Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.
He was all the craze during the Phoenix shenanigans, then he was quickly forgotten: Eric the Red
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Appearances in Heroclix: X-Men: Rise and Fall
First Appearance: X-Men #97 (February 1976)
Team Affiliantions: Shi’ar
Created by: Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum
Davan Shakari is an agent of the Shi’ar Imperial Intelligence assigned to Earth. His main base of operations is a dormant volcano in Upstate New York. After coming of age, Gabriel Summers is sent to Shakari to act as his slave only for the Summers brother to escape and take asylum with Moira MacTaggart.
When D’Ken’s sister Lilandra journeys to Earth for aid in her rebellion, Shakari is ordered to kill Charles Xavier and return Lilandra. Shakari adopts the moniker of Eric the Red and mind controls Lorna Dane and Havok, sending them as his surrogate assassins. The pair battle the X-Men at Kennedy International Airport only to be defeated and flee, still under the control of Eric.
Determined not to fail his emperor, Eric then frees Black Tom and the Juggernaut before giving them cash and the information to reclaim Tom’s ancestral home. The two villains transform Cassidy Keep into a deathtrap for the X-Men only to be bested by the heroes.
Growing ever frustrated, Eric travels with Polaris and Havok to Muir Island in search of the de-aged infant Magneto. Using Shi’ar technology, Eric returns Magneto to a man in his physical prime and asks to form an alliance. Magneto agrees and battles the X-Men while Eric tries to come up with a new plan to bring about Xavier’s demise.
The X-Men catch up to Eric in New York and discover he has enlisted the aid of Firelord. Eric finally frees Havok and Polaris from their mind control, only to trick Firelord into believing the X-Men are villains bent on world domination. Firelord confronts Xavier only to be handily defeated by Phoenix. Unfortunately, Eric is able to abscond with Lilandra through a star-gate back to the Imperium. Phoenix is able to use her new powers to reactivate the star-gate and help the X-Men through, where they arrive inside the M’Kraan Crystal itself. After a fierce battle, they are able to defeat D’Ken, rescue Lilandra and repair the damage done to the cosmic artifact.