Stick (comics)

Stick is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics who appears in their shared Marvel Universe.

Publication history

Stick first appeared in Daredevil #176 and was created by Frank Miller.

Fictional character biography

The mysterious Stick is a blind sensei who trained Matt Murdock.

Stick has made it his mission to keep the Chaste pure and clean from any evil infection. He forbade another of his prominent students, Elektra Natchios, from remaining in their ranks because of her vengeful personality, in spite of her formidable progress.

Stick is quite punishing and arrogant with his charges. He encountered Wolverine in his feral state and brought him back to reasoning, in part because of continued battering from his bō and hard nosed advising.

Eventually, the Hand sought to wipe out Stick and the good warriors of the Chaste altogether. Stick thwarted an assassination attempt by four Hand operatives; he then summoned the other members of his order to New York City. With the assistance of his clan, Stick defeated Kirigi, the Hand's most lethal ninja at the time. The Hand regrouped and attacked Stick and his band of warriors that now included Daredevil and his former lover, Elektra. The Hand had almost overpowered the small band of warriors, when Stick and Shaft resorted to an ancient technique that drained the life force from all ninja present. Unfortunately, the technique resulted in the explosion of Stick and his comrade as a result of the excess energy they had absorbed. Despite their losses and the escape of the superheroes, The Hand considered the destruction of their nemesis and leader of their enemy a victory and turned their attention to other schemes.

Years later, the Hand again turned its attention to the leaderless Chaste, once again attempting to destroy them. This time they sought to prevent the Chaste's members from locating the new-born child that would bear Stick's reincarnated soul. The Hand severely crippled Stick's soldiers, reducing their number to a handful of warriors. The few remaining traveled to New York, seeking the assistance of Daredevil. Reluctantly, the Man Without Fear aided his former mentor's disciples, returning with them to Japan. Once there, The Hand attacked the Chaste and Daredevil relentlessly. Fighting alongside Daredevil, the Chaste barely managed to escape and safeguard their master's reincarnated spirit.

As part of All-New, All-Different Marvel, the Collector resurrects Stick to compete for him in the third iteration of the Contest of Champions.^[1] During the fourth on-panel battle, Stick secretly allies with the Sentry of Earth-1611, a reluctant member of the opposing team assembled by the Grandmaster. When their alliance is revealed, the two are vaporized by Punisher 2099's Molecular Disintegrator.^[2] While experimenting with the Iso-Sphere, the Maestro unintentionally brings Stick back in the form of an elderly Rick Jones. In the final battle, Stick sheds his disguise, distracts the Maestro by using his ability to manipulate energy to resurrect the Sentry, and instructs Outlaw on how to use the Iso-Sphere to end the Contest of Champions. Stick is afterward shown back on Earth, where he forms a new superhero team with Outlaw, Ares, Guillotine, and White Fox.^[3]

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of Stick is introduced in the 3rd volume of Mark Millar's Ultimate Avengers as someone who trained along with Matt Murdock, Blade, Shaft, and Stone by their mentor Anthony. Stick is later seen training a 13-year-old blind boy (Ray Connor) to be a new Daredevil after Murdock's death in the NY Ultimatum wave. Stick has been training Ray for weeks and is about to graduate, but is later bitten and turned into a vampire. He later appears to be in the possession of the vampire Nerd-Hulk (an intelligent clone of Hulk) under orders of their leader Vampire X.^[4] After Anthony is killed by Nerd Hulk, Stick led Nerd Hulk's uprising at the Triskelion. He and most vampires are later killed in Iran after being teleported there by Captain America using Perun's hammer and then Blade impaling him in the chest with his sword.^[5]

In other media

Television

Marvel Cinematic Universe

• Stick first appears in his self-titled episode of Daredevil, portrayed by Scott Glenn.^[6] He was Matt Murdock's mentor when he was young. Stick taught Matt Murdock to master his abilities, but Stick left him when he learnt Matt saw him as a father figure because Stick considered it weakness. Many years later, Stick enlists Murdock's help in destroying Black Sky, a weapon that the Japanese led by Nobu are bringing to New York. Stick reluctantly agrees to refrain from killing, but breaks his promise when he kills Black Sky, who is actually a young boy. After fighting in Murdock's apartment, Murdock defeats Stick who is impressed and agrees to leave the city. Stick later converses with a heavily scarred man about Murdock's role in events to come.
• Stick appears more prominently in season two, where he first appears rescuing Daredevil and Elektra from the Hand. During Elektra's recovery, he reveals more about the history of the Hand and how he raised and trained Elektra when she was a girl. Elektra sends him out of the apartment when Matt convinces her she doesn't need to follow him. Stick sends an assassin after her, but the man fails and she comes after him. Matt stops a fight between the two before they are ambushed by the Hand where he is kidnapped. It is revealed that Elektra is the Black Sky and Stick raised her to fight her destiny. When she became too dangerous around his colleagues, he sent her to live with a Greek ambassador. Stick is rescued by Daredevil and Elektra, who is convinced by Matt not to kill him. Matt ties him up at his apartment, but he escapes and kills Nobu after Matt defeats him to ensure he doesn't come back. Stick is last seen visiting Elektra's grave with Matt.
• Glenn will reprise his role in the upcoming miniseries The Defenders.^[7]

Animation

• Stick appears in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series episode "Framed." He appears in a flashback as Matt Murdock recalls his education under the sensei's tutelage.

Film

• Terence Stamp portrayed Stick in the Marvel Comics movie Elektra.

Video games

• Stick appears as a supporting character in the Daredevil video game for the Game Boy Advance. In the beginning of the game, he informs Daredevil that the Kingpin has put a price on Daredevil's head. After Daredevil defeats Kirigi, he mentions that the Kingpin has a mysterious connection to the Sewer King. When Daredevil beats Echo, he warns Daredevil that Bullseye is waiting for him at a construction site.
• Stick is mentioned in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. He is mentioned by Daredevil when he tells his origin to the player's character.

In popular culture

• The character Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media was created as a homage to Stick.^[8]

See also

• Zatoichi

References

External links

• Stick at Marvel.com