Emp of Khera (Wildstorm Universe)

Like the other Kherubim on Earth, Emp arrived on the planet when the Explorer ship he was traveling on crash-landed thousands of years ago, following an orbital battle with a Daemonite vessel (which was also brought down). The Kherubim mostly integrated themselves among the similar-looking humans, and for the next several centuries, they fought a secret war against the surviving Daemonites, who plotted to conquer their new world.

Middle Ages

Over the centuries Emp was one of the leaders of the Kherubim, using a variety of aliases. In medieval times, Emp and his brother, Lord Entropy, fought side by side against the Daemonites. While battling the Daemonite Brannoch the Black, they killed Brannoch, but the Daemonite inside escaped and possessed Entropy's wife, Gwynith. Emp was forced to slay Gwynith and Entropy became mad with grief. He swore to avenge her and disappeared.

Modern Age

In the mid-twentieth century, Lord Emp was one of the founding members of Team One, along with several other notable Kherubim and human fighters (including Mister Majestic, Zealot, Mason, Regiment, Isaiah King (a.k.a. Despot), John Colt, Think Tank (Henry Bendix and Marc Slayton). They worked as a team for a number of missions, but eventually Emp fell foul of Helspont, one of the most powerful of the Daemonites. Helspont tried to slay him, but instead inflicted him with amnesia. Emp spent the next thirty years wandering New York as a vagrant, until Void tracked him down and told him about his past. Taking the identity of Jacob Marlowe, he quickly amassed a huge fortune, becoming a multi-billionaire, and together with Void he formed the modern WildC.A.T.s with the purpose of thwarting the Daemonite Cabal. ^[1] Soon Lord Entropy abducted Emp and restored his memories with his Orb of Power. Emp confronted Entropy with the truth, but Entropy was still unable to accept it. The WildC.A.T.s came to his rescue and together they defeated Entropy.

When the team traveled to the Kherubim native world, Khera, he discovered that the social caste to which he made belonged, the Pantheon, had become corrupt. He became disillusioned with Khera, quitting the WildC.A.T.s, until Void made him forget the events on Khera.

After the team disbanded, Lord Emp decided to unleash all of his genetic potential, thus becoming a High Lord. In order to do this, his outward appearance was changed to appear more alien.

During this time, Emp restarted the WildC.A.T.s (calling them the Wildcats during this period) with Spartan, Grifter and the French weapons dealer Noir, to battle Kenyan, a man who Emp had granted immortality to decades ago. During the showdown with Kenyan, Emp tried to convince Kenyan to kill him since he had to rid himself of his corporeal form in order to ascend. Instead, Kenyan shot himself. Emp then asked Spartan to kill him. Spartan did as asked, and inherited Marlowe's fortune, his company, and even his alias, later moving Halo's headquarters from New York to Los Angeles. The other Kherubim do not consider Emp to be dead, believing that his soul lives on as a being of pure energy, at one with the universe.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Kherubim Physiology: Kherubim resemble humans in appearance, but are physically far stronger and more durable and extremely long-lived, nearly immortal. However an evolutionary drawback to their near-immortality is that Kherans are almost infertile, only very rarely will a Kheran produce offspring. This effect is seen in real world natural environments, as longer living organisms will have fewer offspring than organisms with short lifespans. This is a natural check against overpopulation.

Immortality: Like all Kherubim, Emp has virtually an unending lifespan. He has been on the world for the whole of human history and lived likely for centuries if not longer, prior to that on Khera and in the depth's of space. To a non-Kheran, he seems virtually un-aging and unchanging over the centuries. The exact lifespan of a Kherubim is undetermined, though Emp is likely not considered a 'young' one given his appearance and position of authority. At the same time he has exhibited no signs of growing old just yet and likely won't for centuries to come.

Enhanced Healing: Heals more rapidly.

Superhuman Durability: As a full blooded Kherubim, Emp has a high level of durability and endurance that, while not invulnerable is still extremely tough compared to the typical human and S.P.B. He was struck by a taxi, took the hit and continued walking un-phased. It would take armored piercing bullets to have a serious effect on him as normal bullets, while they would hurt, would not stop him. The degree of this, like endurance, varies from Kherubim to Kherubim just as it does from human to human. Zealot, who has trained virtually the whole of her immortal life in the arts of combats and physical toughness, likely has a higher endurance then Savant and Emp. Even so, the pure tide of Kherubim blood is powerful indeed. His endurance is high enough to allow him to endure extreme torture at the hands of the likes of Hightower or even Entropy. Though his powerful abilities and vast energies may be the reason for this as well.

Superhuman Stamina

Superhuman Strength: As a Kherubim, Emp possesses a high degree of strength. The level of it is likely under that of Zealot's yet still far above a human.

Kheribum Lord: As a Kherubim Lord, he is a rare type of 'Enhanced' Kherubim, with abilities beyond those of the typical one. All Kheribum Lords possess unique and specific powers and seem to be enhanced beyond the norm yet the exact nature of how or why this is the case has yet to be revealed. In Emp's case, most of his powers are suppressed along with the vast majority of his memory. While in the case of his memory, as he is exposed to things his memory gradually returns to him, like someone remembering how to ride a bike after years of not having touched one his powers beyond the normal Kherubim ones, remain mostly dormant and rarely used. He is, however, seemingly staggeringly powerful when these dormant powers are tapped. Hightower specifically attempted to drain Emp's vast Kherubim energies for himself, and Emp's own brother Lord Entropy, was shocked when on the receiving end of Emp's fairly considerable powers. Void saw him as the predestined champion of Earth for a reason and the lead Kherubim Lord obviously has great power and potential within him. Times of stress have brought his power out and Void seems to have the ability to draw upon his power or to fuse with him temporarily to allow him to access it.

Psionic Powers: Emp has demonstrated psionic abilities during his days in Team One, under the alias of Saul Baxter. The full extent of this is unknown, although it's likely, given his Kherubim Lord nature, he has the full range of telepathic and/or telekinetic abilities at high levels. This power however, has remained dormant even as his other powers may have seen occasional use.^[2]

Energy Manipulation: With a loud *VORK* or *QUARK* sound, Emp has the ability to manipulate vast amounts of energies, buried deep within him. The exact nature of these energies is largely unexplored and unknown as only a few times has he accessed them.^[3] They could be electromagnetic energies yet may be non-elemental based energies as well. One thing is for certain, when directed for offensive means, they are extraordinarily powerful.^[4] Obviously more powerful then even what Void can generate as a blast from Void did not put the Kherubim Lord, Entropy down yet Emp's attack did.^[5] Thus far it seems he is only able to generate blasts of energy which seem to be unrefined and simply raw power accessible only with Void's help.^[5] But he also seems to have the ability to 'lend' power out to others or allow them to draw upon him when more power is needed.^[4] Several times when Void was being blocked from teleporting it was Emp's power that she drew from to give her the strength she needs.

Abilities

Businessman: Emp is a skilled administrator

Politician: Emp is a skilled politician.

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)

Trivia

Emp has appeared in the following non-WildStorm Image publications: Savage Dragon #13 (Erik Larsen version), 37, and 41; New Man #1 (in a flashback); Brigade Vol. 2 #0.

Emp of Khera (Wildstorm Universe)

Contents

History

Middle Ages

Modern Age

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Abilities

Trivia

Related

Footnotes

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