Citadel (DC)
The Citadel are a species that feature in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
The Citadel was a galactic empire that was based in the Vega System. Their origins were traced to eons ago when the solar system was young where in this time it was visited by the scientifically-minded Psions. Conducting a survey, they looked across the various worlds for life and came to find it on Okaara. Arriving on that world, they encountered the peaceful Okaarans and studied one of the native females who greeted them with this being X'Hal. She came to show them the splendour of her world but after a time the Psions departed to continue their search for life. They found another species within the Mudgap Nebula with these being the Branx Warriors who were a brutal race of warriors engaged in ceaseless combat. Taking a specimen, they came to determine that the Branx were aggression personified and decided to test these traits against the peaceful Okaarans. This saw them abducting X'Hal where they forced a mating between her and a Branx warrior though this did not produce any offspring. The Psions continued the experiments with multiple mating's from the Branx until they discovered that another life force amongst the Branx Warriors was preventing fertilisation. After this was removed, X'Hal became pregnant and gave birth to two offspring one who was misshaped who embodied negative traits whilst the other beautiful who embodied positive ones. A Branx then attempted to force themselves on X'Hal once more where she killed the warrior in desperation though she was fatally injured herself. Unable to care for her offspring, the Psions attempted to heal her but their experiment instead turned her into a god-like being where she destroyed her captors. She then took her children with her back to Okaara where she cared for them and loved her offspring. However, one child rejected her love and the aggressive traits embodied in him led to him provoking conflict amongst the Okaarans. This saw them learning the art of war where they fought against one another until conflict against each other nearly resulted in a holocaust that forced their civilisation underground. Thus, the Warlords of Okaara were formed where they came to blame X'Hal's child though he showed no regret over his actions. This offspring was forced away from Okaara where he was denied the god-like abilities of his mother and brother. Thus, he sought his own form of immortality where he followed the science of the Psions and created an entire race of clones of himself that became the Citadel. (Omega Men v1 #7) At some point, the First Citadellian established Complex-Complex that was to be the nerve centre of his empire. From there, he created clones of himself though these were inferior to him where they came to populate the Citadel. Uploading his mind into Complex-Complex, the First Citadellian allowed his creations to operate under the belief that they managed the empire though in reality everything was done so under their creators watch. (Omega Men v1 #6)
Over the span of centuries, the ruthlessly aggressive, intellectually stilted Citadelians took control of world after world beginning with Okaara. They would face no opposition from the Green Lantern Corps due to the ban on the Vega System imposed by the Guardians of the Universe. Thus, the Citadel were allowed a free hand in its expansive goals without interference.
For over a century, the Citadel was noted to had preyed upon the neighbouring world of Tamaran in order to pillage it of food and to take the inhabitants as slaves. (Tales of the New Teen Titans v1 #4) The ruling family of Tamaran was one of the Citadel's early targets with King Korithus leading his people in a hopeless battle that saw him perishing along with his sons, Korthus and Scrithus. When their mother, Talathus, was taken into slavery, only their son Mythus was left to rule Tamaran. In departing, Talathus urged Mythus to make whatever sacrifices necessary to save Tamaran from total destruction. (New Teen Titans v2 #15)
During a Citadel attack, Primus became a hero when he valiantly dispatched the invaders by calling on earth-spirits to finish them off. Like all Vegan youths, Primus and Kalista were sent to Okaara for training with the Warlords. It was then that Primus first formed the idea for the Omega Men that were a rebel group to stand against the Citadel's aggression. He and Kalista fell in love, but Kalista's parents forbade them to marry. Regardless, Kalista took him to the royal arbor palace and they were married in secret though she was betrothed to a young man named Rhoark. After their wedding, Primus left Euphorix to begin forming an army. Kalista became queen of Euphorix after her father was assassinated and her mother died of illness. Needless to say, this was during a politically turbulent time throughout Vega and everyone feared invasion by the Citadel or Psions. When Euphorix's statesman, Alonzo Dulak, returned from Okaara with advanced technology, he invented an inpenetrable force field which was erected around Euphorix. (Omega Men Annual v1 #2)
Changralyn was home to a society of pacifists. Young Charis-Nar differed from his peers in that he alone questioned his elders' teachings. Many years hence, the elders had agreed to sacrifice newborns to the Citadel in exchange for protection. When Charis-Nar came of age, his marriage was prearranged, to Kattayan-Besh. Upon their child's birth the Citadel's foot soldiers, the Gordanians, came to collect the young. Charis-Nar could not bear this and slew the Gordainian in a rage. The guards retaliated by killing his newborn son, taking Charis-Nar prisoner, and taking his wife for a slave. This incident forever branded Charis-Nar an outcast and blasphemer. He removed the traditional tattoo from his brow. Though he is a pacifist at heart, Charis-Nar vowed to fight — a language the Citadel understood. In the aftermath, Charis-Nar came to be known only by the name Broot. (Omega Men v1 #2)
Their reign ended in the Citadel War when the revolutionary Omega Men destroyed the Fortress Ring that served as the defensive grid for the Citadel Homeworld. The Omega Men's interim leader Tigorr detonated an explosive charge that destroyed Complex-Complex, severing all communications between the various Citadelian factions. With this single action, the Citadel War was brought to to an end, though many fringe elements of the Empire continued to exist. (Omega Men v1 #6)
With the destruction of Complex-Complex, the Citadel empire was in ruins with its leader attempting to rebuild. (Omega Men v1 #8) The surviving Citadel supreme commander alongside his aide Harry Hokum then went about capturing several members of the Omega Men. This resulted in their comrades gaining the aide of the interstellar bounty hunter Lobo in order to free their friends. During the attempted breakout, the Citadel commander and Hokum intercepted them where the last Citadellian leader was killed by the Czarnian. To solidify his own position, Harry Hokum then assumed control of a fringe element of the Citadel and came to an agreement with Primus of the Omega Men. An agreement was made for the formation of a New Citadel Empire that would be allowed to thrive unobstructed so long as as the worlds it engaged with did so willingly and not through conquest. Those that refused to become part of the new empire were invited to join the New Vega coalition whilst the prison planet on which the accords were reached was renamed New Alliance. (Omega Men v1 #10)
They later came to join the Dominator-led Alliance that was formed to deal with the threat posed by humanity due to their possession of the Metagene. The Citadel were tasked with administering the hge space stalag that was being constructed to hold Metahumans. (Invasion! v1 #1)
A year after the Infinite Crisis, the Citadel came to launch a surprise raid on Thanagar as they looked to disrupt the reconstruction efforts that followed the Rann-Thanagar War. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #4) Green Lanterns Vath Sarn and Isamot Kol were able to drive the invaders off but were only able to pursue the enemy to the Vega system. (Green Lantern Corps v2 #5)
By this point, their empire was in decline though they still remained a major military force where they witnessed the fall of the Dominator homeworld to Starro. (R.E.B.E.L.S. v2 #6)
- In Green Lantern v2 #137 (1981), it was said that by the 58th century that the Citadel had attempted and failed to destroy Earth.
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Citadel troops came to serve Helspont after Blackfire came to ally Tamaran with the Daemonite warlord. (Red Hood and the Outlaws v1 #40)
Overview
In appearance, the Citadel were a race of misshapen large humanoids with blue skin. (Omega Men v1 #6) In reality, the Citadellians were an entire race of clones of the First Citadellian. (Omega Men v1 #7) They were noted for their brute strength with them being hunkering slovenly beings. (Invasion! v1 #1)
In fact, their entire empire was controlled by the central computers of the Citadel that was the true leader of their empire. (Omega Men v1 #8)
Among the weapons used by the Citadel included Photon Guns and Homing Space Mines. (Omega Men v1 #5)
Members
- Complex-Complex : son of X'Hal after her rape by a Branx warrior under the Psions experiments and the twin brother of Auron where his evil nature led to him cloning himself to create an empire called the Citadel. (Omega Men v1 #7)
- Orn :
Notes
- The Citadel were created by Marv Wolfman and Roger Slifer where they made their first appearance in Green Lantern v2 #137 (February, 1981).
Alternate Versions
- In Marvel and DC Present v1 #1 (1982), the Citadel were mentioned in the setting of the comic crossover. They were said to had respected Majestrix Lilandra Neramani of the Shi'ar Empire and heeded her warning about the Dark Phoenix.
In other media
Television
- In Teen Titans, the Citadel were referenced in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Go!". It was revealed that Princess K'oriandr had been captured by the Gordanians where they intended to sell her to the Citadel to become a servant.
Appearances
- Green Lantern v2: (1981)
- Omega Men v1:
- New Teen Titans Annual v1:
- L.E.G.I.O.N. v1:
- Green Lantern Corps v2:
- Red Hood and the Outlaws v1:
- Lobo:
- Omega Men:
External Links
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