GladiatorCreated by: Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum
Real Name: Kallark
Aliases: Praetor
Identity: Public
Occupation: Praetor of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard
Citizenship: Shi'ar
Place of Birth: Strontia, a planet in the Shi'ar Galaxy
Known Relatives: Xenith, cousin
Group Affiliations: Shi'ar Imperial Guard, rumored to be a former Herald of Galactus
Known Allies: Imperial Guard, Shi'ar Empire
Known Enemies: Anyone that opposes the Shi'ar Empire.
Base of Operations: Shi'ar Throneworld
Education: Trained in combat by Deathbird.
1st Appearance: X-Men #107 (October 1977)
Origin: Alien
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 595 lbs (270 kg)
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Blue
Powers/Weapons:Gladiator possesses incalculable superhuman strength, endurance, speed, and resistance to injury. Practically, all of Gladiator's abilities are entirely dependent on his level of self-confidence. The more confident he is in being able to complete the task at hand, the more powerful he becomes. Hence, if he believes he can accomplish the goal, his power will increase and he will. This is his greatest weapon, as his power is potentially unlimited, but consequently, if Gladiator ever has the slightest hint of doubt that he is unable to accomplish something, then his powers began to weaken.
Superhuman Strength: Gladiator possesses incalculable physical strength, the exact limits of which are unknown. He is one of the physically strongest beings to exist in the Universe as he has shattered planets with the mere force of his blows, and can collapse entire Stars with his level of strength. His strength level is depended on his confidence, as such the more confident he is, the stronger he gets.
Superhuman Speed: Gladiator is capable of running and moving at speeds vastly greater than even the finest human athlete. While the exact limit of his speed is unknown, he is able to move considerably faster than the speed of sound, which is roughly 770 miles per hour. Gladiator is capable of moving at speeds in excess of light. The level of his speed depends on his confidence.
Superhuman Stamina: Gladiator possesses extraordinary physical stamina. His muscles generate practically no fatigue toxins than the musculature of human beings. He has practically inexhaustible stamina.
Superhuman Durability: Gladiator is virtually invulnerable. He can withstand high caliber bullets, survive in space unaided, powerful concussive blasts, falls from tremendous heights, and blows from powerful super humans such as the Hulk without sustaining injury. Gladiator is so durable that he is capable of flying through Stars completely unharmed, and has actually withstood the explosive power of a Supernova unharmed. The level of his durability depends on his confidence.
Self-Sufficiency: He is capable of surviving in space unaided.
Superhuman Agility: Gladiator's natural balance, agility, and body coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete.
Superhuman Reflexes: Gladiator's reflexes are similarly heightened and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.
Flight: Gladiator is able to generate gravitons that enable him to fly. Gladiator's speed rivals those of the fastest known starships, and can achieve faster than light speeds in hyperspace. He has flown at speeds, a hundred times faster than light. The limit of his speed of flight is unknown, and depends on how confident he is.
Heat Beams: Gladiator is capable of firing highly concentrated beams of energy from his eyes. These beams are capable of reaching extremely high temperatures. The maximum temperature his beams can reach is unknown but they can reach temperatures hotter than that of Stars. The temperature level of his heat beams depends on his confidence.
Super Breath: Thanks to his incredible lung capacity, Gladiator is also able to draw in large amounts of air and then expel it all to create gale and hurricane force winds. He can also chill his breath to freeze targets.
Superhuman Senses Microscopic Vision: The ability to see extremely small objects and images beyond the sub atomic level.
Psi Resistance: Gladiator is capable of causing a counter-force against telepathic assaults and probes. However, telepaths of sufficient power are capable of penetrating his psionic defenses to an extent.
Abilities: Gladiator is highly skilled in the combat arts of the Shi'ar, personally trained by Deathbird.
Weaknesses: Gladiator is vulnerable to a certain specific wavelength of radiation. A significant portion of Gladiator's powers, especially his strength, stamina, and resistance to physical injury, are affected by his level of confidence. If his confidence in himself wavers, he has been known to weaken substantially.
History: 1970sThe character Gladiator is Kallark, a member of the Strontian race, as well as the Praetor (leader) of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, an elite corps of powerful beings that enforce Shi'ar Imperial law on all planets within the Shi'ar Galaxy. Gladiator first appears in The Uncanny X-Men issue 107. The Imperial Guard also protects and carries out the personal directives of the Majestor or Majestrix (emperor or empress) of the Shi’ar Empire. Together with the Imperial Guard, Gladiator battles the X-Men at the command of then-Shi'ar Emperor D'Ken.
1980sGladiator and the Guard battle the X-Men again when new Shi'ar Empress Lilandra Neramani and Professor Charles Xavier arrange a trial by combat to decide the fate of the insane entity Dark Phoenix. After an appearance in the alternate universe title What If? the character aids the X-Men against several renegade Imperial Guardsmen serving a Shi'ar traitor, Lord Samedar.
Gladiator eventually travels to Earth in pursuit of the alien Skrulls, and due to their ability to shape-shift mistakenly attacks superhero team the Fantastic Four. With the aid of heroes Spider-Man and Captain America the real Skrulls are exposed and captured. The character is also present - acting as Lilandra's bodyguard - at the intergalactic trial of Reed Richards for once saving the life of cosmic entity Galactus.
Gladiator appears in another printing of Uncanny X-Men #137 featuring an alternate ending and then in an adventure with the Spaceknight Rom. During this story it is revealed that Lilandra's sister, Deathbird, has stage a successful coup and become the new majestrix of the Shi'ar Empire.
1990sAfter an alternate universe version of Gladiator has a bout with the Thunder God Thor, the Earth-616 version reappears and has an encounter with a rogue alien before being commanded to lead the entire Imperial Guard against the combined forces of the space adventurers the Starjammers and superhero team Excalibur. Deathbird orders a retreat on discovering that the rebels are led by her sister, Lilandra.
The character appears in two more issues of the second volume of title What If? before battling the X-Men at the direction of Deathbird once more. Gladiator is then mentally controlled by a Warskrull, posing as Charles Xavier, but freed when the Skrull is defeated. Following another appearance in the title What If? and a solo adventure, Gladiator encounters several members of the Avengers during the Operation: Galactic Storm storyline.[16] Although able to defeat Wonder Man, Gladiator is then beaten by Eric Masterson, who at the time possessed the power of Thor.
Gladiator also appears alongside characters Beta Ray Bill; Ganymede; Jack of Hearts and Heralds of Galactus the Silver Surfer and Terrax the Tamer in a war against Tyrant, a former creation of Galactus. After brief appearances with another Herald, Firelord, cosmic heroes Nova and Quasar; and a flashback appearance, Gladiator appears with the X-Men in the Legion Quest storyline.
The character also appears in a limited series with X-Men from an altered reality and in flashback in a Fantastic Four adventure. Gladiator's cousin and fellow Strontian survivor Xenith features as a member of a galactic peacekeeping organisation called The Charter in the limited series Star Masters and Cosmic Powers Unlimited.
The character also appears in an outside of continuity one-shot publication that teamed with the X-Men with the original crew of the Federation starship the Enterprise. Gladiator and many of the Imperial Guard feature in a self-titled limited series in a humorous adventure on Earth. Gladiator then features in another one-shot publication and battles the Earth-712 Hyperion and the Image Comics character Supreme in defence of the Shi'ar empire. The character returns to Earth for another encounter with the Skrulls and then has an off-beat adventure with hero Spider-Man and the X-Men.
Gladiator joins the mutant X-Men again during an encounter with Galactus while another alternate universe (Earth-1298) version of the character confronts the mutant Havok.
2000sGladiator accompanies Lilandra to witness the apparent death of Galactus and with the Imperial Guard briefly battles the Inhumans during a failed assassination attempt - orchestrated by Ronan the Accuser of the alien Kree - against Lilandra on an alien world. Gladiator is also involved when the alien Ruul attempt to annex Earth and transform it into a prison planet.
After two more brief appearances Gladiator battles the real Thor at the request of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, but is defeated. The inter-dimensional travellers the Exiles also encounter yet another alternate version of Gladiator. After Lilandra — under the mental control of Charles Xavier's mutant twin sister Cassandra Nova — orders the destruction of all mutants on Earth, Gladiator leads the Guard in an assault on the X-Men's mansion home. Nova is eventually revealed as the true threat the combined forces of the Guard and the X-Men defeat Nova and free Lilandra. After a journey with the Titan Thanos, Guided by the cosmic entity Living Tribunal Gladiator fights the Champion of the Universe in an attempt to liberate the population of a planet the Champion had enslaved.
At the request of Lilandra, Gladiator returns to Earth on a mission to capture the Uni-Power and bring it back for evaluation. After an encounter with the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four, Gladiator invites the Uni-Power to return to the Shi'ar Empire as their guest. Although the Uni-Power agrees, it is captured en route by Krosakis, an energy leeching warlord who forces the Uni-Power into his body to become Captain Universe. Gladiator attempts to stop Krosakis but fails, with the warlord finally beaten by the Silver Surfer. An alternate version of Gladiator also appears in an MC2 universe limited series.
Gladiator is then commanded to stop the conqueror Vulcan, who after the murder of his mother by the Emperor D'Ken is determined to destroy the empire. After a bloody battle during which Vulcan kills several members of the Guard, Gladiator manages to finally defeat him and delivers the character to a Shi'ar prison facility. A Shi'ar agent, however, wishing a return to the days of D'Ken's rule, frees Vulcan and together with Deathbird the pair stage a coup and usurp Lilandra. After marrying Deathbird, Vulcan murders D'Ken and becomes the next Shi'ar Emperor. With Lilandra usurped and in hiding, Gladiator and the remainder of the Guard are honor-bound to serve Vulcan.
Vulcan consolidates his rule over the Shi'ar - with Gladiator reluctantly assisting - as their forces destroy a race of ancient enemies, the Scy'ar Tal, and capture the rebels the Starjammers. Vulcan then embarks on an ambitious plan to conquer the rest of the universe in the limited series X-Men:Kingbreaker, the prelude to the limited series War of Kings. Vulcan orders Gladiator to capture Lilandra, who has allied herself with the Kree. After battling Lilandra's allies the Starjammers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Gladiator is swayed by her argument against Vulcan and kills a member of the Imperial Guard loyal to the Emperor. Lilandra is eventually killed by an assassin, and Vulcan and Black Bolt both apparently die during battle in a explosion. The one-shot publication War of Kings: Who Will Rule depicts Gladiator as weary and in the wake of Lilandra's death wishing to preserve the Empire. To avoid another civil war, the character proclaims himself the new Emperor.
In the accompanying spin-off limited series War of Kings: Warriors, Gladiator's origin is revealed and how the character came to be Praetor of the Imperial Guard