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Hera (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Hera is a fiction
al deity
in the Marvel Comics
Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name
. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor
#129, written by Stan Lee
and drawn by Jack Kirby
.
and Pluto are her brothers, Demeter and Vesta
are her sisters, and Ares
, Hephaestus
, and Hebe
are her children, all by Zeus. She was born on the island of Samos, and now resides with the rest of the pantheon in Olympus
.
Hera was present at the time of a pact made a millennia ago to end war between Asgard and Olympus. It was also revealed that she was present during the Trojan War. When Hercules
was gravely wounded fighting the Masters of Evil
, Zeus blamed the Avengers for his condition. Hera sought to aid the Avengers in Olympus against the wrath of Zeus. Later, Hera challenged Ares to a contest to see who could cause Hercules more sorrow. She began a plot against Hercules concerning his growing love for the mortal Taylor Madison.
Most recently, she has appeared as the primary antagonist in The Incredible Hercules. Following the death of Zeus, she inherits both his thunderbolt
and the leadership of the Pantheon. In alliance with Pluto, she forcibly acquires Poseidon's stake in the Olympus corporation, and expels from the Pantheon all of Zeus' children, holding a meeting with Apollo
, Artemis
, and Hephaestus
, vowing to dedicate all her efforts to killing Hercules and Athena
.
It is implied that she may have been behind the death of Amadeus Cho
's parents. In her current mortal guise, she is the CEO of the Olympus Group, a megacorporation whose subsidiaries include the Excello Soap Company, who sponsored the contest that located Cho. In the process of her war on Hercules and Athena, she gained herself the enmity of Norman Osborn
, who believes her just a spoiled, crazy heiress suffering from delusions of godhood and CEO of a company rivalling the Oscorp Industries. After a battle between Hera's force (including Pluto, Typhon
, the Huntsman
, and Delphyne Gorgon
) and the Dark Avengers
, an alliance between Hera and Osborn was concluded.
Uncovering the treachery of her daughter Hebe, she attacked her, causing her to flee in search of Hercules. It is later revealed that Hera was indirectly responsible for the death of Amadeus Cho
's parents, as she aided a mortal Pythagoras Dupree in killing any potential rivals, in order to spite Athena. She now plans to unleash an unknown weapon called Continuum upon the world in order to exterminate mankind for a fourth time. She has also been revealed to be sexually involved with Typhon.
Elsewhere, angry at her son Ares' neglect of his responsibilities as an Olympian, she arranged a trap for him and a squad of his human soldiers, promising Ares' deceased son Kyknos his father's place as God of War if Kyknos could slay him.
Hera's weapon Continuum is revealed to be a device to recreate the universe in an improved version, destroying the existing one in the process. Hercules and Athena assemble a group of Avengers to stop Hera, including the reborn Zeus. They are opposed by the inventions of Hephastaus, and Hera's forces, which include Argus, and Arachne. The knowledge of Zeus' return stuns Hera, and Zeus succeeds in convincing her to stop the Continuum machine. However, Typhon reveals that he is now free from the control of the bands used to control him, he resists the lightning used against him, and slays both Hera, by blasting her head off, and Zeus. The souls of the two gods are seen in the company of Thanatos
, the God of Death, reunited and being taken to the underworld.
During the Chaos War
storyline, Hera is among the dead people released by Pluto to defend the Underworld from the forces of Amatsu-Mikaboshi
. Hera is then seen among the gods that are enslaved by Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
In the aftermath of the fight with Amatsu-Mikaboshi, Hera (alongside Zeus) is back among the living and is seen when Hulk makes his way to Mount Olympus.
Hera is a cunning strategist.
Hera rides about on mystical chariots built by Hephaestus. They are drawn by magical horses and are capable of flight and traversing the dimensions.
Following the death of her husband Zeus, she has inherited his position as the Olympian God of Thunder, and wields his thunderbolt.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
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 based on the Greek Goddess of the same name
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
. Hera first appeared in the pages of 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....
#129, written by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and drawn by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Fictional character biography
Hera is the Queen of the Olympian pantheon and wife of Zeus. NeptuneNeptune (Marvel Comics)
Neptune, also called Poseidon, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Neptune is the god of the sea in the Olympian pantheon, and the patron god of Atlantis.-Fictional character biography:...
and Pluto are her brothers, Demeter and Vesta
Vesta (Marvel Comics)
Vesta or Hestia is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Vesta appeared in Thor #301 , and was adapted from mythology by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, and Keith Pollard....
are her sisters, and Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, Hephaestus
Hephaestus (Marvel Comics)
Hephaestus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Hephaestus first appeared in Thor #129 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, and Hebe
Hebe (Marvel Comics)
Hebe is a Marvel Comics deity. One of the children of Zeus and Hera, she is the wife of Hercules and the cup-bearer of the Olympians. Hebe first appeared in Ka-Zar #1 , written by Allyn Brodsky and Frank Springer...
are her children, all by Zeus. She was born on the island of Samos, and now resides with the rest of the pantheon in Olympus
Olympus (Marvel Comics)
Olympus is a fictional setting, a location in the Marvel Universe. Adapted from Greek mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 ....
.
Hera was present at the time of a pact made a millennia ago to end war between Asgard and Olympus. It was also revealed that she was present during the Trojan War. When Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
was gravely wounded fighting the Masters of Evil
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a name for a number of fictional supervillain teams that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 , with the lineup continually changing over the years....
, Zeus blamed the Avengers for his condition. Hera sought to aid the Avengers in Olympus against the wrath of Zeus. Later, Hera challenged Ares to a contest to see who could cause Hercules more sorrow. She began a plot against Hercules concerning his growing love for the mortal Taylor Madison.
Most recently, she has appeared as the primary antagonist in The Incredible Hercules. Following the death of Zeus, she inherits both his thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
A thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
and the leadership of the Pantheon. In alliance with Pluto, she forcibly acquires Poseidon's stake in the Olympus corporation, and expels from the Pantheon all of Zeus' children, holding a meeting with Apollo
Apollo (Marvel Comics)
Apollo is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Apollo is the God of Light in the Olympian pantheon, and also the god of music, poetry, medicine, and the sciences.-Fictional character biography:...
, Artemis
Artemis (Marvel Comics)
Artemis is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and the moon in the Olympian pantheon.Zeus is her father, and Apollo is her brother.-Publication history:...
, and Hephaestus
Hephaestus (Marvel Comics)
Hephaestus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Hephaestus first appeared in Thor #129 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, vowing to dedicate all her efforts to killing Hercules and Athena
Athena (Marvel Comics)
Athena is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Athena first appeared in the pages of Thor #164, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
.
It is implied that she may have been behind the death of Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
's parents. In her current mortal guise, she is the CEO of the Olympus Group, a megacorporation whose subsidiaries include the Excello Soap Company, who sponsored the contest that located Cho. In the process of her war on Hercules and Athena, she gained herself the enmity of Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
, who believes her just a spoiled, crazy heiress suffering from delusions of godhood and CEO of a company rivalling the Oscorp Industries. After a battle between Hera's force (including Pluto, Typhon
Typhon (comics)
Typhon is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most commonly associated with the hero Hercules.-Fictional character biography:...
, the Huntsman
Huntsman (Marvel Comics)
The Huntsman is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe who is a tracker/hunter of the Olympian Gods for Zeus. Over the years he has appeared mainly as an enemy of Hercules.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Delphyne Gorgon
Delphyne Gorgon
Delphyne Gorgon is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. A Gorgon member of the Amazon nation, she is a love interest of Amadeus Cho...
) and the Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
, an alliance between Hera and Osborn was concluded.
Uncovering the treachery of her daughter Hebe, she attacked her, causing her to flee in search of Hercules. It is later revealed that Hera was indirectly responsible for the death of Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
's parents, as she aided a mortal Pythagoras Dupree in killing any potential rivals, in order to spite Athena. She now plans to unleash an unknown weapon called Continuum upon the world in order to exterminate mankind for a fourth time. She has also been revealed to be sexually involved with Typhon.
Elsewhere, angry at her son Ares' neglect of his responsibilities as an Olympian, she arranged a trap for him and a squad of his human soldiers, promising Ares' deceased son Kyknos his father's place as God of War if Kyknos could slay him.
Hera's weapon Continuum is revealed to be a device to recreate the universe in an improved version, destroying the existing one in the process. Hercules and Athena assemble a group of Avengers to stop Hera, including the reborn Zeus. They are opposed by the inventions of Hephastaus, and Hera's forces, which include Argus, and Arachne. The knowledge of Zeus' return stuns Hera, and Zeus succeeds in convincing her to stop the Continuum machine. However, Typhon reveals that he is now free from the control of the bands used to control him, he resists the lightning used against him, and slays both Hera, by blasting her head off, and Zeus. The souls of the two gods are seen in the company of Thanatos
Thanatos (comics)
Thanatos is the name of two fictional characters from Marvel Comics. The first one is based off the Greek mythology character of the same name. The second one originally appearing in Spider-Man 2099 who has since appeared in other comics, specifically ones relating to Rick Jones, who may be his...
, the God of Death, reunited and being taken to the underworld.
During the Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
storyline, Hera is among the dead people released by Pluto to defend the Underworld from the forces of Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi (comics)
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules...
. Hera is then seen among the gods that are enslaved by Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
In the aftermath of the fight with Amatsu-Mikaboshi, Hera (alongside Zeus) is back among the living and is seen when Hulk makes his way to Mount Olympus.
Powers and abilities
Hera possesses the typical powers of an Olympian, including superhuman strength, speed, durability, and reflexes, and virtual immortality. Hera also possessed the powers that were common to most Olympians such as changing her shape or teleporting herself across great distances or dimensions. She can, presumably, channel energy for destructive purposes as well.Hera is a cunning strategist.
Hera rides about on mystical chariots built by Hephaestus. They are drawn by magical horses and are capable of flight and traversing the dimensions.
Following the death of her husband Zeus, she has inherited his position as the Olympian God of Thunder, and wields his thunderbolt.