The Phalanx on Earth were initially formed by a group of human mutant haters who voluntarily infected themselves with the Transmode virus, taken from the remains of the renegade Technarch Warlock.

Uninfected by the Transmode virus, Lang was meant to be a buffer, keeping the Phalanx "on track" for its intended purpose.

When Banshee discovered the Phalanx had accessed the location of several young mutants for use in further study, he alerted Wolverine and Cable.

[11] While Banshee's group scramble to save the young mutants, the Phalanx secretly follow them and impersonate various people.

Meanwhile, the other mutant teams found a group of Phalanx attempting to follow their genetic instruction to construct a Babel Spire to contact the Technarchy.

Cyclops' group, covertly assisted by Lang, assault the core Phalanx base on Mount Everest to rescue the X-Men.

Eventually, it is disconnected from the Phalanx hive mind and loses most of its body, but manages to regrow by assimilating humans before the X-Men defeat it.

With their bodies now pitch-black, except for a few red and blue glowing sensor slits, this new breed only displayed the basic Phalanx and Technarchy features while shapeshifting or when individuals were damaged.

However, Beast developed a device that would emit a certain frequency to separate the organic from the technological part, causing all Phalanx within its range to dissolve but not before thousands or more Shi'ar were massacred.

They also spread their Transmode Virus, turning all organic life forms into Phalanx, fully under their control and members of their single-minded matrix.

High-powered beings such as Ronan the Accuser were made into their group Select, used to cut off any attempts to stop the spread and control of the Phalanx.

After reaching Earth, the Phalanx announced they would absorb and assimilate the post-humans’ intelligence and preserve it as part of their collective as well as the larger Dominion they served therefore initiating the "Ascencion".

While this would allow post-human culture, history, and collective consciousness to exist outside of the bounds of space-time, the Phalanx would have to destroy every living thing on Earth to harvest enough energy for the expansion process.

Although individual members retain memories and some aspects of their personalities from before assimilation, they are typically unable to act against the collective will without first being disconnected from the group consciousness, as was the case with Douglock.

Phalanx possess the Technarchs' abilities to shapeshift and teleport, but cannot grow in size and mass without absorbing external matter.

When, during a mission, the mutant Nostromo becomes sheathed in a strange cocoon, he reveals himself to be the carrier when he "hatches" as a Phalanx.