Mephisto (Marvel)
Mephisto is a male demonic comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Mephisto was a powerful Demon who came to inhabit the Multiverse.
One account claimed by Mephisto was that he was born by others by his kind by a cosmic being that was the first in existence. During that time, it came to experience loneliness and used its power to create life to keep it company. However, as it lacked a concept of good and evil it simply took a part of itself and gave it independent life. This saw the creation of Mephisto and his kind where the demon horde dispersed across existence. Eventually, their actions came to displease their creator who destroyed them rather than modify their existence. Afterwards, the entity out of loneliness decided to commit cosmic suicide thus creating a new reality leading to the rebirth of the demons into this universe whilst the remains of their creator became the Infinity Gems. (Silver Surfer v3 #45)
According to Lilith, Mephisto in the form of a snake was responsible for tricking Eve and Adam into eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge leading to their banishment from the Garden of Eden. (Spirits of Ghost Rider: Mother of Demons v1 #1) A million yeas ago, in the form of a snake he appeared before a young man belonging to a tribe of mammoth-riding early humans who had been slaughtered by a Wendigo. He offered the man the power to avenge his people in exchange for guessing his name, and bonded him to a Spirit of Vengeance to make him the first Ghost Rider. (Avengers v8 #7)
A million years, in the form of a snake he appeared before a human boy whose tribe had been slaughtered by the Wendigo. He offered the mortal a chance at revenge where he accepted to be bonded to the Spirit of Vengeance thus turning the boy into the first Ghost Rider. (Avengers v8 #7) Later on, he once again appeared as a fiery snake in order to speak to Fan Fei who was the first Iron Fist in the world and had been banished from K'un-Lun. Mephisto attempted to tempt her into conquering primitive humans and rule them through tyranny but she rejected him. This saw him then stirring the savage Gorgilla tribes and sent them after Fan Fei along with her primitive human charges with her managing to repel these efforts. Mephisto then decided to give an advantage to the Gorgilla King by helping him find the Power Stone of the Infinity Gems thus giving him the strength to overpower the Iron Fist. (Avengers v8 #13)
Centuries ago, he was noted to had spoken to Apocalypse and incited him to battle the false gods that had mocked the immortal Mutant. (Avengers v8 #38)
At another time, Mephisto came to take notice that souls were being sacrificed to the demon Zarathos when a tribe of Native Americans began to serve him in exchange for his aid against their enemies. Feeling that he was deprived of souls set for Hell, Mephisto decided to enact a scheme against this rival. He came to reach out to a prince who was in love with a princess destined to be sacrificed to Zarathos. To defeat the demon, Mephisto offered to take the prince's soul with the intention that he would take the princess's life. At the time of the sacrifice, Zarathos came to find himself weakened when he tried to claim the prince's soul allowing for Mephisto to attack and defeat the demon. He then proceeded to imprison his foe's body in stone and then took Zarathos's flame for himself whereupon he would channel it into the possession of hosts that became the Ghost Rider. (Ghost Rider v2 #77)
Many years ago, he was noted to had tempted the soul of a once honest sea captain named Joost van Straaten. He corrupted the man's soul causing him to be consumed by greed leading to Straaten sending his ship and crew into a storm killing them all. For his actions, death would not claim Straaten who was forced to spend an eternity of torment in a state of limbo with him being cursed to sail the seven seas as the legendary Flying Dutchman. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
During World War II, Nazi scientists created the Darkdoor that was a portal which opened into Mephisto's Realm. Before it could open, the Allies arrived and the project was destroyed. However, one of the scientists named Thule managed to escape to the U.S. where he began to work for the government hoping to continue his work there. Mephisto was able to trick the scientist to believe to door was a portal to the home of the Vril; an alien species that had originally inhabited Earth in centuries past. Mephisto manipulated Thule to sacrifice lives to open the door and used his Demon servants to pretend to be the Vril. (Cloak and Dagger v3 #18)
Damnation
In an attempt to prevent Doctor Doom's redemption, he resurrected his mother Cynthia von Doom and took on the guise of the Reed Richards as part of a plot to attack him. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #11)
To undo the damage from the Secret Empire, Doctor Strange sought to use magic to restore Las Vegas. However, this created a dimensional breach that attracted the attention of several mystical entities including Mephisto, Dormammu, Nightmare and Shuma-Gorath. All four arrived in a necro-realm to be the first to pass into the breach in order to attack Earth leading to them battling one another. Mephisto proved to be the victor in this engagement where he trapped his competitors in the necro-realm and journeyed through the tear to bring hell on Earth. (Doctor Strange v1 #389)
During this time, the world came under attack from the King in Black Knull the God of the Symbiotes where he led an army of the creatures to invade the planet. In the midst of the fighting, Mephisto attempted to escape but was once again captured by Blaze. During that time, Johnny's allies believed that they could no stem the constant attacks from Lilith in trying to claim the throne. Thus, the Caretaker suggested that they allow Mephisto to retake his position as he was used to outwitting the scheming of Lilith and that it was better to allow the devil they knew on the throne. Blaze reluctantly agreed whereupon Blackheart took his father back to their hell-realm where the Lord of Lies took back his old position. (King in Black: Ghost Rider v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was also known as the Lord of the Lower Depths. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
It was said that none could truly fathom the satanic schemes of Mephisto. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
His spirit thrived on tales of wretched woes from the sordid tales of mortals. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
A trait held by him alone that was not shared by his demon brethren was that he appreciated facets of existence. He had a love disciplined power above all else with this admiration overriding his natural bent towards personal gain. (Silver Surfer v3 #45)
It was said that over time he became more and more interested in humans. (Spirits of Ghost Rider: Mother of Demons v1 #1)
Since time's first dawning, there had only been a handful of beings to had ever defeated him. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
He created a son for himself who came to be known as Blackheart. (Daredevil v1 #270) In addition, he had a daughter who was named Mephista. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme v1 #6)
Powers and abilities
With a shrug, he claimed to be capable of erasing a person from the memory of mankind. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
Using the powers of darkness, he could give powers to other beings. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
The Infinity Gems were said to had been recast into a form that demons could not sense as their power was not meant to fall into their foul hands. (Silver Surfer v3 #45)
Items that were linked to Mephisto included:
- Key of Abbadon :
- Sword of Demonicus :
- Pandemonium Cube : the Hellahedron was a mystical artifact akin to a hellish Cosmic Cube where it channelled the power of Mephisto and was capable of remaking reality. (Heroes Return v1 #1)
He was known to had formed a group of alternate versions of himself called the Council of Red. (Heroes Return v1 #1)
Long ago, Mephisto came to steal the flames of Zarathos and use them for himself which he used to curse mortals with the power of the Ghost Rider. (Ghost Rider v2 #77)
Mephisto could call upon the living dead from limbo itself to serve him where he could offer them freedom from an eternity of torment. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
Among souls who served Mephisto included:
- Flying Dutchman : Joost van Straaten was a mortal human who once was an honest sea captain until his heart was consumed by a cold greed where under the spell of Mephisto he took his ship into a storm that killed all on-board. For his actions, his crew were sent to get their eternal rest but death would not claim Straaten leaving him trapped in limbo to suffer for eternity as the Flying Dutchman. The powerless ghost was later revived by Mephisto to serve him where the demon empowered Straaten. In this form, he could fire nether blasts from his right eye or clawed hands whilst commanding a spectral sailing ship. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
- Darklove :
On the surface of Earth, there were many mortals that dabbled in the forbidden arts and who worshipped him. (Silver Surfer v1 #8)
Notes
- Mephisto was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema where he made his first appearance in Silver Surfer v1 #3 (December, 1968).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, an unnamed Mephisto made a cameo appearance in the animated television series in the episode "The Prison Plot". He was shown as being an illusion created by Mastermind who projected numerous monstrous beings at the time.
Films
- In Ghost Rider, Mephisto appeared as a supporting antagonist in the 2007 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Peter Fonda.
- In Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Mephisto appeared as an antagonist in the 2011 live-action film sequel where he was portrayed by actor Ciaran Hinds. In the form of Roarke, he fathered a child with a woman named Nadya after saving her life where he intended the child to be a new host for himself that could house him as his other bodies decayed rapidly due to his power.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Mephisto appeared in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Mephisto appeared as a character in the Facebook video game with his own Dossier.
- In Marvel: Contest of Champions, Mephisto appeared as a playable character in the mobile video game. The character Morningstar was linked to Mephisto who appeared to the ruthless Queen Haasen after she was imprisoned in an iron maiden for centuries and offered her power to get revenge where he transformed her prison into a suit of armor and gave her a Morningstar weapon. Thus, she became his minion where she found souls for him and sought to change bodies with Guillotine who was the current wielder of La Fleur du Mal that Haasen used during her reign.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, Mephisto appeared as a boss and playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Silver Surfer v1: (1968)
- Silver Surfer v3:
- Ghost Rider:
- Daredevil v1:
- Avengers v8:
- Spirits of Ghost Rider: Mother of Demons v1:
- King in Black: Ghost Rider v1: (2021)
- Amazing Spider-Man v5:
External Links
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