KING STEFAN
Real Name: Stefan (last name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human;
citizen of Symkaria
Occupation: King of Symkaria
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Prime Minister Gallatik, Silver Sable International (Silver Sable/Silver Sablinova, Ernst Sablinova, the Wild Pack), Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Enemies: Foreigner, Prime Minister Klaus Limka, Red Skull (Johann Shmidt), ULTIMATUM (Major Toler Weil, others)
Known Relatives: Vivian (fiancee), King Phillip (possible father), King Petrio (possible grandfather)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly Royal Castle in Symkaria, Middle Europe
First Appearance: (Mentioned) Amazing Spider-Man I#321 (October, 1989); (seen) Amazing Spider-Man I#322 (October, 1989)
Powers/Abilities: He was the well-liked royal figurehead of Symkaria. He was a talented public speaker.
History:
(Amazing Spider-Man I#322) -
The Royal bloodline of Symkaria was uninterrupted for 500 years.
In the present day the king was only a symbolic
ruler, nonetheless, the Royal presence was extremely important in
Symkaria, it gave people a sense of unity, home and tradition.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#325 (fb) - BTS) - The Red Skull, in his complex scheme to destabilize the USA, gathered under his leadership several terrorist organizations. Sweat Shop, Watchdogs, Resistants and ULTIMATUM supported his plan to cause a war to start between Symkaria and the USA.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#321 - BTS) - After Silver learned of an assassination plot linked to questionable American corporations like the Life Foundation Silver Sable hired Spider-Man to help protect King Stefan.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#322) - In those days,
Symkaria was celebrating the Royal Jubilee, the 500th anniversary of
the royal bloodline, but also King Stefan's recent engagement.
The king talked to the people from the castle
balcony, with his fiancee Vivian at his flank. Stefan was a
deft public speaker. The royal couple was loved by the people.
Stefan, however, had an internal enemy, the Prime Minister Limka. Should the king die before having an heir, Limka
would have had good chances of abolishing the monarchy and take power.
The next day, during the celebration, ULTIMATUM terrorists attacked the king's castle, shooting on the crowd, getting past the Wild Pack forces and succeeding in getting in contact with the king himself. The shots hit Stefan's fiancee, Vivian, killing her. Prime Minister Limka was slaughtered by Sabretooth. He was a traitor but his death had the precise purpose to worsen the relationship between Symkaria and USA.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#323-325 - BTS) - Silver Sable, the Wild Pack, Spider-Man, Captain America and Solo tracked down Major Toler Weil and his ULTIMATUM cell. The terrorist was captured and unwittingly led the heroes to find Red Skull and foil his plans.
(Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#24
(fb) - BTS) - Years later, Stefan was kidnapped by the Foreigner.
The master assassin needed a way to see Silver
Sable eye to eye, so he disguised himself as the king and substituted
Stefan during a ceremony where he gave an award to Silver. During the
celebration he spoke with her, sure that she could not attack him
because King Stefan was his hostage.
Stefan was later released.
(Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#34) - Months later, Stefan met Silver Sable at his castle. Sable had just retired from active duty. Stefan assured her that Symkaria and he had nothing more to ask of her because she had repaid the country several times over with her service alongside the Wild Pack. Nonetheless, Stefan could not help her to understand what could be to live life as normal people do.
(Shadowland: Blood on the Streets#3 (fb) - BTS) - Years later, Symkaria changed and fell during a violent revolution.
Comments: Created by David Michelinie & Todd McFarlane.
Stefan lived in
the Royal Castle, which was located outside the capital, apparently
5-10 kilometers away on the hills.
We have no clue about Stefan's life after the
revolution and after the restoration of monarchy with Countess Karlov.
It wouldn't surprise me if he was killed during the revolution.
--Markus Raymond
In Amazing Spider-Man IV#27 (July, 2017) the last living royal of Symkaria, the Countess Katrina Karkov, who had risen to power in Silver Sable's abscence, allied with Norman Osborn, enslaving all citizens to work in weapons factories.
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
King Stefan has no known connection to:
Vivian has no known connections to
King Phillip was king of
Symkaria before Stefan during and after World War II. He wore the crown when the Wild Pack was still
led by Ernst Sablinova before his presumed death.
While in the Wild Pack, Ernst and Fritz
were always loyal to the crown and the King appreciated what they did
for Symkaria.
Phillip gave to Ernst a great gift, in gratitude
for his years of loyal service: a castle.
--[Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#9 (fb)]
Comments: Ernst was Silver's father. The castle was donated before Silver was 17, so it is likely that King Phillip was Stefan's father.
Vivian
Vivian was loved by Stefan and the Symkarians.
Everybody in Symkaria wished Stefan and her fiancee to have children, in order to continue the royal lineage.
The day before the celebration of the Royal Jubilee Vivian and Stefan talked to the people from the balcony on the court.
The next day, despite the protection of the Wild Pack, the terrorists of ULTIMATUM succeeded in invading the castle. Prime Minister Limka was the traitor that wanted to see the king killed to take power, but he was killed by Sabretooth. The ULTIMATUM soldiers still reached the Stefan and Vivian. Stefan tried to shield Vivian and Vivian tried to do the same for him, but the bullets hit her and she died.
--Amazing Spider-Man I#322
images: (without ads)
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#34, p8, pan4 (main image)
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#34, p9, pan1 (head shot)
Amazing Spider-Man I#322, p11, pan1 (the Royal Castle outside the capital)
Amazing Spider-Man I#322, p19, pan2 (Vivian dies before Stefan's eyes)
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#321-322 (October, 1989) - David Michelinie (writer), Todd McFarlane (artist), Jim Salicrup and Tom DeFalco (editors)
Amazing Spider-Man I#323-325 (November, 1989) - David Michelinie (writer), Todd McFarlane (artist), Jim Salicrup and Tom DeFalco (editors)
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#9 (February, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Steven Butler (pencils), Jim Sanders III (inks), Craid Anderson (editor)
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#24 (May, 1994) - Gregory Wright (writer), Gordon Purcell (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#34 (March, 1995) - Gregory Wright (writer), Gordon Purcell (pencils), Pam Eklund (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Shadowland: Blood on the Streets#3 (December, 2010) - Anthony Johnston (writer), Wellington Alves (pencils), Nelson Pereira (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
First Posted: 06/08/2021
Last updated: 06/08/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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