Super-Skrull

Super-Skrull

Cover of Annihilation: Super-Skrull #4.
Art by Gabriele Dell'Otto.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Fantastic Four #18 (Sep. 1963)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Full name Kl'rt
Species Skrull (Mutate)
Place of origin Tarnax IV
Team affiliations Secret Defenders
United Front
Notable aliases Invincible Man, Dr. Franklin Storm, Carol Danvers, the Thing, Captain Hero, Bobby Wright, Daniel Rand/Iron Fist
Abilities Superb impersonator
Excellent tactician and hand to hand combatant
Competent pilot
Superhuman strength, stamina and durability
Elasticity
Pyrokinesis
Flight
Invisibility
Force field generation
Shapeshifting
Hypnosis

The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #18 (Sept. 1963) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Kl'rtmore commonly known as the Super-Skrullhails from the Skrull capital world of Tarnax IV (in the Tarnax System in the Andromeda Galaxy) which has since been destroyed by Galactus. The Skrull Emperor Dorrek VII wanted revenge against the Fantastic Four, who thwarted the Empire's attempt to invade Earth. Dorrek handpicked the mighty warrior Kl'rt, who was artificially augmented and given the combined abilities of the Fantastic Four. Kl'rt's power levels exceeded the originalsstronger than the Thing; superior flight and greater pyrokinetic ability than the Human Torch; better control of invisibility and telekinesis than the Invisible Woman; and an ability to stretch beyond that of Mr. Fantastic. The newly named "Super-Skrull" also retained his innate Skrull shapeshifting abilities and strong hypnotic skills. He was then dispatched to Earth to defeat the Fantastic Four and pave the way for a renewed invasion by the Skrull Empire.

During their first encounter, the Super-Skrull keeps the Fantastic Four at bay with his superior powers after landing in New York and claiming the world in the name of the Skrull Empire, finally forcing them to run away. Mr. Fantastic detects that Kl'rt's powers are augmented by an energy beam directed from the Skrull home world. He then challenges the Super-Skrull to a fight on the uninhabited Crater Isle using a floating radio-controlled Mike. Blocking the beam with a device the Invisible Girl places on him while the rest of the members distract him and are hypnotized by him, deprives Kl'rt of his new powers and he is quickly defeated. He is imprisoned in a crater by the Human Torch while pursuing the Invisible Girl, after being tripped by her.[1] He returns in the guise of the Invincible Man, after the Skrulls restored his powers, to fight the Fantastic Four. He broke out of his prison, travelled to New York, and kidnapped Johnny Storm and Sue Storm's jailed father, Franklin Storm, who was teleported to the Skrull's world, pretending he was Storm so the Fantastic Four were less willing to fight him. The Fantastic Four realize his deception, and return him in exchange for Storm. Storm then dies due to a bomb placed on him by a Skrull in a last attempt to kill the Four, although Storm turns downwards so his body absorbs the blast and he saves the Four.[2] The Super-Skrull was also among the villains summoned by Doctor Doom to attack Reed and Sue at their wedding, though Mister Fantastic used a machine to remove all the villain's memories of it.[3] He is sent back to Earth time and again, and battles other heroes such as Thor,[4] and Captain Marvel.[5] The Super-Skrull also acts as the Empire's agent on Earth during the Kree-Skrull War, and manages to temporarily disband the superhero team the Avengers and kidnap Mar-Vell and the Avenger siblings the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.[6] With the war ending in a truce, the disgraced Super Skrull later sides with the Titan Thanos and alongside Skragg aids Thanos in his quest for the Cosmic Cube. The Super-Skrull attempts to capture Rick Jones for Thanos, but winds up fighting Mar-Vell and the Thing. The hero Mar-Vell defeats both the Super-Skrull and eventually Thanos.[7] After a skirmish with Spider-Man, the Human Torch, and Ms. Marvel, Kl'rt becomes trapped in the Van Allen radiation belt.[8]

Years later a Canadian research team accidentally pulls Kl'rt back from deep space, and he promptly slaughters the entire group, with the exception of physicist superhero Sasquatch. Kl'rt also discovers that the time in the radiation belt has given him cancer. Sasquatch is initially defeated by the Super-Skrull, but eventually manages to trick him, converting the Super-Skrull into a stream of dissociated particles and transmitting him back into deep space.[9] The Super-Skrull is later freed by the Silver Surfer, and discovers that his cancer has gone into remission. This is apparently caused by a "chronal anomaly" in the area of space Kl'rt occupied, which reverted his cellular makeup to a healthy, pre-cancerous state.[10]

At some point during Kl'rt's imprisonment in the Van Allen belt, he is magically freed and cured of cancer by the sorcerer Master Khan,[11] and used against the hero Iron Fist. Khan brainwashes the Super-Skrull into believing that he is a twelve-year-old human boy named Bobby Wright, who gains both superhuman powers and a terminal disease from exposure to an alien spore. As "Bobby", he uses his powers to assume an adult superhuman identity - Captain Hero - and ingratiate himself with Iron Fist and his crime fighting partner, Power Man. A misuse of powers by Captain Hero apparently leaves Iron Fist dead (later revealed to be doppelganger), followed by what appears to be the disintegration of Captain Hero (with Khan thinking Iron Fist dead the Super-Skrull actually returns to disembodiment in the Van Allen belt).[12]

Kl'rt's imprisonment in space also had another beneficial effect: it shielded him from the effects of Zabyk's Disaster, in which all Skrulls lost their shapeshifting abilities.[13] Kl'rt later joins forces with S'Byll, a claimant to the Skrull Throne, and she is able to use him as a genetic template to restore the shape-shifting abilities of the Skrulls. S'Byll becomes the Empress of the Skrull Empire shortly thereafter, and Kl'rt is lauded as the savior of Skrull society. When the Empire subsequently falls into disarray, Kl'rt goes into hiding on Earth and later attacks the Fantastic Four. After a brutal battle, the Super-Skrull is captured and imprisoned by S.H.I.E.L.D. in the superhuman prison, the Vault.

Kl'rt later escapes imprisonment and renews contact with the Skrull Empire. He then seeks to take Young Avengers member Hulkling into protective custody due to his Skrullian heritage on his mother's side (as the son of the deceased Princess Anelle). The Super-Skrull impersonates a willing Hulkling (who wishes to stay on Earth) and returns to space, able to spy on both the Skrulls and the Kree, who also have a stake in Hulkling's mixed parentage, given that Hulkling is also the son of Kree hero Mar-Vell.[14]

During the Annihilation War, Kl'rt attempts to stop the destructive wave before it reaches the Skrull home world. After nearly being overwhelmed by the forces of Annihilus, he sacrifices himself by destroying the enormous organic warship Harvester of Sorrow. He also meets a Negative Zone android named Praxagora, who becomes his lover.[15] Kl'rt's body is later recovered and mysteriously revived.[16]

Kl'rt later teams with Ronan the Accuser to reclaim the Kree home world from a Phalanx invasion.[17] In course of defeating the Phalanx, their leader Ultron caused the death of Praxagora.[18]

During the Skrulls' Secret Invasion of Earth, Super-Skrull aids the hero Nova against the Skrulls.[19] He also attempts to reclaim his daughter, Jazinda, who has acquired an artifact that made her immortal, but is convinced to leave her alone by She-Hulk, who helps him realize that he was only attacking his daughter to vent his rage over the loss of her brother.

After an unexplained capture, Kl'rt is seen as a prisoner on The Raft.[20]

During the Infinity storyline, Super-Skrull appears as a member of the Galactic Council.[21] In order to repay the efforts of the Avengers in the war, and seeking glory and great battle, Kl'rt accompanied Alliance forces to Earth in order to free it from occupation by Thanos. They succeeded in liberating The Peak.[22] After his great victory in the war against the Builders, Kl'rt was crowned Emperor of a reborn Skrull Empire as the alien race is now settled on the planet Tarnax II.[23]

Powers and abilities

Like all Skrulls, Kl'rt can shapeshift, but thanks to the re-engineering he underwent at the hands of Skrull scientists, he also has a version of all the Fantastic Four's superpowers. These include a heightened physical malleability far beyond that which the Skrulls naturally possess; superhuman strength, stamina and durability; flight, heat manipulation and energy projection in the form of plasma, concussive force and anti-matter blasts; invisibility, which he can extend to his environment, and the creation of invisible force fields. These powers were initially equal to the Fantastic Four when they started out, with the Super-Skrull relying on an energy charge from his homeworld to boost his powers to a point where he could surpass them, but he has developed his expertise over time to a point where he can match most heroes on his own without the boost. Additionally, the Super-Skrull has a unique power of his own, the ability to control the minds of others or paralyze them by emitting a hypnotic force from his eyes.

The Super-Skrull is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant as he is an expert in all forms of armed and unarmed combat known to the Skrulls and is highly trained in the martial applications of his powers. He is an excellent tactician and has detailed knowledge of and access to technology centuries ahead of conventional Marvel Earth science. He is also a competent starship pilot and a superb impersonator.

Other Super-Skrulls

Kl'rt is not the only Super-Skrull serving the Skrull Empire. These Super-Skrulls were immune to detection by Wolverine's senses, Doctor Strange's magic, Spider-Man's spider-sense, Professor X's telepathy, and/or Iron Man's technology due to effects of the Skrull's Infiltration Ritual. These Super-Skrulls include:

Chrell

Chrell is a Skrull training instructor and commander. Just like Kl'rt, Chrell possessed the powers of Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing.[24]

Criti Noll

Criti Noll is a Skrull who possesses the powers of Hank Pym. She was chosen to infiltrate Earth disguised as Hank Pym. When Criti Nol went against the Skrulls' plans by trying to warn a diner owner, she was killed by a Skrull that was posing as Dum Dum Dugan.[25] Following Criti Noll's death, a clone of Criti Noll was created to take her place where she replaced Hank Pym and also possessed the powers of Black Panther's quick reflexes, Quicksilver's super-speed, and Vision's density and mass control. The clone of Criti Noll was responsible for capturing Mister Fantastic. The clone was later slain by Crusader during the final battle against Veranke.[26]

Godkiller

Godkiller is a specially-bred female Super-Skrull that has the powers of Battleaxe, Thundra, Titania, and Volcana. She was also genetically modified to wield Beta Ray Bill's hammer Stormbreaker.[27]

Khn'nr

Khn'nr is a Skrull who posed as Captain Marvel and had a copy of his Nega-Bands.[28]

Pagon

Pagon was a Super-Skrull that successfully replaced Elektra and was a male lover to Veranke. Besides having Elektra's abilities, Pagon had the abilities of Colossus and Invisible Woman. He was killed by Echo in a suicide mission.[29]

Rl'nnd

Rl'nnd is a Skrull who possesses the powers of Colossus, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine.[30][31]

Siri

Siri is a Skrull that tried to replace Elektra and was killed by her. She had the powers of Elektra and Ghost Rider.[32]

Veranke

Veranke is a Skrull Queen and the main villain of the Secret Invasion who posed as Spider-Woman and had a copy of her powers.

Xavin

Xavin is a "Super-Skrull in training." She/he has the powers of the Fantastic Four but can only use one at a time. She/he was a member of the Runaways.

X'iv

X'iv is a Skrull assassin who possesses the powers and abilities of Daredevil, Elektra, and Cloak and Dagger. She was dispatched by Chrell to assassinate Hulkling.[24]

Unnamed Super-Skrulls

During Secret Invasion, at least a few dozen Super-Skrull soldiers appear possessing the powers of multiple heroes which differ from soldier to soldier.[33][34][35][36][37] [38]

Other versions

In addition to his mainstream incarnation, Super-Skrull has had been depicted in other fictional universes:

Earth-6309

In the "Earth-6309" reality, Kl'rt is the Skrull Lord of Colony UK7 and a Captain Britain Corps member.[39]

Heroes Reborn

In the Heroes Reborn universe created by Franklin Richards, Super-Skrull/Kl'rt first masquerades as Wyatt Wingfoot, tricks villain Doctor Doom into capturing the Silver Surfer, and finally steals the power of cosmic deity Galactus. When the Fantastic Four released the Surfer from Doom, he collided with Kl'rt, being the victor.[40]

Marvel Zombies

Super-Skrull appears in the Marvel Zombies series. The Super-Skrull is infected by a zombified Spider-Man, and Zombie Thing rips off Super-Skrull's right arm. He is apparently killed in battle.[41] Another infected version of him appears in Marvel Zombies Return. He later fights Zombie Spider-Man and his New (Zombie) Avengers alongside other Avengers members with him. He is killed by Iron Man (James Rhodes).[42]

When the Fantastic Four of Earth-616- currently consisting of Black Panther, Storm, the Thing, and the Human Torch- briefly visited the Marvel Zombies universe, they encountered a group of four Skrulls (One of them this world's version of the Torch's ex-wife Lyja) who had each been given the powers of one of the Fantastic Four as an attempt to replace the Super-Skrull.[43] However, all four Skrulls were turned into zombies when the Galactus attacked,[44] forcing the FF to take them apart before they moved on to another dimension.[45]

Professor W’s X-Men

Super-Skrull is already deceased in this two issue limited series, having been killed by Rogue and his powers stolen. Still, his Skrull abilities and augmented superpowers, as well as some of the darker traits of his personality remain in Rogue as she joins Cyclops' new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.[46] Professor W's X-Men were featured in X-Men: Millennial Visions (2000) #2000 (Aug. 2000) and X-Men: Millennial Visions (2001) #2001 (Jan. 2002).

Squadron Supreme

The Skrullian Skymaster (real name Skymax), a member of the superhero team the Squadron Supreme, possesses the same powers as the Super-Skrull.[47]

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Kl'rt the Super-Skrull is the Skrull Emperor and also the oldest living Skrull. In an alternate timeline created when the Ultimate Fantastic Four attempt to undo the accident that gave them their powers, their teleportation experiments allowed them to make contact with the seemingly benevolent Skrulls, who subsequently provide Earth with special pills that grant everyone on the planet - with the exception of Ben Grimm, who rejects the offer as he is comfortable with who he is, and all those who possessed powers already - with superpowers. This is all part of the Skrulls' plan to take Earth's technology and use it to further their plans of conquest. Although the Super-Skrull wears a special anti-assassination suit that allows him to duplicate the powers of all superhumans in a 500-mile vicinity to protect himself, he is defeated when Ben Grimm is the last human left on Earth, only realizing after Ben pointed it out to him that, since the last person on Earth no longer has any powers, he no longer has any powers to duplicate. Easily defeating the Super-Skrull, Ben takes his suit and uses it to travel back in time to the teleportation accident, allowing it to take place while sacrificing himself to save humanity.[48]

In other media

Television

Video games

Music

Novels

Merchandise

References

  1. Fantastic Four #18 (Sep. 1963)
  2. Fantastic Four #32
  3. Fantastic four Annual #3
  4. Thor #142 (Jul. 1967)
  5. Captain Marvel #2 - 3 (Jun. - Jul. 1968)
  6. Avengers #89 - 97 (Jun. 1971 - Mar. 1972)
  7. Captain Marvel #25 - 33 (Nov. 1970 - Apr. 1971)
  8. Marvel Team-Up #62 (Oct. 1977)
  9. Alpha Flight #9 - 10 (Apr. - May 1984)
  10. Silver Surfer #25 - 31 (Jul. - Dec. (last two issues in one month) 1989)
  11. Namor the Sub-Mariner #25
  12. Namor the Sub-Mariner #15 - 18 (Jun. - Sep. 1991)
  13. Avengers Annual #14 (1985)
  14. Young Avengers #9 - 12 (2005)
  15. Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1-4 (2006)
  16. Annihilation #2 (2006)
  17. Annihilation: Conquest: Wraith #1-4 (Jul-Oct 2007)
  18. Annihilation: Conquest #6
  19. Nova vol. 4, #16 (Oct. 2008)
  20. Thunderbolts #156 (Apr. 2011)
  21. Infinity #3
  22. Avengers Vol. 5 #22
  23. Infinity #6
  24. 1 2 Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1
  25. Mighty Avengers #15-17
  26. Secret Invasion #1
  27. Secret Invasion: Thor #2
  28. Captain Marvel #1-6
  29. New Avengers #29
  30. Ms. Marvel volume 2 #25
  31. Ms. Marvel volume 2 #26
  32. New Avengers #27
  33. Secret Invasion #1-8 (2009)
  34. New Avengers #39
  35. Secret Invasion: The Amazing Spider-Man #1-3
  36. Avengers: The Initiative #14-18
  37. Ms. Marvel Vol. 2 #28-30
  38. New Warriors Vol. 4 #14-15
  39. Excalibur #49
  40. Fantastic Four: Heroes Reborn vol. 2, #1 - 13
  41. Marvel Zombies #5 of 5 (July, 2006)
  42. Marvel Zombies Return #5
  43. Black Panther vol. 4 #28
  44. Black Panther vol. 4 #29
  45. Black Panther vol. 4 #30
  46. "Exiles" #42
  47. Squadron Supreme: New World Order (1998)
  48. Ultimate Fantastic Four #27-#29
  49. "Comics Continuum". Comics Continuum. 2009-07-28. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
  50. "Deathlok". Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Season 1. Episode 21. March 14, 2014. Disney XD.
  51. Galactus Lands in New LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Trailer Marvel.com
  52. More Galactic Guardian Heroclix Spoilers, Heroclixworld.com

External links

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