SCARLET CENTURION

Real Name: Marcus Kang

Identity/Class: Human (Extra-Temporal) technology-user

Occupation: Warrior

Affiliations: Ally of Kang, second-in-command to his armies;
    He was number 23 in a line of Marcuses

Enemies: Avengers (although, he really, really digs Warbird)
and the other international forces of modern day Earth

Known Relatives: Kang (father), unnamed mother

Aliases: Marcus XXIII

Place of Birth: Unrevealed planet in the future

Base of Operations: Damocles Base, an orbiting space station base of Kang

First Appearance: (in shadows only) Avengers III#38 (March, 2001), (fully revealed) Avengers#40 (May, 2001)

Powers/Abilities: To date, the Scarlet Centurion hasn't shown any powers outside of blasting energy through his staff, which he refers to as a Halberd.  This may or may not be a superpower; the power may just come from the staff itself.  

The Scarlet Centurion has been trained as a warrior ever since his infancy, and, as such, he may have some measure of fighting prowess in armed and unarmed combat, the use of conventional and non-conventional weaponry, and perhaps military strategy as well.

In addition, he has access to the virtually limitless armies and advanced weaponry of the 40th Century.

Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 205 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History: (Avengers III#45 [fb]) - Born outside the timestream, the child that would become the Scarlet Centurion was the son of Kang, who had handpicked a perfect mate to create an exceptional warrior.  Kang's child was sent back in time and trained from birth to be such a warrior.  As an adult, Kang's son, now known as the Scarlet Centurion, was reunited with his father to fight by his side.

 (Avengers III#40) - Scarlet Centurion was seen with Kang as the latter secretly revealed that he had plans for the Avengers...

(Avengers III#41) - Scarlet Centurion arrived at the United Nations Plaza to make way for Kang and battled the Avengers.  He was beginning to lose the battle when Kang arrived and destroyed a building to show what would happen if anyone defied him.

(Avengers III#42) - Scarlet Centurion was at Kang's side when Kang revealed his plan to take over the world to prevent the wrongs that are to happen in the future.  Warbird recognized the Centurion's voice as Marcus when he asked for there to peace between them.  As Kang finished his speech, Prince Edward Island was invaded by the Atlanteans and China was invaded by Deviants.  Also, the Presence arrived with a legion of radioactive beings under his control.

(Avengers III#43-44) - Scarlet Centurion spoke to Kang about his father's plan for global domination.

(Avengers III#45) - Kang revealed the Scarlet Centurion's origin to his son.  Afterward, the Master of the World surrounded major cities of the world with pillars of "protection."

(Avengers III#46) - Scarlet Centurion viewed images of the war his father caused and secretly viewed images of Warbird until Kang arrived.  Again, they spoke about the war.

(Avengers III#47) - As Warbird was unconscious in the snow, she dreamt of the birth of Marcus Immortus outside of time.  A Plodex wolf attacked her, and she awoke to battle it, only to be saved by the Scarlet Centurion.  She battled him until he demanded there be peace between them and revealed himself to be Marcus Kang--the son of Kang, not Immortus.  He was revealed to be a different person than Marcus Immortus, whom Warbird was the mother of.  More Plodex aliens attacked and the Centurion received serious injuries while defending the both of them.  The duo defeated the Plodex drones and Marcus left, saying that if she should need him just to call.

(Avengers III#48) - Once more, Scarlet Centurion viewed pictures of Warbird, as Kang arrived; they then prepared to defend Damocles Base from the Avengers.  While Kang and the Centurion readied to defend themselves from both the Avengers and a contingent of the robotic Sentinels, Warbird killed the Master of the World by impaling him with a metallic piece of his ship.  When the Sentinels arrived at Damocles Base, Kang destroyed the Avengers Quinjet and returned the Sentinels toward Earth, leaving the Avengers stranded in space.

(Avengers III#49) - Kang set the Sentinels loose on the major cities of the world, their only defenses being the pillars set up by the Master of the World.  The Avengers battled the Sentinels until a bomb detonated in the heart of Washington, D.C., leaving only Thor and the President of the United States, whom Thor had rescued, the only people to survive the blast.  Scarlet Centurion stood proudly next to Kang as Wasp prepared to sign an Article of Surrender.

(Avengers III#52, 53) - The Avengers assaulted Damocles Base and defeated Kang's forces.  Kang sent Marcus forward in time to save him while he prepared for a final battle with the Avengers.  Kang was subsequently imprisoned.

(Avengers III#54) - The Scarlet Centurion returned to Earth and freed Kang from prison.  As the Centurion began making plans for their next attack on the Avengers, Kang skewered him with his sword.  Telling his son he could not live with his betrayal.  There had been numerous occasions when he had early knowledge of the Avengers' attacks, but had not acted due to his attraction to Warbird--he allowed his successor to die.

Kang's computers marked the death of Marcus XXIII, and requested authorization to activate Marcus XXIV.  Kang decided to postpone this.

Comments: The third incarnation of the Scarlet Centurion, Marcus Kang, was created by Kurt Busiek (writer), Alan Davis (artist), and Mark Farmer (inker).

A halberd is a weapon used in the 15th and 16th Centuries, consisting typically of a battle-axe and pike mounted on a handle about six feet long.

Profile updated/edited by Kyle Sims

Clarifications:
He should be distinguished from:

• Marcus Immortus: The son of Immortus, the time displaced counterpart of Kang, Avengers I#200
  -go read Avengers III#47 for the full explanation. In a nutshell, he's an alternate dimensional counterpart of Marcus Kang. He essentially raped Carol Danvers. This is why she resented Marcus Kang, because she saw Marcus Immortus in him.
• Scarlet Centurion: One of Kang's former identities, @ Avengers Annual#2
• Scarlet Centurion: Another alternate universe version of Kang who plagued the Squadron Supreme, @ Squadron Supreme I#2

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Avengers III#41, p12, pan2 (main image)