History:

(X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#1 (fb) - BTS) - A secret cabal within the Shi'ar Empire organized the Shi'ar Death Commandos, a unit composed of warriors from various extraterrestrial races, and sent them to Earth to slay Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey, who once wielded part of the Phoenix Force) and all related to her.

(Uncanny X-Men#468 (fb) - BTS) - The leader, Blackcloak, was tasked to brand Marvel Girl according to canon law, and brand her according to civil law. The brand would allow the Shi'ar to always track her.

(Uncanny X-Men#466 - BTS) - On Earth, the Commandos surrounded the home of John and Elaine Grey.

(Uncanny X-Men#467) - Unable to decipher who Rachel was among all those inside, the Commandos initiated their secondary objective, that of slaying all those who were biologically related to Rachel. Over the next 24 seconds, multiple targets were killed, including Gailyn and Joseph Bailey, Derry Campbell, Phyllis and Roy Dennefer, Brian and Julia Grey, John Grey, Fred Harriman, Julian, Kindra, Liam, Terry Maguire, Mary-Margaret, Roger, and Bekka Wallis, leaving only Rachel and Elaine Grey alive. At Blackcloak's orders, Sega sealed the area under a force-shield, but Nightcrawler, Psylocke, and Shadowcat of the X-Men managed to teleport in. A deadly battle ensued that ended up with the three X-Men unconscious. Blackcloak then marked Marvel Girl with the phoenix tattoo.

(Uncanny X-Men#468) - The X-Men stopped the Commandos from killing Marvel Girl, and the Commandos gathered around to attack. Bishop, Cannonball, Colossus, and Rogue of the X-Men broke through Sega's shield and joined their allies in attacking the Commandos. More X-Men approached (Cyclops, Gambit, Emma Frost) with Sentinels, and Blackcloak killed Elaine Grey in a blast meant for Marvel Girl before the Commandos surrendered.

(Uncanny X-Men#470) - After being incarcerated in Manhattan for a time, the Commandos tracked Marvel Girl to Chicago, though they fought Bishop and Detective Charlotte Jones on their way out. A few of the members were downed in the fight, and Jones was lost through Blackcloak's cloak. The Commandos utilized their orbiting Shi'ar ship to teleport to Chicago, where they attacked Marvel Girl in the office of  Dr. Maureen Lyszinski.

(Uncanny X-Men#471) - Marvel Girl fled with Lyszinski across Chicago with the Commandos in pursuit. The X-Men (Bishop, Cannonball, Nightcrawler, Psylocke) and a Sentinel arrived to aid her, and the Commandos were defeated quickly. The Shi'ar ship dropped a bomb to kill all below, including the Commandos, but the X-Men managed to block it. The crew of the starship was apprehended and the Commandos were presumably jailed again.

(X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#3 (fb) – BTS) – The Commandos began acting as the private guard to Chancellor Araki in Shi'ar space.

(X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#3) – Araki entered with the Shi'ar Death Commandos for a meeting with Vulcan (current emperor of the Shi'ar), Deathbird, and the Guard (Gladiator, Manta, Nightside, Oracle, Starbolt, Titan, Warstar). Inside, they found Ka'ardum, Lilandra, and the Starjammers (Ch'od, Havok, Korvus, Marvel Girl, Polaris, Raza). Marvel Girl grew furious at seeing the Commandos and lashed out in a powerful attack, sending the Commandos scattering, and threatened Araki's life, even accusing him of running the secret order of the Shi'ar and ordering the death of her family, until Polaris stopped her. The Commandos soon departed peaceably.

Comments: Created by Chris Claremont, Chris Bachalo and various inkers.

It was purported that Araki founded the Shi'ar Death Commandos and sent them to Earth.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Shi'ar Death Commandos has no known connections to

• Commando, the former Crimson Commando, X-Men enemy @ X-Men Annual II#2
• Commando, M'Nell, of Imperial Guard @ Imperial Guard#1
• Fury's Howling Commandos @ Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
• or any other "Death" or "Commandos" characters

Appearances:
Uncanny X-Men#466 (January, 2006) - Chris Claremont (writer), Chris Bachalo (penciler), Holdridge, Mendoza, Parsons, Olazaba, Rapmund, Townsend, Vey (inkers), Mike Marts (editor)
Uncanny X-Men#467 (February, 2006) - Chris Claremont (writer), Chris Bachalo (penciler), Florea, Holdredge, Hunter, Mendoza, Olazaba, Parsons, Rapmund, Townsend, Vey (inkers), Mike Marts (editor)
Uncanny X-Men#468 (March, 2006) - Chris Claremont (writer), Chris Bachalo (penciler), Hunter, Mendoza, Olazaba, Parsons, Rapmund, Townsend, Vey (inkers), Mike Marts (editor)
Uncanny X-Men#470 (April, 2006) - Chris Claremont (writer), Billy Tan (penciler), Jon Sibal (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Uncanny X-Men#471 (May, 2006) - Chris Claremont (writer), Billy Tan (penciler/inker), Jon Sibal (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#1 (September, 2007) - Christopher Yost (writer), Paco Diaz (pencils), Vicente Cifuentes (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#3 (January, 2008) – Christopher Yost (writer), Paco Diaz Luque (penciler), Vicente Cifuentes (inker), Nick Lowe (editor)

Last updated: 09/30/07.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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