Sakaar Natives

An insectoid species, the Sakaar Natives live in a monarchial hive, but are eventually subjugated and enslaved until an ally from another planet helps liberate them.

Evolution of the Natives

On Sakaar, the modern-day Native species evolved from the planet's massive insect colonies found in the Chaleen Plains over 200 million years ago. Initially a hunter-gatherer society, they eventually developed agricultural talents and methods as well by 2100 Pre. The Natives thrived until they began warring with other races on Sakaar. 

On the planet and its moons, there are three other major races to contend with—the pink-skinned humanoids known as the Imperials, the grey-skinned nomadic Shadow People, and shape-shifting xenophobes, the Spikes—which are collectively known as the Sakaarians.

A Chemical Connection

One of the most unique aspects of the Natives' physiology is the ability to “chem-bond,” a kind of telepathy that unites the entire hive via chemical pheromones, a phenomenon known as “chemming.”. This anatomy allows them to share thoughts, ideas and feelings, but also make every member feel like part of something much larger. Natives can chem with other hives and even other beings. 

Additionally, a standard Native possesses mutli-faceted eyes and six appendages, two usually used as legs and four as arms. This anatomy allows them to wield more tools or weapons, depending on their task. As they grow, they also develop a hard chitinous shell that offers protection from harm. This part of their anatomy also features a high number of pigment-rich cells that allow for Natives to blend in with their surroundings, resulting in a variety of different colors. 

A Colony-Based Monarchy

The hive is traditionally patriarchal and ruled by a king, a male member of the species who is much larger and physically stronger than the others. The smaller sons perform their specific tasks to keep the hive running and thriving. The queens, the only known females of the species, are said to live in distant, densely forested regions of Sakaar, where protective foliage protects their sensitive flesh from the deleterious rays of the sun. When ready to procreate, a king travels to the forest, finds a queen and performs a mating ritual. Most of the eggs go back with the king, though some remain with the queen. He then finds the best place for a hive and builds it, storing the eggs, which hatch only a few at a time over the course of years. 

From the eggs hatch larvae, mainly concerned with eating. They remain in the hive and are looked after by older members of the group. After four to six months, the larvae spin cocoons around themselves and remain inside for roughly six months. This pupae stage leads to the development of a Native nymph complete with compound eyes, four arms, two legs, antenna and the ability to properly chem-bond with the tribe. They reach full adulthood after about three years. Upon the death of a king, another member of the hive will undergo a transformation to physically transform into the group's protector. 

The hive relies on chemming to communicate, which is so powerful that a Native’s greatest fear is not his own individual death, but rather his hive’s death. Thus a Native will typically be willing to die for his hive without any complaint. The Natives can also communicate verbally with a series of clicks and chirps. They also eventually learn the Imperial language as well, though the structure of their chitinous mouth and mandibles made pronunciation of many Imperial words difficult.

Natives who are separated from their hives nearly always die within one to two years. However, there have been exceptions. Unhived Natives, derogatorily referred to as “unhiver,” are shunned by Native and Imperial alike. 

In modern-times, approximately 65 percent of Sakaar’s Native population serves as slaves to the Imperial’s Empire and are often neutered to prevent metamorphosis into king form.

Fighting for Survival

Both the Imperials and Shadow People of Sakaar look down on the Natives, with Imperials regarding the Natives as “bugs” with no real sense of individuality. Some scientists, however, claim that each Native is an individual with their own personality, hopes, dreams, and fears. Some individuals have also been kinder than others. 

The Father Emperor of the Imperials, while he detests the Natives, offers them an alliance as long as they fight alongside the Imperial Guard in the Spike Wars, to which they accept and prove instrumental in the Spikes’ ultimate defeat in the year 540 post. The Father Emperor respects their service and honors his deal, even decrees that all detritus which exits through the Great Portal on Sakaar shall belong to its first finders, including the Natives. But the son of the Father Emperor, Angmo II, AKA Red King, goes back on the alliance. Many believe that he makes specific strategic decrees designed to lead to the gradual genocide of the Native population.

Bruce Banner, AKA Hulk, becomes a champion of the Natives as well as all of the other subjugated people of Sakaar. When he becomes kind, he frees everyone, allowing them to live their lives as they see fit. The Natives cannot enjoy this freedom for long as one of their own, Miek, nearly destroys the planet. Now, they fight tooth and nail just to stay safe, allying with like-minded beings from the Imperials and Shadow People to form new tribes, occasionally receiving assistance from the likes of Hulk’s son Skaar, one of the smartest people on Earth, Amadeus Cho, AKA Brawn, and the Asgardian God of Thunder Thor Odinson, AKA Thor. 

The Hive’s Life

During what's known as the Age of the Great Hive Kingdoms of Chaleen, the Natives developed huge family groups living in awe-inspiring spires. This time of prosperity led to a greater expansion of Native hives in further-off areas, leading to some variations in their make-up. This also led to more contact with the Imperial race of Sakaar as well. Though initially mutually beneficial, this relationship soured when the Imperials, a race of crimson-skinned humanoids, began their own expansion in 1150 Pre, who had first appeared at the outskirts of the Great Desert nearly 600 years earlier. 

Needing more land and resources, the Imperials began moving into Native territory, taking what they could, leading to conflict between the two. The first major clash between their civilizations occurred in the year 28 Post when Imperial warlords razed an ancient Native spire in modern-day Upper Vandro Province. Since the Natives were not unified by a larger governing body or defended by a military, they were less organized and far less prepared for the kind of assault and subjugation they experienced, leading to the decline of the Age of the Great Hive Kingdoms around the year 100 Post. 

Later in the year 509 Post, when Angmo, also known as the Father Emperor, unified the various Imperial tribes, the Natives were not involved. As the war with the alien Spikes heated up, though, the Emperor offered the Native hives the chance to keep their land if they helped fight the invaders. Many agreed and, while not officially part of the army, did help push back the attacking forces who were eventually quelled in the year 540 Post. 

The Father Emperor considered the Natives to be far inferior to his own people, but kept his word. The same can not be said of his son, Angmo II who became the Red King after his dad's death in 552 Post. This new leader began to make openly hostile moves against the Natives, going so far as to limit their breeding and ordering whole hives destroyed. Under his reign, it was estimated that 65% of Natives lived in slavery. Many were also thrown into the gladiatorial games. 

The Natives found an ally in the Hulk, a super-powered being from Earth deposited on Sakaar by the Great Portal. He allied with the unhived Miek and freed them from slavery. Out in the wilds, they helped a number of Natives and even came across a Queen the Imperials had captured and forced to produce eggs for them to eat. Eventually, Hulk became the new king of Sakaar after defeating the Red King. However, Miek thought that his Warbound brother had gone too soft and developed a plan that nearly led to the destruction of the whole planet. He urged Hulk to save the Warbound and a group of Sakaarians before flying off to Earth for revenge. 

Some Natives made their way to the new planet and followed their leader's orders. It remains unclear what happened to them after the battle. Miek's treachery was discovered and he was captured on Earth. There he realized that he could reproduce asexually, but could not find a way to bring the larvae to term on his own. He broke out and performed horrible experiments on Imperials who had settled in the Savage Land, but found some success with the Hulk. However, Miek died in battle shortly after. 

Queen Caiera of the Shadow People managed to harness the Old Power to save the planet, which still plays home to Natives. With the power structure shattered, warlords sprang up and Natives had to choose which side to join. Sakaar itself was devoured by Galactus, but then reconstituted to be the home of the Time Stone. It remains unclear how this specifically affected the Natives or if they even remember it occurring. Even with all of the trials and tribulations they have suffered over the years, the Natives of Sakaar remain, ready to grow and thrive once more.