Raa of the Caves

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comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Raa of the Caves
real_name=Raa
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publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Fantastic Four Annual" #25
creators=
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
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Raa is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four Annual #25 as a member of The Anachronauts (Apocryphus, Deathunt 9000, Ssith, Tyndar, Wildrun (aka Red Wolf), and Sir Raston). He was created by writer Mark Gruenwald and penciler Herb Trimpe.

Fictional character biography

Very little is known about the past of the man known as Raa. He was once a skilled hunter of the tribe known as the Hill Dwellers living thousands of years ago (speculated because of his comment about battling sabertooths in Avengers Annual #22). [Avengers Annual #21-22 (1992-1993)]

After being defeated by Kang the Conqueror in battle, he swore his allegiance to him and became a member of his hand-picked soldiers, supposedly the "greatest warriors of the ages," The Anachronauts. His first major battle as an Anachronaut was against the combined forces of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. He and his teammates were defeated and forced to retreat. [Fantastic Four Annual #25 (1992) & Avengers Annual #21 (1992)]

With Kang being temporarily out of the picture due to his actions in Avengers Annual #21, Terminatrix assumed command of The Anachronauts and Kang's city-state headquarters of Chronopolis. [Avengers Annual #21 (1992)]

His second major mission as an Anachronaut was a time traveling one, having to travel back to the days of Camelot to ensure the creation of the Ebony Blade. A while after this adventure, Deathunt 9000 informed Terminatrix that The Anachronauts, including Raa, were resigning, having only sworn allegiance to Kang and not her. Kang eventually returned and brought Raa and The Anachronauts under his control once again. [Avengers Annual #22 (1993) & Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #1 (1993)]

When Chronopolis came under attack by Immortus and his armies some time later, Raa and The Anachronauts defended the city-state with their lives. Raa was killed along with all The Anachronauts, except Wildrun, by a "time-twisting explosion" trying to get to where Terminatrix died. [Avengers Forever #3 (1999)]

Powers and abilities

Raa appears to have a fragment of the Bloodgem embedded in his sternum, much like the hero Ulysses Bloodstone. This would give him superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and senses. It would also make him virtually immortal.

Equipment

Raa is almost never seen without his trusty spear, although he has been known to use a laser pistol. [Almost every appearance...]

peculation

Kang stated in Fantastic Four Annual #25 that for each instance he time traveled an alternate reality was created. With this being said, Raa could very well be an alternate version of Ulysses Bloodstone. They are both very similar in appearances and they both have a fragment of the Bloodgem embedded in their chest (or what appears to be one, in Raa's case).

When Kang traveled back in time to search of his "greatest warriors," he came upon Bloodstone and challenged him to a fight. Having never seen such a being before, Bloodstone may have thought him to be a monster or being sent by Ulluxy'l Kwan Tae Syn to retrieve the fragment of the Bloodgem. When Bloodstone lost the battle with Kang, Kang gave him the choice of death (him probably having the technology to do so) or to swear allegiance to him forever. Bloodstone reluctantly agreed, not wanting to die without exacting his revenge on Syn and seeing it as an opportunity to search of Syn.

This is where it could go many ways. (1) Kang could see Bloodstone's revenge motive (either at that time or after a while) and he wiped his memory of the whole Syn incident, (2) During training or a battle Bloodstone could have had a severe head injury resulting in a memory lose, or other such events. These events would be the only way both characters are the same because Raa never talks of Syn throughout his appearances nor does he seem to state anything about the gem in his chest or of anything "supernatural" before his time with Kang.

Appearances

*Fantastic Four Annual #25 (1992)
*Avengers Annual #21 (1992)
*Avengers Annual #22 (1993)
*Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #1 (1993)
*Avengers Forever #3 (1999)

Notes

References

* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/anachron.htm#Raa Raa] at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
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