Hulkling (Teddy Altman-Kaplan)

• Core Identity: Emperor Dorrek VIII, also known as Theodore “Teddy” Altman-Kaplan, is the powerful Kree/Skrull hybrid son of the original Captain Marvel, who rose from the superhero team Young Avengers to become the King of Space and unifier of the two most powerful warring empires in the galaxy.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: Hulkling is a unique figure of immense political and symbolic importance. As the product of a forbidden love between a Kree hero (Mar-Vell) and a Skrull princess (Anelle), he embodies the potential for peace and unity. He serves as the ruler of the consolidated kree-Skrull Alliance, making him one of the most powerful leaders in the Marvel cosmos and a central figure in galactic affairs.
• Primary Impact: His most significant impact was orchestrating the end of the millennia-long Kree-Skrull War and uniting their peoples to face a common threat during the Empyre event. On a more personal level, his open and loving relationship with his husband, the sorcerer Wiccan (Billy Kaplan), has made him one of Marvel's most prominent and celebrated LGBTQ+ characters, providing crucial representation and shaping a new generation of heroes.
• Key Incarnations: In the Earth-616 comics, Hulkling is a fully realized character with a deep history, immense power, and a royal destiny he has claimed. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has only begun to lay the groundwork for his potential introduction; while Skrulls and Kree are established, his specific identity and parentage have not been confirmed, suggesting a significantly adapted origin is likely should he appear.

Hulkling made his first appearance in Young Avengers #1, published in April 2005. He was co-created by writer Allan Heinberg, known for his work on television shows like The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy, and legendary artist Jim Cheung. The creation of the Young Avengers came in the wake of the seismic Avengers Disassembled storyline, which saw the classic Avengers team disbanded. This created a vacuum in the Marvel Universe that Heinberg and Cheung filled with a new generation of heroes who were thematically and personally linked to the Avengers legacy. Heinberg's initial concept for Hulkling was different. He originally planned for the character to be a female Skrull named Chimera who shapeshifted into a male form to emulate the Hulk, and her relationship with Wiccan (then called Asgardian) would have involved her revealing her “true” female form, complicating his sexuality. However, upon reflection and discussion with editor Tom Brevoort, Heinberg decided it would be a more powerful and direct statement to simply have two young men in an open, loving gay relationship. This decision was groundbreaking for mainstream comics at the time and cemented Hulkling and Wiccan's place in comic book history. Teddy's initial codename, “Hulkling,” and his green skin and super-strength were intentional misdirections for readers. For the first several issues, he and the team (and the readers) were led to believe he was a teenage version of the Hulk, possibly related to Bruce Banner. The eventual reveal of his true Kree-Skrull heritage was a central mystery of the series' first arc, subverting expectations and immediately establishing him as a character with cosmic significance far beyond what his name suggested.

The origin of Hulkling is a tale of forbidden love, galactic war, and a destiny hidden on a distant, primitive world. His existence is a direct consequence of the ancient and bitter conflict between the Kree and Skrull Empires.

Theodore “Teddy” Altman was raised in New York City by his single mother, a woman he knew as Mary-Jo Altman. From a young age, Teddy knew he was different; he possessed superhuman strength and the uncanny ability to change his physical form. He hid these abilities, fearing persecution. In high school, he used his powers to stand up to a bully, which attracted the attention of Iron Lad, a young hero from the future who was assembling a new team of “Young Avengers” to prevent a catastrophic future timeline. Teddy, initially believing his strength and green hue meant he was related to the Hulk, adopted the codename Hulkling. He joined Iron Lad's team alongside other young heroes with connections to Avengers legends: Patriot (Elijah Bradley), grandson of the first Captain America; Asgardian (Billy Kaplan), a magic-user with powers similar to the Scarlet Witch; and Kate Bishop. It was during their first major conflict that the truth of his origin began to unravel. The team was confronted by not only the established Avengers but also by the Super-Skrull, Kl'rt. The Super-Skrull revealed that Teddy was not related to the Hulk at all. He was, in fact, a Skrull. Simultaneously, a Kree starship arrived, and a soldier, Captain At-Lass, declared that Teddy was also part Kree and a disgrace to the Kree Empire. The truth was far more complex: Teddy was the biological son of the legendary Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell and the Skrull Empress-in-waiting, Princess Anelle. During the Kree-Skrull War, Mar-Vell had been captured by the Skrulls. He and Anelle fell in love, and she conceived a child. Knowing that a half-Kree, half-Skrull hybrid would be seen as an abomination and a target by both empires, Anelle arranged for her newborn son, named Dorrek VIII, to be spirited away to safety. Her most loyal handmaiden took the child to Earth, a backwater planet where she believed he could grow up in obscurity. This handmaiden used her Skrull shapeshifting to take the form of Mary-Jo Altman and raised Teddy as her own son. The Super-Skrull and the Kree had come to Earth to claim the boy for their respective empires, viewing him as either a strategic asset or a threat to be eliminated. In the ensuing conflict, Teddy's adoptive “mother” was killed by the Kree. The Super-Skrull, moved by the boy's resemblance to Princess Anelle and his own personal history, protected Teddy. The Young Avengers, with the help of the main Avengers team, fought off the warring factions, allowing Teddy to remain on Earth and make his own choices. This revelation burdened him with the knowledge that he was royalty and the potential heir to two thrones, a destiny he actively rejected for years in favor of being a hero and living a normal life with his boyfriend, Billy Kaplan.

As of late 2023, Hulkling (Teddy Altman) has not been officially introduced or named in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the foundational elements for his arrival are in place, and the film The Marvels (2023) contains strong allusions that point toward his existence. The MCU has extensively established the Kree-Skrull War as a central cosmic conflict, beginning with Captain Marvel (2019). This film introduced both alien races and established that Carol Danvers' powers are Kree-derived. The film also established a group of Skrull refugees, led by Talos, seeking a new home. The film The Marvels introduces the planet Aladna, a whimsical world where its inhabitants communicate through song and its royalty is chosen based on lineage. Prince Yan, the ruler of Aladna, is revealed to be married to Carol Danvers for diplomatic reasons. Crucially, the population of Aladna is shown to be a mix of various species, including a large contingent of Skrull refugees who were relocated there by Carol. The prevailing and most credible theory is that Hulkling exists within this Skrull refugee population on Aladna. His origin would be significantly adapted from the comics:

• Parentage: In the MCU, Mar-Vell was a female Kree scientist who worked with the Skrulls. It is highly unlikely she is Teddy's mother. A more plausible adaptation would involve Teddy being the son of a high-ranking Skrull (perhaps related to Talos or another royal line) and an unknown Kree defector or soldier, preserving his hybrid nature without directly involving the Mar-Vell legacy.
• Upbringing: Instead of being raised in secret on Earth, the MCU's Teddy would have grown up among the Skrull refugees, potentially on Aladna. This removes the “secret identity” aspect of his comic origin and places him directly within the cosmic narrative from the start.

This altered origin would streamline his introduction, immediately connecting him to Carol Danvers and the established cosmic plotlines. It would also position him as a natural leader for the displaced Skrulls, setting the stage for a future storyline where he unites them with a faction of disillusioned Kree, echoing his comic book destiny on a different scale. While this remains speculative, the narrative pieces strongly suggest this path for his eventual on-screen debut.

Hulkling's unique genetic heritage grants him a potent combination of the signature abilities of both the Kree and Skrull races, making him a formidable physical powerhouse.

• Skrull Shapeshifting: This is his most versatile ability.
  • Metamorphosis: Teddy can psionically alter the molecular structure of his body to change his shape, form, and appearance. He can perfectly imitate other beings, down to their voice patterns. Unlike most Skrulls, his Kree DNA makes him undetectable by most technological and psionic means designed to identify Skrulls.
  • Malleability: He can elongate his limbs, form simple weapons like blades or clubs from his hands, and increase his body's density. A common manifestation of this is sprouting large, durable, bat-like wings for flight.
  • Biomass Control: He can increase his size and muscle mass, which is the basis for his “Hulkling” form, a bulked-up physique with enhanced strength.
• Kree Superhuman Physiology: His Kree heritage provides a powerful baseline physical form.
  • Superhuman Strength: Hulkling's strength is immense. While not on par with the Hulk himself, he has demonstrated the ability to trade blows with powerhouses like the Thing and Wonder Man. His strength level can fluctuate depending on how much he increases his biomass, but he is consistently in the Class 100+ range, capable of lifting well over 100 tons.
  • Superhuman Durability: His Kree/Skrull hybrid body is incredibly resilient to physical injury. He can withstand high-caliber bullets, impacts from great heights, extreme temperatures, and powerful energy blasts with little to no injury.
  • Accelerated Healing Factor: A key component of his durability is a potent healing factor. While not as rapid as Wolverine's, he can recover from wounds like deep lacerations and broken bones in a matter of hours or days that would be fatal to a normal human.

• Excelsior, the Star-Sword: After accepting his destiny, Teddy came into possession of Excelsior, the mythical blade of Dorrek Supreme, the first Kree-Skrull hybrid and founder of the alliance. The sword is a powerful cosmic weapon with several abilities:
  • It can deflect energy blasts and project powerful blasts of its own.
  • It serves as a symbol of unity and grants its wielder the right to rule the Kree-Skrull Alliance.
  • It can create protective force fields and seems to possess a degree of sentience or cosmic awareness, guiding its wielder.
• Kree-Skrull Royal Armor: As Emperor, Hulkling wears ceremonial battle armor that provides additional protection and integrates with the Alliance's technology.

Teddy's personality has undergone significant evolution. He began as a somewhat insecure and self-deprecating teenager, uncomfortable with his powers and overwhelmed by the revelation of his cosmic heritage. He was often the heart and moral compass of the Young Avengers, driven by a deep sense of loyalty and a desire to protect his friends, especially his boyfriend, Billy. As he matured, he grew into his role as a leader. He is inherently compassionate and empathetic, always seeking a peaceful solution before resorting to conflict. This was initially seen as a weakness by the more warlike Kree and Skrull factions. However, his greatest strength is his ability to inspire loyalty and hope. He carries the immense weight of his crown with grace, but the burden of leadership and the brutal decisions required of a king often weigh on him. His love for Billy remains his anchor, a source of strength that grounds him amidst the chaos of galactic politics. He is a king who would rather be a hero, but a hero who will be the king his people need.

Since Hulkling has not appeared, his abilities can only be speculated upon based on how the Kree and Skrulls have been portrayed on-screen.

• Shapeshifting: The MCU has established Skrull shapeshifting as a key espionage tool in Captain Marvel and Secret Invasion. An MCU Hulkling would undoubtedly possess this ability. For cinematic flair, his transformations might be more visceral and visually dynamic, perhaps showing him morphing body parts into weapons (claws, blades) during combat, a power not commonly used by other Skrulls on screen.
• Kree Strength and Durability: The Kree shown in the MCU (like Ronan the Accuser and Yon-Rogg) are depicted as being significantly stronger and more durable than humans. A hybrid Hulkling would likely possess strength rivaling that of a Super-Soldier like Captain America, or perhaps even greater. His durability would allow him to engage in the large-scale, destructive battles common in MCU third acts.
• Adaptation for Story: The MCU would likely emphasize the conflict between his two halves. His powers could be unstable, or perhaps using one set of abilities (e.g., Kree strength) could inhibit his other (e.g., Skrull shapeshifting). This would create a compelling internal struggle as he learns to master his unique physiology, making his eventual unification of his heritage a physical and metaphorical journey.

• Wiccan (Billy Kaplan-Altman): Billy is the absolute center of Teddy's universe. They are more than just a couple; they are soulmates whose powers and destinies are deeply intertwined. They met as founding members of the Young Avengers and their romance blossomed naturally. Their relationship has been a constant source of stability and strength for both of them through identity crises, cosmic wars, and personal loss. Billy's reality-warping magic and Teddy's physical might make them one of the most formidable “power couples” in the universe. Their marriage, officiated in a joint Kree-Skrull-Jewish ceremony, was a landmark moment, and as Court Sorcerer to Emperor Hulkling, Billy now stands by his side as they rule the galaxy together.
• Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers): Teddy's relationship with Carol is complex and familial. He is the son of her predecessor and mentor, Mar-Vell. This connection gives them a unique bond. Carol sees Mar-Vell's legacy in Teddy and acts as a protective, big-sister figure and a crucial advisor. During the Empyre event, she was one of his most trusted generals, leading the Avengers' efforts to defend Earth. She helps him navigate the immense pressures of his role, providing a link to the human world he grew up in and the Kree heritage he must now lead.
• The Young Avengers: This team is his found family. They were the first people he trusted with his secret and who accepted him without question. His friendships with Kate Bishop, the sharp-witted archer; Speed (Tommy Shepherd), Billy's long-lost twin brother; and Stature (Cassie Lang) were formative. They went through everything together, from discovering their powers to fighting in Civil War and Secret Invasion. Though they have largely gone their separate ways, the bond they forged remains unbreakable, and they will always answer the call to help one another.

• The Cotati: An ancient race of telepathic plant-like aliens, the Cotati were the primary antagonists of the Empyre saga. Millennia ago, they were in a peaceful competition with the Kree for the Skrulls' favor, which ended when the Kree violently slaughtered them, sparking the Kree-Skrull War. Led by the messianic Quoi (the Celestial Messiah, son of Mantis and a Cotati-possessed Swordsman), the Cotati re-emerged, initially feigning victimhood to manipulate Hulkling and the new Kree-Skrull Alliance. Their true goal was to exterminate all “animal” life in the universe. This forced Teddy into his first test as Emperor, waging a galactic war against an enemy that weaponized his own compassion against him.
• Empress R'Klll: In a tragic, dynastic twist, one of Hulkling's greatest enemies was his own grandmother. R'Klll was a ruthless Skrull sorceress who secretly survived the destruction of the Skrull Throneworld. Viewing Teddy's Kree heritage and compassionate nature as a weakness, she orchestrated a complex plot to usurp his claim to the throne. She had him kidnapped and replaced with a puppet, intending to use the Alliance's fleet for her own vengeful purposes. Her betrayal was deeply personal, forcing Teddy to fight his own family for the right to lead and define the future of his people.

• Young Avengers: Founding member. This team defines his origins as a hero and remains his primary family.
• Kree-Skrull Alliance: The supreme ruler, Emperor Dorrek VIII. This is his current and most significant role.
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Following the events of Empyre, Hulkling and Wiccan briefly joined a new iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, serving as galactic diplomats and protectors under the leadership of Nova.
• The Avengers: While never a full-time member, he has fought alongside the Avengers on numerous occasions, particularly during major crossover events. He is considered a trusted and powerful ally.

The defining storyline of his early career, this arc in Young Avengers (Vol. 1, #9-12) forced Teddy to confront his true identity. After months of believing he was connected to the Hulk, the sudden arrival of both Kree soldiers and the Super-Skrull threw his life into chaos. The story masterfully reveals his royal lineage as the son of Mar-Vell and Princess Anelle. The climax of the arc saw his adoptive mother killed, forcing him to choose between two warring empires who saw him only as a symbol or a weapon. By choosing to stay on Earth with his found family, he asserted his independence for the first time, establishing the core theme of his character: the struggle between destiny and personal choice.

During the first superhero Civil War, Hulkling and the Young Avengers sided with Captain America's anti-registration faction. They saw the Superhuman Registration Act as a violation of personal freedom and a danger to young heroes. This event was a harsh coming-of-age for the team. Teddy's shapeshifting abilities were invaluable for subterfuge, but he was also one of the heroes captured by Iron Man's forces and imprisoned in the Negative Zone prison, 42. The experience was traumatic and solidified his distrust of government overreach. It also tested his relationship with Billy, as the immense stress of the war strained the entire team.

This 2020 crossover event is Hulkling's magnum opus. The storyline saw representatives from the unified Kree and Skrull races seek him out, begging him to accept his destiny and wield the Star-Sword to become their emperor and lead their joint armada against a mysterious new threat. After much soul-searching, Teddy accepted the crown. He journeyed into space, united the two bitter enemies into a single Alliance, and prepared for war. The enemy was revealed to be the Cotati, who launched a surprise invasion of Earth with the goal of turning it into their new, life-choked homeworld. The event tested Teddy's leadership at every turn; he was seemingly killed and replaced, forced to make impossible strategic decisions, and had to rally the heroes of Earth and his own armada to fight back. In the end, his compassion and belief in unity proved to be the Alliance's greatest weapon. He defeated the Cotati, saved Earth, and solidified his rule as the celebrated “King of Space,” forever changing his status in the Marvel Universe from a young hero to a major galactic power player.

• Earth-1610 (Ultimate Universe): A character named Teddy appeared as part of the “Ultimate X-Men” in this alternate reality, but he had no explicit connection to the Hulk or the Kree/Skrull. This version was a minor character and bears little resemblance to the Earth-616 Hulkling.
• Marvel's Avengers Alliance (Video Game): Hulkling was a playable hero in the popular Facebook and mobile game. His abilities in the game mirrored his comic book powers, with shapeshifting attacks and a “Hulk Out” mechanic that increased his strength. He was often paired with Wiccan for team-up bonuses, reflecting their relationship in the comics.
• Secret Wars (2015): During the Secret Wars event, a version of Hulkling existed in the Battleworld domain of Arcadia as a member of A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers. This was a brief appearance, but showed him as an established hero in that reality.

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