TUONI

Real Name: Unrevealed (see comments)

Identity/Class: Finnish god and magic user

Occupation:  God of the underworld

Group Membership: The Jumala (Gods of Finland) (see comments)

Affiliations: Surma, Tuonetar, Ukko;
    possibly the Gods of the Dead

Enemies: None known

Known Relatives: Tuonetar (wife), Vammatar, Loviator, Kivutar, Kipu-Tytto (daughters), Ukko (father), Akka/Gaea (mother)

Aliases: Manala (possibly? - see comments)

Base of Operations: Tuonela, Manala/Taivas (see comments)

First Appearance: (mentioned) Official Handbook of the Marvel Handbook A to Z HC Vol. 3 (2008);
    (fully pictured & identified as Tuoni) Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica (2009)

Powers/Abilities: Tuoni possesses the conventional attributes of the Finnish gods, including but not not limited to superhuman strength (possibly Class 30), stamina, endurance and an inclination to the mystical arts. The full expertise of his mystical powers possibly includes the casting of spells, changing form and control over the weather. He also possesses superhuman durability due to his flesh and bone being three times thicker than a normal human's.

    Tuoni is also a true immortal, ceasing aging upon reaching adulthood, and he cannot be killed by conventional means, only by something that completely incinerates or disperses a large portion of his molecules. Even then, Tuoni could be resurrected by a god of equal power or higher. Immune to all terrestrial diseases and resistant to most physical injury, Tuoni, like most of the Jumala, can also heal any physical injury suffered at a superhuman rate.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'5")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 600 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (see comments)
Hair: Purple (no visible irises)

History:
(Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica (fb) - BTS) - Sky father Ukko mated with the Earth mother Gaea to spawn several successive gods, including dispassionate death god Tuoni. Tuoni was a member of an extradimensional race of beings known as the Jumala, who were worshiped as gods primarily between 650 BC and 1000 AD., which some worship extending into the 13th century. As part of the Jumala, Tuoni ruled the nether realm of Tuonela and tasked his monstrous canine familiar, Surma, with guarding the entrance of his kingdom against intruders. Tuoni eventually took Tuonetar as his mistress/wife and the two spawned daughters Kipu-Tytto, Kivutar, Loviatar and Vammatar.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC Vol. 3 - Demons entry - BTS) - Tuoni was one of the many death gods that became associated with Earth.

(Finnish myth) - Tuoni was possibly witness to the mortal shaman Vainamoinen reaching Manala (Taivas in the Marvel Universe) and being kept there by his wife, Tuonetar. However, Vainamoinen eluded her by turning himself into a fish and jumping over the mystical net blocking him.

Comments: Adapted into Marvel Comics by Anthony Flamini, Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Paul Cornell and Kevin Sharpe.

    In Finnish mythology, it is almost certain that Tuoni and Manala are the same deity. Throughout their references, they're both gods of the dead, they both lend their names to the river circling the underworld and both names are interchangeable with the realm of the dead itself. Both deities are named as spouses of Tuonetar. I would speculate that Tuoni is the god while Manala is the underworld itself but I can't confirm this. It is very likely the confusion is based on early Christian translations and retellings by numerous researchers.

    There's a few clarifications I would like to make about Marvel's depiction of the Finnish gods. I'm a mythological purist and there are certain aspects of their version which I find cringeworthy:

• Jumala is not the name of the Finnish gods. It's a word that translates as "deity." It's not meant to be a proper name and in ancient Finland, it became the name of the Christian god when the first Christian missionaries appeared. However, some references do consider this figure as the Supreme sky-father before the other gods appeared.
• "Taivas" is not the home of the Finnish gods. It's literally a word meaning "sky." It's not meant to be interpreted as a proper name.
• Lintukoto is not the home of the Finish gods either. It was considered the place where birds went during the winter and considered more a land of paradise where spirits went afterward, akin more to Elysium in Greek-Roman myth.

    So, why am I telling you this? Well, some people seem to have the notion that the pantheons of other gods are structured just like the Greek-Roman gods...with a home on a mountain set apart from mortals and a land of the dead and all the characteristics of the Olympian gods. Well, that's just not the case. In several mythologies, the gods of other cultures, particularly in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Meso-America, North America and elsewhere, actually lived on Earth with their worshipers and later departed Earth when their time was over. The best example is the myth of Atum-Re in Egypt. When he became too old and infirmed to rule, the Ogdoad lifted him up to Heaven (i.e. they recognized him as a god) while Amun-Ra and the others ruled Earth from different cities. Kind of makes sense if one realizes many of these figures were likely based and embellished from forgotten kings and rulers.

    Now, let's explore the name "Kalevala." Most Europeans know it as the book comprising the poetry of the Finno-Ugrian people but it's also considered the name of ancient Finland back before the Christians showed up and started interpreting their myths and stories like they did to the Norse and the Celts. For this reason, I've personally referred to these figures as Kalevalans but that's just me. Marvel Comics is going to do what it's going to do and this is why I've sort of distanced myself from the good folks constructing the Marvel Universe at the Appendix. That, and the fact I suffer from high stress disorder and can barely type anymore..

    So, please, don't think the biographies of Marvel's gods are mythologically faithful. They're fictional characters. That's it.

    Unfortunately, the ancient Finns did not give their gods a full family tree but then, few cultures had the rampant imagination of the Greeks. Some wives are mentioned, children are often given and once in a while, I find an obscure reference of someone being someone's grandfather or in-law. However, I've always speculated that if there was such a genealogy that the Finnish gods Ukko, Ahti,Tapio and Manala would be brothers, children of the sky-gods, Inmar and Ilma, but this is only because of recurring stories from other myths were brothers split creation equally among themselves or were granted lands through a common progenitor.

    In Thor I#301, Ukko is visited in Taivas by the Asgardian god Thor for the life energies to restore the Asgardian gods. Tuoni was possibly in attendance or aware of his appearance.
    Tuoni likely would have given some of his power to Ukko to disperse to Thor for the resurrection of the Asgardians but neither Ukko nor Tuoni are actually seen in Thor I#301. --Proto-Man

    A "Tuonin" is invoked in Conan the Barbarian I#260 but this is likely another god rather than some aspect or alias of Tuoni. --Proto-Man
    Chronologically, the Finnish gods wouldn't have appeared before written records. Since "Tuonin" might be a Marvel creation, your assumption is as good as mine.

    Tuoni's hair color was impossible to determine, as he was only ever seen in a single image in which he was wearing an armored helmet (as you can see in the above main image). --Proto-Man

    This profile was completed on 02/17/2026 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Thor2000.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Tuoni should be distinguished from:

• TUONETAR - Tuoni's wife, Finnish goddess of the underworld, sister of Vainamoinen
• TUONIN - Hyborian era god--Conan the Barbarian I#260
• other "Tuoni" characters, groups, items, races or events
  

Appearances:
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC Vol. 3 (2008) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer, coordinator), Madison Carter, Stuart Vandal (coordination assistants, writers), Mike Fichera (coordination assistant, writer, art refurbishment), David Wiltfong (art refurbishment, writer), Sean McQuaid, Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Eric J. Moreels, Mark O'English, Al Sjoerdsma, Chad Anderson, Chris Biggs, Jacob Rougemont, Rich Green, Gabe Shechter (writers), David Sexton, Bill Lentz, Barry Reese, Jonathan Couper-Smartt, Anthony Flamini (past writers), Abe Waranowitz (art refurbishment), Pond Scum (art reconstruction), Jeff Youngquist, Jennifer Grunwald (editors)
Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica (2009) - Anthony Flamini (head writer, coordinator), Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Paul Cornell (consulting writers), Kevin Sharpe (Jumala entry art), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

First posted: 09/15/2026
Last updated: 02/17/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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