Vermin the Vile

Tragically remembered for his acts of evil rather than inventing the artificial heart.

Vermin the Vile is the type of guy who introduces himself as "Vermin the Vile". He's a card-carrying villain who revels in his evil by wearing flowing black robes, skulking around the Domed City, and laughing at others' misfortune. According to those backwards Gorkels and their dumb book, he is also capable of magic, though that may be their superstitious interpretation of his advanced technology such as the Mayhem Maker (not that he's especially proficient with mechanical upkeep).

Vermin the Vile wants to seize rule of the planet Gorkel from his niece, Princess _(shudder) Ugly, despite his non-existent approval rating from even his own underlings, who fulfil their duties with heavy-lidded resignation rather than any enthusiasm... except Scavage, his vulture familiar, in whom he has a kindred spirit. Even though the plans for his reign seem to consist of little else but causing general misery, like all dictators when things don't go their way, Vermin is not above throwing a tantrum first and swearing vengeance later.

Fiction

Vermin the Vile lived in the Domed City The Saga of Princess Ugly on Gorkel. The Secret of the Space Warp He was the uncle of the Gorkels' ruler, Princess _(shudder) Ugly. After kidnapping the princess and secreting her away in the Domed City, he placed her under a sleeping spell, so that he could rule the planet in her absence. This had been foretold by the Gorkels' ancient book of prophecies, which went on to say that the spell would be broken by alien creatures. The Saga of Princess Ugly Though Vermin the Vile showed disdain for the book, both he and his lackey Scavage were familiar with the prophecy. Too Close (Enough) for Comfort After Planet Terry, Robota, and Omnus crash landed on Gorkel, the Wise One roped them into attempting to rescue Princess Ugly. The Saga of Princess Ugly

Terry and friends' journey through the impenetrable forest was spied on by Scavage, who reported their arrival back to Vermin. The similarity to the prophecy compelled Vermin to check in with his dungeon guard that the princess was still sleeping and his rule still absolute; the guard was unable to answer any of his questions, as Princess Ugly was snoring too monstrously for him to hear Vermin over the intercom. Vermin decided to pit the superstitions of the Gorkels' book up against his Mayhem Maker.

Vermin's first obstacle was to trap Terry and friends in tickle vines, but Robota freed them. Then, a crack in the ground formed a volcano spewing molten lava, but Omnus granted his friends safe passage. When they came across a placid stream, Vermin used the Mayhem Maker to turn it into a whirlpool, whipping them up and through the air to the outskirts of the Domed City, where they were confined in a bubble cell. Vermin personally welcomed them to the Domed City, visible now that he'd lifted the mist. Terry questioned him about why it was called the Domed City when it had no dome, but Vermin simply dismissed it as something probably written in the dumb book of the Gorkels. After Vermin introduced himself as the ruler of the world, Terry refused to recognise his authority, so Vermin declared them under arrest... and that Robota was under a rust thanks to her exposure to so much water. As Robota fainted, Vermin giggled evilly. Too Close (Enough) for Comfort

Vermin left them unattended while he thought of a suitable punishment for them. Returning to his lair, he found the Mayhem Maker on the blink again, leaving him unable to monitor the Domed City. Vermin called a repairman, who told him the Mayhem Maker was in such a state of disrepair that it had to go in to the shop, something Scavage called a bad omen. Soon afterwards, the Mayhem Maker exploded, taking the entire Domed City with it. Vermin was carried to safety in Scavage's talons and, seeing Planet Terry's crew taking Princess Ugly in a skimmer craft, vowed he would revenge himself on those meddlers. The Doom of the Domed City

Notes

• Vermin the Vile was included as part of a competition in issue 21 which required readers to pair characters with their opposites.
• Though a comparatively minor player in the pages of TFUK, in Planet Terry proper Vermin takes on larger significance in the final  three  issues,  in which he presents a convincing case for being Terry's long-lost father. It all comes down to the Vile family birthmark on the front of each male member's right shoulder, you see... and the birthmark on the back of Terry's shoulder proves "close enough!"