Draft:Thragg

Thragg first appeared in Invincible Issue #11 (2004) as a powerful Viltrumite warrior and later assumed the role of Grand Regent of the Viltrum Empire.^[7] He was introduced as the strongest pure‑blooded Viltrumite and stands as the climactic antagonist in the comic’s later storyline.^[8]

Thragg was trained from birth, crafted to be the ultimate Viltrumite.^[9] Trained in the arts of war and combat, Thragg is Viltrum's Grand Regent and the strongest pure-blooded Viltrumite in the Invincible universe, surpassing other powerful Viltrumites like Conquest, Kregg, and Omni-Man, and even defeating the mighty Battle Beast in an all-out duel.^[8]

Assumption of Power

Since he was not a blood relative to the late emperor, Thragg initially planned to serve as a provisional ruler, vowing to abdicate the throne when someone found a true heir. However, the "when" slowly changed to "if" the longer he ruled without quarrel, and future events in the story, namely the Scourge Virus outbreak, even made the Empire stop searching for an heir, cementing Thragg's status as Grand Regent. He staged and managed to live through all major Viltrum phases, including the purge and expansion. It was Thragg's dominance and focused nature to conquer that led Thaedus, the rogue Viltrumite, to form the Coalition of Planets in defiance of the Empire.^[8]

The Viltrumite War

Thragg beheaded Thaedus for his treachery, threw Battle Beast into the darkness of space, and maimed the Grayson family. It was only Thragg's intense desire to preserve the Viltrumite race that made him hesitate to murder the treacherous Grayson family. Instead, he abandoned the Graysons for dead in deep space and took his remaining people to Earth, in the process abandoning the Empire and all of its riches.

Thragg serves as the main villain throughout most of Invincible's narrative, transitioning from a desperate and bloodthirsty ruler to an exiled figure striving to regain control, obsessed with preserving the empire. His story can be divided into two distinct phases: the first, in which he is viewed as an undisputed monarch, and the second, after he commits treason and is exiled, prompting him to travel to Thraxa to assemble an army of Viltrumite hybrids.

Voice actor Lee Pace, who portrays Thragg in the animated adaptation, described the character thus: "I think there's something about the core of his character that tracks his insanity because when you have an ideology that is shattered, what do you have left? His world doesn't exist anymore because of what's happened to his people. He's very strong, and he's got a strong mind, he's got a strong sense of training, and physically, he's incredibly strong.^[10]

Physical appearance

Thragg is illustrated as a well-built Viltrumite with physical attributes consistent with those of his species. This includes a sturdy frame with a 6'6" with a heavily muscular build. His face is usually portrayed with a serious expression, often with short black hair, dark eyes, and a thick moustache, a feature common among adult male Viltrumites.^[11] Initially, Thragg’s body lacks scars and wounds to show his invincibility. However, after fighting against the warrior called Battle Beast, he acquires injuries on his body and even loses an eye. This makes him appear rough and scarred, although the scars and injuries heal up over time. He also wears a fur coat made from the skin of Battle Beast as a souvenir.^[8][12]

Powers and abilities

Thragg is a alien warlord from the Viltrum race of superhumans known as the Viltrumite. The character possesses abilitieshe complete capabilities of Viltrumites, benhanced to the point where he stands out among other members of his race. He has incredible superhuman strength, speed, and stamina, which enables him to fight in long battles without getting tired and to overwhelm even the most powerful members of his race. In addition, he is extremely tough and durable, being immune to ordinary attacks as well as to the attacks of alien races, and once injured, he can regenerate quickly, thanks to the accelerated regenerative capabilities of his body. Similarly to other members of his species, Thragg is able to fly without any help and to survive for a long period of time in outer space, thus making it possible for him to move between planets and wage wars in space. The fact that he ages extremely slowly allows him to live for thousands of years, during which time he acquired much knowledge in matters of combat.^[7]

Television

Thragg appears in the Invincible streaming television series, voiced by Lee Pace.^[13] He has received positive critical reception.^[14]