Black Cross Führer

The Black Cross Führer (黒十字総統), often referred to as the "Machine Monster" for his seeming invincible nature, and later referred to as the Black Cross King (黒十字王) after his resurrection, was the supreme leader of the Black Cross Army and the main antagonist of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger

Biography
The Black Cross Führer is an alien being who came to Earth from a star within the vicinity of the constellation Casseiopeia. His purpose on Earth is to conquer it, having created the Black Cross Army, with minions and Masked Monster androids, for this goal and purpose. He initially leads attacks in secret, through wearing a cloaked white hood from the initial attacks until the arrival of Volcano Mask General Magman, when he reveals his true form. Prior to this, the Gorenger and even Commander Gonpachi Edogawa attempted to find out what he really is without any success.

He usually held back within the Black Cross' headquarters, leading the Masked Monsters and hearing of their schemes, or later hearing the schemes and aspirations of the generals who worked for the Black Cross on his global conquering campaign. Originally he was extremely deadpan in his presentation but later he showed more expression when speaking with his leaders, particularly Commander-in-Chief Golden Mask who was his most loyal follower. While he appears to be masculine, the Führer is a master of disguise, even appearing once as a billingual woman in order to lure the Gorenger away to prevent them from stopping a plot to invade the Japanese island of Shikoku.

While underground or hidden in another base like Magman's Navaronne fortress early in the series, he eventually reveals the powerful flying craft known as the Black Cross Castle, which he and Golden Mask used on occasion to launch powerful attacks against the Gorenger and Japan from the skies. During an astrological phenomenon revealed by Golden Mask where the constellation of Casseiopeia entered the house of Scorpio which weakened the Führer, the leader finally decided to face the Gorenger to eliminate their threat once and for all. He proved himself to be invulnerable and invincible to the heroes, easily crushing them and preparing to kill Akarenger before the effects of Casseiopeia in Scorpio weakened him and forced him to withdraw, while using the final sacrifice of his most loyal general to carpet-bomb Tokyo and destroy the Gorenger's headquarters. On discovering this weakness, Tsuyoshi Kaijo decided to confront the Führer with nothing more than a simple suitcase in appearance of a final surrender before the team and the world are crushed. When the leader opens the suitcase to see what was inside it, it reveals five diodes in the shape of the constellation, making the Führer weakened. The Gorenger use this to launch a final assault, creating a Gorenger Hurricane which formed into a flaming version of the Casseiopeia constellation that hits the Black Cross leader and forces him to retreat.

However when he returns to where he was hidden, he suddenly transforms into the Black Cross Castle, revealing himself as the massive flying headquarters all along. With the Führer at his weakest, the Gorenger launch a final assault, sacrificing Varidreen and the New Gorenger Machines to blow up the castle while they all escape with their Birdies, bringing an end to the Black Cross Führer and his Black Cross Army once and for all.

199 Hero Great Battle
During the events of Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle, he reincarnates using the hatred of defeated Super Sentai villains and forms an alliance with Zangyack in order to have his revenge on all Sentai and those who support them. He also revives several of the Sentai warriors' enemies, Brajira, Yogoshimacritein, and Dagon, to battle against the Gokaigers and Goseigers. He gets his hands on the Ranger Keys of the past 33 Sentai teams and uses it to turn the Super Sentai into his personal army. After the Ranger Keys were recovered, he grew into a giant, only to be defeated by the Super Sentai Bazooka created by the spirit of all the Super Sentai teams.

However, he reveals himself to be his true fortress monster form, the Black Cross Colossus (黒十字城). He easily overpowers GokaiOh, Gosei Great and Gosei Ground in this form. However the spirits of the past 33 giant mecha appear to fight him and his revived servants. After the Gokaigers have been given the Gorenger's Greater Power, the Variblune, they combine GokaiOh and Variblune to create Goren GokaiOh, which leads to Black Cross Colossus' destruction thanks to the Gokai Hurricane Cassiopia.

Super Hero Taisen
Unfortunately, he revived again in Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen together with the other villains of the past Super Sentai as a part of Dai-Zangyack. During the final battle he is seen fighting GingaRed and VulEagle.

Shin Himitsu Sentai Gorenger Gokko
The Black Cross Führer also appears as the main villain of Shin Himitsu Sentai Gorenger Gokko, Shotaro Ishinomori's manga adaptation of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger which ran alongside the series.

Akibaranger
When ©Na replaces the Super Sentai Series with her own Super ©Na Series, she appears as Black Cross Queen ©Na in her original seires which also lasted 84 episodes.

Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
The Black Cross Führer is one of several past Super Sentai villains that appear in clips in the anniversary special Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai.

Super Hero Taisen Otsu
The Black Cross King appears in ', part of ', a series of Net Movies released accompanying the movie Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z.

Black Cross Sword
A sword which the Führer uses as a weapon, using it to nearly kill Akarenger during the final battle.

Unnamed Cannon-like object
When the Black Cross King returned, he had a massive weapon that he used to summon his Ranger Key Clones. It works in a similiar way to Basco's Rapparatta trumpet, but it does not have Ranger Key slots. Instead, it has an opening on the back of it that allows the Black Cross King to put the Ranger Keys in like bullets and shoots them.

In the out-of-continuity Super Hero Taisen Otsu net movie, the Black Cross King, as the "King of Terror", used the same cannon to destroy the Earth, leaving the world in ruins.

Behind the scenes
The Black Cross Führer is notable for being the original Sentai "big bad", being the boss villain of the first Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger. From this, the Black Cross Führer could be considered as Super Sentai's answer to the Great Leader of Shocker in the original Kamen Rider series.

Portrayal
In Gorenger, the Black Cross Führer was portrayed by Mitsuo Andō from the first episode to episode 55. After this, Mitsuo Andō was replaced by Nobuo Yana from episode 56 to the finale in episode 84. In the Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Bomb Hurricane, his female human form is played by Chiyoko Kazama.

In his return in Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle, the revived Black Cross King was voiced by Akira Kamiya (神谷 明), who previously voiced Gunmajin in Chouriki Sentai Ohranger. In his return as part of Dai-Zangyack in Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen, he was voiced by Hideyuki Hori (堀 秀行), who previously voiced Great Sword Man Zubaan in GoGo Sentai Boukenger and also voicing the King's Black Cross minion, Baseball Mask, in the movie as well.