Gronk

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Background

Powers and Abilities

Gronk is a huge, superhumanly strong guy with solid hand-to-hand combat experience.

His most remarkable quality is that he can endow any point of his body with extraordinary adhesive properties. As an example, after the Thing decked him in the sternum, he found it impossible to pull his fist away since it was stuck against Gronk’s adhesive skin. It took Hercules’ strength to overcome Gronk’s adhesive power.

Gronk frequently uses his power of adhesion and great strength to climb surfaces, making him surprisingly mobile. He can also sleep while upright, as long as there’s a wall nearby for him to stick to and not fall down. Gronk stops sticking when he’s knocked out, so presumably he has to concentrate in a special way to remain sticky as he sleeps.

Gronk seems to have a rather solid resistance to mental attacks, though nothing superhuman. He’s determined and hard to scare, perhaps because he’s used to dying.

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History

Gronk is assumed to be either a Deviant or an Inhuman. He has been serving, along with Helio and Phobius, as the small cadre of enforcers and agents known as Mælstrom’s Minions. They’ve been around since at least 1981.

The first documented appearance of the Minions took place when Mælstrom sent them to board Hydrobase and steal the Anti-Terrigen Compound. This chemical had been designed by Reed Richards and Inhuman researchers to restore their normal human form to the victim of the madman, Dr. Hydro.

The Minions easily stole the gas. But on the way out they ran straight into the security element – Stingray, Karnak, Gorgon and the Thing. The battle went as can be expected. Nevertheless, the canister holding the compound made its way to Malestrom on its own, Phobius having dropped it in the ocean as per instructions.

Don’t fear the reaper

Then, as per procedure, Mælstrom sent Deathurge to kill all three Minions. Their recent memories were downloaded into new clones, whose activation procedure was launched. This new batch of clones fought alongside Mælstrom until he was defeated. Maelstrom had Deathurge kill him and all Minions, so their consciousnesses could be transferred into new clones.

During Mælstrom’s next big plan (to absorb the power of Earth’s rotation within himself, likely destroying the planet in so doing), the Minions were of course at his side.

But the crisis drew in a whole roster of Avengers from both coasts, and the Minions were completely outmatched. Gronk discovered that Hercules, unlike the Thing, possessed enough power to free his fist from Gronk’s power of adhesion.

The 1990s

Gronk was later present as security during Maelstrom’s big plot to take the Quantum Bands away from Quasar in the name of Oblivion. He did not play much of a role, though. When he intervened he was again met with overwhelming force, with Sersi immediately turning the Minions into animals (Gronk became a pig).

The Minions and another set of servants of Maelstrom, the Weird Sisters, later executed on instructions left by Maelstrom to bring him back and imbue him with great power. They did so by draining the life force of a select set of Deviants, Eternals and Deviant-Eternal hybrids.

The Minions and Sisters were successful, though Maelstrom’s bid for power was eventually foiled by the Fantastic Four and a number of Eternals.

Description

Officially, Gronk is 6’. But he’s usually drawn as being way taller than that, almost two heads taller than the Thing during their first clash. The Background block and stats block reflect that.

Personality

Dour and effective. Gronk doesn’t speak much. When he does the grammar is sloppy and the style unimpressive, at least when he speaks English. He’s a decent team player and will aim toward neutralising the melee fighters.

He tends to call people smaller than he is “little man”.

Quotes

“It is the little man who falls, not Gronk !”

“Master ! How can we best serve you ?”

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Marvel Universe.

Helper(s): John Colagioia, Jackson.