Reaper (Marvel Comics)

Reaper is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character known most notably as the Reaper whose real name is Pantu Hurageb, a mutant in the X-Force comic book series. He has been a villain in the main Marvel Universe but a hero in the Ultraverse.

Publication history

The character first appeared in New Mutants #86 (February 1990), though he is not named until New Mutants #87.

Fictional character biography

Reaper is a mutant terrorist in the Mutant Liberation Front (MLF), and routinely fought the X-Men and X-Force. During X-Force's first mission against the MLF, Shatterstar fought Reaper and cut off one of his hands.^[1] His hand was replaced by a cybernetic prosthesis. In an attempt to flee from X-Factor, the MLF's teleporter Zero opened a portal for Reaper and his teammates to escape through, but when Havok attacked Zero, Zero was forced to close the portal while Reaper was still in it, causing him to lose a leg as well.^[2] The leg was also replaced with a prosthetic.

When the MLF was arrested during the X-Cutioner's Song, Reaper and three of his teammates were transferred to a special prison. They were freed by Reignfire and made part of his new MLF. During an attempt to kidnap Henry Peter Gyrich, Reaper faced Shatterstar again and lost his other hand. He was thought to have been killed in the fight, but he survived.^[3]

An attempt to recruit Siena Blaze for the MLF resulted in Siena's powers somehow transporting Reaper and Siena to the Ultraverse. There he joined the Exiles along with other Marvel Universe refugees Juggernaut and Siena Blaze.^[4] Reaper bargains with the alien race known as the Tradesmen for a new upgraded version of his scythe, but the Tradesman was murdered during the deal. The Tradesmen returned to demand a life in exchange for the Tradesman they lost and Reaper turned his scythe on Juggernaut, sending him back to the Marvel Universe. The Tradesmen accepted and left, but Reaper's teammates were less than happy with Reaper's actions. Reaper started to like life in the Ultraverse and slowly became a reluctant hero. He becomes intimate with the athletic 'Velvet Fist'.^[5] This new grouping disbands later.^[6]

Eventually Reaper returned to the Marvel Universe, and was one of the mutants incarcerated by Weapon X at Neverland, their mutant death camp. Reaper was offered to work for Weapon X and he accepted. Reaper and former MLF teammate Wildside would pose as mutant terrorists and attack civilians to increase the anti-mutant sentiment, thus reducing public backlash against the unlawful arrests committed by Weapon X. Cable's Underground captured the two and during a telepathic interrogation Cable accidentally damaged Reaper's brain, leaving him in a coma.

However, he was still alive and in New Avengers #18 he was confirmed to be depowered by the events of M-Day,^[7] in which the Scarlet Witch erased the mutant genome from over 90% of the world's mutant population. Recently, in Son of M #6, Quicksilver, who had gained the power to give depowered mutants their powers back, found Reaper begging on the streets.^[8] Reaper was the very first mutant to regain his powers and now has the Weapon X implanted scythe at his control. Reaper then joins the group called X-Cell.^[9] During battle, Abyss flung him and Fatale into the Brimstone Dimension and followed them.^[10] Reaper, Abyss and Fatale were later captured and tortured by Dr. Terrence Hoffman of A.I.M. after he got them out of the Brimstone Dimension and drained their powers. They were rescued by the new X-Factor team. Before Reaper could kill Dr. Hoffman, he is stopped by Quicksilver.^[11]

Powers and abilities

Reaper possessed the ability to generate a neurosynaptic energy field, which could slow down physical movements of living beings to the point of paralysis (he was even able to use it to battle Quicksilver), or even disrupt their nervous systems. Reaper used specially designed scythes to channel his powers into the bodies of anyone cut by the blades. Reaper had two cybernetic hands and a cybernetic leg. None of these artificial limbs seemed to have any superhuman abilities. While in the Ultraverse, Reaper was actually able to injure Juggernaut by simply slashing him with his upgraded scythe.

After Weapon-X

However, when he entered the Weapon X Program, he received upgrades to his mutant abilities and/or appearance like all new operatives. For Reaper, it was finally having organic limbs again, but these limbs also contained the added ability of being able to morph into a scythe-like blade for him to conduct his power through.

The status of Marvel characters' Ultraverse appearances in canon is unclear. The stories are never referenced within Marvel Comics, but a recent Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe did mention events in the Ultraverse.

Other Marvel Comics characters named Reaper

There were different characters in Marvel Comics that were also named Reaper:

• Reaper (Gunther Strauss). Nazi agent. Killed by Captain America during World War II.
• Reaper, a demon-worshiping villain who came into conflict with Morbius, the Living Vampire.^[12][13]
• Reaper, a member of the Mutant Liberation Front on an alternate earth (Earth-21993).^[14][15]
• Reaper, a demonic villain who clashed with the vampire-hunter Blade.^[16][17]
• Reaper, an ex-policeman named Louis Dawson who clashed with Power Man and Iron Fist.^[18]
• Reaper of Demon Fire, a villain appearing in the pages of Vampire Tales.^[19]
• Reaper of Souls, an occult superhero who more typically goes by the name Devil-Slayer.
• Reverend Reaper, a villain who clashed with the first Phantom Rider.^[20]
• Reaper 2099, a villain from Ghost Rider 2099.^[21]
• Grim Reaper, an Avengers foe who is Wonder Man's brother

In other media

Television

• Reaper appeared in the X-Men episode "Secrets Not Long Buried". He is one of the many residents of the mutant-dominated community of Skull Mesa. In "Graduation Day," he was among the mutants seen in Magneto's army.

References

External links

• Reaper at Marvel.com
• Uncannyxmen.net entry on Mutant Liberation Front