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Grigori Rasputin (Hellboy)
Encyclopedia
Grigori Efimovich Rasputin is a fictional supervillain
in the comic book
series Hellboy
. The character was created by Mike Mignola
and John Byrne, based on the real life Russia
n mystic of the same name
.
In 2009, Grigori Rasputin was ranked as IGN
's 83rd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
. When the summoning accidentally placed the creature (Hellboy) in the hands of the Allies, Rasputin retreated to the Arctic Circle
.
He returned in 1994 with Sadu-Hem, a monstrous spawn of the Ogdru Jahad
, in tow. Rasputin's goal was to use Hellboy's stone right hand to free the Ogdru Jahad from their crystal prisons and permit them to raze the earth. However, Rasputin's plans were foiled by the timely intervention of Hellboy's associates from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense
, Liz Sherman
and Abe Sapien
. Rasputin was killed and Sadu-Hem was burned to death.
Vladimir Giurescu to life. Rasputin directed Ilsa Haupstein, a loyal member of Project Ragna Rok, to abandon her efforts to revive Giurescu and instead place herself within an enchanted iron maiden
. Haupstein did so, dying in the process, but her blood allowed the goddess Hecate
to use the iron maiden as a permanent and indestructible body. Hecate's mortal form, like that of Rasputin himself, had been destroyed.
and the end of the world was averted with the destruction of the Conqueror Worm. Afterward, Rasputin attempts to command Hecate into doing his bidding, and they begin bickering about the Apocalypse and Hellboy. Hecate then destroys Rasputin's ghostly form, with his remnants retreating to the roots of the World Tree, where the Baba Yaga
took what was left of his soul and placed it in an acorn
.
, they found a doomsday cult
led by an acolyte of Rasputin. The acolyte, who had exhibited a chest wound the day that Rasputin was speared to death, fulfilled Rasputin's prophecy regarding his murderer. Abe Sapien, the agent that slew Rasputin, was himself speared to death by the acolyte. Sapien, however, was soon revived and both the acolyte and Sadu Hem were killed.
Rasputin's appearance in this story was limited to a photograph in a shrine.
He appears before Hellboy while Hellboy is battling Sammael the Hellhound and Hellboy appears to recognize his voice, advising that his mission is to help Hellboy realize his true calling, to destroy the Earth by summoning the Ogdru Jahad.
During the climax of the film, Rasputin nearly succeeds in freeing the Ogdru Jahad, but Hellboy rejects him and stabs Rasputin with one of his own severed horns. Rasputin's 'god', a tentacled monster bursts from his body and grows to gigantic size squashing Rasputin in the process.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series Hellboy
Hellboy
Hellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
. The character was created by Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
and John Byrne, based on the real life Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n mystic of the same name
Grigori Rasputin
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was a Russian Orthodox Christian and mystic who is perceived as having influenced the latter days of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their only son Alexei...
.
In 2009, Grigori Rasputin was ranked as IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's 83rd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Fictional biography
After being assassinated by Prince Felix Yusopov on December 16th, 1916, Rasputin was revived and contacted by the Ogdru Jahad. They enlisted him as their mortal agent in the world. Soon after, Rasputin was contacted by the Nazis to begin development on an occult method for ending the war. From this, Project Ragna Rok was born. The Nazis sought to use Rasputin to defeat the Allies, but Rasputin knew this would never happen. He merely intended to use the Nazi’s resources as long as he could to achieve his own goals: to trigger the apocalypse which would jumpstart a new Eden.Hellboy: Seed of Destruction
Rasputin first appeared in a cradle the Beast of the Apocalypse for the Nazis during World War IIWorld War II
World 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...
. When the summoning accidentally placed the creature (Hellboy) in the hands of the Allies, Rasputin retreated to the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
.
He returned in 1994 with Sadu-Hem, a monstrous spawn of the Ogdru Jahad
Ogdru Jahad
The Ogdru Jahad are fictional characters in Mike Mignola's Hellboy comic. They are the Dragon of Revelation, and are destined to bring about the end of the world. Though the Ogdru Jahad are the ultimate antagonists in the series, they are not themselves active, their release from imprisonment...
, in tow. Rasputin's goal was to use Hellboy's stone right hand to free the Ogdru Jahad from their crystal prisons and permit them to raze the earth. However, Rasputin's plans were foiled by the timely intervention of Hellboy's associates from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense
Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense
The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is a fictional organization in the comic book work of Mike Mignola, charged with protecting America and the world from the occult, paranormal and supernatural. It maintains the services of several supernatural persons, including Hellboy. The B.P.R.D...
, Liz Sherman
Liz Sherman
Elizabeth 'Liz' Sherman is a fictional character appearing in the Hellboy comic book series created by Mike Mignola.-Fictional character history:...
and Abe Sapien
Abe Sapien
Abraham "Abe" Sapien is a fictional character in the comic book series Hellboy, created by Mike Mignola. He takes his name from "Icthyo sapiens," the fanciful species designation chosen for him by his colleagues in the 19th-century Oannes Club, and from Abraham Lincoln, on whose assassination date...
. Rasputin was killed and Sadu-Hem was burned to death.
Hellboy: Wake the Devil
Rasputin re-appeared as a ghost while his pawns attempted to restore the vampireVampire
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...
Vladimir Giurescu to life. Rasputin directed Ilsa Haupstein, a loyal member of Project Ragna Rok, to abandon her efforts to revive Giurescu and instead place herself within an enchanted iron maiden
Iron maiden (torture device)
An iron maiden is a torture device, consisting of an iron cabinet, with a hinged front, sufficiently tall to enclose a human being. It usually has a small closeable opening so that the torturer can interrogate the victim and torture or kill a person by piercing the body with sharp objects , while...
. Haupstein did so, dying in the process, but her blood allowed the goddess Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
to use the iron maiden as a permanent and indestructible body. Hecate's mortal form, like that of Rasputin himself, had been destroyed.
Hellboy: Conqueror Worm
Rasputin appeared lastly in his ghostly form as a counsel to Inger von Klempt. He persuaded her that she was to be the first of a final race of men, but she was executed by Lobster JohnsonLobster Johnson
Lobster Johnson is a fictional character featured in the Hellboy and Bureau For Paranormal Research and Defense comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. He was created by Mike Mignola....
and the end of the world was averted with the destruction of the Conqueror Worm. Afterward, Rasputin attempts to command Hecate into doing his bidding, and they begin bickering about the Apocalypse and Hellboy. Hecate then destroys Rasputin's ghostly form, with his remnants retreating to the roots of the World Tree, where the Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga or Baba Roga is a haggish or witchlike character in Slavic folklore. She flies around on a giant pestle, kidnaps small children, and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs...
took what was left of his soul and placed it in an acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
.
B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs
When the BPRD investigated the disappearance of a regenerated Sadu Hem from a Bureau facility in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, they found a doomsday cult
Doomsday cult
Doomsday cult is an expression used to describe groups who believe in Apocalypticism and Millenarianism, and can refer both to groups that prophesy catastrophe and destruction, and to those that attempt to bring it about...
led by an acolyte of Rasputin. The acolyte, who had exhibited a chest wound the day that Rasputin was speared to death, fulfilled Rasputin's prophecy regarding his murderer. Abe Sapien, the agent that slew Rasputin, was himself speared to death by the acolyte. Sapien, however, was soon revived and both the acolyte and Sadu Hem were killed.
Rasputin's appearance in this story was limited to a photograph in a shrine.
Hellboy: Darkness Calls
Towards the end of the series, as Hellboy is trying to fight his way out of the Baba Yaga's world, the villainess puts as much of her power as she can into her slave Koschei the Deathless to kill Hellboy. As she runs out of her own power, she states she has one more try, and wants to use the spirit of Rasputin, (still in the acorn) to power Koschei. But her servant, Koku, throws the acorn away stating 'oh, not that... not him' in a manner of keeping Rasputin's Soul at peace. Hellboy hears Rasputin's name mentioned and only states 'Don't even get me started on that guy!'Film
- Actor Karel RodenKarel RodenKarel Roden is a Czech actor, known for his roles in Hellboy and The Bourne Supremacy.Roden's father and grandfather were also actors. After studying theatrical art in Prague he has played many roles in theatres and movies. First, he graduated school of ceramic, then he was admitted to the Academy...
played Rasputin, the primary antagonist, in the 2004 film versionHellboy (film)Hellboy is a 2004 supernatural superhero film, starring Ron Perlman, John Hurt and Selma Blair, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is based on the Dark Horse Comics work Hellboy: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola. It was produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
. He is seen working with the Nazis in the film and demonstrated great occult abilities linked with the underworld. In the beginning of the film, he succeeds in opening a portal to the dimension of the Ogdru JahadOgdru JahadThe Ogdru Jahad are fictional characters in Mike Mignola's Hellboy comic. They are the Dragon of Revelation, and are destined to bring about the end of the world. Though the Ogdru Jahad are the ultimate antagonists in the series, they are not themselves active, their release from imprisonment...
, but the portal was sabotaged by the Allied Forces. After (unknowingly) letting Hellboy through, Rasputin was sucked into the portal before it vanished entirely. He was then resurrected by Ilsa and KroenenKarl Ruprecht KroenenKarl Ruprecht Kroenen is a fictional character in the Hellboy comic book series, created by Mike Mignola.In the comics, Kroenen was a relatively unremarkable Nazi SS scientist, whose most distinguishing characteristic was that he always wore a gas mask and protective bodysuit, which Mignola...
in an Arctic temple. Rasputin tells Professor Broom every time he died, he was resurrected with a part of his god within his body.
He appears before Hellboy while Hellboy is battling Sammael the Hellhound and Hellboy appears to recognize his voice, advising that his mission is to help Hellboy realize his true calling, to destroy the Earth by summoning the Ogdru Jahad.
During the climax of the film, Rasputin nearly succeeds in freeing the Ogdru Jahad, but Hellboy rejects him and stabs Rasputin with one of his own severed horns. Rasputin's 'god', a tentacled monster bursts from his body and grows to gigantic size squashing Rasputin in the process.
- On Hellboy II: The Golden Army, though director Guillermo Del ToroGuillermo del ToroGuillermo del Toro is a Mexican director, producer, screenwriter, novelist and designer. He is mostly known for his acclaimed films, Blade II, Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy film franchise. He is a frequent collaborator with Ron Perlman, Federico Luppi and Doug Jones...
couldn't add it into the after-credits for budget reasons, set up an animated sequel that reveals Rasputin's ghost aiding Roderick Zinco to resurrect Kroenen, telling Zinco he has one final mission to perform for him.