Agent Ralph Knox looks no older than thirty, when he is truly in his seventies. Early in his career with the FBI he was shuffled into top secret work. Eventually, sometime in the sixties, he ended up in charge of the alien technologies investigations near Roswell. His predecessor was in charge of the 'alien' crash. Of course, it wasn't really aliens. It was a human flying a man-made UFO with an alien copilot, and the technology went awry, causing a crash. Both survived due to the amazing healing techniques the aliens also gave us. Regeneration chambers can modify human bodies, erasing injuries, bestowing new limbs and organs in minutes. They can change DNA to make a human stop aging, and make old people young again. Knox was given the gift of eternal youth by this machine.

Agent Knox would have continued with his career in top secret facilities, but an accident caused him to lose both the second in command of his primary base, and his interest in alien technology. He was moved into paranormal investigations.

Knox was in paranormal investigations for several years. He had almost forgotten the 'incident' that caused him to change careers. That was before he met the Five.

His investigations led him to the five young teens, all of whom showed amazing powers. Thomas Brenton's control of electricity made him into the greatest hacker ever, and he would often hack into a government facility and stop an electronic robbery in the same day. Karen Green had telekinesis. Kevin Heron could fly. Jennifer Winn could not fly, but had slight levitation, as well as very enhanced strength. Jason Stewart had no obvious powers, but seeing him in action was enough to convice anyone that he was worth investigating. He was incredibly strong, at the age of sixteen and only a little over five and a half feet tall, he could lift up the back end of a car, or throw a mugger twenty feet out of an alleyway. After pursuing the five teens for months, they finally joined forces with him.

The Five, plus Knox, became crimefighters. Superheroes, as they were often called. Knox gave them names and costumes. Karen went by the name of Falcon, Jason went by the name of Tiger, Jennifer became Scorpion, Kevin was Peregrine and Thomas went by Virus.

Ralph Knox often joined them on their fights, armed sometimes with only a pistol and a tranquilizer. His permenant job was to hold the group together, and plan everything that needed to be done.

Finally, it becomes too much. The Five are not well enough equipped to deal with the villains. Knox has one choice. Allow the five to disband, or find some way to give them more technology.

He chooses the second option. Going back to his top secret technologies of his early career, he gives the five all new costumes, with new weapons. He also gives himself a huge powersuit capable of flying, and tearing through any wall that stands in his way. The Five became an invincible fighting force.

Soon afterwards, he helps the New York superhero known as the Flame, giving him a blue costume capable of firing enery from the hands, and webbing almost as good as Spiderman's.

Almost fifteen years later, FBI agent Ralph Knox meets his demise. While facing Cobra, an arch-villain of his and the Flame's, he falls victim to one of Cobra's favorite traps. A warehouse full of explosives was detonated with Knox inside. Afterwards, the Five searched the wreckage, and found only a metal gauntlet from his powersuit, and an energy sword he often wore on his armor.

The five continue on in his name.