Chavez
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Chavez is a supporting character in IDW Publishing's 2013-2015 comic series Godzilla: Rulers of Earth. A member of the Counter-Kaiju Reaction Forces, Chavez served as Commander Steven Woods' right-hand man in the fight to defend mankind against dangerous kaiju.
Personality
While primarily focused on fighting kaiju, Chavez has not only attained an appreciable knowledge about the monsters in the process of countering them, but also a degree of respect for them – though he will always prioritize the safety of innocent lives caught in their paths. Though he can come off as a bit pessimistic at times and assume the worst of certain situations, Chavez is nonetheless an incredibly brave and dedicated soldier, demonstrating no reservations about charging head-first into battle no matter how dangerous the situation is if civilians are at risk. Additionally, he is also shown to be unwaveringly loyal to Steven Woods and was rarely seen without him while Steven served as commander of the CKR.
History
- Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #1-4, 6-8, 10-22, 24-25 (2013-2015)
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #1
As a member of the Counter-Kaiju Reaction Forces, one of Chavez's jobs was monitoring potential kaiju sightings. One day, he received a tip of a possible Godzilla sighting with the monster headed towards Honolulu, Hawaii, and alerted his superior, Steven Woods. The following day, a new monster dubbed Zilla made landfall in Honolulu instead, prompting the CKR to intervene in efforts to repel the beast. After Steven saved a young woman named Lucy Casprell from Zilla’s path, he tasked Chavez with escorting her to safety – but not before they bore witness to the arrival of the real Godzilla.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #2
While Lucy continued filming and documenting everything she could about Zilla as he fought Godzilla, Chavez eventually succeeded in escorting her to a shelter without incident. Shortly thereafter, Chavez narrowly avoided being crushed by Zilla as the monster tunneled up out of the ground directly before him. Following the battle, Chavez radioed Steven to inform him of his location, having found something of interest. Once Steven arrived, Chavez revealed that he had discovered the severed leg of a large crustaceous creature that he saw fall off of Zilla earlier, and proceeded to help Steven secure the find to bring it to one of the CKR's labs.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #3
Steven and Chavez transported the mysterious leg and a Godzilla skin sample recovered from the battle to the CKR's science division headquarters based in San Diego, California. Later, a horde of Juvenile Destoroyahs (the same creatures that the leg belonged to) unexpectedly swarmed the city, with Chavez joining the group dispatched to fight them. While battling the monsters, Chavez managed to activate a new weapon called the Ice Box and used it to freeze one of the monsters, saving Steven and a little girl in the process. Soon after, the Destoroyahs retreated back into the ocean. Upon returning to headquarters, Steven and Chavez found that the base had come under attack by unknown forces, leaving Dr. Allison as the sole survivor of the attack. They would later learn that aliens were behind the assault.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #4
As Chavez helped salvage what they could from the facility, Steven called for his CKR troops to mobilize to Godzilla's location in Malibu after the King of the Monsters had been incapacitated by an unseen kaiju, believing that the monster that attacked him would come back to finish the job. Ultimately, Steven would be proven correct as Destoroyah soon surfaced to fight Godzilla, though the CKR team did not arrive until after Godzilla and Mothra defeated the monster.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #6
After aliens launched a full-scale assault on Las Vegas, Nevada with the upgraded Gigan and the Millennian UFO, Chavez and his team were dispatched to help evacuate civilians from the city. Steven and Chavez witnessed the arrival of the CKR's newest mech, MOGUERA, which was soon followed by the emergence of the monster Orga after the Millennian UFO was destroyed. In the midst of the titanic battle, they also saw a size-changing robot named Jet Jaguar suddenly appear and defeat Orga by blowing him apart.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #7
Covered in Orga's remains, Steven and Chavez radioed HQ to learn more about the strange robot. Afterwards, they witnessed Jet Jaguar attempting to destroy Orga’s regenerating remains before the monster could reform when an alien shuttle appeared above them and blasted the robot away. The shuttle then collected Orga's remains, accidentally abducting Steven and Chavez in the process before it reconvened with a massive alien warship. While searching for an exit in the shuttle, the soldiers suddenly dropped through a hatch that brought them face-to-face with the culprits behind all of the recent madness - the Cryog aliens. Just as their leader Rhizon threatened Steven and Chavez, the warship suddenly came under attack by Jet Jaguar, who had followed them in efforts to save the two men.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #8
Taking advantage of the distraction, Steven forced Rhizon and his soldiers into retreat with his Ice Box weapon while Jet Jaguar continued to destroy the ship from the outside. Steven and Chavez then fought back a Cryog strike team, freezing them before Jet Jaguar shrank down and entered the ship to rescue the soldiers. As the warship was going down in flames, Jet Jaguar grabbed Steven and Chavez and flew them out to safety, bringing them to a nearby aircraft carrier.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #10
Following Godzilla's battle with Biollante on an uncharted island chain, a plan was set into motion to convert the islands into a containment facility for the kaiju, with Chavez and the CKR set to survey the islands to confirm that they would be a suitable location. However, a situation involving the monsters Sanda and Gaira interrupted their plans, prompting the CKR unit to travel to Australia alongside Lucy Casprell instead. Shortly before their arrival, Godzilla also made landfall and engaged the Gargantuas. At Lucy's advise, Chavez and the other soldiers concentrated their new sonic guns at Godzilla in the hopes of giving the Gargantuas a fighting chance. With the CKR's help, the Gargantuas sent Godzilla into retreat, which in turn allowed the CKR to successfully capture Sanda and Gaira to bring them to the new Monster Islands.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #11
Aboard the USS Simon, Steven informed Chavez of a monster battle taking place in the depths below them instigated by the Devonians, who were preparing to launch an assault on humanity. The two soldiers raced up to the deck to warn Lucy and her friends of the danger just as a swarm of Juvenile Destoroyahs began climbing aboard.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #12
Chavez attempted to rush Lucy and her group below deck to safety before taking on the Destoroyah army alongside several other CKR Seekers using sonic guns. While passing a sonic gun to Steven, one of the monsters caught it instead and severely injured the outmatched commander. Before Chavez could meet the same fate as a Destoroyah snuck up behind him, Lucy returned and saved him using one of the sonic guns. After Steven was rescued, Dr. Allison contacted Chavez and informed him that the military was planning a nuclear strike on the Devonian capital and the monsters below while the CKR unit finally forced the Destoroyahs into retreat - only for him to return minutes later as the fully-reformed Destoroyah. Before he could destroy the aircraft carrier, Chavez witnessed Jet Jaguar appear and engage the monster. During the fight, Chavez informed Lucy of the situation below and that Godzilla was in danger. Once Jet Jaguar froze Destoroyah using the CKR’s Mechagodzilla, Lucy attempted to tell the robot about Godzilla, though Chavez cast doubt on Jet Jaguar’s ability to understand her. However, much to his surprise, Jet Jaguar immediately dived into the ocean in efforts to save Godzilla – though, ultimately, he was too late, and Godzilla would be lost in the fall of the Devonian capital. In the aftermath, Chavez stayed with Steven for a bit and spoke with Lucy about his condition before heading back out to assist ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #13
Four years after the fall of the Devonians, Chavez resided on the Counter-Kaiju Reaction Forces command center on the Monster Islands while Steven retired from active duty. One day, he informed Lucy, now a member of the Monster Islands Research Team, about the return of Zilla, who was seen swimming around the islands but had yet to make landfall.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #14
While investigating strange seismic activity reports from Russia, Lucy and Chavez discovered and examined footage of a bloodied Anguirus in the area, with Chavez declaring that the monster was deceased. A team was put together to find out more about what had happened to the fallen kaiju, which included Chavez and Lucy as well as Kristina Sumres and Jason Ford. Upon arriving in the Kamchatka Peninsula, the team gathered what evidence they could before Mechagodzilla arrived, at which point they discovered Anguirus was still alive when the kaiju began moving. As Mechagodzilla restrained Anguirus, Jason alerted Chavez to an anomaly he discovered in the kaiju's underbelly. Upon finding strange missiles embedded in Anguirus's underside, Chavez came to the frightening conclusion that something was out there "hunting kaiju" and immediately contacted the command center to warn them. Unbeknownst to the team, the perpetrators behind the attack were none other than the Cryog, who had returned to Earth in secret and constructed an army of their own Mechagodzillas.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #15
After contacting command, Chavez was informed that Anguirus was to be transported to a new facility elsewhere in Russia rather than the Monster Islands - a decision which Chavez openly opposed, but nonetheless complied with as he ordered the CKR troops to move out. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter escort accompanying Mechagodzilla and Anguirus was suddenly attacked by a pair of the Cryogs' Mechagodzilla units just outside of the new facility, which downed the entire fleet - including the helicopter carrying Chavez and the Monster Islands Research Team, who could do nothing but brace for impact as their helicopter slammed into the ground.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #16
Having survived the ambush, Chavez helped Lucy, Kristina, and Jason escape the wreckage before preparing to assist other wounded survivors. Before they could, however, they were suddenly surrounded by the Spetsnaz. After hearing Godzilla's roar from the facility nearby and realizing that he had finally returned after all these years, Chavez offered to help the Spetsnaz with their "giant monster problem", though they declined as they left to investigate the facility while Chavez called command for further assistance. Following Godzilla and Anguirus's victory against the alien mechs, Chavez eventually got in touch with Steven and told him of the situation, with Steven sending a recovery unit to help extract the team from Russia.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #17
While waiting for the rescue team to arrive as the Spetsnaz escorted survivors from the facility, Lucy pointed out two Mechagodzilla units leaving the facility alongside a spacecraft Chavez recognized as belonging to the Cryog, exposing them as the masterminds behind the recent activity. Chavez then helped the Spetsnaz identify several of the survivors as world leaders while also warning them of the Cryog threat, though he could not name two mysterious and unconscious twin girls. When Lucy touched their hands together, she suddenly experienced a terrifying psychic vision that caused her to faint, though Chavez and Kristina tended to her before Chavez was forced to defend her from the suspicious Spetsnaz leader. Soon after, the team was at last extracted from Russia without further incident.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #18
Weeks later, Chavez was back at the CKR command center on the Monster Islands when he was tasked with tracking the new monster Megaguirus as she carried Godzilla across the Amazon rainforest in Brazil after Lucy's team encountered her. While charting her path, Chavez discovered a massive hole in the middle of the forest – Megagurius's nest – and alerted Steven. Just as Steven prepared to dispatch a team there, he was interrupted by the arrival of the Mothra larvae, who were approaching the Monster Islands.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #19
Steven and Chavez suited up to greet the larvae and the Shobijin, though Chavez was a bit apprehensive about being so close to the monsters despite assurances from Steven that the larvae would not harm them. Later, Chavez was present when the fairies recounted the loss of their home, Infant Island, and the death of the adult Mothra at the hands of Battra. The Shobijin also expressed concern over the recent reemergence of ancient kaiju and believed that a grave threat from beyond the planet loomed, prompting Chavez to theorize that the Cryog were planning something big.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #20
While Steven was trying to arrange for Lucy’s team to get to safety, Chavez reported that an object from space landed in Brazil near Godzilla’s location. Before they could learn more, the Monster Islands came under assault by Battra, who was looking to finish off the Shobijin and Mothra’s larvae. While Steven and Chavez were preparing to assist efforts to repel Battra, more objects from space entered the atmosphere and struck the islands - Trilopod hunting pods, which destroyed various facilities on the islands upon arrival and collapsed the command center.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #21
Amidst the wreckage of the command center, Chavez helped free Steven and the Shobijin from some debris. Before they could figure out what had happened, a fight between the Gargantuas and the alien Trilopod monsters that had been released from the pods further damaged what remained of the facility. As Steven called for all survivors to evacuate, Chavez carried the Shobijin outside, whereupon he and Steven saw several Trilopods that appeared to have taken on the physical traits of the Monster Islands resident kaiju - several of whom were being dragged back into the pods by their apparent doppelgängers. Steven and Chavez led survivors to the docks to flee the islands by ship, with Steven declaring the islands lost. Later, as Steven called Lucy, Chavez reported that Godzilla and SpaceGodzilla were spotted in Los Angeles alongside two unidentified monsters, and that another Trilopod hive had landed in Australia. Steven then told Lucy that he and Chavez were planning on fighting back against the alien threat, but were headed to Dr. Kenji Ando’s lab in Japan first, where Lucy was to meet them to help the Shobijin with a plan they had conceived.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #22
En route to Japan, Chavez and Steven learned more about the Trilopods from reports about the ones that landed in Australia, which, unbeknownst to them, had recently fought Gorosaurus. Chavez confided in Steven his fear that this invasion would mark the end of the world, and despite Steven’s reassurances, Chavez was concerned by the fact that the Trilopods were specifically targeting the Earth's kaiju, whom he knew to be the planet’s best defenders – a notion the Shobijin supported. After hearing reports of a second SpaceGodzilla in Los Angeles, Chavez and Steven deduced that the Trilopods could take on the characteristics of other kaiju and that their pods were actually transports. Upon arriving in Japan, Chavez and Steven met with Drs. Ando and Nagata, who discussed the Shobijins’ plans to awaken the ancient guardian King Caesar to aid in the fight against the Trilopods. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a news report on the massive Trilopod hive landing in Los Angeles, where Chavez and the others saw several Trilopods attack Godzilla and take on his characteristics.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #24
After arriving at the Los Angles International Airport, Steven and Chavez rallied their remaining CKR forces in preparation for a large-scale assault against the Trilopods. As the troops began moving out, Chavez revealed to Steven that one of the pods they were tracking departed Okinawa, where Lucy and her team had been dispatched to awaken King Caesar with the Shobijin. Chavez attempted to assure Steven that Lucy could have escaped their wrath, but Steven was discouraged when Lucy's team did not respond to his calls. In the city, Chavez and the CKR forces helped evacuate civilians as one of the Trilopod-Godzilla hybrids closed in on them. Though they attempted to fend off the hybrid with their modified HMMWVs, the Trilopod swatted their vehicle with its tail. After Steven and Chavez escaped the wreckage, the Trilopod attempted to eat them until the sudden appearance of Jet Jaguar, who had been missing for years, provided the surviving soldiers with the means to escape.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #25
As Godzilla and Jet Jaguar battled the Trilopod hybrids, Lucy called Steven to inform her of her location within the Trilopod hive, having been brought there alongside King Caesar. Overjoyed to hear of her survival, Steven and Chavez raced to the hive to rescue her and her team while Steven called off an air strike against the hive. Shortly thereafter, King Caesar freed the captured kaiju from the hive and led them into battle to help Godzilla, creating an opening in the hive in the process that granted Steven and Chavez access. As the soldiers were extracting Lucy, Kristina, Jason, and the Shobijin, the Cryog released Magita from the hive, at which point Steven saved Lucy from being crushed by pushing her into Chavez's arms - though Steven could not be found afterwards. While the kaiju battled, Chavez and the others searched for Steven amidst the rubble while Lucy felt Godzilla becoming stronger to fight Magita; though Chavez wasn't sure if she really felt anything, the Shobijin confirmed her feeling to be true. In the wake of the battle which saw Godzilla defeat Magita, Chavez and the team located Steven, though he had been fatally injured in the process. Chavez comforted Steven as he succumbed to his injuries, and later witnessed the weary Godzilla roar one final time before departing beneath the waves.
Some time later, Chavez became the new commander of the Counter-Kaiju Reaction Forces in Steven's place, which expanded its fleet to include various new superweapons in the fight to defend mankind from dangerous kaiju.
Gallery
Chavez with Steven Woods
Chavez battles Juvenile Destoroyahs
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