Character Spotlight: Gladiator
Superguardian of the Shi’ar Imperium, preserver of stellar harmony, destroyer of mutants…
Today, we welcome the confident loyalist to the Shi’ar empire — Gladiator!
On Reveal: Add a card from your opponent’s deck to their side of this location. If it has less Power, destroy it.
Who is Gladiator?
The fiercely proud Gladiator is the leader, or praetor, of the Imperial Guard, a multi-ethnic group of super-powered alien beings who act as enforcers of the laws of the Shi’ar Empire.
Gladiator was amongst the first of the Imperial Guard encountered by the team of superhuman mutant adventurers known as the X-Men who sought to rescue the Princess-Majestrix Lilandra from her insane brother, then-Majestor D’Ken.
Following the orders of their emperor, the Guard clashed with the X-Men and were on the verge of winning when the band of interstellar freebooters known as the Starjammers arrived to turn the tide of battle in the X-Men’s favor.
The Guard and the X-Men subsequently clashed once more when the Shi’ar sought to end the threat to the universe posed by the cosmic entity known as the Phoenix, which had assumed the form of X-Men member Jean Grey.
As praetor of the Guard, Gladiator was an obvious choice to be one of eight Guardsmen chosen to battle the X-Men.
Under Gladiator’s leadership, the Guard defeated the X-Men, then allowed the mutants to return to Earth.
Powers & Abilities
Kallark is a Strontian who went through the Gladiator enhancement process, enabling him to survive in the vacuum of space and increasing his natural power levels.
As a result, Gladiator possesses superhuman strength that grows relative to his confidence — said to be comparable to the Hulk in physical might, powerful enough even to shift planets from their orbit, collapse stars, and tear apart black holes!
Additionally, Gladiator’s Strontian physiology grants him incredible superhuman speed, agility, reflexes, and stamina — dwarfing the physical capabilities of the finest human athletes.
His extraordinary durability renders him virtually impervious to all physical damage and capable of withstanding high caliber bullets, powerful concussive blasts, falls from tremendous heights and blows from powerful super-humans such as Hulk and Hyperion.
As if that wasn’t already enough, Gladiator also possesses the powers of flight, super breath, microscopic vision, heat beams, psionic resistance, and accelerated healing factor.
He is an incredibly trained and experienced fighter, capable of planning for and meticulously executing upon any situation.
Gladiator’s physical prowess, immense confidence and ability to one-up just about anyone who comes his way, is illustrated by his MARVEL SNAP effect:
On Reveal: Add a card from your opponent’s deck to their side of this location. If it has less Power, destroy it.
As a powerful Strontian warrior, it goes without saying that Gladiator should have incredible stats for his cost.
He possesses 7 base Power for just 3 energy, plus a potential upside of destroying a card from your opponent’s deck. (Death and Knull lovers eating good!)
However, as is the case with any duelist combat, there comes a risk which accompanies the potential reward — the opponent winning.
Of course, we all know that your Gladiator will win 100% of the time, every time, right?
Pride, loyalty, confidence, and a bit of superhuman physiology goes a long way when looking to destroy mutants and preserve stellar harmony!
Let’s welcome Majestor Kallark — AKA Gladiator — to MARVEL SNAP!!
