.gif)
Captain Marvel (Khn'nr)
Encyclopedia
Khn'nr is a fictional
alien character who has appeared in numerous comic book
series published by Marvel Comics
. He is a Skrull
sleeper agent posing as the Kree
Captain Mar-Vell
(also known as Captain Marvel
).
The shapeshifting
Skrull Khn'nr was bonded with the DNA
of Mar-Vell to lock his body into Mar-Vell's form and given technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands. However, his mental conditioning was botched, causing Khn'nr's personality to be erased and leaving the Mar-Vell persona dominant. Though part of the Skrull invasion
of Earth
, this Captain Marvel decides to fight against the invading Skrulls.
. It was later revealed that this was in fact a Skrull named Khn'nr during the 2008 Captain Marvel mini-series, which spun out of the events of his Civil War appearance.
, a shapeshifting Skrull called Khn'nr was locked into shape of Mar-Vell
, the first Captain Marvel
and given technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands to replicate Captain Marvel's powers. Khn'nr received memory implants to turn him into a sleeper agent making him believe he was Captain Marvel supposedly up until the time of the invasion when a psychological trigger would be activated to return him to his Skrull persona.
The real Mar-Vell died of cancer so to explain his comeback from death, a false memory was implanted in the Skrull Mar-Vell to make him believe he had encountered a wrinkle in space-time in the past, supposedly caused by Tony Stark
, Hank Pym, and Reed Richards' construction of a prison within the Negative Zone
, which Captain Marvel touched and was transported through time to the Negative Zone in the present day. Initially unsure of how to approach the situation, the Earth's heroes revealed Mar-Vell's history to him but also offered him a place in this new future as a warden for their prison, at least until, as the Sentry
implicated, Mar-Vell would return to his past.
He is later called in to help the pro-registration heroes
who revived him, in the final battle of Civil War
; however upon seeing the chaos they are causing, he departs, to France
, where he spends all of his time observing a painting of Alexander the Great in the Louvre
and contemplates Alexander's similarities to himself. This painting was meant to be psychological trigger, but due to an error in the methods of Skrull scientists, Mar-Vell retained his personality and memories prior to his Skrull captivity in their entirety. Most of Khn'nr's personality had accidentally been erased as a byproduct of the botched mental conditioning. Consequently, the Mar-Vell persona remained defiantly dominant.
When the Skrulls realize what had happened, other Skrull agents posing as supervillains Cyclone, Cobalt Man
, and a team of Kree soldiers unsuccessfully attempt to capture Captain Marvel.
When he learned the truth and became fully aware of his true identity he decided to embrace Mar-Vell's memories and rebel against the Skrulls and protect Earth from their invasion. However, at the same time that Skrull infiltrators strike S.H.I.E.L.D.
, S.W.O.R.D.
, the Baxter Building
and a number of Stark Enterprises facilities, Captain Marvel launches an attack on Thunderbolt Mountain
, deciding that he can destroy some of the things he sees as problems in the world, like the Government sanctioned supervillains Thunderbolts, during the initial strike of the Skrulls' invasion. He defeated the Thunderbolts, leaving Norman Osborn to convince Khn'nr that only he can decide who he really is, which leads Khn'nr to attack the Skrull armada. He destroys many of the fleet but is attacked by a super-Skrull and it nearly kills him.
Barely alive after his effort, he manages to crash back on Earth, crossing Noh-Varr
's path, who briefly mistakes him for the original Mar-Vell. Before dying from his wounds, Khn'nr spurs Noh-Varr into continuing Mar-Vell's legacy as the protector of Earth, branding with his dying words the Skrulls as liars and traitors and that he defeats the Skrulls and takes on the mantle of Captain Marvel, which he does as he joined the Dark Avengers
under the name Captain Marvel.
The Skrull also developed technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands, though it is unknown if these work in the same fashion as the Kree version which converted Mar-Vell's psionic energy into strength, a high degree of imperviousness to harm, the ability to project force blasts, survive in space and the power to fly at faster-than-light speeds, the bands do give him exactly the same powers. They are also fully compatible with the originals, as seen when Ms. Marvel
, armed with the original Nega-Bands is able to banish him in the Negative Zone
by clicking her wrist on his.
:
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...
alien character who has appeared in numerous comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by 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...
. He is 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....
sleeper agent posing as 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...
Captain Mar-Vell
Mar-Vell
Captain Marvel is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created...
(also known as Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...
).
The shapeshifting
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
Skrull Khn'nr was bonded with the DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
of Mar-Vell to lock his body into Mar-Vell's form and given technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands. However, his mental conditioning was botched, causing Khn'nr's personality to be erased and leaving the Mar-Vell persona dominant. Though part of the Skrull invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, this Captain Marvel decides to fight against the invading Skrulls.
Publication history
In 2007, Mar-Vell supposedly returned to the Marvel Universe during Marvel's Civil War crossover storyline. He made his appearance in the "Civil War: The Return" one-shot, in a story written by Paul JenkinsPaul Jenkins (writer)
Paul Jenkins is a British comic book writer and Gary Gygax's stepson. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.-Life and career:Paul Jenkins...
. It was later revealed that this was in fact a Skrull named Khn'nr during the 2008 Captain Marvel mini-series, which spun out of the events of his Civil War appearance.
Fictional character biography
As part of the Skrull Secret InvasionSecret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
, a shapeshifting Skrull called Khn'nr was locked into shape of Mar-Vell
Mar-Vell
Captain Marvel is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created...
, the first Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...
and given technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands to replicate Captain Marvel's powers. Khn'nr received memory implants to turn him into a sleeper agent making him believe he was Captain Marvel supposedly up until the time of the invasion when a psychological trigger would be activated to return him to his Skrull persona.
The real Mar-Vell died of cancer so to explain his comeback from death, a false memory was implanted in the Skrull Mar-Vell to make him believe he had encountered a wrinkle in space-time in the past, supposedly caused by Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, Hank Pym, and Reed Richards' construction of a prison within the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
, which Captain Marvel touched and was transported through time to the Negative Zone in the present day. Initially unsure of how to approach the situation, the Earth's heroes revealed Mar-Vell's history to him but also offered him a place in this new future as a warden for their prison, at least until, as the Sentry
Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:...
implicated, Mar-Vell would return to his past.
He is later called in to help the pro-registration heroes
Registration Acts (comics)
The Registration Acts—the Mutant Registration Act and Superhuman Registration Act —are fictional legislative bills that have been plot points used in various comic books published by Marvel Comics which, when passed into law, enforce the mandatory registration of superpowered individuals with...
who revived him, in the final battle of Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
; however upon seeing the chaos they are causing, he departs, to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he spends all of his time observing a painting of Alexander the Great in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
and contemplates Alexander's similarities to himself. This painting was meant to be psychological trigger, but due to an error in the methods of Skrull scientists, Mar-Vell retained his personality and memories prior to his Skrull captivity in their entirety. Most of Khn'nr's personality had accidentally been erased as a byproduct of the botched mental conditioning. Consequently, the Mar-Vell persona remained defiantly dominant.
When the Skrulls realize what had happened, other Skrull agents posing as supervillains Cyclone, Cobalt Man
Cobalt Man
Cobalt Man is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Cobalt Man was created by writer Roy Thomas and penciller Werner Roth in X-Men #31 ....
, and a team of Kree soldiers unsuccessfully attempt to capture Captain Marvel.
When he learned the truth and became fully aware of his true identity he decided to embrace Mar-Vell's memories and rebel against the Skrulls and protect Earth from their invasion. However, at the same time that Skrull infiltrators strike S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
, S.W.O.R.D.
S.W.O.R.D. (comics)
S.W.O.R.D. is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the . Its purpose is to deal with extraterrestrial threats to world security.-Publication history:...
, the Baxter Building
Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building in Manhattan whose five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
and a number of Stark Enterprises facilities, Captain Marvel launches an attack on Thunderbolt Mountain
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
, deciding that he can destroy some of the things he sees as problems in the world, like the Government sanctioned supervillains Thunderbolts, during the initial strike of the Skrulls' invasion. He defeated the Thunderbolts, leaving Norman Osborn to convince Khn'nr that only he can decide who he really is, which leads Khn'nr to attack the Skrull armada. He destroys many of the fleet but is attacked by a super-Skrull and it nearly kills him.
Barely alive after his effort, he manages to crash back on Earth, crossing Noh-Varr
Noh-Varr
Noh-Varr is a fictional character created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones and appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appears in Marvel Boy #1 . He appeared in the Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways and the New Avengers: Illuminati limited series...
's path, who briefly mistakes him for the original Mar-Vell. Before dying from his wounds, Khn'nr spurs Noh-Varr into continuing Mar-Vell's legacy as the protector of Earth, branding with his dying words the Skrulls as liars and traitors and that he defeats the Skrulls and takes on the mantle of Captain Marvel, which he does as he joined the Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
under the name Captain Marvel.
Powers and abilities
Though a Skrull, Khn'nr has the memories, knowledge, and skills of the Kree, Mar-Vell; presumably including Mar-Vell's Kree military training giving him mastery of all forms of Kree unarmed combat, as well as extensive knowledge of the technologically advanced vehicles and devices of the Kree Empire. It is unknown if the botched mental conditioning has left Khn'nr any of his previous Skrull knowledge.The Skrull also developed technological replicas of the Kree Nega-Bands, though it is unknown if these work in the same fashion as the Kree version which converted Mar-Vell's psionic energy into strength, a high degree of imperviousness to harm, the ability to project force blasts, survive in space and the power to fly at faster-than-light speeds, the bands do give him exactly the same powers. They are also fully compatible with the originals, as seen when Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
, armed with the original Nega-Bands is able to banish him in the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
by clicking her wrist on his.
Collected editions
The main stories where the character was introduced have been collected into a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Captain Marvel: Secret Invasion. Marvel Comics. TPB: February 2009. ISBN 978-0785124221. HC: August 2008. ISBN 978-0785133032.
- Collects: Captain Marvel (vol. 6) #1-5, Civil War: The Return
External links
- Khn'nr at the Marvel Database Project