Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

Today we look at the monstrous member of the Pantheon: Rat King

Appearances in Heroclix: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

First Appearance: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4

Team Affiliations: N/A

Universe: Mirage

Created by: Jim Lawson

The Rat King belongs to a mystical group that calls itself the Pantheon. These beings have dominion over different animal species and take human hosts to interact with the world. The Rat King the Turtles know best is a heavily bandaged hospital patient chosen after the last host dies. This Rat King challenges Splinter and, when Splinter defeats him, offers the Turtles’ master the Rat King’s place in the Pantheon. Splinter refuses and the Pantheon begrudgingly accepts his decision, informing him that he will have one more chance to join them at the moment of his death.

The Rat King first meets the Turtles when they and Casey Jones use an abandoned industrial park as a training facility. The Rat King mistakes them as “monsters” attempting to take his territory and stalks the heroes. This encounter ends with the Rat King and Leonard battling until Leonardo throws several shurikens into the villain. This knocks the Rat King off balance and into the bowels of a rotting silo.

Splinter later enters the same silo and falls into a pit before breaking his leg. The Rat King appears to Splinter several times, with the two debating philosophy and Splinter receiving cryptic advice. Eventually, the Rat King appears to Splinter as a demon like Rat, perhaps his true form, and tells Splinter to eat a rat to regain his strength. The Rat King also claims that eating rats has helped him find what he was looking for. The Rat King stops appearing to Splinter and the master eventually gains enough strength to leave the silo.

On his way out, he finds the decaying and twisted corpse of the Rat King buried under rubble, several shurikens in his flesh.