Tenfingers is a character from Marvel Comics, primarily appearing as an antagonist in the Daredevil series. Here’s a detailed overview of the character based on available information:
Origin and Identity:
Real Name: The character’s true name is unrevealed.
Alias: Known as Tenfingers, a name derived from his unusual physical characteristic of having ten fingers on each hand.
Origin: Tenfingers is a human empowered by magic stolen from the Hand, a notorious ninja clan in the Marvel Universe.
He was born in China and later became a citizen of the country. His origin ties deeply to his former affiliation with the Hand, from which he derived his mystical abilities.
Physical Characteristics and Abilities:
Unusual Features: As his name suggests, Tenfingers possesses ten fingers on each hand, a result of grafting stolen fingers from slain Hand ninjas onto his own hands.
Powers and Abilities: Tenfingers used the stolen magic from the Hand and its benefactor, the Beast, to grant himself mystical abilities. He could empower the natural skills of others,
making them better and faster fighters, and had the ability to influence the minds of others. He also had limited skills in prophecy and was trained as a ninja during his time with the Hand.
Affiliations and Operations:
Affiliation: Formerly a member of the Hand, he left to form his own organization, the Church of the Sheltering Hands, which served as a front for his criminal activities.
Occupation: Tenfingers operated as a crime lord, mobster, and ninja, with his base of operations located in the Temple of the Sheltering Hands in Chinatown, New York City.
Followers: His most trusted advisors were known as the Eights, warriors who were granted eight fingers on each hand and empowered with a portion of Tenfingers’ abilities. Among them was Lu Wei, the mother of Samuel Chung (Blindspot), Daredevil’s protégé.
Story Arc and Conflicts:
First Appearance: Tenfingers debuted in “Daredevil” (Vol. 5) #1 (December 2015), created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney.
Major Storyline: In the “Daredevil: Chinatown” arc, Tenfingers is a central antagonist.
He established the Church of the Sheltering Hands to lure undocumented Chinese immigrants with promises of hope and salvation, only to exploit them for criminal activities, including extortion and murder. He also sought legal status for his church while expanding his influence.
Conflict with Daredevil and Blindspot: Tenfingers clashed with Daredevil and Blindspot (Samuel Chung), who sought to expose and dismantle his operations. Samuel Chung infiltrated Tenfingers’ organization to gather intelligence, leading to several confrontations.
The Hand’s Retribution: Tenfingers’ theft of the Hand’s magic eventually led to conflict with his former masters, who sought to reclaim their stolen power. This culminated in battles involving Daredevil, Blindspot, and the Hand.
Death and Resurrections:
Living Status: Tenfingers is currently deceased. He was first killed by Muse, a serial killer, and later resurrected by the Hand. Subsequently, he was killed again by the Beast, a demon worshipped by the Hand, and resurrected multiple times as part of the Hand’s ongoing conflicts.
Character Traits and Themes:
Sinister Minister: Tenfingers is depicted as a crime boss who uses a church as a front for his illegal activities, embodying the trope of a “sinister minister.”
Body Horror: His practice of grafting extra fingers onto his hands and those of his followers adds a layer of body horror to his character.
Cult Leader: He exhibits traits of a cult leader, demanding extreme loyalty from his followers, who consider it an honor to give up their fingers for him.
Redemption Rejection: Despite attempts by Blindspot to redeem his mother, Lu Wei, who was one of the Eights, she ultimately refused to leave the Church.
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