#324 (fb) - BTS) - Seeking to stop the Snakeroot from using Eddie Passim and the About Face virus from reviving Erynys with Elektra's dark influence, Stone attacked Enteki, trying to stop him from kidnapping Passim. A fight broke out with Daredevil and Morbius involved.

(Daredevil I#324) - Morbius tried attacking Stone, but found his skin impenetrable. Stone stabbed Morbius with his sais while Enteki escaped with Passim. Daredevil chose to get Morbius medical help instead of going after Passim, frustrating Stone. As Morbius stabilized, Stone discussed the threat of Erynys, and Morbius agreed to help them track down the virus. Stone and Daredevil followed Morbius through the city only to be attacked by John Garrett and Erynys. Stone shrugged off Garrett's gunfire before Erynys stabbed him with two sais in the back.

(Daredevil I#326) - Elektra saw Stone get medical help and she promised to return him to the mountain, though Stone was worried about her after the fight with Erynys. Wing, Claw, Flame, and Star entered the room, chastising Elektra for her sins, but she accused the Chaste of staying on their mountain preaching of decency while the world fell around them.

(Elektra: Root of Evil#1) - Elektra visited the Miyazaki Prefecture in Shikoku, Japan, where she sparred with Stone, who gave her advice on healing the deep wounds within her. Elektra asked Stone to support her in changing the cause of the Chaste, but he refused.

(Daredevil: Ninja#2 (fb) - BTS) - Stone helped the Chaste peacefully live while gathering numbers, growing up to around 300, but the Hand began attacking savagely as they regrouped, and Stone soon found the numbers of the Chaste slimmed down to five, including Stone and female initiate Trahn.

(Daredevil: Ninja#3 (fb) - BTS) - The Hand stole the sword, Grasscutter. Stone believed he had identified the reincarnated soul of Yamato-Take in the infant, Karen, and believed that he could find Grasscutter and reunite it with the baby to give the Chaste the upper hand.

(Daredevil: Ninja#1 - BTS) - Stone sent Trahn and another member of the Chaste to America to bring Daredevil back to Japan. Trahn broke into Daredevil's apartment and stole Stick's staff. Daredevil pursued them and sparred with them for a time, but they drugged Daredevil and put him on a plane, bringing him to Japan.

(Daredevil: Ninja#2) - Daredevil regained his senses in Japan, and Stone explained that the Chaste had sparred with him to see how good his combat skills still were because they had been out of touch with Daredevil for some time. He explained what had happened to the Chaste, and Daredevil suggested that he, Stone, and Trahn break into the Hand's headquarters to investigate. They took the fight to the Hand, and Daredevil called the authorities to arrive behind them. Stone and Trahn prepared to head back to New York with Daredevil.

(Daredevil: Ninja#3) - On the plane back to New York, Stone telepathically explained to Matt how the sacred sword, Grasscutter, had been stolen, and that they needed to reunite it with the soul of Yamato-Take. At the airport, the Hand attacked them, and Matt rushed off to get his Daredevil costume on. Stone and Trahn used Daredevil to help them fight off the Hand.

(Daredevil: Ninja#3 - BTS) - Stone sent Trahn and another Chaste member of the Chaste to adopt baby Karen, taking her home to the Chaste in Japan.