The Super Villain Zebediah Killgrave is a unique evil. Able to manipulate, brainwash, and control his targets from afar, the villain weaponizes his victims against themselves.
Also known as the Purple Man, Killgrave harnesses trauma, doubt, and fear among his foes as a means to his malicious ends.
Cradle to Killgrave
Born in Yugoslavia, Zebediah Killgrave began as a spy working for the Communist government. On a mission to steal an experimental nerve gas developed by the U.S. Army, he dodged a bullet from a guard. Most unfortunately, the bullet pierced a canister of nerve gas, which doused Killgrave, turning his skin purple. He was captured, but released almost at once when the solider detaining him believed his flimsy excuse for being on the base.
After realizing that he could manipulate people just by speaking to them, Killgrave used his victims to fulfill his desires. In one instance, he convinced a woman named Melanie to marry him. But, after he actually developed feelings for her, he removed his influence from her to see if she felt the same way. She did not and left him forever, eventually giving birth to a daughter she chose to keep secret, Kara. Kara was born with powers similar to her father?s and became the hero known as Persuasion.
Power of the Mind
Killgrave?s greatest power is his ability to sap people of their wills by uttering a mere verbal suggestion. His power originates in his skin cells, which have been altered at the genetic level, leaving him to appear purple-colored from head to toe. His natural pheromone production has been enhanced, creating a psychoactive effect which causes his victims to completely submit to his will.