Dr. Hans Zarkov
Background
Dr. Hans Zarkov is a researcher. He used to work for NASA, but was fired due his constant outbursts concerning his disagreement with officials about his theories. He is a widower and his wife Hilda drowned in a backyard pool during a party.
During the events of Flash Gordon (1980) played by Topol
Zarkov is woken up by Munson who tells him the sun has been blotted out from the sky. Zarkov deduces that the Earth is under attack like he predicted and tries to force Munson into the rocket he built, but Munson runs away. Flash Gordon and Dale Arden's plane crash into his laboratory and he tricks them into getting into his rocket. They land on the planet Mongo and are brought to The Emperor Ming's throne room by Ming's Eyebot. After the Prince of Ardentia is killed by Ming, Flash is heard calling Ming a psycho and Zarkov, Flash and Dale are brought in front of Ming. Zarkov is taken prisoner, while Dale is sent to be a concubine and Flash is ordered to be executed. Zarkov is confined to a metal bed where Ming tells him that every thousand years he tests a star system with natural disasters and if the star systems figure out that Ming is the cause, he decides the star system is a threat and orders it destroyed. Ming then leaves and Klytus and Kala tell Zarkov his memories are to be erased. After Zarkov's memories are erased Kala has Battle Room Controller reprogram Zarkov's mind. When Dale escapes from Ming's bedchamber, Zarkov is ordered to find her. He finds Dale and the two of them try and flee to the planet Arboria where Flash is, but they are captured by Hawkmen. They are brought before Prince Vultan who they try and convince to rebel against Ming, but he refuses. Klytus arrives on the planet and after demanding that Vultan hand over Flash and Prince Barin, Flash impales Klytus on a spike, killing him. Vultan and the rest of the Hawkmen flee the palace before Ming arrives and when he does he orders Zarkov, Dale, and Barin taken to Mongo. Zarkov and Barin are chained up to be executed, but are freed by Princess Aura. They break into the battle control room and Zarkov is saved by Barin who shoots and kills Kala after she shoots at Zarkov. Zarkov heads into Ming's throne room and sees Flash crash Ajax rocket into the palace, killing Ming.
