Killjoy was a mercenary working for Moses Magnum in Canaan. Killjoy believed in Magnum's vision of turning Canaan into a free nation of Africa that African-Americans could call home and escape the prejudice they suffered in the United States. Although uncomfortable with some of Magnum's actions, Killjoy was willing to kill and compromise his ethics in order to achieve those goals.
Killjoy attempted to assassinate the Black Panther, ruler of Canaan's neighbor Wakanda, as part of Magnum's schemes to overthrow the nation for the greater good of Canaan.[1]
History
The man known as Killjoy claims to have suffered more than he deserved, apparently because of the color of his skin, and that motivated him to train until he became a cold-blooded fighter so that he could defend what he perceived as justice.[3] He eventually became a mercenary weapons master,[2] as he felt his career was not in conflict with his moral goals. However, more than once he accepted to perform immoral actions, including assassination of innocents, if he felt this contributed to a greater good.[3]
When the criminal superhuman technosmith Moses Magnum took over the African nation Canaan, Killjoy began working for him as a mercenary,[3] and was nationalized a Canaanite.[2] Magnum shared with Killjoy his vision of turning Canaan into a free nation in Africa that African-Americans could call home to escape the prejudice they were suffering in the United States. Killjoy believed in Magnum vision and, although uncomfortable with some of Magnum's actions, Killjoy was willing to kill and compromise his ethics in order to achieve those goals.[3]
Magnum's plan included stabilizing Canaan's economy by taking over the Vibranium resouces of neighboring country Wakanda,[3][2] for which he initially sent a spy to steal Wakanda's military files,[4] but this spy was defeated by the African-American cyborg Michael Collins,[3][2] whom King T'Challa of Wakanda had hired temporarily.[3][2][5] T'Challa visited Canaan, asking its ruler for an explanation. After T'Challa left, Magnum ordered Killjoy to travel to Wakanda and assassinate T'Challa, foreseeing that the unexpected loss of the king would plunge Wakanda into chaos so that Magnum could conquer it. With just a little reluctance, Killjoy agreed and travelled to Wakanda,[3] while Magnum himself started his public appearances to offer any African-American demanding it the Canaan citizenship.[3][2]
Somehow reaching the country undected, Killjoy sneaked into the Royal Palace of Wakanda by night and killed several guards while advancing toward T'Challa's bedroom. He crossed paths with visiting African-American Tracy Collins and considered killing her to get rid of possible witnesses, but decided against it when he noticed she was pregnant, as killing a pregnant woman was against his moral code. Once he reached the bedroom, he tried to murder T'Challa and his wife Monica Lynne while they were sleeping together with a knife; but T'Challa's extraordinary sense woke him up in time to fight. As T'Challa was an excellent fighter, Killjoy tried to use Lynne as a human shield. The clash attracted the attention of Deathlok,[3] who joined the fray.[3][5] Killjoy appealed to Deathlok's racial identity in an attempt to ally with him, but Deathlok opposed to Killjoy's immoral behavior. Killjoy then used his Adamantium Sword to cut off Deathlok's right arm[3] but Deathlok continued fighting even injured, overloading his cybernetic resources. Wakanda's Guad, led by W'Kabi, tried to stop Killjoy, but were easily defeated by his guns. Deathlok succeeded in making Killjoy drop his Sword, but Killjoy tried to use a flamethrower, which proved uneffective against Deathlok's armored body. Deathlok then knocked down a wall so that Killjoy could not hurt innocents. Deciding he was overpowered, Killjoy tried to escape the palace, but was chased by Deathlok, who reprimanded his "tough guy" attitude. Scared, Killjoy tripped and fell to the floor. He believed Deathlok would hurt him, but the cyborg only disarmed Killjoy. King T'Challa then reached Deathlok and Killjoy, so as to arrest the mercenary and congratulate the ally; like Deathlok, T'Challa believed that Killjoy's attitude was hypocrisy.[6]
Deathlok was sent to the Wakanda Cybernetics Unit for repairs[6][5] while Killjoy was imprisoned in the palace's dungeon.[7]
Not much later, Magnum tried to invade Wakanda militarily, which forced Deathlok to take weapons and join the defenders. As he past Killjoy's cell while carrying heavy guns, Killjoy criticised Deathlok, who had insisted violence should never be the answer, and mockingly called him Gandhi. However, a later encounter convinced Deathlok to change his approach and do the right thing, not the easy thing.[7] Magnum's invading forces were quickly defeated,[7][2] and apparently Killjoy remained imprisoned in Wakanda.Personality
Even thou he is a mercenary and a professional assassin who has no concerns about murdering people who could not defend themselves (he murdered guards by sneaking and attacking from behind, and tried to assassinate the Black Panther and Monica Lynne while they were sleeping), Killjoy claims to follow a strict code of honor: He did regret killing people who were not directly responsible of any important perceived crime, but he refused to murder Tracy Collins when he saw that she was pregnant, as it would also kill an innocent baby.[3] For all his boastfulness, once he was defeated in combat, he lost his temple and begged for a mercy he would have never offered.[6]
Killjoy, being a black African, values actions that, in his view, benefitted the black communities, as he perceives that his people had already suffered too much. He thus believes the black people are entitled to use violence, even against innocents, to improve their situation. This led to a debate with Deathlok, a convinced pacifist (thou a fighter).[3][6] Killjoy insists that, when the situation required it, a man is forced to resort to extreme measures.[7]Attributes
Abilities
Paraphernalia
Weapons
Killjoy has shown a number of weapons which he uses efficiently in combat, including:
- His so-called Adamantium Sword, a retractable, slashing broadsword made of Adamantium that can be divided into two smaller swords. This weapon is strong enough, and he wielded it effectively enough, to cut off Deathlok's right arm.[3]
- A hidden flamethrower, with limited fuel, which he uses as a last-resort trick.[6]
- A fusil that shoots laser fire (which proved ineffective against Deathlok due to his difractory coating dissipating the attack).[6]
- Several fast-shooting energy guns.[6]
- Traditional knives for close-range murder.[3]
- A sharpnel-thrower in his wrist.[3]
Notes
- Oddly enough, another character named Killjoy was introduced by Marvel the same week as Magnum's mercenary in X-Force #22.
- Only in Deathlok Vol. 2 #24, Killjoy shows a moustache, a soul patch and braided hair, features that are clearly not there in his other two appearances in that same story arc.
See Also
- 3 appearance(s) of Killjoy (Earth-616)
- 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Killjoy (Earth-616)
- 1 image(s) of Killjoy (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ Deathlok (Vol. 2) #22–24
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Atlas #2 , Canaan's profile
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #23
- ↑ Deathlok (Vol. 2) #22
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #3 and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #3; both Deathlok (Collins)' profile
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #24
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #25