Gladiator

## Summary

Kallark, codenamed **Gladiator** is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by *Marvel Comics*. Mallard was once the Praetor of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, the most faithful servant of the Shi'ar throne. After the Shi'ar-Kree War, with the apparent death of Lilandra and Vulcan, Kallark is elevated to the position of Majestor by consensus of a desperate Shi'ar populace.

Gladiator and the Imperial Guard were created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum as an homage to DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes, with all the Imperial Guard's original members created as analogs of Legionnaires. Gladiator was the analog to Superboy; the name "Gladiator" was a conscious homage to the Philip Wylie novel Gladiator on which Superman was partially based. Gladiator's name, Kallark, is a combination of Superman's Kryptonian and human names: Kal-El and Clark Kent.

The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #107 (Oct. 1977). Since then, he has been periodically featured in X-titles, Fantastic Four, Rom the Spaceknight, Silver Surfer, Nova, and New Warriors. His origin was revealed in War of Kings: Warriors #1 (2009).

He has played important roles in some of Marvel's major storylines, such as Operation: Galactic Storm (1992), Maximum Security (2001), and War of Kings (2009). During the Heroes Reborn era (1997), he starred in the three-issue Imperial Guard miniseries.

Following the conclusion of The Thanos Imperative, Gladiator has appeared as a member of the titular team in Annihilators #1-4 (Mar-Jun 2011) and Annihilators: Earthfall #1-4 (Sept-Dec 2011).

## Powers and Stats

**Tier:** **4-B**

**Name:** Gladiator, Kallark

**Origin:** Marvel Comics, X-Men #107

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** Unknown (said to be centuries old)

**Classification:** Strontian, former Praetor of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, currently Majestor of the Shi'ar Empire

**Powers and Abilities:** Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Longevity, Flight, Heat Vison (His heat vision has several times been descriped as being as hot as a star), Super Breath (Able to blow out the Human Torch'sflames or freeze opponents), Thunderclaps, Enhanced Senses, Resistance to Telepathy and Heat, Can survive in space

**Attack Potency:** **Solar System level+** (Snapped Hyperion's neck, Capable of contending with Thor. Contained an explosion that would have wiped out half the solar system, Defeated Black Bolt and Captain Marvel in her Binary form, Able to compete with Phoenix Force Cyclops)

**Speed:** **Massively FTL+** combat speed (Fought Hyperion in nanoseconds, Scaling from Thor and his own feat). **Massively FTL+** flight speed (Able to fly many light years in seconds, followed a Skrull ship through hyperspace)

**Lifting Strength: Unlimited**

**Striking Strength:** **Solar System Class+**

**Durability:** **Solar System level+**(Able to fly through a Red Giant, Took a psychic blast from Jean Grey, Capable of taking attacks from beings like Thor, Nova, Black Bolt, Tyrant and Vulcan without much damage)

**Stamina:** Nigh-Tireless, Gladiator can operate at superhuman speed for months on end without tiring.

**Range:** Melee, Several thousand kilometers with heat vision, light-years with enhanced senses

**Standard Equipment:** The Shi'ar Device

**Intelligence:** He has at least several decades of training and experience fighting interstellar opponents and threats, such as the Kree and Skrull Empire's champions, heroes from Earth, Thanos, etc, and is tactically competent. A very skilled leader.

**Weaknesses:** Gladiator is vulnerable to certain wavelengths of radiation, and can also be hampered by a lack of mental confidence which affects the levels or peaks of his power to an absurd amount.

**Notable Attacks/Techniques:**

* **Heat Beams:** Gladiator is capable of firing highly concentrated beams of energy from his eyes. These beams are capable of reaching extremely high temperatures, and were able to blast a hole in The Hulk's skin.

* **Psi Resistance:** Gladiator is capable of causing a counter-force against telepathic assaults and probes. Telepaths of sufficient power are capable of penetrating his psionic defenses though.