A FEW
KEY CHARACTERS
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 Gamin
This
mysterious and beautiful thief first entered
Aric's life when she successfully stole his
armor's control ring. Using a variety of
holographic tricks, Gamin is a dangerous foe. She
and Aric became close friends, with hints of
something more as well. While she was apparently
killed at one point, her abilities with holograms
make it likely that she's survived somehow.
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Ken Clarkson
One of Aric's
first friends in the modern day, Ken was an
employee of Orb Industries -- the multinational
conglomerate conquered by X-O Manowar. Ken was
sometimes devious, but eventually proved to be a
loyal friend. He helped Aric fit into the modern
world, and eventually sacrificed his life to help
protect X-O. Ken was murdered by Crescendo --
but, strangely enough, his story didn't end
there....
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Crescendo
Crescendo is
perhaps X-O's deadliest foe. She ruled in Egypt
after the time of Cleopatra but before the Romans
came to claim the Upper Nile as their own. Her
reign was ended when the Visigoths came, looting
and pillaging. She swore revenge on them that
day, her powerful telepathic abilities keeping
her alive over the centuries. When she learned
that a Visigoth still lived in the 20th Century,
she struck. Crescendo was responsible for the
deaths of Aric's lover, Randy Cartier, and his
best friend, Ken Clarkson. She also destroyed Orb
Industries, tearing down the remainder of Aric's
life. After her physical body was destroyed, she
animated various forms before she apparently died
for good. She did, however, cheat death once
again, returning in the Iron Man crossovers.
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Spider Aliens
A meat-eating
alien race who has used humanity for food in the
past. This has brought them into conflict with
heroes such as X-O Manowar and Solar time and
again. The Spider-Aliens are currently considered
a minor threat, after being devastated by Solar.
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Samantha Jones
Dr. Jones is
an archaeologist who first crossed Aric's path
when X-O sought to put his beloved Diedre's
spirit to rest. Jones became fascinated with Aric
and is one of the few people alive to deduce that
Aric Dacia of Orb Industries is, in fact, X-O
Manowar. Dr. Jones was briefly in possession of
Alloy's inactive head, but Alloy was subsequently
freed by Crescendo. Plucky and driven by
curiosity, Dr. Jones is determined to uncover
X-O's secrets.
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Alloy
Paul Bouvier
sacrificed his life so that Aric's second armor,
Bekhara, could live. Paul merged with the
sentient armor, becoming Pol-Bekhara. In this
form, he served Aric well until the death of
Randy Cartier shocked him back into
consciousness. Paul tried to wrest control of the
armor away from Aric before bonding with the
shattered remains of Aric's first armor,
Shanhara. As Alloy, he has battled Aric on four
occasions -- twice on his own and twice as an
agent of Crescendo. Alloy apparently died at the
end of each battle, leaving his current fate
unknown.
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Dromak
An alien race
who coveted Aric's X-O Manowar armor. A proud,
warrior people, the Dromak are slavers and
marauders. Since their initial encounter with
X-O, they have turned their attentions
increasingly towards Earth. |
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