Morgaine le Fey (DC Comics)

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Morgaine le Fey
Morgaine le Fey (DC Comics).jpg
Morgaine le Fey as depicted in Demon Knights #12 (August 2012). Art by Phillip Tan.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance The Demon #1 (September 1972)
Created by Jack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoMorgaine le Fey
SpeciesHomo magi
Team affiliationsCouncil of Immortals
Abilities
  • Expertise in Maleficium
  • High-Level Sorcery
  • Eldritch Blasts
  • Enchantments
  • Shapeshifting
  • Size Alteration
  • Bio-Fusion
  • Telepathy
  • Telekiniesis
  • Transfiguration
  • Weather Control
  • Reality Alteration
  • Resurrection
  • Reanimation
  • Immortality

Morgaine le Fey is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, based on Morgan le Fay, the mythical sorceress and half-sister of King Arthur. She debuted in The Demon #1 (September 1972), and was created by Jack Kirby. [1]

Contents

Fictional character biography

Morgaine le Fey is the ancient sorceress of Arthurian legends. Her history is slightly different from the legends, but she is a sorceress gifted in the arts of black magic. In Madame Xanadu #1 (2008), Morgaine (or "Morgana") is revealed as a sister of Nimue (the future Madame Xanadu) and Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake. All three descend from the "Elder Folk", survivors of the fall of Atlantis that evolved into the Homo magi, explaining Morgaine's affinity for magic. While Nimue is shown as kind and caring about the early, magic-free humans, Morgaine exhibits a mean streak, treating the new human breed as little more than playthings, using contempt even towards her kinder little sister.

After several centuries of manipulating humans and taking many lovers (including Julius Caesar), Morgaine sets her sights on Uther Pendragon, High King of Britain. Her advances are rejected, as Uther only has eyes for Igraine, the wife of Duke Gorlois of Cornwall. Seeking to meddle in their lives, Morgaine disguises herself as Igraine's daughter. Afterward, she is exiled from the Elder Folk and travels to Avalon. [2] In The New 52 continuity reboot, Morgaine and Nimue are the biological daughters of Igraine, who is identified as a Fae.

In the early 6th century, Morgaine trains her sisters Morgause and Elaine to be adept with sorcery like her. After Uther kills Gorlois, Morgaine blames her half-brother King Arthur (Uther's son) for stealing her and her sisters' birthright. She conspires against him throughout his time on the throne and seeks the destruction of Camelot. During this time, Merlin merges the demon Etrigan with the human Jason Blood in a last-ditch effort to defend the kingdom. [3]

Following this, Morgaine continues to practice dark magic and retains her youth for many centuries, seeking power and a new kingdom to rule. By the 20th century, Merlin returns and tricks Morgaine, causing her to lose her youth.

In Batman Family #17, the Huntress's use of the Justice League transporter frees Morgaine, who claims the Philosopher's Stone. Le Fey seeks a baby with latent demon powers in the maternity ward where Man-Bat's wife is giving birth. Several women give birth to demon children as a result. Etrigan also appears and together he and Man-Bat defeat le Fey.

Morgaine later attempts to steal Wonder Woman's eternal youth, not realizing that she has given it up. She is killed, but revives and returns to battle Etrigan and Wonder Woman on many occasions.

Morgaine returns in Trinity , working with Enigma and Despero to usurp the symbolic position of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. She infuses the villains with the Major Arcana of the Tarot, giving them a measure of control over reality. However, she is ultimately defeated and imprisoned in a stone idol, which is placed in Jason Blood's custody.

Morgaine appears as a member of Hawkman and Hawkgirl's group The Immortals, advising Kendra Saunders/Lady Blackhawk to use the Anti-Monitor's brain to destroy the Dark Multiverse. [4]

Powers and abilities

Morgaine le Fey is a sorceress skilled in the use of black magic. This gives her various abilities, including mind control, remote viewing, life force absorption, telepathy, and magic nullification.

Other versions

In other media

Television

Morgaine Le Fey as depicted in Justice League. KnightOfShadowsMorgan.jpg
Morgaine Le Fey as depicted in Justice League .

Video games

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uther Pendragon</span> Father of King Arthur in Arthurian legend

Uther Pendragon (Brittonic), also known as King Uther, was a legendary King of the Britons and father of King Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igraine</span> Legendary mother of King Arthur

In the Matter of Britain, Igraine is the mother of King Arthur. Igraine is also known in Latin as Igerna, in Welsh as Eigr, in French as Ygraine, in Le Morte d'Arthur as Ygrayne—often modernised as Igraine or Igreine—and in Parzival as Arnive. She becomes the wife of Uther Pendragon, after the death of her first husband, Gorlois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady of the Lake</span> Enchantress and sorceress in Arthurian legend

The Lady of the Lake is a title used by multiple characters in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. As either actually fairy or fairy-like yet human enchantresses, they play important roles in various stories, notably by providing Arthur with the sword Excalibur, eliminating the wizard Merlin, raising the knight Lancelot after the death of his father, and helping to take the dying Arthur to Avalon after his final battle. Different Ladies of the Lake appear concurrently as separate characters in some versions of the legend since at least the Post-Vulgate Cycle and consequently the seminal Le Morte d'Arthur, with the latter describing them as members of a hierarchical group, while some texts also give this title to either Morgan or her sister.

<i>The Mists of Avalon</i> 1983 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalon is a 1983 historical fantasy novel by American writer Marion Zimmer Bradley, in which the author relates the Arthurian legends from the perspective of the female characters. The book follows the trajectory of Morgaine, a priestess fighting to save her Celtic religion in a country where Christianity threatens to destroy the pagan way of life. The epic is focused on the lives of Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), Viviane, Morgause, Igraine and other women of the Arthurian legend.

Morgause is a popular variant of the figure of the Queen of Orkney, an Arthurian legend character also known by various other names and appearing in different forms of her archetype. She is notably the mother of Gawain and often also of Mordred, both key players in the story of her brother King Arthur and his downfall.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorlois</span> Legendary Duke of Cornwall

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References

  1. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 211. ISBN   978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. Madame Xanadu #20
  3. Trinity #21
  4. Dark Nights: Metal #2
  5. Just Imagine: Shazam! #1
  6. 1 2 "Morgaine le Fey Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  7. "Batman: The Brave And The Bold Video Game, DS Gameplay Featurette | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos". GameTrailers.com. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 13, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  8. Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved June 20, 2024.