A Killing Machine is any person, machine, or object designed solely to follow orders (typically to kill enemies, hence the name). The Killing Machine is only extremely rarely a villain in and of itself, but it is a tool routinely used by them, and as such, deserves special mention here. Typically, it is not alive, but even if it is, it rarely, if ever, shows anything resembling emotion, and typically has no greater goals or motives to speak of that it can act upon. It simply acts on its last given order (or lack thereof). Its typical orders involve killing or capturing an enemy, or otherwise use its abilities to confront someone.
Whether this villain is created to hunt, kill, protect something, or capture something, it is an adversary of note. It is typically physically imposing, often unnaturally tough, and all-too-often, engineered specifically to be deadly. Facing one of these can be nightmarish for a protagonist, as it methodically stalks its targets, never resting and never betraying any emotion.
As mentioned above, rarely, if ever, is a Killing Machine a villain in and of itself. However, it is still worth going over, as the Killing Machine is often the "front line" of another villain, one who uses the Killing Machine to keep himself safe and destroy his enemies. In most cases, protagonists will fight a Killing Machine long before they confront the villain behind it.
Killing Machine Variants[]
- Abductor: The Abductor's orders are to find and capture a specific person or creature.
- Guardian: This Killing Machine is instructed to protect a person, place, or thing - and will typically do so with deadly force.
- Hunter/Killer: The sole purpose of this Killing Machine is to find and kill those who oppose its master.
Directory Link[]
Back to Inhuman.