Paris
Overview[]
Paris' is the capital and most populous city of France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region ("Région parisienne"). Paris is a major influence in politics, fashion, business, arts, and science.
9th Century[]
In 885 AD, Sersi battled alongside Thor and the Vikings in Siege of Paris.[2]
18th Century[]
In the summer of 1789, Dracula hunted victims in Paris while Cagliostro and Lord Montplier plotted to stop his vampiric threat to France. Their efforts led to Dracula’s capture and plans for his execution by guillotine, but the storming of the Bastille disrupted everything, allowing Dracula to escape. Ironically, Montplier was later executed by the very guillotine he had intended for Dracula.[3]
Traveling through time, Dr. Strange attempted to stop Baron Mordo from altering history, however when Strange failed to stop him in the time stream, he traveled to where Mordo is intended to go, 18th Century France. Traveling there and meeting with Cagliostro, Cagliostro was unconcerned with other mens affairs and departs. Strange then decided to pose as Cagliostro, and when Mordo arrived in that time, Strange attacked him and was able to defeat his old foe. However, the ruse was ended when the "real" Cagliostro appeared and revealed himself to be a sorcerer from the 40th Century who intended to travel back to the beginning of time to accumulate enough mystical power to become a god. After defeating Strange in combat, Sise-Neg then departed to meet his destiny, when Strange asks Mordo for help, Mordo flatly refused and returned to the present, leaving Strange to deal with this problem alone.[4]
19th Century[]
In the 1880s, French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel built the world-famous Eiffel Tower, designed by his company and built for the 1889 Universal Exposition.[5]
20th Century[]
In 1939, the Angel (Thomas Halloway) was in Paris but his activities are unrevealed.[6]
World War II[]
During World War II, France was occupied by the Nazis and Paris frequently became the battle ground of many incursions.
The earliest recorded incursion was between K-4 and the Sky-Devils who flew to Paris in retaliation of Nazi Zeppelin attacks on London. The Sky-Devil's destroyed the Zeppelin in Paris before returning back to England.[7]
At some point Kang sent three of the Avengers, the Vision, Black Panther, and Yellowjacket back to Paris, 1941 to fight three Invaders from that era: Captain America, Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner. The Invaders were eventually defeated with the help of Vision's intangibility.[8]
Eventually, Paris was freed from Nazi tyranny thanks to the combined efforts of the Free French resistance and the Allied Forces.
Post War[]
In 1951, a member of the Undersea Titans came to explore the surface, appearing in Paris. When the creature's moisture dried out it became an inert in front of Eiffel Tower.[9] Its fate is unknown, but it was likely forced back to its ocean home or destroyed like other members of his race that appeared all over the world.
Modern Age[]
Paul Duval, a young chemist from Paris, one day, while being rushed to complete a chemical solution, spilled its contents on his hand. Duval soon found that his hand had turned to stone, and consequently, anything he touched would also turn to stone, including himself (although unlike his future victims, when he turned to stone he was not immobilized). Duval soon began a crime spree, turning jewelers and bank guards into stone and stealing what he wanted.[10]
Maxine Walters and Danny Rand crash-landed in Paris after their jet-copter was sabotaged, only to be attacked by another aircraft piloted by the vengeful John Lumus. As they fled through a collapsing subway, Lumus relentlessly pursued them, forcing Danny to remove his protective suit and use the Iron Fist to break through debris and defeat him. Though nearly overcome with rage, Danny spared Lumus, and Maxine, now softened toward him, kissed Danny in gratitude.[11]
Marc Spector used his vast fortune to establish the Spector International Art Gallery in Paris. One of the premier pieces on display at his auction was none other than the statue of Khonshu. Marc had been in possession of Khonshu for years, but since he recently decided to abandon his Moon Knight persona for good, he decided to sell the statue. An agent working for Ahmad Azis entered the gallery and use a poison-tipped walking cane to assassinate all potential buyers. The agent bid on the statue and upon winning the auction had it shipped to Azis on Failaka Island off the coast of Kuwait.[12]
The Trial of Magneto
At the Palais de Justice, Magneto stood trial for his past crimes, as chosen by the International Court of Justice, with British Prime Minister James Jaspers prosecuting and Professor X and Gabrielle Haller leading the defense. During the trial, terrorist attacks across Europe were carried out in the X-Men’s name, drawing the team to France to uncover the truth. They discovered that the real attackers were Andrea and Andreas von Strucker, who stormed the Paris courtroom to avenge their father. The fight caused the Seine River to flood the courthouse, and Magneto saved both the judge and Professor X, showing an unexpected compassion. As Professor X suffered a heart attack, he asked Magneto to continue his dream and lead the school in his place.
Norman Osborn offered Peter Parker a job based here as a fully paid staff photographer. After talking with his wife Mary Jane, Peter declined the offer because he realised it was a trap to lure him away from New York.[13]
Fear Itself[]
When the Serpent was freed by Skadi, he called seven hammers to Earth, one of these fell in Paris.[14] There Grey Gargoyle claimed it and was made into Mokk, Breaker of Faith. Rampaging through the city Mokk killed thousands, petterfying any who looked upon him, like Midge Gotlib[15] and then smashing them to pieces, creating massive piles of stone people.[16][17]
Paris was the battle ground between Mokk and various armoured heroes like Iron Man, several Detroit Steels and finally Rescue before the Serpent summoned Mokk for the final battle. Rescue workers were on the scene even as these battle were ongoing.[16] The war ended when Thor felled the Serpent, and all the Worthy separated from their hammers, freeing their hosts.[18] Many of the petrified citizens were restored by Odin, who seemingly revived every intact "statues"[1] and seemingly many of the destroyed.[19]
Humanitarian efforts continued, securing damaged sections of the city[20] and processing those revived; these had side effects like amnesia, fatigue, insomnia and more. Doug Johnson was one of the revived[21] and eventually secured the means to return home.[22]
A cult was formed around the Mokk's hammer in the catacombs, which had somehow been returned to Paris. Intent on returning everyone to the "blissful silence of the stone", it's members were massacred by Crossbones, who took the hammer away.[20]
Avengers World[]
A City of the Dead revealed itself in Paris,[23] causing wide-spread havoc before being deactivated.[24][25]
Inhumans[]
When Black Bolt confronted Thanos in hopes of preventing the Mad Titan's invasion of Earth in the search of his son, he unleashed a powerful attack that triggered a Terrigen Bomb and destroyed Attilan in the process.[26] The resultant Terrigen Cloud released in New York City began to circumvent the globe, striking Paris and transforming Humans of Inhuman descent including Sasha Kravinoff's sisters.[27]
Alternate Realities[]
Earth-8107[]
In Paris, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross met with the Academy of Science, with Betty carrying one of the gold keys that opens an underground gold vault. Quasimodo, the evil great-great-great-great-great-grandson of the original hunchback of Notre Dame, spied on Betty in order to steal the gold and plans on using one of the assembled scientists to turn him into a normal human. As Betty prepared to meet with the Minister of Finance, Bruce was given a vial of a chemical that reverses radiation mutation by one of the other scientists. Betty went to her meeting but was kidnapped by Quasimodo. Banner followed him and soon turned into the Hulk, losing the vial in the process. Quasimodo and the Hulk battled each other within an underground dungeon while Betty escaped from her prison. The monsters' battle then took them to the streets of Paris, where Quasimodo eventually led the Hulk to the Eiffel Tower. The Hulk ultimately ended up in the River Seine and turned back into Banner while Quasimodo escaped. Meanwhile, Betty met with the Minister of Finance, and they proceeded to the secret underground location of the gold vault. Banner, thinking that Betty was still a prisoner and having lost Royale's formula, returned to Quasimodo's dungeon. Quasimodo demanded that Banner hand over the potion so that it may turn him into a normal human, and Banner, knowing that he only becomes a monster part of the time, agreed to help. The formula didn't work instantly, and Quasimodo went berserk, using his giant bat Salvatore to attack Banner while he went after the gold. Banner quickly became the Hulk and proceeded to stop Quasimodo's plans.[28]
Earth-92131[]
During World War II, Logan was on a mission with Captain America and Andre Cocteau in occupied France. Years later, he would return to Paris to visit Andre's grave.[29]
Apocalypse disrupted a world peace conference in Paris and brought in his Horsemen to attack and fight the French army. During the fight, Archangel caused a helicopter to crash into the Eiffel Tower.[30]
At a later point, the X-Men took a trip to Paris, where Rogue walked in on Wolverine praying in a church.[31]
Earth-199999[]
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Grant Ward was warned that his mission was in jeopardy due to the Rising Tide leaking the location of a Chitauri bracelet he was attempting to recover in Paris, but he nonetheless decided to proceed. Disguised as a waiter, he stole fingerprints off a glass, used them to break into a fireplace/safe and fought off the hostiles that appeared quickly before escaping on a helicopter to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base.[32]
Earth-10005 Revised[]
In 1973, Mystique went to Paris, were she disguised herself as a Vietnamese general, attending a meeting with Bolivar Trask. There, he presented a device that could detect mutants and promptly uncovered Mystique's charade. Though she attempted to assassinate Trask, she was interrupted by the X-Men. Magneto tried to kill her and managed to shoot her in the leg as she jumped out the window onto a public square, where she was filmed by onlookers. Magneto went after her but Beast interfered, giving Mystique time to escape — both exposing their powers to the public.
After one more confrontation between Mystique and Magneto in a Parisian underground stop, both she and the X-Men decide to leave Paris.[33]
Years later, Magneto and Professor X played a game of chess at a Parisian cafe.[34]