Talos the Untamed

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Talos
Talos (Earth-616) from Incredible Hulk Vol 1 419 001.jpg
Talos as seen in the interior panel of Incredible Hulk #419
Art by Roger Cruz
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #418 (June 1994)
Created by Peter David (writer)
Gary Frank (artist)
In-story information
Species Skrull
Place of originTarnax IV
Team affiliations United Front
Notable aliasesTalos the Untamed
Talos the Tamed
Jonathan Richards
AbilitiesSuper-strength
Enhanced durability

Talos the Untamed is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Peter David and artist Gary Frank, the character debuted in The Incredible Hulk #418 (June 1994). The character is a well known member of the Skrulls due to not being able to shapeshift. He was a member of the United Front.

Contents

Ben Mendelsohn portrayed a reimagined version of Talos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain Marvel (2019) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and in the Disney+ miniseries Secret Invasion (2023).

Publication history

The character was created by Peter David and Gary Frank and first appeared in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #418 (June 1994). He was introduced as a guest at Rick Jones's wedding, where he and other villains were invited by Impossible Man as a prank. In the following issue it is revealed he can't shapeshift and that he was captured by the Kree in the Kree–Skrull War. [1] [2] [3]

He returned during the Annihilation event, mainly in the four issue tie-in Annihilation: Ronan (2006). He joined the United Front, alongside characters like Star-Lord, Nova and Gamora. [4] [1]

He made his last appearances in the 2015 ongoing of Howard the Duck , where he infiltrated Earth with an actual, physical human disguise using an alter ego he called "Jonathan Richards". [2]

Fictional character biography

Talos, considered a Mutant by his people, is a Skrull that was born without the ability to shapeshift. He made up for it by becoming one of the most feared Skrulls on his planet earning the title "Talos the Untamed" due to his savage and sinister nature. After getting captured by the Kree, he refused to commit suicide in the hopes of gaining glory for his survival. Instead, he was ridiculed and renamed the more humiliating "Talos the Tamed." [5]

Talos soon found himself at the wedding of Rick Jones and Marlo Chandler, courtesy of the Impossible Man. [6] He found himself confronted by the Hulk and tried to get him to fight him in an attempt to reclaim glory from his people. When the Hulk found out what he was up to, he ceased fighting him. Talos left in frustration, but the Skrulls found his attempt to battle him impressive. [7]

Talos was called to the planet Godthab Omega by Glorian where he ended up battling Devos the Devastator. [8] They were both captured and imprisoned when the planet suddenly came under attack by the Annihilation Wave allowing the two to escape. [9] Talos soon ran into Ronan the Accuser, whom he hated for being a Kree, but was forced to heed his warning about leaving the planet. [10]

Talos was once again humiliated, this time by his own people, when Queen Veranke refused to allow him to be a part of the "Secret Invasion" due to him not having the ability to shapeshift. Though Chancellor Kal'Dul didn't lose the hope of Talos's possible participation. [11]

Talos became a member of the United Front to fight the Annihilation Wave. [12]

Talos next showed up at Howard the Duck's private investigations in make up and a beard as Jonathan Richards. He tasks Howard with finding a necklace that was stolen by the Black Cat. [13] When Howard finally retrieves it, Talos abandons his disguise to reveal that the necklace contains the Abundant Gems, less powerful versions of the Infinity Gems that can still make one "marginally" powerful, which he plans to use to gain favor with the Skrulls again. He was defeated by Howard and his friend Tara Tam, and apprehended by the Fantastic Four. [14]

In the aftermath of the "Empyre" storyline, Emperor Hulkling dispatched Talos to investigate the Kree and Skrull bases that went dark with Av-Rom, Keeyah, M'lanz, Virtue, and Tarna. Two days later, a Kree/Skrull Alliance armada headed by General Kalamari finds Talos's escape pod. After recuperating in the sick bay, Talos recaps to Kalamari about what happened on his mission that involved an encounter with Knull. Talos then informs Kalamari that his distress beacon on his escape pod is a warning that Knull is coming. Outside the ship, Knull is riding a Symbiote Dragon as he swoops in for an attack. [15]

Powers and abilities

Unlike his Skrull brethren, Talos is incapable of shapeshifting and has been branded as having a genetic defect by his people. [1] [11] To make up for this, he has been granted superhuman strength and durability and can hold his own against the likes of the Hulk. He possesses a cybernetic eye after losing his biological eye in combat. [16]

In other media

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Talos appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn. This version is able to shapeshift, has a wife named Soren (portrayed by Sharon Blynn) and a daughter named G'iah (portrayed by Auden L. Ophuls and Harriet L. Ophuls as a child, and by Emilia Clarke as an adult), and is the leader of a faction of Skrull refugees attempting to escape a genocidal war waged by the Kree.

Video games

Talos appears as a playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest as part of the Captain Marvel film tie-in update. [25]

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