Ultimo[a] is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #76 (April 1966).[1] Ultimo is a humanoid android, ranging in height from 25 to 60 feet, with immense destructive power. After crash-landing on Earth, Ultimo remains dormant for several years until the Mandarin discovers and reprograms him.[2] Initially serving as a powerful weapon for the Mandarin, Ultimo has the ability to absorb unlimited energy and adapt to any environment. His strength is so formidable that it took the combined efforts of the Avengers and other heroes to defeat him.[3]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2012)
Ultimo made his cameo appearance in Tales of Suspense #76 (April 1966), with his first full appearance in Tales of Suspense #77 (May 1966), created by writer Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan.[4] He subsequently appeared in several Marvel series, including Iron Man (1968),[5]Iron Man (1998),[6] and Avengers: The Initiative (2007).[7]
Fictional character biography
Origin
Ultimo is a gigantic ancient android of unknown origin who is believed to have been created by an alien race as a doomsday device.[8][9] Ultimo himself once confirmed that his "masters" had not contacted him in "thousands of years", suggesting that he was unaware of his culpability for their demise.
In the 1840s, Ultimo is traveling through space when he attacks the planet Rajak after perceiving it as a threat, ultimately killing all its people. The only survivors, a group of Rajakian merchants who were off planet at the time, lure Ultimo into an asteroid belt, disable him, and allow him to crash-land on Earth.[10][11][8]
First appearance
The Mandarin later discovers Ultimo in a dormant volcano in China and reprograms him as a servant.[8][9] Ultimo vanquishes a force of Chinese soldiers sent to dispatch the Mandarin and nearly destroys Iron Man, but is drawn back into the volcano. The volcano has been destabilized by his activity and erupts, swallowing the robot whole in a conflagration of red-hot lava.[12] This proved not to be enough to destroy him, however.
Ultimo is then sent by the Mandarin to assist the Living Laser who was attacking Africa, and battled Thor and Hawkeye after emerging from a volcano. He was able to separate Thor from Mjolnir, but Hawkeye distracted him long enough for Blake to transform back to Thor, after which Ultimo was knocked into the volcano, which Thor closed.[13] Ultimo was then sent by the Mandarin to attack the Yellow Claw and Loc Do, and battled Iron Man and Sunfire.[14] Ultimo was next sent by the Mandarin to attack Washington, D.C. Ultimo fights both Iron Man and the rest of the Avengers, even on the Capitol Mall, before finally being dumped in yet another volcano.[15] He is not heard from for years after that, until he's revealed to be the cause for a series of earth tremors in California. Over the years, he has drifted across the entire length of the continental plate, absorbing geothermal energy to power himself. The then-current version of Iron Man (the remote-controlled NTU-150) proves no match for Ultimo, and is torn to pieces — and the cybernetic backlash to the nervous system renders Tony Stark comatose.[16]
Ultimo versus Iron Legion
Ultimo battled the "Iron Legion" which was led by War Machine (Jim Rhodes) and furthermore comprised Happy Hogan, Eddie March (in Iron Man's gray, original suit), Bethany Cabe, Mike O'Brien (in Iron Man's Silver Centurion suit) and Carl Walker (in Iron Man's "classic" armor); Tony was down and Rhodes had Abe Zimmer take Iron Man's old armors out of storage to be nominally functional again. Since Iron Man's armors would not function anywhere near capacity (having been stored for sentimental reasons only with the idea of never being used again), Rhodes decided on a change of plan against Ultimo. While Happy gets Carl and Eddie to the hospital, and Bethany and Mike head to the town of Futura to start evacuations, Bethany convinced Rhodes to allow them to buy time against Ultimo together. At this point, Tony came out of a coma and donned the new Modular Iron Man suit. He headed out to aid in the fight against Ultimo with a Full-Spectrum Scanalyzer and Railgun Launcher. Iron Man successfully took out Ultimo single-handedly, by causing lightning to strike the robot's "central nervous system". Iron Man's scans indicated that Ultimo is several thousand years old, and has the robot hauled off for study.[17]
Ultimate Devastation
Years later, Ultimo is taken into the custody of Stark-Fujikawa which had bought the Stark company when Tony Stark was believed dead (after the events of "the Crossing"). Having performed extensive research on Ultimo, Stark-Fujikawa's engineers manage to access its control programs, and company intend to use the enormous energy reserves stored inside Ultimo to provide cheap electricity to the entire Western United States.[18]
The ship built on top of the dormant doomsday device is attacked by Goldenblade and Sapper — ironically, representatives of the doomed Rajaki race, seeking to steal energy to resurrect those Rajaki that still survive as data patterns aboard the crashed vessel - who accidentally wake up Ultimo, and the robot immediately sets out to destroy the ship. The city of Spokane is on his route, and will be destroyed unless he is stopped. Goldenblade, Sapper, the superheroine Warbird, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the US army all work together with Iron Man to slow the giant down, while Iron Man attempts to use what data Stark-Fujikawa's engineers managed to obtain to break into Ultimo's core programming once more. Moments before the city is reached, Tony convinces the robot of being one of his "Masters" and orders him to shut down.[volume&issueneeded] Ultimo is dismantled and his systems "fried" by the transfer of his energy stores to the Rajaki vessel.[19]
Initiative
Ultimo reappeared, apparently fully restored, facing the Mighty Avengers. He is deactivated by a single shot of the Tactigon, a weapon of unknowable power utilized by Armory.[20]
Ultimo virus
Ultimo is converted into an "Ultimo virus" capable of bestowing enhanced strength, speed, regeneration and optic blast abilities to its victims, which included Dr. Glenda Sandoval (Rhodey's former love interest) and Ares.[21][9][22] It is revealed that the virus was engineered from Ultimo himself by the Human Engineering Life Laboratories, which was acting on the commission of the Stark Solutions corporation, which had been contracted by H.A.M.M.E.R. to study Ultimo's potential as a weapon. Having destroyed Ultimo's body, War Machine sets out to destroy Ultimo's brain, which had been split up into three discrete units stored at separate locations. Two of the units are destroyed by War Machine's allies, but the third is ingested in the form of a crystalline liquid by Stark Solutions' CEO Morgan Stark. Morgan is transformed into a giant, humanoid Ultimo and gains the original Ultimo's programming to destroy all life, fighting War Machine. However, Ultimo's third component is destroyed when War Machine uses Ultimo's own weapons technology against the robot. Morgan self-destructs, scattering Ultimo's liquid body all over the landscape and merging with the plant life.[23] Ultimo/Morgan plans to convert all vegetation on Earth into metal which would suffocate all life within two weeks. War Machine renders Ultimo docile by forcing Norman Osborn into showing memories of respective happiest moments. However, Osborn takes advantage of this to take Ultimo for himself, turning Ultimo into a floating liquid metal ball with a blank mind. Before Osborn can take possession of the robot, War Machine requests that Cybermancer "raise" Ultimo, instilling other values into it besides genocide.[24]
Iron Man 2020
During the "Iron Man 2020" storyline, Ultimo attacks the island of Lingares. His attack brings him into conflict with Force Works and a group of Deathloks.[25][26][27] It was revealed that MODOK Superior was responsible for Ultimo's rampage and the creation of the Deathloks of Lingares, and manipulated Force Works into taking out Ultimo's head so that he can take control of its body and become Ulti-MODOK.[28][29] War Machine later modifies Ultimo and pilots it during the fight against the Extinction Entity.[30]
Powers and abilities
Ultimo is programmed for destruction, targeting specific beings such as Iron Man and the Rajaki, but ultimately destroying all life in his path. He has minimal capacity for independent thought and no emotions beyond hatred. While he can be reprogrammed to serve various purposes by those who can access his circuitry, his core function remains the same. Ultimo possesses vast strength (Class 100) and durability, allowing him to withstand almost any form of injury, excluding a direct nuclear explosion. His stamina is virtually limitless, and his speed, agility, and reflexes are enhanced to superhuman levels. He can also fire beams of concussive force and disintegrating energy from his eyes. His eye beams were even powerful enough to prevent Thor's hammer from returning to him.[3]
Ultimo makes a cameo appearance in the Fantastic Four episode "The Silver Surfer and the Return of Galactus".[citation needed]
Ultimo appears in Iron Man: Armored Adventures.[32] This version was created by the original Mandarin to guard one of his Makluan rings and test potential successors' courage, and can grow in size when attacked.
Ultimo appears in the Iron Man 2 film tie-in game, voiced by Andrew Chaikin.[32][35] This version is a large battle suit created by A.I.M. operative Kearson DeWitt, who created it by stealing and modifying an old version of J.A.R.V.I.S. and combining it with his PROTEAN project.
↑Caballero, David (July 28, 2021). "10 Things Only Comic Book Fans Know About Shang Chi's Mandarin". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 7, 2026. Ultimo is a 30-foot-tall humanoid android that possesses immense destructive power. Created by aliens, Ultimo crash lands on Earth and spends several years dormant until the Mandarin finds and reprograms him as a servant.
12Grant, Timothy (December 10, 2022). "10 Avengers Villains Who Deserve A Comeback". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 7, 2026. During a battle with the villainous Mandarin, he revealed he planned to unleash a powerful weapon to destroy China. Ultimo was that weapon, a gigantic android with unlimited capabilities, from absorbing unlimited energy to adapting to any environment. The robot was so powerful that it took the combined might of the Avengers and other various heroes to defeat it, but they couldn't completely destroy it.
↑Dietsch, T. J. (August 13, 2020). "10 More Incredible Iron Man Armors". Marvel.com. Retrieved January 7, 2026. To celebrate IRON MAN #300, Stark donned a new armor to defeat Ultimo. In 1994, the modular nature of the suit, which allowed for quick add-ons for offense and defense, was cutting edge.
123Stone, Sam (July 14, 2021). "Iron Man Learns the Alien Origin of a Classic Marvel Villain". CBR. Retrieved January 5, 2026. Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan in 1966's Tales of Suspense #76, Ultimo was revealed as a sentient android constructed thousands of years ago to serve as a deterrent from a cosmic war from escalating. Instead, Ultimo was activated and let loose into outer space before cruising the Marvel Universe for millennia, destroying any civilizations that had the misfortune of crossing his path. In the 19th century, Ultimo crashed in a remote area of China and was uncovered by the Mandarin approximately a century later. Reprogrammed to assist the Mandarin, Ultimo eventually regained his sentience and has menaced Earth multiple times since, often pitted against Iron Man.
123Allan, Scoot (April 23, 2022). "The 10 Best Marvel Robots". CBR. Retrieved January 5, 2026. The towering robotic giant known as Ultimo was created by an ancient alien race. They used a powerful new energy source that caused the Ultimos to turn on their creators. The lone Ultimo robot that appeared to survive traveled across the stars and tormented different civilizations while also destroying entire planets. Ultimo eventually arrived on Earth to become one of Marvel's most powerful giants. Unfortunately, it was manipulated by villains like Mandarin into fighting heroes like Iron Man. The giant robot was given an even deadlier overhaul when it was remade as the Ultimo Virus. Ultimo can now transfer its techno-organic consciousness to inhabit other robotics and even living organisms.
↑Wood, Robert (April 6, 2025). "10 Strongest Iron Man Villains, Ranked by Physical Strength". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 5, 2026. A mysterious robotic being, Ultimo is one of many giant androids created on a distant alien planet. After being knocked off course by a meteor, Ultimo was discovered by the Mandarin, who sicced the colossal villain on his old nemesis Tony Stark. Ultimo possesses strength of approximately Class 100, able to lift in excess of 100 tons. Its robotic body is effectively invulnerable to harm and can absorb and repurpose energy used against it, as well as repairing any damage near-instantly. Ultimo can also merge with other sources of metal to grow bigger and bigger, and can 'infect' biological life to act under its control, while also granting its host mechanical enhancements. Ultimo possesses adaptive AI that identifies past vulnerabilities and adjusts its base design to remove any weaknesses.
↑Richards, Dave (April 17, 2009). "THE OSBORN SUPREMACY: War Machine". CBR. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2026. A cybernetic "Ultimo" virus was unleashed, turning the infected into blood-hungry murder machines equipped with superhuman strength and optic energy blasts. The infected are headed for the downtown area of the city of Mazikan in the Middle Eastern country of Aqiria. To make matters worse, leading the charge of the infected is Ares, the God of War, who had been sent by his master Norman Osborn to stop War Machine's activities in Aqiria.
↑Donohoo, Timothy Blake (October 5, 2024). "Marvel's Deathlok, Explained". CBR. Retrieved January 5, 2026. The other most recent take on the concept was Deathlok shock troops seen in the "Iron Man 2020" event, created by a version of M.O.D.O.K. to defeat Ultimo.
↑Allan, Scoot (August 26, 2024). "Every West Coast Avengers Roster, Explained". CBR. Retrieved January 5, 2026. The new Force Works was further embroiled in the robotic war during a mission to the South American country of Lingares. They uncovered an army of Deathloks and a hidden Ultimo robot that another robotic villain would later take over to become UltiM.O.D.O.K.
↑Farley, Lloyd (July 28, 2022). "MODOK Explained: Who Is the New Villain Coming to 'Ant-Man 3'?". Collider. Retrieved January 5, 2026. Finally, during the events of "Iron Man 2020," MODOK Superior took control of Ultimo's head and for his "final" form became Ulti-MODOK.
↑Motes, Jax (February 8, 2020). "Super Saturday: 'The Marvel Super Heroes' (1966) - The FIRST Marvel Cartoon Ever!". ScienceFiction.com. Retrieved January 7, 2026. Among his foes on this series were The Mandarin, Ultimo, Crimson Dynamo, Hawkeye (who also appeared as a hero in the "Captain America" segments), The Black Widow, The Moleman, and the Black Knight.
123456"Ultimo Voices (Iron Man)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 18, 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 credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑"Building The Perfect Weapon". Avengers Assemble. Season 3. Episode 21. November 13, 2016. Disney XD.
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.
