Morgaine le Fey | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | The Demon #1 (September 1972) |
Created by | Jack Kirby |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Morgaine le Fey |
Species | Homo magi |
Team affiliations | Council of Immortals |
Abilities |
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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]
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]
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.
Uther Pendragon (Brittonic), also known as King Uther, was a legendary King of the Britons and father 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.
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.
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.
Etrigan the Demon is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Etrigan is a demon from Hell who, despite his violent tendencies, usually finds himself allied with the forces of good, mainly because of the alliance between the heroic characters of the DC Universe and Jason Blood, a human to whom Etrigan is bound. Etrigan is commonly depicted as a muscular humanoid creature with orange or yellow skin, horns, red eyes, and pointed, webbed ears, who frequently speaks in rhymes. The character was originally based in Gotham City, leading to numerous team-ups with Batman.
Zatanna Zatara, commonly known mononymously as Zatanna, is a fictional magician appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in Hawkman #4.
Giovanni "John" Zatara, simply called Zatara, is a fictional magician and superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, making him one of DC Comics' oldest characters.
In Arthurian legend, Gorlois of Tintagel was the Duke of Cornwall. He was the first husband of King Arthur's mother Igraine and the father of her daughters, Arthur's half-sisters. Her second husband was Uther Pendragon, the High King of Britain and Arthur's father, who marries her after killing him.
Merlin is a 1998 two-part television miniseries starring Sam Neill as Merlin, recounting the wizard's life in the mythic history of Britain. Loosely adapted from the legendary tales of Camelot, the plot adds the antagonistic Queen Mab and expands Merlin's backstory before the birth of King Arthur.
Klarion the Witch Boy is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, having first appeared in The Demon #7 and was created by Jack Kirby. The character is typically portrayed as a powerful but mischievous, immature extradimensional warlock who serves as both the archenemy of Etrigan the Demon and is a reoccurring adversary for various mystic characters and teams in the DC Universe.
Madame Xanadu is a comic book mystic published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Nimue, the sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
The Mists of Avalon is a 2001 television miniseries based on the 1983 novel of the same title by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Produced by American cable channel TNT, adapted by Gavin Scott, and directed by Uli Edel, the series retells Arthurian legend from the perspectives of Morgan le Fay and other women of the tale. The first episode was the highest-rated original film on basic cable in the summer of 2001.
The Avalon Series is a series of fantasy novels written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L. Paxson. Paxson took over sole authorship after Bradley's death in 1999. The series focuses on the legendary island of Avalon and the various women who have shaped its history and that of Britain.
Enigma is a name used by two supervillains published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Teen Titans #38 and was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel. A villain in Trinity has also used the name where he turns out to be the Anti-Matter Universe version of Riddler that formerly went by the name Quizmaster.
Demon Knights is a DC Comics title launched in 2011 as part of that company's line-wide title relaunch, The New 52. It is a team title featuring Etrigan, Madame Xanadu, Shining Knight and others. Its main difference to other team titles, such as the Justice League, is that this team is based in the Medieval period of the DC Universe history. Its initial writer is Paul Cornell, with art by Diogenes Neves.
Daughter of Tintagel is a series of historical fantasy novels by British writer Fay Sampson. It tells the story of the life of Arthurian legend character Morgan le Fay, presented through an oral history narrative from her early childhood to her disappearance. It was originally published as five books between 1989 and 1992, followed by an omnibus edition in 1992. The series was re-published in 2005 as Morgan le Fay.
Cursed is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on Netflix on July 17, 2020. It is based on the illustrated novel of the same name by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler. The set location of the series is the United Kingdom. In July 2021, the series was canceled after one season.
King Arthur(Arthur Pendragon) is a legendary figure used commonly in comic books.
Merlin is a legendary character who has appeared multiple times throughout comic books especially in DC Comics and Marvel Comics.