Michael Van Patrick was a talented athlete who had achieved many victories and won many awards in a variety of sports. He was offered many scholarships and eventually accepted one. While he was attending college the press revealed that MVP's great-grandfather was Dr. Abraham Erskine the inventor of the Super-Soldier Serum that created Captain America. In response to this news, Van Patrick's scholarship was taken away. Many tests were performed all of which showed no foreign substances or enhancements in Van Patrick's blood. Regardless of this fact, Van Patrick was kicked out of his school. After hearing about this scandal, Justice went to Liberty, Kentucky to talk with Michael and his father about joining the Initiative after a little persuasion Michael agreed to become a trainee.