Bishop's guns

[Rincewind]

I understand that he can project his absorbed energy through 'em. But there have been times when it's looked like he's just shooting regular energy blasts (you know, the kind that can shatter a brick wall, but not kill people). So, are they "multi-functional" (in other words, can shoot both Bishop's absorptions or regular energy)?

Also, do the guns actually serve a purpose (other than "He was created in the Age of Liefeld")? A friend suggested that ol' Lucas may not have much range when shooting through his hands, but gets more of a reach with the gun (to use an analogy, like the difference between a handgun and sniper rifle).

[P-90]

I understand that he can project his absorbed energy through 'em. But there have been times when it's looked like he's just shooting regular energy blasts (you know, the kind that can shatter a brick wall, but not kill people). So, are they "multi-functional" (in other words, can shoot both Bishop's absorptions or regular energy)?

Also, do the guns actually serve a purpose (other than "He was created in the Age of Liefeld")? A friend suggested that ol' Lucas may not have much range when shooting through his hands, but gets more of a reach with the gun (to use an analogy, like the difference between a handgun and sniper rifle).

It's both, he uses 'futuristic' energy based weapons with their own power source and has used guns that he can channel his absorbed energies through, they may be the same weapons that have dual function. The guns do serve a purpose because to use his abilities he first has to absorb attacks, the guns allow him to fight even when he hasn't absorbed energy.

[Monolith]

Bishop's energy abilities are a continuing scale of energy efficiency.

Bishop can absorb energy and redirect it in its original state. If he absorbs a lightning bolt, he can fire a lightning bolt himself. However, this aspect of his powers is finite in time and energy. He can only project the same amount of electricity he was struck with in the original energy attack. He also cannot hold energy in its original state for more than a limited period of time before it is automatically processed by his system.

Bishop's personal bio-blast is the next step. When Bishop absorbs energy, it's typically processed and converted into his own unique bio-energy signature. This energy boosts his vitality, enhancing his physical capabilities. It can also be tapped into for a concussive bio-blast of his own. Bishop's bio-blast is more energy efficient than most forms of energy. So if he were struck with the above lightning bolt, he could either rechannel it as a single lightning bolt, or use it as fuel to project, say, 10 bio-blasts of his own energy signature.

Bishop's guns go a step beyond that. They employ charging panels in the grips that absorb his personal bio-energy as a power source for the blasters. Using his bio-energy as a power source instead of as bio-blasts is even more energy efficient. The science is scifi, but the basic idea is his energy is being converted into packets, or bursts, of energy instead of less-efficient sustained beams that "firehose" his available power.

[Rincewind]

The science is scifi, but the basic idea is his energy is being converted into packets, or bursts, of energy instead of less-efficient sustained beams that "firehose" his available power.

So would he be able to generate the "reflected" energy (like the lightning bolt in your example) in multiple shots via the guns, or would it still be a "one-shot" blast (in other words, like the difference between a handgun and a Hollywood M60)? Or is it just his bio-blasts?

Also, does he have to reflect the energy the same way as the original? If, say, he got shot by Superman's heat-vision, would they be generated through his eyes, or could he blast it through his hands? (NOTE: Yes, I'm perfectly aware that Clark's DC, not Marvel, so you needn't bother pointing that out).

[Monolith]

Bishop has only been shown channeling his bio-blast energy through his guns. No indication has been given that he can make them fire original signature redirected energy.

In UXM #283, Bishop redirected the mutant Eye-Beam's power through his eyes, just like the original user did. However, this was a one-time event. Traditionally, he redistributes all energy from his hands regardless of its original source.

[Dr House]

Let me ask you this: Has Bishop ever absorbed sentient energy before (like Proteus) and, if so, what happened?

[Monolith]

Essentially, yes. In Astonishing X-Men (4th series) #11, Bishop and Rogue dog-piled on Proteus and began absorbing him. Bishop absorbed Proteus's energy, metabolized it into his bio-blast signature, and expelled it. This essentially emaciated / disintegrated Proteus's energy form. As you can see, though, it was a unique experience as Rogue was also weakening Proteus at the same time. 1-on-1, Proteus might have been able to possess Bishop during this process.

There's also the situation where the energy being La Bete Noir cohabitated Bishop's body. Bishop was perhaps uniquely capable of supporting Le Bete Noir, but it possessed him secretly, so that may have been an aspect of Noir and not Bishop's power (alone) which caused it to be absorbed into him.