Hiroim

Hiroim the Shamed.
Art by Jim Cheung.

Hiroim is a fictional, comic-book character in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Incredible Hulk vol. 3, #92.

Fictional character biography

Originally, Hiroim was a Shadow Priest, dedicated to the story of the Sakaarson- he who would unite the people of Sakaar- and trained to join the other Shadows. However, for his blasphemy of daring to dream that he could be the Sakaarson, he was expelled from the order. He was then chosen to be the personal guard of the Emperor of Sakaar, and to uphold an alliance between the Shadows and the Empire. He broke this vow however, when the Emperor ordered Hiroim to kill his adolescent son, due to the belief that he would bring ruin and devastation to Sakaar (a prediction that ended up coming to pass). For breaking that oath, he ended up in the Empire's gladiator training school, the Maw, where he fought alongside such other warriors as Miek, No-Name the Brood, Korg and the Hulk. After two victories in the arena- during which their teammate Lavin Skee was badly injured-, having heard the stories of his allies, Hiroim formed a Warbound pact with them, vowing that they would always stand together. Having been freed from their obedience disks by the Silver Surfer, the Warbound went on to vanquish the Red King, Hiroim concluding that the Hulk was the true Sakaarson (Although he briefly thought that the Surfer might be the Sakaarson).

With the destruction of Sakaar following the detonation of the shuttle that brought the Hulk to Earth, Hiroim having absorbed the powers of all the Sakaar Shadow Priests as he was the only one left accompanied the Hulk to Earth to wage war against the Illuminati. During the subsequent conflict with Earth's heroes, Hiroim defeated Luke Cage during the Warbound's initial attack, but was defeated by Doctor Strange when the sorcerer called on the power of his old enemy Zom. Hiroim's left arm was shattered by Dr. Strange.

Following the revelation of Miek's treachery that Miek had allowed the destruction of Sakaar, the remaining Warbound surrender to S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. They manage to escape during tremors caused by Manhattan Island breaking up due to the damage the Hulk had caused. Channeling the rock-based powers of his fellow Warbound Korg, as well as Earth hero the Thing, Hiroim is able to 'heal' the damage before he and the others depart, escaping into the sewers.

Hiroim is missing his left arm due to Doctor Strange's attack. Embued with the power of the Zom entity, the sorcerer supreme shatters Hiroim's left arm. Before his death, he was briefly able to rebuild his form, with an intact left arm, out of extant rock, channeling the full might of his Oldpowers

Death

During the World War Hulk Aftersmash: Warbound series, Hiroim and his fellow Warbound confront SHIELD agents while attempt to protect a badly wounded Elloe Kaifi. Unfamiliar teleportational technology take all the Warbound and agent Kate Waynesboro to Nevada. Hiroim is not found with the others, he had been separated by the Leader. Basing the two in a seemingly abandoned factory, the Leader uses Hiroim's powers to create a gamma-dome encapsulated environment called "Gamma World". Kate and the Warbound are trying to save him but the deadly shields go up despite their efforts. Heroim eventually sacrifices himself to stop the Leader, and transfers his old power to Kate.

Power and abilities

Like all the shadow people, Hiroim at his base possesses physical traits slightly superior to the human maximum, and ages more slowly after reaching adulthood at the age of 13. Beyond this he has received quasi-mystic training as a shadow priest, and is an experienced warrior, strategist, and philosopher. After the deaths of Caiera and his people he inherited the stone-based "oldstrong power", drawing power from the planet itself, enabling him to turn his body into immensely hard and strong 'mystic rock'. Further demonstrated talents include sensing and unravelling powerful mystic wards cast by Doctor Strange, and limited control over the earth, when helping to keep a massive chasm from destroying Manhattan Island.

See also

• Warbound
• Planet Hulk