Life-Model Decoy

Life-Model Decoy
Name	Life-Model Decoy
Aliases	LMD, Red Eyes
Owners
Current Owner(s)	Nick Fury, Machine Man (bonded with a LMD), Max Fury
Origin
Origin	Life-Model Decoys (LMD's) are a S.H.I.E.L.D. designed robot that takes the form of a living person, thus making a duplicate of that person.
Reality	Earth-616
Lead Designer	S.H.I.E.L.D.
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
First	Strange Tales #135 (May, 1965)
First	Strange Tales #135 (May, 1965)

 Hey, what do you think about me making a robot that looks, talks, and moves exactly like you? 

—Iron Man

History

Overview

'Life-Model Decoys often shortened to LMD's are S.H.I.E.L.D. designed robots, whose skin is made of a rare metal called Epidurium and whose purpose is to take the form of a living person, thus making a duplicate of them.

Origin

In 1961, while in France on a mission for Leonardo da Vinci, Nick Fury, his brother Jake, and Thomas Davidson discovered a piece of self-replicating technology dating back to the Renaissance. The technology latched onto Davidson and Jake Fury, creating robotic duplicates of both of them. This technology would later be reverse engineered into the first LMD's.

Uses

Nick Fury

File:Nick Fury (LMD).jpg

Col. Nick Fury was targeted for assassination by Hydra they used an LMD's as decoys. After he thwarted another attempt on his life he was appointed director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D. sends out a squad of Fury LMD's in hope they can be used to track down who's trying to kill Fury. The Druid's eggs destroyed the LMDs.

Dum Dum Dugan was shattered when he thought Fury was killed in a fire-bombing attack by A.I.M., only to discover it was a LMD. Count Royale and his A.I.M. cohorts are amazed at how advanced and convincing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s LMD's are, far more advanced than their own chemical androids, and determine to steal one. A squad of A.I.M. men break into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s underground base to steal an L.M.D. They are stopped by Nick Fury, keeping the LMD technology a secret from them.

Dum Dum Dugan

In August of 1966, Dum Dum Dugan was fatally injured, and Nick Fury was forced to preserve his body's last glimmer of life in suspended animation, Deeply affected by the loss of his best friend, Fury decided to put into work some extremely advanced Life-Model Decoys which had been retrofitted with alien tech to supersede Dugan's body.

The real Dugan was kept in an undisclosed location, from where his consciousness was beamed to a host LMD, and it would be transferred to any other spare united each time one was destroyed. For decades, only Fury knew of Dugan's true fate, making him believe that he had mantained his youth and vigor due to using the Infinity Formula.

Captain America

S.H.I.E.L.D. enacted an an intricate plan to convince Steve Rogers to become Captain America again. They saved his life using an LMD who was targeted by a sniper agreed to resume his identity of Captain America.

China stole plans for the LMD from S.H.I.E.L.D. and used them for Operation: Replica. They used the plans to create and LMD of Captain America. It was sent to the US to battle and replace Cap, but it was easily defeated.

Tony Stark

Iron Man's true identity was discovered by the Mandarin he used an LMD into thinking he was someone else. He wore a prosthetic mask so when the Mandarin unmasked him he looked like another person. At the same time he had the LMD call a press conference.

Madame Masque set an explosions at Stark Industries, which unintentionally reactivate the LMD Stark. When Tony returned to Stark Industries he found the LMD waiting in his office. It explains that it will make a better Tony Stark and Iron Man, and, having changed Stark's filed signature and fingerprints, throws Stark out as an impostor. With his identity stolen Tony can't cash checks or buy clothes, and is even kicked out of Avengers Mansion by Jarvis when he can't supply the proper entrance code. He is chased by the police and saved by Madame Masque. The LMD helped Nick Fury and Captain America subdue a Hydra base, convincing them both he was the real Tony. Afterwards he decided that he must kill Stark. Midas has Madame Masque prepare the "Impostor Stark" to infiltrate his company and orders her to kill him if things don't go well. That night they infiltrate Stark Industries but are quickly attacked by the waiting LMD: Stark protected Madame Masque and fights Iron Man. She attempted to kill Stark as ordered, but can't. Iron Man is distracted by two security guards, giving Stark time to don his original armor. The Avengers arrived just in time to see LMD fall into a smelting pot.

Tony arranged for LMD Unit 6 to temporarily head Stark International. LMD Unit 6, believed to be the true Stark, prepares to provide technological support in case of Rigellian invasion via the alien egg.

Jarella

When Jarella was removed from Kai they planned to use a Life Model Decoy of Jarella and send it back to K'ai so that everything will be restored back to normal. The LMD was destroyed so the original had to go herself.

Thor

When Donald Blake was treating Captain America after an attack Iron Man creates a Thor LMD to take his place. However the ruse was found out and the the assassin learn of Blake's alter ego.

Nightshade

The criminal genius Nightshade is an expert in robotics and frequently uses LMDs for various purposes, including ones designed in her own likeness.

Arcade

Another villain with a special aptitude for engineering and robotics, Arcade has also frequently employed LMDs of his own person, whenever he feels his own life might be endangered by his schemes.

Others

In order to find out the limits new Thing Exoskeleton, by having him beat up a specially prepared Life Model Decoy. Ben Grimm easily knocked the robots head off.

Captain America was attacked by an army of Red Skulls. He was able to defeat them forcing the lead "Skull" to change back into Nick Fury and collapse. Cap told the real Fury that he had tricked Red Skull: noticing that the captured Nick Fury wasn't sweating, he had realized it was actually an LMD.

Deltite

The Deltite was a LMD created by Nazi scientist Dr. Arnim Zola and based upon the mind of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. They had Jake Fury smuggle the LMD inside of S.H.I.E.L.D. to wreck havoc at a later date. The Deltite was unaware of its origins, and believed its actions were self-motivated.

Jake Fury

The LMD of Jake Fury would later go insane and become the terrorist known as Scorpio while the LMD of Thomas Davidson would go undercover with Hydra as part of Nick Fury's decades long plan to subvert the organization.

Maria Hill

Maria Hill also employed them during her time as director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Deadpool

Someone created a large number of Deadpool Life-Model Decoys, which attacked him, and were destroyed by the real Deadpool and Red Hulk, who came by to recruit Deadpool to Code Red.

Red Eye

A second type of LMD not yet designated for impersonation duty are called "Red Eyes" and are used for high-risk operations.

Livewires

The Livewires' technology is largely based on that of LMDs.

Capabilities

As an android a Life-Model Decoy possesses various capabilities:

• Superhuman Strength: Life-Model Decoys are superhumanly strong and possesses strength beyond the human limit.
• Superhuman Speed: An average Life-Model Decoy can run and move at speeds that are beyond the physical limits of the finest human athlete.
• Superhuman Durability: The construction of a Life-Model Decoy makes it very durable.
• Superhuman Stamina: Life-Model Decoy can exert itself well beyond the human limit.
• Superhuman Agility: The agility, balance, and bodily coordination Life-Model Decoys are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.
• Quick Repair: The nanites in its body give a Life-Model Decoy a form of self-repair similar to a Healing Factor.
• Remote Control: The owner can see through, speak through, and control everything the LMD does in the field.

Alternate Realities

Image	Description	Source
File:Needed.png	On Earth-199999 When Agent Coulson tried to talk to Tony Stark via phone, Tony told him he was really talking with a Life-Model Decoy of Tony Stark. Dr. Holden Radcliffe started a project to create LMD's.	Marvel Cinematic Universe
File:Needed.png	On Earth-8096, Nick Fury deployed a LMD which was destroyed by Graviton. Many months later, a LMD modeled after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s newest director Maria Hill was executed by the Skrulls during their invasion. General Thunderbolt Ross used LMD when he became the Red Hulk to keep his true identity secret.	Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Animated Series)
File:Needed.png	On Earth-904913, Nick Fury used a Life-Model Decoy to confront ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Mallen. It ended up destroyed.	Iron Man: Armored Adventures
File:Life-Model Decoy (Earth-82809) What If Vol 1 34.jpg	On Earth-82809, Nick Fury wore his eye patch over his right instead of the left eye. As a result all his LMD's were useless because the eye patch was over the left eye.	What If? #34
	On Earth-9997, during his account of the past, Nick Fury tells that Tony Stark has created several copies of Fury's LMDS to prevent the real Fury from being hit during missions on the front lines.	Earth X ½
File:Needed.png	On Earth-12041, LMDs, which are able to roughly duplicate the powers of whoever they are disguised as, are used by S.H.I.E.L.D. to train Spider-Man and his team. In addition to the standard LMDs, there is a deadlier version used for harder training exercises. When Captain America and Spider-Man arrive in Madripoor, they found the entrance to Arcade's lair where Wolverine was fighting Life Model Decoy ninjas. They discovered that Arcade had stolen some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Life-Model Decoys modeled after themselves, which they were forced to fight. Arcade then unleashed multiple Hulk Life Model Decoys which were defeated by Captain America and Wolverine. Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine were later confronted by Red Hulk Life-Model Decoys. They were continued being used at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy on the Triskelion. They were used to train the New Warriors	Ultimate Spider-Man Season 2 20
File:Needed.png	On Earth-71002, Nick Fury used an LMD to debrief Spider-Man in Cairo, Egypt.	Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
File:Needed.png	On Earth-5724 , Nick Fury observed the the top half of a torso of a LMD being constructed of him.	Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
File:Needed.png	On Earth-91119, Nick Fury has created hundreds of LMD's of himself.	Marvel Super Hero Squad Online
File:Needed.png	On Earth-6109, a Life Model Decoys of Nick Fury were created.	Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
File:Needed.png	On Earth-9047, at one point, HYDRANT replaced the attendees of a Republican convention with LMD's. Nick Furious did not endeavor particularly to solve the situation; later, when the government got Furious stuck with unpleasant tasks, Furious believed it was a punishment for that.	What The--?! Vol 1 23
File:Needed.png	On Earth-TRN562, LMD's exist.	Marvel Avengers Academy

Notes

• Arguably, the most well known LMD is/was Max Fury who believed himself to be the real Nick Fury for some time before associating himself with the Shadow Council.

Trivia

• In Marvel Super Heroes: What The--?! Episode 3, Nick Fury sends a less than helpful LMD of himself to assist US Agent, Howard the Duck, and Ch'od to stop M.O.D.O.K. from pirating chick flicks. The LMD mocks David Hasselhoff, who played Fury in one of his movies, being useless in the fight, and at one point parodying the famed internet video of Hasslehoff on the ground, drunk, trying to eat a cheeseburger.

See Also

• 488 appearance(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 35 minor appearance(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 62 mention(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 40 image(s) of Life-Model Decoy
• 2 quotation(s) by or about Life-Model Decoy

Links and References

• List of the known Life-Model Decoys.