MODOK - Television Tropes & Idioms

"If you think I've evolved beyond the joys of murder, you'd be wrong."

"They once called me M.O.D.O.C. — but I'd much rather be killing than computing!"

—M.O.D.O.K., Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

M.O.D.O.K. is a Marvel Comics super-villain created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Making his Silver Age debut in Tales of Suspense #93 (September, 1967), M.O.D.O.K. has been featured in over 40 years of Marvel canon. While originally a foe of Captain America, M.O.D.O.K is not tied to a single hero's Rogues Gallery. He has battled the likes of The Falcon, Nick Fury and SHIELD, Iron Man, Namor, the Incredible Hulk. rival villains Mad Thinker and Yellow Claw, Ms. Marvel, the Champions (Angel, Iceman, Black Widow, Darkstar, Ghost Rider, and The Incredible Hercules), the Thing, and the Serpent Society. The later group managed to assassinate him back in 1986. But M.O.D.O.K. was revived in 1995 and has remained a prominent villain since then. In 2009, IGN.com ranked M.O.D.O.K. #100 on its Top One Hundred Comic Book Villains list.

A lowly technician working for Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.), George Tarleton was nothing special. One day, Tarleton is picked by A.I.M.'s Scientist Supreme to be genetically altered into a living computer code-named M.O.D.O.C.: Mental Organism Designed Only for Computing. The experiment was a success: Tarleton's brain became enormous, granting him superhuman intelligence and vast psionic powers. Driven mad by the procedures performed on him, M.O.D.O.C. kills his masters in cold blood. Enjoying the slaughter, M.O.D.O.C. renames himself M.O.D.O.K: Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. Having eliminated the existing command structure, M.O.D.O.K. takes over A.I.M, declaring himself the new Scientist Supreme.

Comics

Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11
MODOK: Reign Delay

Storylines

Video Games

Marvel Ultimate Alliance: A member of the Masters of Evil, M.O.D.O.K. is the final boss of the Omega Base level.
Marvel Super Hero Squad: M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M. appear early in the game, stealing an infinity fractal for Doctor Doom. Changing his mind, M.O.D.O.K. would use the fractal to power one of his doom cannons until Wolverine and the Hulk intervene.
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet: M.O.D.O.K. makes a cameo appearance, still working for Dr. Doom.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: M.O.D.O.K. appears as a playable character, taking Galactus's helmet in his ending.

Western Animation

Tropes associated with M.O.D.O.K. include:

Ascended Extra: To a degree: he's made the host of the officially sanctioned clay/action-figure animated comedy series Marvel Super Heroes: What The-?!, appearing in nearly every episode, including having an episode devoted entirely to his M.O.M.E.N.T.S*
Memories Of Mirth, Entertainment, Natural Talent and Surprises
. However, he's treated as a Butt Monkey even still.
Back from the Dead: A.I.M. used a Cosmic Cube to bring M.O.D.O.K. back to life, believing that he would be loyal as originally designed. They were wrong.
Bad Boss: So bad that A.I.M. had him assassinated by the Serpent Society for his obsession with killing superheroes.
Big Bad: Leader of the Intelligencia, M.O.D.O.K. was the big bad during Fall of the Hulks.
Bio-Augmentation: The source of M.O.D.O.K's giant cranium and superhuman powers.
Body Surf
Body Swap: M.O.D.O.K. once swapped bodies with Damocles Rivas. The two ended up sharing M.O.D.O.K.'s body for a while when things went wrong.
Brain Uploading: M.O.D.O.K. found a way to upload his brain online, giving him the ability to travel by e-mail.
Brains: Evil; Brawn: Good: Definitely applies when M.O.D.O.K. faces off against The Hulk.
Cephalothorax: He does have a small, atrophied body, but you can't see anything but his head and limbs as long as he's in his chair.
Combat Tentacles
De-power: In Incredible Hulk #610, a Hulked out Amadeus Cho uses his temporary reality warping powers to turn M.O.D.O.K. back into George Tarleton.
- Cloning Gambit: The Red Hulk later discovers M.O.D.O.K. had hidden a clone of himself away in case something happened to him. This version sees himself as an upgrade to the original.
Deflector Shields: M.O.D.O.K.'s shields are strong enough to withstand nuclear blasts.
Distaff Counterpart: M.O.D.A.M., the Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers.
Driven By Envy
Evil Cripple: M.O.D.O.K. gained his powers at the cost of his mobility. Without his Doomsday Chair and headband, M.O.D.O.K. would be completely helpless.
Evil Genius
Evil Laugh
Expendable Clone: M.O.D.O.K.'s organs fail often, so he has clones kept in storage for replacement parts. In Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, M.O.D.O.K. vs. M.O.D.O.K. fights usually end with the following:
M.O.D.O.K.: Never again will I forget to lobotomize one of my clones!
For Science!: A.I.M.'s primary goal is to achieve scientific breakthroughs. When M.O.D.O.K. loses sight of this goal, A.I.M has him assassinated.
Humongous Mecha
Mind Probe
Mooks: A.I.M. henchmen don't have a very long shelf life.
- M.O.D.O.K.'s latest incarnation relies on Life Model Decoys.
My Brain Is Big
Never Say "Die": Animated series never know what to do with his name. Iron Man: Armored Adventures makes it MODOC, with the C standing for Conquest. The Super Hero Squad Show keeps MODOK, and plays with the name (making the last letter stand for something different, as supplied by whoever's mocking him or whatever he's bragging about. However, what the K actually stands for is never given.
- The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes does the same as Armored Adventures. However, it actually makes more sense given MODOC's modus operandi in the show and the fact that he isn't as Ax Crazy.
Powered Armor: M.O.D.O.K. wears an exoskeleton that allows him to move his limbs in conjunction with the Doomsday Chair.
Psychic Powers
Psycho Prototype: Originally designed as a harmless living computer, M.O.D.O.K. went crazy and killed his masters instead of following orders.
Super Intelligence
Super Wheel Chair: M.O.D.O.K.'s Doomsday Chair gives him the power of Flight. It also has a number of on-board weapons like lasers, missiles, and bombs.
Take Over the World
The Unexpected: His appearance in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 definitely qualifies.
Use Your Head: M.O.D.O.K.'s Battering Ram moves in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3.
Weaponized Exhaust
Weaponized Headgear: M.O.D.O.K.'s headband focuses his powers, allowing him to operate his Doomsday Chair and fire "psionic blasts" from his forehead.
With Great Power Comes Great Insanity