Triton (Marvel Comics)

Publication history

He first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (December 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Triton is member of the Inhumans' royal family, son of Mander and Azur, brother to Karnak, and cousin to Gorgon, Black Bolt, Maximus, Medusa, and Crystal. Triton was born on the city-state island of Attilan and was exposed to the Terrigen Mist as an infant. The mists alter his body, giving him a fish-like appearance and allowing him to survive underwater. However, Triton is left unable to survive outside water and requires a special breathing apparatus to survive on land. The apparatus, cumbersome at first, was eventually reduced in size by Maximus. Due to Triton's condition, his parents disallow Karnak from undergoing Terrigenesis.

Triton participates in the Inhuman exodus when Attilan is relocated to Earth's moon. He grapples with the Avengers under Maximus's mind control. He accompanies Medusa to Earth when she flees Attilan to avoid compulsory abortion by order of the Genetic Council.

During the Secret Invasion storyline, the Inhumans form an alliance with the Kree to recover Black Bolt from the Skrulls. Together, they discover a weakness in the Skrulls' defense and split up to recover the resources to exploit it. Triton is sent to the oceanic planet Pelagia where he encounters mermen-like beings who closely resemble him. He develops feelings for the native, Dascylla. Although outnumbered by the hostile Pelagians, Triton manages to overcome them and find what he seeks. His breathing harness is then upgraded by the Kree, allowing him to operate in the vacuum of space.

During Civil War II, Triton grows discontent with Medusa's dovishness to Tony Stark's aggression against New Attilan. He enlists the help of Maximus to provoke Stark against Medusa to force her to attack. Maximus convinces Lash to attack one of Stark's factories, but it contains civilians. Captain Marvel and the Avengers attack Medusa, but during that time Stark attacks New Attilan. To Triton's shock, Maximus lowers Attilan's defenses, allowing Stark to enter. Medusa surrenders, but Triton gives himself up as it was his idea to free Maximus. S.H.I.E.L.D. takes him to the Triskelion prison.

During Inhumans vs. X-Men, Maximus frees Triton from the Triskelion with the promise of finding a way to recreate Terrigen Crystals. Triton, Lineage, and the Unspoken travel around the world gathering ingredients. Ultimately, Maximus instead creates a giant robot with a Terrigen sword to kill the X-Men, but the Unspoken attacked and absorbs the Terrigen sword. Triton vows to kill Maximus if he does not follow through with the plan, but decides against it as Maximus is the only one who knows the Terrigen formula.

In Death of the Inhumans, the Kree have murdered thousands of Inhumans who refuse to join them. Black Bolt requests a meeting with the four Queens of the Inhumans tribes to respond to this threat. When Triton tries to learn what transpired, he discovers that Black Bolt has been wired with an explosive which is activated when Triton touches him. Triton is apparently killed in the explosion, although most of the Royal Family is saved by Lockjaw's teleportation ability. Triton is alive and in stasis alongside Naja, Sterilon, and several unnamed Inhumans. Black Bolt is forced to kill Triton, among others, to stop the Kree.

During the Imperial storyline, Triton is revealed to have survived. He witnesses Black Bolt banish Maximus.

Powers and abilities

Triton is a member of the Inhuman race, artificially mutated by the Terrigen Mist, giving him scaly greenish skin, a small dorsal fin running from the base of the skull to the forehead, membranous fins extending from his temples, and webbing between his toes and between his fingers. Triton is able to breathe water, to swim at great speeds, and to withstand the pressures of the deep sea. He cannot naturally breathe air and needs near-constant contact with water to survive, and cannot exist out of water without artificial aids. His resistance to deep sea pressure also gives him superhuman strength and speed underwater. He has the ability to survive underwater indefinitely, and the ability to withstand the temperature and pressure of ocean depths. His vision is more sensitive to the green portion of the visible spectrum, enabling him to see in relatively dark ocean depths.

Triton has undergone basic Inhuman royal militia training. When on land, Triton employs a water circulation system consisting of lengths of plastic tubing which run along his torso and limbs, maintaining a constant mist of water and providing a supply of fresh water to his gills.

Reception

Accolades

• In 2020, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Triton 17th in their "20 Most Powerful Inhumans" list.
• In 2021, Screen Rant included Triton in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of Marvel's Inhumans" list.
• In 2022, CBR ranked Triton 7th in their "10 Inhumans Who Should Join The Avengers" list.
• In 2022, Screen Rant ranked Triton 8th in their "Marvel's 10 Most Powerful Aquatic Characters" list.

Other versions

• Triserinak, a fusion of Triton, Karnak, and DC Comics character Serifan from Earth-9602, appears in the Amalgam Comics universe.
• An alternate universe version of Triton from Earth-9997 appears in Earth X. This version possesses a serpentine, merman-like appearance.
• An alternate universe version of Triton from a pocket dimension created by Franklin Richards appears in Heroes Reborn.
• An alternate universe version of Triton from Earth-2149 appears in Marvel Zombies.
• An alternate universe version of Triton from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe.

In other media

Television

• Triton appears in Fantastic Four, voiced initially by Rocky Carroll and subsequently by Mark Hamill.

• Triton appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Inhuman Nature", voiced by James Arnold Taylor. This version does not require water to survive.

• Triton appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced again by James Arnold Taylor. This version is an exchange student at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.

• Triton makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Guardians of the Galaxy episode "Crystal Blue Persuasion".

• Triton makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Avengers Assemble episode "The Inhuman Condition".

• Triton appears in Inhumans, portrayed by Mike Moh.

• Triton appears in Marvel Future Avengers, voiced by Hiroyuki Yoshino in Japanese and Michael Sinterniklaas in English.

Video games

• Triton appears as a non-playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Tom Kane.
• Triton appears in Marvel Avengers Academy.
• Triton appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.

References

References

1. (2019). "The Marvel Encyclopedia". [[DK Publishing]].
2. ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book). Fantastic Four]]'' #54 (September 1966)
3. ''Fantastic Four'' #240 (March 1982)
4. ''[[The Avengers (comic book). Avengers]]'' Annual #12 (November 1983)
5. ''Marvel Graphic Novel: The Inhumans'' (December 1988)
6. ''[[Secret Invasion: Inhumans]]'' #3 (December 2008)
7. ''Secret Invasion: Inhumans'' #4 (January 2009)
8. ''Uncanny Inhumans'' #13–14 (November - December 2016)
9. ''Uncanny Inhumans'' #18–20 (March - May 2017)
10. ''[[Death_of_the_Inhumans]]'' #1 (September 2018)
11. ''Death of the Inhumans'' #4 (December 2018)
12. ''Death of the Inhumans'' #5 (January 2019)
13. ''[[Imperial (2025 comic book). Imperial]]'' #4 (December 2025)
14. (June 29, 2018). "Mist Connections: The 20 Most Powerful Inhumans, Officially Ranked".
15. Lealos, Shawn S.. (October 16, 2021). "10 Most Powerful Members Of Marvel's Inhumans, Ranked".
16. Harth, David. (July 24, 2022). "10 Inhumans Who Should Join The Avengers".
17. Etemesi, Philip. (November 17, 2022). "Marvel's 10 Most Powerful Aquatic Characters, Ranked".
18. ''[[Challengers of the Fantastic]]'' one-shot (June 1997)
19. ''[[Earth X]]'' #3 (June 1999)
20. ''[[Marvel Zombies 3]]'' #3 (February 2009)
21. ''[[Ultimate Fantastic Four]]'' Annual #1 (October 2005)
22. "Triton Voices (Fantastic Four)". Behind The Voice Actors.
23. Goldberg, Lesley. (March 3, 2017). "Here's the Complete Cast of ABC's Marvel Drama Inhumans".
24. Kooistra, Darik. (May 19, 2017). "Characters - ''LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2'' Guide".