Demons (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
The Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

 universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

 hosts a number of demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...

s, many of whom are at times at conflict with gods and angels
Angels (Marvel Comics)
An angel is a fictional entity within the Marvel Comics universe, based on the angels of the Abrahamic faiths. Their first Marvel Comics appearance was Marvel Tales #133. In the religious text of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastriansim, angels are believed to be guardians of mankind and...

. All possess varying degrees of mystical
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...

 power, feed upon souls for self-sustenance, and are inclined towards dark or “black” magic - evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...

.

Demonic Origins

During the era in which the first single-celled organism formed on Earth, Demiurge
Demiurge (comics)
Demiurge is a fictional character, a cosmic entity in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on the concept of the Demiurge. It is the sentient life force of Earth's biosphere, creator of the elder gods, and the father of Atum, conceived with Gaea....

 achieved consciousness after being formed and coalesced from the Earth's biosphere. As conditions on Earth began to support life, it became aware, and wanting to know itself, the Demiurge split itself into countless aspects, each of which wanted consciousness and to manifest into new entities. These entities later become known as the "Elder Gods
Elder Gods (Marvel Comics)
The Elder Gods are fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe. They were the first generation of Earth's gods, apparently inspired by Greek mythology and the Cthulhu Mythos.-Fictional group history:...

".

Most of the Elder Gods later degenerated into demons including:
  • Belathauzer
    Belathauzer
    Belthauzer is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon who has clashed with the Defenders and Devil-Slayer.-Publication history:...

  • Chthon
  • Set
  • the Gibborim
    Gibborim (comics)
    The Gibborim are a group of comic book characters in Marvel Comics' award-winning series, Runaways. They were created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona...



However, certain demons, such as Lucifer
Lucifer (Marvel Comics)
Lucifer is the name of two unrelated comic book characters from Marvel Comics. One is an alien supervillain of the X-Men and the other is a villain of Ghost Rider and is referred to as the Prince of Darkness.-Lucifer :...

, Kazann, and Asmodeus, have other origins, such as originally being angels having fallen from Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...

 after a massive failed insurrection against the Judeo-Christian God long before the dawn of humanity, or hailing from other mystical dimensions adjacent to Earth.

Elder Gods

The Elder Gods
Elder Gods (Marvel Comics)
The Elder Gods are fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe. They were the first generation of Earth's gods, apparently inspired by Greek mythology and the Cthulhu Mythos.-Fictional group history:...

 are the forerunners to the modern gods
Gods (Marvel Comics)
Several characters in many Marvel Comics stories have been referred to as gods. Generally, however, only those belonging to two specific types are considered to be the "true" gods. Note that only ONE of these beings are divine in the commonly understood sense, but most are rather simply powerful...

 and Demons of Earth.

Chthon began devoting itself to the study and manipulation of mystical energies, becoming Earth's first master of black magic.

Gaea came into being and was the “Protector of the Emerging Life” that began in the Seas.

Set
Set (Serpent God)
Set is the name of a fictional demon-god within the continuities of Conan the Barbarian and Marvel Universe.He is apparently an amalgam of the name of the Egyptian god Set and the appearance and characteristics of the Egyptian monster Apep and the Greek mythological figure the Lernaean Hydra. This...

, the “God of the Dead” spawned a number of offspring (e.g. “Sligguth” and “Damballah”).

Oshtur
Oshtur (Marvel Comics)
Oshtur is a fictional character published in Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as an Elder Goddess born from the demiurge sometime billions of years ago. Unlike her siblings, Oshtur had a fascination with the realms beyond Earth. She took to the heavens before the fall of the Elder Gods...

 was the goddess of the stars and left Earth early on before the fall of the Elder Gods. She mothered Agamotto, and first Sorcerer Supreme; she is the third member of the mystical Vishanti.

Realizing he could increase his own power by consuming the energy of his fellow “demons,” Set became the first being on Earth to kill another. By consuming the life energies of a fellow Elder God, Set started down the path of degeneracy. Other Elder Gods quickly began following Set's example, killing each other to for each other's power. The more they consumed, the more they hungered for power, and with more power, the hunger becomes insatiable.

Many became corrupt and began warring to satisfy the thirst for power, the victor feeding off the others. After millions of years, all the Elders except for Gaea had degenerated to less than their Godhood, becoming evil.

Gaea began fearing that the Elders' warring with each other would destroy the evolving life on the planet. Gaea mated with a reincarnation of Demiurge and gave birth to Atum
Atum (comics)
Atum is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, based loosely on the Ra of Egyptian mythology. The character first appears in Thor Annual #10 and was created by Alan Zelenetz and Bob Hall....

, who became dedicated to eradicating his Forefathers.

Foreseeing the threat Atum was to his existence, Chthon inscribed all the mystical knowledge he had learned through millennia of evil onto a parchment to be his touchstone within the Earth dimension, the Darkhold
Darkhold
The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is a fictional book in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Darkhold was co-created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. The Darkhold was first mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3 but first shown in Marvel Spotlight #4...

.

Atum indeed became a threat to the Elder Gods, as he began destroying them for their evil and degradation, absorbing their energies into himself. The energies he absorbed caused him to undergo a metamorphosis into the form of “Demogorge,” the God-Eater.

Many of the Elders fell to Atum and those who weren't destroyed, fled to other dimensions
Plane (metaphysics)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....

:

Chthon, sensing the end was near, cast a spell which allowed him an escape into another dimension before the Demogorge could slay him. Before he left, Chthon left the parchment containing his mystical knowledge in this dimension.

Set, witnessing what Chthon had done, replicated the spell allowing him and his offspring to escape. Gaea was the only original Elder God permitted to exist on the planet, and she infused her godly essence into the Earth and into all living things - ultimately becoming “Mother Earth”.

The Demogorge released the energies he had absorbed, reverting back to the form of Atum. He then took residence within Earth's Sun.

Over millennia, the energies that Demogorge had released when he reverted back into Atum eventually manifested into a number of different beings:

(Note: whether the original founders/creators of Earth's pantheons were fathered by Atum is speculative, as is whether or not Atum is the creator of Earth's pantheons. Similarly, Gaea was said to be the mother of “Ouranus.”)

  • Ouranus

  • Buri, Father to a number of different pantheons of “New Gods.”


To fuel his own powers, the Elder God Set, from his pocket dimension, began drawing psychic energy from the dinosaurs, the dominant life forms of Earth. Eventually Set's continued feeding on the dinosaurs helped bring about significant drops in their population.

Gaea knew the dinosaurs were at an evolutionary dead end and allowed Set to continue his feeding knowing that he was quickly depleting his main supply of energy. Set, aware that Gaea was allowing the extinction of the dinosaurs, became infuriated and commanded the dinosaurs to seek out and kill all mammals (which Gaea had selected as Earth’s dominant species over the dinosaurs).

Gaea sensed Set's command over the dinosaurs and summoned the Elder God. Set appeared on Earth in the shape of a giant serpent, the first time in this form, and attacked Gaea. She summoned her son Atum to protect her. Atum (in his form of Demogorge) engaged Set in battle and destroyed his head.

However, Set was not killed and two heads grew back. Set and Atum battled for years. Many disasters befell the Earth during this time, some caused by the titanic struggle (which brought about the extinction of the dinosaurs in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

).

The mammals were sheltered from the devastation by Gaea. Eventually Set, drained of power, was forced to withdraw from the Earth dimension. By this time, Set had grown seven heads to replace the ones destroyed in battle. With his power all but exhausted, Set could no longer journey to the Earth dimension without aid. Demogorge reverted back to Atum and returned to his dwelling place in the sun.

Nisanti are a race of god-like beings appearing in Marvel's Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...

series, and also appearing in Runaways creator Brian Vaughn's series, The Hood.

Devils

Several demonic entities dwell in extra-dimensional realms
Plane (metaphysics)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....

 referred to as Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...

, using humans as pawns and subjects; some have claimed to be Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...

.

Their origins are shrouded in mystery - a few are fallen angels or gods who fell out of favor with their pantheon, whereas some are the descendants of degenerate Elder Gods
Elder Gods (Marvel Comics)
The Elder Gods are fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe. They were the first generation of Earth's gods, apparently inspired by Greek mythology and the Cthulhu Mythos.-Fictional group history:...

 and others were shaped by the subconscious desires of their earliest worshippers.

This category also includes messengers and servants who work for these “Rulers of Hell”; "lesser demons" that share the same origins as their masters, but are usually less powerful (although still superior to most mortals).

Members include:
  • Allatou
    Allatou
    Allatou is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. She is a demon who has clashed with the West Coast Avengers. In the past, she has taken possession of living human beings...

  • Asmodeus
    Asmodeus (Marvel Comics)
    Asmodeus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Asmodeus is an extradimensional demon, subordinate to Mephisto, who has clashed on numerous occasions with the first Ghost Rider.-Publication history:...

     and his servant Saturnine
    Saturnine (comics)
    Saturnine is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Saturnine first appeared in Ghost Rider #76 , and was created by J. M...

  • Azazel
    Azazel (Marvel Comics)
    Azazel is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics and is the biological father of Nightcrawler. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #428, during "The Draco" storyline, written by Chuck Austen...

  • Baphomet
    Baphomet (comics)
    Baphomet is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on Baphomet supposedly worshiped by the Knights Templar.-Publication history:...

  • Blackheart
    Blackheart
    Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...

  • Cloot, a demonic adversary of the Hulk and a disguise of Satannish
    Satannish
    Satannish is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Satannish is a very powerful extra-dimensional demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange. Satannish is known for granting mortals mystical power in exchange for their souls...

  • Dagoth
    Dagoth
    Dagoth is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Dagoth appeared in Marvel Premiere #7-8 , and was created by Gardner Fox and P...

  • Damballah
  • Haazareth Three
    Haazareth Three
    The Haazareth Three are a fictional group in the Marvel Comics universe. They debuted in Fantastic Four Vol3 #69 . They operate out of the hellish realm ruled by Mephisto.-Fictional character biography:...

  • Daimon Hellstrom
    Daimon Hellstrom
    Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...

  • Hoss
    Hoss (comics)
    Hoss is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics, created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Clayton Crain. He is a demon, an enemy and occasional ally of the Ghost Rider....

  • Ikthalon
    Ikthalon
    Ikthalon is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, possibly based loosely on the Lovecraftian entity Ithaqua.-Publication history:...

     - The embodiment of man's tendency to resist change, and thus represents frozen stagnation.
  • Inanna, "demoness of inspiration and madness"
  • Kazann
    Kazann
    Kazann is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics, created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Clayton Crain. He is a renegade demon, an enemy of the Ghost Rider. Kazann first appeared in Ghost Rider #2 Kazann is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics, created by writer Garth Ennis...

  • Legion
  • Ludi
    Ludi (comics)
    Ludi is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Ludi first appeared in Chamber of Chills #4 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Howard Chaykin....

  • Lucifer (who may be the real Satan)
  • Marduk Kurios
  • Mephisto
    Mephisto (comics)
    Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...

  • Ningal
    Ningal (comics)
    Ningal is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the smith god Nin-Agal of Mesopotamian mythology.-Publication history:...

  • Satana
    Satana (Marvel Comics)
    Satana is a fictional character, a comic book half-demon appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the sister of Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan.Satana first appeared in Vampire Tales #2 in October, 1973...

  • Satannish
    Satannish
    Satannish is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Satannish is a very powerful extra-dimensional demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange. Satannish is known for granting mortals mystical power in exchange for their souls...

  • Sligguth
    Sligguth
    Sligguth is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Sligguth was first mentioned in Marvel Premiere #4 ; the character actually first appeared in Marvel Premiere #5 , and was created by Archie Goodwin and Barry Windsor-Smith. Sligguth was apparently...

  • Thog
    Thog
    Thog the Nether-Spawn, Overmaster of Sominus is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon from the extra-dimensional world of Sominus who has clashed with the Man-Thing.-Publication history:...

  • Zahgurim, "armorer to Satan"
  • Zarathos
    Zarathos
    Zarathos is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics series Ghost Rider. He is a demonic being who tortures and devours souls. He first appears in Marvel Spotlight #5 .-Fictional character biography:...


The Hell-lords

Hell is broken into several smaller kingdoms ruled over by entities generally at odds with each other. Most of these entities are devils and those considered powerful enough to stand against the strongest rulers in Hell are referred as the Hell-lords. Those to either have carried this distinction at some point or presently bear this identification are:
  • Asmodeus
    Asmodeus (Marvel Comics)
    Asmodeus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Asmodeus is an extradimensional demon, subordinate to Mephisto, who has clashed on numerous occasions with the first Ghost Rider.-Publication history:...

  • Baphomet
    Baphomet (comics)
    Baphomet is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on Baphomet supposedly worshiped by the Knights Templar.-Publication history:...

  • Beelzeboul
  • Blackheart
    Blackheart
    Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...

  • Hela
    Hela (comics)
    Hela is a fictional character, the Asgardian goddess of death in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the Norse goddess, Hel. The ruler of Hel and Niffleheim, the character has been a frequent foe of Thor...

  • Hellstorm
    Daimon Hellstrom
    Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...

  • Lucifer
  • Marduk Kurios
  • Mephisto
    Mephisto (comics)
    Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...

  • Olivier
    Olivier (comics)
    -Publication history:A mafia figure called "Frank Costa" first appeared in Marvel Super-Action #1 , a black-and-white magazine containing several adventures of Frank Castle, Marvel's Punisher character. Twenty-three years later, in Punisher -Publication history:A mafia figure called "Frank Costa"...

  • Pluto
  • Satannish
    Satannish
    Satannish is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Satannish is a very powerful extra-dimensional demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange. Satannish is known for granting mortals mystical power in exchange for their souls...

  • Thog
    Thog
    Thog the Nether-Spawn, Overmaster of Sominus is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon from the extra-dimensional world of Sominus who has clashed with the Man-Thing.-Publication history:...



It should be noted, while Hela and Pluto could claim the title of Hell-lords, because they also rule in other nether realms some readers have referred to them instead as Death-Gods.

Extra-Dimensional Entities

Some demons seem to be entirely unrelated to earth and humanity's past - these creatures are often non-humanoid in form and utterly alien in motivation. They are referred to as Class Three Demons in Marvel's Official Handbook.

Demons of this sort include:
  • Lloigoroth
  • The N'Garai
    N'Garai
    The N'Garai are a fictional race found in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The N'Garai first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #96 , and were created by Bill Mantlo, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum....

  • Shuma-Gorath
    Shuma-Gorath
    Shuma-Gorath is a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard, best known for his later interpretations as a demonic enemy of Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics publications. He is also well known for being an unconventional playable character in the Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom video...

  • The Undying Ones
    Undying Ones
    The Undying Ones are a fictional race found books published by Marvel Comics. They are a race of humanoid demons from another dimension.-Publication history:...

  • Asteroth

Others

Several extra-dimensional
Plane (metaphysics)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....

 mystical
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...

 beings exist in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

 (that do not fall into any of the three preceding categories). They are powerful and evil enough to be considered demons. Beings of this sort include evil mortal beings that have attained great power, as well as beings that have been referred to as demons but whose origins have yet to be definitively defined or revealed. They include:
  • Adversary
    Adversary (comics)
    The Adversary is a fictional character, a demonic supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Adversary first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #187-188 , and was created by Chris Claremont and John Romita, Jr....

  • Cobweb, an alien entity hailing from the Mindscape and archenemy of Sleepwalker
    Sleepwalker (comics)
    Sleepwalker is a Marvel Comics character created by Bob Budiansky. He is named after his race, and is the star of a self-titled comic book which ran for 33 issues from June 1991 to February 1994, with one Holiday Special. All but two of the issues were written by Budiansky, with Tom Brevoort and...

    .
  • Dark-Crawler
    Dark-Crawler
    Dark-Crawler is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:The character first appeared, as the Night-Crawler, in Incredible Hulk #126 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe...

  • Dormammu
    Dormammu
    Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...

  • Elementals
    Elementals (Marvel Comics)
    The Elementals is a fictional organization in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:The Elementals first appeared in Supernatural Thrillers #8 , and were created by Tony Isabella and Val Mayerik....

     (Hellfire, Hydron, Magnum, Zephyr)
  • Kathulos
  • Lilith, sometimes called the Mother of All Demons, is an ancient and powerful being. Imprisoned centuries ago by Atlantean sorcerers, she regained her freedom in modern times.
  • N'Gabthoth, is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange
    Doctor Strange
    Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....

    . He once served as an agent of Shuma-Gorath
    Shuma-Gorath
    Shuma-Gorath is a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard, best known for his later interpretations as a demonic enemy of Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics publications. He is also well known for being an unconventional playable character in the Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom video...

    .
  • N'astirh
    N'astirh
    N'astirh is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics as a demonic inhabitant of Limbo. He first appeared in X-Factor #32 and was created by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove.-Fictional character biography:...

  • Rangsabb
  • Shazana
  • Shialmar
  • Tiboro
    Tiboro
    Tiboro is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Tiboro is a humanoid being from the so-called "Sixth Dimension" who ruled a tribe of Earth humans in South America ages ago, but was eventually banished. He now waits for Earth's civilization to fall into decadence and decay so that he can...

  • Visimajoris
    Visimajoris
    Visimajoris is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange.-Publication history:Visimajoris first appeared in Doctor Strange Vol...

  • Xander
  • Zom
    Zom
    Zom is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a gigantic semi-humanoid demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange.-Publication history:...


The Octessence

The Octessence is made up of eight powerfully principalities (Balthakk, Cyttorak, Farallah, Ikonn, Krakkan, Raggadorr, Valtorr, Watoomb), a number of whom are routinely invoked for the power of spells related to their particular area of magical knowledge. Roughly a thousand years ago, they disagreed on which of them was most powerful. To settle the question they entered into the Wager of the Octessence. Each placed a small fraction of its magical might into a token, and then established a temple on Earth to house it. The first human to find and touch the artifact would gain the power and lose his will to the artifact's master, becoming an Exemplar: a creature of focused magical might. When all eight Exemplars appeared, they would perform the Ceremony of the Octessence, the construction of a great magical engine to enslave the will of humanity. Then the Examplars would divide the world into eighths, and each would battle the others (using his own powers and armies made of his enslaved eighth of the population) until only one remained. The first artifact uncovered was the Crimson Ruby of Cyttorak, which empowered The Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....

. Only years later would the other Exemplars appear.

Balthakk first appeared in X-Men #12 (1965). While meeting to establish the terms of the Wager, it appeared as little more than a free floating cloud of energy or charged particles. It empowered the Blinding Brazier of Balthakk and through it the Exemplar called Inferno.

Cyttorak
Cyttorak
Cyttorak is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. A mystical entity, he is the deity that powers Juggernaut through the artifact known as Crimson Gem of Cyttorak. He was created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Alex Toth...

first appeared in Dr. Strange (vol. 3) #44, published in 1992 - nearly 30 years after its first mention in 1964 (Strange Tales (vol. 1) #124). While meeting to establish the terms of the Wager, it appeared as a semblance of Juggernaut but completely covered in armor. It has involved itself in human activities more than other members of the Octessence, perhaps owing to the early discovery of the Ruby of Cyttorak (referred to as the Crimson Crystal of Cyttorak in the Wager storyline, possibly to avoid confusion with the Ringed Ruby of Raggadorr). Cytorrak's gem lent enormous strength and durability to Cain Marko, transforming him into The Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....

. It would be years before Marko's purpose as an Exemplar became known, when the other Exemplars appeared. Marko's betrayal of the other Exemplars contributed to their eventual defeat.

Farallah first appeared in Iron Man (vol. 3) #22. While meeting to establish the terms of the Wager, it appeared as a powerful humanoid with ruminant
Ruminant
A ruminant is a mammal of the order Artiodactyla that digests plant-based food by initially softening it within the animal's first compartment of the stomach, principally through bacterial actions, then regurgitating the semi-digested mass, now known as cud, and chewing it again...

 characteristics: short, coarse, dark fur and spiral horns close to the head like those of certain sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...

. A large hump similar to that of a dromedary
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...

 adorned its back, and its hands ended in very sharp nails or claws. It empowered the Fearsome Fist of Farallah, which granted feral combat skills and superhuman speed and coordination to the Exemplar called Carnivore.

Ikonn
Ikonn
Ikonn is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. It is a powerful mystical extra-dimensional entity whom Doctor Strange and other sorcerers have invoked.-Publication history:...

first appeared in Dr. Strange (vol. 2) #47 (June 1981) and is the creation of Roger Stern and Gene Colan. It is a powerful mystical entity whom Doctor Strange and other sorcerers regularly invoke, most often to produce a powerful spell of illusion-crafting called "The Images of Ikonn." Ikonn can create extremely believable illusions and has been titled the "Lord of Illusions." It can disrupt reality, and if it gains control over a world it can make its illusions real. Meeting to establish the terms of the Wager, it appeared as a greyish insectoid/humanoid adorned with dark greenish spikes and pupil-less grey-green eyes. Each limb ended in four radially arranged claws. It had a proboscis
Proboscis
A proboscis is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth found in several varieties of species.-Etymology:...

 where the mouth would normally be. As with any being so powerful, and especially one versed in illusion, one can only speculate as to Ikonn's real form. For the Wager, it invested power into the Ivory Idol of Ikonn, a token that granted Olisa Kabaki powerful telepathic and mind control abilities as the Exemplar Bedlam
Bedlam (comics)
Bedlam is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He originally possessed the mutant ability to create and project a bio-EM field. This has the effect of temporarily disabling any similarly powered technology in the vicinity. He can also utilize his power to scan...

.

Krakkan first appeared in Iron Man (vol. 3) #22 during the meeting to decide the terms of the Wager, appearing there as a grey armored figure; this armor possessed a number of long and very sharp blades. It crafted the Kestrel Key of Krakkan. In Thor (vol. 2) #17, Bridget Malone found this key and became the Exemplar called Conquest, the "living embodiment of battle."

Raggadorr first appeared in Iron Man (vol. 3) #22 (1999). While meeting to establish the terms of the Wager, it appeared as a creature with a four-armed but otherwise humanoid torso, and a blue-colored serpentine
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

 lower body. Its face remained concealed behind a heavy blue helm from which projected bluish horns similar to those of a ram
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...

. Powerful magicians invoke Raggadorr's name to empower certain of their magical spells, most commonly The Rings of Raggadorr. It empowered the Ringed Ruby of Raggadorr and through it the Exemplar called Stonecutter.

Valtorr appeared at the Wager meeting in the form of a greyish, possibly armored snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

 possessing a crest of slightly raised overlapping plates or scales. Magicians invoke Valtorr in spells to command vapors and gasses. The Vapors of Valtorr create what amounts to a gaseous extension of the magician's will; these vapors have properties the magician imparts to them during the casting. The Verdant Vial of Valtorr transformed Stark-Fujikawa employee Yoshiro Hashiman into Decay
Decay (comics)
Decay was a fictional elderly mutant from Marvel Comics who first appeared in Quicksilver #8.-Fictional character biography:...

, an Exemplar with the power to corrupt and destroy with his touch.

Watoomb presented itself as an armored humanoid (or possibly a creature bearing natural armor) with aspects both feline and insectoid, in various shades of yellow, orange, and brown. A signature spell is the Winds of Watoomb, which can carry a caster across light-years of space, and can even pierce dimensional barriers. Watoomb crafted the Wicked Wand of Watoomb
Wand of Watoomb
The Wand of Watoomb is a fictional artifact that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The Wand first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.-Publication history:...

, roughly 30 cm from tip to tip. The ends of this device are carved with the visages of demons. This device granted Nicolette Giroux with a portion of Watoomb's power and will, creating Tempest
Tempest (comics)
Tempest is the name of three different American fictional characters published by DC Comics.-Joshua Clay:The first character with the superhero title, Clay is an African-American member of the second Doom Patrol...

; Dr. Stephen Strange had possessed the device for years prior to this event without transforming into an Exemplar.

The Fear Lords

The Fear Lords consisted of seven demons that conspired to conquer and rule the Earth through fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...

. They were opposed by Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...

 and Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....

, and Straw Man (who betrayed them).
  • D'Spayre
    D'Spayre
    D'Spayre is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon, and was one of the Fear Lords. He has been opposed by Spider-Man, the Scarlet Spider, Man-Thing, Cyclops, the Juggernaut, Doctor Strange, Cloak & Dagger, and the New Avengers. He first appeared in Marvel Team-Up v1 #68...

  • The Dweller-in-Darkness
    Dweller-in-Darkness
    The Dweller-in-Darkness is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon, one of the Fear Lords, who has clashed with Doctor Strange.- Publication history :...

  • Kkallakku
  • Lurking Unknown
    Lurking Unknown
    The Lurking Unknown is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon, one of the Fear Lords, who has clashed with Doctor Strange and Thor.-External links:*...

  • Nightmare
    Nightmare (Marvel Comics)
    Nightmare is a fictional character, a supernatural being who has appeared in many Marvel Comics stories, most commonly as one of Doctor Strange and Ghost Rider's major enemies.-Publication history:...

  • Nox
  • Straw Man
    Straw Man (comics)
    The Scarecrow, later named Straw Man, is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is an extra-dimensional magical entity which takes vengeance on its enemies, and was invited by Dweller-in-Darkness to join the Fear Lords, but he betrayed them to Doctor...


Six-Fingered Hand

The Six-Fingered Hand is a fictional organization in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

.

The Six-Fingered Hand was a group of six lesser demons acting as pawns of more powerful demons, including Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...

. The legion of demons once plotted to merge Earth and Hell, but their plan was successfully opposed by the Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...

. The six are also responsible for the creation of the Lesser Grey God, a statuette which has the power to reactivate old curses.

Members

  • Avarrish, clashed with Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
    Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
    Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...

    /Zarathos
    Zarathos
    Zarathos is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics series Ghost Rider. He is a demonic being who tortures and devours souls. He first appears in Marvel Spotlight #5 .-Fictional character biography:...

    .
  • Fashima, clashed with Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
    Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
    Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...

    /Zarathos
    Zarathos
    Zarathos is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics series Ghost Rider. He is a demonic being who tortures and devours souls. He first appears in Marvel Spotlight #5 .-Fictional character biography:...

    . Mother of Asmodeus Jones.
  • Hyppokri, tried to merge hell and Earth.
  • Puishannt, who has also clashed with Dracula
    Dracula (Marvel Comics)
    Dracula is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is based on the vampire Count Dracula from the novel of the same name by author Bram Stoker, and is also influenced by Universal Studios' version of the character.-Publication history:A...

    .
  • Unthinnk, who has also clashed with (and possessed) Man-Thing
    Man-Thing
    The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...

    .
  • Maya, the sixth and final member of the Six Fingered Hand, was actually a disguised Mephisto, who manipulated the rest of the group.

Lords of the Splinter Realms

This loose collection of various demons (but also wizards and sourcerers) was made up of rulers of the various realms of the nether world (most prominently Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...

, Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...

, Umar
Umar (Marvel Comics)
Umar is a fictional character who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics multiverse. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu...

, Nightmare
Nightmare (Marvel Comics)
Nightmare is a fictional character, a supernatural being who has appeared in many Marvel Comics stories, most commonly as one of Doctor Strange and Ghost Rider's major enemies.-Publication history:...

, Surtur, Thog
Thog
Thog the Nether-Spawn, Overmaster of Sominus is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a demon from the extra-dimensional world of Sominus who has clashed with the Man-Thing.-Publication history:...

 and Pluto). While normally separated from and opposed to each other they formed a tenuous alliance against the Archenemy at the request of Magik (Amanda Sefton
Amanda Sefton
Amanda Sefton is a fictional character, a witch in the Marvel Universe. She is the foster sister and former lover of Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler of the X-Men....

), then ruler of Limbo
Limbo (Marvel Comics)
Limbo, may refer to several fictional locations in titles published by Marvel Comics. The concept debuted in The Avengers #2, , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-History:...

.

External links


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