Origin of Starro The Conqueror

Today on Variant, we give you the comic book Origin of Starro The Conqueror, before his live action debut as the Villain in the Suicide Squad!
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#Starro #SuicideSquad

[@dukebox86]

And yet the simple backstory of Gunn's The Suicide Squad is full of so much more meaning: just a simple, unexplained and innocent alien lifeform -- kidnapped, tortured, and robbed of any liberty, happiness, or childhood -- now a hateful, vengeful monster.

[@jjcameron0096]

Spoiler I was sad asf when he said he was much happier among the stars 😭 also make sure you put a spoiler warning so we don’t ruin the movie

[@atlasg2402]

@@jjcameron0096 who cares about spoilers 🤣

[@jjcameron0096]

@@atlasg2402 hey just trying not to ruin the movie because I was surprised asf when he showed up

[@atlasg2402]

@@jjcameron0096 that was so random tbh

[@jjcameron0096]

@@atlasg2402 it was welcomed I really enjoyed his death scene it had me in my feels

[@goldbondshaq5369]

Bro starro was just starro in the suicide squad movie. He didn’t even want to conquer anything before he was captured. Poor guy.

[@jwalt16]

The reason why it made no sense that they called him "Starro the Conquerer" before he actually attacked anyone.

[@AbsoluteAbsurd]

@@jwalt16 in the movies continuity yea it makes no sense, but in reality they just kept the name for the sake of it

[@halogalaxy5612]

@@jwalt16 that’s what the thinker named him because of its power and how he was gonna weaponize it.

[@moonmannd7501]

@@jwalt16 It's because he still has the ability to conquer people's minds en masse, he's just kept in captivity and unable to fully demonstrate it until the very end.

[@dendi9883]

@@jwalt16 it was the thinker that named him like that

[@ahopefor]

I remember originally seeing him in Batman the Brave and the bold.

[@donniedube150]

Same, his appearances were epic

[@deadshot8032]

The golden age of cartoons

[@ritWIZ.R.D]

Batman beyond

[@ethanhoerr2924]

Me too. The way they set up his threat just with little moments in a few cold opens of unrelated episodes did an excellent job of selling me on the severity of the danger he posed.

[@Dahaka461989]

Me in batnam future when he finds the justice league at the arctica but they were Controled by stsrfishes on their heada or chest. The Queen was controling Superman if i am correct. In invincible there was episode where Mark was on Mars and there was alien specie looking like alien Hand with eye on the middle and they Has mind Control ability when they stick to someone. I think it was refference to starro because invincible is All about making fun of other superhero shows.

[@chaudcarte]

His last words in the movie was so sad. Imagine just floating alone in space thinking of the universe beauty and getting dragged by humans for their own selfish needs.

[@thomasway0320]

True, so true.

[@soro3969]

I was happy floating, staring at the stars. :(((

[@thomasway0320]

@@soro3969 Starro did nothing wrong.

[@soberscrim299]

That’d what we do as much as I hate to say it, we really are the worst species in the universe

[@bs5506]

super effective one-sentence humanization of a giant space starfish. When I heard its final line my stomach sank, like yeah it's a monster destroying an innocent city that needed to be stopped, but it's a tragic story with no winners - all because some yankee-doodle dandies had to capture and experiment on it. Really fits the entire vibe of the movie too, it was handled really well

[@quentinfogger5755]

It's so awesome that you're doing the comic book origin of Starro. He was one of the best villains of the Justice League

[@aarrwn5147]

Ok

[@XxxFADEDxDEITYxxX]

I thought that 2, thought he was high level threat but the way he died in Suicude squad 2 doesn’t make him OP at all

[@minecraftrules7]

@@XxxFADEDxDEITYxxX yea they kinda wasted his future potential

[@yawningrandom9524]

@@minecraftrules7 not really that movie wasn't connected with the stuff before

[@thomasstull868]

Too bad he was wasted on an overrated non Justice League movie.

[@nightcrawler763]

Who knew a Pokemon could become a Justice League level Threat

[@sandeeprout1948]

😂😂😂😂

[@g.mxanthis7575]

Wild Starmie appeared

[@firemanjoe9491]

“I want to be the very best like no one ever was.” …. How did you not expect this?!

[@DANMATVE]

Lame ass this is waaay before Pokemon

[@g.mxanthis7575]

@@DANMATVE R/whoosh

[@dragon_ninja_2186]

Saw the thumbnail and was like “You’ve got to be kidding me Starro became a freaking Red Lantern!?”

[@Resjek]

Didnt he tho?

[@stevenobrien7686]

In the injustice universe he did. Not normally.

[@Futures_End]

Injustice 2 comics if you wanted the specifics :)

[@mjolnirfan]

Personally, I never liked the Cobi origin for Starro, I know what they were trying to do for the character but I felt it took away from his uniqueness. He went from having a strange but unique look to having a generic alien warlord design, from what I gather post-New 52 this was fixed by having Cobi more of a host body for Starro rather than being the guy who took control of the Starro race.

[@derp-7274]

I like to think of it as another character

[@testedalexthegreat1759]

Yeah the Cobi Origin story makes it less... Idk it's just dumb.

[@hybrid9791]

Justice League: cant defeat a starfish Suicide Squad: all it took was a swarm of rats and 1 opening made by Harley

[@chingizy2217]

yup that’s my one problem with the movie but besides that i loved it

[@JimmyBoy9878]

@@chingizy2217 Tbh. it was his first time out of prison. Maybe he'll come back stronger

[@abyssGazerTV]

To be fair, the Justice League did not have a swarm of rats and a javelin.

[@mmatatimaphoto766]

One of the most unique back story I have ever seen.

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

I wish they kept him evil for the sake of it.

[@Raccon_Detective.]

@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 Why?

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@@Raccon_Detective. why not

[@nelsonvenema3614]

The OG orgin sounds better in my opinion

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

Same here, I wish they kept him evil for the sake of it.

[@rielleling570]

@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 yeah got killed by rats? pfft

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@@rielleling570 that’s fair, I guess it’s James Gunn style. It’s weird that a villain who the Justice League teamed up to defeat, was a good enough threat for the Suicide Squad

[@agarrandoviaje5425]

It took 3 decades for it grow that big, imagine how large it would've grown in another 3 decades, it probably lost against the SS bcus ot wasnt at its full form. Probably still a kid starro

[@sirdreiblox2930]

@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 I mean, Starro fits perfectly with how outlandish The Suicide Squad is. The Suicide Squad wasn't taking itself seriously, which is why Starro worked. Despite the fact that he was originally a Justice League villain, I just don't think a villain like Starro would fit the tone of modern Justice League movies at all, unless they acknowledge how ridiculous Starro looks.

[@thatdudeghosty6817]

Only saw him in "batman the brave and the bold" and it was epic

[@adrianestrada5736]

He also made an appearance in a 2 part episode arc in Batman Beyond. When Terry met the Justice League Beyond. Those were some good episodes.

[@willwh9228]

I loved that arc

[@donniedube150]

Dude those episodes were SICK!! I was still young so I didn't exactly know Starro but damn he left an impression

[@ethanhoerr2924]

I love the way that show gave us little teaser moments at the start of other episodes to really make us fear what was to come.

[@sophieamandaleitontoomey9343]

Those episodes are so fucking good. The build up to the fight with him is awesome. I remember being so scared of him when I was a kid because it felt like nothing could stop him.

[@serugolino7867]

I hate the trend in modern comics of taking simple origins and complicating them. It worked sometimes, but most of the time it results in an uninteresting, over complicted story that adds nothing to the character.

[@professorhistoire5349]

i kinda feel like this about the new 'one-below-all' connection to the origin of the hulk. it's very cool and adds complexity, but its slightly unnecessary

[@monelmonelmonel]

@@professorhistoire5349 I have a maybe dumb question but looking at the panel from 3:44, why is Starro not a full on starfish but instead is a human-like alien with a helmet and a battle axe? Did they retcon his appearance in the modern incantation? Sorry idk

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

Anthony Buganan I think Starro is attached to a humanoid host.

[@9etherNeo]

@@professorhistoire5349 can u elaborate?

[@professorhistoire5349]

@@9etherNeo okay, so, from what i know, the one below all is a primordial being in the marvel universe. the antithesis to the one ABOVE all (supreme God of the marvel universe). the one below all resides in a dimension below all of them, even the hell dimensions, where theres a lot of gamma radiation. the hulk's origin was retconned so that when he was hit by the gamma radiation, instead of just transforming, he was transporten to the one below all's dimension. he passed through the green door back into the main dimension, and becane the hulk. (the same goes for most hulk family heroes/villains, i.e. She-hulk, etc.) like i said, really cool, but kinda unnecessary

[@lonewolfgamingplus379]

We saw both Darkseid and Starro in the same year... such a damn good year.

[@Chuck_EL]

Exactly 😁

[@AsylumNemeses]

Fun fact: Starfish don't have brains

[@justadude274]

Lol

[@Actionfan19]

That explains a lot about Patrick Star.

[@quentinfogger5755]

@@Actionfan19 I was thinking the same thing

[@fulcrum6760]

@@Actionfan19 Well Stephen Hillenberg was a marine biologist.

[@midohatem57]

@@Actionfan19 was about to say this

[@alejandrokaplan7243]

I am so happy that it isn’t crazy for films to have a giants starfish as a villain

[@Bobbywoodhogan]

The reboot origin is way too convoluted. I like it better that he’s just an alien conquerer who loves to conquer.

[@roam980]

Sometimes a simple backstory is more effective than a complex one, especially if it's for a character like a giant one eyed starfish

[@Bobbywoodhogan]

@@roam980 yeah definitely

[@nmg1541]

Enemies that have a backstory is loved by fans . Thats why people preffered zack snyder's steppenwolf from whedons steppenwolf .

[@Bobbywoodhogan]

@@nmg1541 sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the simplest backstories are the best

[@khaoss4024]

Sounds like you prefer villians with no depth

[@trevorghalt1881]

Starro and Xemnu would make a interesting team

[@snapclub8751]

One of the most dangerous villains the Justice League has ever faced.

[@rielleling570]

yeah then in the movie starro just got killed by rats

[@blackpikachu3840]

@@rielleling570 lol

[@ruthlesscash1929]

@@rielleling570 yea I watched the movie and was like “this starfish is trash this has to be the weakest villain ever”

[@maximusnextinline4513]

That just shows how dangerous Rats are

[@Sahil-hp3fz]

Lol staroo is much much op in the comics

[@ultimate-x9720]

Seeing a live action starro was GREAT He's one of my fav alien villains I honestly want him to come back in the future movies alive cause I want to see him go up against the justice league and batman get jarro 😭😭

[@devilfacethedarklord]

Imagine Shuma Gorath in the MCU. Another giant being with a giant eye

[@marioveraballon5965]

“I was happy looking at the stars”

[@ikindasuckatgames6925]

I remember seeing him in the Arkham knight batgirl dlc. I searched up about it and figured out who he was and everything. I thought he was a really cool character since then and I’m super happy he is on the big screen!

[@competitive_north280]

Watch this film on the first day it came out in the UK and honestly very fun film. Starro was a surprisingly good villain.

[@quentinfogger5755]

What would happen if Starro met Patrick the starfish from SpongeBob Squarepants? Would those two team up?

[@Ludicrousbread]

Satrick the Conquerer…

[@robstefani9853]

Can’t conquer a mind if there’s nothing there

[@nouns7504]

@@robstefani9853 in the comics its shown starro has control over all starfish

[@felipecosta-kv2fx]

bet that he's so dumb he isn't affected by starro's mind Control or telepathy

[@granolaa2877]

I've always been weirdly terrified of the starro ever since that one episode of batman the brave and the bold

[@Reaper-xb5cy]

Arris that must be your best picture ever at the end of the astonishing last page. Over all the comic is nice, like the art, and can't wait to see where it goes

[@martinbauzon7450]

Starro was GREAT in Batman brave and the bold 👍👍

[@donniedube150]

YESSS!!

[@scottalderson4708]

Love your videos Arris. I highly enjoyed Astonishing Times issue one. Can't wait for the others. Hope you continue with these characters after the series is over. Hope one it gets a big screen adaptation. Could you do a vid on who you would cast as these characters?

[@hunneylipps]

When I was younger I watched a episode of justice league and one of the episode was when starro was trying to control the world and only booster gold could stop him and now I'm very terrified of Star fish because of that one episode 😣😳lol 😂☺️

[@xXHelsingGamingXx]

Saw him in Robot Chicken Adult swim, where Batman tears through his eyes! Hilarious!

[@deezy_m9791]

Man he's a terrifying villan from seeing the suicide squad ughhhh

[@milantiquestudios7460]

I don’t like his reimagined. The giant starfish is cool. But yeah, when I saw him in suicide squad I was like “don’t they need more stronger people to beat him?” But I guess just like Mungal, they nerfed Starro enough to kill him

[@ichokedonadoritoonce7670]

The death of Mungal tho...

[@mercury2157]

@@ichokedonadoritoonce7670 I don't even care about power scaling relative to the comic books, she caused THAT death so I didn't feel bad for her at all

[@thegamingillustrator]

I still remember the animated movie (or young justice. I don't remember.) where shazam accidentally defeats them just trying to transform, but starro's entire body was blocking the lightening.

[@justthebrotherofsomeguywit2290]

Love your content

[@BlackDoveNYC]

There was a pretty good Starro story around the late ‘90s/early aughts. Can’t recall the exact issues though.

[@WTC-1990]

I felt so bad for him at the end of The Suicide Squad, he was happy in space just looking at the stars but humanity kidnapped and tortured him for 3 decades, shows how shit people really are

[@kcollier2192]

I remember reading that issue when it came out- too bad my earliest comic collection was stolen by movers when I was still a kid...

[@Ludicrousbread]

Aw I’m sorry :(

[@titolopez8813]

I remember this guy from Batman brave in the bold (the best dc show) anyways my favorite part was when Shazam kept saying Shazam to zap him with a bunch of lighting and it worked for a little before he got caught I think

[@S400KllN]

I was happy... floating through space... staring at the stars...

[@dcfanboyij9809]

There's no "Through Space" Just Floating.

[@texaspete3487]

Yeeeeeeeees, Thank you guys for doing this, Been requesting this episode for nearly 2 years

[@beaugalaz963]

Is that the Red Lantern symbol on Starro in the thumbnail? That’s terrifying to think about....

[@halfmettlealchemist8076]

It's from the Injustice comic series. I recommend you check it out.

[@jasonshen7600]

"Patrick NO!" "I am now a CONQUE-how do you pronounce it?"

[@marqusrylander8666]

Starro always gave me chills. Just looking at it....ugh.

[@quentinfogger5755]

Just like King Shark, which all members of the Suicide Squad from the Suicide Squad 2 movie are you going to do an Origin video of? Will you do history of Peacemaker since he's going to be getting his own show on HBO Max?

[@somethingclever4563]

They listened to you

[@thachocolategod]

You forgot to mention the greatest offspring of Starro,the Justice League member and adopted son of Batman,Jarro!

[@sanderbakker2126]

Gonna see the squad tonight. Totally psyched!!!!!

[@endoftheleft2704]

I only know him from two things; The first is that one Robot Chicken episode where he’s flushed down the toilet, then he comes back at a beach where he’s gigantic and nobody can stop him except for Batman riding a green-lantern sailboat construct. The second is in forums and such where people are always comparing him to Shuma-Gorath or Nyarlathotep.

[@johno513]

Batman Beyond the animated show was my introduction to Starro. Always thought it was a dope concept...and creepy

[@droopthescoop8763]

I saw the trailer w my mom and friend and my friend and I knew instantly when we saw startups’ “leg” crushing that building or whatever and my mom said “wtf is patrick the Star gonna do” overall I’m hyped asf😭😭

[@darkvather8771]

Variant, do the thing vs swamp thing

[@kingshadow8782]

Hell yeah!!!

[@kingshadow8782]

Will he accept your suggestion?

[@darkvather8771]

@@kingshadow8782 🤷

[@daem0nfaust]

For me, this gives a lot of animated Justice League and Batman Beyond nostalgia.

[@nappy6806]

Staryu was just tryna vibe man 🥲

[@krxwnvxk3432]

Glad u covered this. I always thought he was a great concept

[@kopakatoaofcool8536]

I remember I was so creeped out by that episode in Batman Brave and Bold where everyone got infected with the star parasites

[@fajarakbar6192]

Dc horror game with starro as main villain gonna be lit.

[@domferretti]

Starro was awesome in the movie

[@sigmaofOz]

I think Grant Morrison's Justice league series contains the most mysterious version of Starro

[@ramdelapena9255]

This feels like a rick and morty episode haha

[@EdwinDPZ]

Complex origin? Nah screw that, he's just a random space starfish

[@SwfanredLotr]

I was inmediately thinking on the Robot Chicken sketch.

[@mahadanwar7890]

Scarlett witch vs Raven. We want a video. It's long overdue

[@Cweaver3]

First time I saw Starro was in a coloring book I think it was from one of the Justice league animated shows. Definitely got me into the justice league early on

[@serwinzzalot9989]

I remember seeing staro ever since superman returns had dc documentaries done about it. Then the animated series.

[@shocktrooperactionpack5107]

Starro was happy... floating... staring at the stars...

[@fulcrum6760]

I hope he’s voiced by the actor of Patrick in the movie.

[@jimmyhughes7]

To be honest I'd have loved to see the meeting where they came up with the debut comic

[@Tumbleflop]

Ngl, I expected a Starro the Conquerer origin to be in The Suicide Squad via a starro drone attaching itself to The Thinker, then him overpowering it. Not disapointed about how it _did_ go, though.

[@aminhaekal5709]

"Do you know what that is?" "IT'S YOUR MOM!"

[@Spyman2021]

Civilation 🤣🤣🤣 1:23

[@erikburns27]

I was happy floating watching the stats

[@jjmotions5866]

I actually got introduced to starro in the adult swim comedy lmao

[@dominiqueodom3099]

Such a classic Villian who deserved to an appearance in a Superhero film at some point. I wish he had a bigger role throughout the DC movies besides just Suicide Squad.

[@Min14100]

Starro is so strong that the only thing that can beat him is rat

[@MrWaterlionmonkey]

Saw it on Sunday. Absolutely awesome

[@LevelZeroSage1]

Would have been cool to see the JL fight Starro on the big screen. But I'm glad he's getting his debut. Now all I need is Shura Gorrah to be on the MCU!

[@fahriandikadir5799]

My bet is it's going to appear in the upcoming what if...? Or doctor strange mom

[@slipperymeat9357]

YESSS FINALLY, I'VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG FOR THIS

[@aislemontecristo]

A simple yet menacing threat already; then mixed with a big dose of personal drama just because. That's comics these days.

[@alexford1447]

So essentially it's a Starmie Pokemon lol. 😂😂

[@waltcee]

Cool, thanks for this one, it helps knowing who this character is, specially with the movie coming out soon.

[@romelsanimation7392]

This is Patrick when he becomes a little smart

[@blacknite8060]

He was in Batman Beyond. Epic

[@damianstarks3338]

Thanks for this analysis.

[@NoOneNeededToKnow]

That red lantern starro in the thumbnail tho. 🤌

[@XX-sp3tt]

Not sure how much I like this idea. Starro being an eldritch alien entity only a few rungs below DARKSEID in terms of the threat he poses to ALL LIFE is kinda his motif.

[@gerardorodriguez7500]

Starr’s is the biggest threat

[@Foreverchris01]

After reading about starro in the comics for the first time as a teenager, i could never look at patrick the same ever again

[@luisvilla799]

Learned about starro from batman beyond

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

Oh my gosh!! Starrow with a rage ring would be a horrifyingly potent threat

[@supercjv6055]

People say this comic book origin is better, and while I agree it’s more interesting, Gunn’s interpretation holds a lot of meaning on our human selfish nature and our desire to conquer.

[@spizy517]

Stare looks cool in the picture

[@Logan-bh8tc]

I remember this guy from the Batman the brave and the bold show

[@raikey2176]

It's DC version of Shuma Gorath. First saw it in Batman Beyond TV series in the future Justice League episodes.

[@jerrydboss7251]

Starro is an intergalactic threat that even the green lantern core could not stop, then u have these guys beating him with rats😂

[@greengreeneya2102]

Are they? Starro can no be killed really. Part of him always survive somewere. Soo he can return again in future.

[@kingshadow8782]

Yep it's the Starro⭐

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of Alfred Pennyworth, Batwing, Flame Bird, Batwoman, Azrael, Signal(Duke Thomas), Bluebird, Stephanie Brown and Carrie Kelly?

[@nightwing519]

Patrick Star my main man right there

[@ethanaleman]

HOLLY CRAP THATS DARK AND FCKD UP

[@dakingofkings86]

I remember see something like him in Batman Beyond when Terry was asked to join the new Justice League

[@docspopreviews4395]

Great video 👍👍👍