Ch’od

Background

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Powers and Abilities

As befits members of his race (at least the males), Ch’od is :

• Huge.
• Gifted with “Class 55” superhuman strength.
• Has a number of reptilian-like (or rather, apparently, amphibian-like) traits such as durability or gills.

Though he’s listed as lifting 20 tons, he has regularly displayed considerably greater strength. His feats of brawn include ripping multiple high-tech metal tendrils in two at once, or charging through one of the reinforced walls of the Avengers’s Mansion with ease.

Perhaps thanks to his contemplative nature (and/or his huge reptilian eyes), Ch’od seems able to read auras (in DC Heroes RPG terms, Mind Probe). This doesn’t provide that much information, though – he apparently can only read general disposition, health, nobility of purpose and what you’d expect from folklore on auras.

He also seems to be a capable engineer, and was obviously proficient at analysing alien technology from the Uncreated. His species, the Saurids, are traditionally scientists.

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Freebooter

The Starjammers are all fearsome fighters wielding the finest weaponry with great acumen. They have repeatedly proved able to successfully engage consequent military and/or superhuman forces, earning a remarkable series of victories and miraculous escapes. Everybody but Cr+eee also speaks fluent English. They were apparently taught by Corsair soon after they banded together.

Corsair also seems to have trained most ’jammers to competently pilot spaceships, from starfighters to cruisers such as the HMSS Starjammer.

One of assets of the Starjammers is that, whilst they normally fight with energy guns, they are very adept at switching to close combat with sabres, knives, claws, fists, etc.. Once in close-quarter battle, where they have a considerable edge over conventional troops. In Ch’od’s case, he just punches people.

Cr+eee

Though most assume that the furry white quadruped usually perched on Ch’od’s shoulder in his pet, Cr+eee is actually the Saurid’s friend. Cr+eee is fully sapient . However his form of intelligence is practically incomprehensible to most sapients, and his culture uses concepts that are pretty much impossible to explain to humans.

Though they are friends and can talk with each other, it is unclear how well Ch’od and Cr+eee can truly communicate with each other. In particular, it seems that Cr+eee cannot really convey concepts that are unique to his culture even to Ch’od.

Cr+eee is from a planet called Lupus. He had to flee Lupus after committing some sort of incomprehensible social crime. That apparently involved a female and her youngs, and some form of misunderstanding. During the Phalkon quest, Cr+eee returned to Lupus. He ran into serious trouble with the police, but displayed what seemed to be superior fighting and acrobatic skills for his kind.

It’s Lupus

After conversing with what seemed to be an old friend of Cr+eee, the female apparently forgave Cr+eee for whatever the crime was. She then procured the information pod Cr+eee was after as what seemed to be a gift, and accompanied him (along with seven small kids) back to the HMSS Starjammer.

In what seems to be a reference to the tazzlings in the Atari Force books, the children (and/or the female) appeared to have an intuitive ability to tinker with technological hardware. They could easily hack the circuits to open and close powered doors. They also could use thick technical cables to bind an opponent.

It is unclear whether Cr+eeee has similar capabilities. He’s never seen doing anything special with hardware, though at one point he *might* have been helping with repairs.

Cr+eee does not unusually participate in the Starjammers’s fights, perhaps because he’s too small. Still, he once managed to trip the Imperial Guardsman Quasar, but that was largely from the surprise. And Cr+eee had waited for a moment when Quasar would not have firm footing.

Cr+eee moves extremely quickly, and looks like a furry white blur when he’s attacking or dodging.

History

Ch’od’s species of scientists-philosophers, the Saurid (aka the Timorians), were conquered by the Shi’ar in the past. They were forced to become mercenaries for the Imperium.

As one such Saurid shock trooper, Ch’od got into what seems to be two distinct incidents. In the first, he declared himself a conscientious objector and was branded a coward by his kin. Perhaps the war in which he refused to take part was the conquest of the Saurid by the far mightier Shi’ar Imperium.

In the second incident, he was serving along with the Shi’ar military against his will. Ch’od was ordered by a Shi’ar commanding officer to raze a village where only females and children were left.

Ch’od refused to obey, and the incident ended with him breaking the officer into two, and then three, pieces. This is presumably when he was sent into the slave pits of the Imperium.

Hepzibah later stated that Ch’od’s race had been exterminated by the Shi’ar. Perhaps they were consistently used as assaulters to diminish the casualties suffered by Shi’ar soldiers.

Description

Ch’od is a massive and intimidating creature. He has thick scaly bright green skin, and yellowish spiky fins on his head, forearms and lower legs. He has a huge mouthful of dangerous-looking teeth, turned up into permanent predatory grin. He wears only a pair of black briefs and a red belt.

Personality

Ch’od is originally a gentle, considerate, very articulate philosopher. He abhors unnecessary violence and killing. Still, he will fight fiercely whenever necessary, armed with weapons set to stun and great politeness.

He’s very calm, quite perceptive, almost contemplative. Early Ch’od nearly always opt for compassion and dialogue. He’ll reliably stay the hand of his more warlike, freebooting colleagues.

Still, when faced with out-and-out scum like the guards on Alsibar or the Brood, Ch’od will eventually accept to let the opposition be killed by Raza and/or Hepzibah without question. But he will be openly relieved if an opponent he would rather not kill opts to flee rather than stand and die.

Leaving peace behind

However, this peaceful aspect to Ch’od’s demeanour has been consistently downplayed since his early appearances. Either he has gotten less reluctant about deadly violence, or it is the result of most modern appearances of the Starjammers occurring in times of all-out war.

Ch’od apparently worships something called “the Pantheon”. He will occasionally offer thanks to it when things work out in his favour.

Ch’od speaks in an elaborate way and with a large vocabulary. He also seems to have a good sense of humour. He’s usually genial and curious. After Corsair’s death, he started evidencing a deadpan sarcastic humour, often making fun of the newcomers. This included the new captain, though he scrupulously followed Alex’s orders.

Perhaps it is a mild form of hazing, or perhaps it is his way to mourn Corsair. Or perhaps he’s coping with the constant war footing he’s been on these last few years. It’s hard to say.

Ch’od now often starts his sentences with a “hrm” sound.

Quotes

“Peace, small mammal. I mean no harm.”

“There is something about his aura. All may not be what it seems.”

(Grabs a huge guard about to attack Corsair from behind) “Your pardon, gentle sentient… but being a noble soul, I feel certain you’d much prefer dealing with someone more your own size.”

Ch’od: “I am Ch’od.”
Jubilee: “Gesundheit.“
Ch’od: “This is my name, small mammal.”
Jubilee: “Oh. Ah… I knew that.”

“Mine is a race of scientist-philosophers, Keeyah. That and the attributes of our physical forms make us very effective killers.”

(2008) Ch’od: “Attention, Shi’ar warbird. You would be wise to surrender now.”
Shi’ar commander: “NEVER !”
Ch’od: “Hrm. Ch’od shall put you in the ‘not wise’ category, then.”

(2008) Ch’od: “Corsair used to sing a song to lead us into battle.”
Havok (flabbergasted and wondering if he has to sing) “Seriously ?”
Ch’od: “No.”

Polaris: “Look at Deathbird. She almost disembowelled me, now she’s glaring at me ?”
Ch’od: “Hrm. Perhaps she envies your hair.”

Cr+eee quotes

“#@%*& !!”

“Heep ! Heep ! Heep ! Hep.”

By Kevin Mulder (v1, v1.1) and Sébastien Andrivet (v1.2 and v2).

Source of Character: Marvel Universe.