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Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay
of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She occasionally tries to take over the world. She has been an opponent of The Avengers
, and in the 1970s, she was the major villain in the original Spider-Woman
comic, and was opposed by a reincarnation of her "ancient foe" and former lover of Magnus
and Doctor Doom
. She was a member of the Darkhold
ers for a time.
and illustrated by Joe Maneely
. She was introduced into Marvel Comics in Spider-Woman #2
, as well as Queen of Gorre (a section of Britain). She was a nemesis for the original Black Knight
.
Morgan Le Fay first projected her astral form from her physical body in the Sixth Century A.D. to the present day. She mentally dominated "Slapper" Struthers, transforming him into the superhuman Excaliber, and directed him to kill the original Spider-Woman
. She sent her astral form to get the Darkhold
from the Werewolf
, and battled Spider-Woman and Magnus the Sorcerer
. Morgan later attempted to enlist Spider-Woman in her magical conquest of the 20th Century. She held Spider-Woman's friends' souls hostage, but her physical body was destroyed in combat with Spider-Woman.
and Iron Man
are flung back in time by the traitorous Hauptmann to the days of Camelot. During this time, Doom met with Morgan Le Fay to enlist her in helping wrest his mother's soul from Hell. Le Fay agreed on the condition that Doom become the general of her army, undead warriors of those slain by the sword Excalibur against her half-brother King Arthur. Iron Man defeated Le Fay, causing her to flee to another realm. Doom swore vengeance on Iron Man for this, vowing to see the hero dead.
Later, Morgan attempted to possess the body of Spider-Woman, and battled the Avengers
, Doctor Strange
, and the Shroud
on the astral plane. Morgan then attempted to possess the body of Lisa Russell, but was repulsed by Iron Man. Morgan then allied with Mordred the Evil
. She dispatched Dreadknight
, Balor
, and other Celtic netherworld monsters against the Black Knight
and Doctor Strange. She attempted to turn Earth into a dimension ruled by black magic.
, the Norse god whose actions created the Avengers in the first place). Using the monsters of Norse mythology
, she and Mordred lured the Scarlet Witch
(and a team of Avengers) to Tintagel
in Cornwall. There, she kidnapped the Scarlet Witch and used her reality-warping powers to 'bridge the gap' between her elven magic and an Asgardian doomsday device
known as the Twilight Sword. Using the Sword, she remade reality: the world was now a Middle Ages
equivalent of itself, except that she ruled the world, and had done so for some time. However, the Avengers stepped in and freed the Scarlet Witch, thus negating the original spell the others were based on, and restoring reality.
Doctor Doom
is revealed to be in a sexual/romantic relationship with Le Fay, traveling back to the past in order to carry on liaisons with her. Le Fay has told Doom to bring her back something "of value" as a gift the next time he comes to her time or not come back at all. He later returns, asking for her help in creating an army of loyal in-human warriors. She asks what she gets in return, to which Doom asks her what she wants, to which her response is currently unknown as Doom reappears in the present with his army of Mindless Ones
. Later, Le Fay is seen sadly looking out her window for the return of Doom, who has been defeated and incarcerated by the Mighty Avengers.
as the team's first nemesis. She used a spell to peer into the future and witnessed the formation of the Cabal. She somehow traveled into the future with an army of demons. At first, she attempted to kill Doom when he was a child, but then decided to go ahead several decades, so that Doom could fully know why she was going to kill him, choosing after the Skrull
invasion
and engaged Doom in magical combat. As Doom begins to lose, a HAMMER soldier calls Osborn, and the Dark Avengers arrive to rescue Doom. The Sentry
tears off her head, but she subsequenly violently reappeared in his place, and took control over the new Spider-Man, who attacked Ares
. She is killed again by the new Hawkeye
, but she reappears again. She and her demons are seen fighting the Dark Avengers, while Doom and Iron Patriot
travel back in time to kill her in her own time. However, when they arrive, after an unsuccessful magical assault on the two men (due to the considerable amount of iron in their armor suits, the one substance her faerie enchantments cannot affect), she reveals to Osborn of her knowledge that Doom plans to betray her and that if they kill her, then it will affect Doom's own lifeline, claiming Doom will fall to his nature and betray Osborn; Doom responds by chanting a spell of a language that even she possesses no knowledge to forcibly send the sorceress into her own enchanted cauldron, despite her screams and pleas. Though Morgan lives, she is sent to 1,000,000 BC where she runs from a tribe of cavemen fighting a T-Rex; Doom magically restores Latveria and the revived Dark Avengers head back to America.
and centuries of study, she is considered one of the greatest sorceresses in Earth's history. Her magical powers are derived from three major sources. Due to her faerie heritage she possesses innate personal powers such as the ability to control minds; she also possesses abilities all humans potentially have, such as the ability to engage in astral projection. She also has the faerie ability to manipulate mystical energy, often through spells and enchantments of ancient Celtic origin, an ability she has honed through practice. Finally, she has abilities as a high priestess of the Earth goddess (Gaea) by invoking her Celtic name, Danu.
Not all of Morgan’s powers have been documented as yet. It is known that she can mystically manipulate both the natural environment of Earth and the environment of the astral plane in which she once existed. She can cast illusions, project mystical bolts (which can affect physical beings and objects even when she is in astral form), create mystical force shields and remove spirits from their bodies and place those spirits under her control. When in physical form, she can fly and change her shape into other people or animals (both real and mythical). She also has healing powers which she might have used on her former foe King Arthur on transporting him to Otherworld.
Morgan can also tap into and manipulate powerful magical energies for powerful feats of magic without having to tax upon her normal magical abilities, such as when she used the power of the Norn Stones and the Twilight Sword to restructure reality, but needed the Scarlet Witch to bridge her Faerie heritage to the Asgardian magic. Morgan has utilized the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak to bind Doctor Strange and Balor. She is also able to time travel.
Morgan is virtually immortal. Her spirit has restored her physical body at the various times it has been destroyed.
Due to her hybrid nature (half-human and half-faerie), Morgan Le Fay has the faerie's vulnerability to "cold iron" or steel. These materials can cause her harm both in her physical and astral form.
Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay , alternatively known as Morgane, Morgaine, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian legend. Early works featuring Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a fay or magician...
of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She occasionally tries to take over the world. She has been an opponent of The Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, and in the 1970s, she was the major villain in the original Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee, said in 1978, shortly after Spider-Woman's debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters...
comic, and was opposed by a reincarnation of her "ancient foe" and former lover of Magnus
Magnus the Sorcerer
Magnus the Sorcerer is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.The character was an ally of the first Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew.-Publication history:...
and Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
. She was a member of 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...
ers for a time.
Publication history
Morgan le Fay first appeared in Atlas Comics in Black Knight #1 (May 1955), written by Stan LeeStan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and illustrated by Joe Maneely
Joe Maneely
Joseph "Joe" Maneely is an American comic book artist best known for his work at Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics, where he co-created the Marvel characters the Black Knight, the Ringo Kid, the Yellow Claw, and Jimmy Woo.An exquisite draftsman whose delicate yet solid, fine-line...
. She was introduced into Marvel Comics in Spider-Woman #2
Fictional character biography
Morgan Le Fay was born in Tintagil Castle, in Cornwall, England, in the days of Camelot, in the Sixth Century A.D. She became a high priestess, and the leader of the Sixth Century cult of the DarkholdDarkhold
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...
, as well as Queen of Gorre (a section of Britain). She was a nemesis for the original Black Knight
Black Knight (Sir Percy)
Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original Black Knight, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He was a medieval knight created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely.- Publication history :...
.
Morgan Le Fay first projected her astral form from her physical body in the Sixth Century A.D. to the present day. She mentally dominated "Slapper" Struthers, transforming him into the superhuman Excaliber, and directed him to kill the original Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
. She sent her astral form to get 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...
from the Werewolf
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
, and battled Spider-Woman and Magnus the Sorcerer
Magnus the Sorcerer
Magnus the Sorcerer is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.The character was an ally of the first Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew.-Publication history:...
. Morgan later attempted to enlist Spider-Woman in her magical conquest of the 20th Century. She held Spider-Woman's friends' souls hostage, but her physical body was destroyed in combat with Spider-Woman.
Doom and Iron Man
Doctor DoomDoctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
and Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
are flung back in time by the traitorous Hauptmann to the days of Camelot. During this time, Doom met with Morgan Le Fay to enlist her in helping wrest his mother's soul from Hell. Le Fay agreed on the condition that Doom become the general of her army, undead warriors of those slain by the sword Excalibur against her half-brother King Arthur. Iron Man defeated Le Fay, causing her to flee to another realm. Doom swore vengeance on Iron Man for this, vowing to see the hero dead.
Later, Morgan attempted to possess the body of Spider-Woman, and battled the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, 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 the Shroud
Shroud (comics)
Shroud is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Super-Villain Team-Up #5, , and was created by Steve Englehart and Herb Trimpe.-Conception:...
on the astral plane. Morgan then attempted to possess the body of Lisa Russell, but was repulsed by Iron Man. Morgan then allied with Mordred the Evil
Mordred (comics)
Mordred the Evil is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is based loosely on the Mordred of Arthurian legend.-Fictional character biography:...
. She dispatched Dreadknight
Dreadknight
Dreadknight is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #102 Dreadknight is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #102 Dreadknight is a...
, Balor
Balor (comics)
Balor is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Balor is a giant red-skinned, yellow-horned, one-eyed member of the Fomor, extra-dimensional beings from the dimension of Avalon...
, and other Celtic netherworld monsters against the Black Knight
Black Knight (Dane Whitman)
Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, the company's third person to bear the name Black Knight. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, he first appeared in The Avengers #47 Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics...
and Doctor Strange. She attempted to turn Earth into a dimension ruled by black magic.
Avengers assemble again
She served as the villain that reunited the Avengers (ironically, she did so in the manner of LokiLoki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
, the Norse god whose actions created the Avengers in the first place). Using the monsters of Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, she and Mordred lured the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
(and a team of Avengers) to Tintagel
Tintagel
Tintagel is a civil parish and village situated on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The population of the parish is 1,820 people, and the area of the parish is ....
in Cornwall. There, she kidnapped the Scarlet Witch and used her reality-warping powers to 'bridge the gap' between her elven magic and an Asgardian doomsday device
Doomsday device
A doomsday device is a hypothetical construction — usually a weapon, or collection of weapons — which could destroy all life on a planet, particularly the Earth, or destroy the planet itself, bringing "doomsday", a term used for the end of planet Earth...
known as the Twilight Sword. Using the Sword, she remade reality: the world was now a Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
equivalent of itself, except that she ruled the world, and had done so for some time. However, the Avengers stepped in and freed the Scarlet Witch, thus negating the original spell the others were based on, and restoring reality.
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
is revealed to be in a sexual/romantic relationship with Le Fay, traveling back to the past in order to carry on liaisons with her. Le Fay has told Doom to bring her back something "of value" as a gift the next time he comes to her time or not come back at all. He later returns, asking for her help in creating an army of loyal in-human warriors. She asks what she gets in return, to which Doom asks her what she wants, to which her response is currently unknown as Doom reappears in the present with his army of Mindless Ones
Mindless Ones
The Mindless Ones are fictional monsters appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. Their first appearance was in Strange Tales They are extra-dimensional creatures summoned via magic to do the bidding of others . They appear to have a thick, roughly humanoid shape standing taller than most men and a...
. Later, Le Fay is seen sadly looking out her window for the return of Doom, who has been defeated and incarcerated by the Mighty Avengers.
Dark Avengers
Morgan appears in Dark AvengersDark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
as the team's first nemesis. She used a spell to peer into the future and witnessed the formation of the Cabal. She somehow traveled into the future with an army of demons. At first, she attempted to kill Doom when he was a child, but then decided to go ahead several decades, so that Doom could fully know why she was going to kill him, choosing after the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
and engaged Doom in magical combat. As Doom begins to lose, a HAMMER soldier calls Osborn, and the Dark Avengers arrive to rescue Doom. The Sentry
Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:...
tears off her head, but she subsequenly violently reappeared in his place, and took control over the new Spider-Man, who attacked Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
. She is killed again by the new Hawkeye
Bullseye (comics)
Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no...
, but she reappears again. She and her demons are seen fighting the Dark Avengers, while Doom and Iron Patriot
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
travel back in time to kill her in her own time. However, when they arrive, after an unsuccessful magical assault on the two men (due to the considerable amount of iron in their armor suits, the one substance her faerie enchantments cannot affect), she reveals to Osborn of her knowledge that Doom plans to betray her and that if they kill her, then it will affect Doom's own lifeline, claiming Doom will fall to his nature and betray Osborn; Doom responds by chanting a spell of a language that even she possesses no knowledge to forcibly send the sorceress into her own enchanted cauldron, despite her screams and pleas. Though Morgan lives, she is sent to 1,000,000 BC where she runs from a tribe of cavemen fighting a T-Rex; Doom magically restores Latveria and the revived Dark Avengers head back to America.
Powers and abilities
Morgan le Fay possesses a natural affinity for magical forces which is a result of her half-faerie genetic structure. She possesses a gifted intellect, and as a former pupil of MerlinMerlin (Marvel Comics)
Merlin is the name of multiple fictional characters in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:The first Merlin of the Marvel Universe is apparently the figure of Arthurian legend, hailing from 6th century A.D. Britain. He was born in Carmarthen, Wales. He was a powerful sorcerer who...
and centuries of study, she is considered one of the greatest sorceresses in Earth's history. Her magical powers are derived from three major sources. Due to her faerie heritage she possesses innate personal powers such as the ability to control minds; she also possesses abilities all humans potentially have, such as the ability to engage in astral projection. She also has the faerie ability to manipulate mystical energy, often through spells and enchantments of ancient Celtic origin, an ability she has honed through practice. Finally, she has abilities as a high priestess of the Earth goddess (Gaea) by invoking her Celtic name, Danu.
Not all of Morgan’s powers have been documented as yet. It is known that she can mystically manipulate both the natural environment of Earth and the environment of the astral plane in which she once existed. She can cast illusions, project mystical bolts (which can affect physical beings and objects even when she is in astral form), create mystical force shields and remove spirits from their bodies and place those spirits under her control. When in physical form, she can fly and change her shape into other people or animals (both real and mythical). She also has healing powers which she might have used on her former foe King Arthur on transporting him to Otherworld.
Morgan can also tap into and manipulate powerful magical energies for powerful feats of magic without having to tax upon her normal magical abilities, such as when she used the power of the Norn Stones and the Twilight Sword to restructure reality, but needed the Scarlet Witch to bridge her Faerie heritage to the Asgardian magic. Morgan has utilized the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak to bind Doctor Strange and Balor. She is also able to time travel.
Morgan is virtually immortal. Her spirit has restored her physical body at the various times it has been destroyed.
Due to her hybrid nature (half-human and half-faerie), Morgan Le Fay has the faerie's vulnerability to "cold iron" or steel. These materials can cause her harm both in her physical and astral form.
Television
- An elderly version of Morgan le Fay appeared in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "Mother of Doom!". She was seen in Chthon's dimension talking with Cynthia "Coco" Von Doom and Galactus' mother.
Film
- Morgan Le Fay appeared as the main villain in the Doctor Strange TV movieDr. Strange (1978 film)Dr. Strange is a made-for-TV movie based on the Marvel Comics fictional character Dr. Strange, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It was both directed and written by Philip DeGuere...
played by Jessica WalterJessica WalterJessica Walter is an American actress, known for the films Play Misty for Me, Grand Prix, and for her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development...
.
External links
- Morgan le Fay at Marvel.com
- A brief overview, with links to more detailed treatments, at Camelot in Four Colors
- A profile of the Marvel Comics version