Skrulls

Gallery

Name

Skrulls

Aliases

Deviant Skrulls

Identity

Public

Universe

Earth-616

Body Type

Reptilian-Humanoid

Average Height

5'5" (Around the same as humans).

Average Weight

Same as humans

Eyes

Green Eyes

Hair

Green

Skin

Green

Number of Limbs

4

Number of Fingers

5

Number of Toes

5

Special Adaptations

Pointed ears, corrugated chins, green skin. Most males are bald and have no facial hair. Females have full head of hair. Most Skrulls are physically malleable, able to alter their shape size, and/or colour at will.

Origin

Origin

Andromeda Galaxy

Star System Of Origin

Drox

Home Planet

Tarnax IV (Throneworld); Formerly Skrullos

Creators

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

First appearance

Fantastic Four #2
(January, 1962)

History

Added by Peteparker

Early Years

The Skrulls are a breed of green-skinned humanoids from the Andromeda Galaxy. They are a fierce warrior race who carved for themselves the oldest interstellar empire in the Universe’s history. Skrull science is generally at a higher level than the science of human civilization. The Skrulls were ruled by an Emperor or Empress, who had absolute power.

In the beginning the Skrulls were a peaceful, scientifically inclined race on Skrullos, a planet in the Drax system. Almost a billion years ago the Celestials arrived and experimented on the Skrulls' reptillian ancestors. As the Celestials did with humans, they split the species into three branches: the "normal" branch who were capable of eventually rapidly evolving into Celestial-like beings, the shapeshifting Deviant branch, and the immortal Eternal branch. As in the case with humans, the Deviant and Eternal branches went to war. Unlike the case with humans, however, the Deviant branch wiped out all other Skrulls, thus all modern Skrulls were descendants of the Deviant branch. The Skrulls later split into two more groups, being the modern Skrulls and the Dire Wraiths, a parasitic race that could still shapeshift and had use of magic, but were not as technologically advanced as the Skrulls. Dire Wraith's are analogous to the Skrulls as vampires are to humans.

Their shapeshifting powers aided the Skrulls’ departure into space. When they encountered a new race, they simply transformed themselves to resemble that race. The Skrull empire that resulted from these contacts was based on free trade and mutual cooperation.

Added by IronMonger2001

Their scientists also formed the first Cosmic Cube that later became the Shaper of Worlds.

The Kree

Then trouble struck. The Skrulls voyaged to the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds. In the latter cluster they discovered the Kree homeworld of Hala. The Kree were in the dawn of their culture; at this point they shared Hala with the plant race, the Cotati. The Skrull decided to favor one of the races with their advanced technology and devised a test to determine which would be the favored race.

The Skrulls created the Blue Area of the Moon and transported bands of Kree and Cotati there. Both groups were left to accomplish what they could. The Skrulls judged the Cotati’s works to be superior. This angered the Kree and led to a vicious attack in which the Kree band slew the Skrull judges and the Cotati. The Kree stole the Skrull’s starship and technology. Because of the immense distances involved, decades passed before the Skrulls learned of the Kree’s activities. By this time it was too late. The Kree had become advanced and audacious enough to attack the Skrulls in their home galaxy. During the millennia that followed, the Skrulls developed the vicious streak needed to conduct intergalactic war. Their entire culture was remade in the warrior image.

100,000 years ago the Skrull capitol was relocated to Tarnax IV, later renamed Throneworld. The empire was controlled by an Emperor and each of the 978 worlds was controlled by a Governor.

Earth

Skrulls became aware of Earth when they discovered a space warp linking Earth and Throneworld. Later they discovered the Earth possessed an equidistant link to Hala. They saw Earth as a world to conquer but they were content to hold off a full invasion, perhaps afraid the Kree would learn of the plot. Because of their caution, the Skrulls sent only a handful of scoutwarriors to infiltrate Earth.

Fearing the Fantastic Four would stand in their way of an invasion of Earth, four Skrull agents came to Earth and posed as the team in order to ruin their reputation. The real Fantastic Four were able to expose the Skrull agents and clear their names. The Fantastic Four stole the Skrulls' rocket ship and found their mothership in Earth orbit. Posing as the Skrull agents, they tricked the captain into believing that Earth was too dangerous to invade. Reed Richards "volunteered" to stay behind and remove any trace of the Skrulls' presence on Earth. Falling for Richard's deception, the captain called off the invasion. Once back on Earth the Fantastic Four hid the remaining Skrull agents by convincing them to transform into cows. Reed hypnotized them into believing they were real cows. They were left in a field to graze for the rest of their lives.^[1]

Other Skrull agents have included Super-Skrull, Paibok the Power Skrull, Effigy, Ethan Edwards, and Skrull-X.

Galactus

Throneworld was devoured by Galactus and the Imperial starfleet destroyed by Galactus's herald, Nova (Frankie Raye). With the destruction of a central government, the Skrull Empire collapsed into hundreds of bickering factions. Their galaxy was now filled with Governors declaring themselves “Emperor". The Shi'ar maintained a heavy presence in the former empire as well, constantly dealing with packets of resistance.

The greatest blow to the Skrulls was the destruction of their shapeshifting powers. This was accomplished by Reed Richards and yet another Governor-turned-Emperor.^[2]

The Skrulls later broke a peace treaty with the Kree. They maintained their military drive and prefered to fight rather than negotiate. Among the other races contained within the Skrull Empire were the Druff, Guna, Kallusina, Morani, Pheragot, Queega, Tekton, and Yirbek races. Other races remained independent, whether through treaties or open resistance. Such races include the Clegrimites, Gegku, Krylorians, Wilameanis, and Xandarians. The war with the Xandarians ended with the destruction of Xandar by the supervillainess Nebula.

There were a small number of Skrull who were the equivalent of mutants. They were outcasts and often shunned or hunted by other Skrulls. One group, Cadre K, was trained by Professor X.

Annihilation Wave

The Skrull Empire was the first of the major interstellar empires to be invaded by the forces of Annihilus. The Annihilation Wave's superweapon, the Harvester of Sorrow, destroyed 90% of Skrull planets. In the aftermath the Skrulls unsuccessfully attempted to convince Hulkling to become their new Emperor.

With almost all their planets destroyed, and under the leadership of the extremist Queen Veranke. The Skrulls infiltrated Earth for a major assault. Several heroes were replaced by Skrulls. Eventually, Reed Richards was able to pierce through the shapeshifting and all heroes and villains banded together to stop the Skrulls. Unfortunately, the Skrull activated a fail-safe within the Wasp, turning her into a biological weapon. Thor had no choice but to destroy her. Angered, the humans attacked the Skrulls, killing Veranke and destroying their fleet in orbit. All the missing heroes, villains and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were found alive and returned to Earth. The Skrull Empire was decimated.

Reproduction

Added by Peteparker

Skrull females did not give live birth; instead, they lay eggs like their reptilian evolutionary ancestors. Skrull children were known as "hatchlings". Despite their reptilian evolutionary roots, however, Skrull females had mammary glands and nursed their young.

It was known that Skrulls were capable of producing hybrid offspring with humans and Kree: the Skrull Lyja was able to conceive with the Human Torch, and Hulkling is the son of the Kree military officer Mar-Vell and the Skrull princess Anelle.

The Skrull species, like the Kree, became genetically frozen in place and was unable to evolve further due to a single member of the Skrull species abusing the power of the Crystal of Ultimate Vision. As punishment, the Crystal "genetically froze their evolution in place".^[3]

Subspecies

A normal Skrull can only take on the appearance of their template, not the abilities of that person. Warskrulls, an elite group of Skrulls gifted with the ability to emulate the powers as well as the appearance of their templates.^[4] Warskrulls do not naturally have this ability; instead, special encoding technology is used to grant them their powers.

Alternate Realities

Counter-Earth

There Skrulls of the Counter-Earth pocket dimension were mostly wiped out by Galactus. Among the survivors were Kl'rt who worked with Dr. Doom to experiment on the Silver Surfer. He absorbed some of the Surfer's power cosmic and gained additional powers. He was slain by the Fantastic Four^[5].

Earth-13

When Counter-Earth was briefly merged with Earth-50, the Skrulls were part of a massive invasion of Earth^[6].

Earth-9997

On Earth-9997, the Skrulls were one of many alien races manipulated by the Celestials as part of their complex reproduction plans. The Skrulls had reached the third tier of mutation when they had first encounter the Kree race. The once peaceful Skrulls were "willed" to be brutal enemies by the Kree who were angered at the losing a contest with the Cotati, leading to the Kree/Skrull War.

The Shaper of Worlds was also a member of the Skrull race who was transformed into a Cosmic Cube and later regained his sentience, hence his Skrull like face. Also in this reality Sui-San, wife of Mentor was also a Skrull in disguise, and as such both her children Thanos and Starfox are both part Skrull.

Earth-9904

In this reality, the Skrulls attempted to sabotage the American space program circa the 1950's by having one of their own disguise himself as Vice-President Richard Nixon. This plot was foiled thanks to the time travelling Immortus who revealed the plot. Immortus sought to destroy any reality in which the human race would travel to the stars and used the Forever Crystal to eliminate Earth-9904 from existence.

Earth-712

Skrulls exist on Earth-712, home to the Squadron Supreme. In this reality the Kree and Skrull races were in conflict with each other until Galactus consumed the Skrull homeworld. One survivor, Skymax, sought out survivors, bringing him to Earth where he rescued Joe Ledger and endowed him with the Power Prism. Both Ledger and Skymax joined the Squadron Supreme. Skymax maintained and off-and-on membership with the organization.

Earth-772

In this reality, many of the Skrulls early attempts to invade the Earth led to clashes with the Fantastic Four. The Super-Skrull battled the Fantastic Four when the Invisible Girl was replaced by Spider-Man, leading to the Super-Skrull's defeat.

Earth-7712

In this reality the Skrulls attempted to invade the Earth and battled that realities Fantastic Four, a version of the team that has vastly different powers than most other realities. Although the Skrulls were defeated the details surrounding this encounter remains unrecorded.

Earth-7812

Much like on Earth-616, the Skrulls of this reality were in a centuries long war with the Kree. Thanks to the manipulations of the Supreme Intelligence, the heroes Rick Jones, Captain Marvel, and the Avengers worked together to end the Kree/Skrull War much like they did on Earth-616^[7].

Earth-1228

In this reality the Skrulls posed as the "S People" and sent out boxes that emitted cosmic rays. They promised that the boxes would fulfill the reciever's wildest fantasies, however in reality they were supposed to turn humans into mindless slaves. One such box was sent to the bullpen at Marvel Comics and they were mutated and banded together as the Fantastic Four. Ultimately the Fantastic Four and Namor learned the truth and foiled the Skrull plot^[8].

Earth-15797

Earth-15797 was a universe devoid of super-humans on the planet Earth, making the planet ideal for Skrull conquest. When the Skrulls began the initial stages of their invasion of Earth on Christmas Eve, they found unlikely opposition from a homeless man named Jesse who had been endowed with the power of Nova. Jesse sacrificed his life to stop the Skrull invasion, blowing up their ship and killing all the Skrulls aboard^[9].

Earth-804

History diverged during the Kree-Skrull War when Ronan the Accuser slayed Rick Jones. At that time Kree hero Captain Marvel was a prisoner of the Skrulls and was being forced to build an Omni-Wave Projector. Completing his task he used it to attempt to contact Rick and learned that his friend was dead. Marvel, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver battled the Skrull forces. Their leader Dorrek VII released the Super Skrull and sent him to destroy Captain Marvel. When Dorrek's daughter Anelle begged her father to stop the fighting he slapped her. Anelle then left and sided with the heroes. In the final battle, Mar-Vell slayed the Super-Skrull, while Dorrek VII was killed in battle against rebel forces against his rule. Anelle succeeded Dorrek as leader of the Skrulls and ordered them to stand down all hostilities. She then began working with Captain Marvel, who had just been appointed ruler of the Kree by the Supreme Intelligence to forge everlasting peace between their two races^[10].

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Shapeshifting: The Skrulls are able to rearrange the molecules of their body at will into any form, shape or being perceived that they choose.

Mimicry: Skrulls are cunning spies due to their ability to mimic sounds and voices. This is mainly used in conjunction with the shapes they shift into.

Abilities

Weapon Formation: Skrulls are able to use their shapeshifting abilities to form weapons with parts of their bodies. For instance, they can shape their arms into blades or clubs. This ability makes them dangerous hand-to-hand combatants.

Weapons

Photon Blaster

Standard issue military sidearm.

Average Strength level

Average strength level unknown

Weaknesses

None known.

Habitat

Habitat: Habitat of this race is unknown.
Gravity: Earth-like
Atmosphere: Earth-like
Population: 30 billion (prior to Annihilation Wave attack); currently unknown.

Miscellaneous

Type of Government: Totalitarian Monarchy (succession disrupted by destruction of Tarnax IV, death of surviving royal family members, and ensuring civil wars); currently anarchy.
Level of Technology: Superior to Earth: Advanced warp-drive starships, robots, cyborg, and cybernetic technology, and energy weaponry.
Cultural Traits: Warriors
Representatives:

• Emperor Dorrek - He reigned during the first Skrull contact with the Kree^[11]
• Emperor Dorrek VII - He was referred to as "Emperor"^[12]. He reigned during the Kree-Skrull War^[13]
• Prince Dezan - The younger brother of Dorrek VII^[14], he is a highly-unusual (for Skrulls) pacifist, and as such, was long imprisoned as a traitor to the Empire
• Super Skrull (K'lrt) - He was the first Super-Skrull.
• Morrat - A Skrull who was responsible for the death of Franklin Storm.
• Anelle - Princess and daughter of R'Kll and Dorrek VII. Super-Skrull wanted her for his mate. She died along with her mother and Throneworld.
• Drexxon - A “Scanman,?? a Skrull observer and sensor operator.
• Hagar - The High Judicator, the leader of the Skrull judiciary.
• Jaketch - An apprentice executioner who shot Reed, Sue, and the Thing with an accelerated-aging ray. He detests Hagar and yearns for the day he can execute him.
• Raksor - This Skrull officer may be the most important Skrull in recent history. He was originally sent to observe the Shi’ar-ordered trial-by-combat of Jean Grey/Phoenix and the X-Men. His interference with the trial lead to a fight with the Kree observer, Bel-Dann. That fight lasted for months, long after the Shi’ar had departed and Attilan arrived. The Watcher told Empress R’Klll and the Kree Supreme Intelligence of their long duel. This lead to the rulers signing an agreement whereby the the combatants were now representing their races. The winner would also determine the final victor in the Kree- Skrull War. The combat continued and eventually involved the Inhumans and the FF. Reed concocted a plan whereby Raksorr and Bel-Dann had to cooperate to defeat the Fantastic Four and Inhumans. After their victory, the Watcher declared the contest a draw. The Kree and Skrull races were declared equals and the long war was finally over.
• R'Klll - A Skrull Empress. She avenged her father by assassinating her husband, the Emperor Dorrek. Her reign following Dorrek’s death was marked by several attempts at peace-the end of the war against Xandar and the treaty ending the Kree war-and the destruction of Homeworld. She died along with several billion of her people.
• Skragg - A warrior who was turned to stone by Thanos.
• Skrull-X - A Skrull-shaped robot created to be the Super-Skrull’s superior and successor.
• Xalxor - Pilot of Dorrek’s flagship.
• Zenrao - After Galactus’ and Nova’s destruction of Throneworld, Zendrao found himself Commander of the largest remaining Skrull fleet. He is concerned with reforming the Skrull Empire. However, he does not want to be the titular head of it, but rather be the power behind the throne. He views the current Skrull civil war for supremacy as a useless waste of time; rather than join any side he uses his fleet to keep the combatants away from areas he is protecting.
• Empress S'Byll - She acclaimed as Empress following successful restoration of shapeshifting abilities to Skrulls^[15]; killed in destruction of new Throneworld by Devos the Devastator^[16]
• Jazinda - A Super-Skrull who is the daughter of Kl'rt.
• Ethan Edwards -
• Flaw - Warskrull member of the Shi'ar Death Commandos.
• De'Lila -
• Talos - A Skrull who cannot shapeshift due to a mutation he had. The mutation he had gave him super-strength.
• Lyja the Lazerfist - Former wife of the Human Torch while poing as Alicia Masters.
• Paibok the Power Skrull -
• Replica - Member of the Galactic Guardians
• Skrull Cows - A group of Skrulls who initially tried to frame the Fantastic Four, but were eventually turned into Cows and slaughtered.

• "Mister Fantastic"
• "The Thing"
• "The Human Torch"
• "The Invisible Girl"

• Skrull Kill Krew - Not actually Skrulls, these are humans who gained Skrull-like powers after consuming beef made from the Skrulls Cows.
• Skrullian Skymaster (Sk'ym'x) - Member of the Squadron Supreme
• Crusader - See Freedom Ring
• Titannus - A Skrull who cannot shapeshift.
• "Skrullverine" -
• Xavin - A Super-Skrull in-training.
• Cadre K - A group of Mutant Skrulls.
  • Z'Cann - The leader of Cadre K who is a female psychic.
  • Nuro - A Mutant Skrull who can elongate his body like Mister Fantastic.
  • R'Tee - A Mutant Skrull who can fire penetrating energy beams.
  • Goroth - A Mutant Skrull who has stretching powers.
  • Spunje - A Mutant Skrull who can absorb and reflect energy like Bishop.
  • Fiz - A Mutant Skrull that can increase his size like Giant-Man.
• Veranke - The former Skrull Queen. She posed as Spider-Woman and orchestrated the Secret Invasion.
• Ard'ran - A Skrull who participated in the Skrull's invasion upon San Francisco.
• Ch'gra - A Delegate in Queen Veranke's court.
• Ch'rith - A Skrull who participated in the Skrull's invasion upon San Francisco.
• Chrell - A Skrull Commander entrusted by Queen Veranke to train her army and slay Hulkling.
• Criti Noll - One of the Skrulls who posed as Henry Pym during the Secret Invasion. He not only has the abilities matching Henry Pym, he also has the powers of Black Panther, Quicksilver and Vision.
• Dharri - A Skrull lieutenant.
• Dro'ge - Royal Priest of the Sciences. A Skrull scientist who experimented on the Illuminati and discovers the advancements that allowed the Empire to infiltrate Earth in a massive scale.
• Dzirot - A Skrull who participated in the Skrull invasion upon San Francisco. He dies in battle.
• Evh'ser - A Skrull who participated in the Skrull invasion upon San Francisco.
• Fremn -
• Grrix - The Skrull Ambassador at S.W.O.R.D.
• H'kurrek - Fanatical Skrull commander who commanded the Secret Invasion upon San Francisco.
• Jash - A Skrull lieutenant who participated in the Skrull invasion upon San Francisco.
• John the Skrull - The last surviving member of the Skrull "Beatles". A member of MI: 13.
• K'rtem - A Skrull who was an old comrade of Z'Reg.
• Khn'nr - A Skrull who posed as the original Captain Marvel. He turned against the other Skrulls during the Secret Invasion.
• Pagon - A Skrull who posed as Elektra after Siri's demise. Killed by Echo as part of a suicide mission.
• Pitt'o Nili - A Skrull who posed as the Captain America (and brainwashed to be him) who came from a downed ship in the Savage Land. Killed by Shanna the She-Devil after being hit by a poisonous dart that has a huge effect on Skrulls.
• Rl'nnd - Son of Rm'twr. Rl'nnd was an undercover X-Skrull agent participating in the Secret Invasion. He displayed the combined powers of several X-Men. Killed by Ms. Marvel.
• Rm'twr - Father of Rl'nnd. He was killed by Ms. Marvel.
• Sar T'llrk - A Skrull who participates in the Skrull invasion upon San Francisco. He dies in battle.
• Siri - A Skrull who impersonated Elektra. She was killed by the real Elektra.
• Ssrov - A Skrull Dropshift Captain who participated in the Skrull invasion upon San Francisco.
• X'iv - A Super-Skrull assassin sent to assassinate Hulkling. She has the powers of Daredevil, Elektra, and Cloak and Dagger.
• Kreddik - Skrull Ambassador to the Intergalactic Council

Planets

• Aks'lo - Paradisaical vacation planet, destroyed by the Annihilation Wave.^[17]
• Kral - The highly-unusual Kral system is populated by Skrulls fascinated with the culture of 1930s Earth and who have attempted to duplicate that time period. Skrull inhabitants of Kral maintain human rather than Skrull form.
• Skrullos - Original Skrull homeworld
• Tarnax IV - Former Skrull Throneworld, consumed by Galactus^[18]
• Tarnax VII - Home of Xavin; engaged in a war with the non-Skrull planet Majesdane
• Throneworld - It can refer to either the former Throneworld, Tarnax IV, or the newer, unnamed Throneworld which was destroyed by Devos the Devastator^[19]
• Zaragz'na - Home of the Super-Skrull's son, destroyed by Annihilation Wave^[20]

Notes

• While the average Skrull will fearlessly and loyally execute any duties, he will also try to find ways to better his own position. A Skrull will betray another Skrull if it is to his own advantage.
• A number of Skrulls have been augmented with superhuman powers. Mutant Skrulls such as the group of Cadre K have also been sighted.
• Two of the current contenders for the empty Skrull Throne are Baroness S'bak^[21] and Dorrek VIII/Hulkling^[22]
• The idea that Skrull evolution is frozen in place is contradicted by numerous comics. Although Celestial genetic experimentation on the Skrulls may not have been as successful as Celestial experimentation on humans, the Celestial experiments were still not failures. The Kree were depicted in Operation: Galactic Storm as a species which could no longer evolve, in contrast to the humans, Shi'ar, and Skrulls. In Maximum Security, the Skrulls were shown to have a mutant gene. Indeed, the superhero group Cadre K consists entirely of mutant Skrulls.

Trivia

• Dire Wraiths are believed to be an offshoot of the Skrulls. However, the races do not appear to be friendly with each other.

In other media

• The Skrulls appear in an episode of the Fantastic Four animated series.^[23]
• The Chitauri appear in the animated movie Ultimate Avengers and its sequel, Ultimate Avengers 2.

Footnotes

Recommended Readings

• Fantastic Four #2 - First Appearance
• Fantastic Four #18 - First Super-Skrull
• Fantastic Four #37 - First look at the Skrull homeworld.
• Avengers #89-97 First Kree-Skrull War
  
• Silver Surfer Volume Vol 3 #1-31 Second Kree Skrull War

See Also

• Discuss Skrulls on the forums
• Appearances of Skrulls
• Race Gallery: Skrulls
• Images of Skrulls

Links and References

• Dire Wraiths
• Kree-Skrull War
• Skrull entry (currently almost no content) on Marvel.com, official Marvel website
• Skrull entry on MarvelDirectory.com
• List of less well-known Skrulls on MarvUnApp.com