| Karate Kid | |
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Real Name |
Val Armorr |
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Homeworld |
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Species |
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Affiliation(s) |
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Abilities and Powers |
Martial Arts |
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First Appearance |
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Voiced By |
Keith Ferguson |
History
Origin
Karate Kid aka Val Armorr was son of Japan's most notorious crime boss, Kirau Nezumim the Black Dragon, and a secret agent named Valentina Armorr. When she failed to hide the child, Val, Nezumi killed her. Japan's hero, Sensei Toshiaki, White Crane, killed Black Dragon and adopted Armorr. While raising him as his own son, Toshiaki also taught him every known martial art on Earth. When Armorr went to serve a local shogun, he failed to impress his supervisor. Armorr left Earth and travelled the galaxy to learn new fighting techniques.
The Karate Kid
Through nothing more than hard work and determination, Armorr excelled and found his way on the legendary Asteroid K-19, home to illegal fighting tournaments. Unable to show proof of a super power, Armorr snuck into the fight and challenged the latest champion. After a winning, Armorr was shocked to see that the champion was Superman. Superman offered him membership to the Legion of Superheroes as Karate Kid. He believed that he finally achieved a greater destiny. He was undaunted when the Legion demoted him to a support role on the Battle Cruiser out of concern for his lack of powers.
When he and Chameleon Boy tried to capture Grimbor alone, Cosmic Boy ordered Karate Kid to resign from the Legion. Chameleon Boy tried to console Karate Kid and realized that Grimbor set a trap. Unprepared for a powerless Legionnaire, Grimbor was defeated by Karate Kid. He was formally accepted into the Legion, thereafter.
Dark Victory
He was among the Legionaries who fought in the final stand against Brainiac 1.0.
Powers
Karate Kid has no superpowers, but he is the master of every documented form of martial arts to have been developed up to the 31st century. He possesses the ability to sense the weakest spot in an object and his skill in hand-to-hand combat is seemingly superhuman, allowing him to simulate super-strength blows. He can severely damage extremely hard and strong materials; metals, stone, etc, with a single blow. Karate Kid is also skilled with melee weapons, though he dislikes using them and rarely needs to use them. Karate Kid's training included mental discipline which makes him more resistant to mind control, as well as giving him a limited control of his body's functions.
Equipment
- Legion Flight Ring: Like all Legionaries Karate Kid wears a flight ring. It allows him self propelled flight and protection in the vacuum of space.
Appearances
External links
- Karate Kid article at DC Comics Database, the DC Comics publication Wikia.