The character largely disappears from comic books during the 1980s although he does face Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Daredevil, Power Man, and Iron Fist in Marvel Team-Up Annual #4.

[volume & issue needed] He has been subtly manipulating both the population of Manhattan and Nate himself into accepting and embracing the young exile from the Age of Apocalypse storyline as a modern messianic figure, who would then become so psychologically empowered by hero worship that he could change reality, using the full potential of his mutant power.

[volume & issue needed] As detailed in the series Alias,[11] during Jessica Jones's time as the superhero Jewel, Killgrave uses his mind-control powers to subdue her, forcing her to live with him while psychologically torturing her for several months.

Unknown to the Purple Man, drugs had been put into his food to negate his powers during his imprisonment, so he is unable to control Cage, who beats him to a pulp in response to his demands.

With his pheromones distributed through New York's water system and Zemo's moonstones used to project his voice wherever necessary, the Purple Man enslaves the entire city.

[16] During a subsequent power outage caused by Academy member Hazmat, Killgrave, at the head of a small gang of mind-controlled inmates, again crosses paths with Luke Cage, now supervisor of a Thunderbolts team composed of Raft prisoners.

Cage makes short work of Killgrave and his "recruits", revealing that the nanites that maintain control over his Thunderbolts also shield him from Purple Man's influence.

He is prevented from killing the Puppet Master by Heroes for Hire operatives Elektra and the Shroud, who Killgrave attacks with a mob of mind-controlled inmates driven into a frenzy.

[21] Eventually, after tracking down Jessica Jones and taking control of Carol Danvers, Purple Man kills himself by force of will and Captain Marvel throws his body into the sun.

[24] The Purple Man's body produces chemical pheromones which, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, allow Killgrave to control others' actions as long as he is physically present.