Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Runaways #1 (July, 2003) |
Created by |
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In-story information | |
Alter ego | Alex Wilder |
Team affiliations | |
Notable aliases |
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Abilities |
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Alex Wilder is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is introduced in the series Runaways.
Alex Wilder was portrayed by Rhenzy Feliz in the Hulu television series Runaways, which is connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Publication history
Alex Wilder was created by author
Fictional character biography
Alex is the first character to be introduced in the series. He is the son of Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder. Alex suggests spying on their parents' supposed charity organization. After witnessing their parents' (who were revealed to be a secret crime ring called "the Pride") murder of an innocent teenage girl, Alex organizes the mass escape from their parents.
Alex distances himself emotionally from many of the Runaways, even refusing to take a codename or bond with the rest of the team.[5] Alex spends most of his time deciphering the Abstract, presumably plotting how he will carry out his plan to save his parents from the Dean and Hayes couples.[6] Since he expected that all the other Runaways would die in a few months time, he limited his emotional connection.[7]
Alex eventually deciphers the Abstract and reveals that the Pride works for the
He reveals that he'd known about the Pride for over a year and had learned about the Pride's secret previously.[7] Alex then reveals that the Deans and Hayeses had plotted to kill all the human members of the Pride, and take the six seats in paradise for themselves and their daughters.[7] Alex's master plan was to use his friends to take down the entire Pride as a group but save his own parents, thus securing three seats in the paradise the Gibborim had prophetically promised to the Pride previously for himself and his own parents selfishly, and to give the remaining three seats to Nico and her parents, but Nico refuses and Alex quickly loses control over the situation.[7] Gert wakes up, prompting her to reclaim Old Lace, who steals back Nico's Staff and destroys the Fistigons, leaving Alex with nothing.[7] When Molly awakens, she destroys the Gibborim's newest sacrifice; when the Gibborim arrive, Alex takes full responsibility in place of his father for the soul being gone. While the Gibborim openly respect Alex's honesty, they promptly incinerate him.[7]
Alex was the intended subject of two resurrection spells in the series' second volume. Nico reveals the reason why she couldn't resurrect Gertrude Yorkes' future self was because she had already attempted the spell. She says it didn't work because "even the Staff of One has its limits".[11]
In the pages of
Powers and abilities
Alex Wilder has a high-level intellect, being in the gifted area in accordance with Marvel's Power Grid, and is a skilled logician and leader. Due to his time in Hell, he learned how to understand magic. At one point, he even fused himself with a demon so he could use the magic. Being returned from the dead also gave him added abilities, such as that he no longer needs to eat or sleep, and contact with his skin causes the feeling of touching a corpse.
Relationships
This section possibly contains original research. (October 2018) |
Alex distances himself emotionally from many of the Runaways, even refusing to take a codename or bond with the rest of the team.
Alex's relationship with his father is not strained, but also not the closest of relationships. Alex's obsession with superheroes never boded well with Geoffrey.[1] It is revealed in volume one, issue seventeen, that Alex is devoted to his family above all, outing himself as the Pride's mole, a role he undertook solely to show that he is willing to go to great lengths to keep his parents safe.[10] Alex explains in volume two, issue twenty-four, that he committed all of his evil actions to gain his father's approval and love, two things Geoffrey never explicitly demonstrated to Alex during the series.[24] In volume five, issue thirteen, Alex reemerged at the Hostel and reemphasized his decision to trade all of humanity, including his friends, to make his (and Nico’s) family immortal was based out of loyalty and protection for his parents. He tried to explain he was not trying to kill the Runaways but trying to save his parents lives and make his dad proud.[25]
Reception
- In 2020, CBR.com ranked Alex Wilder 5th in their "Marvel: 10 Famous Villains From The 2000s To Bring Back" list.[26]
In other media
Television
- Alex Wilder appears in the Hulu television series Runaways, portrayed by Rhenzy Feliz.[27] This version actually misses his friends and attempts to get back together with them, specifically Nico due to his feelings for her, and begins suffering from isolation. As opposed to his comic book counterpart, he is much more optimistic, at least when it comes to hanging out with his friends, and his desires are more noble instead of selfish. He is also the one that invites them over to his house while the parents are away with his effort simply wanting to rebuild their broken relationship after the death of Nico's sister Amy, whose funeral Alex did not attend.[28] As the series progresses, Alex becomes more determined to lock his parents away for their crimes, but at the cost of becoming distant from his friends. However, unlike his comic book counterpart, he does not bear any sinister motives and genuinely wants to do the right thing, even if it means making difficult decisions.
Video games
- Alex Wilder appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 as part of the "Runaways" DLC.[29]
References
- ^ a b c d e Runaways #1
- ^ Alex Wilder
- ^ Runaways #2
- ^ Runaways #3
- ^ a b c d e Runaways #6
- ^ Runaways #7
- ^ a b c d e f Runaways #17
- ^ Runaways #13
- ^ Runaways #15
- ^ a b Runaways #16
- ^ a b Runaways (vol. 2) #2
- ^ Avengers Undercover #5
- ^ a b c Avengers Undercover #7
- ^ a b Avengers Undercover #10
- ^ a b Dietsch, TJ (4 January 2019). "How Alex Wilder Betrayed the Runaways". Marvel.com. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ Rainbow Rowell (w), Kris Anka (p), Matt Wilson (col). "Best Friends Forever: Time After Time" Runaways, vol. 5, no. 12 (August 29, 2018). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Rainbow Rowell (w), David Lafuente (p), Jim Campbell (col). "That Was Yesterday pt I" Runaways, vol. 5, no. 13 (September 12, 2018). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Runaways #5
- ^ Runaways (vol. 2) #22
- ^ Runaways #10
- ^ Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm #4
- ^ Avengers Undercover #8
- ^ Avengers Undercover #9
- ^ Runaways (vol. 2) #24
- ^ Runaways (vol. 5) #13
- ^ C. B. R. Staff (2020-06-05). "Marvel: 10 Famous Villains From The 2000s To Bring Back". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Strom, Marc (February 2, 2017). "'Marvel's Runaways' Finds Its Cast". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ Morgen, Brett (director); Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (writer) (November 21, 2017). "Reunion". Marvel's Runaways. Season 1. Episode 1. Hulu.
- ^ "This Week in Marvel Games: Runaways, Jessica Jones, and Proxima Midnight | News | Marvel". Marvel Entertainment. Retrieved 2019-04-09.