The Purple Man (Zebediah Killgrave) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Joe Orlando, he first appeared in Daredevil #4 (October 1964). His body produces pheromones which allow him to verbally control the actions of others, and occasionally break the fourth wall for sinister effect. His stories typically involve him brainwashing other characters. Initially a recurring enemy of Daredevil, he later became the archenemy of Jessica Jones.
A modified version of the character named Kevin Thompson/Kilgrave was portrayed by David Tennant in the Netflixtelevision seriesJessica Jones set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), for which Tennant received critical praise,[2][3] and for which the character was included in Rolling Stone's list of the "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time"[4] while IGN ranked him #79 of the "Top 100 Villains".
Zebediah Killgrave is born in Rijeka, Croatia. A physician turned international spy, he is sent to infiltrate a chemical refinery and is accidentally doused with a chemical that turns his hair and skin purple. Despite being caught and questioned, he is released after offering a weak alibi. Several more incidents like this demonstrate that the nerve gas gave Killgrave the ability to command the wills of other people. Calling himself the Purple Man, Killgrave embarks on a criminal career,[6] where he is largely a Daredevil villain, fighting him early in his career[7] and being imprisoned in a cell designed to dampen his powers, until he escapes and moves to San Francisco, building a small criminal enterprise over two years, only for Daredevil to topple it when he and Black Widow move to the city.[8]
Early in his criminal career, he uses his mind-control powers to force a woman to become his wife. Before recovering and leaving him, she becomes pregnant with his daughter, Kara Killgrave.[9] Kara inherits his discoloration and powers and becomes the Alpha Flight-affiliated superhero called the Purple Girl,[10] and later Persuasion in Alpha Flight issue #41.
The character largely disappears from comic books during the 1980s although he does face Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Daredevil, Power Man, and Iron Fist in Marvel Team-Up Annual #4. He also appears in the graphic novelEmperor Doom in which Doctor Doom uses him to power the "psycho-prism", a machine that allows Doom to control the minds of everyone on Earth. During the process, Purple Man finds out that he cannot control Doctor Doom's mind even at close range, as Doom's mental fortitude is too great.
He reappears in the pages of X-Men, as the mastermind behind Nate Grey's rise to celebrity status as a miracle worker in New York.[volume&issueneeded] He has been subtly manipulating both the population of Manhattan and Nate himself into accepting and embracing the young exile from the Age of Apocalypse storyline as a modern messianic figure, who would then become so psychologically empowered by hero worship that he could change reality, using the full potential of his mutant power. The plan fails when Nate learns the truth and loses his confidence, thus reducing his power.[volume&issueneeded] Killgrave goes once more into hiding.[volume&issueneeded]
As detailed in the series Alias,[11] during Jessica Jones's time as the superhero Jewel, Killgrave uses his mind-control powers to subdue her, forcing her to live with him while psychologically torturing her for several months. He ultimately sends her off to kill Daredevil. The incident with Purple Man leaves her so traumatized that she leaves her life as a superhero behind and becomes a private investigator.[12] Later, the Purple Man escapes again and tries controlling Jessica to kill the Avengers, but she manages to resist and knocks him out. Daredevil later has the Purple Man imprisoned in the Raft, a jail designed for super-powered criminals.[13]
He escapes briefly when Electro creates a riot at the Raft during the first issues of New Avengers. Purple Man attempts to use the opportunity to mind control Luke Cage into killing the then soon-to-be-Avengers and threatens Jones, who is pregnant with Cage's child. Unknown to the Purple Man, drugs had been put into his food to negate his powers during his imprisonment, so he is unable to control Cage, who beats him to a pulp in response to his demands.[14]
Later, the Purple Man returns shortly before (and during) the House of M storyline and manipulates the Thunderbolts, while being manipulated himself by Baron Zemo, who uses the moonstones he recently acquired to free Killgrave from prison, leaving an illusion in his place so that the authorities would not be aware of his escape. With his pheromones distributed through New York's water system and Zemo's moonstones used to project his voice wherever necessary, the Purple Man enslaves the entire city. Under Zemo's direction, he uses the city's superhumans as his personal army to attack the Thunderbolts, whom he worked to turn against each other. Eventually, he is defeated by the Thunderbolts member Genis-Vell, after which Zemo teleports the Purple Man back and tortures him for his failure before sending him back to prison once more.[15]
During the Scared Straight crossover between Thunderbolts and Avengers Academy, Purple Man is revealed to be incarcerated in the Raft Maximum Security Penitentiary, as Tigra warns her Academy students not to look at his face or read his lips.[16] During a subsequent power outage caused by Academy member Hazmat, Killgrave, at the head of a small gang of mind-controlled inmates, again crosses paths with Luke Cage, now supervisor of a Thunderbolts team composed of Raft prisoners. Cage makes short work of Killgrave and his "recruits", revealing that the nanites that maintain control over his Thunderbolts also shield him from Purple Man's influence.[17]
During the Fear Itself storyline, Purple Man and a majority of inmates are freed after the Raft is severely damaged by the transformation of the Juggernaut into Kuurth: Breaker of Stone and the subsequent damage caused by Kuurth's escape.[18] Before escaping the Raft, Purple Man attempts to kill a comatose Puppet Master in the prison infirmary, and makes statements indicating that he was behind the Puppet Master's manipulation of Misty Knight's Heroes for Hire organization, using them to establish a criminal organization by proxy while incarcerated. He is prevented from killing the Puppet Master by Heroes for Hire operatives Elektra and the Shroud, who Killgrave attacks with a mob of mind-controlled inmates driven into a frenzy. When the heroes hold their own against the assault, Purple Man changes tactics and turns them against each other.[19] He subsequently escapes the Raft via the Hudson River.[18]
Purple Man later begins to form a new criminal empire with the help of Avalanche, Headhunter, Shocker, a new Death-Stalker, and a new Scourge.[20]
During Daredevil's time in San Francisco after the exposure of his secret identity, he encounters Purple Man's children, who inherited their father's powers. After Matt saves the children from their father, they use a machine their father created to enhance his powers to boost their own and erase the world's knowledge of Matt's identity as Daredevil.[21]
Eventually, after tracking down Jessica Jones and taking control of Carol Danvers, Purple Man kills himself by force of will and Captain Marvel throws his body into the sun.[22] They later discover that Danvers was being mind controlled and threw no one into the sun; his son Benjamin, who has similar powers, rescued and revived his body.[23]
While Killgrave is killed by Fisk in his crusades on banning superheroes in attempt to expand his criminal empires during Devil's Reign, the Purple Children are on the run from Fisk to ensure he never forcefully use their mind powers, and eventually being saved by a passing by May Parker.[24]
Powers and abilities
The Purple Man's body produces chemical pheromones which, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, allow Killgrave to control others' actions as long as he is physically present. These abilities can overwhelm most, but sufficiently strong-willed people, such as Doctor Doom and Kingpin, have been able to resist its influence, and Daredevil has been able to resist Killgrave as the powers rely on full sensory manipulation, Daredevil's blindness hindering the amount of input he receives and making it easier for him to resist what he picks up. Moon Knight defeated the Purple Man by wearing earplugs that prevented him from hearing the villain's commands; he, Daredevil, and other heroes gagged the Purple Man before giving him to the police to prevent him from commanding others.
Other versions
In the alternate future of the 2003 series Marvel 1602, Killgrave becomes president for Life of the United States. The story is touched off by him accidentally sending Captain America into the past when he intended for the hero to be killed, so that no one would be inspired to overthrow him.[25]
In the 2005 House of M storyline, Zebediah Killgrave (nicknamed "Zeb") is a powerless human who works as a lobbyist for the mutant-controlled government, but is secretly an agent of the human resistance.[26]
Purple Man appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Brent Spiner.[29] In the episode "Breakout", he is initially imprisoned in the Raft before he escapes alongside the other inmates. In the episode "Emperor Stark", Purple Man brainwashes most of the Avengers in an attempt to take over the world until the Vision frees them.
A modified Purple Man named Kilgrave appears in Jessica Jones, portrayed by David Tennant as an adult[30] and James Freedson-Jackson as a child. This version, also known as Kevin Thompson, gains his powers after experimentation by his scientist parents, Louise and Albert Thompson.[31] Before and during the first season, Kilgrave manipulates Jessica Jones into killing Reva Connors and becomes obsessed with the former. Jones spends months believing that Kilgrave was run over by a bus, but later learns he survived, having used his abilities to force another man to give him both of his kidneys. As part of his obsession with Jones, Kilgrave tries to prove his love to her by creating chaos for her to solve.[32] Jones eventually overcomes Kilgrave's abilities and kills him before Jeri Hogarth has her exonerated for the murder by convincing the jury that a guilt-ridden Kilgrave controlled her into doing it.[33] Following this, Kilgrave returns as hallucinations in the second and third seasons.[34][35][36]
Count Luchino Nefaria is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, the character first appeared in The Avengers #13. Count Nefaria is a socialite and crime boss who operates an international crime syndicate known as the Maggia.
The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6, with the lineup continually changing over the years.
The Thunderbolts are an antihero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team consists mostly of reformed supervillains. Created by Kurt Busiek, the team first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449.
The Fixer is the name of two characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Roscoe Sweeney and Paul Norbert Ebersol.
The Cobra is the name of a number of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in Alias #1 as part of Marvel's Max, an imprint for more mature content, and was later retroactively established to have first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 in the Silver Age of Comic Books as an originally unnamed classmate of Peter Parker, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. Within the context of Marvel's shared universe, Jones is a former superhero who becomes the owner of Alias Private Investigations. Bendis envisioned the series as centered on Jessica Drew and only decided to create Jones once he realized that the main character he was writing had a distinct-enough voice and background to differentiate her from Drew, though deciding to still name the character after her on the basis of how "two [people] can have the same first name".
Songbird, formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally a supervillain, she possesses supersonic sound abilities that can cause a variety of effects.
The Wrecking Crew is a team of four supervillains—the Wrecker, Bulldozer, Piledriver and Thunderball—appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. While not featured on the cover, the Wrecking Crew's first appearance is in The Defenders #17.
The Ringmaster is the name of two characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first incarnation of Ringmaster, Fritz Tiboldt, first appeared in Captain America Comics #5. The second incarnation, Maynard Tiboldt, debuted in Incredible Hulk #3.
Persuasion is a fictional Mutant Superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Crossbones is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Mark Gruenwald and Kieron Dwyer, the character first made a cameo appearance in Captain America #359, before he was fully introduced later that month in issue #360 and his name was revealed in issue #362.
Nuke is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli, the character first appeared in Daredevil #232. Nuke's most distinguishing feature is an American Flag tattooed on his face.
Helmut Zemo is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Roy Thomas, Tony Isabella and Sal Buscema, the character first appeared in Captain America #168. Helmut Zemo is the son of Baron Heinrich Zemo and the thirteenth Baron Zemo in his family lineage. He is a recurring adversary of the Avengers, especially the superhero Steve Rogers / Captain America. The character has also been known as Citizen V at various points in his history.
Mind-Wave is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Vermin is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of Captain America and Spider-Man. A geneticist working for Baron Zemo and Arnim Zola, Edward Whelan was subjected to an experiment that mutated him into a humanoid rat, gaining superhuman abilities, as well as the predatory instincts of a rat. The character's most notable appearance was in the storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt".
The first season of the American streaming television series Jessica Jones, which is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, follows Jessica Jones, a former superhero who opens her own detective agency after her superhero career comes to an end at the hands of Kilgrave. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and other television series of the franchise. The season was produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios and Tall Girls Productions, with Melissa Rosenberg serving as showrunner.
The second season of the American streaming television series Jessica Jones, which is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, follows Jones as she takes on a new case after the events surrounding her encounter with Kilgrave. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and other television series of the franchise. The season was produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios and Tall Girls Productions, with Melissa Rosenberg serving as showrunner.
"Devil's Reign" is an American comic book event written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Marco Checchetto, published from December 2021 to May 2022 by Marvel Comics.
↑ "Purple Man / Zebediah Killgrave Voice - The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 27, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
↑ Dahl, John (director); Jamie King & Dana Baratta (writer) (November 20, 2015). "AKA Sin Bin". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 1. Episode 9. Netflix.
↑ Petrarca, David (director); Liz Friedman and Scott Reynolds (writer) (November 20, 2015). "AKA It's Called Whiskey". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 1. Episode 3. Netflix.
↑ Rymer, Michael (director); Scott Reynolds & Melissa Rosenberg (story); Jamie King & Scott Reynolds (writer) (November 20, 2015). "AKA Smile". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 1. Episode 13. Netflix.
↑ Lynch, Jennifer (director); Jack Kenny & Lisa Randolph (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA Three Lives and Counting". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 25. Netflix.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
