The past history and origin of the exiled Shi’ar warrior known as Za’ken remains shrouded in mystery. It has been established through his own report that he was raised on the Imperial Homeworld of Chandilar, although, this was before he was exiled. He had the highest bounty of the empire placed on his head after his parents were murdered to satisfy an unnamed bureaucrat’s political agenda.
Za’ken traveled to Earth in search of another Shi’ar exile known as Deathcry, who had joined the Earth’s superhero team known as the Avengers. During search for Deathcry he ran afoul of Lilandra’s Elite Guard that was on a mission to keep the young Shi’ar from returning to the Empire. Deathcry’s trail led Za’ken to the Blue Area of the Moon, where she and her teammate and ally the Lion of Olympus Hercules had been attacked by the Elite Guard, and Deathcry released a sacred scroll that she held in her possession. Za’ken attacked Hercules thinking that he was also trying to hurt the young Shi'ar. Za’ken managed to ambush the Guards and take possession of the scrolls before they could return to Lilandra.
