| “ | Destroy and slaughter (破壊と殺戮 Hakai to satsuriku) | „ |
| ~ Black Cross Army's motto. |
The Black Cross Army (黒十字軍 Kuro Jūjigun), also known as the Black Crusaders (黒十字軍騎士 Kuro Jūjigunkishi), are a militant terrorist organization that serves as the main antagonists of the 1975 Super Sentai debut series Himitsu Sentai Gorenger. It is iconic for being the first evil organization of the Sentai series.
Using its army of human test subjects, who have been unwillingly operated on and brainwashed with cybernetic surgery, the Army plans to dominate the Earth. The Black Crusaders swear absolute loyalty to their leader, so much so that if a Black Crusader even thinks of betrayal, the punishment is death. They have secret bases all over the Earth, but their main base is the Black Cross Castle, in a geostationary orbit above Japan.
History[]
Himitsu Sentai Gorenger[]
The Black Cross Army was founded by an enigmatic figure known as the Black Cross Führer at an unknown point, having ties to ancient societies as evidenced by their top general Golden Mask. The Führer gathered a coalition of despots, warlords and criminal gangs to form the most powerful paramilitary organization with the goal of conquering the world.
Black Cross first surfaced when they began carrying out attacks and waging military campaigns on multiple fronts throughout the world. In response to the Black Cross Army's aggression, multiple countries in the United Nations got together and formed an international military alliance known as the Earth Guard League or "EAGLE".
In retaliation, the Black Cross Führer assigned five of his Masked Monsters to carry out attacks against EAGLE bases across Japan. Each of the five Masked Monsters led battalions of Zolders in assaulting EAGLE bases and massacring everyone inside. Believing EAGLE to be too decimated to continue fighting, the Führer announced the next stage of the Black Cross Army's worldwide operation. However, EAGLE gathered together five survivors from each of the bases the Black Crusaders had destroyed and recruited them to become the Gorengers, an elite squadron tasked with countering the Black Cross Army's attacks.
After the five Gorengers successively defeated and repelled attacks from the Black Cross Army's Masked Monsters, the Black Cross Führer began summoning his top generals from other branches of the Black Cross Army to deal with the threat posed by the Gorengers. The Führer would eventually awaken his most trusted general, Golden Mask, from his slumber and have him take command of the Black Cross Army's operations in order to deal with the Gorengers.
After Golden Mask sacrificed himself to unveil the location of the Gorengers' base, the Black Cross Army performed a bombing run to destroy it with the Black Cross Castle, leveling it and the city around it. The five Gorengers survived however and launched a reprisal against the Black Cross Army. After the Gorengers killed the Black Cross Führer, who had been weakened by the Cassiopeia constellation, the Black Cross Army became no more due to lacking the Führer's centralized leadership.
JAKQ VS Gorenger[]
Following the Black Cross Army's destruction, many surviving Zolders would go on to serve under the Crime Big Four, a quartet of warlords allied with Boss Iron Claw of Criminal Organization Crime. These remnants were wiped out along with Crime by the alliance of J.A.K.Q. and the Gorengers.
Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle[]
The Black Cross Army would emerge again in 2011 when the Black Cross Fuhrer returned from Hell to get his revenge on Super Sentai and allied with the Space Empire Zangyack. Brajira of the Messiah, Yogoshimacritein and Hades God Dagon were all revived as generals of this new Black Cross.
Arsenal[]
Missile Towers[]
The Black Cross Army's heavy artillery includes missile towers capable of rising from the ground to shoot down enemy aircraft. They are used by the Black Cross Army to target any aerial EAGLE forces that may threaten their operations.
Condolers[]
The Condolers are the hang glider-like aerial fighters used by the Black Cross Army. They typically operate in groups of four and are normally piloted by Zolders, though several Masked Monsters have used them on occasion. They are armed with machine guns for firing at targets from afar, as well as powerful claws for close-range combat. A team of them were originally summoned by the Black Cross Führer to improve the performance of the Black Cross Army's Japan campaign.
Battlers[]
A Battler takes off from the Black Cross Castle.
The Battlers are larger aerial vehicles used by the Black Cross Army. They are dispensed from the Black Cross Castle and carry teams of Condolers on board them. They are each equipped with six cannons at the front, as well as bombs that can be dropped on ground targets and clusters of aerial mines to use against the Gorengers' aerial vehicles. In addition, Battlers also possess thick armor that can resist the Sky Missiles of Varidreen, though Varidreen's claws can still pierce through it.
[]
- Main article: Mobile Fortress Navarone
Navarone is the personal fortress of the Black Gross general Magman. It is capable of subterranean travel, enabling it to move anywhere underground before rising to attack its targets. Its main armaments are a quartet of cannon turrets embedded into its top, capable of rotating all around to strike anywhere within radius of the fortress. It also possesses helipads for the Army's Condolor Fighters to launch off of.
Black Cross Castle[]
- Main article: Black Cross Castle
The Black Cross Castle is the main headquarters of the Black Cross Army. It is a colossal floating fortress capable of traveling to anywhere in the world, though it typically lies in a geostationary orbit above Japan. It can fire a powerful ultra-light beam to inflict high amounts of damage against its target and drop bombs to obliterate ground targets, as well as dispense Battlers from its interior. For defense, the Black Cross Castle is shielded by a powerful barrier resistant to even Varidreen's Sky Rock missile, though it can still be eluded if one manages to sneak past it.
Members[]
Executives[]
- Black Cross Führer - Supreme Leader
- Sun Halo Mask - General, Head of Black Cross Operations in Africa
- Iron Man Mask General Temujin - General, Head of Black Cross Operations in the Gobi Desert
- Iron Brigade - General Temujin's private army
- Volcano Mask General Magman - General, Head of Black Cross Operations in Iceland
- Eruption Battalion - General Magman's private army
- Commander-in-Chief Golden Mask - General, Black Cross Fuhrer's deputy, Head of Black Cross Operations in Egypt
- Armoured Zolders - Golden Mask's two personal bodyguards
- Egyptian Troopers - Elite Black Cross unit that answers to Golden Mask
- Steel Sword Dragon - Operative
Soldiers[]
- Zolders - Soldiers
- Black Cross Army Ninja Team
Masked Monsters[]
The Masked Monsters (仮面怪人 Kamen Kaijin) are the field agents of the Black Cross Army, causing many types of mayhem wherever they go.
Independent Masked Monsters[]
Masked Monsters who answer to no general, but instead report directly to Black Cross Fuhrer.
- Gold Mask (1)
- Warrior Mask (1, 2)
- Bronze Mask (1, 3)
- Jade Mask (1, 4)
- Poison Gas Mask (1, 4, 5)
- Iron Ring Mask (6)
- Crescent Moon Mask (7)
- Poison Fang Mask (7, 8)
- Witch Mask (9)
- Wing Mask (10)
- Boat Ear Mask (11)
- Silver Heat Mask (12)
- Horn Mask (13)
- Skull Mask (14)
- Iron Tube Mask (31)
- Iron Cage Mask (40)
- Skate Mask (79)
Masked Monsters under Sun Halo Mask[]
Masked Monsters who worked alongside Sun Halo Mask, the first of the generals of the Black Cross Army.
- Rainbow Mask (15)
- Mirror Mask (15, 16)
- Black Hair Mask (16, 17)
- Cyclops Mask (18)
- Sword Mask (19)
Masked Monsters under Iron Man Mask General Temujin[]
Masked Monsters who worked alongside General Temujin.
- Shot Mask (21)
- Gear Mask (21, 22)
- Wire Mask (22, 23)
- Razor Mask (23, 24)
- Lamprey Mask (24, 25)
- Vein Mask (26)
- Iron Claw Mask (27)
- Iron Comb Mask (28)
- Door Mask (29)
- Mine Mask (30)
- Large Hatchet Mask (32)
- Iron Princess Mask (33)
- Blushing Mask (34)
- Steel Mask (35)
- Warship Mask (36)
- Fork Mask (37)
- Pirate Mask (38)
- Rock Face Mask (39)
- Iron Lion Mask (41)
Masked Monsters under Volcano Mask General Magman[]
Masked Monsters who worked alongside General Magman.
- Diamond Mask (43)
- Electricity Mask (44)
- Sword Shark Mask (45)
- Locomotive Mask (46)
- Bird Fang Mask (47)
- Camera Mask (48)
- Horn Bone Mask (49)
- Iron Trap Mask (50)
- Gunman Mask (51)
- Telephone Mask (52)
- Baseball Mask (53)
Masked Monsters under Commander-in-Chief Golden Mask[]
Masked Monsters who worked alongside Golden Mask, the final general of the Black Cross Army.
- Big Ear Mask (55)
- Faucet Mask (56)
- Bird Comb Mask (57)
- Parabolic Mask (58)
- Dead Bird Mask (59)
- Shellfish Mask (60)
- Cowshoe Mask (61)
- Ribcage Mask (62)
- Television Mask (63)
- Clock Mask (64)
- Fallen Leaves Mask (65)
- Windmill Mask (66)
- Can Opener Mask (67)
- Injection Mask (68)
- Pineapple Mask (69)
- Tire Mask (70)
- Piano Mask (71)
- Anchor Mask (72)
- Kendo Mask (73)
- Glasses Mask (74)
- Stove Mask (75)
- Iron Spider Mask (76)
- Iron Snake Mask (77)
- Mammoth Mask (78)
- Steel Tiger Mask (80)
- Kettle Mask (81)
- Yo-Yo Mask (82)
- Tiger Mask (83)
New Members[]
Black Cross Colossus and Sentai Villains.
In 199 Hero Great Battle, the Black Cross Fuhrer comes back to life using the hatred of defeated Super Sentai villains and forms an alliance with the Zangyack Empire in order to have his revenge on all of the Super Sentai and those who support them. He also revives several of the Super Sentai's enemies to battle against the Gokaigers and Goseigers.
- Messiah Brajira of the Black Cross
- Crime Minister Yogoshimacritein of the Black Cross
- Chirakasonne
- Kireizky
- Barbaric Machine Soldiers Ugatz
- Hades God Dagon of the Black Cross
- Hades God Cyclops
- Hades God Ifrit
- Zobils
Allied Organizations[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Having sent out 80 Masked Monsters over the course of the series (84 if one counts each of the Army's key generals), the Black Cross Army currently holds the record for the organization with the most monsters in both Super Sentai and Tokusatsu history, followed closely behind by Shocker from the Kamen Rider series at 76 monsters. (Though if one groups Shocker and Gel-Shocker together, then Shocker holds the record at 95 Shocker Kaijin).
