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| Paibok | |
|---|---|
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Fantastic Four #358 (November 1991) |
| Created by | Tom DeFalco Paul Ryan Danny Bulanadi |
| In-story information | |
| Species | EnhancedSkrull |
| Team affiliations | Annihilation Wave Fearsome Foursome New Revengers |
| Notable aliases | The Power Skrull Paul Balk |
| Abilities |
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Paibok the Power Skrull is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He is afoe of theFantastic Four.
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Paibok's first appearance was inFantastic Four #358 (November 1991); he was created byTom DeFalco,Paul Ryan, and Danny Bulanadi.[1][2]
Paibok was born on the planet Tarnax IV, in the Tarnax System in the Andromeda Galaxy. His home planet was part of the Skrull Empire, but has since been destroyed. Paibok was trained at the Skrullian military academy, and became an espionage agent and captain in the Skrull armed forces.[1]
The Skrull Empire seeks a way to defeat theFantastic Four, who have handed them multiple defeats. Paibok suggests a subtle plan: replacing the Fantastic Four's associateAlicia Masters withLyja, a Skrull spy and Paibok's former lover. Lyja successfully impersonates Alicia and the real Alicia is held prisoner by Paibok.[1][3][4]
Eventually the Fantastic Four realize what had happened and come in search of Alicia. They confront Paibok on 'War World'. Paibok, now calling himself the "Power Skrull" after being augmented in a manner similar to theSuper-Skrull, is prepared for the encounter and almost defeats the Fantastic Four and Lyja.
Lyja seemingly sacrifices her life to protect theHuman Torch and theThing finally defeats Paibok. He is left for dead, buried under fallen rubble.[5][4]
Paibok survived the battle and recovered Lyja's body.[4] Seeking revenge on the Fantastic Four, he encounteredDevos the Devastator, another alien who had clashed with them, and the two formed an alliance.[6] Devos was able to revive Lyja, and Paibok and Devos altered Lyja's genetic structure, granting her the power of flight and the ability to project lethal energy blasts. Together, the three traveled to Earth to battle the Fantastic Four again.[7]
Arriving on earth, they isolated and attacked the Human Torch in New York City, forcing him to use hisNova Flame against them — a move which then led to his arrest for damage to the surroundings. A second attack confused and aggravated the situation, leaving the Human Torch a fugitive from the police.[8] Alongside Devos and Lyja, Paibok witnessed the battle between the Fantastic Four and an alternate Fantastic Four. Paibok was betrayed by Lyja when she again joined the conflict and abandoned Paibok and sided with the Fantastic Four.[9] Alongside Devos, Paibok attacked the Human Torch during his trial.[10]
Undeterred, Paibok and Devos recruited new allies —Klaw and Huntara — and the quartet continued their attacks on the Fantastic Four, becoming known as the Fearsome Foursome. Eventually they were able to capture their foes (including Lyja) and returned to the Skrull Throneworld to present the captives to the Empress.[11][12][1]
Paibok's triumph was short-lived, though — once on Throneworld he discovered that Devos was a wanted criminal, a renegade with a price on his head and an entire world under his command. Devos promptly summoned his troops, took personal command of his flagship (theDeath Cruiser) and attempted to destroy Throneworld. The Empress blamed Paibok for this and repaid him by ordering his death.[13]
Seeking to redeem himself, Paibok made his way on board theDeath Cruiser and confronted Devos. The ship's stardrive was damaged during their confrontation and the cruiser fell into subspace — Devos and Paibok were both believed lost along with the ship.[14]
Paibok somehow escaped from subspace and struck a deal withCentaurian scientists to enhance his powers. Their treatment succeeded — but also affected his appearance, leaving him in a ombie-like form. Still viewed as a traitor, he fled to Earth and assembled a band of Skrull renegades.[15]
Disguised asPaul Balk, the owner of a traveling freakshow, Paibok located and tried to capture an immatureWatcher, a plan that led to clashes with the Thing and a band ofKree.[16] The attempt failed and he was captured by the Kree, who left Earth shortly afterwards with Paibok as their prisoner.[17]
Paibok was next seen as one of the few convicts to survive when the prison transport vesselDredge 01 crashed on its way toKyln.[18] The prison ship crashed on Earth, near the town of Coot's Bluff in Alaska, and Paibok immediately took command of the other survivors (Lunatik and theBlood Brothers) in an attempt to salvage the wrecked ship's technology and escape the planet. Paibok's plan also involved taking control of Coot's Bluff and using the terrified population as slave labor — something which brought his renegades into conflict with the only other survivor of the crash,Drax the Destroyer.[19]
Initially, Paibok and his allies defeated Drax, leaving him for dead. However, Drax somehow recovered — and then hunted down his attackers, killing Lunatik and one of the Blood Brothers. Paibok's escape plan was abandoned and, faced with death at the hands of a vengeful Drax, he activated a distress beacon that he had secretly salvaged from the wreck — summoning another ship and surrendering himself to the authorities who had previously imprisoned him.[20]
Paibok later reappears fighting forAnnihilus and his allies, as part of theAnnihilation Wave.[21][12] Following the death of Annihilus, the parasites injected into Paibok to force his obedience cease functioning. He briefly joins forces withTerrax and theDelinquent to kill Randau the Space Parasite, a being that had been slaughtering innocents. After the battle, which ends with the destruction of the planet by Terrax, he convinces the addled Delinquent to craft a spaceship. They return to what remains of the Skrull Empire.[22]
As part ofAll-New, All-Different Marvel, Paibok appears as a member of theMaker'sNew Revengers.[23][12] After the Skrull and Kree empires end their war and form an alliance, Paibok becomes an ambassador toS.W.O.R.D.[24][25][26][1]
As a Skrull, Paibok possesses heightened physicalmalleability, an innate racial ability to shapeshift. He is a graduate from the Skrull military academy, as well as an expert in all forms of armed and unarmed combat. As the Power Skrull, Paibok has a set of additional powers due tobionic re-engineering. He also possesses immense physical abilities, supersonic flight, organic metal transformation, cryokinesis, electrokinesis, and hypnotism.[2][3][27][28] Paibok wears body armor of unspecified materials.[29]
Paibok appears as a mini-boss inMarvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced byKhary Payton.[30]
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