Champion of the Universe
Encyclopedia
The Champion is a fictional character
, appearing in Marvel Comics
universe
. He is not necessarily a villain but has played the role in the past through his impetuous and arrogant actions. He first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One
Annual #7.
Elders of the Universe
. He is an immortal
who claims to have been born billions of years ago, in the Ancrindo Nebula, in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds. Although he wishes to prove himself the greatest warrior in the universe, he usually does so fairly. He keeps himself busy by fighting powerful warriors throughout the universe, and has even fought a number of assorted Earth superhero
es, including The Thing
, both the Incredible Hulk
and the She-Hulk
, Colossus
, Thor
, and Wonder Man
. Of these, Thor
was disqualified for throwing his hammer (he was allowed to use it since he was powerless without it); The Incredible Hulk
was disqualified because the Champion refused to "soil his hands on a mindless animal;" Wonder Man
was disqualified for tearing up the ring after being battered badly in the first round; Sasquatch
was knocked out in the first round; and Colossus
was defeated by technical knockout in the first round when he was unable to continue fighting. Prince Namor had been previously disqualified for refusing to stoop to training, and Doc Samson had been disqualified for not being sufficiently skilled to qualify as an opponent. Alone of all of earth's superheroes, the Thing managed to put up a semblance of fight against the Champion, and lasted longer than any previous opponent the Champion had fought.
Of all the opponents the Champion ever faced, only the Thing lasted more than two rounds. In his first appearance, though the Champion fought the Thing and defeated him with ease, the Thing would not surrender; convinced that the planet was in danger (the Champion had threatened to destroy it if one of the heroes could not satisfy his desire for a "good fight"), the Thing believed that everyone depended on him, and fought on, despite broken bones and getting knocked out of the ring. The Thing astonished the Champion with his resilence and courage, leading the Champion to say the Thing was the opponent he had sought through the ages, the one who would require all of his might and skill. His jaw broken and severely beaten after collapsing at the end of the third round, the Thing crawled across the ring to demand the fight continue when the Champion claimed victory. When forced to choose between killing his defeated opponent or yielding, the Champion yielded. When the Thing said he was "just too stupid and ugly to give up," the Champion replied he could never defeat the Thing. He might break his bones and his body, but he could not break his spirit. Any planet which could produce a champion such as the Thing, he said, was a truly worthy world.
The Champion attempted to kill the Silver Surfer
to prevent him from interfering with a Skrull
plot to use Nova to force Galactus
to destroy the Kree
Empire. The Champion was overpowered by the Silver Surfer, suffering his first known defeat in combat (however it is notable the Surfer used the Power Cosmic to blast the Champion rather than engage him physically). The Champion was among the ten Elders who sought to restart the universe by killing Galactus. He attempted to kill Mantis
, who was rescued by the Silver Surfer. The Champion then battled Galactus and the Silver Surfer, but was converted to energy and consumed by Galactus. The Champion and the other Elders devoured by Galactus caused Galactus "cosmic indigestion" from within, which allowed them to escape. The Champion came into possession of the Power Gem (one of the Infinity Gems
). He witnessed a battle between Galactus and the In-Betweener
, and aided the Silver Surfer, Nova, and the other Elders in helping Galactus defeat the In-Betweener. The Champion then fled to escape the wrath of Galactus. Thanos
eventually tracked the Champion down to the planet Tamarata, and tricked the Champion into causing a seismic disruption that destroyed Tamarata, forcing him to forfeit his Infinity Gem for transport to another planet. However, instead of helping the Champion after receiving the Gem, Thanos caused the Champion to fall to another world.
Much later, once more in possession of the Power Gem, the Champion had settled on the planet Skardon, whose native Skard exist in a "might makes right" culture; all disputes, including matters of law, are settled in a trial by combat, with the winner of the fight thus becoming the winner of the dispute. By defeating Skardon's most powerful fighters in the natives' boxing-ring-esque arena, the Champion became the ruler of the planet. He then deliberately let the living conditions deteriorate on Skardon, and let it be known that he would continue to do so until a "worthy challenger" defeated and dethroned him. Adam Warlock
responded to this challenge, and defeated the Champion with a 'karmic blast' from another Infinity Gem, the Soul Gem, but made the mistake of doing so outside the ring and without engaging in hand-to-hand combat; thus, it was not a "legal" defeat in the eyes of the Skard, and the Champion maintained his position as ruler. Adam Warlock and his former Infinity Watch
allies Gamora
and Pip the Troll
then recruited cosmically powerful beings from across the universe, intending to dethrone the Champion in the ring according to Skardon law, but the Champion managed to defeat all comers, including Drax the Destroyer
, Gladiator, Beta Ray Bill
, the Silver Surfer, and Adam Warlock
himself. The Champion was ultimately unseated by the She-Hulk
, who was sent to Skardon as a representative of the universal judiciary body known as the Magistrati, at Pip's request. After initially fighting the Champion to her near-defeat, She-Hulk used her experience as a lawyer as well as her physical power to her advantage, asking for and receiving an "appeal" to the trial by combat, set for three months later. Upon discovering that Skardon law prohibits the use of weaponry or other foreign objects in the arena of legal dispute, she requested that the Champion face her in a rematch without using the Power Gem. With the Champion limited to his own power, without an omnipotent external power-source, and the She-Hulk having trained to increase both her strength and combat skills in the time between her first trial and the appeal, the Champion was swiftly dealt his first known defeat inside the ring. He also forfeited the use of the Power Gem, having made a bet with the She-Hulk in which he agreed to never use the Gem again if she defeated him.
After falling to the She-Hulk, the Champion took the new name of "The Fallen One" in disgrace. He also attempted to take revenge through a proxy, passing the Power Gem to the heroine's arch-enemy Titania
(who also failed to defeat the She-Hulk). Upon learning that the Champion can return the Power Gem that contains the "Power Primordial" to himself at anytime, Titania smashed him with a giant rock mass, believing that he would be kept buried below it.
itself. The Champion has channeled this energy force into the perfection of his physical form, but cannot channel it into force-blasts, unlike several other Elders.
The Champion possesses vast physical strength, that is only limited by the amount of cosmic force that his body can contain. The Thing noted that the Champion hit him harder than either the Hulk or the Silver Surfer (without wearing the Power Gem at the time). This could be as much an issue of speed and technique, as Champion would likely have honed punching efficiency more than those two (and his fist is smaller than Hulk's so any force would be more focused).
When Reed Richards measured the residual power levels left behind when Champion abducted Thing, he declared he was on a higher level than Galactus. This does not likely represent Galactus' maximum power levels though, as Reed's measurements would have been based on Galactus' strength in one of their six previous meetings, several in which Galactus was extremely weakened from hunger.
His body does not tire from physical exertion, since his musculature generates no lactic acid
s and, as the Power Primordial sustains him, he is not limited by the need for food, drink, or sleep, and is virtually immune to aging, diseases and infections. He can exist unprotected in the vacuum of space indefinitely. He is extremely resistant against all forms of conventional injury, and in addition Death
has barred the Elders from entering its realm, literally making the Champion immortal. However, this does not make him immune to damage. The Champion's ribs have been broken by the Thing
, and he has been beaten unconscious by the She-Hulk
(partially by surprise and low esteem of women, when she had trained herself to what was stated as near Hulk
-level strength), or the power cosmic
of the Silver Surfer
.
The Champion is a master hand to hand combatant in a wide range of thousands of different martial arts and fighting-styles taken from locations across the Universe, but tends to prefer boxing
.
While possessing the Infinity Gem of Power
, the Champion unconsciously used it to further increase his power with his rage, so that during his fight with Thanos his strength increased to the point where he destroyed the planet on which they were fighting.
's ability to give him a challenge (breaking his ribs), and relentless spirit to never give up, and spared the Earth and declared the bout a draw rather than kill his opponent. When collaborating with the other Elders he schemed to destroy the Universe to be reborn as new versions of Galactus
. In the miniseries "Thanos Quest" he killed off an entire planetary population of soldiers just for sport. Later he assumed leadership of another planet and indifferently set the population to civil war, to provoke worthy challengers into seeking him out to put a stop to it. He is a strong chauvinist, and does not consider women as opponents worthy of him, only "appreciating" their value as courtesans or breeding-stock.
The Power Primordial sustains the Elders through their very desire and will to continue in pursuing their various interests. The Champion's interests, of course, being fighting, training to fight, and seeking opponents to fight. If the Champion were to grow disinterested in his pursuits and chose not to continue them, he could potentially die as a result, although since Death decreed no Elder could ever enter its realm, this may no longer be true.
Although several billion years old, the Champion is not as intelligent as most other known Elders of the Universe, partially because most have chosen to develop their minds along with their physical bodies. Regardless, he has some familiarity with advanced alien technologies that surpass the understanding of most Earthlings, and has been shown as a crafty strategist when not blinded by rage.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, appearing in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. He is not necessarily a villain but has played the role in the past through his impetuous and arrogant actions. He first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One
Marvel Two-in-One
Marvel Two-In-One was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics that featured the Fantastic Four member, the Thing, in a different team-up each issue with a different character. The series continued from the team-up stories starring the Thing in the final two issues of Marvel...
Annual #7.
Fictional character biography
The Champion is one of the alienExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
Elders of the Universe
Elders of the Universe
The Elders of the Universe are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Collector was the first Elder to appear, and featured in Avengers #28...
. He is an immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
who claims to have been born billions of years ago, in the Ancrindo Nebula, in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds. Although he wishes to prove himself the greatest warrior in the universe, he usually does so fairly. He keeps himself busy by fighting powerful warriors throughout the universe, and has even fought a number of assorted Earth superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es, including The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, both the Incredible Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
and the She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
, Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, and Wonder Man
Wonder Man
Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...
. Of these, Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
was disqualified for throwing his hammer (he was allowed to use it since he was powerless without it); The Incredible Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
was disqualified because the Champion refused to "soil his hands on a mindless animal;" Wonder Man
Wonder Man
Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...
was disqualified for tearing up the ring after being battered badly in the first round; Sasquatch
Sasquatch (comics)
Sasquatch is a fictional character, a superhero in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:Dr...
was knocked out in the first round; and Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
was defeated by technical knockout in the first round when he was unable to continue fighting. Prince Namor had been previously disqualified for refusing to stoop to training, and Doc Samson had been disqualified for not being sufficiently skilled to qualify as an opponent. Alone of all of earth's superheroes, the Thing managed to put up a semblance of fight against the Champion, and lasted longer than any previous opponent the Champion had fought.
Of all the opponents the Champion ever faced, only the Thing lasted more than two rounds. In his first appearance, though the Champion fought the Thing and defeated him with ease, the Thing would not surrender; convinced that the planet was in danger (the Champion had threatened to destroy it if one of the heroes could not satisfy his desire for a "good fight"), the Thing believed that everyone depended on him, and fought on, despite broken bones and getting knocked out of the ring. The Thing astonished the Champion with his resilence and courage, leading the Champion to say the Thing was the opponent he had sought through the ages, the one who would require all of his might and skill. His jaw broken and severely beaten after collapsing at the end of the third round, the Thing crawled across the ring to demand the fight continue when the Champion claimed victory. When forced to choose between killing his defeated opponent or yielding, the Champion yielded. When the Thing said he was "just too stupid and ugly to give up," the Champion replied he could never defeat the Thing. He might break his bones and his body, but he could not break his spirit. Any planet which could produce a champion such as the Thing, he said, was a truly worthy world.
The Champion attempted to kill the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
to prevent him from interfering with a Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
plot to use Nova to force Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
to destroy the Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
Empire. The Champion was overpowered by the Silver Surfer, suffering his first known defeat in combat (however it is notable the Surfer used the Power Cosmic to blast the Champion rather than engage him physically). The Champion was among the ten Elders who sought to restart the universe by killing Galactus. He attempted to kill Mantis
Mantis (Marvel Comics)
Mantis is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Universe, and former member of the Avengers.-Publication history:Mantis first appeared in Avengers #112 , drawn by Don Heck...
, who was rescued by the Silver Surfer. The Champion then battled Galactus and the Silver Surfer, but was converted to energy and consumed by Galactus. The Champion and the other Elders devoured by Galactus caused Galactus "cosmic indigestion" from within, which allowed them to escape. The Champion came into possession of the Power Gem (one of the Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
). He witnessed a battle between Galactus and the In-Betweener
In-Betweener
The In-Betweener is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Warlock #10 The In-Betweener is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Warlock #10 The...
, and aided the Silver Surfer, Nova, and the other Elders in helping Galactus defeat the In-Betweener. The Champion then fled to escape the wrath of Galactus. Thanos
Thanos
Thanos is a fictional character that appears in comic books and other media published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin....
eventually tracked the Champion down to the planet Tamarata, and tricked the Champion into causing a seismic disruption that destroyed Tamarata, forcing him to forfeit his Infinity Gem for transport to another planet. However, instead of helping the Champion after receiving the Gem, Thanos caused the Champion to fall to another world.
Much later, once more in possession of the Power Gem, the Champion had settled on the planet Skardon, whose native Skard exist in a "might makes right" culture; all disputes, including matters of law, are settled in a trial by combat, with the winner of the fight thus becoming the winner of the dispute. By defeating Skardon's most powerful fighters in the natives' boxing-ring-esque arena, the Champion became the ruler of the planet. He then deliberately let the living conditions deteriorate on Skardon, and let it be known that he would continue to do so until a "worthy challenger" defeated and dethroned him. Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock, originally known as Him, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #66 and #67 Adam Warlock, originally known as Him, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel...
responded to this challenge, and defeated the Champion with a 'karmic blast' from another Infinity Gem, the Soul Gem, but made the mistake of doing so outside the ring and without engaging in hand-to-hand combat; thus, it was not a "legal" defeat in the eyes of the Skard, and the Champion maintained his position as ruler. Adam Warlock and his former Infinity Watch
Infinity Watch
The Infinity Watch is a group of fictional characters in Marvel Comics' universe. The Watch was gathered in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1, and starred in that series until it ended with issue #42...
allies Gamora
Gamora
Gamora is a fictional comic book character in Marvel Comics' shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. She is the adopted daughter of Thanos and the occasional love interest of Adam Warlock and Nova.-Publication history:...
and Pip the Troll
Pip the Troll
Pip the Troll is a fictional character who appears in publications of Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Pip the Troll was introduced by Jim Starlin in Strange Tales vol 2 #179 to be a comic foil to the story's main protagonist, Adam Warlock...
then recruited cosmically powerful beings from across the universe, intending to dethrone the Champion in the ring according to Skardon law, but the Champion managed to defeat all comers, including Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer is a fictional character appearing in books published by the Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Drax first appeared in Iron Man #55 , and was created by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin. He had a recurring role in Captain Marvel vol 1 beginning with issue #23...
, Gladiator, Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Thor #337 and was created by writer-artist Walt Simonson....
, the Silver Surfer, and Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock, originally known as Him, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #66 and #67 Adam Warlock, originally known as Him, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel...
himself. The Champion was ultimately unseated by the She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
, who was sent to Skardon as a representative of the universal judiciary body known as the Magistrati, at Pip's request. After initially fighting the Champion to her near-defeat, She-Hulk used her experience as a lawyer as well as her physical power to her advantage, asking for and receiving an "appeal" to the trial by combat, set for three months later. Upon discovering that Skardon law prohibits the use of weaponry or other foreign objects in the arena of legal dispute, she requested that the Champion face her in a rematch without using the Power Gem. With the Champion limited to his own power, without an omnipotent external power-source, and the She-Hulk having trained to increase both her strength and combat skills in the time between her first trial and the appeal, the Champion was swiftly dealt his first known defeat inside the ring. He also forfeited the use of the Power Gem, having made a bet with the She-Hulk in which he agreed to never use the Gem again if she defeated him.
After falling to the She-Hulk, the Champion took the new name of "The Fallen One" in disgrace. He also attempted to take revenge through a proxy, passing the Power Gem to the heroine's arch-enemy Titania
Titania (Marvel Comics)
Titania is a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe, notable for being Marvel's strongest human female with the possible exception of the She-Hulk, and the wife of the Absorbing Man. She was created by then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, in the successful company-wide crossover known as...
(who also failed to defeat the She-Hulk). Upon learning that the Champion can return the Power Gem that contains the "Power Primordial" to himself at anytime, Titania smashed him with a giant rock mass, believing that he would be kept buried below it.
Powers and abilities
The Champion controls an energy source referred to as the Power Primordial. This energy is apparently residual energy that is left over from the Big BangBig Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
itself. The Champion has channeled this energy force into the perfection of his physical form, but cannot channel it into force-blasts, unlike several other Elders.
The Champion possesses vast physical strength, that is only limited by the amount of cosmic force that his body can contain. The Thing noted that the Champion hit him harder than either the Hulk or the Silver Surfer (without wearing the Power Gem at the time). This could be as much an issue of speed and technique, as Champion would likely have honed punching efficiency more than those two (and his fist is smaller than Hulk's so any force would be more focused).
When Reed Richards measured the residual power levels left behind when Champion abducted Thing, he declared he was on a higher level than Galactus. This does not likely represent Galactus' maximum power levels though, as Reed's measurements would have been based on Galactus' strength in one of their six previous meetings, several in which Galactus was extremely weakened from hunger.
His body does not tire from physical exertion, since his musculature generates no lactic acid
Lactic acid
Lactic acid, also known as milk acid, is a chemical compound that plays a role in various biochemical processes and was first isolated in 1780 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Lactic acid is a carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C3H6O3...
s and, as the Power Primordial sustains him, he is not limited by the need for food, drink, or sleep, and is virtually immune to aging, diseases and infections. He can exist unprotected in the vacuum of space indefinitely. He is extremely resistant against all forms of conventional injury, and in addition Death
Death (Marvel Comics)
Death is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain Marvel #27 Death is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain Marvel #27 Death is a fictional...
has barred the Elders from entering its realm, literally making the Champion immortal. However, this does not make him immune to damage. The Champion's ribs have been broken by the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, and he has been beaten unconscious by the She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
(partially by surprise and low esteem of women, when she had trained herself to what was stated as near Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
-level strength), or the power cosmic
Power Cosmic
The Power Cosmic is a fictional type of cosmic energy that appears in comic books published by Marvel, most commonly mentioned in stories involving the cosmic entity Galactus and his heralds...
of the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
.
The Champion is a master hand to hand combatant in a wide range of thousands of different martial arts and fighting-styles taken from locations across the Universe, but tends to prefer boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
While possessing the Infinity Gem of Power
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
, the Champion unconsciously used it to further increase his power with his rage, so that during his fight with Thanos his strength increased to the point where he destroyed the planet on which they were fighting.
Characteristics
The Champion is a thoroughly ruthless and cold-blooded individual ever searching for the thrill of battle. When first introduced he was more than willing to annihilate the entire population on Earth unless a fighter would defeat him limited to boxing rules. However he relented when impressed by the ThingThing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
's ability to give him a challenge (breaking his ribs), and relentless spirit to never give up, and spared the Earth and declared the bout a draw rather than kill his opponent. When collaborating with the other Elders he schemed to destroy the Universe to be reborn as new versions of Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
. In the miniseries "Thanos Quest" he killed off an entire planetary population of soldiers just for sport. Later he assumed leadership of another planet and indifferently set the population to civil war, to provoke worthy challengers into seeking him out to put a stop to it. He is a strong chauvinist, and does not consider women as opponents worthy of him, only "appreciating" their value as courtesans or breeding-stock.
The Power Primordial sustains the Elders through their very desire and will to continue in pursuing their various interests. The Champion's interests, of course, being fighting, training to fight, and seeking opponents to fight. If the Champion were to grow disinterested in his pursuits and chose not to continue them, he could potentially die as a result, although since Death decreed no Elder could ever enter its realm, this may no longer be true.
Although several billion years old, the Champion is not as intelligent as most other known Elders of the Universe, partially because most have chosen to develop their minds along with their physical bodies. Regardless, he has some familiarity with advanced alien technologies that surpass the understanding of most Earthlings, and has been shown as a crafty strategist when not blinded by rage.
Popular culture
- Champion was once parodied in the Dial M For Monkey segment of the cartoon Dexter's LaboratoryDexter's LaboratoryDexter's Laboratory is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and produced by Cartoon Network Studios . The show is about a boy named Dexter who has an enormous secret laboratory filled with an endless collection of his inventions...
. In an episode that spoofed the contest between the Champion and Earth's strongest superheroes from the Champion's first appearance in Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7, the villain Rasslor challenges and easily defeats Earth's superheroes in single combat, but gives up his plans to destroy Earth upon his victory when the hero Monkey refuses to give up even though he is hopelessly outmatched and severely beaten by Rasslor. In the end Rasslor claims he cannot destroy Monkey's will, gives him the win, and spares Earth, in the similar situation to when Champion could not overcome Thing's will. The speech that he gives is lifted verbatim from the comic and gives a writing credit to the original author. Rasslor was voiced by professional wrestler "Macho Man" Randy SavageRandy SavageRandall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
.