I was happy... floating... staring at the stars... 
- — Starro src
Starro the Conqueror was an alien being unwillingly captured by American astronauts and horribly experimented upon by the Thinker for decades as part of a military endeavor. It later became a target of the Suicide Squad when it escaped and went on a destructive rampage.
History
Discovery and Imprisonment
Captured by America
The alien being that would be later known as Starro was a starfish-like creature that could generate mind-controlling spores that killed and took control of other creatures by latching onto their faces, with their minds causing it to grow in size. It was peaceful, however, and spent many happy years floating aimlessly in outer space, staring at the planets and stars. Around the end of the Cold War on Earth, Starro floated near the planet's atmosphere, where it was abducted by American astronauts and brought into their spaceship. Scared and confused, Starro generated its spores to control the astronauts and escape, but it was taken to Earth anyway.
Tortured for science
It was decided that Starro was to be weaponized and used in war. The American government made a secret deal with the government of Corto Maltese to conduct their illegal experiments with the creature in the research facility Jotunheim in the capitol of Valle Del Mar. The study, known as "Project Starfish", was headed up by the cruel and opportunistic geneticist known as the Thinker. He tortured Starro for years, forcing it to generate thousands of spores and forcing it to grow to an enormous size. The spores were used on Maltese civilians and political rivals, and they were mutilated and tortured as well, forcing Starro to endure their pain.
Over the three long decades of the study, Starro grew hateful and furious at the Thinker, while he in turn came to see the experiments as necessary, and his life's work.[1]
Battling the Suicide Squad
In 2020, the American-hating Silvio Luna overthrew the Maltese government in a violent military coup, and planned to use Project Starfish as his ultimate weapon against the States. Knowing he would break their deal, the American government sent the Suicide Squad, a penal supervllain black-ops team, to destroy Jotunheim and the records within containing the evidence of their involvement in Project Starfish. The Squad captured the Thinker and forced him to let them into the facility. They placed explosives around the building's interior, but they were accidentally set off too early, destroying part of the building and freeing Starro, who captured the Thinker and ripped him apart with its tentacles.
"This city is mine!"
Starro then shoved its way out of its restraints and Jotunheim's remains, emerging from its prison for the first time in thirty years, to find Luna's army poised to kill it, and the Suicide Squad looking on in horror. Their weapons did nothing to harm it, so it sent its face-hugging spores onto the faces of the soldiers, making itself an army. With everyone but the Suicide Squad under its control, it went to the center of Valle Del Mar and went on a rampage, killing hundreds and destroying buildings.
Harley kills Starro
Witnessing the carnage, the Suicide Squad charged into an intense battle with the creature. It was long and fierce, with the Polka Dot Man destroying one of Starro's legs with his incendiary polka dots before Starro crushed him, and the other Squad members seriously wounding it, even with its armies poised to kill them. Finally, Ratcatcher used her rat controlling remote to swarm Starro and its slaves with every one of the thousands of rats across Valle Del Mar. Harley Quinn, armed with a javelin, jumped at Starro from a tall building and pierced through its eye, allowing Ratcatcher's army to enter through the hole and eat Starro's organs. In its final moments, the beast calmed down and looked to the sky one last time, claiming it was happy being alone before in space before it died.[1]
Legacy
Starro caused much destruction and took several innocent lives in its rage, but Suicide Squad were able to stop it from causing any more chaos across Corto Maltese. Despite being the one to ultimately claim its life, Ratcatcher felt bad for the creature's simple desire to live in peace. The battle against Starro also helped give Polka Dot Man some feeling of purpose and accomplishment, even if only in his final moments. The surviving Squad members were also able to use the information about the Americans' connection to Project Starfish to blackmail their way to freedom. But while Starro was seen as a monster by the world at large, it is worth noting that it was, in many respects, a victim of true evil and savagery that drove it to become one.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Alien Physiology
- Superhuman Strength
- Superhuman Durability: Starro peacefully floated in the vacuum of space for many years, and seemed to survive without any kind of sustenance.[1]
- Bio-Fission
Notes
- This version of the character is exclusive to the continuity of the DC Extended Universe and is an adaptation of Starro the Conqueror. The original character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28.
- Starro was portrayed by Joaquín Cosío while possessing Presidente Suarez.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 4 Appearances of Starro (DC Extended Universe)
- 15 Images featuring Starro (DC Extended Universe)
- 1 Quotations by or about Starro (DC Extended Universe)
- Character Gallery: Starro (DC Extended Universe)
External Links
Footnotes