Longshot is a genetically engineered being, created by a race of beings known as "The Spineless Ones" in another dimension that they rule. Arize, a scientist, engineered a race of slaves with spines to serve the Spineless Ones. However, in the process of creating these slaves, Arize gave them free will, a willful spirit, and even provided powers for many of them.
Longshot was forced to perform dangerous stunts for a Spineless One named Mojo, who filmed movies for his peoples entertainment. Longshot eventually started a rebellion, and led his fellow slaves against their masters, becoming a hero to his people. He used his amazing ability to create good luck when his motives were pure to aid his crusade. In recent issues of X-Factor it is revealed that Arize cloned a time displaced Shatterstar and modified, improved and extracted the mechanics of the clone, creating Longshot who is in fact Shatterstar's father. Thus Shatterstar is genetically the "father" of Longshot creating a predestination paradox.
