Ronan the Accuser is a fictional character that appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as in a number of licensed movie, television, and video game adaptations. Ronan first appeared in the comic book Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #65 (1967), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Ronan is an Accuser, a judicial officer of the fictional alien race known as the Kree. He has classically been a villain, though in later stories he has softened into a more heroic character.
Ronan is portrayed by Lee Pace in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy.
Publication history
Ronan was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1967. He first appeared in Fantastic Four vol 1 #65.
The character returned sporadically in Captain Marvel vol 1 and played an important role in the Kree-Skrull War storyline in Avengers vol 1 #88-97. After appearances in Ms Marvel vol 1 and Silver Surfer vol 3, Ronan returned in the Galactic Storm crossover in 1992.
Ronan appeared in Fantastic Four vol 3 #13-14 and Iron Man vol 3 #14 before having a major role in the Maximum Security crossover in Jan 2001.
During the 2006 Annihilation storyline, Ronan received a four-issue eponymous miniseries written by Simon Furman and a leading role in Annihilation #1-6. He appeared in the sequel, Annihilation Conquest #1-6 and Annihilation Conquest: Wraith #1-4 in 2007.
After being seen in the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot, the character was used in War of Kings #1-6 (2009) and Realm of Kings: Inhumans #1-4. Following appearances in The Thanos Imperative #1-6 (2010), Ronan joined the titular team in Annihilators #1-4 (2011) and Annihilators: Earthfall #1-4 (Sept 2011-Dec 2011).
Fictional character biography
Ronan was born on the planet Hala, the capital of the Kree Empire in the Greater Magellanic Cloud. Ronan is a member of the alien Kree race and a member of the Accuser Corps, who are the Kree equivalent of military governors and jurists. His rise through the ranks was extraordinary, and he eventually became the third-most powerful being in the Kree Empire. The Supreme Intelligence appointed him "Supreme Accuser of the Kree Empire," and in this role he is known simply as "Ronan the Accuser".
Ronan is sent to Earth to investigate the defeat of the robotic Sentry-459 by the Fantastic Four. The team defeats Ronan, which prompts a Kree expedition to spy on and assess Earth. Captain Mar-Vell is a member of the team and he interacts with Ronan frequently during his mission.
Ronan secretly plans with Zarek to overthrow the Kree leader, the Supreme Intelligence, believing the Empire should not be ruled by a non-humanoid entity. Ronan is paralyzed by the psionic powers of Rick Jones, and control of the Kree Empire reverts to the Supreme Intelligence.
Ronan is mentally dominated by the Supreme Intelligence, and battles Mar-Vell on multiple occasions. Ronan later regains his sanity and returns to his former position as Supreme Accuser. During the second Kree-Skrull war, Ronan executes a Skrull duplicate of the Silver Surfer.
During the Kree-Shi'ar War, Ronan joins Starforce.
When Earth becomes a prison planet, Ronan serves as the warden of the planet, apparently subordinate to the Shi'ar, but this is revealed to be part of an elaborate trap by the Supreme Intelligence to subvert the galactic council and use Ego the Living Planet as a weapon. Although Ronan is able to elevate his power by tapping into Ego's own energy, Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, Giant-Man and Bruce Banner manage to devise a machine that transfers Ego's essence into Quasar. The weakened Ronan is defeated and captured by the U.S. Agent.
When Ronan is falsely accused of treason by Tana Nile, he discovers he has been framed by a highly placed member of a Kree house. After defending the Kree Empire against the Annihilation Wave, Ronan clears his name and kills his betrayer, although not before his accuser lobotomizes the Supreme Intelligence. In an act of mercy, Ronan kills the Supreme Intelligence and becomes ruler of the Kree Empire.
During the Phalanx conquest of the Kree, Ronan works with the Super-Skrull and Wraith to free his people.
When the Inhumans seek aid from the Kree against the Skrull's Secret Invasion, Ronan agrees on the condition that the Inhuman princess, Crystal, become his bride. On their wedding day, he is severely beaten by the Shi'ar Imperial Guard and hospitalized. He does not fully recover until after the War of Kings is over.
During the war with the cancerverse, Ronan is a member of Nova's main attack force. In an effort to prevent further massive conflicts, Ronan joins the Annihilators. They protect Galador from the Dire Wraiths and oppose the Universal Church of Truth's attempt to revive the Magus.
Ronan the Accuser is separated from his wife Crystal under the orders of Black Bolt. This separation is part of a truce that was made between Black Bolt and the Supreme Intelligence to ensure peace between Inhumans and the Kree Empire. Crystal and Ronan are deeply saddened by this decision, as their arranged marriage had eventually become a stronger relationship.
During the Infinity storyline, Ronan the Accuser and the Supreme Intelligence appeared as members of the Galactic Council. Ronan later fights Thanos' minion Black Dwarf and kills him.
Powers and abilities
Ronan has superhuman strength, endurance, speed and reflexes, which are enhanced by devices in his suit of full-body exoskeleton armor. Ronan's armor can also create fields of invisibility, and his gauntlets can generate sufficient coldness to place certain life forms into a state of suspended animation. Ronan possesses a weapon called the "Universal Weapon". At its wielder's will, this device uses cosmic energy for a variety of effects, including the disintegration, rearrangement, or transmutation of matter; projection of concussive energy blasts; absorption of energy; control over gravity; creation of force fields and "time-motion displacement fields"; and interstellar teleportation along hyperspatial passages. Ronan is a highly skilled soldier and a military genius with Kree military combat training. He also possesses exhaustive knowledge of the legal code of the Kree Empire.
Other versions
Ultimate Ronan
The Ultimate version of Ronan the Accuser is the son of the Titan Thanos and supports his empire. He is defeated by the Thing.
In the series Hunger, another version of Ronan called Ro-Nan leads an army of fellow Kree into fighting the Chitauri when both alien races encountered the entity Gah Lak Tus during battle. Ro-Nan is killed in Hunger #3.
JLA/Avengers
Ronan appears as part of Krona's army in JLA/Avengers, and is seen being defeated by the DC Captain Marvel.
In other media
Television
- Ronan the Accuser makes cameo appearances in the Silver Surfer episode "Radical Justice". He appears as a member of the Wanderers, a group consisting of various alien races displaced by Galactus.
- Ronan the Accuser appears in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episodes "Trial by Fire", "Revenge of the Skrulls", and "Contest of Champions", voiced by Michael Dobson.
- Ronan the Accuser appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episodes "Alienating with the Surfer" and "The Final Battle (Nuff Said)", voiced by Michael Dorn.
- Ronan the Accuser appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episodes "Welcome to the Kree Empire" and "Operation Galactic Storm", voiced by Keith Szarabajka.
- Ronan the Accuser appears in the two-part Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Planet Hulk", and the episode "A Druff is Enough", voiced by James C. Mathis III.
Film
- Lee Pace portrays Ronan in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. Depicted as a Kree fanatic, Ronan refuses to heed the Kree Empire's recent peace treaty with the Nova Empire of Xandar and embarks on a genocidal campaign against the Xandarians, forging an alliance with Thanos.
Video games
- Ronan appears as an assist character in the 1995 arcade game Avengers in Galactic Storm.
- Ronan appears as an unlockable character in the 2013 game Lego Marvel Super Heroes, voiced by John DiMaggio.
- Ronan is a villain in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. He appears in Special Operation 20, based on the Guardians of the Galaxy film.
- Ronan is an unlockable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance Tactics.
- Ronan is a playable character in Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes.
- Ronan is a playable character in the mobile game, Marvel Contest of Champions.
Toys
- Ronan was the 14th special issue in the Classic Marvel Figurine Collection.
- Ronan was a playable character in the Galactic Guardians set of Marvel Heroclix. Ronan was a playable character in the Galactic Guardians set as part of the Annihilators Fast Forces. Ronan is a figure in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" main set as of September 8, 2014.
References
External links
- Ronan the Accuser at the Marvel Universe
- Ronan the Accuser at the Marvel Database Project
- Ronan the Accuser at the Comic Book DB
