Silas King was born with latent mutant powers that might have remained dormant if he had not been exposed to prolonged solar radiation. A former smuggler of illicit narcotics, king was making one of his frequent runs from Los Angeles to New York City when his van broke down in the Mojave Desert. King spent several days in the desert trying to make his way back to civilisation, marginally surviving on cactus pulp. The several days’ exposure to the desert sun catalysed the latent mutation within his body that enabled certain of his cells to store solar energy. When King eventually reached civilisation he was immediately hospitalised for sunstroke and dehydration. While recovering he accidentally discovered he could discharge the solar energy he had stored as heat blasts. After he recovered, King made his way to New York City and took up a criminal career as Solarr. |