| Skaar | |
|---|---|
 Variant cover toSkaar: Son of Hulk #1 byCarlo Pagulayan | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | What If? Planet Hulk #1 (December 2007) |
| Created by | Greg Pak (writer) John Romita Jr. (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human mutate/SakaaranHybrid |
| Place of origin | Sakaar |
| Team affiliations | Dark Avengers |
| Partnerships | Hulk Hiro-Kala |
| Notable aliases | Son of the Hulk Sakaarson World Breaker Killer of Killers Santos |
| Abilities |
|
Skaar is asuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring his father, theHulk, who conceived Skaar with the extraterrestrialCaiera during the 2006–2007 "Planet Hulk" storyline. Created by writerGreg Pak and artistJohn Romita Jr., the earliest version of the character appeared in a cameo in analternate history story inWhat If? Planet Hulk #1 (cover-dated December 2007), in which the character was drawn by Rafa Sandoval. TheEarth-616 version of the character appeared inWorld War Hulk #5 (January 2008), by Pak and Romita.[1]
The character has been adapted into various media outside comics. He first appeared in animated form inHulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (2013–2015), where he is voiced byBenjamin Diskin and depicted as unrelated to the Hulk. Additionally, Wil Deusner portrayed Skaar in a cameo appearance in theMarvel Cinematic Universe television seriesShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022).
Skaar was created by writerGreg Pak and aristJohn Romita, Jr. The earliest incarnation of the character first appeared inWhat If Planet Hulk? #1 (Dec. 2007),[1] "What if the Hulk Died and Caiera Lived?", analternate history story by Pak and artist Leonard Kird, which imagines the sequence of events that would have transpired had the Hulk being killed by his exploding spaceship, rather than his wife Caiera, as occurred in the "Planet Hulk" storyline.[2]
The Skaar ofEarth-616 (the continuity in which most mainstream Marvel storylines takes place) first appeared canonically inWorld War Hulk #5 (Jan. 2008) a miniseries written by Pak, and illustrated by Romita, Jr.[1] He subsequently starred in his own ongoing series by Pak,Skaar: Son of Hulk, which ran for 12 issues from 2008[3] to 2009.[4][5][6]
Following the "Planet Skaar" story arc, which resulted in Skaar's arrival on Earth, the book's title changed with issue #13 toSon of Hulk, after which new writerPaul Jenkins focused onHiro-Kala, Skaar's brother. The series ran until issue #17.[7] The story of Hiro-Kala that begins in these issues continue in a miniseries that ties into theRealm of Kings event,Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk #1-4.[8]
When Greg Pak became the writer ofThe Incredible Hulk with issue #601, Skaar allied himself with a de-powered Bruce Banner.[9]
The character would then appear in theSkaar: King of theSavage Land miniseries by writerRob Williams,[10] and later appearing as a regular character in theDark Avengers series, beginning withDark Avengers #175.
Skaar is the son of theHulk/Bruce Banner andCaiera, an extraterrestrial native of the planetSakaar.[11] He wasposthumously born via the Old Power after Sakaar was destroyed and Caiera killed, emerging from a cocoon on the planet's remains and rapidly aging into an adult.[12] To survive, Skaar learned the need to kill as part of his upbringing by the savage creatures of his home planet. He demonstrates himself to be a fierce and capable general, becoming the enemy of Axeman Bone and gaining the ability to harness the Old Power to manipulate the earth.[13]
Skaar was able to communicate with the spirit of his supposedly dead mother, Caiera. He fights a war against Axeman Bone, but this only delays his people's escape from the near-destruction of the planet byGalactus. Because the planet possesses enough energy to satiate Galactus' hunger for 100,000 years, Caiera takes the Old Power from Skaar as she tries to reason with him.[14] Skaar admits to Caiera that he wanted to clear the evil from the planet. However, theSilver Surfer restores Skaar's Old Power and shows him a vision of the death and destruction of Sakaar, leading Skaar to destroy the evacuation ships. He tells the Surfer that if he does not spare his planet, he will use the Old Power to increase Galactus' hunger and endanger more planets, including those already saved by the Surfer. After the Surfer informs the people of Sakaar that their safety would lead to the death of countless planets, he departs. Caiera denounces Skaar for his decision and absorbs his Old Power. She then exiles him from Sakaar and waits for Galactus to consume her.[15]
Skaar arrives on Earth with the sole desire to kill his father, the Hulk. After conflicts with theUnited States military, theFantastic Four and theWarbound, he confronts the Hulk. Unbeknownst to Skaar, the Hulk has changed since his time on Sakaar. After the Hulk engages Skaar, he effortlessly beats him but their fight creates a fissure that endangers a nuclear power plant. Skaar ceases his attack when he realizes that this Hulk is not the "War Hulk" that conceived him, the one he desires to kill. He prevents the fissure from endangering the power plant and declares Earth to be his new home.[16]
Skaar later encounters Bruce Banner, who had been depowered by theRed Hulk. Skaar reiterates his desire to kill the Hulk, but he cannot accomplish this by killing him in Banner's form as they had separated into two distinct personas. Bruce offers to teach Skaar how to kill the Hulk should he ever return, but this is a ruse to allow Banner to monitor his "son", and impart fatherly wisdom in the hope of turning the savage warrior into a hero. Skaar demonstrates his ability to use both cunning and physical strength by hurling the villainJuggernaut into outer space.[17] Subsequent lessons by Banner include encounters withWolverine, Wolverine's sonDaken,Victoria Hand,Moonstone,Marlo Chandler,Tyrannus, theMole Man, and his army ofMoloids.[18][19][20][21]
After defeating the Moloids, Skaar is proclaimed a hero and a parade is held in his honor. Banner confronts the Red Hulk but grows angry. He thenteleports to the country ofLatveria, supposedly to transform in private but a battle breaks out between the Hulk and Latverian leaderDoctor Doom. Skaar soon intervenes with the aid of his father's teleportation technology as he wants to prevent Doom from robbing him of the ability to kill the Hulk. Doom overpowers Skaar with magic, reverting him to his human form and revealing that this Hulk is a robot. Banner then arrives to rescue his son, seeing him in his human form for the first time. Skaar rejects Banner's affection, believing that Banner cares only for his deceased wife. Skaar concludes that his discovery of the teleporter and trip to Latveria are part of another of Banner's "lessons", and reiterates his desire to someday kill him in his Hulk form.[22]
During the "Fall of the Hulks", "World War Hulks", and "Dark Son" storylines, Skaar comes to the aid of theAvengers by battling theRed She-Hulk in a story that involves the villainous groupIntelligencia capturing Banner and turning people inWashington, D.C., into Hulks, including the geniusAmadeus Cho.[23][24] Later in the story, Banner re-emerges as the Green Scar, prompting Skaar, who has finally been granted the confrontation he longs for, to attack him. As they fight, the Hulk rescues many bystanders endangered by the battle. Skaar reacts to his father's compassion by ceasing his own assault and reverting to human form, but the Hulk continues fighting. His actions quickly remind him of Banner's abusive fatherBrian, reverting him back to his human form. Banner embraces his son, who is finally willing to accept his love.[25] Skaar then sets out on a journey with his father,sister, first cousin once removed Jennifer Walters,Rick Jones, andBetty Ross. Soon after, he senses his brother, Hiro-Kala, approaching Earth.[26]
During the "Chaos War" storyline, Skaar helps his father and his friends battle the forces ofAmatsu-Mikaboshi.[27] When it is discovered thatBrian Banner has returned from the dead and become aGuilt Hulk/Devil Hulk hybrid, Skaar helps his father fight his grandfather.[28]
Skaar accompanies the Hulk and the Warbound to theSavage Land when they are contacted byKa-Zar regarding the death of some Sakaarans who were living there.[29] They discover thatMiek is involved in a plot to use Sakaaran bodies to store his hatchlings.[30] When Skaar refuses to allow the Hulk to harm the hatchlings, Miek attempts to drug Skaar. Following Miek's apparent death, Skaar remains in the Savage Land to keep an eye on the remaining Sakaarans.[31]
Skaar is recruited byNorman Osborn to join the second incarnation of theDark Avengers.[32] His first fight with the team goes against him when theNew Avengers discover them.[33] After the Dark Avengers reveal that they have captured Captain America and are planning to capture the other Avengers to put on trial, Skaar turns on his teammates.[34] It is revealed at that point that Skaar is actually a double agent. He then frees Captain America while the New Avengers defeat the remaining Dark Avengers.[35]
Skaar later travels back to the Savage Land as it reminds him of his home planet. The Hulk in his Doc Green form tracks Skaar there to depower him as part of his plan to depower every gamma mutate on Earth. After a brief fight, Skaar is finally depowered. Doc Green teleports Skaar to Paris along with a backpack full of money so he can start a new and better life under the alias "Santos".[36]
TheAbomination's company Green Spring later repowers Skaar. While working for Green Spring, Skaar is dispatched to retrieve the escaped gamma mutate Stockpile.[37] This puts Skaar into conflict withGamma Flight, which comes to Stockpile's defense, and the U.S.Hulkbuster Force, which was formed to stop the threat of gamma mutates. Skaar easily defeats the U.S. Hulkbuster Force, but spares its members' lives.[38] He is subsequently tracked down byShe-Hulk, a meeting which ends with him resolving to track down and save potential victims of the "Bureau of Alien Neutralization".[39]
Skaar possesses superhuman abilities derived from his parents, theHulk/Bruce Banner andCaiera, an alien native of the planet Sakaar. Like his father, he possesses a dual form: That of an ordinary male with normal strength, and that of a towering green humanoid. He can revert to human form when calm or otherwise incapacitated.[12] The powers he inherited from his father are derived from Banner's exposure togamma radiation.[11]
In his Hulk-like form, Skaar possesses immense superhuman strength, stamina, and resistance to injury,[11][40][41] His strength increases whenever enraged, and has been shown to be able to break off pieces of the armor worn byJuggernaut, who is otherwise unstoppable once he begins to charge forward.[41] His resistance to injury is such that being engulfed in flames causes no damage to him,[12] and he can easily shrug off an explosion from arocket-propelled grenade.[42]Iron Fist, however, is able to stun him with a powerful chi-punch.[43]
Using the Old Power, Skaar can manipulatetectonic energy and the earth itself.[44] He must be in contact with the ground to use this ability.[41]
Skaar also has other powers, including the ability to rapidly heal after sustaining injuries, the ability to sense the life forces of other beings anywhere on the planet on which he is located, and the ability to transform into a Shadow form in which he can still access some of the Old Power, though he cannot use his gamma-induced powers in this form.[40]
Skaar carries a sword that he uses in combat.[40][41][45][46]
The series the character has appeared in have been collected intoindividual volumes:
| Title | Material collected | Year | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skaar: Son of Hulk | Skaar: Son of Hulk #1-6,War of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar #1 and material fromHulk Family: Green Genes #1 | April 2009 | 978-0785136675 |
| Skaar: Son of Hulk - Planet Skaar | Skaar: Son of Hulk #7-12,Planet Skaar: Prologue | September 2009 | 0-7851-3986-9 |
| Son of Hulk: Dark Son Rising | Skaar: Son of Hulk #13-17 | June 2010 | 978-0785140559 |
| Skaar: Son of Hulk - The Complete Collection | Skaar: Son of Hulk #1-12,War of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar #1Skaar: Son Of Hulk Presents The Savage World Of Sakaar #1,Planet Skaar: Prologue,War Of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar and material fromHulk Family: Green Genes #1 | July 2018 | 978-1302912475 |
| Incredible Hulk Vol. 1: Son of Banner | Incredible Hulk #601-605 | June 2010 | 0-7851-4413-7 |
| Skaar: King of the Savage Land | Skaar: King of the Savage Land #1-5 | December 2011 | 0-7851-5694-1 |
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