When Gold of the Metal Men was killed on a mission with the team, Will "Doc" Magnus was mortally wounded. He decided to transfer his own consciousness into a robotic body made of an alien alloy. In this form, he called himself Veridium. Like the other Metal Men, he had enhanced strength and durability. Unique to him, he could also absorb energy and heat and redirect it to his will. After a few missions with the team, Doc Magnus found that he had an opportunity to become human again, but, it would cost him his powers. Longing for his old life, Doc put his mind into a cloned body of the original.

Some time later, Will was recruited by his brother David (who had found a time machine in the ruins of Oolong Island) in an attempt to recover an artifact known as the Wheel of the World. The two were ambushed and David fell into the time stream. Will tried to save him, but was only able to recover the head of Gold, which had been brought with him when he was recruited. David emerged in Oolong Island, bonded to remnants of Gold's body, which had been altered by the Wheel into a new metal, Veridium. David blamed Will for his predicament, and swore vengeance on him and his Metal Men.