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’s Wolverine’s favorite villain whenever he travels to Japan: Silver Samurai
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Appearances in Heroclix: X-Men Rise and Fall, Wolverine and the X-Men, Universe, Xplosion
First Appearance: Daredevil #111 (July 1974)
Team Affiliations: HYDRA, Big Hero 6
Powers: Master samurai and martial artist; Teleportation ring; Lightweight steel alloy body armor; Ability to generate a tachyon field
Created by: Steve Gerber and Bob Brown
Born the illegitimate son of Shingen Yashida, Kenuichio Harada is a Japanese mutant that is able to charge his katana with a tachyon field that allows it to cut through any material on Earth except Adamantium. When he comes of age, he becomes a professional criminal and begins wearing a steel alloy armor that appears silver, leading to the Silver Samurai name. He is eventually hired by Mandrill and Black Spectre which brings him into conflict with Daredevil.
He then accepts an assignment as Viper’s bodyguard which brings him into conflict with heroes such as Spider-Man, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Shang-Chi and Spider-Woman. Samurai later aids Hydra in an attack on Japan which leads to him killing Kioshi Keischicho. Kioshi is then offered a bargain by Amatsu-Mikaboshi which leads to the former police officer becoming the Ebon Samurai.
He battles the New Mutants alongside Viper as well as later facing the X-Men. After Wolverine and Jessica Drew are captured by cultists, Harada even rescues them. After his half-sister Mariko Yashida dies, Harada attempts to pay off his clan’s debts to the Yakua in order to restore its honor. During this time, he even gains the trust of his old foe Wolverine and is given the charge of caring for Amiko Kobayashi by the Canadian. Silver Samurai even becomes the leader of the first Japanese hero team, Big Hero 6.
Blindspot later brainwashes Silver Samurai into returning to his villanious and mercenary ways. Though he is often a villain, Samurai still acts as the chief security officer of the Prime Minister of Japan during this time. He is then abducted and imprisoned in the Raft with official records marking him dead. Madame Hydra breaks him out of the Raft and returns him to Japan, hoping that he can unite the criminal underworld in order to take on the shadow masters of both Hydra and SHIELD. Uninterested in fighting someone else’s war, Harada helps the Avengers in solving the problem.
After M-Day when Wolverine recovers his memories, the mutant travels to Japan and confronts Silver Samurai once more. The two do battle as Wolverine interrogates his old foe. Samurai is able to run one of his swords through Wolverine just before Wolverine cuts off one of Harada’s hands at the wrist. He later attempts to defend his home from the Red Right Hand only to be mortally wounded. Just before death, he teleports to Mariko’s grave.
After the founding of the mutant nation of Krakoa, Silver Samurai is resurrected and charged with officiating combat at the Arena in the Quarry.