The Jaguar

The Jaguar is an adventurer from the Xuru Kingdom located in the Amazon. He wears a high tech bodysuit that is painted in the design of a jaguar, has a feline helmet with night vision goggles and computer satellite connection, and metal claws on gloves and feet that can be used both for fighting or for scaling trees or walls. He wears a belt with pouches full of high tech gadgets, including gas bombs, explosives, and acids. He can release toxic venom on his claws, but typically uses a non-lethal variation that causes unconsciousness as he does not believe in killing.

The Jaguar’s people, the Xuru, were part of an ancient tribe and kingdom located in the jungles and swamps near the Mato Grasso region that holds a vast wealth in hidden gold and diamond mines. The Xuru existed unchanged for thousands of years, hidden away by the jungle until modern times. In recent times the region was decimated by logging and the Trans-Amazon Highway which brought not only progress, but disease. Over 90 percent of their population died within just a few years of contact with the outside world. The survivors were fighting a losing battle against mercenary corporate forces until finally the last King or Akanga of the tribe, Tana, decided to change course. Instead of hiding in the jungle from modernity fighting against the invaders with bows and arrows, he would embrace change, go into the world, and learn all their secrets of the modern society. He decided to sacrifice his son, Tanaku, to this mission and sent him forth to study this modern new world that was devastating their peaceful world. Using their vast wealth, Tanaku remained abroad for a dozen years, traveled broadly, and studied all the industries and sciences, languages and arts the modern world had to offer. Tanaku finally ended his travels and came home when his father was assassinated by corporate forces. However, he returned a master of the modern world and determined to transform the world into a better place.

Now the King of the Xuru and head of his tribe, Akanga Tanaku has also assumed the mask and mantle of The Jaguar, totem on their sacred warrior god. He used his scientific mastery to update the ancient costume into a high tech body suit full of gadgets. As The Jaguar he dispenses justice to evildoers through out the land, such as he did when he tracked down the killers of his father. As King, Tanaku utilizes the vast hidden wealth of his people to modernize their kingdom and give them the greatest advantage in fighting the outside world. They have one of the most advanced science centers in the world and use high-tech tools such as satellites and geo-mapping to track and stop illegal loggers, miners, and trespassers on their territory. They have started aggressive climate change programs to save the rain forests and address global warming, such as a carbon sequestering project, an organic plastics tech from jungle leaves, an indigenous knowledge database and natural medicines center to develop cures from roots and herbs before they are eradicated, and are also attempting to form a tribal alliance throughout Amazonia to enforce indigenous rights and stop industrial exploitation and rampant pollution. In this way, the Xuru have become respected and feared on the world political stage.

The Jaguar has occasionally aided other heroes or partnered with superhero groups such as the Guardians on specific missions, but he remains an independent hero. His greatest enemy is Tatakang, the Fire Lord.