| Chitauri | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Ultimates #8 (November 2002) |
| Created by | Mark Millar Bryan Hitch |
| Characteristics | |
| Notable members | SeeKnown Chitauri |
| Inherent abilities | Ultimate:Shapeshifting |
TheChitauri (/tʃɪˈtaʊri/) are a fictional race of extraterrestrialshapeshifters appearing in American comic books published byMarvel Comics, specifically in theUltimate Marvel universe (Earth-1610). They were created byMark Millar andBryan Hitch in place of theSkrulls, who play a similar role in the mainstream continuity ofEarth-616. The species first appeared inUltimates #8 (November 2002).[1]
The species was also adapted to other media, most notably for films set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The MCU incarnation of the species inspired the version that appeared in Earth-616 continuity beginning with the seriesNova (2013).
The race called Chitauri appeared as Ultimate Marvel's (Earth-1610) counterpart to theSkrulls. They are ashapeshifting alien species who have attempted to conquer theEarth, most notably duringWorld War II and again in the early 21st century.
The Chitauri claim to be part of "the immune system of the universe", wiping out disorder and free will wherever they find it. They seem to prefer to act behind the scenes, mimicking and influencing the social and military methods of the species they are currently infiltrating. For example, they aided the Nazis in their attempt at world conquest by providing them with the technology to create anuclear bomb carried by anintercontinental ballistic missile. However, this attempt was thwarted by the prototype super-soldier codenamedCaptain America. Through the entire conflict of World War II, the Chitauri were driven out of their operations inAfrica andEurope, even from their main Japanese training camps inHiroshima andNagasaki. Following the end of the war, the Chitauri withdrew to make new plans.
The next attempt at conquest was more subtle (at first), involving long-term methods of manipulation such as will-inhibiting drugs in many nations' water supplies, influencing the media, andR.F.I.D. (radio-frequency identification) microchips to be implanted in schoolchildren, among other means. The Chitauri also infiltratedS.H.I.E.L.D., particularly the Psi-Division which could telepathically ferret out Chitauri agents. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to detect some of the low-ranking "drone" staff of the aliens, disguised as common office workers, and wiped them out in an assault led by Black Widow and Hawkeye.
The Chitauri planted false information through the compromised Psi-Division that led S.H.I.E.L.D. and theUltimates into a trap on a smallMicronesian island; due to the combined efforts ofIron Man andThor, the Ultimates,Nick Fury, and a handful of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers survived, but thousands of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers were killed and dozens ofHelicarriers were destroyed.
The Chitauri then counterattacked by infiltrating the Triskelion and capturingWasp. The Chitauri leader (known only by his formerNazi identity Herr Kleiser) took the Wasp to a hidden Chitauri base in Arizona. However, their location was given away when a fleet of damaged Chitauri starships entered Earth's atmosphere, claiming that they were fleeing major defeats across the galaxy by their intergalactic enemies and that the remainder of their forces are forced to theSolar System. Disregarding Kleiser's long efforts, the Chitauri ordered him to destroy Earth and the Solar System with a doomsday bomb as part of a scorched-earth policy and retreat to the "lower fourth-dimension". The Ultimates and all available S.H.I.E.L.D. and military forces immediately converged on the alien fleet.
At the same time, Captain America battled Kleiser, but was unable to defeat him alone. At Captain America's urging/mocking of Kleiser touchingBetty Ross, the Hulk was able to kill Kleiser.[2]
During the Chitauri-Kree War, an entire Chitauri armada was fighting their enemies when they encounteredGah Lak Tus. When their ships were damaged by the entity, a rift in the fabric of reality brought a being from another universe, which called itself Galactus. Gah Lak Tus merged with the visitor, and created an even more powerful version of Galactus.[3]
A new iteration of the Chitauri, inspired by their portrayal in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, were introduced into the mainstreamEarth-616 continuity, debuting inNova (2013).[4][5] Most of the Chitauri are depicted as simple-minded creatures similar to insects.[6] Additionally, they make use of Leviathans, colossal whale-like creatures created fromAcanti and Starshark DNA that transport troops and weapons.[7]
Warbringer[10] – A Chitauri Warlord who was kept in hibernation due to his brutal methods. He would go on to fightNova, theAvengers,Guardians of the Galaxy, and theChampions.
The Chitauri are able to mimic human form and absorb human knowledge by sucking the organs or brains out of the humans they imitate. In their natural form, they appear to be large and reptilian, but no clear images of their native form have been shown.
Millar's conception of the Chitauri was inspired by Britishconspiracy theoristDavid Icke.[11] In his interview with Credo Mutwa, Icke learned of the Chitauri and believes the world is secretly run by an elite called theIlluminati who are in reality shapeshiftingreptilian humanoids.[12] The term Chitauri to describe these humanoids was taken from Icke'sThe Reptilian Agenda, where Zulu Shaman and historian Credo Mutwa and David Icke reveal the story of the Chitauri (reptilian) takeover of planet Earth and how a shapeshifting Chitauri (“Talker”) race has controlled planet Earth for thousands of years. Essentially, the term Chitauri is theShona term meaning "talker" in reference to the reptilians, as shown above in the two different meanings referenced in parentheses.[13]
Another race called Skrulls, physically resembling the Skrulls of the mainstreamMarvel universe, appear later (led by the billion-year-old Skrull Emperor,Kl'rt); these Skrulls dislike being confused with the Chitauri, whom they callterrorists. They have extremely advanced technology, but have not been observed to shapeshift. These Skrulls were seen only in analternate timeline in whichReed Richards contacted their world via histeleporter. The events leading to that timeline were altered inUltimate Fantastic Four #29, and contact was never made.[14]
The Chitauri appear inUltimate Avengers andUltimate Avengers 2. This version of the species are reptilian creatures who can generate fire blasts from their hands and largely lack shapeshifting abilities, with the exception of their leader Herr Kleiser (voiced byJim Ward).
The Chitauri appear in media set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This version of the species are grey reptilian humanoids with bio-mechanical physiology who lack shapeshifting abilities and are allied withThanos through his vizier, a hooded being called theOther (portrayed byAlexis Denisof). Their technology ranges from hovercraft-like skimmers and Necrocraft, to living airborne troop carriers called Leviathans that are all neurally linked with a mothership.
The MCU version of the Chitauri appear in theMarvel Universe LIVE! arena show.[24]
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| Preceded by | Marvel Cinematic Universefilm villain (withLoki) 2012 | Succeeded by |
