While on tour during the Wakanda Wars, Sergeant Wadey Wilson was given the nickname “Deadpool” for his death-defying actions, formally adopting it as his codename when he became a mercenary after the war. He became renowned both for his skill and hatred of mutants, and eventually Wilson was contacted by a reality TV show called “Hunt for Justice,” where mutants were hunted and killed as the world’s deadliest game on Krakoa Island, off the coast of the sovereign nation of Genosha. The X-Men had disrupted the show, and its producer Mojo Adams and new host Augustus Beezer wanted Deadpool to join the cast as a hunter. Intrigued by the offer to hunt and kill mutants, Wilson agreed if he could bring a handpicked team along with him. Contacting his fellow Reavers from his military days, they all agreed to give up their humanity and undergo grueling biogenetic enhancement surgical experiments to make themselves equal to the task of fighting superpowered mutants and better killing machines. Due to his personal hatred toward mutants, Wade decided to undergo further enhancements to give him more of an edge.
Genosha funded an operation to capture the X-Men, transport them to Genosha, and slay them on live television. Deadpool and the Reavers successfully captured the X-Men, but when Spider-Man (Peter Parker) arrived at Xavier mansion, they captured him as well. When one of the Reavers wanted to remove Spider-Man’s mask, Deadpool stopped him, having respect for those who used masks to hide their faces. In order to make killing Spider-Man and the X-Men more thrilling for viewers, they were all set free on the island in different areas. Deadpool and the Reavers then proceeded to hunt them individually, but due to the island’s small size, it didn’t take long for them to regroup. During the battle, Spider-Man unmasked Deadpool, discovering that Deadpool had undergone surgical experimentation to such an extreme that his face was now a monstrosity. Feeling betrayed by the same person who he had permitted to remain masked, Deadpool viciously lashed out, focusing his attention on Spider-Man. Just as he was about to kill Spider-Man, Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde) phased through his body, causing his cybernetic body parts to malfunction and explode. Though his foes believed him slain, a beaten Deadpool looked on as Spider-Man and the X-Men left Krakoa Island in the Blackbird.
