Never has there been a cast of characters like the Hellions.  They have consistantly suffered the slings and arrows of a vast amount of writers at their helm and the ever changing Marvel Universe.   Their original leader Empath is also the original Julian Keller in many respects.  He's Emma Frost's prize pupil, the leader of her squad of mutants, and also has a power relating to the mind.  Created by Chris Claremont,  Empath's Romeo and Juliet type relationship with Magma of the Hellion's rival, the New Mutants, spared Manny from the fatal confrontation his peers had at the hands of Trevor Fitzroy.  A relationship no one saw coming from either side took Magma off the roster of the New Mutants and onto the Hellions.  When Magma decided to retire to Nova Roma that's when she brought Empath with her, and we got to see him in a whole new role - vulnerable.  Empath confessed that he can't tell if people like him because he might be using his powers, that he has an addiction to manipulating others, and that he has fallen head over heels in love with Magma.  After she was hurt, it was Empath who nursed her back to health until they ran into Amara's family in Nova Roma.  She introduced Empath as Manuel de le Rocha and her friend.

One M-Day later, Magma and Empath had separated after discovering he was using his powers to control her and the people of Nova Roma.  It was obvious the void created in Empath's life by Magma's leaving led to his subsequent addiction to Kick and and finally in a position to be manipulated by the Red Queen through eerie saddo-masochistic means.