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Midnight Sun (comics)
Encyclopedia
Midnight Sun is a fictional character
, a former supervillain
in the Marvel Comics
universe
. He first appeared in Marvel Special Edition #16 (February 1974), and was created by Steve Englehart
, Jim Starlin
, and Al Milgrom
.
. Taking the identity of "Midnight," M'Nai wore a mask at all times to hide his facial scar. Although he and Shang-Chi sometimes came to blows, they grew up as friends, a relationship which would end when Shang-Chi rebelled against his father and left.
Midnight continued to work as Fu Manchu's agent until he was ordered to assassinate Shang-Chi. Their friendship unraveled during the mission, as Midnight mocked Shang-Chi's attempts to convince to renounce their father's villainy. Midnight proclaimed that his heart was filled with unspeakable hatred for humanity due to the way that his family was killed and his face irreversibly disfigured and renounced his friendship with Shang-Chi. While fighting Midnight at the top of a winch, Shang-Chi dodged a powerful kick. The kick was so forceful that Midnight lost his balance and fell to his apparent death.
In reality, Midnight was plucked from the time-stream by Kang the Conqueror
moments before his death. Kang used Midnight as a soldier in his Legion of the Unliving
, sending him to fight the Avengers
. He was knocked unconscious by Mantis
. After the end of the battle, Immortus
returned him to his own time, where his death was allowed to take its course. Midnight's cape caught on the winch as he fell, breaking his neck. As his body hung from the winch, Shang-Chi contemplated climbing up to retrieve the body and look upon his brother's scarred face (which he never saw when he was alive) but opted not to out of respect for Midnight.
Midnight's body was obtained by the Kree
and kept in cold storage for years. When the Kree realized that they needed an agent who could defeat the Silver Surfer
in combat, a Kree scientist named Kar-Sagg reanimated Midnight's brain and placed it in a cloned body which had been enhanced with superhuman powers to make him a match for the Silver Surfer. It is at this point that he was renamed "Midnight Sun."
In one of Midnight Sun's multiple battles with the Surfer, he interrupts a conflict between the Kree and the Skrull
.
After the fight, Midnight Sun was taken to a Kree laboratory where he was placed in the care of Kar-Sagg. It was revealed that Midnight Sun had been resurrected without his memories of who or what he was, but that they still existed in his subconscious mind due to the Kree scientists not wanting to risk losing his martial arts skills. It was ultimately decided that the removal of all non-combat skill related subconscious memory might make him a more effective fighter, but during the procedure Midnight Sun was made to confront elements of his past as the machine sifted through his mind. This caused him to resist and rebel against Kar-Sagg and ultimately defeat an entire squad of Kree soldiers sent to subdue him. Impressed that Midnight Sun managed to rebel against him, Kar-Sagg took pity on him as he allowed him to leave unharmed. As he left, the memories of his past he had relived were ultimately gone from his mind, leaving him to ponder the question of who he was
Requiring no sustenance, Midnight Sun meditated on the moon
, trying to remember his past. When he detected the Silver Surfer passing by, he confronted him, holding a vague memory that the Silver Surfer was someone from his past who might provide him with clues. Mute, and unable to communicate with the Surfer, Midnight Sun attacked the Surfer in order to force him to stay, and the Surfer defeated him again. When the Surfer removed Midnight Sun's mask in order to treat his injuries, he was surprised to discover a horribly mangled face. Enraged, Midnight Sun renewed their fight until the Inhumans
intervened, offering to take him back to Atillan, their city on the moon, in order to treat his wounds and find some means to communicate with him. Midnight Sun and the Silver Surfer parted as friends.
A mute Midnight Sun later returned to fight Shang-Chi once more, but they too parted as friends with Shang-Chi even referring to themselves as "brothers".
s, nunchaku
, and shuriken
. His specialty was vanishing into shadows and ambushing his opponents. He has had years of experienced in the disciplines of Kung Fu, and is an accomplished Kung Fu practitioner.
When Kar-Sagg transformed him into a Kree agent, he transferred Midnight's brain into a powerful cloned body. His new body has superhuman strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. Most notably, silver discs were grafted to the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet, which provide propellant force that allows him to travel through space. He often used these discs to bash his enemies using his martial arts skills. His body was also modified to allow him to survive outer-space conditions, and he appears to have no need for food or rest. He is also mute
. Although the exact extent of his superhuman strength, speed, and toughness are unknown, he was capable of causing pain to the Silver Surfer, and surviving the Surfer's repeated attacks without serious injury. His superhuman attributes were made more formidable by the fact that he retains all of his martial arts skills and affinity for darkness, even after suffering amnesia.
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...
, a former supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. He first appeared in Marvel Special Edition #16 (February 1974), and was created by Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart is an American novelist. In his earlier career he was a comic book writer best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics, particularly in the 1970s...
, Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
, and Al Milgrom
Al Milgrom
Allen "Al" Milgrom is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West...
.
Midnight
Midnight Sun began life as M'Nai, a child in a small African village which Fu Manchu was using as his headquarters. When Sir Denis Nayland Smith attacked the village, M'Nai's entire family was killed and M'Nai suffered permanent facial scars. Noticing that M'Nai did not cry despite his injury, Fu Manchu decided to raise the child in China as his own, alongside his son Shang-ChiShang-Chi
Shang-Chi is a Marvel Comics character, often called the "Master of Kung Fu". He was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin....
. Taking the identity of "Midnight," M'Nai wore a mask at all times to hide his facial scar. Although he and Shang-Chi sometimes came to blows, they grew up as friends, a relationship which would end when Shang-Chi rebelled against his father and left.
Midnight continued to work as Fu Manchu's agent until he was ordered to assassinate Shang-Chi. Their friendship unraveled during the mission, as Midnight mocked Shang-Chi's attempts to convince to renounce their father's villainy. Midnight proclaimed that his heart was filled with unspeakable hatred for humanity due to the way that his family was killed and his face irreversibly disfigured and renounced his friendship with Shang-Chi. While fighting Midnight at the top of a winch, Shang-Chi dodged a powerful kick. The kick was so forceful that Midnight lost his balance and fell to his apparent death.
In reality, Midnight was plucked from the time-stream by Kang the Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Avengers #8 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
moments before his death. Kang used Midnight as a soldier in his Legion of the Unliving
Legion of the Unliving
The Legion of the Unliving is the name of five groups of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.The five versions first appear in Avengers #131 ; Avengers Annual #16 ; Avengers West Coast #61 ; Avengers #353 and Avengers vol. 3, #10 respectively...
, sending him to fight the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
. He was knocked unconscious by Mantis
Mantis (Marvel Comics)
Mantis is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Universe, and former member of the Avengers.-Publication history:Mantis first appeared in Avengers #112 , drawn by Don Heck...
. After the end of the battle, Immortus
Immortus
Immortus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the future self of Kang the Conqueror, and first appeared in Avengers #10, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
returned him to his own time, where his death was allowed to take its course. Midnight's cape caught on the winch as he fell, breaking his neck. As his body hung from the winch, Shang-Chi contemplated climbing up to retrieve the body and look upon his brother's scarred face (which he never saw when he was alive) but opted not to out of respect for Midnight.
Midnight's body was obtained by the Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
and kept in cold storage for years. When the Kree realized that they needed an agent who could defeat the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
in combat, a Kree scientist named Kar-Sagg reanimated Midnight's brain and placed it in a cloned body which had been enhanced with superhuman powers to make him a match for the Silver Surfer. It is at this point that he was renamed "Midnight Sun."
Midnight Sun
Midnight Sun fought the Silver Surfer alongside the Kree. With the help of a light-deadening dust, he used his talent for stealth to hit the Surfer with several sneak attacks. However, the Surfer eventually detected him and used his board to trap Midnight Sun, until an assault from a Kree vessel forced him to flee. The two fought one-on-one when the Kree sent Midnight Sun to protect Hala from the Surfer, but the Surfer defeated him again. Because the Kree's alterations had left him unable to speak or use his fingers, Silver Surfer was never aware of Midnight Sun's name or background, and could not communicate with him. Although his powers far exceeded Midnight Sun's, the Surfer considered him a very frustrating opponent due to his stony silence and often uncertain motivations, as well as his ability to catch the Surfer off-guard with surprise attacks and skillful strikes and dodges.Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
.
After the fight, Midnight Sun was taken to a Kree laboratory where he was placed in the care of Kar-Sagg. It was revealed that Midnight Sun had been resurrected without his memories of who or what he was, but that they still existed in his subconscious mind due to the Kree scientists not wanting to risk losing his martial arts skills. It was ultimately decided that the removal of all non-combat skill related subconscious memory might make him a more effective fighter, but during the procedure Midnight Sun was made to confront elements of his past as the machine sifted through his mind. This caused him to resist and rebel against Kar-Sagg and ultimately defeat an entire squad of Kree soldiers sent to subdue him. Impressed that Midnight Sun managed to rebel against him, Kar-Sagg took pity on him as he allowed him to leave unharmed. As he left, the memories of his past he had relived were ultimately gone from his mind, leaving him to ponder the question of who he was
Requiring no sustenance, Midnight Sun meditated on the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, trying to remember his past. When he detected the Silver Surfer passing by, he confronted him, holding a vague memory that the Silver Surfer was someone from his past who might provide him with clues. Mute, and unable to communicate with the Surfer, Midnight Sun attacked the Surfer in order to force him to stay, and the Surfer defeated him again. When the Surfer removed Midnight Sun's mask in order to treat his injuries, he was surprised to discover a horribly mangled face. Enraged, Midnight Sun renewed their fight until the Inhumans
Inhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This race appears in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics and exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe....
intervened, offering to take him back to Atillan, their city on the moon, in order to treat his wounds and find some means to communicate with him. Midnight Sun and the Silver Surfer parted as friends.
A mute Midnight Sun later returned to fight Shang-Chi once more, but they too parted as friends with Shang-Chi even referring to themselves as "brothers".
Powers and abilities
As an agent of Fu Manchu, Midnight was a highly trained martial artist and espionage agent. He was a master of unarmed combat and many martial arts weapons, particularly daggerDagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s, nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
, and shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
. His specialty was vanishing into shadows and ambushing his opponents. He has had years of experienced in the disciplines of Kung Fu, and is an accomplished Kung Fu practitioner.
When Kar-Sagg transformed him into a Kree agent, he transferred Midnight's brain into a powerful cloned body. His new body has superhuman strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. Most notably, silver discs were grafted to the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet, which provide propellant force that allows him to travel through space. He often used these discs to bash his enemies using his martial arts skills. His body was also modified to allow him to survive outer-space conditions, and he appears to have no need for food or rest. He is also mute
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
. Although the exact extent of his superhuman strength, speed, and toughness are unknown, he was capable of causing pain to the Silver Surfer, and surviving the Surfer's repeated attacks without serious injury. His superhuman attributes were made more formidable by the fact that he retains all of his martial arts skills and affinity for darkness, even after suffering amnesia.