Originally, they were built by Magnus for a Department of Defense project to create robots that are "smart" enough to conduct search and rescue operations in environments too dangerous for humans. However, shortly after they were activated, Joseph Devol, the Secretary of Defense, told Magnus that he wanted to send them to assassinate a Sons of Adam member in Kahndaq, and that the Metal Men project has always been intended for military use. Angered by this revelation, the Metal Men escaped the army research lab they were created in and disappeared.
In order to evade the US Military, the Metal Men disguised themselves as household objects and hid in Magnus' apartment, but they were discovered by Magnus. Magnus wanted to fix them, but the Metal Men explained that they did not wish to harm anyone, and they only wanted a chance to prove themselves. Just then, they were interrupted by the rampage of a chemical monster known as Chemo, created as the result of a thief throwing the prototype Responsometer into a vat of toxic waste. The Metal Men saved every civilian on the scene, before fusing together inside the monster, sacrificing themselves to neutralize the toxins. Though their bodies were destroyed, their Responsometers remained intact and were kept in storage by Magnus.
