![the earth defenders the earth defenders](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NL05_uGULs8/maxresdefault.jpg)
Mercenary super hero Luke Cage reluctantly aided the team in several battles until Nighthawk placed him on retainer to secure his full-time services, though Cage felt out of place and soon quit the group.
THE EARTH DEFENDERS FULL
The half-demonic Daimon Hellstrom helped rescue the Hulk from Hell and aided the team in other matters, eventually becoming a full Defender. Nighthawk, a reformed villain and head of Richmond Enterprises, became a long-term core Defender after a near-fatal battle with his ex-partners, the Squadron Sinister, and their extraterrestrial employer Nebulon the Celestial Man, who became one of the Defenders' most enduring foes. The archer Hawkeye fought several battles with the group before leaving their ranks. The Asgardian warrior goddess Valkyrie became a mainstay of the team (first in the mortal host body of former Undying Ones follower Barbara Norriss and later in her own form) after helping them defeat Casiolena. The alien Silver Surfer's longtime link with the Defenders began when they aided him against Calizuma and his Warrior Wizards, agents of the Undying Ones. Strange's disciple, Clea, assisted the team on an irregular basis. Due to the group's unofficial nature, any individual who assisted them could be considered a member, but only a select few fit the two major criteria of true membership: that they consider themselves Defenders, and that they are accepted by the continuing core group as Defenders. Unlike other super-teams, these Defenders had no charter or by-laws, no permanent headquarters, no fixed roster, and little affection for each other. After Yandroth's defeat, Hulk and Namor vowed never to work together again, but Strange managed to hold their informal alliance together over time.
![the earth defenders the earth defenders](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cTBenLMUX9M/maxresdefault.jpg)
Strange persuaded a reluctant Hulk and Namor to help him thwart Yandroth's scheme, forming the "non-team" known as the Defenders. Later, when the Yannian scientist Yandroth menaced Earth with the Omegatron doomsday device, Dr. Strange manipulated Prince Namor into aiding him, and then teamed with the monstrous Hulk to ward off the demons. While trying to defend Earth from the extra-dimensional, demonic beings called the Undying Ones, Sorcerer Supreme Dr. I am certain that whatever the future may bring, nothing will ever change that. The record of the Defenders has been a proud one so far. A.I.M., Anti-All, Anything Man, Asti, Attuma, August Masters, Bambi, Behemoth, Belathauzer, Blowtorch Brand, Brotherhood of Badoon, Brotherhood of Mutants, Calizuma, Carlo Zota, Casiolena, Chandu, Cult of the Harvesters of Eyes, Cyrus Black, Defenders, Demon of the Dark, Dibbuk, Dormammu, Dracula, Dragon of the Moon, Eel, Elf with a Gun, Emissaries of Evil, Enchantress, Ephraim Soles, Executioner, Fem-Force, Foolkiller, One-Is-Four, Fragon, Giant Amoeba, Goozotians, Harrison Tyrk, Headmen, Ian Fate, Kamado, Karnilla, Loki, Ludberdites, Lunatik, Maggia, Mandrill, Mephisto, Mindy Williams, Miracle Man, Mordred, Mor-I-Dun/Omnimax, Mutant Force, Nebulon, Necrodamus, Niffim Riders, Null, Ollerus, Omegatron, Overmind, Plantman, Pluto, Poppo, Porcupine, Presence, Prince John, Protar, Red Ghost, Resurrection Stone Woman, Ringer, Ruby Thursday, Satan, Satannish, Scorpio, Secret Empire, Shazana, Six-Fingered Hand, Sons of the Serpent, Squadron Sinister, Star-Thief, Tapping Tommy, Temax, Thog, Tribunals, Undying Ones, Van Nyborg, Walrus, Watch-Dragons, Wazira, What-Must-Be, Wrecking Crew, Xemnu, Yandroth, Ytitnedion, Zodiac Origin and Status