Tyler Dayspring was born in an alternate future era ruled by the eternal mutant Apocalypse. The adopted son of the mutant soldier Cable, Tyler came to join his father’s band of freedom fighters, the Clan Chosen. In a battle against Apocalypse’s New Canaanite army, Tyler’s mother was slain and he was captured by Cable’s clone, Stryfe. Tyler was brainwashed to reject his father’s beliefs and became Stryfe’s pawn. When the Clan Chosen attacked Stryfe, Tyler captured Clan member Dawnsilk, forging a neural link between them. Cable was forced to shoot his son in order to save Dawnsilk, further damaging Tyler’s mind. Although the damage was eventually repaired, Tyler never forgave his father.
Utilizing a time nexus within Niagara Falls, Tyler traveled back to the present to ensure Apocalypse’s rise and exact revenge on Cable. Using technology from his era, he created the identity of arms dealer Tolliver and abducted Cable’s mercenary ally Domino, replacing her with the shape-shifting mutant Copycat so as to spy on Cable’s activities. After Cable rescued Domino, Tyler faked Tolliver’s death, setting into motion a clash between various mercenaries who sought to obtain Tolliver’s advanced technology.
Learning of Apocalypse’s apparent death, Tyler set out to obtain his future leader’s power for himself. Renaming himself Genesis, he persuaded Apocalypse’s former servants, the Dark Riders, to capture the mutant adventurer Wolverine. Genesis sought to brainwash Wolverine into his service as his so-called Horseman Death. To this end, Genesis had the Dark Riders liberate Wolverine’s imprisoned nemesis Cyber who had Adamantium-laced skin. Genesis unleashed mutant death watch beetles on Cyber that consumed the villain’s soft tissue, leaving the inedible Adamantium behind. Genesis then attempted to bond the metal to Wolverine’s skeleton, but Wolverine broke free and went berserk, killing the Dark Riders and Genesis.
