Kimura is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. She first appeared in ''
New X-Men'' #31 as the main antagonist of
Laura Kinney/X-23.
Publication history
The character was created by writers
Craig Kyle
Craig Paul Kyle (born November 3, 1971) is an American writer for Marvel Comics. He is best known for his creation of the character X-23. He has also produced several of Marvel's direct-to-DVD animated films and worked on several aspects of the ...
and
Christopher Yost
Christopher Lee Yost (born February 21, 1973) is an American film, television, animation, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe with '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) and '' Thor: Ragnarok'' ( ...
as well as artist
Mike Choi. Her first appearance was in ''New X-Men'' #31 (Dec. 2006). She was introduced as the
villain
A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...
ous handler of X-23. The name
Kimura Kimura (written: lit. "tree village") is the 17th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese novelist
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese botanist
*, Japanese idol and singer
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanes ...
(木村) is a
common Japanese surname, and means "tree village".
Fictional character biography
Origin
Kimura was born to an abusive alcoholic father and a negligent mother. Her school life was similar, as she was abused and tormented by her peers. Through unspecified means and at some point in time, Kimura's grandmother was her caregiver. At once, her grandmother tried to heal the emotional damage inflicted upon Kimura through nurturing, love, and understanding. But by that point in time, the emotional scars were permanent and her grandmother's attempts to reach her were futile. After her grandmother's fatal heart attack, Kimura took off, eventually coming into contact with the Facility. She then underwent some unspecified procedures that granted her physical invulnerability, density control, and reconstruction. She then exacted revenge against those in her past who had wronged her. During her time at the Facility, Kimura eventually assumed the same abusive role as the people who victimized her in the past, particularly to Laura Kinney.
[
]
The Facility
As an agent of the Facility, Kimura became X-23
Laura Kinney (born X-23; codename Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was created by writer Craig Kyle for the '' X-Men: Evolution' ...
's handler. She abused X-23, finding any excuse to bully, regardless of whether X-23 failed or not. After X-23 escaped the Facility, Kimura made it her duty to track down X-23, bring back to the Facility, and kill anyone X-23 had come in contact with.
She eventually tracks X-23 to San Francisco, where Laura lives with Aunt Debbie and cousin Megan. During a raid on Debbie's house, Kimura breaks X-23's neck. She then uses adamantium handcuffs to handcuff herself to Laura and her downstairs to Debbie and Megan, where she threatens and begins to put her finger through Megan's heart. Laura recovers from these injuries, cuts off her own hand, and handcuffs Kimura to a pipe. Laura tells Megan and Debbie to get her duffel bag and take what's absolutely needed and have 3 minutes to leave the house. Laura reattaches her own hand while Kimura says that everyone Laura loves will die and that she will be the one who kills them. Laura cuts open a gas pipe and turns on the light, causing an explosion.
Encounter with the New X-Men
Eventually tracking X-23 to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the Estate (land), private estate of Professor X, Charles Francis ...
, Kimura proceeds to lure her target out in the open so that she can capture, but it turns out that Kimura is actually after Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
whom she easily captures. She and X-23 fight but she injures Laura and gets away with Mercury.
When she arrives back at the Facility, she watches as they perform experiments on Mercury and eventually unleash their new creation Predator X
''Pliosaurus'' (meaning 'more lizard') is an extinct genus of thalassophonean pliosaurid known from the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian stages (Late Jurassic) of Europe and South America. Their diet would have included fish, cephalopods, and marine re ...
upon the mutant Mammomax
The Brotherhood of Mutants, also known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Brotherhood, is a team of comic book mutant supervillains in Marvel Comics' universe who are devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. Their roster has varied ...
much to her pleasure. X-23 and Hellion set out to rescue Mercury and track Kimura to the Facility and confront her. Hellion manages to subdue her and Laura tells Hellion to kill her but refuses, using telekinesis
Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
to fire her into the air and miles away.
Kimura eventually makes her way back to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning and makes another attempt to kill X-23. Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was created by writer ...
detects her and telepathically subdues her, revealing Kimura's history of child abuse and neglect at the hands of her parents and peers. Frost tells Kimura that she is nothing but a bully who harms others like Laura despite knowing how painful it is to make up for her own abusive childhood. Frost then mind-wipes her, making her forget about her grandmother—the only influential and positive person in her life—creating "a deep void that will cause erpain for a lifetime." Frost then implants telepathic instructions in Kimura's mind to make her hunt down the Facility's leaders, particularly Professor Harkins, who oversaw Mercury's experimentation. After going through 6 months of getting her brain rewired to stop Frost's psychic command, Kimura begins selling clones of Predator X for the Facility. She later encounters Wolverine and The Punisher
The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
during a transaction with Madame Hydra Madame Hydra is the name of several different fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a name given to a top female operative of HYDRA.
Fictional character biography Ophelia Sarkissian
Thi ...
. The two manage to stop her, though she eventually escapes.
X-Force
Kimura returns after H.A.M.M.E.R.
H.A.M.M.E.R. is a fictional espionage and law enforcement agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organisation is led by Norman Osborn and was formed in ''Secret Invasion'' #8 to replace S.H.I.E.L.D. The organisat ...
captures X-23 and brings back to the Facility. Her brutality only seems to have increased as she cuts off Laura's arm with a small chainsaw for "being a bad girl" but X-23 then uses the trigger scent to her advantage and escapes with Agent Alisande Morales's help. X-23 manages to escape, causing Kimura to be enraged. Kimura threatens to find Laura's aunt and cousin Megan to kill in retaliation.
''All-New Wolverine''
Kimura is seen in ''All-New Wolverine
''All-New Wolverine'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that ran between 2015 and 2018 as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel relaunch. The series was the first to star Logan's clone Laura Kinney (formerly X-23) in the role ...
'', being responsible for helping the four sisters (X-23's clones) escape Alchemax
Alchemax is a fictional megacorporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually depicted as part of the 2099 universe.
Publication history
The Earth-928 version of Alchemax first appeared in ''Spider-Man 2099'' #1 an ...
. She made a deal with Bellona (the white-haired X-23 clone) to exchange the nanites within Bellona's body, killing her, for her help escaping and destroying Alchemax's genetics division. She is killed by X-23 by being pinned down and drowned in water.[
]
Characterization
Kimura's main characteristic is her sadism
Sadism may refer to:
* Sadomasochism, the giving or receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation
* Sadistic personality disorder, an obsolete term proposed for individuals who derive pleasure from the s ...
towards others. As a character she has been presented in the comics as the one character X-23 has never been able to truly defeat.
Powers and abilities
Kimura has indestructible skin, strong enough to withstand anything from grenade blasts to adamantium blades. She is also highly skilled in armed and unarmed combat. These abilities were given to her sometime after joining the Facility.[
]
Reception
Kimura has been widely identified as Laura Kinney
Laura Kinney (born X-23; codename Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was created by writer Craig Kyle for the '' X-Men: Evolution' ...
's archenemy
In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero's, most prominent and most-known enemy.
Etymology
The word ''archenemy'' sometim ...
. Several publications, such as ''Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'', ''Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'', GamesRadar+
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
and ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', have compared Kimura to Sabretooth, the archnemesis
In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero's, most prominent and most-known enemy.
Etymology
The word ''archenemy'' sometim ...
of Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is ...
. Not all reactions of Kimura as X-23's biggest foe has been well received, Eric Nierstedt of ''ComicsVerse
ComicsVerse is a comics journalism website covering comics news, reviews, analysis, and interviews with artists and writers. In addition to original written content, the site produces podcasts, videos, original webcomics, and covers news related ...
'' felt that the retroactive addition of Kimura to X-23s history seemed "like a lame attempt to give Laura an archenemy", also expressing that the character was annoying and couldn't match the previous villain Zander Rice
Raa of the Caves
Holden Radcliffe
Radioactive Man
Chen Lu
Igor Stancheck
Radius
Irani Rael
Irani Rael is a fictional alien in Marvel Comics. The character, created by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Borges, fir ...
.[ Jessie Schedeen of ]IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
has stated that the rivalry between the two characters defined X-23 in her early days. Andy Kubai of Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
has stated believing that the character would make an excellent adversary for X-23 in a film. Drew Kopp ''Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' described Kimura as "a dark reflection of the person that Laura could have become if she allowed her desire for vengeance to consume her".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kimura (Comics)
Comics characters introduced in 2006
Marvel Comics female supervillains
Fictional female assassins
Fictional torturers
Marvel Comics martial artists
Marvel Comics mutates
Characters created by Christopher Yost
X-23