SAGITTARIUS

Real Name: None

Identity/Class: Android (LMD)

Occupation: Crimelord

Group Membership: "Defenders" (Batroc/Georges Batroc, Beetle/Abner Jenkins, Blob/Fred J. Dukes, Electro/Max Dillon, Looter/Norton G. Fenster, Plantman (simuloid), Porcupine/Alex Gentry, Whirlwind/David Cannon), Zodiac (LMDs)

Affiliations: Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)

Enemies: Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa, Black Widow/Natasha Romanova, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Iron Man/James Rhodes, Thor/Odinson), Defenders (Hellcat/Patsy Walker, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Nighthawk/Kyle Richmond, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde),  "Defenders for a Day" (Black Goliath/Bill Foster, Captain Ultra/Griffin Gogol, Havok/Alex Summers, Hercules/Heracles, Iron Fist/Daniel Rand, White Tiger/Hector Ayala), Kris Keating, Jack Norriss, West Coast Avengers (Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Mockingbird/Barbara Barton, Moon Knight/Marc Spector, Henry Pym, Tigra/Greer Nelson, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Zodiac Cartel

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Washington, D.C.;
   formerly the Theater of Genetics, Belleville, New Jersey

First Appearance: (In shadows) Defenders I#49 (July, 1977); (full) Defenders I#50 (August, 1977)

Powers/Abilities: In his original form, Sagittarius was equipped with special wrist-launchers which could fire arrows at his opponents, including flame-arrows. Sagittarius was also fond of talking during a fight, believing himself to be witty.

In his second form, Sagittarius was constructed to resemble Hawkeye of the Avengers; he carried a bow and arrows similar to Hawkeye's; he also had a communicator concealed within his left wrist.

Height: Unrevealed (6'; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:
(Defenders I#48 - BTS) - Sagittarius was one of the LMDs (Life Model Decoys) created in the Theater of Genetics by Scorpio (Jake Fury), who wanted him to serve as a member of his Zodiac, and to be his friend.

(Defenders I#49 - BTS) - When the Defenders invaded the Theater of Genetics, Scorpio was forced to activate the LMDs prematurely.

(Defenders I#50) - Sagittarius fought the Defenders until he had used up his entire supply of arrows. He then fled from the scene while his allies were defeated.

(Defenders I#63) - After a TV broadcast by Dollar Bill, in which he claimed anyone could be a Defender, Sagittarius and Libra decided to use it to their advantage, and Sagittarius led a gang of criminals claiming to be the Defenders on a crime spree in New York. This brought out the real Defenders (or rather, a team of heroes who called themselves Defenders), and Sagittarius and his criminal allies were defeated; but Sagittarius was able to convince the police to arrest both the heroes and the villains, taking advantage of the name confusion.

(Defenders I#64) - While the actual Defenders argued with the police, Sagittarius and his "Defenders" fled the scene. The real Defenders soon realized they were gone and chased after the criminals into Grand Central Station, but they escaped into a subway car. When the Defenders finally caught up to the villains, Hellcat wound up defeating all of them with her psychic powers.

(West Coast Avengers Annual#1) - Sagittarius joined the other Zodiac LMDs under the leadership of Quicksilver in his attempt to gain revenge upon the Avengers. Sagittarius joined Aquarius, Capricorn and Pisces at the "Anthill," an abandoned base formerly used by the Sentinels. Sagittarius fought the Falcon and managed to ruin his wings with a flame arrow, but the Falcon crash-landed into him, knocking him out. Sagittarius was later arrested.

(West Coast Avengers II#26) - After being released from prison, Sagittarius joined the Zodiac LMDs in assaulting the human Zodiac Cartel and killing all of them, except for Cornelius Van Lunt. Later, they attempted to steal from the businessmen gathered at a cattle auction in Wichita, but the West Coast Avengers arrived to stop them. While battling Hawkeye, Sagittarius was accidentally struck in the chest by one of Hawkeye's arrows and "died". Scorpio later used the Zodiac Key to create a new Sagittarius in the form of Hawkeye to infiltrate the Avengers.

(West Coast Avengers II#27) - The new Sagittarius was pitted against Hawkeye, and was able to defeat him thanks to the element of surprise, and a cowardly blow from behind courtesy of Scorpio. The real Hawkeye was sent to the Ankh Dimension by the Zodiac Key, and the LMD imposter was sent to infiltrate the Avengers Compound. The LMD was able to trick the Avengers into believing he was Hawkeye, until Mockingbird tearfully confessed to him that she had killed the Phantom Rider (Lincoln Slade). When "Hawkeye" had no reaction after she had poured her soul out to him, Mockingbird struck him in anger and heard a hollow thump. Realizing "Hawkeye" was an LMD, she fought him, and destroyed him with the aid of Tigra (actually Scorpio's new Leo LMD).

Comments: Created by David Kraft, Keith Giffen, Mike Royer, John Tartaglione and Dave Cockrum.

New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sagittarius should not be confused with:

• Guardian (James MacDonald Hudson) - founder of Alpha Flight, and also a Sagittarius--Alpha Flight I#2
• Hawkeye (Clinton Francis Barton) - of the Avengers, also a Sagittarius and impersonated by a Sagittarius LMD--Tales of Suspense I#57
• Sagittarians - extraterrestrial race, used Hulk against the Galaxy Master--Incredible Hulk II#111
• Sagittarius (Harlan Vargas) - of the human Zodiac Cartel--Avengers I#72
• Sagittarius - of Zodiac-Ecliptic--Alpha Flight II#1
• Sagittarius - planet of Reality-5391, year 2075 AD, populated by Centaurs--Speed Carter#6
• any other characters with similar names

images: (without ads)
Defenders I#50, p2, pan3 (Sagittarius)
Defenders I#50, p3, pan4 (Sagittarius, firing arrows)
West Coast Avengers II#27, p7, pan5 (Sagittarius LMD, disguised as Hawkeye, using wrist communicator)
West Coast Avengers II#27, p22, pan1 (Sagittarius LMD, disguised as Hawkeye, gets destroyed by "Tigra"/Leo and Mockingbird)

Appearances:
Defenders I#49 (July, 1977) - David Kraft (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Defenders I#50 (August, 1977) - David Kraft (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Mike Royer, Keith Giffen, John Tartaglione & Dave Cockrum (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Defenders I#63 (September, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Bob Hall (editor)
Defenders I#64 (October, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Don Perlin (inker), Bob Hall (editor)
West Coast Avengers Annual#1 (1986) - Steve Englehart & Mark Bright (writers), Mark Bright (pencils), Geoff Isherwood (inks), Michael Higgins (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#26-27 (November-December, 1987) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (pencils), Mike Machlan (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#28 (January, 1988) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (pencils), David Hunt (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)

First posted: 01/31/2005
Last updated: 03/20/2025