Many villainous organizations have caused problems for the X-Men but very few have caused them the sheer amount of difficulties that the Hellfire Club has. Led by Sebastian Shaw and Emma Frost, the Hellfire Club touched every member of the X-Men and its successor, The New Mutants.
With an organization like the Hellfire Club, its secrets are its most important currencies. Deals are made, lives are changed or even ended behind those ornate doors. Very few outside of the world's most wealthy and elite have ever seen what goes on in its ancient halls. That is until they targeted the X-Men and the Phoenix.
10 It’s a Real World Establishment
“The Hellfire Club” is a common name that was given to a number of clubs that were established in the 1700s around Great Britain and Ireland. The clubs were established for high society members and minor royalty to engage in less than socially acceptable activities in private.
It is widely accepted that the first Hellfire Club was established by Phillip, Duke of Wharton in London, 1718. Unlike most Gentlemen’s clubs of the time, Wharton’s club admitted both men and women. They referred to themself as “Devils” and conducted mock religious ceremonies. Wharton’s club ended in 1721. Many other clubs differed in their actions, dress, and activities. There are still a number of Hellfire Clubs in existence today.
9 The Avengers Were an Influence (But Not Those Avengers)
Chris Claremont and John Byrne, the writer, and artist on the X-Men at the time and creators of the Hellfire Club, admittedly were heavily inspired by an episode of the popular British spy series “The Avengers”. The series followed British agent John Steed in his adventures, which was aided by a number of beautiful intelligent female assistants. The most famous of these is Diana Riggs’, Emma Peel.
The inspiring episode “A Touch of Brimstone” saw Emma Peel is dressed in a whalebone corset, high heeled boots and a dog collar with spikes while she is holding a snake. The outfit is dubbed the “Queen of Sin”. This look became the direct inspiration for the White Queen Emma Frost.
8 Location, Location, Location!
One of the aspects of the Hellfire Club that has made it so successful is that it has a number of locations around the globe. In America, there are clubs in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. In Europe and Asia, clubs exist in London, Hong Kong, and Paris.
Hellfire Club membership is hereditary and is past down through families. Members are generally the most powerful men and women in the world. The purpose of the club has always been to obtain power and influence for its members but very few knew of the mutant Inner Circle or its criminal activities and battles with the X-Men.
7 The Chess Connection
One of the most interesting aspects of the Hellfire Club is its organization. The club’s hierarchy is based around the pieces of the chessboard. Kings and Queens are at the top of the hierarchy, one black and one white each. Beneath them are Rooks and then Knights, that are the foot soldiers for the club. The DC Comics spy agency Checkmate also uses the same hierarchy with different colors.
For example, Sebastian Shaw was the Black King and Emma Frost was the White Queen through most of the initial encounters with the X-Men. The pair purged the human members of the Inner Circle, which was then called the Council of the Chosen and Shaw renamed them as the Lords Cardinal.
6 The Inner Circle
Under Sebastian Shaw and Emma Frost, the Inner Circle of the New York Hellfire Club is filled with mutants. Sebastian Shaw was the Black King. Below him, was The Dark Phoenix while she was being manipulated by Mastermind and later the immortal vampire Selene as the Black Queen. Harry Leland was the Black Bishop until his death. Jason Wyngarde Mastermind was a probationary member.
On the White Side, Emma Frost was the White Queen. The White King position laid empty for many years until it is jointly held by Storm and Magneto. Cyborg Donald Pierce held the role of White Bishop until he was expelled. Emmanuel da Costa, the father of New Mutant Sunspot, was the White Rook. Formerly, there was a Lord Imperial who oversaw all the Hellfire Clubs but no one holds that position currently.
5 The Deep Cover Spy
Tessa could always be seen just behind Sebastian Shaw. Her computer-like brain proved invaluable to Shaw in his business and political dealings. With Tessa’s help, Shaw amassed a vast fortune through both his legitimate and illegal business dealings. Unknown to everyone, Tessa had a secret.
Tessa was actually a spy for Charles Xavier and was keeping track of activities of the Hellfire Club for years. Tessa had saved Xavier years earlier when his legs were crushed by a demon in Afghanistan. Shaw abandoned Tessa after the mutant telepath Elias Bogan captured her and tattooed her face. She was rescued by Storm and began to work with the X-Men under the name Sage.
4 To Rescue the Phoenix
As his calling card to become part of the Hellfire Club, Mastermind, under the psyche guise of the dashing Jason Wyngarde, captured the Jean Grey Phoenix. Using a device created by Emma Frost, he made Grey believe that she was living in the 18th Century and that she was his lover.
The X-Men infiltrate the club to rescue their friend. Cyclops engages in a psychic battle with Mastermind, that he loses but it helped break Phoenix free of his control. Wolverine brutally cuts Harry Leland and several guards with his claws. The Phoenix opened Mastermind’s mind to her own cosmic awareness for a split second, driving him completely insane. Having been driven to darkness herself by Mastermind’s manipulations, Phoenix burst off into space.
3 Emma Frost
If there is one constant in Emma Frost’s life, it is self-preservation. From an early age, she saw humans as beneath mutants, so she had no problem using her powers of telepathy against them. Her powers, business acumen, charm and beauty helped her amass a vast personal fortune at a young age.
Emma worked her way up through the Hellfire Club and used her powers to amass a library of secrets on the members. Frost began personal attacks on Kitty Pryde and Storm multiple times over the years. A psyche battle with the Phoenix left Frost in a coma for years. She would join the X-Men but still have ties to her villainous side.
2 Sebastian Shaw
In many ways, Sebastian Shaw can be his own worst enemy. After finding that the White King of the Hellfire Club was responsible for funding the Sentinels that killed his lover, Shaw staged a coup and killed the members of the Inner Circle. Conversely, Shaw would continue to provide funding for the Sentinel program, despite being a mutant himself.
Shaw sent Emma Frost to force Namor to join the Hellfire Club after the Submariner rejected the offer as a minor annoyance. Shaw sent Sentinels to Atlantis when Frost didn’t return after two weeks. Namor defeated them easily but Selene used her powers on Frost to make her loyal to Shaw again and the trio was too much for Namor, who vowed future revenge. Shaw was eventually killed by Frost but resurrected by the Krakoa Five.
1 The Hellfire Trading Company
With the establishment of the new mutant nation of Krakoa and the creation of the drugs that will aid mankind, Emma Frost decided to reorganize the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club into the company that will oversee the shipping operation and distribution of the medications. The secondary mission is to liberate Krakoa gates from oppressive governments and allow mutants in those countries to travel to Krakoa.
Emma Frost changed the organization to be a single monarch with subordinates below them. Emma Frost remained as the White Queen with her brother Christian as her White Rook. Shaw is the Black King again and Captain Kate Pryde is now the Red Queen. The other positions have yet to be filled.