Zn'rx
Encyclopedia
The Zn'rx are a fictional extraterrestrial
race who have appeared in many Marvel Comics
. Unpronounceable by human
tongues, the Zn'rx are known better as "Snark
s" among Earth's superhero
es because they were nicknamed that way by a Kymellian called Whitey, who named them after the monster in Lewis Carroll
's poem "The Hunting of the Snark
". They first appeared in Power Pack #1 (1984).
The Zn'rx are a biped
al reptilian
race with a digitigrade
leg structure. They are intelligent and have interstellar travel technology. However, they are also a warlike race by tradition.
The Zn'rx are divided into many clans, but all of them are ruled by an Emperor. The Emperor is married to the female rulers of each clan. Upon the death of the Emperor, the clans fight wars against each other; the son of the Queen of the winning clan becomes the next Emperor.
The Zn'rx were first seen in the Marvel Universe when they came to Earth to kidnap James and Margaret Power
and steal a powerful matter/anti-matter formula and converter Dr. Power had created. The plans were thwarted through the combined efforts of Whitey and the four Power children, Alex
, Julie
, Jack
and Katie
, in their first mission as the superhero team Power Pack
.
Zn'rx is used for both the singular and the plural; it also is the name of the Zn'rx's home planet. In English, the planet is referred to as "Snarkworld."
Maraud was banished by Emperor Bhadsha at the end of the Snark Wars, however, she has returned from time to time to threaten the Pack again. She also managed to destroy the Kymellian's artificial home planet. She blames the Pack for all of her failures, and remains one of their deadliest enemies.
Jakal was sent to Earth to abduct the members of Power Pack. The team destroyed his ship and severely injured him; they then wrapped his head in neuro-fibers and brought him to the Antarctic
to hibernate next to an alien serpent they had defeated in a previous battle.
When the members of Power Pack were kidnapped at the beginning of the Snark Wars, they were forced to reveal Jakal's location, and he was rescued and revived by his clan. Still suffering the effects of the battle, Jakal engaged Power Pack in another conflict, directing his ire toward Energizer, who had caused him significant damage at their last meeting. She managed to escape, but in doing so, burned his left hand to the bone. The rest of the team was recaptured and their powers were forcibly taken from them and given to Jakal, using a special machine. Jakal also eventually received Katie's energy powers.
The Kymellian powers made Jakal a formidable opponent, but also destroyed his mind and body. The powers quickly reverted to their natural owners, the Power children; Jakal died shortly thereafter. Before dying, he donated his body to Bhadsha, trying to atone for his actions.
Queen Maraud, as one of Bhadsha's wives, secretly tried to kill him by adding poison to his bath water. The efforts were almost successful, however, he was saved, and was able to continue to rule, when his mind was transplanted into Prince Jakal's donated body.
Bhadsha has also made efforts to maintain relationships with other alien nations and races. He is a personal friend of the Kymellian ambassador to Snarkworld, Lord Yrik Whitemane. He accepted the members of Power Pack as allies after their involvement in the Snark Wars, and saw that they were safely returned to Earth.
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
race who have appeared in many 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...
. Unpronounceable by human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
tongues, the Zn'rx are known better as "Snark
Snark
-Fictional creatures:* Snark , a fictional animal species in Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark * Snark , fictional small, bug-like species of alien used as a weapon...
s" among Earth's superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es because they were nicknamed that way by a Kymellian called Whitey, who named them after the monster in Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's poem "The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark is usually thought of as a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll in 1874, when he was 42 years old...
". They first appeared in Power Pack #1 (1984).
The Zn'rx are a biped
Biped
Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
al reptilian
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
race with a digitigrade
Digitigrade
A digitigrade is an animal that stands or walks on its digits, or toes. Digitigrades include walking birds , cats, dogs, and many other mammals, but not plantigrades or unguligrades...
leg structure. They are intelligent and have interstellar travel technology. However, they are also a warlike race by tradition.
The Zn'rx are divided into many clans, but all of them are ruled by an Emperor. The Emperor is married to the female rulers of each clan. Upon the death of the Emperor, the clans fight wars against each other; the son of the Queen of the winning clan becomes the next Emperor.
The Zn'rx were first seen in the Marvel Universe when they came to Earth to kidnap James and Margaret Power
Margaret Power
Margaret Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.She is the wife of Dr. James Power, and with him the mother of Alex, Julie, Jack, and Katie Power, members of Power Pack.-Publication history:...
and steal a powerful matter/anti-matter formula and converter Dr. Power had created. The plans were thwarted through the combined efforts of Whitey and the four Power children, Alex
Alex Power
Alexander "Alex" Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
, Julie
Julie Power
Julie Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
, Jack
Jack Power
Jonathan "Jack" Power, currently known as Mass Master, formerly Counterweight and Destroyer, is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:Jack was a founding member of the superhero...
and Katie
Katie Power
Energizer , is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
, in their first mission as the superhero team Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
.
Zn'rx is used for both the singular and the plural; it also is the name of the Zn'rx's home planet. In English, the planet is referred to as "Snarkworld."
Queen Maraud
Queen Mother Maraud is one of the Zn'rx queens. She initiated the original contact between Zn'rx and Earth by sending her clan's military to steal the matter/anti-matter formula and converter from the Powers. When her plans were scuttled by Power Pack, the superhero team became her personal enemies. She made several subsequent attempts to destroy the group, kidnapping them on two occasions and attempting to steal their powers for her son and herself.Maraud was banished by Emperor Bhadsha at the end of the Snark Wars, however, she has returned from time to time to threaten the Pack again. She also managed to destroy the Kymellian's artificial home planet. She blames the Pack for all of her failures, and remains one of their deadliest enemies.
Jakal
High Prince Jakal was the son of Queen Maraud and Emperor Bhadsha. Although he had been raised as a warrior, he was lacking in intelligence and conscience.Jakal was sent to Earth to abduct the members of Power Pack. The team destroyed his ship and severely injured him; they then wrapped his head in neuro-fibers and brought him to the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
to hibernate next to an alien serpent they had defeated in a previous battle.
When the members of Power Pack were kidnapped at the beginning of the Snark Wars, they were forced to reveal Jakal's location, and he was rescued and revived by his clan. Still suffering the effects of the battle, Jakal engaged Power Pack in another conflict, directing his ire toward Energizer, who had caused him significant damage at their last meeting. She managed to escape, but in doing so, burned his left hand to the bone. The rest of the team was recaptured and their powers were forcibly taken from them and given to Jakal, using a special machine. Jakal also eventually received Katie's energy powers.
The Kymellian powers made Jakal a formidable opponent, but also destroyed his mind and body. The powers quickly reverted to their natural owners, the Power children; Jakal died shortly thereafter. Before dying, he donated his body to Bhadsha, trying to atone for his actions.
Emperor Bhadsha
Surprisingly, Bhadsha, the current Emperor of Snarkworld, has actually tried to soften his race's warlike tendencies. Although he is a beloved leader, some of his changes, including trying to reduce the process of succession to a single bout of combat between all the princes, have not been popular.Queen Maraud, as one of Bhadsha's wives, secretly tried to kill him by adding poison to his bath water. The efforts were almost successful, however, he was saved, and was able to continue to rule, when his mind was transplanted into Prince Jakal's donated body.
Bhadsha has also made efforts to maintain relationships with other alien nations and races. He is a personal friend of the Kymellian ambassador to Snarkworld, Lord Yrik Whitemane. He accepted the members of Power Pack as allies after their involvement in the Snark Wars, and saw that they were safely returned to Earth.