General Miguel
History[]
Miguel was an international terrorist and revolutionary, responsible for several attacks through the world including at least one in Copenhagen. His background was a mystery: Although he called himself "General Miguel", nobody knew whether he was a real General or not. He was known to have used several aliases in the past, including Thornton, and he was believed to have been born to French parents.
Miguel discovered that scientist Professor Ian Ilson had been researching on the effects of old age and how to revert them. Ilson first tried to speed aging, hoping to find a way to slow aging later; however, the professor finally forfeited the project. Miguel thought that an age-speeding chemical was a powerful weapon and he decided to kidnap the reclusive Professor Ilson. He did so violently, although Ilson manage to scrabble the letters "Migu" in a glass with his finger.
Miguel (Earth-600043) 1[]
General Miguel
Miguel then impersonated the warden of Waterford Prison, a federal jail, so that he could have a secret HQ in the United States of America. He forced Ilson to work building a weapon, and threatened to kill 250 people if Ilson did not reach his deadlines. Ilson agreed under duress. Once the chemical was ready, Miguel tested it in the population of the nearby town Belleville. He then offered the locals an antidote to be taken periodicly, in exchange for their silence. By getting some of the locals in his payroll, Miguel ensured that the others lived in fear.[1]
Ilson's disappearance was discovered by Dr. Simon Mills who, seeing Miguel's implication due to the finger-written text, recruited his friends Dr. Wendy Day and Captain America to investigate. They reasoned that Miguel needed drugs smuggled from Ecuador and tracked the correct boat in the Portland Harbor Terminal. Captain America then followed the trail to Belleville, but the locals were reticent to help him.[1]
Miguel (Earth-600043) 6[]
Miguel negotiates
Meanwhile, Miguel sent the President a sample of his weapon and thratened to use it in American cities unless he was payed one billion dollars to finance his revolution. Presidential Envoyee Everett Bliss contacted Dr. Day and Dr. Mills for scientific advise, and they confirmed that such a weapon was possible. [1]
In his identity as Steve Rogers, Captain America attracted too much attention and Miguel ordered his minions to take care of him; Miguel would rather have Rogers dead, but the locals instead imprisoned him on trumped charges. This was not enough, because Rogers escaped from jail. Miguel's well-trained agents were unable to stop him.[1]
While talking with Miguel via phone, Mr. Bliss refused to deal with a terrorist, secretly hoping that Miguel was bluffing. Miguel reacted by sending an airplane to spray the chemical on the city of Portland (Oregon). He then made a public announcement saying that he had an antidote but wanted one billion dollars in exchange for it. Although Dr. Mills found the situation to be critical, Mr. Bliss believed that maybe Miguel did not have an antidote and was lying. Miguel, predicting this movement, provided Bliss with a sample of the antidote, not enough to heal all the population. The sample could not be reproduced in lab conditions. Dr. Day travelled to Portland to test it, and she confirmed that the antidote worked.[1]
Meanwhile, Captain America befriended Helen Moore from Belleville and together they discovered that Miguel was hiding in Waterford Prison. Captain America travelled there and single-handedly raided the prison. Miguel ordered to destroy most of the chemical and the antidote, except for some vials that he kept in a suitcase; he also ordered to spray the test animals and send the dogs against Captain America. Captain America evaded the beasts and rescued Dr. Ilson, but Miguel took a shotgun and escaped in his car while the guards kept Captain America busy.[1]
Miguel (Earth-600043) 2[]
General Miguel
Captain America trailed Miguel using his hang glider-equipped motorbike. Seeing that he could not get rid of Captain America on the road, Miguel forfeited his car and hid in the forest, taking the gun and the suitcase; he also called a helicopter to escape, because he had a escape plan. Captain America found Miguel and ordered him to surrender, but Miguel refused and vainly shot Captain America. Captain America then threw his shield using the boomerang effect, hoping to hit Miguel either on the way out or on the way in; but Miguel wisely followed the shield and dodged. The shield returned to Captain America, but fell to his feet, and at that moment Miguel had his gun aimed at Captain America. He ordered Captain America to not take his shield, gloated that they could have been allies while aiming, and prepared to shoot. However, with a swift motion of his feet, Captain America recovered the shield and covered in time.[1]
Miguel (Earth-600043) 9
Dying
Surprised, Miguel dropped his shotgun and threw one vial of age-speeding chemical. Captain America threw the shield and broke the vial. The liquid chemical fell on Miguel's face. Even then, Miguel jumped on Captain America and struggled with him, trying to strangle the hero, but the General was growing old in a matter of seconds. Being weaker, Miguel fell to the floor and died of old age. Captain America took the suitcase and obtained enough antidote to heal the population of Portland and of Belleville.[1]
Powers and AbilitiesEdit
Powers
None.
Abilities
Miguel (Earth-600043) 7
Before shooting Captain America
He is an intelligent strategist and valid general (although his own rank is unconfirmed, because his background was a mystery). When Captain America throwed his shield using the boomerang effect, Miguel predicted this and dodged in time, even making use of the feint to get the advantage. Miguel was also a good marksman with a shotgun and a car driver, and he claims to have some knowledge of chemistry. He could lead through fear, or through deception (He tricked most of the Waterford crew to believe that he was the warden). He was also good in telephone-based, threat-based negotiation.[1]
Weaknesses
When affected by his own age-speeding chemical, he aged prematurely and died of old age in a few seconds.[1]
ParaphernaliaEdit
Equipment
He had access to all the equipment that could be provided by a federal prison, and to some smuggled goods.[1]
Transportation
Own car.[1]
Weapons
Shotgun.[1]
TriviaEdit
In the 1979 movie Captain America II: Death Too Soon, General Miguel is played by actor Christopher Lee. By then, Lee had already played Count Dracula in ten different movies and was a famous actor in terror movies, having also performed in other kinds of movies. In more recent times, Lee has obtained fame by playing villains in the sagas Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.