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Judas Traveller (Earth-616)

Judas Traveller first joined the Marvel Universe in 1966 following as the first villain to the newly introduced "Spider-Lad." His signature ability of travelling to locations cited in the bible perfectly countered Spider-Lad's ability of Spider-Prayer. With his quick thinking, Spider-Lad defeated Judas Traveller with his Spider-Gun.

Judas Traveller later appeared as a nemesis to the Iron-Freak in 1978. By this point, Judas Traveller required an iron lung to breath due to the internal organ damage dealt to him 12 years prior. By this point, Spider-Lad had died and had been resurrected as the cyborg known as the Iron-Freak; he was developed in part by Tony Stark on a bit of a bender. When the Iron-Freak went to go visit his victim of years past in search of forgiveness (the power of Christ compelled him) Judas Traveller grabbed him by the arm and "travelled" them both to the middle of the Red Sea, where the two drowned in each other's embrace.

The mantle of Judas Traveller has since been adopted by Mickey "The Spike" Greenwaldo, who uses the abilities for good and solving crimes that happen to occur in biblical locations.

• 1 Symbiote Costume
• 2 Peter Parker (Earth-616)
• 3 Spider Powers

• Illusion Manipulation
• Mnemokinesis

Judas Traveller (Earth-616)

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Judas Traveller is an American mutant and a brilliant criminal psychologist.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

Illusion Manipulation: Traveller possesses some degree of psionic power, primarily the ability to alter one's sense of perception and create illusions. He uses his powers to make himself seem far more powerful than he actually is, claiming at times to be a sorcerer or god-like being.

Telepathy/Mnemokinesis: He can also read minds and alter memories.

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Judas Traveller

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Judas Traveller was a brilliant criminal psychologist. A nervous breakdown triggered his illusion-casting powers. Traveller now believed himself a vastly powerful being who had walked the earth for centuries. His abilities allowed Traveller to convince himself and others of this non-existent god-like power.

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Traveller came to the attention of Norman Osborn, living in seclusion himself at this time after his apparent death fighting Spider-Man years before. Osborn had long term plans in play to torture and manipulate Peter Parker and his alter ego, and he saw Traveller as a remarkable potential asset to be exploited. Osborn had assumed control of the Brotherhood of Scrier, a European criminal organization and cult who worshipped a mythical being. With the assistance of Osborn and his technologist partner Mendel Stromm, now known as Gaunt, the Brotherhood used technology to make it appear as if they possessed supernatural powers. Only one member of the Brotherhood appeared in public at once, creating the mystique of a single individual named Scrier with exceptional powers.

At Osborn’s behest, a Scrier made contact with Judas Traveller and befriended him. Through subtle psychological intervention, Scrier integrated himself into Traveller’s delusions, convincing the man Scrier was his servant, and they had been friends and traveling companions for centuries. Through Scrier’s backing, Traveller had access to advanced technology which supplemented his mutant powers of influence and illusion casting. He could now achieve effects in reality which further supported his delusions of being a god-like being. Traveller and Scrier also assembled the Host, a quartet of acolytes including Medea the warrior, Boone the tracker, Mr. Nacht the chronicler and Chakra the medium. Traveller believed this entourage was loyal to him and his quest to understand the true nature of good and evil, but they were secretly in Scrier’s employ, watching Traveller, subtly reinforcing his delusion and guiding him as their true master wanted. [Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1, Amazing Spider-Man (1st series) #417]

Peter Parker was NOT in a good place mentally when this incident began. His parents, supposedly alive again after decades’ absence, were revealed as robotic simuloids created by the Chameleon. While pursuing his vendetta against Chameleon, Spider-Man learned the whole plot had been orchestrated beyond the grave by his late friend and enemy, Harry Osborn, the second Green Goblin. Atop these betrayals, his beloved Aunt May was in the hospital, on the verge on death. All this had caused him to retreat into his identity as “the Spider,” rejecting the man beneath the mask. And, just that morning, he learned the Jackal’s clone of Peter Parker survived his apparent death five years ago, leaving Spider-Man literally and physically confronting the face of Peter Parker whose pain he was trying to run from. All this accumulated psychological torment was pulled to the surface of his mind by Traveller as Spider-Man was guided by the nose through Ravencroft. Peter Parker collapsed temporarily into madness thanks to this probing, but not before Traveller pulled the existence of the clone from his mind. [Amazing Spider-Man (1st series) #394]

Curious about this new variable, Traveller sent Chakra out again, this time contacting the clone “Ben Reilly.” She offered him a similar dilemma: let Traveller kill Peter Parker at Ravencroft, and claim the life that could be his, or risk his own safety to rescue his mirror-brother. Reilly accepted the invitation, and so Traveller sent out Boone and Medea to entertain him while Judas telepathically monitored Parker and guided him through the other side of his personal breakdown. Spider-Man shook off Traveller’s mental intervention just as Ben Reilly fought his way through the Host, and the two spider-heroes faced Traveller together. [Spider-Man (1st series) #51]

Traveller’s mental powers were still too much for Parker and Reilly to handle, and he quickly rendered them unconscious with a psychic command. Once they awakened, Peter and Ben found themselves confronted with a deranged horde of escaped inmates. Traveller had released them as he promised, though they were still contained behind the energy barrier outside. Spider-Man and his clone fought side-by-side, subtly forging a bond between the two as Traveller’s agent Mister Nacht monitored them from the shadows. They even fought together against Carnage and won (although some elements indicated this may have been part of Traveller’s illusions). Satisfied for the moment, Traveller and the Host prepared to depart, expanding his energy barrier before it dispersed in order to knock out the police and Ravencroft employees still gathered outside the building. Peter and Ben emerged, but Traveller’s powers allowed him and the Host to escape without incident. In the chaos, Judas left behind a letter postmarked a week earlier, misleading Doctor Kafka and the authorities into believing the REAL Judas Traveller rejected her invitation and the man who invaded the asylum had been an imposter. [Spectacular Spider-Man (2nd series) #217]

Peter took to wearing the Scarlet Spider costume while out of prison, and he soon encountered Judas Traveller again. Traveller chose to provoke Parker further than ever before, testing the limits of his good nature and sense of responsibility. He openly wondered whether the evil of the super-villains in Ravencroft was balanced by Spider-Man’s good, or if his very presence provoked them to worse atrocities than if he had never gotten involved? Traveller humbled Parker physically this time before tempting him. Judas claimed to have caught the soul of May Parker as it left this plane of existence. He said it was possible to bring Aunt May back with the sacrifice of another soul and left the decision in Parker’s hands. With but a moment’s consideration, Peter shattered the soul globe and released May, refusing to barter for her soul with Traveller. [Amazing Spider-Man (1st series) #402]

[Note: The above saga is the hardest to reconcile with the revelations about Traveller’s powers. Presumably all instances of time travel and time vortexes were fakery, even if Traveller himself might have been convinced it was all real.]

Months later, Judas Traveller and the Host resurfaced. By this time, Ben and Peter had learned the “truth” that Ben was the original Peter Parker. Ben reclaimed the role of Spider-Man while Peter retired to support Mary Jane and their upcoming baby. Chakra, the only member of the Host truly loyal to Traveller, uncovered Scrier’s private dealings with Gaunt and alerted the deluded Traveller to his partner’s duplicity for the first time. Unfortunately, the other members of the Host were loyal to Scrier, and Traveller was betrayed and captured by his own followers. He was entombed in a sensory deprivation chamber at the bottom of a pool in the hopes of containing him until Norman Osborn and his loyalists could find a way to make him useful to their cause once more.

Traveller retreated from the public eye for years after that, working to get control of his mind again and overcome his own delusions of godhood. When the mutant nation of Krakoa declared themselves to the world, however, Judas took notice. Some of Krakoa's propaganda came with a declaration that they were the new gods of the world. As a mutant himself who once claimed to be a deity (or near enough), Traveller took exception to that. Krakoa's demonstration of hubris was dangerous enough to Judas's eyes for him to stand against his own people. He made contact with Doctor Killian Devo of Orchis and offered his services in opposition of Krakoa.

Traveller became Director for the Orchis petal overseeing Culture & Narrative. His skills as a psychologist and understanding of the nature of truth and illusion were used for a media spin campaign. Orchis acquired a controlling interest in the Fact Channel and other media outlets, allowing them to present the mutant threat to the world through controlled messaging. [X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #45] Traveller's petal constantly monitors mutant activity in order to craft a message spun in favor of Orchis and their goals. [Marauders (2nd series) #6] In addition, Traveller oversaw the buyout of shell companies like the Heritage Initiative to make other moves on Orchis's behalf. For instance, by manipulating the Department of the Interior, they attempted to claim the X-Gene found in the native population of reservations as government property. It was their hope to harvest X-Genes for exploitation by Heritage and Orchis. This initial maneuver was stopped by Thunderbird, but freeing his people from the local police station only fed the narrative which Judas Traveller was crafting in the media.  [Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird #1]

Who is Judas Traveller, the X-Men’s Newest Tormentor?

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In long-running comics, such as the Spider-Man and X-Men books, it's quite common for characters to disappear into obscurity only to reappear decades later. However, few characters are as obscure as Judas Traveller, the seemingly omnipotent and immortal villain, who starred in some head-scratching Spider-Man tales during the controversial " Clone Saga " and vanished as soon as the event ended. Finally, a quarter-century later, the character has returned at last to confound a new generation of heroes. While the Traveller's long-awaited return is a welcome bit of fan service for older readers, his obscurity may risk turning off new readers.

Part of the reason for Judas Traveller's long absence from comics is that his creators were never quite sure how to handle him in the first place. His powers were ill-defined, his motivation for attacking Spider-Man seemed vague, and his outfit was a laughable mish-mash of random garments, chains, and facial hair that gave the impression of an aging hippie. Traveller burst onto the scene in Web of Spider-Man (vol 1) #117 (by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler) just as the "Clone Saga" was starting. He was interested in the study of good and evil and seemed obsessed with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly in particular. Motivated by his studies into human nature, he put the duo through a series of arduous tests, such as locking them in Ravencroft asylum after letting the murderous inmates free from their cells.

RELATED: Spider-Man's Forgotten Clone Makes a Mindbending Return

The Traveller also seemed to have god-like powers. He could destroy entire city blocks with a snap of his fingers, alter the fabric of reality, go forward and backward in time, and somehow knew everything about Peter's private life, despite them never having met before. This omnipotence placed him at odds with the street-level threats Spider-Man usually faced . However, towards the end of the "Clone Saga" in Amazing Spider-Man (vol 1) #417 (by Tom DeFalco and Ron Garney), Traveller was retconned as a mutant who had a nervous breakdown, which unleashed his ability to alter perceptions. The issue had set him up as a mere pawn of a more powerful mastermind who had manipulated him into believing he was a god.

The reason for this reversal was never given, and with the end of the "Clone Saga" he disappeared before anything more could be revealed about him. Even while other characters of that era such as Ben Reilly and Kaine returned , Judas Traveller remained in obscurity. Perhaps he was viewed as too convoluted a character to use, or maybe he was dismissed as an inane remnant of an earlier period in the comics that no longer fit with the expectations of modern audiences. In any case, it would be more than twenty-five years before he reappeared, and this time it would be in the X-Men books.

Related: Sebastian Shaw Found a Way To Evolve Beyond the Need for Mutant Resurrection

He first returned in Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird #1 (by Nyla Rose, Steve Orlando, and David Cutler), having apparently joined an organization called Orchis, which is dedicated to the elimination of those who carry the X-Gene. It is ironic that Traveller, himself a mutant, wishes to wage genocide against all mutantkind. In Marauders #6 (by Steve Orlando and Andrea Broccardo) the Traveller appears to blame mutants for incurring the wrath of the Eternals over their resurrection protocols, and thus endangering the whole planet. Whether he fares better against the X-Men than he did against Spider-Man remains to be seen.

From a creative standpoint, it was a bold decision to bring back the Traveller, and it may be a risky one, as well. Only the most die-hard Spider-Man fans who stuck through the "Clone Saga" even remember who he is, and he was never popular enough for anyone to demand his return. On top of that, he hasn’t even been brought back to be a menace to his original foe but dropped into an entirely different franchise. Respecting continuity enriches the mythology of long-running comics, but expecting casual readers to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every obscure character could turn them off. However, if the Traveller is given a new twist that justifies his presence in the current " A.X.E.: Judgment Day " storyline then it could allow this much-derided villain a second lease on life.

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Ravencroft Institute

Current Members

Former Members

Imprisoning superhuman criminals, New York’s Ravencroft Institute is one of the most dangerous places on the planet.

Cursed Land

Built upon cursed land, Ravencroft has been associated with death since the 1400s. Many who venture there come across cannibalistic heathens, worshippers of the “spiral”, if they survived the encounter.

In 1594, explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano arrives to North America. After several of his men go missing while looking for supplies, Verrazzano leads a search party, only to find the remains displayed in a spiral formation. This discovery sends Verrazzano and his crew packing, and he never returns.

It wasn’t until the summer of 1664 that a newly arrived couple, Cortland Kasady and Molly Ravencroft, encounter the heathens. Molly escapes their grasp and shows Cortland that the heathens dwell in a cave. Cortland discovers a pile of skeletons from many years past as well as markings on the wall depicting Knull , God of the Symbiotes, though he did not understand their meaning precisely. Cortland suddenly makes contact with the heathens and emerges covered in blood and insane by unknown means. He goes on a murder spree but gets captured by the nearby villagers who build a cell to house him on the very cursed land where Ravencroft would one day be built. But Cortland ultimately escapes, kills his wife, and is thought to have joined the other remaining heathens.

The land also sees one of the last battles of the American Revolution in 1783, followed by the rise of the Shuma-Gorath cult in 1804, and a spirit of vengeance in 1820, and many other attacks. The region remains undeveloped until Jonas Ravencroft, relative of Molly Ravencroft, purchases the land in 1899 to address the lack of mental health care in the area. He begins constructing an asylum, but his vision is met with several setbacks, including arson and a deranged worker who slays the foreman, claiming the demonic Hell-Lord Mephisto tells him to do it. Jonas overcomes these trials and completes his vision as the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane.

Jonas hires Dr. Nathaniel Essex, AKA Mister Sinister , and Romanian Dr. Claudia Russell. Claudia often remarks on the strange and fantastic things that frequented the region surrounding Ravencroft, but Jonas dismisses them. In the year 1909, they take on several patients, one claiming to be the time-displaced Sir Percy of Scandia, AKA Black Knight , and a possible serial killer named Logan, AKA Wolverine . Essex removes Logan’s arm and fed up with Essex’s gruesome tactics, Claudia helps Logan escape. But one of the institute’s orderlies, Victor Creed, AKA Sabretooth , attacks her in the process. Logan comes to and tries to protect her, but she doesn’t need it as she transforms into a werewolf and defends herself. Though Essex came up behind her, taking her down with an unknown chemical. Jonas receives Claudia’s resignation notice the next day but feels as if something were off, thinking Essex was to blame. Little did he know that Essex kills and studies Claudia in the bowels of the institute, but he keeps an eye on him and his practices until Essex moves to Germany.

In 1918, Ravencroft accepts a new patient, the so-called Master of the World, a man claiming to be a 40,000-year-old caveman. Jonas concludes that he was actually more like 40 years old. In 1923, there was a breakout of a young Al Capone and Silas Burr. In 1932, a skin walker arrives carrying a near-dead woman. Jonas explained away all these strange incidents using conventional means. But in 1933, Jonas meets a new patient that would alter his belief in the fantastic, that of Loki Laufeyson, AKA Loki , God of Mischief. In this one moment, Loki switches places with Jonas, placing Jonas behind bars and tied up in his straitjacket.

In 1945, during World War II, the institute was taken over by the Weapon Plus program, with Lord John Falsworth, AKA Baron Blood , Vlad Tepes Dracula, AKA Dracula , and Professor Thorton experimenting upon the patients, who were now more like mistreated inmates. Their efforts turn the inmates into vampire-like monstrosities. When Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America , and Bucky Barnes (later Winter Soldier ) crash into their facility looking for a compatriot, Jonas helped them by unleashing the monsters on the Weapon Plus crew, and regretting his role in creating them, he takes his own life.

Late in the last half of the century, the pregnant Louise Kasady arrives at Ravencroft, admitted as a patient. She undergoes electro-shock therapy and is not treated kindly under Ravencroft’s care. She gives birth to her son Cletus whose umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, though the baby survives the ordeal.

Behind Closed Doors

The institute’s founder Jonas Ravencroft runs the institute, hiring several doctors to help him treat those with severe mental health issues. Though his staff takes liberties with treatment, such as Dr. Nathaniel Essex and orderly Victor Creed, brutalizing them and creating monsters in the underbelly of the institute.

In the modern era, decorated serviceman John Jameson, AKA Man-Wolf , joins the institute as their security chief where he begins a romantic relationship with the director, Dr. Ashley Kafka. After several problems with super-powered criminally insane inmates including Cletus Kasady, AKA Carnage , the Institute is temporarily shut down. After Chameleon escapes, Senator Roeberg fires Jameson and Kafka and hires Dr. Leonard Samson, AKA Doc Samson , as the new director of Ravencroft but his time there is brief.

Following a Knull cult gathering led by Carnage and the institute’s decimation, Jameson takes a security position in exchange for protection from Mayor Wilson Fisk, AKA Kingpin , who takes an interest in rebuilding the institute.

The Institutionalized

Many super-powered criminals pass through Ravencroft’s doors, some are institutionalized forever, such as the Unwanted—those brutally experimented upon by Ravencroft’s staff—while others breakout. One of the most well-known inmates is Cletus Kasady, who often escapes the institute with help from his bloodthirsty alien symbiote Carnage, but he’s almost always captured and returned. Fellow inmate Frances Barrison, AKA Shriek , also absconds with Kasady. Shriek also returns to the institute several times, breaking other inmates free and using it as a safe haven for her unborn child, which was actually the Carrion virus.

A Dark Past

Now a government-run facility, Ravencroft Institute is led by psychiatric Dr. Ashely Kafka, who showed promise in treating Super Criminals. As the director, her first patient was the rat-like Edward Whelan, AKA Vermin. She becomes romantically entangled with John Jameson, who heads the institute’s security.

When the serial killer Cletus Kasady was caught, Ravencroft opened their doors to the man that their institute helped bring into the world. Though contained, his symbiote proved less than easy to control and while Ravencroft’s doctors ran tests, it triggered the symbiote in his bloodstream and he killed everyone around him. During his escape, he met fellow inmate Shriek who joined him on a murder spree. But it wouldn’t be the last time they’d see Kasady.

Summoned to oversee Ravencroft after its director Ashley Kafka was injured by the sonic lunatic Shriek, Judas Traveller noted that the inmates were obsessed with Peter Parker, AKA Spider-Man . He expelled Kafka and her staff from the asylum, and dispatched Chakra to lure Spider-Man there with an ultimatum; defeat Traveller and let the inmates escape or do nothing and allow Traveller to kill the inmates. Parker chose to fight, but Traveller overwhelmed him and imprisoned him in the asylum. Traveller searched Parker’s memories, learning of Peter’s clone Ben Reilly, AKA Scarlet Spider , and through Chakra, Traveller offered Reilly a choice; save Parker, or let him die and assume his life. Reilly chose to save his “brother,” and together he and Parker battled through the Host and several freed inmates to reach Traveller, who fled.

After Wanda Maximoff, AKA  Scarlet Witch , cast a spell that altered reality, depowering almost all mutants, reporter Sally Floyd visited Ravencroft to check in on the mutant patients. There she found three of the 77 left with powers who used them to get back at their bullies within the institute.

When the resurrected mercenary for hire Raoul Bushman joined forces with Ebenezer Laughton, AKA Scarecrow , they laid siege to Ravencroft, making the hospital’s patients, some of whom had superhuman powers, his army. Bushman and Scarecrow led the patients against Marc Spector, AKA Moon Knight , who defeated Bushman but left his foe alive. A raving Bushman was then incarcerated at Ravencroft.

After the serial killer Marcus Lyman, AKA Massacre, arrived at Ravencroft, he murdered Dr. Kafka. When Carnage was reanimated, he brainwashed Jameson with an offshoot of his symbiote, and used Ravencroft for his Cult of Knull rituals. Deadpool intervened during one of the rituals and in his escape, burned the institute down, decimating it.

Crime boss and mayor Wilson Fisk took an interest in restoring the facility and made a deal with Jameson, who worked at the institute in security--Jameson would give him information about the institute’s day-to-day operations, and Fisk would prevent Jameson from being tried for his recent crimes committed as the Carnagized Man-Wolf. Fisk brings on Super Villains Norman Osborn, AKA Green Goblin , Tony Masters, AKA Taskmaster , Mac Gargan, AKA Scorpion , Dr. Karla Sofen, AKA Moonstone , and Roderick Kingsley, AKA Hobgoblin , all as heads of staff. Dr. Karl Malus eventually joins the staff as well, the scientist known for helping create augmented wrestlers with Curitss Jackson, AKA Power Broker .

Meanwhile, Special Agent Mercedes “Misty” Knight, AKA Misty Knight , takes a job there as a double agent for the shadow organization J.A.N.U.S. to keep an eye on Jameson.

Jameson asked Misty to join him at Ravencroft’s demolished site. As they stared at the rubble, Fisk arrived to oversee the reconstruction, though Misty was hesitant about trusting Fisk’s reasons for being there. Suddenly, workers discovered the institute’s founder Jonas Ravencroft’s journal in the middle of the ruins, oddly intact and untouched. Misty didn’t trust Fisk with the journal and neither did Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic , who had just arrived and had donated to the reconstruction efforts alongside the Fantastic Four—he and the team felt a sense of responsibility for rehabilitating the world’s criminals.

Misty, Jameson, Fisk, and Richards were then notified that the workers uncovered something else, a hidden staircase in the rubble, which revealed a subterranean research wing, full of experimental horrors. They then stumbled upon the vampiric creatures known as the Unwanted, a group of mutated subjects from a former iteration of Ravencroft attacked them. Despite Jameson transforming into Man-Wolf and with the group’s combined fighting skills, their only option was to make a quick escape and contain the monstrosities within their prison.

But they weren’t held back for long. Their leader Bud Adams laid siege to the institute with plans to destroy it with everyone inside unless he obtained the journal of Jonas Ravencroft. The monsters used psychic ruses to distract Fisk and his staff of villains, while Misty and Jameson remained the only line of defense. Though John and Osborn are both captured and tortured for the journal’s location and inmates escaped the institute. Suddenly, Frank Castle, AKA the Punisher , joined the fray to save the day. Meanwhile, Osborn started egging Jameson on to turn into the Man-Wolf and after lots of yelling and spitting, Jameson transformed into Man-Wolf and deactivated the countdown to destruction. Afterward, Fisk addressed the press about the breakout and made Jameson Ravencroft’s new warden. Jameson introduced his team which included FBI Agent Misty Knight, Dennis Dunphy, AKA Demolition Man , and Dr. Ashley Kafka, a clone of the original discovered by Osborn in Professor Miles Warren, AKA Jackal ’s old lab. Fisk’s villains leave the institute, but Dr. Karl Malus remained on staff.

But Ravencroft faced another problem. Thanks to Harry Osborn, AKA Kindred , Stanley Carter, AKA Sin-Eater, was resurrected and carried out an all-out assault on the institute. While there, he absorbed Cain Marko, AKA Juggernaut ’s abilities and tore through the building to find Osborn. Osborn had joined forces with Spider-Man, but they couldn’t prevent the building’s collapse from Sin-Eater’s utter havoc.

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• Moonstone (Karla Sofen)
• Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley)
• Mister Sinister
• Dracula (Vlad Dracula)
• Baron Blood (Falsworth)

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Judas Traveller

Judas Traveller was a psychologist supervillain and former enemy of Spider-Man, appearing as a recurring antagonist in the infamous Clone Saga comicbook storyline from the nineties. He was created by Terry Kavanagh and Steve Butler.

Traveller was initially introduced as a mysterious and ancient sorcerer with ill-defined powers obsessed with exploring the nature of evil who became interested in Peter Parker and his clone Ben Reilly.

Aided by his four students (Medea, Mister Nacht, Boone and Chakra), Traveller forced Peter and Ben into several deadly trials to see if he could understand that the two Spider-Men are the cause of evil, represented by their villains, or a beacon of hope fighting against evil and what drives them to keep fighting for justice.

While Parker is imprisoned for crimes he allegedly committed between Utah and New York, Traveller sends Chakra to inform him that Mary Jane is being stalked by Kaine. He watches to see what Parker will choose to do, and eventually aids him by allowing Parker safe escape from prison and casting an illusion of Parker remaining in his cell. While Traveller admits to Scrier that both Parker and Reilly fascinate him, he assures him that not even Scrier is able to understand why.

After Parker and Reilly switch places in prison and Parker dons the Scarlet Spider costume, Traveller follows him around the city and eventually confronts him, places Mary Jane unconscious, and gives Parker a choice to make his life better. He shows Peter the image of Aunt May in a crystal ball and suggests that he could bring her back to life and give Parker a world where he no longer has to worry about the clones or the charges now against Reilly. Parker refuses and fights back Traveller, claiming that everything is taking place in his mind, Traveller is not God and doesn't have the power to restore lives. Traveller responds by showing Parker a world twenty-four hours in the future, a destroyed city supposedly the result of Parker's actions. He claims that Parker can still stop this world from coming to pass if he can stop his students from going through with their plans. As part of this test, Traveller agrees to use his powers to protect the building where Mary Jane is so no matter what happens she and the unborn child would be safe.

While Parker (back in his original Spider-Man garb) fights Kaine in an attempt to clear his name, Traveller interrupts their fight to place them in a different trial. He teleports them to a sub-basement beneath Ravencroft and forces both of them into a "trial" where Spider-Man is charged for his entire life as a superhero, questioning that if Spider-Man no longer existed would his superpowered enemies have a reason to exist. He chooses Carnage to be the prosecuting attorney (which allows him to have knowledge of Spider-Man's true identity), Kaine the defense attorney, and a number of Ravencroft inmates to be the jury. Kaine attacks Traveller and attempts to leave his "mark" on his face, but Traveller is unaffected and displays his power by holding Kaine in the palm of his hand. He lets the brief trial unfold the only way that it could, with all supervillains wanting Spider-Man dead. Traveller binds Spider-Man and allows the supervillains, led by Carnage, to carry out Spider-Man's death sentence. Kaine, however, jumps into the fray, determined to protect Spider-Man's life at any cost. Before Kaine could be killed by the mob, Traveller disperses the entire group and returns them to their cells as he had gotten the answer he wanted. The entire ordeal had only been to see how Spider-Man's actions (or lack thereof in this case) could motivate the actions of someone as corrupt as Kaine. As a result, he returns Spider-Man and Kaine to their previous place of battle, saying that his current investigation had been concluded for the time being. As his last act of ending the trial, he removed Spider-Man's secret identity from the minds of Carnage and all those who were previously aware.

Towards the end of the Clone Saga, it was revealed that everything Traveller claimed to be was a lie. He was actually a below omega level mutant with the power to create illusions who had a mental breakdown and started to believe himself to be more powerful and paranormal than he really was, partially due to the his additional ability to manipulate the senses of others, allowing his illusions to truly feel real. He was also revealed to be one of the many pawns of Norman Osborn, who betrayed Traveller and tried to having him killed by Scrier after he outlived his purpose but was eventually rescued by Ben Reilly. His current status is unknown.

• Judas Traveller was described by Spider-Man writer Glenn Greenberg as a deus ex machina character with ill-defined powers: "no one – not the writers, not the editors – seemed to know who or what the heck Judas Traveller was. He was seemingly this immensely powerful, quasi-mystical being with amazing abilities, but what was the real deal with him? ... But to be honest, a character like Traveller didn't really fit into Spider-Man's world."As such, Traveller's role would remain a mystery to readers for a while, as writers dropped him in and out of this saga.

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Judas Traveller

Dr. Judas Traveller is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #117 (October 1994). [1] He was created by writer Terry Kavanagh and artist Steven Butler .

• 1 Character development
• 2.1 The Past
• 2.2 Ravencroft
• 2.3 Aftershocks
• 2.4 The Mark of Kaine
• 2.5 Crossfire
• 2.6 The Trial of Peter Parker
• 2.7 Resolution
• 3 References
• 4 External links

Character development [ edit ]

Judas Traveller was introduced in the infamous Clone Saga . [2] The character's agenda was to analyze the true nature of evil. Taking interest in Spider-Man and his clone, Traveller with his ally Scrier and his Host (a group of 4 of his students) pit Spider-Man both teaming and against his clone in a test of motivation. He was described by Spider-Man writer Glenn Greenberg as a deus ex machina character with ill-defined powers: "no one – not the writers, not the editors – seemed to know who or what the heck Judas Traveller was. He was seemingly this immensely powerful, quasi-mystical being with amazing abilities, but what was the real deal with him? ... But to be honest, a character like Traveller didn't really fit into Spider-Man's world." [3] As such, Traveller's role would remain a mystery to readers for a while, as writers dropped him in and out of this saga. [4]

It was eventually revealed that all Traveller knew about himself was a lie. In reality he was a criminal psychologist who suffered a mental breakdown awakening his dormant mutant powers to alter perception. With these abilities he often appeared far more powerful than he really was. This was the truth that Chakra told Ben Reilly . During this story, Judas was betrayed by the Scrier, and rescued by Ben Reilly, and his own love interest, Chakra. [5] He was a pawn of Norman Osborn against Spider-Man and eventually betrayed by Osborn. [6] [7]

Fictional character biography [ edit ]

The past [ edit ].

Traveller is a creature who has walked the planet for ages, seeking the true meaning of evil and how it manifests within men. His memories are filled with past events which he witnessed and studied in order to understand the human soul. He eventually set his sights on studying Spider-Man, as he could not yet comprehend if Spider-Man was the cause of evil re-presenting itself in his enemies or a beacon of good that would stand against evil. [ volume & issue needed ]

Ravencroft [ edit ]

After an invitation by Dra. Ashley Kafka, Judas Traveller and his Host come to Ravencroft Institute in the opening arc of the Clone Saga, Power and Responsibility . Intending to study the nature of good and evil by using Spider-Man as his test subject, Judas Traveller orchestrates a breakout on Ravencroft and spurs Peter Parker to stop the detainees. Otherwise, he will release the criminals back into New York. Peter Parker fails and is captured. As a backup, Chakra convinces Ben Reilly to take up the mantle and come to Ravencroft. Ben helps Peter and both face Judas. [8]

Aftershocks [ edit ]

Traveller appears during the Clone Saga, infatuated with understanding every minute detail of Peter Parker's life. He is seen with a "Host," four people who are supposed to aid him in his journey of study (Medea, Mister Nacht, Boone, and Chakra), and Scrier (an enigmatic being who is seen as Traveller's confidante and has been with him through the ages). During this time, Parker's life is in disarray due to the passing of Aunt May , the charges of murder levied against him, and the potentially problematic pregnancy of his wife Mary Jane . Traveller struggles to understand what drives Parker to continue on this path of seeking justice when most men would have broken under the stress. He approaches a stressed Mary Jane in an attempt to search her soul for answers, but Ben Reilly relentlessly fights past all of Traveller's obstacles in order to keep him out of her life. Seeing Reilly's resolve, Traveller agrees to leave her alone, but he also mentions that he has just as much interest in Reilly and would seek him out eventually. [ volume & issue needed ]

The Mark of Kaine [ edit ]

While Parker is imprisoned for crimes committed between Utah and New York, Traveller sends Chakra to inform him that Mary Jane is being stalked by Kaine . He watches to see what Parker will choose to do, and eventually aids him by allowing Parker safe escape from prison and casting an illusion of Parker remaining in his cell. While Traveller admits to Scrier that both Parker and Reilly fascinate him, he assures him that not even Scrier is able to understand why. [ volume & issue needed ] [9]

Crossfire [ edit ]

After Parker and Reilly switch places in prison and Parker dons the Scarlet Spider costume, Traveller follows him around the city and eventually confronts him, places Mary Jane unconscious, and gives Parker a choice to make his life better. He shows Peter the image of Aunt May in a crystal ball and suggests that he could bring her back to life and give Parker a world where he no longer has to worry about the clones or the charges now against Reilly. Parker refuses and fights back Traveller, claiming that everything is taking place in his mind, Traveller is not God and doesn't have the power to restore lives. Traveller responds by showing Parker a world twenty-four hours in the future, a destroyed city supposedly the result of Parker's actions. He claims that Parker can still stop this world from coming to pass if he can stop his Host from going through with their plans. As part of this test, Traveller agrees to use his powers to protect the building where Mary Jane is so no matter what happens she and the unborn child would be safe. [ volume & issue needed ] [10]

Parker goes after the Host and manages to stop them from going through with their plan, but another anomaly arises from the point of origin where Traveller used his powers to show Parker the future. His misuse of that power causes a rift in the space-time continuum that attempts to correct itself through Traveller who can no longer control his powers. While Scrier refuses to help, Parker decides to pull Traveller from the rift before he causes the destroyed future he had witnessed only minutes earlier. Upon saving him, Scrier gathers an unconscious Traveller and leaves after telling Parker that Traveller would not be satisfied with the turn of events. [ volume & issue needed ] [11]

The Trial of Peter Parker [ edit ]

While Parker (back in his original Spider-Man garb) fights Kaine in an attempt to clear his name, Traveller interrupts their fight to place them in a different trial. He teleports them to a sub-basement beneath Ravencroft and forces both of them into a "trial" where Spider-Man is charged for his entire life as a superhero, questioning that if Spider-Man no longer existed would his superpowered enemies have a reason to exist. [ volume & issue needed ] [12]

He chooses Carnage to be the prosecuting attorney (which allows him to have knowledge of Spider-Man's true identity), Kaine the defense attorney, and a number of Ravencroft inmates to be the jury. Kaine attacks Traveller and attempts to leave his "mark" on his face, but Traveller is unaffected and displays his power by holding Kaine in the palm of his hand. He lets the brief trial unfold the only way that it could, with all supervillains wanting Spider-Man dead. Traveller binds Spider-Man and allows the supervillains, led by Carnage, to carry out Spider-Man's death sentence. Kaine, however, jumps into the fray, determined to protect Spider-Man's life at any cost. Before Kaine could be killed by the mob, Traveller disperses the entire group and returns them to their cells as he had gotten the answer he wanted. The entire ordeal had only been to see how Spider-Man's actions (or lack thereof in this case) could motivate the actions of someone as corrupt as Kaine. As a result, he returns Spider-Man and Kaine to their previous place of battle, saying that his current investigation had been concluded for the time being. As his last act of ending the trial, he removed Spider-Man's secret identity from the minds of Carnage and all those who were previously aware. [ volume & issue needed ] [13]

Resolution [ edit ]

The mystery of Judas Traveller would eventually reach a conclusion just before the final arc of the Clone Saga. Judas's followers, the Host, betray him and lock him up inside a coffin in a pool. Chakra, the only one loyal to her master, joins forces with Ben Reilly and Peter Parker as they face a horde of Scriers and foil a possible alliance with New York crime boss the Rose and his personal assistant/assassin Delilah. After rescuing Judas, he and Chakra depart to regions unknown, but not before the man gives both Spider-Men a warning. [14]

References [ edit ]

• ↑ Life of Reilly, Part 1
• ↑ http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/reviews/spiderman_amazing/417.html
• ↑ Amazing Spider-Man #417 (Nov. 1996)
• ↑ The Osborn Journal (One-Shot) #1 (1997).
• ↑ Web of Spider-Man (1985) #117; The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #394; Spider-Man (1990) #51; Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #217.
• ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #401.
• ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #402.
• ↑ Spider-Man (1990) #59.
• ↑ Web of Spider-Man (1985) #126.
• ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #403.
• ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #416-417.

External links [ edit ]

• Judas Traveller on Marvel Database , a Marvel Comics wiki

This article "Judas Traveller" is from Wikipedia . The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Judas Traveller . Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies) [ edit ]

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• Victor Fries (Batman & Robin)
• Lt. Ethan Warren
• Mindmeld (Marvel Comics character)
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• Marvel Comics supervillains
• Fictional physicians
• Fictional psychologists
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• Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012

Judas Traveller

• Edit source

History [ ]

The exact origins of Judas Traveller is unknown by most, some believe he’s not as old as he says he is. But it’s known sometime before the 1800s he received and took a potion that extended his life multiple decades, allowing him to live multiple lives.

Second Second Chance At Life [ ]

According to Traveller himself, In the early 1900s he had become obsessed with understanding evil and even joined the Nazis in WW2. Here he apparently met fellow mutant Nathaniel Essex who helped extend his life even longer

Marvel Database

Due to recent developments, please be aware that the use of large language model or generative AIs in writing article content is strictly forbidden. This caveat has now been added to the Manual of Style and Blocking Policy .

Host (Judas Traveller) members

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• Category:Host (Judas Traveller) (Earth-616)/Members

Judas Traveller

Character » Judas Traveller appears in 55 issues .

Judas Traveller is a world-renowned criminal psychologist and philosopher who craves to understand the true nature of evil using his favourite subject; Spider-Man

Summary short summary describing this character..

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Astonishing Spider-Man

X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Ben Reilly Epic

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic

Destiny of X

The Spectacular Spider-Man

Web of Spider-Man

X-Men: Before the Fall – Mutant First Strike

Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird

Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: the Clone Saga

Patrulla-X: Antes de la caída

Merodeadores

History of the Marvel Universe

Spider-Man: Ben Reilly Omnibus

The Best Of Marvel

Scarlet Spider: Life After Death

Scarlet Spider

Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide/The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update

Spider-Man: The Jackal Files

Spider-Man: 101 Ways to End the Clone Saga

Osborn Journals

Spider-Man: The Parker Years

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