| Spikes | |||||||
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| Real Name | Spikes | ||||||
| Powers and Abilities | Infects, Alters, and Controls Organic Beings Gives Enhanced Strength and Ability Produces Spores Upon Infection | ||||||
| Team Affiliations | Sakaar Natives | ||||||
| Family and Friends | Red King (Creator) | ||||||
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- Spikes are from the Non MAU video Planet Hulk.
Spikes are a parasitic life form found on the planet Sakaar. They were instrumental in both the rise and fall of the Red King. The first encounter with them became known as the Spike Wars.
Biology[]
They were genetically engineered to be a terrible enemy.
The Spikes themselves are little more than small spore-like creatures composed of a small ball with several legs. Individually they were weak and do not pose much of a threat.
The true strength and source of terror of the Spikes derive from their ability to infect organic material. The spores attach themselves to any living creature and take over the body.
First the spore enters the skin to begin the takeover. Soon it converts the body itself by protruding large spikes from the host. The eyes start to glow. It also extends the size of the tongue to use like a whip. Then it takes over completely and attacks others. It then begins using the body to produce more spores.
The host is then used to find non-infected creatures so they can be hosts for more Spikes. The host can attack so a spore can attach itself. If no spores are nearby then the host's tongue is used attack with more spores.
The host is given enhanced agility and strength. Enough that a single infected host can be quite a threat on its own. Those infected can also travel places by walking along walls. However, their speed varies depending on the situation. While simply hunting the hosts appear to just stumble along in a daze. But when it finds a target it becomes quite swift and moves with much agility.
The Spikes take over the host body completely. There is no limit to what the Spikes can make the host do. Infected hosts attack neighbors, friends, and even family. The infected seem to show no recognition whatsoever to their targets and attack without mercy. There is no safety from any host.
It is unknown whether the host remains conscious but unable to control during this time, or if the personality is completely erased. Some who have been recently infected have shown the ability to speak and remember names, though their actions are still controlled by this point. After a while the infected seem capable of only making instinctual noises.
However, there does seem to be some time when the host is able to retain their own consciousness. They are still able to communicate. But this phase passes fairly quickly and soon the mind is taken over completely.
The Spike spores have the ability to speed their descent from the sky. This allows them to force their way into buildings. Though the force of their drop isn't enough to kill the potential host, but does knock them down. This also causes great destruction in the area. It is unknown just how the spores can do this.
The Spikes appear to have the same disadvantages as any other organic being. They are weak against fire. Sufficient amount of heat will destroy any and all Spikes, both spores and transformed creatures. They can be killed by swords and spears just like any other living creature.
There are a number of individuals who are immune to the Spikes. Presumably Spikes cannot infect anyone with sufficient power and those not made of normal organic material. Anyone with the power of the Oldstrong, such as Caiera, is immune. Korg and other Kronans also cannot be infect as they are made of living rock.
The incredible Hulk has a built in healing factor. While he can be infected, it appears that Hulk requires more spores than normal to be infected. However, it is unknown if he can actually be completely infected or he is just shows symptoms.
History[]
Creation[]
The spikes were an artificial species created by the Red Prince. Though their early history is largely unknown except to the deceased Red King.
He created them for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason for their existence is to find an Oldstrong, a Sakaar native who held incredible strength and was nearly invincible. The prince made the Spikes so that an Oldstrong would be immune from them, but not others. This way he would know who was an Oldstrong and who wasn't.
The main reason for creating the infectious creatures was to establish his control over the planet. Because he unleashed the Spikes, Red King was also forced to unleash his powerful Death's Head guards. He gave the guards the means to overpower the Spikes, such as flamethrowers, while maintaining control over them. He then appeared as the hero of the war and was given complete control over the planet.
Then he simply left the guards around the planet so that they could maintain his control.
Another reason for the Spikes was to eliminate his political enemies. If any area decided to rise up against him he could unleash the Spikes and eliminate the threats. With more involvement from the Death's Head guards he would easily reestablish himself as a hero among the people.
He loaded the spores of the Spikes into ships that he could launch from a secret location. They would fly across Sakaar emitting a loud whine when they were about to crash. The ship would then open up releasing a vast cloud of the spores infecting the area.
Invasion[]
The Red Prince sent a Spike ship across the planet carrying the spores. The first ship crashed into a mountain close to Prophet Rock near An-Sara. People in the nearby village stopped and looked up at the ship.
A thirteen year-old Caiera opened the front door of her home to look out. Her mother and father were setting up a table to eat along with her little sister. Caiera watched as the top of the mountain began glowing.
Soon, spike spores began pouring out from the top of the large ship and spread out. The cloud spread over the village and the spores started raining down. The spores soon attached themselves to the locals transforming them.
One spore landed on a farmer who then fell down. Another man who was standing nearby ran over and watched as the farmer's body began protruding large spikes. He then turned to see an animal also becoming hideously transformed.
Caiera watched all the transformations from the doorway. Eventually her father pulled her inside as he left and closed the door behind him.
Then the spores began raining down harder and pounded the village causing fires to break out. Within hours they had overrun the village.
Caiera looked out the window of her home as her fellow villagers were all transformed. She turned when her sister grabbed her hand. The spores then started hitting the roofs of the town and broke through, including Caiera's home.
One of the intruding spores hit her mother. Caiera pulled her sister back in an effort to shield her. She was then hit by a spore, but was unaffected as she had the power of the Oldstrong. She picked it off and threw it away.
She then looked over at her mother who was quickly transforming into a Spike warrior. At that same moment her father broke through the door, his body beginning to transform. He managed to utter her name before his body changed even more hideously than before. He then came inside to attack.
As she still cradled her sister, Caiera grabbed a sword off the wall. She ran forward and stabbed her father in the stomach. Then her altered mother rose up. She once again ran forward and stabbed her mother through the stomach.
With the two dead and the spores still entering the home the mother slid off the sword. Caiera then looked down at her sister who she realized had also been transformed by the spores. Her sister screamed out and she was forced to kill her too.
Soon, Red Prince arrived with a group of Death's Head guards to destroy the spore infestation. Their goal was to see if any had survived.
Some time later, Caiera pulled herself out of the pile of rubble that was her village. A group of transformed villagers were stumbling towards her. She then looked down in defeat, too exhausted to continue fighting.
Then the Death's Head guards appeared and began blasting the Spikes. Once the guards left, the Prince strode up behind him. He walked up to Caiera and saw that she was not infected. He offered her his hand and Caiera went with her.
Spike ships spread out among other parts of the planet. While no other person is known to have Oldstrong powers, many did rise up to defeat the creatures.
One such defender was a Shadow Priest named Hiroim. He was able to defend, at least, himself until the Spikes were destroyed.
Dormancy[]
With an Oldstrong found, Red Prince allowed the remaining Spikes to go dormant. He wanted them in case a situation arose when he needed their destructive power, most likely in the case of a revolution.
It is possible that during their dormancy he began finding ways to improve upon them, such as finding ways for the spores to walk to find more victims. Though this ability just may not have been seen during the initial Spike Wars.
Red Prince was then appointed king of Sakaar. Meanwhile, Caiera became the Red King's personal guard and stayed at his side. Red King established himself as the unquestioned ruler of the planet. He established a set of gladiator battles to distract the people. He captured visitors to the planet and forced them to fight.
Many people suspected the Red King of greater involvement with the Spikes than he let on. Some, like Hiroim, openly expressed their discomfort with him. Unfortunately, to keep them quiet Red King sent them into the gladiator battles.
During this time, Red King used his Death's Head guards as a personal army to stop any and all potential threats. Their advanced technology made any potential rebel think twice before attacking.
However, one day a spaceship from another planet landed carrying the being known as the Hulk. Despite being captured and forced into the battles, Hulk showed seemingly endless strength and brutality.
When Hulk had great support among the Sakaar natives Caiera took him to a large pit of lava. There she told him of the Spike Wars in an effort to show the heroics of Red King. She made him an offer to let him go if he would stop fighting. However, Hulk didn't care and decided to continue fighting anyways.
After Beta Ray Bill released all the planet's prisoners, Hulk and his fellow Warbound escaped to An-Sara. Red King, his position threatened, sent Caiera to find and kill Hulk. However, he did not believe she could do it alone and readied another ship full of Spike spores.
Return[]
Hulk and Caiera met at Prophet Rock and fought for a while. Meanwhile, the other Warbound consisting of Elloe, Miek, Korg, and Hiroim went to An-Sara to hide.
During the fight, Caiera looked up to see the Spike ship heading towards the village. She tried to warn Hulk but he instead punched her.
The villagers heard the sound of the ship and looked up to see the approaching craft. It crashed into a tall tower and landed in the village. The impact shook so much the people struggled to stand. Some even fell to their deaths from balconies.
The ship opened up and released a cloud of spores. The Spikes began raining down into the village and transformed the population. The people tried to flee but the spores ended up hitting them in the back.
As before, the invaders crashed through roofs and toppled spires. Some of the spores began walking around to find more victims. Fires also broke out all over An-Sara.
The Warbound exited their hiding spot to see the spores falling from the sky. They also saw infected villagers heading towards them. Hiroim remembered the invaders well when thee infected villagers leapt down towards them.
Caiera continued the battle while trying to warn Hulk about the threat, but he did not care. She said his friends were in the village and would be infected, but Hulk claimed not to care about the Warbound.
Caiera ended the battle by leaving. Before she did, she claimed that Hulk was without honor and the Red King was right about him just being a monster. She then flew off to fight the Spikes.
Meanwhile, the spore rain stopped. Elloe slashed her way through infected villagers. Hiroim kicked one of the infected and slashed another in half. An infected woman came up behind him but he didn't even turn around as he stabbed her.
Infected villagers than began chasing those yet to be infected. Several of the running villagers were grabbed. Hiroim told them all to get up the stairs and behind the Warbound. They started running up though one man was still grabbed.
Caiera hovered over to the village and landed. She saw the infected chasing the others on the other side of a canyon. Behind her, a woman opened the door screaming only to be dragged back in. To her side a group of infected stumbled down the stairs towards her.
Korg grabbed a spore and crushed it in his hand. He told the villagers to continue moving. The Warbound continued to guard the fleeing people from the infected.
Caiera continued her way up the stairs slashing all infected in her way. One came up from behind her but was cut in half. She looked up to see a group of infected climbing the side of a building towards a young villager. The girl begged her infected mother to stop.
Caiera remembered her own sister and leapt up. As the mother got close Caiera landed and slashed her. However, more infected rose up to meet her.
She continued slashing her way through the infected. She grabbed the child and leapt down the side of the building. Once she was on the ground she spotted the Warbound defending villagers in the cave.
The group backed up into the mouth of the cave. Miek seemed ready to meet the infected while Korg was unsure. They all looked down to see an army of the infected scaling the stairs.
Just then Hulk came crashing down. He eventually came after hearing the screams of the village and remembering his friendship with the Warbound. He stood and towered over the infected. He raised his fists and slammed them down scattering parts of the infected in all directions.
Miek ran up to Hulk but the giant told the bug to get back. Soon the infected swarmed over the Hulk. He quickly rose causing infected fly away.
Just then one of the infected used its tongue to hit Hulk in the back. He screamed in pain as it left behind a spore. Hulk ripped it off but more infected did the same. Miek was shocked to see his friend become infected. Hulk continued to fight them as spikes began to grow out of Hulk's body.
Caiera continued to run through the city carrying the child. They ran past the dead bodies of the villagers. Then a device floated in front of Caiera. It stopped and projected an image of Red King.
Red King congratulated Caiera for luring the Hulk there. She begged him to help against the return of the Spikes. However, he admitted that he sent them there. He went on to reveal that they were his weapons.
He explains that he wanted to find an Oldstrong to serve him and used the Spikes to find her. He then wanted to use them to kill the Hulk. Caiera was horrified that he would do such a thing since she had to kill her family and people.
Red King tells her that she should leave now before joining them. Just then Caiera saw a shadow begin to pass over the area. She turned around and looked in horror as she saw a massive ship in the sky.
The infected Hulk continued to battle the infected villagers. He threw two and slammed a third into a rock. Miek wanted to help but Korg stopped him. Elloe watched as more infected ran up the steps. However, Hiroim noticed the large ship. Hulk also saw and told them to get into the cave. The Warbound complied and moved the remaining villagers inside.
Destruction[]
A hatch on the bottom of the ship opened up and dropped a Death Fire bomb onto the village. Hulk pounded into the ground and lifted a large chunk of the steps out. He lifted it up and used it to cover the mouth of the cave. Meanwhile, Caiera tried to comfort the frightened girl.
The bombed fell into the village and went off. Soon the entire village was engulfed in the flames of the explosion. Everywhere the infected where vaporized by the heat.
Hulk still struggled with the infected when the blast reached him. However, even he was surrounded by the blaze. Inside the cave, the Warbound could see the explosions subside through the other side of the rocks.
Caiera walked along the remains of the burning village. The child in her arms then turned to ash. She climbed a set of stairs as the remains of the child dissolved away. She began to cry then screamed out as the child finally disappeared.
She noticed a spore still walking and stabbed it. She then saw a group of Death's Head guards using flamethrowers on the remaining spores.
She walked up to the still smoking body of Hulk, the infection having been purged from his body. She knelt next to him and felt for any breath. Just then the holographic device floated behind her and projected an image of the Red King.
He asked if Hulk is truly dead. She confirmed he was. Red King told her he wanted the body paraded through the streets. He then asked about the other Warbound. She said the Hulk saved them. Red King asked her to bring them back so he could handle their executions personally. The hologram then disappeared.
Fortunately, Hulk was alive. Caiera became terribly angry with her master and decided to join the Warbound. They developed a plan to finally take down Red King. Caiera found one remaining Spike spore and captured it before it was destroyed.
Hulk lay perfectly still while he was paraded through the streets. When the Warbound was inside the Royal Palace they attacked Red King and his guards. Soon the Warbound defeated the guards and Hulk destroyed Red King's armor.
Red King begged Caiera to save him, but she opened the sack tied to her waist. She said the Red King didn't have to fear her, but his own legacy. She turned the sack over and dropped the spore onto Red King's hand.
The spore dug into his hand and began transforming his arm. He stood and ran way, horrified at what he was becoming.
Death's Head guards had been called to the battle but arrived too late, only finding Red King in the hallway. Red King fell to the ground as the guards approached. He looked up to see the guards surrounding him.
Red King ordered them to kill the Warbound, including Caiera. However, his body continued to protrude spikes as his transformation got worse. The guards' programming overrode his orders and they readied their flamethrowers. Red King looked completely shocked as they opened fire and obliterated his body.
With Red King's death, the Spike threat is presumed to be totally eliminated. Hulk and Caiera then took over as rulers, freed all prisoners, and ended the gladiator games.
Background[]
The producers altered the origin of the Spikes from other aliens who also crash landed to biologically-created agents. Likely this was done to make Red King more dastardly.
Planet Hulk is currently the only adaptation of the comic story that uses Spikes. The Super Hero Squad Show, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have adapted the story skipping this aspect.
In the Comics[]
The Spikes were actually aliens that had come to Sakaar just like Hulk, Korg, and Silver Surfer (replaced by Beta Ray Bill) did. They exist in the vastness of space absorbing cosmic energies. Their ship crashed on Sakaar when it passed nearby. They were starving and began consuming everything they touched.
Caiera was kidnapped by Red King before the Spikes emerged. It was under his leadership that she fought them.
It was Red King's father found a way to load them onto their ships to send them to space. However, they crashed once more on Sakaar's moon. Still starving, they resorted to cannibalism. Red King found a way to harness them and send them into areas that threatened to rebel against him.
Hulk eventually discovered that they were sentient and simply wanted to survive. They actually helped Hulk stop the Red King by using the infected natives to attack the palace. In exchange, Hulk promised to send them back into space.
After he took over, Hulk used his own body and healing factor to feed the remaining Spikes. He kept his promise and freed the Spikes on Sakaar and the moon.
External Links[]
- Spikes (Earth-616) at Marvel Database