.gif)
Chthon (comics)
Encyclopedia
Chthon is a fictional character
, a demonic
Elder God
in the Marvel Comics
Universe
. His name derives from chthon
, the Greek
word for "earth" and "earthly", especially pertaining to earth that was not life giving soil, but dark like that of the grave or the underworld. In some instances, Chthon is portrayed as the Marvel equivalent of the primal Devil
of some kind predating that of Judeo-Christian
teachings, as his creations, the N'Garai
, were driven from Earth
by the angel Lucifer
before his rebellion against God
; and his opposing power, Oshtur, has been hinted to be an angelic being in Marvel Tarot.
achieved consciousness
after being formed and coalesced from the Earth's biosphere
. As conditions on Earth began to support life, it became aware. Wanting to know itself, the Demiurge split itself into countless aspects, one of which evidently became Chthon. Consequently, Chthon is billions of years old.
The Elder Gods are the forerunners to the modern gods
and demons of Earth. Other contemporary demons that would become known as the "Elder Gods" as well are Set
, Belathauzer
, and Y'Garon
. Gaea came into being and was the "Protector of the Emerging Life" that began in the Seas. Oshtur, sister to Gaea and the other Elder Gods, left Earth in search of the mysteries of the universe. Chthon began devoting itself to the study and manipulation of mystical energies, becoming Earth's first master of black magic
, even experimenting on his fellow gods.
Set, the "God of the Dead", spawned a number of offspring (e.g., "Sligguth" and "Damballah"). Realizing he could increase his own power by consuming the energy of his fellow demons, Set became the first being on Earth to kill another. By consuming the life energies of a fellow Elder God, Set started down the path to degeneracy. Other Elder Gods quickly began following Set's example, killing each other for more power. The more they consumed, the more they hungered for power. With more power, the hunger became insatiable. Many became corrupt and began warring to satisfy the thirst for power; the victor feeding off the other. After millions of years, all the Elder Gods, except for Gaea and Oshtur, had degenerated to less than their Godhood, becoming evil.
, the first of a new generation of gods that would protect the world from the "Demonic Elder Gods".
Chthon (as well as many of the Elder Gods) had the talent of foresight. As the threat of Gaea's offspring came to light, he inscribed all his dark mystical knowledge (acquired through a millennia of practicing evil incarnate) onto indestructible parchments to leave in this dimension (should he be defeated) as a testament to his power and a link between him and this world.
Atum indeed became a threat to the Elder Gods, as he began destroying them for their evil and degradation, absorbing their energies into himself. The demonic energies he absorbed made him more and more powerful and caused Atum to undergo a metamorphosis into the form of Demogorge the God-Eater
. Many of the Elder Gods fell to Atum, and those who were not destroyed fled to other dimensions.
Chthon and Set joined together to fight Atum, but were defeated. Chthon, sensing the end was near, cast a spell that allowed him an escape into another dimension before the Demogorge could slay him. Before he left, Chthon left the parchment he had written behind, serving as a touchstone.
Upon learning what her siblings had degenerated into, Oshtur volunteered to leave the Earth dimension to prevent Gaea's spell from being weakened. After the demon-war, Gaea was the only original Elder God permitted to exist on the planet, and she infused her godly essence into the Earth and into all living things (becoming known as "Mother Earth"). The Demogorge released the energies he had absorbed, reverting back to the form of Atum. He then took residence within Earth's Sun
. Atum returned to the Earth sometime later when Set threatened to invade the Earth with the rise of the dinosaur
s. The struggle between Set and Atum was so great, that many believe the energy released during that period was responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. After that battle, Atum would father the Egyptian pantheon
of gods and later return to Earth when he assisted the "Odinson" Thor
, with whom Atum shared his maternal parent, Gaea. Together, Atum and Thor engaged and defeated the Elder God Set.
Chthon added the Demogorge page to the scrolls to ensure that any future Demogorge on Earth would be at his own behest. He also added a counter-spell to stop the Demogorge that could only be cast by someone non-mystical in nature. The parchments would one day be bound together in a single volume and aptly titled, the Darkhold
, the Earth's first tome of black magic. In his new dimension, Chthon spawned the race of demons known as the N'Garai
, who would return to Earth though he himself could not.
. These sorcerers (including Varnae
) founded a cult of Darkholders and used the power of Chthon to become vampire
s in a bid to attain immortality. Over the next millennia, many people came to use the Darkhold and were corrupted by Chthon, including Babylonia
n savants, Egyptian priests, and Hebrew
scholars.
In the Sixth Century, the sorceress Morgan le Fey
became leader of the Darkholders. Morgan and the Darkholders attempted to summon the Elder God to make him do their bidding, not knowing that a demon of his power and consciousness is uncontrollable by Earth's standards. When the Darkholders tried to send the demon "back to whence he came," they discovered they were incapable of banishing him altogether, and so they bound him (with the aid of the text itself) to a single Earthly location, Mount Wundagore
, in what would become the Eastern European nation of Transia
.
Having seen the evil that can consume all, Morgan's lover, Magnus
, renounced the Darkholders and took the Darkhold for safe keeping, hiding it where "none with negative intent" could be corrupted by its inherent evil, in a magic tower on the Isle of Wight
. However, an apprentice called Modred the Mystic
sought the power of the Darkhold for good reasons. The Other, Chthon's host on Earth, tried to corrupt Modred, but he resisted until Chthon threatened the soul of his beloved Janice, for whom he sacrificed his own soul.
In the late 1940s, Herbert Wyndham, the man who became the High Evolutionary
, made his laboratory base at the foot of Wundagore Mountain with the assistance of Doctor Horace Grayson (the father of the 1950s superhero Marvel Boy
).
In the 1950s, a young Philip Masters (the Puppet Master
) obtained clay from the mountain that had been granted mystical power by Chthon's presence. He would use this clay in his attempts to conquer the Fantastic Four
.
A colleague of Herbert Wyndham's, Jonathan Drew, with his wife Miriam and daughter Jessica
, arrived during this time. The werewolf Gregor Russoff, a Darkholder whose grandson (birthname Jacob Russoff, legal name Jack Russell) would become the Werewolf by Night
, attacked and killed Drew's wife. Jonathan Drew was possessed by the ghost of the magician Magnus, who had fought the Darkholders for centuries. Wyndham, to protect the Drews' daughter, put her in suspended animation.
The High Evolutionary also created a race of artificially evolved humanoid animals called the New Men
. He was convinced by Magnus (in Jonathan Drew's form) to pattern their codes of action and conduct after medieval knighthood. They named the elite members of the New Men the Knights of Wundagore.
.
While Gregor Russoff attempted to summon Chthon, Magda was giving birth, with the assistance of a bovine female midwife, Lady Bova of the New Men. Chthon battled the High Evolutionary and his Knights of Wundagore, killing many, but was banished again when Magnus' spirit possessed Russoff's body and allowed the feedback from the Darkholds magic to kill Russoff.
As his presence faded, Chthon sent a part of his essence into one of Magda's twin children, Wanda, whose mutation
was transformed into the ability to manipulate chaos
and probability
and, later, to manipulate reality itself. Magda died and her children were placed into suspended animation.
Several years later, Robert Frank and his pregnant wife Madeline (formerly the superheroes Whizzer
and Miss America
) came to Wundagore. Madeline died giving birth to a stillborn child that was deformed by the Franks' exposure to radiation at the hands of their enemy Isbisa
. When Robert asked to see his child, Lady Bova, knowing that his wife had died in child birth and to spare his grief, presented the two children (born to the late Magda) to him as his children, but when he learned of his wife's death, he fled. He would for years believe that the twins were his own abandoned children, although the Franks also had one surviving son, Nuklo
, who was in suspended animation in the care of the United States government.
The infant twins were returned to suspended animation for decades until Bova brought them to a Transian gypsy named Django Maximoff, who raised the children as his own. While the twins would become the Scarlet Witch
and Quicksilver
, Jessica Drew was also freed from suspended animation, eventually becoming the first Spider-Woman
.
Chthon's influence amplified some years later thanks to a proliferation of Darkholders across the planet. Vittorio Montesi discovered he was sterile, but was determined to have an heir to guard the Darkhold that had come into his possession. Montesi gave in to temptation and used a Spell of Fertility from the cursed book. This allowed Montesi's wife to become pregnant; not with Vittorio's child, but rather Chthon's demon-spawn. The child was Victoria Montesi
who would grow to lead a group of mystic investigators including Modred the Mystic, opposing the users of the Darkhold powers and incantations. Chthon mystically impregnated Victoria with his own life-force in an attempt to be reborn on Earth, but this was prevented by Doctor Strange
.
In the modern era, Modred the Mystic and Magnus opposed the Darkholders and Morgan le Fey, respectively; with Magnus also becoming an ally of Spider-Woman.
When the Avengers
arrived, Modred vanquished them easily, but was knocked unconscious by the Wasp
. Chthon easily bested her. The Avengers (with Django and Pietro) were imprisoned in a mystical circle that would allow Chthon to bring the rest of its demonic essence to Earth. However, Beast
, dressed as one of the Knights of Wundagore, arrived at the last minute and was actually able to damage the Darkhold using a weapon designed by the High Evolutionary.
The distraction freed the Avengers (along with Pietro and Django) and Django (just before he died of a heart attack), knowing that Wanda's soul still existed, had crafted a doll in her image as a vessel to shelter her from Chthon's possession and he gave it to Pietro. Using the doll as a focal point, the Avengers joined their wills against Chthon's, returning Wanda to her body and trapping Chthon's essence in the doll. Pietro threw the doll down the mountain and Wanda caused an avalanche to bury it, leaving the Elder God once again trapped in the dimension.
deities, and the defenders of Earth still bearing the scars of the devastating global Secret Invasion
, Chthon seizes this chance to resurface. Knowing about Chthon's activities and how they have taken down most superheroes, Loki
, under the guise of the Scarlet Witch, helps to reform the Mighty Avengers
to combat him. However, Modred successfully summons Chthon into the body of Quicksilver and Chthon arrives claiming that this reality shall "fall before him" in the blink of an eye. Using Quicksilver's powers, Chthon alters the effects of the Chaos Cascade, caused by Modred reading the Darkhold, to whatever he desires. Chthon is banished from Earth and expelled from Pietro's body due to the combined efforts of the Mighty Avengers.
Despite his great powers, Chthon cannot freely teleport
between dimensions because it takes such an enormous inter-dimensional rift to accommodate the massive magical forces within him. Moreover, Gaea has erected magical screens, reinforced over millennia by human sorcerers, which prevent him from traveling to Earth unless he undertakes highly elaborate preparations. The Elder Goddess Oshtur and her Vishanti
are also set against Chthon, having protected the Earth dimension for eons from beings such as he, and have created the office of Sorcerer Supreme
to help battle his threat. Hence, Chthon prefers to manifest himself on Earth by taking possession of mortal host bodies, although it appears that he cannot easily (if at all) exercise his full mystical power through such bodies.
Chthon has an extraordinary knowledge of the dark mystical forces of the cosmos, being the Marvel Universe's first known native practitioner of black magic, and catalogued the evil spells of the demonic Elder Gods of Earth in the Darkhold, a virtually indestructible collection of evil mystical knowledge and spells that he intended to serve as the medium through which he could return to Earth. The Darkhold can apparently change its form, since Chthon created it millions of years before the rise of humanity, to whom it appeared as a set of scrolls with human writing upon them. Most people who use the Darkholds spells fall under Chthon's mental control as a result. Only humans with great spiritual strength (or aided by great mystical expertise), like Doctor Strange and the members of the Montesi family, can successfully resist this mental enslavement. The Darkholds power is so vast that it took the combined power of Merlin
and Brendan to contain it; and even together they were unable to destroy it.
When Chthon possessed the body of Quicksilver he wove a series of spells at superhuman speed while running around the Earth. These caused a river of blood to flood New York City
, encased San Francisco in solid amber, made Oklahoma
disappear, placed the city of Asgard
in an other-dimensional prison, boiled the seas of Atlantis, created and activated volcanoes, overwhelmed Philadelphia with vegetation, incapacitated the New Avengers, melted vibranium
ore, summoned swarms of flesh-eating insects in Toronto
, reduced the Fantastic Four into television signals, transformed the Young Avengers
into stone, and called an intense snowstorm to strike the Arizona desert
. The cosmic being Eternity
later likened Chthon to a "cancer" threatening the universe when talking to Hank Pym.
However, Chthon is neither omniscient nor invincible. He fled from the Demogorge when originally entering his otherworldly prison after his own effort (further bolstered by the aid of the other Elder Gods) to defeat the God-Eater failed. The Hulk
has struck him to the ground; and he can be bested by superior strategy, cosmic or mystic prowess, or scientific expertise which he is unaccustomed to, such as when Pym banished him from Earth.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a demonic
Demons (Marvel Comics)
The Marvel Comics universe hosts a number of demons, many of whom are at times at conflict with gods and angels. All possess varying degrees of mystical power, feed upon souls for self-sustenance, and are inclined towards dark or “black” magic - evil....
Elder God
Elder Gods (Marvel Comics)
The Elder Gods are fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe. They were the first generation of Earth's gods, apparently inspired by Greek mythology and the Cthulhu Mythos.-Fictional group history:...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. His name derives from chthon
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
, the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word for "earth" and "earthly", especially pertaining to earth that was not life giving soil, but dark like that of the grave or the underworld. In some instances, Chthon is portrayed as the Marvel equivalent of the primal Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
of some kind predating that of Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
teachings, as his creations, the N'Garai
N'Garai
The N'Garai are a fictional race found in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The N'Garai first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #96 , and were created by Bill Mantlo, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum....
, were driven from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
by the angel Lucifer
Lucifer (Marvel Comics)
Lucifer is the name of two unrelated comic book characters from Marvel Comics. One is an alien supervillain of the X-Men and the other is a villain of Ghost Rider and is referred to as the Prince of Darkness.-Lucifer :...
before his rebellion against God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
; and his opposing power, Oshtur, has been hinted to be an angelic being in Marvel Tarot.
Origin
During the era in which the first single-celled organism formed on Earth, the Elder God DemiurgeDemiurge (comics)
Demiurge is a fictional character, a cosmic entity in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on the concept of the Demiurge. It is the sentient life force of Earth's biosphere, creator of the elder gods, and the father of Atum, conceived with Gaea....
achieved consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
after being formed and coalesced from the Earth's biosphere
Biosphere
The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be called the zone of life on Earth, a closed and self-regulating system...
. As conditions on Earth began to support life, it became aware. Wanting to know itself, the Demiurge split itself into countless aspects, one of which evidently became Chthon. Consequently, Chthon is billions of years old.
The Elder Gods are the forerunners to the modern gods
Gods (Marvel Comics)
Several characters in many Marvel Comics stories have been referred to as gods. Generally, however, only those belonging to two specific types are considered to be the "true" gods. Note that only ONE of these beings are divine in the commonly understood sense, but most are rather simply powerful...
and demons of Earth. Other contemporary demons that would become known as the "Elder Gods" as well are Set
Set (Serpent God)
Set is the name of a fictional demon-god within the continuities of Conan the Barbarian and Marvel Universe.He is apparently an amalgam of the name of the Egyptian god Set and the appearance and characteristics of the Egyptian monster Apep and the Greek mythological figure the Lernaean Hydra. This...
, Belathauzer
Belathauzer
Belthauzer is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon who has clashed with the Defenders and Devil-Slayer.-Publication history:...
, and Y'Garon
Y'Garon
Y'Garon is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon who has clashed with Dracula.-Publication history:Y'Garon first appeared in Giant-Size Dracula #2 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Don Heck....
. Gaea came into being and was the "Protector of the Emerging Life" that began in the Seas. Oshtur, sister to Gaea and the other Elder Gods, left Earth in search of the mysteries of the universe. Chthon began devoting itself to the study and manipulation of mystical energies, becoming Earth's first master of black magic
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
, even experimenting on his fellow gods.
Set, the "God of the Dead", spawned a number of offspring (e.g., "Sligguth" and "Damballah"). Realizing he could increase his own power by consuming the energy of his fellow demons, Set became the first being on Earth to kill another. By consuming the life energies of a fellow Elder God, Set started down the path to degeneracy. Other Elder Gods quickly began following Set's example, killing each other for more power. The more they consumed, the more they hungered for power. With more power, the hunger became insatiable. Many became corrupt and began warring to satisfy the thirst for power; the victor feeding off the other. After millions of years, all the Elder Gods, except for Gaea and Oshtur, had degenerated to less than their Godhood, becoming evil.
Demon of the Darkhold
As the Elder Gods degenerated into violence, only Gaea remained peaceful. Seeking a way to protect the innocent life that was growing on the planet, Gaea mated with the Demiurge creating AtumAtum (comics)
Atum is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, based loosely on the Ra of Egyptian mythology. The character first appears in Thor Annual #10 and was created by Alan Zelenetz and Bob Hall....
, the first of a new generation of gods that would protect the world from the "Demonic Elder Gods".
Chthon (as well as many of the Elder Gods) had the talent of foresight. As the threat of Gaea's offspring came to light, he inscribed all his dark mystical knowledge (acquired through a millennia of practicing evil incarnate) onto indestructible parchments to leave in this dimension (should he be defeated) as a testament to his power and a link between him and this world.
Atum indeed became a threat to the Elder Gods, as he began destroying them for their evil and degradation, absorbing their energies into himself. The demonic energies he absorbed made him more and more powerful and caused Atum to undergo a metamorphosis into the form of Demogorge the God-Eater
Atum (comics)
Atum is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, based loosely on the Ra of Egyptian mythology. The character first appears in Thor Annual #10 and was created by Alan Zelenetz and Bob Hall....
. Many of the Elder Gods fell to Atum, and those who were not destroyed fled to other dimensions.
Chthon and Set joined together to fight Atum, but were defeated. Chthon, sensing the end was near, cast a spell that allowed him an escape into another dimension before the Demogorge could slay him. Before he left, Chthon left the parchment he had written behind, serving as a touchstone.
Upon learning what her siblings had degenerated into, Oshtur volunteered to leave the Earth dimension to prevent Gaea's spell from being weakened. After the demon-war, Gaea was the only original Elder God permitted to exist on the planet, and she infused her godly essence into the Earth and into all living things (becoming known as "Mother Earth"). The Demogorge released the energies he had absorbed, reverting back to the form of Atum. He then took residence within Earth's Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. Atum returned to the Earth sometime later when Set threatened to invade the Earth with the rise of the dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s. The struggle between Set and Atum was so great, that many believe the energy released during that period was responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. After that battle, Atum would father the Egyptian pantheon
Egyptian pantheon
The Egyptian pantheon consisted of the many gods worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians. A number of major deities are addressed as the creator of the cosmos. These include Atum, Ra, Amun and Ptah amongst others, as well as composite forms of these gods such as Amun-Ra. This was not seen as...
of gods and later return to Earth when he assisted the "Odinson" Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, with whom Atum shared his maternal parent, Gaea. Together, Atum and Thor engaged and defeated the Elder God Set.
Chthon added the Demogorge page to the scrolls to ensure that any future Demogorge on Earth would be at his own behest. He also added a counter-spell to stop the Demogorge that could only be cast by someone non-mystical in nature. The parchments would one day be bound together in a single volume and aptly titled, the Darkhold
Darkhold
The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is a fictional book in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Darkhold was co-created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. The Darkhold was first mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3 but first shown in Marvel Spotlight #4...
, the Earth's first tome of black magic. In his new dimension, Chthon spawned the race of demons known as the N'Garai
N'Garai
The N'Garai are a fictional race found in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The N'Garai first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #96 , and were created by Bill Mantlo, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum....
, who would return to Earth though he himself could not.
Legacy of the Darkhold
The Darkhold was discovered by human sorcerers in pre-Cataclysmic AtlantisAtlantis (Marvel Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the Marvel Universe. It is based on the mythical island of Atlantis first mentioned in Plato's initial dialogue the Timaeus, written circa 360 BC. In the Marvel Universe, Atlantis was a small continent with many human settlements...
. These sorcerers (including Varnae
Varnae
Varnae is a fictional villainous vampire in the Marvel Comics universe. He has been an adversary of several of Marvel's supernatural and fantasy-related heroes, and is a major character in Marvel's Dracula mythos...
) founded a cult of Darkholders and used the power of Chthon to become vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s in a bid to attain immortality. Over the next millennia, many people came to use the Darkhold and were corrupted by Chthon, including Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
n savants, Egyptian priests, and Hebrew
Hebrews
Hebrews is an ethnonym used in the Hebrew Bible...
scholars.
In the Sixth Century, the sorceress Morgan le Fey
Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)
Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She...
became leader of the Darkholders. Morgan and the Darkholders attempted to summon the Elder God to make him do their bidding, not knowing that a demon of his power and consciousness is uncontrollable by Earth's standards. When the Darkholders tried to send the demon "back to whence he came," they discovered they were incapable of banishing him altogether, and so they bound him (with the aid of the text itself) to a single Earthly location, Mount Wundagore
Wundagore
-Fictional history:Wundagore is a mountain in the fictional Eastern European nation of Transia. The history of Chthon and the Darkhold are strongly tied to the mountain of Wundagore. In the Sixth Century, a cult of Darkholders led by the sorceress Morgan le Fey attempted to summon Chthon but found...
, in what would become the Eastern European nation of Transia
Transia
Transia is a fictional European country on the Earth of the Marvel Universe. It is located between Transylvania, Romania and Serbia. More than 90% of its people live in one large town and a number of smaller villages located at the base of Mount Wundagore.Transia was a former section of...
.
Having seen the evil that can consume all, Morgan's lover, Magnus
Magnus the Sorcerer
Magnus the Sorcerer is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.The character was an ally of the first Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew.-Publication history:...
, renounced the Darkholders and took the Darkhold for safe keeping, hiding it where "none with negative intent" could be corrupted by its inherent evil, in a magic tower on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. However, an apprentice called Modred the Mystic
Modred the Mystic
Modred the Mystic is a fictional magician in the Marvel Comics universe who has alternated between being an anti-hero and an outright supervillain. He first appeared in Marvel Chillers #1. He was created by Bill Mantlo, Yong Montano and Marv Wolfman....
sought the power of the Darkhold for good reasons. The Other, Chthon's host on Earth, tried to corrupt Modred, but he resisted until Chthon threatened the soul of his beloved Janice, for whom he sacrificed his own soul.
In the late 1940s, Herbert Wyndham, the man who became the High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary
The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, made his laboratory base at the foot of Wundagore Mountain with the assistance of Doctor Horace Grayson (the father of the 1950s superhero Marvel Boy
Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson)
Marvel Boy , also known as The Uranian, is a fictional character, a superhero in the , one of several to use the name Marvel Boy. He was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Russ Heath, and first appeared in Marvel Boy #1 Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson), also known as The Uranian, is a...
).
In the 1950s, a young Philip Masters (the Puppet Master
Puppet Master (comics)
The Puppet Master, real name Phillip Masters, is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Fantastic Four comics. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four volume 1 #8...
) obtained clay from the mountain that had been granted mystical power by Chthon's presence. He would use this clay in his attempts to conquer the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
.
A colleague of Herbert Wyndham's, Jonathan Drew, with his wife Miriam and daughter Jessica
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
, arrived during this time. The werewolf Gregor Russoff, a Darkholder whose grandson (birthname Jacob Russoff, legal name Jack Russell) would become the Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
, attacked and killed Drew's wife. Jonathan Drew was possessed by the ghost of the magician Magnus, who had fought the Darkholders for centuries. Wyndham, to protect the Drews' daughter, put her in suspended animation.
The High Evolutionary also created a race of artificially evolved humanoid animals called the New Men
New Men (Marvel Comics)
The New Men are a fictional Marvel Comics universe group of hyper-evolved animals created by the High Evolutionary . They are also known as the Knights of Wundagore.-Fictional group history:...
. He was convinced by Magnus (in Jonathan Drew's form) to pattern their codes of action and conduct after medieval knighthood. They named the elite members of the New Men the Knights of Wundagore.
Birth of a nation
During this period, a pregnant gypsy woman named Magda arrived at Wundagore, on the verge of giving birth. Unknown to all, she was the wife of the man who would become MagnetoMagneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
.
While Gregor Russoff attempted to summon Chthon, Magda was giving birth, with the assistance of a bovine female midwife, Lady Bova of the New Men. Chthon battled the High Evolutionary and his Knights of Wundagore, killing many, but was banished again when Magnus' spirit possessed Russoff's body and allowed the feedback from the Darkholds magic to kill Russoff.
As his presence faded, Chthon sent a part of his essence into one of Magda's twin children, Wanda, whose mutation
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
was transformed into the ability to manipulate chaos
Chaos (cosmogony)
Chaos refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creation myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth....
and probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
and, later, to manipulate reality itself. Magda died and her children were placed into suspended animation.
Several years later, Robert Frank and his pregnant wife Madeline (formerly the superheroes Whizzer
Whizzer (Robert Frank)
The Whizzer is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared during the 1930s-1940s period that fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Publication history:...
and Miss America
Miss America (Marvel Comics)
Miss America is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 Miss America (Madeline Joyce Frank) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Marvel Mystery...
) came to Wundagore. Madeline died giving birth to a stillborn child that was deformed by the Franks' exposure to radiation at the hands of their enemy Isbisa
Isbisa
Isbisa is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in All Winners Comics vol. 1, #19 , published by Marvel predecessor Timely Comics during the 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books...
. When Robert asked to see his child, Lady Bova, knowing that his wife had died in child birth and to spare his grief, presented the two children (born to the late Magda) to him as his children, but when he learned of his wife's death, he fled. He would for years believe that the twins were his own abandoned children, although the Franks also had one surviving son, Nuklo
Nuklo
Nuklo is a fictional character, mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:Nuklo first appeared in Giant-Size Avengers #1 , and was created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins....
, who was in suspended animation in the care of the United States government.
The infant twins were returned to suspended animation for decades until Bova brought them to a Transian gypsy named Django Maximoff, who raised the children as his own. While the twins would become the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
and Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, Jessica Drew was also freed from suspended animation, eventually becoming the first Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee, said in 1978, shortly after Spider-Woman's debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters...
.
Chthon's influence amplified some years later thanks to a proliferation of Darkholders across the planet. Vittorio Montesi discovered he was sterile, but was determined to have an heir to guard the Darkhold that had come into his possession. Montesi gave in to temptation and used a Spell of Fertility from the cursed book. This allowed Montesi's wife to become pregnant; not with Vittorio's child, but rather Chthon's demon-spawn. The child was Victoria Montesi
Victoria Montesi
Victoria Montesi is a fictional Italian-American doctor and occult investigator in the Marvel Comics universe, who first appeared on the pages of the comic book, The Darkhold #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
who would grow to lead a group of mystic investigators including Modred the Mystic, opposing the users of the Darkhold powers and incantations. Chthon mystically impregnated Victoria with his own life-force in an attempt to be reborn on Earth, but this was prevented by Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
.
In the modern era, Modred the Mystic and Magnus opposed the Darkholders and Morgan le Fey, respectively; with Magnus also becoming an ally of Spider-Woman.
Avengers Assemble
When Modred the Mystic transcended into loyalty to Chthon, the Elder God had him delude Magnus into absence when he was to rise again. Modred captured the Scarlet Witch and performed the ritual allowing the Chthon to use her as his vessel on Earth. While trying to purge the form of the last of Wanda's humanity and conscience, Chthon appeared before Lady Bova and Wanda's brother, Pietro, warning them to leave or be killed. As Chthon began to grow more powerful in Wanda's earthly form, she attacked Pietro and their adoptive father, Django Maximoff.When the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
arrived, Modred vanquished them easily, but was knocked unconscious by the Wasp
Wasp (comics)
The Wasp is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe and founding member of The Avengers. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 ....
. Chthon easily bested her. The Avengers (with Django and Pietro) were imprisoned in a mystical circle that would allow Chthon to bring the rest of its demonic essence to Earth. However, Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
, dressed as one of the Knights of Wundagore, arrived at the last minute and was actually able to damage the Darkhold using a weapon designed by the High Evolutionary.
The distraction freed the Avengers (along with Pietro and Django) and Django (just before he died of a heart attack), knowing that Wanda's soul still existed, had crafted a doll in her image as a vessel to shelter her from Chthon's possession and he gave it to Pietro. Using the doll as a focal point, the Avengers joined their wills against Chthon's, returning Wanda to her body and trapping Chthon's essence in the doll. Pietro threw the doll down the mountain and Wanda caused an avalanche to bury it, leaving the Elder God once again trapped in the dimension.
Dark Reign
With no Sorcerer Supreme protecting it, the Demogorge slain in combat with the SkrullSkrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
deities, and the defenders of Earth still bearing the scars of the devastating global Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
, Chthon seizes this chance to resurface. Knowing about Chthon's activities and how they have taken down most superheroes, Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
, under the guise of the Scarlet Witch, helps to reform the Mighty Avengers
Mighty Avengers
The Mighty Avengers is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of New Avengers, the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered superheroes, residing in New York as part of the Fifty State...
to combat him. However, Modred successfully summons Chthon into the body of Quicksilver and Chthon arrives claiming that this reality shall "fall before him" in the blink of an eye. Using Quicksilver's powers, Chthon alters the effects of the Chaos Cascade, caused by Modred reading the Darkhold, to whatever he desires. Chthon is banished from Earth and expelled from Pietro's body due to the combined efforts of the Mighty Avengers.
Other appearances
- When battling the ViperViper (Madame Hydra)Viper, formerly known as Madame Hydra, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe who is a foe of the Avengers and the X-Men...
, Spider-Woman was cast through a portal to the dimension of Chthon's domain. The Elder God touched the hero and began transforming her into a demon. She was rescued by the Viper, having discovered (erroneously, as Viper revealed to Spider-Woman that it was actually an illusion put into the Viper's mind) that Spider-Woman was her daughter and instead betrayed the demon, closing the door to his realm, freeing Jessica, and casting Chthon back into the void (his dimension).
- On one occasion, after Doctor Strange took the Darkhold into his Sanctum SanctorumSanctum SanctorumThe Sanctum Sanctorum is a fictional building in the Marvel Universe. It first appeared with Doctor Strange in his debut in Strange Tales #110 .-Location:...
for safe keeping, he used the Montesi Formula (developed as an amendment to the Darkhold) to destroy all vampires on Earth. He successfully avoided having Chthon gain control of his soul.
- The Doctor Strange villain DormammuDormammuDormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
invoked the Cauldron of Chthon in a spell as he attempted to plunge the Earth into permanent darkness.
- When Morton Thurnton used a Darkhold page, Chthon appeared to him and summoned the Hellhound to aid him in finding weapons of destruction.
- The coming of the "Other Things" returned the Scarlet Witch momentarily to her Chthon-controlled state. In "Perfection, South Carolina", a Darkhold page was used by Aurora Poule and the Other appeared before her. Given a choice between a dress to make her beautiful or revenge on those who had hurt her, Aurora chose the dress. When people were still mean to her, Aurora returned to the Other and asked for revenge. The Other obliged by opening a N'Garai cairn and unleashed the demons on the town.
- The Other was summoned by Reverend Styge and gifted him with the ability to raise the dead by eating humans.
- When a paralyzed woman named Clarisse Van Ripper used a page, the Other appeared to her and gave her the ability to sense the world through a demon.
- A prison inmate named Norman "Mercy" Zachos used a page of the Darkhold and the Other granted him escape, but he was plagued by demons whenever he was in darkness.
- The Other was summoned by a Mr. Hayward who wanted people to remember what he fought for in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Other created an army of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese planes that attacked MauiMauiThe island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
in a recreation of Hayward's memories. Many innocent people died.
- On an airplane, Sarrah Roberts used a page and the Other came to her. The Other unleashed a demon that granted her wishes and those of the other passengers. These wishes were twisted so that malice could ensue. Louise Hasting's daughter is slain in this incident.
- Louise Hastings used the Wishing Page to summon the Other. She was tempted to use it to bring her daughter back to life, but she would not give in and she resisted its corruption until her last breath. When her grandson, Jinx, tried to use it, only his status as a mystical adept kept Chthon from being able to dominate him.
- While attempting to free his friends from InterpolInterpolInterpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, Jinx again drew upon a page of the Darkhold. Bound by Jinx's skill, the Other was compelled to answer when Vicki asked it about the Demogorge page.
- Summoned by Lt. Frank West, the Other granted him with the ability to see Troids.
- When legally brain-dead Johnny Farmer was awakened by the Dwarf and given a page from the Darkhold, the Other came to Farmer and turned him into the Harvestor.
- The vampire hunter BladeBlade (comics)Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
used the Demogorge page and summoned the Other. Taking the form of Blade's mother, it offered Blade the chance to have his revenge on the supernatural by becoming a new Demogorge. Blade accepted and became Switchblade. He then killed many supernatural beings, including innocent ones.
- Louise Hastings used the Darkhold to cast the counter-spell to the Demogorge, saving those who had been killed by Switchblade, and losing some portion of her soul to Chthon.
- Chthon made an offer to Modred. In exchange for his soul, he could convince a certain good woman in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to willingly surrender her soul in his place. Modred accepted and succeeded in getting the woman to agree, only realizing after the ritual had occurred that the woman was his beloved Lady Janice. Taking possession of Janice, Chthon fought Modred, who drew upon Janice's love and faith to fend off the demon. Knowing that the Elder Demon would kill Janice before she could be freed, Modred offered his soul to Chthon again and the demon accepted. After Janice died in his arms, Chthon made the Mystic renew his loyalty.
- When Michael MorbiusMorbius, the Living VampireMorbius, the Living Vampire, is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane, the character, a living human suffering from vampiric abilities resulting from scientific rather than supernatural means, first appeared as...
used a page of the Darkhold to attain his deepest desire, the Other resurrected Martine Bancroft for him, though the entity called Parasite had taken over her form.
- Vicki Montesi used a page of the Darkhold, gaining powers to heal using the life forces of those killed by the Monstrosity.
- A young man named Brian Kornfeld was offered a page of the Darkhold and wanted to fight crime. The Other turned him into Spider-XSpider-XSpider-X is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in Midnight Sons Unlimited #3 ....
.
- The Demon-Dwarf revealed to Modred that Vicki Montesi was now pregnant with Chthon himself, and that in nine months he would be reborn onto the Earth.
- Chthon had the Midwife, a demon specifically created to give life to the infant Chthon, appear within Doctor Strange's Sanctum and prepare to bring Chthon to Earth again.
- In his dimension the Other-Realm, Chthon prepared to return to Earth. Doctor Strange traveled to Chthon's dimension and, while communicating with the demon, Strange nearly gave in to the darkness (which would have killed him), but Strange was saved only by his faith in "something far subtler and far more majestic than the Great Shadow." Strange then cast a spell with that faith at Chthon, causing the demon to shudder. Chthon then banished the mystic back to Earth, where the Midwife had begun to deliver Victoria's baby. There, Strange seized the opportunity, casting a similar spell that drew upon all the goodness in Victoria's soul. With Chthon weakened by being out of his metaphysical domain, but not yet in physical form, Chthon was forced to retreat to his Other-Realm.
- In a cavern deep within Wundagore, ExodusExodus (comics)Exodus is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Quesada, he first appeared in X-Factor #92...
noticed the living power in the mountain and contemplated how he could use it.
Powers and abilities
Chthon is one of the most powerful of all Elder Gods, but has degenerated into a demonic state. He possesses enormous ability to manipulate magical energies for a variety of effects, and is further empowered when in his own realm. He has telepathic abilities enabling him to read, control, and communicate with the minds of others, even across dimensional barriers. He has manifested himself in humanoid form, but can take various forms; his true appearance, if he has one, has not been revealed.Despite his great powers, Chthon cannot freely teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
between dimensions because it takes such an enormous inter-dimensional rift to accommodate the massive magical forces within him. Moreover, Gaea has erected magical screens, reinforced over millennia by human sorcerers, which prevent him from traveling to Earth unless he undertakes highly elaborate preparations. The Elder Goddess Oshtur and her Vishanti
Vishanti
The Vishanti are a fictional triumvirate of powerful mystical beings appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. The three beings who make up the Vishanti are Agamotto the All-Seeing , Omnipotent Oshtur , and Hoary Hoggoth...
are also set against Chthon, having protected the Earth dimension for eons from beings such as he, and have created the office of Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme or Sorceress Supreme is a title granted in the fictional Marvel Universe to the "practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension". By...
to help battle his threat. Hence, Chthon prefers to manifest himself on Earth by taking possession of mortal host bodies, although it appears that he cannot easily (if at all) exercise his full mystical power through such bodies.
Chthon has an extraordinary knowledge of the dark mystical forces of the cosmos, being the Marvel Universe's first known native practitioner of black magic, and catalogued the evil spells of the demonic Elder Gods of Earth in the Darkhold, a virtually indestructible collection of evil mystical knowledge and spells that he intended to serve as the medium through which he could return to Earth. The Darkhold can apparently change its form, since Chthon created it millions of years before the rise of humanity, to whom it appeared as a set of scrolls with human writing upon them. Most people who use the Darkholds spells fall under Chthon's mental control as a result. Only humans with great spiritual strength (or aided by great mystical expertise), like Doctor Strange and the members of the Montesi family, can successfully resist this mental enslavement. The Darkholds power is so vast that it took the combined power of Merlin
Merlin (Marvel Comics)
Merlin is the name of multiple fictional characters in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:The first Merlin of the Marvel Universe is apparently the figure of Arthurian legend, hailing from 6th century A.D. Britain. He was born in Carmarthen, Wales. He was a powerful sorcerer who...
and Brendan to contain it; and even together they were unable to destroy it.
When Chthon possessed the body of Quicksilver he wove a series of spells at superhuman speed while running around the Earth. These caused a river of blood to flood New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, encased San Francisco in solid amber, made Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
disappear, placed the city of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
in an other-dimensional prison, boiled the seas of Atlantis, created and activated volcanoes, overwhelmed Philadelphia with vegetation, incapacitated the New Avengers, melted vibranium
Vibranium
Vibranium is a fictional metal that appears in the Marvel Universe. It is most commonly known as one of the materials used to construct Captain America's shield, but it is also noted for its connection to the Black Panther and his native homeland of Wakanda .-Publication history:Vibranium first...
ore, summoned swarms of flesh-eating insects in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, reduced the Fantastic Four into television signals, transformed the Young Avengers
Young Avengers
Young Avengers is an American comic book series written by Allan Heinberg and published by Marvel Comics. It follows a group of young superheroes, each of whom patterns themselves after a member of the long-established Marvel superhero team the Avengers....
into stone, and called an intense snowstorm to strike the Arizona desert
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. The cosmic being Eternity
Eternity (comics)
Eternity is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by scripter-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Steve Ditko, the character is first mentioned in Strange Tales #134 and first appears in Strange Tales #138 Eternity is a fictional character that...
later likened Chthon to a "cancer" threatening the universe when talking to Hank Pym.
However, Chthon is neither omniscient nor invincible. He fled from the Demogorge when originally entering his otherworldly prison after his own effort (further bolstered by the aid of the other Elder Gods) to defeat the God-Eater failed. The Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
has struck him to the ground; and he can be bested by superior strategy, cosmic or mystic prowess, or scientific expertise which he is unaccustomed to, such as when Pym banished him from Earth.
Television
- In Blade: The SeriesBlade: The SeriesBlade: The Series is a 2006 American live-action television program based on the Marvel Comics character and film series. It premiered on Spike on June 28, 2006...
, there is a Vampire House called the House of Chthon. In all likelihood, the Vampire House is named after the Dark Deity itself, and is in some way connected to the House of Chthon.
- Chthon appears in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "Mother of Doom" voiced by Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
. Doctor DoomDoctor DoomVictor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
conquers its dimension in order to harness its magic and free his motherCynthia Von DoomCynthia Von Doom is a character in Marvel Comics. She is the mother of Doctor Doom.-Fictional character biography:Cynthia Von Doom was a soceress in Zafiro, a group of gypsies that reside in Latveria....
. Chthon comes to the Super Hero Squad and Doctor Strange for help. While WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Hulk, FalconFalcon (comics)The Falcon is a fictional comic book superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics.Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, and introduced in Captain America #117 , the character is mainstream comics' first African-American superhero...
, and Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
stay behind in case Doctor Doom's minions attack, Iron ManIron ManIron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, Thor, Silver SurferSilver SurferThe Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
, and Doctor Strange go with Chthon to his dimension. Prior to the transportation, Chthon had noticed that Doctor Strange used Chthon's Darkhold to hold up the wobbly part of his chair. When it came to the fight against Doctor Doom, Chthon was offered a deal by Doom (which was to take his nagging mother back) and helped him fight the heroes. After Doctor Doom was defeated and the castle everyone was in ends up destroyed, Chthon was locked up. He returned in the episode "Pedicure and Facial of Doom", this time as Coco's minion, and assisted her in her plot for world domination. However, with Doom's help, Coco and Chthon were defeated by the Squaddies.