Judge Kraken
Encyclopedia
Judge Kraken is a fictional character
in the Judge Dredd
comic strip
featured in the long-running British comic 2000 AD
. Although he only appeared in a few episodes, he was nonetheless a very important character in Tale of the Dead Man, in which he was given almost equal billing with Dredd, and in the epic story Necropolis
, in which he actually replaced Dredd as the lead character in the first half of the story. Kraken first appeared in 2000 AD #583 (July 16, 1988).
from the DNA of Chief Judge Fargo
, and was therefore effectively Judge Dredd's twin brother (since Dredd was also cloned from the same source). However he was actually many years younger than Dredd.
Kraken was originally not a judge
but one of the Judda, a rogue army of clones created by the renegade Judge Morton Judd
from the DNA of Mega-City One's greatest judges, and hidden in a secret base within Ayers Rock. In 2110 Judd sent his army into the Grand Hall of Justice
, using teleporters in a surprise attack in an attempt to take control of the city and install himself as chief judge. After Dredd foiled the attack (killing Judd and most of the Judda), Kraken was taken prisoner. When the other prisoners were executed, he alone was spared.
Kraken underwent a lengthy process of deprogramming
in order to overcome his loyalty to the Judda. He was then trained to become a judge. Chief Judge Silver
secretly intended that Kraken would eventually replace Dredd, who had been showing increasing signs of disillusionment with the Justice Department.
Matters finally came to a head in the events recounted in the story Tale of the Dead Man, when Dredd was assigned to supervise Kraken (now a rookie judge) to assess his suitability for graduation to full street judge. Kraken performed impeccably, his skills and judgement outshining even those of his assessor. However Dredd was able to detect lingering traces of loyalty to the creed of the Judda, and therefore failed Kraken. Consequently Kraken's original death sentence for his role in the Judda incursion was reimposed.
Immediately following Kraken's assessment, Dredd announced his resignation from the Justice Department, and took 'the long walk
' into the Cursed Earth
desert outside the city. However, Silver secretly ordered that Kraken be spared from execution and, overruling Dredd's decision, appointed him a full Judge. He also covered up Dredd's disappearance from the city by ordering Kraken to assume Dredd's identity.
Shortly afterwards Kraken was visited by the evil Sisters of Death
who, by manipulating his doubts and confusion, were able to control his mind. They used him to trap Psi Judge
Kit Agee, whose body they used as a psychic dimension bridge between Mega-City One and Deadworld. This enabled them to rescue the Dark Judges
from their captivity in dimensional limbo. The Dark Judges immediately set about creating "Necropolis"
, a city under their complete control. The Dark Judges set about systematically exterminating the entire population. Within a few months 60 million people were slaughtered.
Dredd, with assistance from Judge Anderson
, former chief judge McGruder
and a handful of cadet judges, was eventually able to defeat the Dark Judges by killing Agee and severing the Sisters' link to Earth. Kraken, who by then had been enslaved and had himself become a Dark Judge, was freed at their defeat. While Dredd did not attach any blame to Kraken (and even told Kraken it could have been him in the younger man's place) Dredd could not allow him to live and executed him by a single bullet from a Lawgiver. Dredd stated that he believed Kraken did not want to live after what he had done and Kraken offered no resistance when faced with his demise.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
featured in the long-running British comic 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
. Although he only appeared in a few episodes, he was nonetheless a very important character in Tale of the Dead Man, in which he was given almost equal billing with Dredd, and in the epic story Necropolis
Necropolis (Judge Dredd story)
Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
, in which he actually replaced Dredd as the lead character in the first half of the story. Kraken first appeared in 2000 AD #583 (July 16, 1988).
Biography
Kraken was clonedCloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
from the DNA of Chief Judge Fargo
Chief Judge Fargo
Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
, and was therefore effectively Judge Dredd's twin brother (since Dredd was also cloned from the same source). However he was actually many years younger than Dredd.
Kraken was originally not a judge
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
but one of the Judda, a rogue army of clones created by the renegade Judge Morton Judd
Morton Judd
Morton Judd is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip and appears in progs 559-563 of the British comic 2000 AD, in the story "Oz"....
from the DNA of Mega-City One's greatest judges, and hidden in a secret base within Ayers Rock. In 2110 Judd sent his army into the Grand Hall of Justice
Grand Hall of Justice
The Grand Hall of Justice of Mega-City One is a fictional building in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It actually refers to three different buildings which existed at different times...
, using teleporters in a surprise attack in an attempt to take control of the city and install himself as chief judge. After Dredd foiled the attack (killing Judd and most of the Judda), Kraken was taken prisoner. When the other prisoners were executed, he alone was spared.
Deprogramming
Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion...
in order to overcome his loyalty to the Judda. He was then trained to become a judge. Chief Judge Silver
Judge Silver
Chief Judge Thomas Silver was chief judge of the fictional city of Mega-City One in the Judge Dredd comic strip.-Fictional character biography:...
secretly intended that Kraken would eventually replace Dredd, who had been showing increasing signs of disillusionment with the Justice Department.
Matters finally came to a head in the events recounted in the story Tale of the Dead Man, when Dredd was assigned to supervise Kraken (now a rookie judge) to assess his suitability for graduation to full street judge. Kraken performed impeccably, his skills and judgement outshining even those of his assessor. However Dredd was able to detect lingering traces of loyalty to the creed of the Judda, and therefore failed Kraken. Consequently Kraken's original death sentence for his role in the Judda incursion was reimposed.
Immediately following Kraken's assessment, Dredd announced his resignation from the Justice Department, and took 'the long walk
The Long Walk (Judge Dredd)
The Long Walk is an event occasionally depicted in the long-running British comic strip Judge Dredd, which appears in 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine. It also featured in the 1995 film starring Sylvester Stallone....
' into the Cursed Earth
Cursed Earth
The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
desert outside the city. However, Silver secretly ordered that Kraken be spared from execution and, overruling Dredd's decision, appointed him a full Judge. He also covered up Dredd's disappearance from the city by ordering Kraken to assume Dredd's identity.
Shortly afterwards Kraken was visited by the evil Sisters of Death
Dark Judges
The Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. Later storylines added the "Sisters of Death" , to their ranks...
who, by manipulating his doubts and confusion, were able to control his mind. They used him to trap Psi Judge
Psi Division
Psi-Division is a fictional organisation in the Judge Dredd and Anderson: Psi-Division comic strips in 2000 AD and Judge Dredd: The Megazine. It is the branch of Mega-City One's Justice Department that deals in supernatural phenomena, using Judges with psychic abilities. Psi-Judges are often...
Kit Agee, whose body they used as a psychic dimension bridge between Mega-City One and Deadworld. This enabled them to rescue the Dark Judges
Dark Judges
The Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. Later storylines added the "Sisters of Death" , to their ranks...
from their captivity in dimensional limbo. The Dark Judges immediately set about creating "Necropolis"
Necropolis (Judge Dredd story)
Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
, a city under their complete control. The Dark Judges set about systematically exterminating the entire population. Within a few months 60 million people were slaughtered.
Dredd, with assistance from Judge Anderson
Judge Anderson
Judge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
, former chief judge McGruder
Judge McGruder
Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
and a handful of cadet judges, was eventually able to defeat the Dark Judges by killing Agee and severing the Sisters' link to Earth. Kraken, who by then had been enslaved and had himself become a Dark Judge, was freed at their defeat. While Dredd did not attach any blame to Kraken (and even told Kraken it could have been him in the younger man's place) Dredd could not allow him to live and executed him by a single bullet from a Lawgiver. Dredd stated that he believed Kraken did not want to live after what he had done and Kraken offered no resistance when faced with his demise.