Maximus (Marvel)
Maximus is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Maximus Boltagon was a male member of the race of Inhumans where he was the son of Agon and Rynda along with being the younger brother of Black Bolt.
Similar to his brother, his birth was an experiment with him initially being referred to as Subject 2 before his parents settled on Maximus. His father Agon monitored the chamber whilst his mother Rynda filtered the Terrigen Mists into her unborn child's brain. This gave him a sense of awareness of all points in his history that included the far future with him getting flashes of such events. (Royals v1 #3)
After Black Bolt was born, Agon began to run experiments on his son in order to learn how the mists effected him. They were surprised to find that he had an incredibly destructive voice that could not be controlled. When Bolt first cried, he caused an entire building collapsed, but saved himself from being crushed to death thanks to his control over electrons creating a shield. Agon realized that his son had to be isolated until such a time that he could control his powerful voice. (Thor v1 #148) This decision was also further decreed by the Genetics Council who governed over the Inhumans. (Marvel Graphic Novel v1 #39)
As a young boy Maximus was a trouble maker. During his youth he challenged his cousins Medusa, Crystal and Karnak to see who could sneak into the royal throne room and sit upon the Inhuman throne without getting getting stopped by their parents. Medusa allowed herself to be caught sneaking around by her parents. Medusa then told them the game that they were playing and while her parents Quelin and Ambur stopped Maximus, Karnak and Crystal dead in their path, Medusa quietly sat upon the throne winning the competition. (Women of Marvel v1 #1)
As his mental powers came to develop, he learnt that he could exert his influence on lesser minds causing them to follow his commands. This saw Maximus use his abilities for amusement causing numerous acts of misunderstanding amongst the people of the city with few being aware that he was the culprit of their problems. (Avengers v1 #95) When his brother was 19 years old, their father decided to end the exile for Black Bolt as he was now perhaps old enough to better control his abilities. This saw him being reintroduced to his cousins but Maximus used this opportunity to use a nerve beamer to cause intense pain in his brother. The intention was for him to scream and cause untold devastation to Attilan once again thus proving he was a danger to the city. This, in turn, would result in his permanent exile from the people and allow the Crown of Attilan to fall into the hands of Maximus. Despite his scheme, he was thwarted by his cousins in the Royal Family who apprehended him. (Thor v1 #149)
Many years ago, he came to contact with his people's creators among the extraterrestrial Kree where one of their representatives secretly came to the society. Once there, he forged an alliance with an agent of the warrior Ronan the Accuser whereby once he came to power that Maximus would rule the Inhumans and serve as vice-regent of the Kree to rule Earth in their stead. The meeting was discovered by his brother Black Bolt who sought to stop it leading to a confrontation with Maximus. The fight allowed for the Kree pilot to escape onto his craft which attempted to depart and bring the rest of this people. In desperation, Black Bolt unleashed his voice to stop the ship causing it to lose control and crash back into the city thus killing his parents. (Avengers v1 #95)
Later, the corrupt viceroy Kadlec the Seeker led the king to suspect the young princes were conspiring to steal the throne, and Elisha, one of the Alpha Primitives, convinced the two brothers that the king was plotting their demise, due to being humiliated when they saved his life. When Kadlec branded Medusa as a traitor, she and the two brothers escaped with Elisha and Lockjaw to New York City. (Inhumans: Once and Future Kings v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He liked to place grandiose titles on himself such as when he went by Maximus the Magnificent. (Fantastic Four v1 #47)
Due to the secrets his parents entrusted to him, Maximus saw himself as being his brothers keeper. (Royals v1 #3)
He claimed that he and his brother Black Bolt's powers were equal to one another. However, he noted that his cunning was no match for his siblings awesome courage. (Fantastic Four v1 #47)
It was said that Maximus held a mad unquenchable ambition. (Fantastic Four v1 #47)
At one point, he came to believe that the Earth belonged to the Inhumans and intended to eliminate all of mankind. (Fantastic Four v1 #48)
Powers and abilities
His birth was engineered so that his gifts were attuned to his brother Black Bolt that meant he could resonate with his voice that under proper circumstances could unlock his mind and expand it. (Royals v1 #3)
With his powers, he could cause an opponent to miss him in an attack and hit something else entirely. He could also influence the minds of people causing allies to fight one another against their will as their bodies moved under Maximus's command. (Amazing Adventures v2 #6) It was shown that his power could allow him to take control of an entire crowd of people. (Uncanny Inhumans v1 #18)
Once using it offensively to stop the heart of an Alpha Primitive at a glance. (Inhumans: Once and Future Kings v1 #2)
Among his creations included:
- Atmo-Gun : a weapon that fired vibrations into the atmosphere that were so delicate and sensitive that it could target a single species such as humans. (Fantastic Four v1 #47)
- Hypno-Gun :
- Omega :
- Chorus Sentry :
- Terrigen Bomb :
One of his minions was the invincible bipedal robotic Zorr that had great strength and a left arm that contained an energy weapon who claimed that he was more powerful than an army. (Fantastic Four v1 #82) It was built with a hypnotic inducer designed to break the will of its opponents and slow them down. (Fantastic Four v1 #83)
He built a kit known as a multi-tool that contained a range of devices such as screwdrivers, electron stylus, hacking suite, image inducers and more with this being small enough to hide beneath the skin. (Royals v1 #3)
Notes
- Maximus was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #47 (February, 1966).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Fantastic Four, Maximus appeared as an antagonist in the setting of the animated television episode in the episode "The Inhumans Saga Part 3: Beware the Hidden Land" where he was voiced by actor Mark Hamill.
- In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Maximus appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series episode "Inhuman Nature" where he was voiced by actor Nolan North.
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, the character appeared as an antagonist in the episode "Inhumanity" where he was voiced again by actor Nolan North.
- In Guardians of the Galaxy, Maximus appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Crystal Blue Persuasion" where he was by actor Diedrich Bader.
- In the Avengers: Ultron Revolution, Maximus appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Civil War, Part 1: The Fall of Attilan" where he was once again voiced by actor Diedrich Bader.
- In Inhumans, Maximus appeared in the live-action television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where he was portrayed by actor Iwan Rheon.
- In Marvel Future Avengers, Maximus appeared in the setting of the anime television series where he was voiced by Japanese actor Hiroki Takahashi and by English actor Michael Sinterniklaas in the dub. He was the brother of King Black Bolt who ruled the Inhumans that lived secretly on the Moon. However, Maximus plotted to overthrow his brother and conquer the Earth where he masterminded the release of the imperfect Terrigen that resulted in the creation of the nuHumans.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Maximus was referenced by several Inhuman characters in the video game with Gorgon stating that he had him locked safely in the maze.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Maximus the Mad appeared as an antagonist in the video game. His backstory stated he was the mad scientist brother of Black Bolt who both subverted his rule and aided him at times. In "Special Operations - Inhumans", its revealed that he had secretly made a deal with Thanos but betrayed him leading to the Black Order targeting him for revenge.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, Maximus appeared as a character in the mobile video game.
- In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Maximus appeared as a boss level antagonist in the setting of the video game where he was voiced again by actor Diedrich Bader.
Appearances
- Fantastic Four v1: (1966)
- Inhumans:
- Avengers v1:
- Realm of Kings: Inhumans v1:
- New Avengers:
- Inhumans:
- Uncanny Inhumans v1:
- Royals v1:
- Inhumans: Once and Future Kings v1:
- Death of the Inhumans v1:
External Links
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