Terrax - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

The character first appears as Tyros in the title Fantastic Four, and is ruler of the city-state of Lanlak on the planetoid Birj. The cosmic entity Galactus selects Tyros as his next Herald, but first wishes for the superhero team the Fantastic Four to humble him. In return the cosmic entity agrees to travel to Earth to aid the heroes against a new threat, the villain the Sphinx. Tyros is defeated, and brought before Galactus, who changes the petty tyrant into Terrax, with mastery of the elements of earth.

Terrax travels with Galactus to Earth, and while his new master battles the Sphinx, attacks the Fantastic Four - still resenting the heroes for their role in his transformation. Terrax, however, is tricked and defeated by the Human Torch, and leaves with a victorious Galactus. In the title Dazzler Terrax is revealed to have fled from Galactus, but is defeated by the heroine Dazzler. Terrax reappears in the title Rom, and after leading Galactus to the planet Galador, battles its champion, Rom, and his fellow spaceknights.

Terrax rebels again in the title Fantastic Four, and levitates the New York City borough of Manhattan into space, then blackmails the Fantastic Four into fighting Galactus. The entity, however, strips Terrax of power and he is almost killed when falling from the World Trade Center. After being hospitalized, a depowered Tyros is retrieved by master villain Doctor Doom. Doom restores a portion of the character's former cosmic power in exchange for his help in destroying the Fantastic Four. Tyros, however, is unaware that the power he has received is unstable and will destroy him within twenty-four hours. Terrax defeats three members of the Fantastic Four and then turns against Doom, almost killing the villain. Terrax is then challenged by fellow Herald the Silver Surfer, and during the battle is consumed by his own unstable cosmic power. In an Avengers annual the character is temporarily resurrected to become a member of the second Legion of the Unliving by the Elder of the Universe the Grandmaster.

Tyros reforms his physical form as Terrax in the title New Warriors, and battles the fledgling superhero team. Terrax is defeated when the heroes, deducing that his form is unstable and that constant contact with earth is required, separate him and thereby his form. Terrax reappears when reformed once again by a rogue scientist attempting to steal his power. He uses the scientist as a host body and again battles the New Warriors and Fantastic Four. The Silver Surfer intervenes and maroons Terrax on the deserted planet Pluraris IV.

Terrax features in the third volume of the Silver Surfer when asked to join his fellow Heralds against the threat of Galactus' latest Herald, Morg. After Morg's defeat, Terrax claims the character's axe. Morg eventually wishes to retrieve his weapon and battles Terrax until both are briefly captured - together with several other extraterrestrial characters Gladiator and Beta Ray Bill - by the entity Tyrant. Terrax guest stars in the limited series Cosmic Powers, in which Tyrant is confronted and thwarted by the Titan Thanos.

After a battle with fellow Heralds the Surfer and Nova (actually the demon Mephisto in disguise) in the title Silver Surfer, the character goes into hiding until he featured in the second Sentry limited series. Terrax appears in the Annihilation storyline, being initially captured by the forces of Annihilus before escaping with the Alien Skrull Paibok. Terrax later finds a world ruled by the Space Parasite, whom he eventually kills. On discovering that the inhabitants are content to live in subservience, he flies into a rage and destroys the planet.

In the title Hulk, Terrax is plucked from continuity by the Elder of the Universe the Grandmaster to be part of a team called the Offenders in a bid to thwart the Hulk.

Terrax later returns to his birth planet Birj where he's approached by one member of the Nova Corps, who had come to give a warning to Terrax and is helping in the evacuation of the planet. Terrax briefly fights him and refuses to evacuate the planet. Nova runs away as the threat he warned Terrax about arrives. As Nova leaves the planet, he sees the Phoenix Force completely destroy the Planet Birj on its way through the universe, taking Terrax and all its population with it.