Nigel Orpington-Smythe served in the British Armed Forces during an unspecified conflict. His conduct at this time resulted in his being decorated as a war hero. Orpington-Smythe became an M.P. and member of the British Cabinet, serving as Minister of Defence. He was involved in the set up of R.C.X., replacing the defunct S.T.R.I.K.E., which was tasked with dealing with parahumans within the U.K. In the wake of the Jaspers' Warp, R.C.X. was given the task of gathering the Warpies, children mutated as a result of the reality disruption.