Talos the Untamed

Revision as of 06:56, 24 March 2019

Talos the Untamed is a male extraterrestrial comic character who features in Marvel Comics.

Biography

Talos was a male member of the Skrull race born in the modern age who was a member of the royal family. It was this royal birth that allowed him to survive as typically such members of his race were not allowed to reach maturity. Despite this genetic flaw, he came to use his strength to overcome his disadvantage and became a skilled warrior. It was noted that he came to have a niece that became the empress of the Skrull empire. Talos came to serve in the military where he participated in the long-standing Kree/Skrull War. During this time, the Kree ambushed and captured him where he was supposed to trigger a hidden capsule to kill himself rather than be taken a prisoner. However, he experienced doubt and could not commit suicide leading to his capture. At the conclusion of the war, he was returned to his people where he was dishonoured as a result for his actions. Talos was brought before his niece the empress where he was offered the chance to once more commit suicide to retain his honour. Despite the second chance, he came to refuse this once again as he could not kill himself. Thus, he came to be dishonoured and treated scornfully by the rest of his people. (Incredible Hulk v1 #419)

Talos soon found himself at the wedding of Rick Jones and Marlo Chandler, courtesy of the Impossible Man. He found himself confronted by the Hulk and tried to get him to fight him in an attempt to reclaim glory from his people. When the Hulk found out what he was up to, he ceased fighting him. Talos left in frustration, but the Skrulls found his attempt to battle him impressive.

Talos was called to the planet Godthab Omega by Glorian where he ended up battling Devos the Devastator. They were both captured and imprisoned when the planet suddenly came under attack by the Annihilation Wave allowing the two to escape. Talos soon ran into Ronan the Accuser, whom he hated for being a Kree, but was forced to head his warning about leaving the planet. He was once again humiliated, this time by his own people, when Queen Veranke refused to allow him to be a part of the Secret Invasion due to him not having the ability to shape shift.

Talos became a member of the United Front to fight the Annihilation Wave. Talos next showed up at Howard the Duck's private investigations in make up and a beard as Jonathan Richards. He tasks the duck with finding a necklace that was stolen by the Black Cat. When Howard finally retrieves it, Talos abandons his disguise to reveal that the necklace contains the Abundant Gems, less powerful versions of the Infinity Gems that can still make one "marginally" powerful, which he plans to use to gain favor with the Skrulls again. He was defeated by Howard and his friend Tara Tam, and apprehended by the Fantastic Four.

Overview

Personality and attributes

Such was his reputation that he became known as Talos the Untamed. After his disgrace, he came to derogatively be called Talos the Tamed. (Incredible Hulk v1 #419)

Talos considered the time when their ancestors lacked shapeshifting abilities and fought with strength to had been an era of nobility. He considered himself a warrior and believed in the tenets of honour. Under that code, he was expected to commit suicide after his capture in order to retain his honour but he could not bear killing himself. However, he was not opposed to dying in battle against a worthy adversary. (Incredible Hulk v1 #419)

Powers and abilities

He was considered a mutant that was a throwback to a branch of Skrull development that was considered extinct as it predated them as being shapeshifters. Thus, this genetic misfortune resulted in him lacking any shapeshifting ability. As a result, he came to rely on his brute strength in order to survive and prosper. (Incredible Hulk v1 #419)

He had learnt to use leverage, the weaknesses in his enemies and knowledge of their pressure points in order to defeat them. This allowed him to manage to fight foes much more powerful than him. (Incredible Hulk v1 #419)

He possesses a cybernetic eye after losing his real one in combat.

Notes

• Talos the Untamed was created by Peter David and Gary Frank where he made his first appearance in Incredible Hulk #418 (June, 1994).
• The character received an entry in Skrulls! v1 #1 (2008) stated that he was the uncle of Baroness S'Ybll.
• He received an added backstory in Annihilation: The Nova Corps Files v1 #1 (August, 2006).

In other media

Films

• In Captain Marvel, Talos appeared in the live-action film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where he was portrayed by actor Ben Mendelsohn. Unlike his comic counterpart, this version had the ability to change shape with him having a mate and having a child. He learnt of the light-speed experiments of Mar-Vell who was aiding the Skrulls in finding a place for their kind where they could be free from the persecution by the Kree.

Appearances

• Incredible Hulk v1: (1994)
• Skrulls! v1:
• Annihilation: Ronan v1:
• Howard the Duck v5:

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