Juggernaut (character)


Juggernaut is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #12 as an adversary of the eponymous superhero team. Since then, he has come into conflict with other heroes, primarily Spider-Man and the Hulk.
Cain Marko is a regular human who was empowered by a gem belonging to the deity Cyttorak, becoming a literal human juggernaut. He possesses superhuman strength and durability, and is virtually immune to most physical attacks; his helmet also protects him from mental attacks. Although not a mutant, Juggernaut has been featured as a prominent member of the Brotherhood of Mutants. He is also the stepbrother of Professor X.
Since his debut during the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character has appeared in over five decades of Marvel publications, featuring prominently in the X-Men titles and starring in two one-shot solo publications. The character has also been associated with Marvel merchandise including clothing, toys, trading cards, animated television series, video games. Juggernaut was played by Vinnie Jones in the film X-Men: The Last Stand, by Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 2, and by Aaron W. Reed in Deadpool & Wolverine. In some adaptations, Marko is a mutant who was born with his powers, while in others they simply come from his costume.
In 2008, Juggernaut was ranked 188th on Wizard's list of Top 200 Comic Book Characters. In 2009, Juggernaut was ranked 19th on IGN's list of Top 100 Comic Book Villains. IGN also ranked him as Spider-Man's 22nd greatest enemy.

Creation

The character was named after the Hindu deity, Jagannath, whose towering sixty-foot-high chariot—pulled by roughly two hundred people—moved with such force and devotion that it did not stop, even if someone fell in its path.

Publication history

The character debuted as an antagonist of the eponymous mutant superhero team in X-Men #12–13. In the first of these issues, he rampaged unseen throughout the X-Men's headquarters while the team's leader, Professor X, related the character's origin in a series of flashbacks.
After an initial defeat in the following issue, the Juggernaut returned in X-Men #32–33, and returned again in X-Men #46, then fought the sorcerer Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange #182, X-Men member the Beast in Amazing Adventures #16, and the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #172.
After the canceled X-Men returned in the mid-1970s, the Juggernaut returned to fight a new iteration of the team in X-Men #101–103. Storylines in Spider-Woman #37–38 and The Amazing Spider-Man #229–230 explored the Juggernaut's relationship with his ally Black Tom Cassidy.
The X-Men and Spider-Man proved to be regular foes for the character, who appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #183, Marvel Team-up #150, and The Uncanny X-Men #194. The Juggernaut guest-starred in Secret Wars II #7, battled a new generation of mutants in X-Men #217–218, appeared in a flashback story in Marvel Saga #21, and in a humorous episode in Excalibur #3.
The Juggernaut also participated in the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline in Thor #411–412 and returned in Thor #429. Other appearances included an encounter with his creator, Cyttorak, in X-Men Unlimited #12 and starring in the one-shot issue Juggernaut #1.
In 1994 Marvel purchased Malibu Comics and began a series of crossovers that saw Marvel characters entering the Malibu Ultraverse. In 1995–1996, Juggernaut lead a group of Ultras, who were named The All New Exiles. The All New Exiles met up with the X-Men in a special Malibu/Marvel collaboration, The All New Exiles vs X-Men #0, dated October 1995.
The character appeared in Juggernaut: The Eighth Day #1 and Avengers vol. 3 #23–25 with similarly powered avatars and attempted a reformation in The Uncanny X-Men # 410–413 and X-Men #162–164. The Juggernaut confronted his stepbrother, Charles Xavier—leader of the X-Men—in X-Men: Legacy #219, and fought the Hulk in Hulk #602.
He appeared as a regular character in Thunderbolts beginning with issue #144, and remained on the team until issue #158, during the Fear Itself limited series.
Juggernaut had a solo comic in 2020, by Fabian Nicieza and Ron Garney. Despite being a character from the X-Men franchise, it has plots of its own that do not crossover with the ongoing Dawn of X.

Fictional character biography

1960s

Cain Marko is the son of Kurt Marko, who becomes Charles Xavier's stepfather when he marries Sharon Xavier after the death of her husband Brian, for which Kurt is partially responsible. Kurt Marko favors Charles and abuses his own son, Cain. Cain resents Charles and bullies him frequently. Cain Marko and his step-brother Charles serve in the US Army and are stationed in Korea. Marko finds a hidden temple dedicated to the entity Cyttorak. On entering, Marko finds and holds a huge ruby and reads the inscription on the stone aloud: "Whosoever touches this gem shall be granted the power of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak! Henceforth, you who read these words, shall become... forevermore... a human juggernaut!" The gem channels Cyttorak's power into Marko. The transformation causes a cave-in, and the character is buried and presumably killed, not being heard from again until a sudden assault on the X-Men's headquarters.
Xavier recounts the Juggernaut's origin to the X-Men, and after shrugging off the mansion's defenses and brushing aside the X-Men, Marko is seen clearly in the final panel as he confronts Xavier. The X-Men regroup and attack, while Xavier summons Fantastic Four member the Human Torch to aid the mutants; the Torch generates 'pulses' of flame that essentially hypnotize the Juggernaut, distracting him long enough for Angel to remove his helmet, making Marko susceptible to a telepathic attack by Xavier.
The Juggernaut returns seeking revenge and is delayed by three of the X-Men while Cyclops and Marvel Girl, aided by the astral form of mystic Doctor Strange, find and use another jewel of Cyttorak, which banishes the Juggernaut to the "Crimson Cosmos", the home dimension of Cyttorak. When the Juggernaut reappears, the character has gained mystical abilities and briefly battles the mystic Doctor Strange before being banished to an alternate universe by the cosmic entity Eternity.

1970s

Juggernaut reappears on Earth through sheer force of will, although the alien dimension caused him to age rapidly. The panicking villain battles former X-Man the Beast before being drawn back to the same dimension. An entity from his prison dimension reverses the aging process and removes the mystical powers on the proviso that the villain never return. The Juggernaut is accidentally pulled back to Earth at the Hulkbuster base by an interdimensional device designed to banish the Hulk. The Hulk aids the Juggernaut in escaping from the base but attacks him when the Juggernaut threatens a civilian. During the battle, the Juggernaut's helmet is removed, and he is surprised and defeated by Professor X, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl.
The Juggernaut befriends Black Tom Cassidy, the cousin of X-Man Banshee, and battles the first generation of new X-Men. When Tom falls off the battlements of Cassidy Keep after a sword duel with Banshee, Juggernaut jumps after him into the sea.

1980s

Black Tom uses his niece Siryn, who possesses the same powers as her father Banshee, to steal a shipment of the metal vibranium. The Juggernaut battles Spider-Woman and the X-Men and is the only one of the criminal trio to escape capture. After freeing him from prison, Black Tom decides that the psychic Madame Web could be useful in his criminal pursuits. On arriving in New York City, Tom sends the Juggernaut to capture Madame Web; Juggernaut destroys several city blocks in the process, and ignores Spider-Man's best efforts to stop him. He almost kills Web by accident when he removes her from a life support device, and abandons her. A frustrated Spider-Man lures the Juggernaut into setting concrete, poured for the foundation of an office high-rise, into which he sinks without a trace; he takes over a month to dig his way out.
The Juggernaut, in civilian guise, has a bar fight with the X-Man Colossus, who is at first unaware of the villain's true identity. After another battle against Spider-Man and the X-Men, the Juggernaut encounters the futuristic Sentinel Nimrod, who humiliates and defeats him. The Juggernaut is one of the villains assembled by Mephisto to battle the cosmic entity the Beyonder. The Juggernaut battles an all-new generation of X-Men, appears in a flashback story with the original X-Men, and battles Excalibur during a mass prison breakout.
The Juggernaut also participates in the "Acts of Vengeance," battling the Thunder God Thor and teen superteam the New Warriors.

1990s

The Juggernaut continues to feature prominently in Marvel titles battling Thor once again and starring opposite other characters such as the mutant team X-Force, Doctor Strange, the Hulk, mercenary Deadpool, the villain turned antihero Venom, and multiple battles with the X-Men. Briefly, he traveled to the Ultraverse and joined the superhero team Exiles. After his return to the Marvel Universe, the Juggernaut suffers a major setback during the Onslaught storyline, being defeated and then humiliated by the entity when imprisoned in the Gem of Cyttorak. The Juggernaut, however, escapes.
The Juggernaut also stars in a solo story and the "Eighth Day" storyline, which introduces the entities the Exemplars. The Juggernaut and seven other humans are revealed to have all been empowered and corrupted by mystical entities, and as avatars enforce their will on Earth. The Juggernaut resists the influence of Cyttorak and when captured by other Exemplars is aided by the superhero team the Avengers. Leader Captain America convinces the other Exemplars that they have been manipulated by the mystical entities, who then decide to leave Earth.