Editing Robbie Baldwin (section)

==="Civil War"===
{{See also|Civil War (comics)|Civil War: Front Line}}
At the beginning of the "[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]" storyline, the New Warriors attempt to apprehend a group of supervillains in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], for their television reality show. [[Nitro (comics)|Nitro]], one of the criminals, creates an explosive blast that kills 612 civilians, including 60 children, as well as the New Warriors with the exception of Robbie Baldwin. This event triggers the push for superhero registration at the heart of "Civil War".<ref>''[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Baldwin is presumed dead after the incident, but he is found alive after the blast launches him over {{convert|500|mi|km}}; his kinetic field kept him alive, but it "burned out" as a result.<ref>''[[Civil War: Front Line]]'' #1 (Aug. 2006). Marvel Comics.</ref>

After awakening from a coma, Baldwin is arrested by [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] and placed in federal prison.<ref>''Civil War: Front Line'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> Furthermore, his own mother disowns him.<ref>''Civil War: Front Line'' #4. Marvel Comics.</ref> After he discovers his powers are still functional, Baldwin is taken to the new penitentiary called Negative Zone Prison Alpha.<ref>''Civil War: Front Line'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richards]], the facility's creator, offers Baldwin the chance to testify before [[United States Congress|Congress]]. However, on the Capitol steps, Baldwin is shot by an assailant and taken away in an ambulance.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Civil War: Front Line'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref> Although bullet fragments remain inoperably lodged near his spine, Baldwin recovers from the wound. Richards determines that Baldwin's powers are evolving.<ref>''Civil War: Front Line'' #8. Marvel Comics.</ref> Baldwin thwarts an escape from the prison and says that he will comply with the [[Discrimination against superheroes|Superhuman Registration Act]].<ref>''Civil War: Front Line'' #9. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Overcome by guilt and driven insane by his treatment, Baldwin orders a new suit of armor that features 612 internal spikes, in honor of the victims of explosion in Stanford, to trigger his powers. 60 of the spikes are larger than the rest, to represent the children who perished in the blast. Baldwin then rechristens himself "Penance" and is assigned to the [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]].<ref name="Civil War: Front Line #10">''Civil War: Front Line'' #10. Marvel Comics.</ref>

The Penance revamp of the character is satirized in ''[[Deadpool]]/[[Great Lakes Avengers]] Summer Fun Spectacular'', in which [[Squirrel Girl]] (who has a crush on Speedball and her first kiss) confronts Robbie after learning of his transformation into Penance. Robbie tells Squirrel Girl that he became Penance not out of guilt, but to become "deep" and to escape his comedy-character background. Furthermore, he reveals that he has created a similar costume for his pet cat Niels (who he has renamed "P-Cat, the Penitent Puss") while banging his head against the wall.<ref>''[[Deadpool (comics)|Deadpool]]/[[Great Lakes Avengers]] Summer Fun Spectacular''. Marvel Comics.</ref>