Kree
The Kree are a militaristic race of humanoids from the planet Hala.
One of the most technologically advanced races in the galaxy, the Kree are skilled in genetic engineering and are responsible for the creation of the Universal Inhumans.
Kree can be blue-skinned or "pink-skinned" (similar in appearance to humans). Although blue-skinned Kree were once the majority, the mutated "pink" skin gene is dominant, and pink-skinned kree are slowly becoming the majority. This has lead to political and social movements who want to preserve the blue-skin gene, and the creation of the Pink Replacement Theory, which falsely posits that this demographic change is the result of a conspiracy by the Imperium's enemies.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Superficially, Kree resemble humans, the primary difference being the skin color of the blue-skinned Kree.
Despite this apparent similarity, their denser skin and increase muscles flexibility gives the Kree endurance, durability, and stamina twice that of humans. They also have "duplicates" of several internal organs, and require much higher atmospheric nitrogen levels to breathe comfortably, though they can survive in earth's atmosphere if necessary.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Kree homeworld is Hala, but at it's height the Kree Empire covered 43 worlds accross four star-systems.
Since the Phalanx Crisis Kree can now be found throughout the universe, though most still live within the bounds of the former empire.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kree names are made of two hyphenated parts, one inheritted from one of their parents and one unique to them (e.g. Genis-Vell, son of Mar-Vell). The inheritted part of the name will typically be one sylable, while the personal part may be one or two sybles. Three sylable personal names do exist, but are very rare.
The second, inherited, part is not considered a surname in the way many earth cultures would understand it. While Kree who deal with other races will typically answer to the personal part of their name alone (for example, Noh-Varr allowed other members of the Royal Inhuman Expidition to call him Noh), among themselves, Kree always use the full name.
This bipartite system of naming is relatively recent by the standards of Kree history, first appearing around 4,000 years ago. Some traditionalists chose to use only a single name, as a signifier of their commitment to traditional Kree religion and culture. This became particularly popular among members of the Sons of Koth, following the example of Ronan the Accuser.
Major Organizations
The Kree Empire, run by an Artifial Intelligence, lasted for generations. It was eventually replaced by the Kree Imperium following the destruction of Supreme Intelligence LIX by Carol Danvers.
Since the Phalanx Crisis, there has been no single governing body for the Kree. The remains of the Imperium, lead by Glah-Ree, is the largest governing body, but a number of breakaway factions exist.
Gender Ideals
The Kree are sexually diamorphic, having two biological sexes. With the exception of during courtship and childbirth, no social distinction is made between the sexes, and both male and female Kree can serve in the military, occupy senior government possitions, and lead the ubiquitous "genetic improvement" laboratories.
Average Technological Level
Highly technologically advanced, particularly in the area of genetic engineering.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Kree culture has been compared to facism by many xeno-anthropologists, historians, and philosophers. Proponents of this comparison point to the heavy militarisation of Kree culture, the focus on state over personal freedom, and the scapegoating of political enemies to create the image of constant threat which justifies the lack of political and social freedoms.
Opponents argue that Kree culture is largely lacking the cult of death with is a feature of most facist regime. There is heated debate in academic circles, especially on Xandar, as to whether the quasi-religious status of the Supreme Intelligence during the days of the Kree Empire could be considered a cult of personality, given Supreme Intelligences were Artifial Intelligences, who's designers specifically sought to remove or supress any individuality or ability to feel emotions.
History
The Kree first evolved on Hala, in the Pama System. Unusually, they were one of two distinct sapient species native to Hala, the other being the Cotati. The need to share vital resources with a second group may explain the war-like nature of the Kree. The Skrull, the first space-faring species known to have visited Hala, described the Kree as being insular and agressive during their first encounter.
Although Kree records insist they developed faster than light travel independantly, the records of both the Skrull and the surviving Cotati show that this was given by the Skrull to the Cotati, and subsequently stolen during the Cotati-Kree War. The Cotati were not a warrior race, and by the time the Kree declared their victory, an estimated 89% of all Cotati had been killed.
With access to FTL travel, the Kree quickly expanded, first to the rest of the Pama System, and later to other systems. During this time, the encountered the Skrull for the second time. The two races clashed both culturally and territorially, resulting in the begnning of the Kree-Skrull war, believed by many to be the longest war in galactic history.
The rapid expansion to other populated worlds resulted in interbreeding with other sapient races. While this was an accepted part of life on the frontiers of the empire, it quickly became a subject of conerned on Hala. Anti-alien racism became increasingly common, eventually being enshrined in law.
Although the social reforms were successful, a series of military losses, particularly the loss of the Kree-Baddoon War, lead to growing distrust of the government in Hala, and the inhabitants of Deneb IV rose up in rebellion. Although the rebellion was put down (by the first recorded use of Null-Trons, almost 300 years before they would finally be banned by the Pan-Worlds Treaties) Hala finally realised something needed to be done.
The first Supreme Intelligence was created to be a more objective ruler, intended to eliminate error and emotionality from governance. Of course, in practise the Supreme Intelligences inherited many of the biases of their creators, but the initiative achieved its goal. Faith in government increased, and faith in the Supreme Intelligence was so high that most did not notice the gradual removal of organic Kree from almost all government possitions, replaced by the ever expanding Supreme Intelligence. Some did try raise the alarm, but totalitarianism has never been kind to dissenters, and most disappeared, or were found mysteriously dead. It is likely that even if they had lived, their complaints would have made little difference. The Empire flourished under the control of successive Supreme Intelligences, and the AIs ascended from beauracrat to a quasi-religious figure, the center of Kree society and identity.
Serious dissent did not rear it's head against until the war against the Nova Empire. History has shown that the Kree will accept almost any restriction on their freedom, but military weakness will not be tollerated. The war angered both those on both the right and left of Kree politics. Several Accusers and Persuers went rogue, most famously Ronan, while a growing pre-democracy movement sought to overthrow the control of the Supreme Intelligence.
This latter faction ultimately achieved their goal. Supreme Intelligence LIX was destroyed, bringing the millenia old Kree Empire to an end. In the political turmoil that followed, some pushed for democracy, but the military threat posed by the Sons of Koth made most turn to what they knew; totalitarian rule.
The title of Emperor of the Kree had been defunct since the early days of the Kree-Skrull War, but when Genis-Vell stepped up to act as the military leader, it was revived. The legality of such a move was circumvented by retroactively declaring the Supreme Intelligences to have been Emperors, a title which Genis-Vell was also eligable for by virtue of his role in the destruction of the last Supreme Intelligence.
Under his rule, the Empire was rebranded the Imperium, and widespread reforms were promised. Some were even delivered; freedom of speech increased, restrictions on non-Kree art and music were lifted, and the punishment for concientious objectors was reduced from death to life imprisonment.
Unfortunately, these improvements were overshadowed by the fall of the Imperium at the hands of the Phalanx, an attempt at creating techno-organic super-soliders which went horrifically wrong. Approximately 10,000 Kree were evacuated from Hala before Emperor Genis-Vell I, in the final act of his reign, chosen to destroy the planet in order to prevent the Phalanx infection from spreading to other worlds.
Since the destruction of Hala, Kree society has been fractured, with no single ruling faction. The remnants of the Imperium, under the control of Captain Glah-Ree, is the largest faction. The Utopians succeeded in installed the Plex Intelligence in the remains of Hala, but have not gained significant political power. And the Sons of Koth continue their quest to 'purify' the Kree, though their support is waning.
Common Myths and Legends
The earliest written evidence of the Kree from their own records are the tablets of Koth, a series of social and political standards which form the basis of Kree culture and law. It is now considered likely that the tablets were written by a group of scholars and philsophers, possibly over several hundred years, but the likely-fictional figure of Koth remains a popular folk-hero in Kree society, particularly among blue-skinned Kree.
Hala-in-the-Highest was first proposed in an anonymously authored political essay which became required reading for anti-government activist. The essay described a fictional future Hala in which all of (the author's percieved) societal ills had been eliminated. Over time, this original context was lost, and Hala-in-the-Highest came to represent something like a Kree version of Heaven, a reward for those who lived a good life. "May you live to see Hala-in-the-Highest" became a popular blessing or well-wishing. This belief was officially condemned by the Supreme Intelligence, but attempts to eliminate it failed so thoroughly that the modern Utopian faction's stated political goal is to bring about Hala-in-the-Highest.
Home Galaxy
Large Magellanic Cloud
Home System
Pama
Large Magellanic Cloud
Home System
Pama
Genetic Descendants
Average Height
5'9"
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths