KYRAS
SHAKATIKYRAS
SHAKATI
Real Name: Kyras Shakati
Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial (uncertain race)
Occupation: Ambassador, Merchant, Negotiator, Slaver
Affiliations: Merchant Guilds; Gareth of
Sparta, Rruouthk'kar,
Slavers (Dirac); Ariguan race; Arak, Arion, G'anym (young male aides)
formerly Jason of Sparta, Ronan the
Accuser, Kree, Shi'ar, and Spartoi races;
Enemies: Kip Holm, Jason of Sparta, Ronan the Accuser, Sandy of Pryd'ri, Star-Lord, Kree, Shi'ar, and Spartoi races; people of Windholme and other races he has had enslaved
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Master Shakati, Shakati of Cinnibar, Shakati of the Guilds
Base of Operations: formerly a floating palace on the planet Cinnibar
First Appearance: Marvel Preview#11 (summer, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Shakati has no
superhuman physical powers. He does have great wealth and
influence across a large portion of an undefined galaxy. He
manipulates and controls legions of warriors and slavers, armed
with interstellar starships and the power to conquer planets. He
uses the Telempathic Crystal, as well as a concealed laster
blaster on his wrist.
Shakati is liked and even trusted by many, but he is willing to
betray anyone and anything if the price is right. He is a
complete hedonist, willing to do anything for pleasure, or to
provide the same for others (for the right price, of course). He
also appears to have a, shall we say, fondness for young men.
History: Kyras Shakati's established a great degree of influence across the galaxy. While posing as a peaceful merchant, he grew to lead a Slavery ring, which conquered whole races and made them slaves, and strip-mined entire planets--all in the name of profit.
BTS - At some point, Shakati crossed paths with Prince Jason of Sparta. The details are unrevealed, but Shakati later referred to himself as being in Jason's debt.
(Uncanny X-Men#125) - Shakati, and Arak and Arion, attended the newly crowned Empress Lilandra's first state ball.
(Inhumans
IV#2-4) - Shakati served as ambassador in the meeting and
potential alliance ("marriage") of the Shi'ar and
Spartoi races. However, he secretly had an alliance with Ronan
the Accuser, who plotted to use the Inhumans as pawns to sabotage
the union, and to assassinate Lilandra. He was accompanied at all
times by his aide, the loyal G'anym.
Shakati met with Jason of Spartoi and Captain P'krrd of the Shi'ar
to discuss the recent attacks by the then-unknown Inhumans.
However, just a few weeks later, as arranged by Ronan, he
secretly met with Black Bolt, Gorgon, and Medusa, bringing them
to Kritnah, the site of the marriage. He helped them to pose as
Kree refugees, allowing them the opportunity to gain access to
the wedding ceremony, and thus to try to assassinate Lilandra.
Shakati and G'anym hid out under force field some distance from
the ceremony, which ended in a violent clash between the Inhuman
Royal Family and Shi'ar Imperial Guard. While Lilandra was not
killed, the Shi'ar did leave in anger, refusing the alliance.
Shakati was pleased as this left the frontier open, allowing for
customs, caravans, shipments, smuggling...all those things that
give the guilds profit. While he had thought the outcome
uncertain, he had bet on all the odds, and thus came out ahead.
Ronan swore vengeance.
(Marvel Preview#11(fb)) - Gareth of Sparta hired Shakati to kill the Meredith and Peter Quill--the lover of the new Emperor, Jason, and the heir to his throne. Shakati commissioned Rruothk'kar and a band of Ariguans to do the deed.
(Marvel Preview#11) - "...first among
those merchant lords who rule the commerce of an empire, is Kyras
Shakati, whose power is said to rival that of the Emperor
<Jason> himself. A man whose power is grounded in the rape
and murder of worlds."
Star-Lord and his allies, Kip Holm and Sandy, traced the
Slavers who had assaulted Windholme back to Cinnibar and Shakati.
They approached his sky palace, but suddenly found themselves in
the ocean, battling one of the King Krakens of Windholm.
Star-Lord correctly figured it to be an illusion, and fired his
laser (which did not exist in the illusion), shattering Shakati's
Telempathic Crystal. Shakati's defenses were quickly overcome,
and Kyras surrendered, promising Star-Lord the truth about his
past in exchange for his own life. However, Sandy realized that
Kyras was preparing to activate his secret laser weapon, and she
shot him dead.
Comments: Created by Chris Claremont and
John Byrne.
Officially connected to Earth-616 by Carlos Pacheco and Ladronn.
Also present at Lilandra's ball (beyond whom
you might expect): Dirac (or another Anubian) and...
Popeye the Sailor Man. Thanks to Robert McKinney for pointing out
the Star-Lord characters in this issue.
Byrne (and possibly Claremont) presumably meant Shakati's
appearance to be an homage/tribute to themselves, as UXM#125 was
published a couple years after Marvel Preview#11, in 1979. At
that point, there was not much reason to suspect Star-Lord's
stories to be part of the MU's canon, or to be a part of
Earth-616.
See the entry on Star-Lord for theories on his (and thus Shakati's) timeline. His adventures span from mid-modern era into what may be thirty years into the future, and thus the events of Marvel Preview#11 may only be a potential future of the Earth-616 Kyras Shakati.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
Arak has no known connection to:
He was one of Shakati's young male aides, as
well as the brother of Arion. He was present at the newly crowned Empress
Lilandra's first state ball.
When Star-Lord and his allies arrived on Cinnibar, he attempted
to defend his master, but his neck was broken by Sandy of
Pryd'ri.
--Marvel Preview#11 (UXM#125, MarvPrev#11
Also one of Shakati's young male aides, and the
brother of Arak. He was present at the newly crowned Empress Lilandra's first state ball.
On Cinnibar, Dirac had to stop him from giving up his life trying
to avenge his brother. He traveled to Sparta, where he tortured
Kip and Sandy after they had been captured by agents of Gareth.
However, when Star-Lord burst in to free his allies, Kip managed
to grab Arion's neck with his legs and broke his neck.
--Marvel Preview#11 (UXM#125, MarvPrev#11
Referred to as loyal G'anym and faithful G'anym, he was Shakati's companion during the meeting of the Shi'ar and Spartoi. While he nearly fainted during the Inhumans' assault on their starship, he recovered quickly enough to play some intersteller version of video poker a short time later.
--Inhumans IV#2 (3-BTS, 4
A member of the Anubian race, Dirac was a high
ranking member of the Slavers. He, or another Anubian, was also
present at the newly
crowned Empress Lilandra's first state ball.
He led the expedition against Windholme. He then went to Cinnibar
where he took Arion and fled after Shakati was killed. He may
have gone to Sparta alongside Kip, or returned to another Slaver
expedition.
--Marvel Preview#11 (UXM#125, MarvPrev#11
"If there's a Heaven in this universe, it's name is Cinnibar. And if there's a Hell, it's name, too, is Cinnibar. Any dream can be found on her fabled floating cities--for a price--and so can any nightmare. Only one rule applies: What the customer wants, the customer gets. The very rich and powerful live here, their anti-gravity palaces ever more of a legend than the cities..."
Shakati had his floating palace on this world, somewhere in the Spartoi empire. Shakati's palace self-destructed after the death of Kyras himself.
Cinnibar is apparently just a familiar name for the world officially known as Delta Corianus IV.
--Marvel Preview#11
Appearances:
Marvel Preview#11 (summer, 1977) - Chris Claremont (writer), John Byrne (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), John Warner & Ralph Macchio (editors)
Uncanny X-Men#125 (September, 1979) - John Byrne & Chris Claremont (writers), John Byrne (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Inhumans IV#2-4 (July-October, 2000) - Carlos Pacheco & Rafael Marin (writers), Jose Ladronn (artist), Mark Powers (editor)
Last updated: 09/12/02
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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