History
According to the claims of 1940s criminal Dr. Emil Natas, Sir Amerigo is a past-life incarnation of Captain America who was active during the Middle Ages. He was also a reincarnation of an ancient hero called Hercules.
Amerigo was probably born in the 13th century and was an adult during his only recorded appearance, in AD 1313. He was reportedly a "noble knight". He took a young boy called Bucky as his squire. The boy was supposedly a past incarnation of James Buchanan Barnes.
In 1313 AD, Amerigo and his squire Bucky were traveling on horseback. They entered a small town at night time, seeking a room for the night and a meal. Amerigo soon realized that he could not wake the townspeople and found it strange. Bucky initially suspected that the people were simply drunk. Discovering Diablo Natas counting his stolen gold, Amerigo drew his sword and attacked the apparent thief.
Natas was able to use a spell to paralyze Amerigo. Studying his foe, Natas realized that he was the reincarnation of his old foe Hercules. He quickly explained their shared history to the helpless Amerigo. He took over Amerigo's sword and prepared to pierce the man's throat with it. He claimed that once Amerigo died, their paths would never cross again in future ages. He was soon attacked by Bucky, who was eager to save his employer.
Natas and Bucky faced each other in combat. Natas was armed with the sword, while Bucky relied on his bare fists. Bucky turned out to be a more skilled fighter. He disarmed Natas and beat him up. A battered and bruised Natas was forced to release the knight, in order to escape a further beating by the enraged Bucky. Once Bucky let go of him, Natas tried to cast another spell. A punch from Amerigo took him down again.
An enraged Amerigo forced Natas to reverse his spell on the town, even though Natas claimed that the price for the counter-spell would be the sorcerer's own life. With the counter-spell performed, the people awoke while Natas was suddenly on death's door. He had reportedly sold his soul for the original spell and undoing it cost him dearly. With his dying words, Natas once more sword vengeance against the two heroes in a future incarnation. He predicted that the next incarnation of Hercules would be called Captain America.
Amerigo was left wondering if this "evil soul" could be reborn. Bucky shuddered at the thought. Amerigo went on to have unrecorded adventures. He eventually died, and was reincarnated in the 20th century as Steven Rogers.[1]Attributes
Powers
- He might have the ability to reincarnate into new forms and identities over the centuries. However, his future forms can not apparently recall their past.
Abilities
- Amerigo was a trained knight. He was probably decently skilled in the use of his sword and shield.
- Amerigo could throw powerful punches and was probably skilled in unarmed combat.
- He was an experienced horse rider.
Weaknesses
- He was mortal. He eventually died, either killed in combat or through natural causes.
- While a trained fighter, Amerigo was helpless against magical attacks.
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Captain Amerigo wore chainmail armor, common to those worn by knights at the time.
- He wore a helmet with a small spike on it. The helmet covered the top of his head, but left the sides open to harm. The rest of his head, except his face, was covered by a cloth covering.
- He wore clothes above his armor. His clothing included a long red cape.
Weapons
- Captain Amerigo was armed with a broadsword and a shield.
Transportation
- Captain Amerigo rode a horse.
Notes
- The claims of Emil Natas are unsubstantiated. The story featuring the villain left it uncertain if his claims of past lives were true or not. It ends with many open questions. Natas' tales are questionable at best and Bucky suspected that Natas was insane.
- The story does not actually give an origin for Amerigo. He is described as a "noble knight" and that is about it. No nationality, affiliation, or previous combat experience is mentioned for him.
- While carrying a sword and shield, Amerigo was never actually depicted using them. In the section of the story which takes part in the Middle Ages, most of the fighting is performed by Bucky the squire. The knight only throws a single punch.
- There is an inconsistency concerning Amerigo's shield. When entering the enchanted town, Amerigo is carrying a shield. He still has it on another panel, while exploring the streets of the city. When going indoors and facing Diablo Natas, Amerigo no longer carries a shield. The shield is never seen or mentioned for the rest of the story.
Trivia
- "Amerigo" is an Italian name. It is an Italian form of the Old High German name "Haimirich" ("ruler of the home"). The best known user of the name was explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512). The Latin form of his name was "Americus Vespucius", and the "new" continent America was named after him.
See Also
- 1 appearance(s) of Captain Amerigo (Earth-616)
- 4 image(s) of Captain Amerigo (Earth-616)
- 1 quotation(s) by or about Captain Amerigo (Earth-616)