SKYPPI the SKRULL

Real Name: Skyppi

Identity/Class: Extra-temporal (Earth-Hercules 2300) extra-terrestrial (Skrull)

Occupation: Adventurer, con-man

Affiliations: Arimathes, Mallax Fortnite, Hercules, Recorder#417, Layana Sweetwater, Lucynda Thrust

Enemies: Count Igwanus (more of a antagonist), Last Disciple of Thanos, Red Wolf, Layana Sweetwater, Zeus;
    formerly Arimathes

Known Relatives: none

Aliases: Shasha, Layana Sweetwater;
    a large number of beings whom he has impersonated over the years

Base of Operations: mobile throughout the Universe, primarily in the Andromeda and Orion Galaxies

First Appearance: Hercules II#1 (March, 1984)

Powers/Abilities: Like all Skrulls, Skyppi can metamorphosize into virtually any form, though his mass must remain fairly constant. He is also shrewd and quick-witted, and he enjoys using his power to manipulate others, especially for profit. He's also not above tripping blind people.

History:
(Hercules II#1 (fb)) - Skyppi lacked the physical abilities necessary for the Skrull goal of warfare, and so he was given the most undesirable of duties: maintenance work. For two hundred years he labored thusly, until when he became old and more feeble, he was rounded up and sent to a termination center. He instead opted for stealing a shuttle and jumping planet, which made him an outlaw in the Skrull Empire. Choosing to hide in plain site, Skyppi adopted the more acceptable form of Shasha, a fashion model, in which he made quite good money.

(Hercules II#1) - On the Deniciere Spaceport in the Orion Galaxy, Shasha's form aroused the amour of Hercules, who began to pursue him, despite Skyppi's efforts to rebuff him. Hercules confronted Shasha while "she" was modeling for a fashion show. The Prince of Power proclaimed his love, but was most irate when the Recorder recognized Skyppi as a Skrull. Under Hercules' threats, Skyppi revealed his true form, which infuriated the crowd, especially those who had been using "her" to advertise their products. Hercules, Skyppi, and the Recorder fled, with Skyppi briefly adopting a monstrous form to drive away their pursuers.

(Hercules II#2) - Still on Deniciere, Skyppi and the Recorder crashed Hercules' chariot into an apartment building when he had abandoned it briefly to dissuade a ship that was chasing them. Skyppi wasn't too upset as he ended up in the tub with a bathing beauty. Skyppi accompanied Herc and the Recorder to Starstation Philord, where he turned into a bug to escape capture when guards recognized Hercules. However, when he took the form of a guard and tried to free Herc, he was recognized by the skrull-hating Red Wolf, who tried to attack him. Hercules saved Skyppi's life, and they and the Recorder headed towards Olympus to investigate the sudden aging which had begun in the otherwise immortal god.

(Hercules II#3) - They were summoned to Titan by Mentor, to meet with the dying Apollo. Skyppi took the form of an attractive green-skinned woman, which aroused the ...interests of Eros. While there, they fought Dhielus Shreck, the Last Disciple of Thanos. Skyppi tried to contain Dhielus in an amorphous form, but was blasted into unconsciousness. Eros was angered to learn he had been pitching woo to a Skrull.

(Hercules II#4) - Arriving in Olympus, Skyppi and the Recorder were chased by an animated horse-like statue, sent by Zeus, who had seemingly gone mad and was trying to kill the rest of the gods. Skyppi took a duplicate form of the statue, which disoriented it long enough that the Recorder could kneel behind it. Skyppi pushed the statue, which tripped over the Recorder and fell into a deep pit. Skyppi then took the form of Hercules and tried to talk Zeus down, but the mighty god saw through his deception and began to choke the life out of him. Hercules stopped this attack and fought his father, but ultimately Zeus revealed that he had been merely testing his son, and allowed him to regain his immortality while Zeus passed on to another plane.

(Marvel Tales#197/2) - Posing as an aging barfly at the Bomb Crater Cafe, Skyppi made a wager that he could clear the bar in less than two minutes. Skyppi then started a fight with Hercules, which made it appear that the Prince of Power was attacking a woman. The whole bar rose to attack him, and Hercules subdued them all in 1 minute and 52 seconds. Skyppi then collected his earnings, which they planned to use to pay for repairs for the Recorder.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Hercules: Full Circle) - In Port Anteris (planet Wilamean, Andromeda Galaxy), Skyppi was making a healthy profit at Hercules easily out arm-wrested a pair of aliens. A seeming invasion by Galactus drove the populace into a panic, and Skyppi held the crowd back from danger by taking the form of an Orion Slime-Serpent. Skyppi tried to talk Hercules into fleeing rather than confronting Galactus--to no avail, of course--though it all turned out to just be a ruse of con-men Alpo and Clide. Skyppi admired their efforts (wishing he had thought of it first), but was soon captured by Arimathes, who sought revenge against Hercules for perceived wrong-doings against his mother. They were freed by blind Count Igwanus (who immediately recognized the stench of a Skrull), and Skyppi adopted the form of the Emperor Mother to assure their safe passage out of the prison. During the effort, Skyppi convinced the guards of his identity as the Emperor Mother by savagely back-handing Igwanus when he bumped into "her." Upon their escape, Igwanus paid Skyppi back with a punch in chops.
    While Hercules led a group against Arimathes, it was Skyppi who suggested they force information on how to use the communication system, and then took the form of Arimathes and ordered all ships to stand-by. Herc eventually made his peace with Arimathes (who recognized the crimes he had committed under his mother's guidance and had her confined to a wing of the castle), and Hercules decided to stick around as his advisor. As they marched proudly down the hall, Skyppi tripped Igwanus.