Berserker

Origin

The Berserker was the sole survivor of a war party, many millennia ago, in a time before recorded history. He had escaped a similar demise as his war party at the hands of their enemies by seeking refuge in a place known as the Cave of the Glowing Walls. This place was known as a dangerous place to enter, as none who had entered before had survived the experience, regardless the one who would eventually become the Berserker entered. The energies of the Cave of the Glowing Walls brought the man to his knees, but he refused to die, and crawled given no other alternative. Crawling he made his way to an exit of the cave nears its end, having made his way through the dangerous and mysterious caves. Falling out its other side and exhausted he fell asleep. However upon awaking, this man was changed. Brimming with power and blood lust for combat and battle, this man was know the Berserker and his thirst for slaughter and carnage would know no end. The Berserker sought out the enemy who had killed his war party and had almost claimed his life and single handily slaughtered them getting his revenge at last. He did not stop with those men though, he would kill and attack merely any that crossed him. Reputation of this Berserker spread far and he was active for centuries upon centuries. Eventually the Berserker would realize that he could profit financially as well as feed his warrior bloodlust and he became a mercenary. Having history and influence in many of the pasts notable events, such as working under and for, or against Pharaohs and Emperors. The Berserker's reputation was even known to beings beyond Earth's sphere, and Berserker's kill toll would start to include aliens.

Creation

The Berseker is a Marvel comics character created by Bob Budiansky, Danny Fingeroth and Gene Colan. The character first appears in The Avengers #207 released in 1981, and his origin story is explained in The Avengers #208 with the use of flashbacks. The character has many references in his fictional past to many well known non fictional historic figures, such as Alexander the Great.

Major Story Arcs

Mount Vesuvius

After millennia of battler and slaughter, the Berserker is finally stopped and neutralized after powerful group of men known as the Earth Lords using their powers over nature, cause Mount Vesuvius to erupt unnaturally with the Berserker on its slopes, burying the formidable warrior under volcanic debris and material.

Fighting the Avengers

Centuries after his imprisonment by volcanic rock, the Berserker was unintentionally released and freed by his natural containment by modern day archeologists. He is opposed by the Avengers, Captain America, Beast, Vision, Wasp, Jocasta, Wonder Man and Iron Man, but defeats even them, Earths mightiest heroes.

Powers and Abilities

The Berserker is extremely strong, durable and skilled, possessing super human strength and superhuman durability. Effectively immortal, Berserker does not age. Berserker has several aids that enhance his offensive arsenal. Berserker uses a Cerellian Power Sword which generates and projects an energy stream that can extend up to 100 yards. Berserker has a shield much to the same effect projecting a destructive aura as well as having the ability to act in a traction effect. Berserker can utilize a powerful energy discharging spear, as well an Arkossian dagger which can leech and drain potential energy. The Berserker is protected and clad with armor from Aturak IV. Berserker is master of several different fighting disciplines

Other Media

TV

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In this incarnation Berseker is a group Asgaridan warriors who gain their powers by touching the Berserker Staff, which transforms the wielder's rage and hatred into strength.

Elliot Randolph, played by Peter MacNicol, is the only member shown and has been living on Earth for the past few centuries, having fallen in love with the planet and its people. Eventually he became a professor of Norse mythology at the University of Seville. When S.H.I.E.L.D. discovered Mjölnir in the New Mexican desert, Agent Phil Coulson called upon Randolph for a consultation.

Two years later, when a piece of the Berserker Staff, which had been left behind with Randolph and broken into three pieces, was found by a Norse Pagan Hate Group, Coulson again consulted Randolph. Recognizing what they were searching for, he tried to find the pieces of the staff before either S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Pagans could. Unfortunately, the Pagans found the second piece before he could retrieve it, and Randolph was taken into custody by Coulson.

Deducing that Randolph was Asgardian and the previous owner of the staff, Coulson convinced him to cooperate by threatening to reveal his true origins to the world. Leading Coulson's team to the church in Ireland where the final piece was hidden they find that the Pagans had already beaten them there. In the ensuing fight one of Pagans stabbed him through the heart with a staff piece, but Coulson was able to stabilize him long enough for his Asgardian physiology to heal itself. Ultimately, agents Grant Ward and Melinda May are able to take out the Pagans by utilizing the staff's power. Afterward, Randolph decided that given Europe's new fascination with Asgard that it was time to move on and following Coulson's recommendation elected to relocate to Portland, Oregon.