Zadkiel (Marvel)
Zadkiel is a comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Zadkiel was a male angel who had been in service to God and Heaven. (Ghost Rider v6 #30) Among the hosts of Heaven, he was referred to as being the the Archangel of Benevolence and Mercy. (Ghost Riders: Heaven's on Fire v1 #1) Thousands of years ago, after the Great Flood Zadkiel was tasked by the throne with overseeing the clandestine operations of Heaven. Among these duties included overseeing the Spirits of Vengeance that were earthly hosts imbued with a vestige of power from God himself. These beings thus became the Lord's Divine Wrath and were known as the Ghost Riders. (Ghost Rider v6 #30)
He was present at Sodom and Gomorrah where he summoned the fire that was used to destroy those cities. (Ghost Rider v6 #21) Other acts attributed to him was slaying the armies of the Midianites and Philistines, slaughtering every living thing outside the walls of Jericho and killing 100,000 Syrian warriors in a single morning with his sword. (Ghost Rider v6 #30)
Seeking to claim Heaven's throne for himself, he set about enslaving souls to serve him and having them build siege engines for the task. Purgatory was emptied and the dead were made to labour with any refusing having their souls torn to shreds and scattered on the winds of eternity. The resultant war for Heaven came to reach a deadlock with the only means of ensuring Zadkiel's victory was by using the Ghost Rider. (Ghost Rider v6 #21)
After the Caretakers death, he was greeted in the afterlife by Zadkiel and those Angels loyal to him where he commanded them to dismember the mortals soul and scatter it through the winds of eternity. (Ghost Rider v6 #27) Whilst guiding Ketch on his mission, Zadkiel also led his Black Host in laying siege to the celestial city in Heaven and defeated the Asura that confronted him. To ensure the destruction of the Spirits of Vengeance, he sent several Angelic soldiers from his Black Host to assist Danny Ketch in killing the other Ghost Riders. (Ghost Rider v6 #30)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was regarded by some of his followers as the Archangel of Benevolence and Mercy. (Ghost Riders: Heaven's on Fire v1 #1) Zadkiel was known by a number of titles including the New Morningstar, He of the Ineffable Sefiroth, Chief of the Order of Dominions, and the Lord of the Black Host. (Ghost Rider v6 #21)
It was said that he did not tolerate failure. (Ghost Rider v6 #22)
He was noted to had grown tired of doing God's 'dirty work'. Zadkiel had come to believe he could succeed where Lucifer had once failed namely in taking the throne of Heaven for himself. (Ghost Rider v6 #21)
Powers and abilities
He was able to summon fiery rain that was the equivalent of a thousand Hiroshimas and was used to napalm the cities of Sodom along with Gomorrah. (Ghost Rider v6 #21)
Zadkiel was noted to had commanded the Black Host. (Ghost Rider v6 #30) It was said to command a legion of Malakhim assassins. (Ghost Rider v6 #21)
To his followers, he was able to instil in them his power which they channelled and manifested as a fiery blue fire. (Ghost Riders: Heaven's on Fire v1 #1) Those that served him were known to be branded with his mark. (Ghost Rider v6 #21) He was capable of using doves as medium to channel his voice and speak to his servants on the mortal plane. (Ghost Rider v6 #30)
Originally, the Archangel Zadkiel was placed in charge of the Spirits of Vengeance who were human hosts bonded to a vestige of God's power. For thousands of years, he was charged with obscuring their origins to hide Heaven's role in their use whilst from the shadows they were used to remove the undesirables from humanity. (Ghost Rider v6 #33)
Notes
- Zadkiel was created by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat where he was first mentioned Ghost Rider v4 #19 (2008) but made a full appearance in Ghost Rider v4 #27 (November, 2008).
- In Fear Itself: Fellowship of Fear v1 #1 (2011), Zadkil was referenced in the guide book in the 'Heaven on Fire' entry.
Alternate Versions
- In Ghost Racers (2015), a version of Zadkiel was shown to inhabit Battleworld where he served Arcade and managed the control of the various Ghost Riders in order to ensure their compliance with the death race sport.
In other media
Video game
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Zadkiel was referenced in the Dossier for Ghost Rider in the Facebook video game.
Appearance
- Ghost Rider v4: (2008)
- Ghost Rider's: Heaven on Fire v1:
External Link
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