TEZCATLIPOCA
Real Name: Tezcatlipoca
Identity/Class: Aztec god
Occupation: Lord of the Aztec gods, the Tenth Lord of Day, god of Texcoco, god of Tenochtitlan, god of Tlaxcalteca, god of evil, god of sorcery, god of darkness, as well as Sun God
Group Membership: Aztec gods, Council of Godheads
Affiliations: Ajak, Tlaloc, Huizilopochtli,
Tetzcatlipoca's priests were the royal sorcerers of the Aztec
Empire.
Also the militaristic order of Jaguar Knights likely venerated or
had ties to Tetzcatlipoca in some way.
Enemies: Quetzalcoatl, Itzamna, and the Mayan gods
Known Relatives: Tonacatecuhtli (father), Tonacacihuatl (mother), Mixcoatl, Camaxtli, Xipe-Totec (brothers), Tlacolteotl (sister/wife), Itzli, Mictlantecuhtli (sons), Mictlantecuhtli (daughter), Camazotz, Xecotocovah, Cotzbalam, Tecibalam (sons by Xilonen), Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, Cineteotl (nephews(?)), Xochiquetzal, Coyoxauhqui (neices), Chamer (grandson), Ixtab (grandaughter)
Aliases: Smoking Mirror (literal translation), Yáotl ("the Adversary"), the Flayed One, Jaguar of Night, Chalchiuhtecólotl ("precious owl"), Chalchiuhtotolin ("precious turkey"), Tepeyollotli, Titlacauepan, Tzahui, Tajin, Cocijo, Bacabs (Mayan name)
Base of Operations: Topán, the Floating World
First Appearance: Thor I#300 (October, 1980)
Powers: Tezcatlipoca possesses greater than normal powers than any other Mexican god except for perhaps Itzamna. He has superhuman strength (Class 50 perhaps), stamina, longevity and resistance to harm. He has extensive mystical skills equal to Seth or Pluto enabling him to manipulate energy, cross dimensions and to change his form. In ancient times, much of his power was centered on a "smoking mirror" which reflected the true natures of anyone who looked in it.
Tezcatlipoca apparently has a dual nature, and can be seen as either benevolent, or in a more malign fashion.
History: (Mexican Myth)- Tezcatlipoca was one of the four sons of the ancient Earth gods Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl. During the Ancient Mayan Empire, he was the patron god of the ancient Toltecs, but as the Mayans lost their power, he lead the Toltecs into conquering the tribes protected by his own brothers, thereby taking their powers. The merged tribes became the founders of the Aztec Empire out of the ashes of the Mayan Empire as the gods themselves divided their loyalties between Tezcatlipoca and the deposed Itzamna, leader of the Mayan Gods.
Demanding blood sacrifices from his
worshippers, Tezcatlipoca did not expect retaliation from the
sons of his brothers. He managed to warp the alleigance of the
war-god Huitzilopochtli into serving him, but Quetzalcoatl was
actually able to depose him and after changing him into a jaguar,
dumped him into the ocean. Quetzalcoatl was then in turn deposed
by Tlaloc, the water-god, working for Tezcatlipoca.
Returning to take control, Tezcatlipoca impersonated a god named
Titlacauepan in order to shame Quetzalcoatl into getting drunk
enough to rape his sister. He then showed Quetzalcoatl's true
image as a feathered serpent in his "smoking mirror"
and shamed him into exile with the Mayan Gods in the underworld.
In his final act as revenge to undo the good Quetzalcoatl had
created, Tezcatlipoca took mortal form and convinced the Aztecs
to accept the Spanish Conquistadore Hernando Cortez as the
returning Quetzalcoatl. Hence, through Cortez, Tezcatlipoca
destroyed the Aztec Empire. (see comments for a
different take on the history)
(Thor I#300 (fb))-
Sometime around 1000 AD, Tezcatlipoca ceased hostilities with
Itzamna to meet with other foreign gods. The meeting was actually
catered by Odin and Zeus to discuss the threat of the Third Host
of the Celestials.
(Thor I#301)- Due to the earlier pact he made with Odin, Tezcatlipoca voluntarily offered a portion of the life energies required to revive the Asgardians after the Fourth Host of the Celestials had destroyed them.
(Thor Annual#10-BTS?) - The Council of Godheads met to discuss the threat of Demogorge. Quetzalcoatl was sent to represent the Mexican Gods.
(Infinity Gauntlet#2)- Because of their common foe, Tezcatlipoca and Itzamna once more meet with the other godheads to discuss the threat Thanos the Eternal posed with the Infinity Gauntlet. He was stranded in Asgard with the others when Thanos shattered the Rainbow Bridge.
(Thor I#398)- Tezcatlipoca overheard the Enchantress scream upon the death of her then-lover, Heimdall, during Seth's conquest of Asgard.
(Incredible Hercules#116-117) - Tezcatlipoca attended the Council of Godheads gathered by Athena to assemble a team of champions with which to confront the Skrullian gods. Tezcatlipoca convinced the Eternal Ajak to represent their gods, observing that Ajak had stood in place of the Aztec gods in the past and that his role as communicator to the Celestials was no longer active.
(What If II#38-BTS)- In an alternate reality (Earth-9260), Tezcatlipoca was again usurped by Quetzalcoatl who even took his arraignments of leadership. In this timeline, Quetzalcoatl, possibly representing Itzamna, meets with the godheads to discuss Seth who has conquered Asgard in this reality.
Comments: Adapted by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio and Keith Pollard.
In Conan the Barbarian I#65 (freely adapted from REH's The
Thunder Rider), Conan and Belit encountered a sorcerer known as
Tezcatlipoca, who used a feathered serpent as a familiar. This Tezcatlipoca
ruled an army of pygmies on an island, and had slain the legendary Black
Corsair, Ahmaan the Merciless, 100 years before encountering Conan. After a
several day struggle, Tezcatlipoca was victorious. A century later,
Tezcatlipoca, who claimed not to be like other men, had shown no signs of aging.
The sorcerer proved immune to blade and fist, and planned to sacrifice Belit,
but Conan slew him with the Axe of Ahmaan.
As this story took place in 10000 BC, it is uncertain what, if any, connection
exists between these two beings and the Mexican Gods of later millennia. There
are literally dozens of examples of gods from later pantheons being referenced
in the Hyborian era, but the full explanation is unknown.
In What If II#38, Quetzalcoatl is garbed exactly like previous depictions of Tezcatlipoca and even recalling his encounter with Thor against Demogorge. The only sense to be made of this is that Quetzalcoatl has replaced Tezcatlipoca in this reality. (Or he really dug Tezcatlipoca's threads --Prime Ed-ternal)
The Jaguar Priest of the Bermuda Triangle may well have been a priest of Tezcatlipoca (see Greg's comments).
Profile by Will Uchtman
Clarifications:
Not so much...unless...yes! The Jaguar Priest
will be back! Long live Skull the Slayer!!!! Mwahh, hah, hah,
hah...ahem. sorry--Snood
Appearances:
Thor I#300-301 (October-November, 1980) - Mark Gruenwald & Ralph Macchio (writers), Keith Pollard (pencils), Gene Day (#300) & Chic Stone (#301) (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Thor Annual I#10 (1982) - Mark Gruenwald & Alan Zelenetz (writers), Bob Hall (pencils), Rick Bryant, Andy Myshynsky, Al Gordon & Kevin Dzuban (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Infinity Gauntlet#2 (August, 1991) - Jim Starlin (writer), George Perez (pencils), Joe Rubinstein (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Thor I#398 (December, 1988) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Frenz (pencils), Don Heck (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
What If? II#38 (June, 1992) - Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier (writers), Marshall Rogers & M.C. Wyman (pencils), Sam De La Rosa & Rod Ramos (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Incredible Hercules#116-117 (June-July, 2008) - Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente (writers), Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Last updated: 12/25/10
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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