Champion of the Universe

Champion of the Universe
The Champion
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1982).
Created by	Tom DeFalco and Ron Wilson
In-story information
Alter ego	Tryco Slatterus
Team affiliations	Elders of the Universe
Abilities	Superhuman strength, endurance, agility and reflexes Invulnerability Master of countless fighting styles and martial arts forms

The Champion (Tryco Slatterus) 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.

Fictional character biography

The Champion is one of the alien 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 superheroes, 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.^[1]

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). ^[2] 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.^[3] The Champion then battled Galactus and the Silver Surfer, but was converted to energy and consumed by Galactus.^[4] 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.^[5] 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.^[6]

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.^[7]

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.^[8]

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 Bang 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).^[1] 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.^[1] 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.^[9]

His body does not tire from physical exertion, since his musculature generates no lactic acids 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,^[10] literally making the Champion immortal. However, this does not make him immune to damage. The Champion's ribs have been broken by the Thing,^[1] 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),^[11] or the power cosmic of the Silver Surfer.^[12]

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.^[13]

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 Thing'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.^[14] 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 Laboratory. 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 Savage.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7
2. ^ Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #1
3. ^ Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #4
4. ^ Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #9-10
5. ^ Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #17-19
6. ^ Thanos Quest #1
7. ^ She-Hulk (2004 series) #8
8. ^ She-Hulk (2004 series) #11
9. ^ Prior to 1982 when Thing was abducted, Reed had 6 encounters with Galactus where he might have measured him, in issues #48-50, 72-7, 120-3, 172-5, 206-13, & 242-4. The #257 and all succeeding encounters happen after the comparison to Champion.
10. ^ Avengers West Coast #2; Avengers Annual #16; Silver Surfer v.3, #4
11. ^ She-Hulk vol.3, #8 (2006)
12. ^ Silver Surfer vol.3, #1
13. ^ Thanos Quest #1-2
14. ^ "Thanos Quest," Volume I, Issue 1: "Schemes and Dreams."