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VORMS

Classification: Extraterrestrial race, reptillian

Location/Base of Operations: Kree galaxy (Greater Magellanic Cloud), sixth from the sun in the Helgentar star system, planet Vormir;
    Habitat: Mostly temperate, 74% covered with water, most of the planet is covered by dense clouds;
    Gravity: 130% Earth's (1.3 atmospheres)
    Atmosphere: 75% nitrogen, 22% oxygen

Population: 3.6 billion (estimated)

Known Members: Biawak, The Star Stalker (Varanus),

Type of Government: Tribal (governed by the Kree)

Affiliations: Kree

Enemies: Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Mantis, Swordsman/Jacques Duquesne, Thor, Vision), Elan race, the Elan, Friday, Libra (Gustav Brandt), Nova (Frankie Raye), Monsieur Khruul, Power Pack (Mass Master imposter, Lightspeed/Julie Power, Destroyer/Jack Power, Counterweight/Katie Power), Priests of Pama, Franklin Richards

First Appearance: Avengers I#123 (May, 1974)

Powers/Abilities: The Vorm are semi-humanoid reptilians with forked tongues and two horn-like antennae on their heads. All Vorms have a long, prehensile tail covered in spikes that they can use in combat. 

    Through mutation, some Vorm can develop extra abilities allowing them to fly through space or drain energy. 

    The Vorms can survive for hundreds of Earth years through hibernation. They are nocturnal and exceptionally vulnerable to heat.

Cultural Traits: Savage

Level of technology: Low, no warp-drive technology.

Type: Reptilian
Eyes: Two, red
Fingers: Four (with opposable thumbs)
Toes: Three
Skin color: Red, scaled
Average height: 16'6"

History:

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#15 (fb) - BTS) - The Vorms originated on Vormir, the sixth planet of the Helgentar star system in the Greater Magellanic Cloud.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#15 (fb) - BTS) - Due to Vormir's limited exposure to the Helgentar star, the Vorms evolved as a nocturnal species that had a limited tolerance for direct sunlight.

(Avengers I#124 (fb) - BTS) - Centuries ago, the Vorms first encountered the technologically superior Kree.

(Avengers I#124 (fb) - BTS) - Varanus, a mutant Vorm, developed abilities that allowed it to travel through space under his own power. It could also shift its form into a state of ionic combustion, an energy absorption form that allowed it to drain entire planets. 

    The Star Stalker appeared unstoppable, until the Cotati orchestrated an encounter between Varanus and the Priests of Pama. The renegade pacifist Kree sect discovered the creature's weakness to heat and used it to drive him off. The Priests then began to spread among the stars to protect other worlds from the mutant Vorm.

(Power Pack I#56 (fb) - BTS) - At an unrevealed point in time, Varanus had a child, Biawak, that inherited his mutant father's powers.

(Avengers I#123 - BTS) - The Star Stalker sensed that the Priests of Pama had been slaughtered on Earth. Figuring the planet was now unprotected, he quickly traveled to Earth where he checked out their monastery in Vietnam to confirm they had all perished. He slaughtered Monsieur Khruul, the Vietnamese crimelord responsible for the deaths of the priests.

(Avengers I#124) - At the monastery, Varanus fought the Avengers, Mantis and her father Libra. Thanks to her metahuman perception and intimate connection to the Priests of Pama, Mantis was able to determine the Stalker's weakness to heat. Varanus was apparently destroyed by a blast from the Vision's solar jewel.

(Avengers I#134 (fb) - BTS) - Traveling through time and space to learn the origin of Mantis, the Avengers learned that the Star Stalker spoke the truth about his feud with the Priests of Pama and their bond with the Cotati.

(Power Pack I#56 & 57) - Now an adult, Biawak picked up where his father left off: traveling to planets and destroying them using his ionic state. After causing massive devastation on the planet Elan, the Vorm was opposed by Nova, Power Pack, their sentient ship Friday and Franklin Richards. Biawak was driven off Elan but reemerged on Earth where he was ultimately slain by Nova's cosmic flame.

(Avengers I#353 & 354) - Using dark energies granted to him by the demon Lloigoroth, the Grim Reaper created zombified facsimiles of the Star Stalker and other Avengers villains who died in battle with the team. This half decayed copy of Varanus briefly fought Hercules until the Reaper lost control of the Legion's souls, causing them to turn against their creator.

Comments: Created by Steve Englehart, Bob Brown, Don Heck.

    The Star-Stalker and his son were mutant Vorm, to date, we have yet to see a "regular" member of their species. They don't even show up in crowd scenes, possibly because they're all nocturnal and tend to avoid populated planets. All the information about the Vorms, including the actual name of the race, comes from their entry in the 1987 Handbook.

    Just how the Grim Reaper was able to create a facsimile of the Star Stalker that seemed aware of the original's demise remains unrevealed. Perhaps because the Reaper used the eldritch energies of the demon Lloigoroth to summon Varanus and the other members of the Legion of the Unliving. 

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Vorms have no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#15, p64. pan1 (main image)
Avengers I#124, p7, pan3 (back)
Avengers I#124, p7, pan4 (closeup)
Power Pack I#56, p10, pan5 (versus Nova)

Appearances:
Avengers I#123 (May, 1974) - Steve Englehart (writer), Bob Brown (pencils), Don Heck (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Avengers I#124 (June, 1974) - Steve Englehart (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Dave Cockrum (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II #15 (March, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald & Peter Sanderson (writers), Kyle Baker (pencils), Joe Rubinstein (inks), Mark Gruenwald & Howard Mackie (editors)
Avengers I#134 (April, 1975) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Staton (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Power Pack I#56 (May, 1990) - Michael Higgins & Seth Kruchkow (writers), Tom Morgan (pencils), Andy Mushynsky (inks), Daryl Edelman (editor)
Power Pack I#57 (July, 1990) - Michael Higgins & Seth Kruchkow (writers), Tom Morgan (pencils/inks), Andy Mushynsky (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Avengers I#353 (September, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (pencils), Ariane Lenshoek (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#354 (October, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (pencils), Ariane Lenshoek & Steve Alexandrov (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)

First Posted: 03/04/2023
Last updated: 03/04/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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