Amadeus Cho

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caption=Amadeus Cho.
Art by Takeshi Miyazawa.
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Amazing Fantasy" vol. 2 #15 (January 2006)
creators=Greg Pak
Takeshi Miyazawa
character_name=Amadeus Cho
full_name= Amadeus Cho
species =
alliances=God Squad
Renegades
aliases=Mastermind Excello
supports=
powers=Super-Genius|

Amadeus Cho is a fictional character created by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa. He first appeared in "Amazing Fantasy" (volume 2) #15, in one of an anthology of stories. [ [http://www.pakbuzz.com/amadeus_cho/ PakBuzz: Amadeus Cho ] ] Pak later brought Cho back as a major character in the "World War Hulk" storyline.

Fictional character biography

Amadeus Cho is a teenage supergenius. He is described by Reed Richards to be the 7th smartest person in the world. His incredible intellect gives him the ability to make precise calculations instantaneously. This intelligence is portrayed in the comics as glowing labels, numbers and other information, shown from his point of view, which gives his abilities a visual component that would otherwise not exist. Whether or not he actually sees the numbers (like a HUD) is unknown. He has shown himself capable of doing anything from redirecting a laser-guided missile with a wing mirror or tracking the Hulk based on his trajectory and jump height. Though this gift does come in handy when escaping, the strain of his mental calculations leaves him exhausted and famished.

After his abilities were discovered, an unknown agency destroys his home leaving Amadeus on the run for his life, distrusting almost everyone he meets. Shortly after going on the run on his characteristic Vespa scooter, he adopted an orphaned coyote pup, whom he sometimes uses to gain sympathy. After once being saved from his pursuers by the Incredible Hulk, he considers the latter as a friend and strictly views him as heroic and reactive to the aggression of others.

World War Hulk

After the Hulk's later disappearance Cho hacked into the Baxter Building's security network and discovered that the group known as the Illuminati had sent him into exile in outer space. Cho is determined to locate the Hulk, and reveal the truth to the public. After Jennifer Walters, the She-Hulk, had been de-powered by Iron Man's nanobots, Cho quickly caught up with her, in order to convince her to join his cause. They were both attacked by Doc Samson, but after the nanobots in her system are temporarily disabled by soda provided by Cho, Walters is able to regain her powers and defeat Samson. Cho escaped and called Walters from a different location. Jennifer declined his offer, but instead put him in contact with Hercules and Archangel, former members of the super-group 'Champions', both of whom considered themselves in debt to the Hulk for mistakingly attacking him on a previous occasion. Cho used some of Archangel's money to buy a large 'reservation' for the Hulk in the vicinity of the old New Mexico Gamma Base, as well as a submarine to get in contact with Namor, the Hulk's old Defenders colleague. The latter declared their plan as moronic, but his cousin Namora joined them instead. The team becomes known as The Renegades.

They find the Hulk shortly after he defeats Doctor Strange, and attempt to convince him to accept their assistance. The Hulk refuses , warning them to leave before he slays them all. During a brief battle involving Hercules, Cho, Namora, and Angel, the Hulk defeats General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross and a U.S. Army force. ["World War Hulk" #2 (Sept. 2007)] . Cho and his friends --along with the Hulk's Warbound allies-- try to protect the civilians from collateral damage. The Warbound, while impressed with the strength and honor of Cho and his allies, insist that they leave for their own safety.

S.H.I.E.L.D then recruits the aid of Renegades to help protect the remaining citizens of New York during the continuing battle. During this time, Cho is able to meet the Hulk's first sidekick, Rick Jones. They get into an argument over how to deal with the Hulk, and Cho refuses to follow Rick's commands. S.H.I.E.L.D requests that Cho sneak into the Hulk's gladiator arena located within Madison Square Garden, in order to help free the other heroes. He is met by the Scorpion, and together they find the captured heroes. They have been bound by "obedience disks" that makes them unable to use their powers. Cho refuses to believe that the Hulk would go this far, only to be confronted by the Green Goliath himself.

The Renegades await Cho's reconnaissance report as he confronts the Hulk. The Hulk uses his sword to attack Cho, but swings wide by several inches. Cho sees this as proof of his theory that the Hulk is not a killer. Cho tries to explain his plan of using much of Angel's fortune to create a safe haven for the Hulk, but he is blinded by anger. The Hulk, after realizing Cho will not be scared off by his attempts to miss him in combat, asks Cho why he wishes to help him. Cho responds that he and the Hulk are alike, as they both use their intellect to minimize collateral and unnecessary damage to the world. A fight with the Scorpion and the Renegades resulted in various boils on the Hulk's flesh, and he becomes slightly weakened. Cho confronts him again over the loss of his various lovers, and points out his anger being the cause of it all. This enrages the Hulk further, but he still misses Cho by several inches. This proves to Cho that Banner's influence on the Hulk (and not the Hulk himself) has prevented him from killing anyone in the past. Knowing this, but not understanding it fully, the Hulk leaves Cho as he heads to Madison Square Garden to deliver his sentence to the captured heroes.

Cho and the Renegades are then forced to confront the demon Zom, whose soul Doctor Strange absorbed in an attempt to defeat the Hulk. When Strange is defeated, Zom's essence leaves his body to seek a new host, taking over Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor. It then tries to pull New York into the Negative Zone, which was a part of Iron Man's backup plan ["Iron Man" vol. 4, #20 (Sept. 2007)] . With Wong's help, Amadeus stops Zom's attempt, and allowed the demon to possess him, giving Angel the chance to knock him out.

Amadeus then witnesses the Hulk's defeat, and with all the Renegades but Hercules gone, ponders his next move. He and Hercules surrender to S.H.I.E.L.D, who needs the help of his genius to help form a de-evacuation plan to the return of refugees to New York. Cho refuses, believing that they plan to use him as a weapon, and escapes with Hercules. Cho vows to use a stolen laptop to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D.

In a conversation between Hercules and Athena, Athena mentions that Amadeus is at a crossroads in life. She explains that his choices in the near future will drive him either to the side of good, or the side of evil, and that Hercules should help to guide him. At that time however, Ares attacks, shooting Hercules with "Hydra Blood bullets", which drive Hercules into a psychotic rage. Amadeus, whom Hercules now hallucinates as his nephew and former sidekick Iolaus, decides to take advantage of the situation, and direct Hercules to a S.H.I.E.L.D. base he has just discovered. He is ambushed by the Black Widow and she accidentally breaks his dog's back. After the confrontation, driven into a rage by the death of his best friend, Cho uses parts from the stone ship that the Hulk used to come back to Earth to live up to his earlier vow, uploading a virus that will give him complete control over S.H.I.E.L.D. His plans include dropping every Helicarrier out of the sky and releasing every inmate in the Negative Zone Prison, a terrorist act that could potentially kill thousands. Hercules, however, after admitting a deep secret of his past to Amadeus, convinces him to stop the virus, preventing any serious damage. The two are then able to use a teleporter to escape to Athena's estate in Vermont, where she warns the two of the "Secret Invasion".

ecret Invasion

Athena explains that Hercules must lead a group against the pantheon of Skrull gods, for if the invasion is successful, there will be no need for the human's gods anymore, and they will be destroyed, which prompts earth's gods to send a team to attack the Skrull pantheon. Amadeus coins the group's name ("God Squad"), and is told by Athena that he is prophesied to help Hercules at his weakest moment, at great cost to himself.

Once the quest is underway, Amadeus reveals that he has finally given a name to his pup, "Kerberos" ("Kirby" for short). When the group is assaulted by Nightmare while passing through the dream realm, and forced to experience their worst fears, it is the pup's howls that snaps them out of the spell. Kirby's eyes are later seen glowing green, which is usually an indicator that a character is a Skrull in disguise.

It is revealed that, following the aftermath of "World War Hulk", Skrulls posing as S.H.I.E.L.D agents knocked Amadeus out and replaced the pup. The Skrull shifts into Amadeus and attempts to send the ship off course. The Kirby-Skrull's head is bitten off by Demogorge.

Other Media

In the 2008 film "The Incredible Hulk", Martin Starr plays a student at Culver University, who allows Bruce Banner access to the campus' computers in exchange for pizza. According to the novelization by Peter David, this is Amadeus. "Whoever you are, you are my new personal hero. Amadeus Cho, at your service, and you couldn’t have come at a better time. Gotta feed the brain," he tells Banner.

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=character|id=9413|title=Master Mind Excello (Amadeus Cho)