RAKKUS
RAKKUS
Real Name: David Anthony Rice
Identity/Class: Human mutant
Occupation: Warrior
Group Membership: Acolytes
Affiliations: Exodus, Fydor (host)
Enemies: Bova, Crystal, Fydor, High Evolutionary, New Men, Quicksilver
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Fydor
Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
formerly Bova's cottage at the base of Wundagore Mountain, Transia
First Appearance: Avengers I#380, 381 (November, December, 1994)
Powers/Abilities:
Rakkus' true form is unknown. He can inhabit/possess others, control their
actions, and transform them into giant, monstrous form (possibly his own natural
state). In the only monstrous form seen, he had was perhaps 20-25 feet tall,
possessing superhuman durability, a large, semi-prehensile tail, razor-sharp
claws and teeth.
I think it said somewhere that Rakkus was actually a viral
entity, but I didn't see it on this review.
History:
(Avengers I#380 (fb) - BTS) - Bova became close friends with
local villager and shepherd Fydor.
(Avengers I#381 (fb) - BTS) - Exodus, seeking to draw out the High Evolutionary, placed the mutant Rakkus within Fydor, enabling him to control Fydor's actions
(Avengers I#381 (fb) - BTS) - Under Exodus' direction, the Rakkus-controlled Fydor slowly poisoned Bova. As she became progressively more ill, he cared for her and provided companionship, though he continued to poison her. It is unclear whether Fydor was even aware of what he was doing--whether his mind was completely submerged under Rakkus' own personality, whether Fydor was helpless to stop himself from poisoning her despite being aware of it, or whether Rakkus only influenced Fydor, causing him to poison her, but preventing him from realizing what he had done.
(Avengers I#380) - Quicksilver and Crystal came to visit the ailing Bova and soon after encountered the High Evolutionary and his Animutants, a new group of New Men, who assumed them to be trespassers on the mountain. Their struggle drew the attention of the High Evolutionary, and when Bova noticed that Pietro and Crystal were gone, the Rakkus-controlled Fydor--who had been watching the struggle--told her that they had gone to the village on a minor errand.
(Avengers I#381) - When Pietro and Crystal failed to quickly
return, Fydor assured Bova that they were merely delayed by a storm and that
they could take care of themselves. Some time later Fydor fed Bova some broth. Meanwhile, Quicksilver
told the High
Evolutionary of Bova's illness. The Evolutionary and the Animutants
accompanied Pietro and Crystal back to Bova's cottage, where he quickly
determined that her illness was not organic, but that she had been poisoned. An
image of Exodus then appeared, revealing his responsibility and motivation
before directing Rakkus to transform Fydor into monstrous forms. Rakkus/Fydor
then released
an explosion that leveled Bova's cottage and the surrounding landscape.
(Avengers I#382 (fb) - BTS) - The High Evolutionary formed a force bubble that shielded himself, Crystal, Quicksilver, and Bova from the explosion.
(Avengers I#382) - Rakkus slaughtered a pair of New Men who approached the site of the explosion, and then assaulted the High Evolutionary, while Bova tried to reach her friend Fydor within Rakkus. After standing up to the combined assaults of Quicksilver, Crystal, and the High Evolutionary, Rakkus was stunned by a more potent blast from the Evolutionary. When Bova approached him again, Rakkus grabbed her and would have slain her, but the High Evolutionary focused his power and fired a blast that slew Rakkus. As he died, Fydor returned to normal, telling Bova that he had not been the one to hurt her. She wept for her lost friend.
(Avengers I#382 - BTS) - Bova made a full recovery under the High Evolutionary's care.
Comments: Created by Bob Harras, Mike Deodato, Jr., and Tom Palmer.
It is unknown whether Rakkus was a member of the Acolytes when they were led by Magneto, so I didn't list Magneto as an ally.
Rakkus' real name was revealed in the Acolytes' entry in All-New OHotMU#1.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
other "Rak" characters
A Transian villager, he befriended Bova, but was eventually possessed by Rakkus, who used him to poison Bova in order to draw out the High Evolutionary. Once the High Evolutionary appeared, Rakkus transformed Fydor into monstrous form, took complete control, and attacked the High Evolutionary and his allies. The High Evolutionary eventually slew Rakkus, killing Fydor as well. He only had time to tell Bova it was not him that had poisoned her before dying.
--Avengers I#380 (380 (fb) - BTS, 381 (fb) - BTS, 380-382
images:
Avengers I#380, p8, panel 5 (Fydor)
#381, p15, panel 3 (upper body, glowing eyes)
#382, p1, panel 6 (face)
(collapsing whole body)
Avengers I#382 (January, 1995)
Last updated: 01/06/05
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
