GORGON

 

GORGON

Real Name: Gorgon Petragon

First Appearance: Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #44, November 1965

Powers: Gorgon is an Inhuman (Homo sapiens inanthropo), a genetically engineered offshoot of humanity created by the Kree to possess heightened strength, speed, agility, endurance, and reaction time, roughly 50% greater than humans. At one year of age, he was exposed to the mutagenic properties of the Terrigen Mist, a mutagenic or mutation causing substance discovered by the Inhuman scientist Randac. It is potent enough to cause any living organism to mutate from exposure to it, although the Inhumans zealously restrict its use to Inhumans only. Gorgon developed a physical mutation in the form of hooves as a result.

Gorgon’s power is centered in his massively-muscled legs and hoof-like feet. Approximately three quarters of Gorgon’s weight is in the lower half of his body, particularly in the thick, dense muscles of his thighs and calves. As a result of having such a low center of gravity, it’s extremely difficult to knock Gorgon off balance and, were he to fall from any height, he would land on his feet. By natural strength and power alone, he can kick through three feet of solid oak with a single blow. However, his legs possess far more than great strength. His initial Terrigenesis, Gorgon’s legs can generate vibration on a molecular level in such a way that can develop an intense pulse of kinetic energy. By stomping his hoof to the ground, he can release this kinetic energy in the form of either a dynamic ground wave through the earth, or a more diffuse, radically propagating concussive wave along the surface of the earth.

The kinetic energy created by him is generated by an act of will; it doesn’t occur spontaneously each time he takes a step. Gorgon can control the relative intensity of the tremor at will. It takes him no more than a few hundredths of a second to generate sufficient energy to create any size effect up to his maximum capability. He can generate and expend his seismic force-waves for several hours of near-constant use before fatigue significantly affects his performance. Gorgon can release the kinetic energy through his hooves without stamping them, but the act of stamping serves as a focusing aid for its release. Once Gorgon generates the energy, he must release it within 4.5 seconds before it spontaneously discharges. He can’t dissipate the energy once it’s generated without releasing it.

Gorgon’s superhuman strength level was approximately Class, a level that was higher than the average Inhuman due to the particular way the Terrigen Mist affected his physical and genetic structure. He was also able to create seismic tremors of up to 7.5 on the Richter scale with a single stamp (even greater, from 8.2 to 9.5, if he happens to be near tectonic plate fault lines). However, these capabilities have most likely increased since undergoing a second Terrigenesis.