CHTHON
Real Name: Chthon
Identity/Class: Elder God (Distant Past to the present day)
Occupation: Evil Sorcerer, arch-demon, author of the Darkhold
Group Membership: Elder Gods;
formerly while possessing the Scarlet Witch: Hydra's Avengers (Black Ant/Eric O'Grady LMD, Captain America/Steve "Stevil" Rogers, Deadpool/Wade Wilson, Odinson, Superior Octopus/Otto Octavius, Taskmaster/Tony Masters, Vision (controlled by virus))
Affiliations: Aelfric,
Blade (Eric Brooks; as Switchblade), Caninus (Jake Waffles), Carnage (Cletus Kasady), Chthonic Brotherhood, Darkholders, DeGuzman, Diabolique, Geiomar, Harvestor
(Johnny Farmer), Hydra (Mister Hyde/Calvin Zabo, many others), Hydra High Council (Baron Zemo/Helmut Zemo, Doctor Faustu/Johann Fenhoff, Gorgon/Tomi Shishido, Hyve, Kraken, Madame Hydra/Elisa Sinclair, Supreme Hydra/Steve Rogers, Viper/Ophelia Sarkissian, Arnim Zola), Keku, Mr. Hayward,
Lilith, Mercy (Norman
Zachos), Modred the
Mystic, Vittorio Montesi, Dr. Michael Morbius, Nezaral, Aurora Poule, Sagbata,
Sarrah
Roberts, Spider-X
(Brian Kornfeld), Reverend Styge, Morton Thurnton,
Clarisse Van
Ripper, Varnae, Venom (Dylan Brock) of Earth-36250,
Verdelet Donald J.
Walsh Lt.
Frank West;
formerly Heka-Nut, Raze (Claire Dixon);
see Ian McNee's Catalogue of Correspondences via the First Tarot
Enemies: Ashake of ancient Egypt, Atlanteans, Atum/Demogorge,
Avengers (Beast/Henry McCoy, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Amadeus
Cho, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Hercules, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Iron Man/Tony
Stark, Jocasta, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Scarlet
Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Stature/Cassie Lang, USAgent/John Walker, Vision, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wasp/Henry
Pym, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Boom-Boom (Tabitha Smith), Bova, Brendan, Sam Buchanan,
Darkhold Defiled (Black Bolt, Blade/Eric Brooks, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne), Darkhold
Redeemers (Louise Hastings, Jinx (William
Hastings), Victoria Montesi,), Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom), Jonathan
Drew, Felinatus (Mr. Whiskers), First Eternity Battalion (Emmett Proudhawk, Philip Nelson Vogt, others), Gaea,
Agatha Harkness, Heka-Nut, Daimon Hellstrom, High Evolutionary (Herbert Wyndham), Krigorrath, Lady Janice,
Lady Liberators (She-Hulk, Thundra, Valkyrie), Knights of Wundagore, Loki, Janet Lyton,
Magik (Illyana Rasputin),
Magnus,
Marrow,
Django
Maximoff, Ian McNee, MI13 (Black Knight (Whitman), Captain Britain (Braddock), Spitfire), Merlin,
Vittorio Montesi, Morgan Le Fey,
Omega the Unknown (James-Michael Starling), Oshtur, Gregor
Russoff, Sebastian Shaw, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Dr. Stephen Strange, Strong Guy (Guido Carosello), Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida), Thor (Jane Foster), Ultron (Ultron/Hank Pym merged), Underground (Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Hercules, Iron Man/Tony Stark A.I., Mockingbird/Bobbi Barton, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Sam Wilson), Jubulile van Scotter, the
Viper, Warriors (Devil Dinosaur, Inferno/Dante Pertuz, Karnak, Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Moon Girl/Lunella Lafayette, Quake/Daisy Johnson), Winter Guard (Crimson Dynamo, Darkstar, Red Guardian), Grant Whittaker;
formerly Modred the Mystic
Known Relatives:
Demiurge (father);
Kemur, Mejed, Nrgl, Set,
Hyppus, Tiwaz, Toranos, Utgard-Loki (brothers), Gaea, Issus, Oshtur
(sisters), other Elder Gods (siblings) and their offspring (varying
relations);
"Offspring"/Creations: Broodlings of Chthon, Darkhold Dwarf, Daughters of Chthon,
Dragonus, Hellhound, Keirrok,
the Midwife,
Monstrosity,
Victoria Montesi, the N'Garai,
Troids Shadow
demons,
unidentified
mother of Diabolique, Van
Ripper's Demon, Whisperer, Wish-Demon,
Wolf Men (including Vârcolac), Y'Bsgloth,
Y'Garon, Y'Griarth
Aliases: Demon of the Darkhold, the Great
Shadow, the Other, the Wolf, Fire, He Who Holds the Darkness;
possessed Scarlet Witch (and took over her life)
Base of Operations: The Flickering Realms (aka. Other-Realm);
Wundagore Mountain, Transia, Europe
formerly mobile over Earth in the Distant Past
First Appearance: (as the Other) Marvel
Chillers#1 (October, 1975);
(as Chthon) Avengers I#186 (August, 1979)
Powers/Abilities: Chthon is a being of unimaginable mystical power, specifically that which can be called black magic. In the dimension he has created for himself he controls every aspect of reality. He can also send his power out of that dimension when invoked to do so by a spellcaster, though when this is done the spellcaster's soul is forfeit to the Elder God. Otherwise Chthon is unable to move freely through dimensions and is trapped in his own because it would take an enormous mystical rift to convey the immense mystical power of the Elder God.
Until Chthon finds a way to truly free himself from his other-dimensional realm, he can operate on Earth through his elemental host, known as the Other, which is summoned when someone uses the Darkhold. The Other can manifest itself in any appearance it wants, but its actions on the Earthly sphere are generally limited by the demands of the user of the Darkhold. If the proper rituals are performed, Chthon can also take over mortal host-bodies on Earth, but he can not easily transfer all of his totality to these forms, and often even the fraction he can is too much for the form to contain.
Chthon developed Necromantic magic on Earth. Forbidden in every civilized mystic community, this potent form of magic is still practiced by twisted witches and wizards who seek power no matter the cost. Drawing on the potent energies generated by the termination of lesser energies (i.e. human sacrifice) and capable of generating swift and significant results, necromantic incantations have resulted in the destruction of entire civilizations.
Chthon created the Flickering Realms (also known as the Dimension of the Darkhold, or the
Dark Heart of Chthon) There is no map of the Flickering Realms because
the landscape is constantly changing. A traveler might cross sands,
then swamps, next snow, and then stone; further, the stone may
bleed and the snow might burn like fire. The only constant here is
danger.
The N’Garai's dimension is inside of this one, and the demons are everywhere.
Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Red
Hair: None
History:
(Thor Annual I#10 (fb)/Silver Surfer
Annual I#2/5 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe
Edition #2: Chthon/Immortal Thor#5 (fb)) - When the Demiurge seeded the Earth with its
energies, Chthon was among the beings, now called the Elder Gods, who
rose from the Earth. Chthon and his sister Gaea were among the Elder
Gods who dwelled within the Earth rather than the sea or sky.
(Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5 (fb)) - Chthon devoted itself to the study of things that should not exist and the dark mystical forces of the universe, thus he became the planet's first master of black magic. He even experimented on at least one of the other Elder Gods, transforming it.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z (hardcover) Vol. 7 (2009): Appendix: Magic (from the journals of Ian McNee) (fb) - BTS) - The fourth path or "forbidden path" (as it was originally known) was developed on Earth by Chthon. Witnessing his brother Set gaining power by destroying life, Chthon became curious. He studied the release of death energies in order to master this source of power for himself and to better defend himself against the insatiable hunger of Set.
(Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5 (fb)) - Chthon created (or mutated) a lupine figure.
(Thor Annual I#10 (fb)/Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5 (fb)/Immortal Thor#5 (fb)/Immortal Thor#8 (fb)/Immortal Thor#23 (fb)) - As the Elder Gods degenerated into violence only Gaea remained peaceful. Seeking a way to protect the innocent life that was growing on the planet. Gaea mated with the Demiurge to create Atum, the first of a new generation of gods who could fight the evil Elder Gods. Atum began his mission and became the Demogorge.
(Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5) - Chthon and another Elder God, Set, worked together in an attempt to destroy the Demogorge, but they failed.
(Thor Annual I#10 (fb)/Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5 (fb)) - Seeing he could not win, Chthon wrote all his mystical knowledge upon an indestructible parchment that would come to be known as the Darkhold Scrolls.
(Darkhold: Alpha (fb) - BTS) - Chthon stripped his brother's flesh to record his work.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#11 (fb)) - Wanting to ensure that should another Demogorge ever appear on Earth it would be at his own behest, Chthon added the Demogorge Page to the scrolls and a counterspell to stop the Demogorge that could only be cast by someone non-mystical in nature.
(Darkhold: Alpha (fb) - BTS) - He was eventually banished for this crime and the other Elder Gods filled Chthon's own book with wards against him.
(Thor Annual I#10 (fb)/Silver Surfer Annual I#2/5 (fb)) - Just moments before the Demogorge could arrive to kill Chthon, Chthon fled to another dimension, leaving his scrolls behind to serve as his link to his home dimension.
(Marvel Tarot) - When Chthon (and Set) fled the Earth dimension, they created dimensions very close to it so they could continue to influence things.
(Carnage II#11 (fb) - BTS) - Before the dawn of mankind Chthon created a race later known as his daughters or broodlings, drawing them from the mud.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#145 - BTS) - Chthon spawned the race of demons known as the N'Garai.
(Captain America: Unforgiven#1 (fb)) - Chthon saw Homo Sapiens abstract thinking as a threat to his dominion of darkness and fear and made a deal with Geiomar, the last of the First Men, that granted him immortality as long as he fed on those touched by Chthon's energies as long as he in return infiltrated the religions of Homo Sapiens and make them selfish and cruel so they would be susceptible to Chthon's influence.
(Marvel Tarot (fb) - BTS) - Chthon saw early man as little more than laboratory rats upon which he could conduct a series of mystic-genetic experiments. Twisting together the tissues of man, beast, and demon, Chthon created several elder races to serve him, including the N'Garai, the Ape Men, the Man-Bats of Ur-Xanarrh, the Harpies, the Goblins, and possibly the Nightgaunts (Nighthaunts?); some of his creations were more successful than others. The Wolf Men were his most infamous success. For time his Wolf Lords held all the world in terror, their names and stories have become tangled in the world's myths and legends: Garmr, Lycaon, Gauerko, and, most notably, Vârcolac, the Wolf Demon, who eventually impregnated Echidna, bearing Angerboda, who then mothered Fenris Wolf and Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent.
(Marvel Tarot (fb) - BTS) - Chthon whispered lies into the ears of Varuna, leader of the Winged Lords of Akah Ma'at (creations of Oshtur), causing him to grow suspicious of those he called the lower races. Becoming their judge and executioner, Varuna, swayed many of his brethren to his cause, with those who did becoming known as the Asura.
(Marvel Tarot (fb) - BTS) - Seeking balance for Chthon's corruption of the Asura, Oshtur & Agamotto converted four of the most malevolent demons into the service of justice: one of these was the Pale Rider (aka Cadaver),
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#11/2, Conan the Barbarian I#245 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #2: Chthon) - The Chthon scrolls were discovered by human sorcerers in Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis. These sorcerers (including Varnae and possibly Verdelet) founded a cult of Darkholders and used the power of Chthon to become vampires. Over the next millennia many people came to use the Darkhold and be corrupted by Chthon, including Babylonian savants, Egyptian priests and Hebrew scholars.
(Darkhold Alpha (fb)) - At some point Chthon was driven back to Other-Realm by five beings that became known as the Darkhold Defenders. Entering Other-Realm cost them their sanity.
(Mystic Arcana: Magik (fb) - BTS / Marvel Legacy: The 1960's-1990s handbook: 1970's Where Are They Now) - In the 11th century BC, working via Keku (the primordial Ogdoad god of darkness and chaos), Chthon tempted and broke the sorcerer Heka-Nut, bending him to his service. While attempting to claim the Sword of Bone, which was the Elder Goddess Oshtur's contribution to the Cornerstones of Creation, Heka-Nut was struck by the time-traveling Magik (Illyana Rasputin)
(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22 (fb)) - In the Sixth Century Morgan Le Fey became leader of the Darkholders who worshipped Chthon's book. Morgan and the Darkholders attempted to summon the Elder God and make him do their bidding, but he was far too mighty to control. Morgan and the others began sending Chthon back to his realm, but incapable of banishing him altogether, they bound him to a single earthly location, Wundagore Mountain. Having seen true evil, Morgan's lover Magnus renounced the Darkholders and stole the Darkhold hiding it where none with evil intent could get it.
(Marvel Chillers#1 (fb)) - Towards the end of the Age of Camelot, the young mystic Modred came to the Tower of the Darkhold seeking to use the book for noble purposes. When the Other appeared to Modred it demanded a sacrifice in exchange for the power that he sought. Modred resisted, refusing to give up his soul, knowing that if he resisted the power of the Darkhold could be his. Their struggle was interrupted when Modred's betrothed, Lady Janice, entered the Tower. The Other turned its sights on her and Modred sacrificed his own soul to save her. Modred then fell into a deathlike sleep that lasted centuries.
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#11/2) - Merlin and Brendan combined their mystical might to combat the Other's forces that had been unleashed. When they were triumphant, Brendan took the Darkhold and scattered the pages throughout the world.
(Werewolf by Night#3 (fb) - BTS) - Aelfric, a monk came to worship the Elder God and gathered together the scattered pages of the Darkhold and bound them as a book once again.
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#17/2 (fb)) - Chthon and the god Sagbata entered into a pact that resulted in the creation of animated undead corpses that possessed no will of their own, the first true zombies. Chthon was said to honor the pact "for his own dark reasons."
(Avengers I#187 (fb) - (BTS)) - Chthon watched, fascinated as the High Evolutionary built his citadel on Wundagore Mountain and created his New Men.
(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22 (fb)) - In March of 1932, the spirit of Chthon that was trapped in Wundagore laughed as the High Evolutionary refused to believe Jonathan Drew's assertions that he was possessed by Morgan and needed help in stopping the Elder God.
(Uncanny X-Men Annual I#12/3 (fb)/Avengers I#187 (fb)) - In 1958, Gregor Russoff cast the Spell of Ascension, hoping Chthon could free him from his lycanthropic curse. The Other rose from Wundagore and attacked the High Evolutionary and his Knights. Magnus left the form of Jonathan Drew and possessed Russoff to recite the spell of Binding, returning Chthon from whence it came. Sensing what was happening, Chthon lashed out at Magnus/Russoff with a magical blast and also left his mark upon an infant who was being born that night on the mountain. Over half of the forty-two Knights of Wundagore died in that battle. The infant would grow to be the Scarlet Witch.
(Ultimates 2 II#6 (fb)) - The Elder God's battle against the Knights of Wundagore was interrupted by the First Eternity Battalion. They walked in on the battle and most of them were killed by the Elder God except for Philip Nelson Vogt and Emmett Proudhawk, who survived but were mutated by the experience.
(Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Sensing that the sorceress coven of Lilia Calderu (who had come under the influence of the Serpent Crown), Laura Maria Russoff, and Margali Szardos, sought to enlist young Wanda Maximoff into their group, Chthon directed Taboo, who held a Darkhold copy containing some of the original Darkhold's pages, to prevent this so that Wanda would not come under Set's influence and be lost to him.
(Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch#1/2) - Taboo enlisted Damballah (Josué Koulèv) to aid him, and the two confronted the coven. As they struggled, Wanda's powers surfaced for the first time, allowing Chthon to briefly reach across the dimensional barriers and contact them. Chthon banished the Serpent Crown back to its resting place and Damballah back to Haiti (to prevent Set's influence from affecting Wanda, for whom he had plans). Before disappearing, Chthon told all those present that they would bear children of occult significance.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#16 (fb) - BTS) - Vittorio Montesi discovered he was sterile, but was determined to have an heir to guard the Darkhold, gave in to temptation and used a Spell of Fertility from the cursed book. This allowed Montesi's wife to become pregnant, but not with Vittorio's child, but rather Chthon's. The child was Victoria Montesi.
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(Marvel Chillers#2) - When Modred the Mystic had awakened in the modern era, the Other appeared to him and demanded his sacrifice. Modred used all the power he now possessed to drive back the Demon of the Darkhold, but the Mystic felt he lost a piece of his soul in the process. |
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(Avengers I#187 (fb)- BTS) - When Modred became loyal to Chthon, the Elder God had him trick Magnus into being on the other side of the world when he attempted to rise again. (Avengers I#186) - Having taken Modred into his thrall, Chthon had the Mystic capture the Scarlet Witch and perform the ritual allowing the Elder God to begin using her as its vessel on Earth. While trying to purge the form of the last of Wanda's humanity and conscience, Chthon appeared before Quicksilver and Bova warning them to flee or be killed. As Chthon began to grow more powerful in her earthly form, she attacked Pietro and Django Maximoff. (Avengers I#187) - After Modred defeated most of the Avengers, but was knocked out by the Wasp, Chthon easily bested her. Chthon took the Avengers and placed them, with Django and Pietro in a mystical circle that would allow her to bring the rest of her demonic essence to Earth. Before that could happen however, the Beast, dressed as a Knight of Wundagore, arrived and stole the Darkhold. The distraction freed the other Avengers and Django. Django, just before he died of a heart attack, realized that Wanda's soul still existed in the doll he had crafted in her image and gave it to Pietro. Using the doll as a focus point, the Avengers joined their wills against Chthon's, returning Wanda to her body and trapping Chthon's essence in the doll. Pietro threw the doll down the mountain and Wanda caused an avalanche to bury it, leaving the Elder God once again trapped in the dimension. |
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(Spider-Woman I#44) - The Viper (see comments) cast Spider-Woman through a portal to Chthon's domain. The Elder God touched the hero and began transforming her into a demon. Spider-Woman climbed in an attempt to escape as she transformed, her own limbs turning against her as she became more and more demonic. As she reached the top she found the Viper. Chthon demanded that the Viper kick her back into his realm that he may claim her soul. The Viper, believing Spider-Woman to be her daughter instead betrayed the demon and fired upon it, closing the door to his realm and freeing Jessica. |
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(Venom V#37 - BTS) - Venom (Dylan Brock) from the future of Earth-36250 traveled to the past of Earth-616 to obtain some of the golden alloy of the Molten Man. He then met with Doctor Strange of that era, who convinced him they go to the Flickering Realms where they would seek the aid of Chthon to forge the molten weapon Dylan needed. In the Flickering Realms they were soon surrounded by a variety of creatures until Chthon asked for the visitors to be brought to him. (Venom V#38) - Chthon approached Dylan in an illusory version of Dylan's dystopian future and told him how much he liked what Dylan hat done to Earth by using nuclear weapons against the symbiote machines. Chthon had some of these monstrosities attack Dylan and helped him after Dylan was nearly crushed under one of them after defeating it. Chthon then asked Dylan why he didn't just shoot Eddie Brock in the past he traveled to prevent his future. Dylan admitted that he would have done it if he thought it would've helped even if it meant giving up his own existence. Chthon liked to hear that, but continued testing Dylan. Chthon created a situation where some of the symbiote machines threatened two children and Dylan begged Chthon to help. Chthon offered to either save Dylan or the children, but Dylan decided to defend the children and Chthon from the symbiote machines only to seemingly die in battle. The illusion ended with Dylan lying on the ground in front of Chthon's throne. Chthon called Doctor Strange a fool for asking him to get involved in this situation. Doctor Strange argued that it couldn't be in Chthon's interest to see the world end without his permission or influence. Strange pointed out that Dylan had saved the children and Chthon, which was enough for Chthon to agree to help Dylan for a price. Chthon allowed his girls to decided the price. They demanded Dylan's memories of his first love, everything he knew about his mother, all the music he knew and all the memories of his friendships. In addition Chthon demanded Dylan Brock's name. Dylan accepted the Dylan, Chthon infused his magic into the molten metal weapon and then sent Doctor Strange and Dylan back to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Chthon wished Dylan good luck before he left. |
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(Doctor Strange II#62 - BTS) - As Dr. Strange used the Montesi Formula to destroy all vampires on Earth, he successfully avoided having Chthon gain control of his soul.
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#24 - BTS) - Dormammu invoked the Cauldron of Chthon in a spell as he attempted to plunge the Earth into permanent darkness.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#1 (fb)) - When Donald Walsh used a page from the Darkhold and asked for immortality, the Other appeared and granted the request, leaving Walsh in the form of the Chameleon worms.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#2 - BTS) - Morton Thurnton used a Darkhold page, the Other appeared to him and summoned the Hellhound to aid him in finding weapons of destruction.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#3) - The Scarlet Witch sensed the coming of the Other Things and was momentarily returned to her Chthon-controlled state. In Perfection, South Carolina a Darkhold page was used by Aurora Poule and the Other appeared before her. Given a choice between a dress to make her beautiful or revenge on those who had hurt her, Aurora chose the dress. When people were still mean to her, Aurora returned to the Other and asked for revenge. The Other obliged by opening a N'Garai cairn and unleashing the demons on the town.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#4) - The Other was summoned by Reverend Styge and gifted him with the ability to raise the dead by eating humans.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#1) - When a paralyzed woman named Clarisse Van Ripper used a page, the Other appeared to her and gave her the ability to sense the world through a demon.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#1/2) - A prison inmate named Norman "Mercy" Zachos used a page of the Darkhold and the Other granted him escape, but he was plagued by demons whenever he was in darkness.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#6) - The Other was summoned by a Mr. Hayward who wanted people to remember what he fought for in WWII. The Other created an army of Japanese planes that attacked Maui in a recreation of Hayward's memories.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#8) - On an airplane, Sarrah Roberts used a page and the Other came to her. The Other unleashed a demon that granted her wishes and those of the other passengers.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#9) - Louise Hastings used the Wishing Page to summon the Other and told it, though she was tempted to use it to bring her daughter back to life, she would not give in and she and the others would fight it until their last breath. When her grandson Jinx tried to use it, only his status as a mystical adept kept Chthon from being able to dominate him.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#10) - While attempting to free his friends from Interpol, Jinx again drew upon a page of the Darkhold. Bound by Jinx's skill the Other was compelled to answer when Vicki asked it about the Demogorge page.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#2/2 (fb)) - Summoned by Lt. Frank West the Other granted him with the ability to see Troids.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#2/4 - BTS) - When legally brain dead Johnny Farmer was awakened by the Dwarf and given a page from the Darkhold, the Other came to Farmer and turned him into the Harvestor.
(Nightstalkers#10) - The vampire hunter Blade used the Demogorge Page and summoned the Other. Taking the form of Blade's mother, it offered Blade the chance to have his revenge on the supernatural by becoming a new Demogorge. Blade accepted and became Switchblade.
(Spirits of Vengeance#13 - BTS) - Louise Hastings used the Darkhold to cast the counterspell to the Demogorge, saving those who had been killed by Switchblade and losing some portion of her soul to Chthon.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#12) - The Other made an offer to Modred. It would return his soul if he would have a certain good woman in England willingly surrender her soul in his place. Modred accepted and succeeded in getting the woman to go through with it, only realizing after the ritual had occurred that the woman was his beloved Lady Janice. Taking possession of Janice, Chthon fought Modred, who drew upon Janice's love and faith to fend off the demon. Realizing that the demon would kill Janice before he let her go, Modred offered his soul again and Chthon accepted. After Janice died in his arms Chthon made the Mystic renew his loyalty.
(Morbius: The Living Vampire I#13) - When Michael Morbius used a page of the Darkhold to attain his deepest desire, the Other resurrected Martine Bancroft for him, though the Lilin called Parasite had taken over her form.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#14 (fb) - BTS) - Vicki Montesi used a page of the Darkhold, gaining powers to heal using the life forces of those killed by the Monstrosity.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#3 (fb) - BTS) - A young man named Brian Kornfeld was offered a page of the Darkhold and wanted to fight crime. The Other turned him into Spider-X.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#16) - The Dwarf revealed to Modred that Vicki Montesi was now pregnant with Chthon himself and that in nine months he would be reborn onto the Earth.
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#89 - BTS) - Chthon had the Midwife, a demon specifically created to give life to the infant Chthon, appear within Strange's Sanctum and prepare to bring Chthon to Earth again.
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#90) - In his realm, Chthon prepared for its return to Earth. Dr. Strange traveled to Chthon's dimension and approached the demon. Chthon communicated with Strange, which very nearly caused the human Sorcerer give into the darkness and die, but Strange was saved only by his faith in "something far subtler and far more majestic than the Great Shadow." Strange then wove a spell with that faith and hurled it at Chthon, causing the demon to shudder. Chthon then banished Strange back to Earth, where the Midwife had begun to deliver Victoria's baby. There Strange seized an opportunity, he cast a similar spell that drew upon all the goodness in Victoria's soul and with Chthon weakened by being out of his domain but not yet born, Chthon was forced to retreat.
(Quicksilver#11 - BTS) - In a cavern deep within Wundagore, Exodus noticed the living power in the mountain and contemplated how he could use it.
(Mystic Arcana: Magik#1 (fb) - BTS / Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3) - Seeking to use Ian McNee in his plot to reclaim Earth, Chthon banished McNee's spirit to the Serpent's Sea, the realm of Set.
(Mystic Arcana: Magik#1) - Posing as Oshtur, Chthon appeared to Ian and offered to save him in exchange for restoring the ancient Egyptian mystic Heka-Nut to save the mystic realms. After Ian vowed to do so, swearing by the thrice conjured crossroads, "Oshtur" instructed him to use the First Tarot to find the "Four Aces," to gather the Cornerstones of Creation, starting with the Ace of Swords. Ian then awoke suddenly, found it to be 6pm, dusk, and initiated his quest.
(Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3) - As the gathering of the Cornerstones of Creation was necessary to restore the fabric of magic (damaged in the War of the Seven Spheres), the real Oshtur aided Ian in his quest.
(Mystic Arcana: Magik#1/3) - Via Oshtur's agent Ammut, Ian acquired the Sword of Bones, the talisman of Oshtur/air.
(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1/3) - Via Morgan Le Fay, Ian acquired the Ebon Rose, the talisman of Gaea/earth.
(Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch#1/3) - Via Llyra and Nagala, Ian acquired the Serpent Crown, the talisman of Set/water.
(Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1) - Ian asked the First Tarot for aid in his quest, and the advice he received -- from Magik (Illyana Rasputin) via the Justice card, Morgan Le Fay via the Empress card, and Nagala via the Emperor card-- led him to question the quest's true nature. Magik questioned the time of arrival of "Oshtur, the Bright Lady of the Dawn"; Morgan questioned whether he had accepted the quest with a pure heart or whether he had been coerced; and Nagala noted that Lord Set had not cast Ian into the Serpent's Sea, so who else had the power to do such a thing.
(Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - Chthon presumably guided Marie Laveau to aid McNee in his quest.
(Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3) - Ian realized that he had
not found the fourth Cornerstone, the mirror, because he had been thinking too
literally, and that the mirror was actually the perfect reflection of Chthon's
soul, the Darkhold. Marie Laveau then arrived at McNee's Cornerstore on Creation, delivering to him "the Last Chronicle of Chthon," a page from the
Darkhold that had until recently been hidden behind the legendary Black Mirror.
Chthon then appeared again in the form of Oshtur, and led Ian to using the
gathered Cornerstones to cast the spell to restore Heka-Nut. With aid from
Ashake, Morgan, & Llyra, Ian released Heka-Nut's spirit from the canopic jar and
gave it shelter within his own body, at which point Chthon revealed his true
nature, and Heka-Nut threatened to take over Ian's form and make him Chthon's
slave. Having suspected this, Ian then summoned Ashake to the present, and
Morgan and Llyra (aided by the Cornerstone's powers) assaulted Chthon to protect
Ian. Ashake used the Sword of Bone to free Heka-Nut from Chthon's control,
allowing Ian to use the Cornerstones to banish Chthon, though Chthon took the
Cornerstones with him, telling Ian he has tainted his soul with the use of the
Darkhold, and that Chthon would return to collect what he is owed soon;
Ashake remained trapped in the present, and Oshtur appeared
before them both back on Earth, telling them that the assemblage of the
Cornerstones has helped repair the structure of magic. There was more work to be
done, though it could wait for another day.
|
(Mighty Avengers#21) - Chthon's summoning by Modred the Mystic caused chaos cascade washed all over Earth and temporarily killed such heroes as most of the Young Avengers (Hawkeye (Bishop), Hulkling, Patriot, Speed, Wiccan), the Avengers (Captain America (Barnes), Ms. Marvel (Danvers), Ronin (Barton), Spider-Man (Parker), Wolverine (Howlett) ) and Omega Flight (Arachne (Carpenter), Guardian (Pointer), Sasquatch). When Chthon finally appeared Modred already had a body for him to inhabit--Quicksilver. Chthon was ready to run and conquer the world. (Mighty Avengers#22) - Though Modred was afraid that the Avengers (Amadeus Cho, Hercules, Hulk, Jocasta, Stature, USAgent, Vision, Wasp (Pym) ) would cause problems, Chthon wasn't impressed by this new team and began to spread an all-devouring chaos cascade with Quicksilver's speed all over the world without even considering fighting the Avengers. Heroes like MI13, the Winter Guard and the Lady Liberators were among those who desperately fought the creatures summoned by Chthon. (Mighty Avengers#23) - Chthon continued spreading his chaos cascade, but returned to Transia when he felt that the Avengers were attacking Mount Wundagore. Chthon attacked them, but when Amadeus Cho adjusted Pym's old Ant-Man helmet to scramble Chthon's language the Elder God couldn't use his magic spells anymore. With Quicksilver's body beat up by the Hulk and Stature, Chthon fled into Modred's body. Unfortunately Modred had all Darkhold spells transferred onto his body. Chthon and the spells were drawn into the Darkhold were they were bound to stay. Chthon's chaos cascade and all the effects on Earth since his summoning were reversed and all the fallen heroes were back alive. (Journey Into Mystery I#627 (fb)) - Chthon attended the Devil's Advocacy to talk about the Serpent (Cul)'s actions on Earth. |
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(New Warriors V#5 (fb) - BTS) - The New Men Caninus and Felinatus hid from the High Evolutionary deep in Mount Wundagore. Aided by Chthon they escaped the New Men's genocide. (New Warriors V#12 (fb) - BTS) - Chthon attached his spirit to Caninus. (New Warriors V#5) - Caninus played chess with Chthon, who told him that the Celestials were coming to Earth and that he could stop them as soon as he was freed. He just needed Caninus' aid to get the New Warriors involved. New Warrior member Water Snake (Faira Sar Namora) began to have visions of Darkhold pages and Chthon while the team resided in Mount Wundagore. (New Warriors V#6 - BTS) - Water Snake kept having visions and accidentally summoned the Darkhold Dwarf when she dropped a page from the Darkhold she had found down a shaft. (New Warriors V#7) - In Mount Wundagore Hummingbird, accompanied by Felinatus (now known as Mr. Whiskers) and Scarlet Spider (Kaine), was trying to sense the Darkhold Dwarf and whatever other evil is there. She sensed that the Dwarf was gone, but she sensed the other evil even though it seemed like she was told that it was not. Mr. Whiskers felt the Chthon nearby and freaked out Scarlet Spider when he hissed, but Hummingbird just couldn't feel him even though he was right behind them. Chthon was gone when they turned around. (New Warriors V#12) - Chthon's spirit floated behind Caninus (now known as Jake Waffles). |
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SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Carnage II#2 - BTS) - Barry Gleason, the director of Grey Ridge Investments, believed in Aelfric the Mad Monk's prophecy about the Red Slayer that would be instrumental in waking Chthon from his slumber. He was thankful to the authorities after they trapped Carnage, whom he believed to be the Red Slayer, in his mine in West Virginia.
(Carnage II#3 - BTS) - Gleason led Carnage to the Chthonic temple deep within the Grey Ridge Mine in West Virginia.
(Carnage II#4 - BTS) - Gleason delivered Carnage to the cultists inside the temple, but instead of becoming a sacrifice to Chthon, the Darkhold changed him and Carnage took control over the cultists before slaying their leader.
(Carnage II#5 - BTS) - Gleason invoked Chthon, but in the end it helped nothing to save him from Carnage, who claimed the Darkhold for himself.
(Carnage II#7 (fb) - BTS) - In San Francisco Carnage visited the antique store of Roger Felwood Jr. to learn more about the Darkhold because it had made him stronger. He wanted to know how, but Felwood couldn't help him because the page that had the information on the altar Carnage needed had apparently been ripped out (it was Manuela Calderon of the Symbiote Task Force that tried to capture Carnage in the earlier issues). Felwood told Carnage about a man in Jakarta, Indonesia that could probably help him.
(Carnage II#8 (fb) - BTS) - Carnage attacked members of the Chthonic Brotherhood in Jakarta so he would be brought to their leader Grigori. They were not much help and he had to kill them, but he found help in the Darkhold Dwarf, who appeared out of nowhere, and led him to the man Carnage sought. The Chthonic Brotherhood caught Carnage instead of giving him the answers he sought, but he escaped their chains and forced Grigori to give him the answers he needed about an altar on an island that was on no map. They took the Caspian Sea freighter to get there.
(Carnage II#9 (fb) - BTS) - With his new powers Carnage turned most of the crew into his thralls by using the Darkhold. When Victoria Montesi and her team finally caught up with the freighter, Carnage's thralls fought them while Carnage captured FBI agent Claire Dixon to turn her into one of his thrall as well.
(Carnage II#10 (fb) - BTS) - Carnage and Raze, the former Claire Dixon, took on Victoria and her team. They blew up the freighter before they escaped and Carnage barely survived the explosion.
(Carnage II#6 - BTS) - Carnage headed to an island in the Timor Sea with the Darkhold and got some inadvertent help from Jubulile van Scotter, who took him aboard after she found him near death floating in a lifeboat. She escaped him and her boat blew up with Carnage and the Darkhold still aboard. She didn't stay unaffected by the Darkhold and Carnage though.
(Carnage II#11 - BTS) - Carnage made it to the island with the help from some fishermen that he had turned into his thralls and was on his way to the altar when he got caught by the Broodlings of Chthon. Jubulile's connection to Carnage helped Montesi's team to find the village where the Broodlings had taken Carnage. They survived an attack by some Broodlings before reaching the village where Carnage was cooked alive. Raze was close behind them the whole time.
(Carnage II#12 - BTS) - Montesi's team tried to retrieve the Darkhold from the Broodlings, but Raze got it first and even freed Carnage. They headed together for the temple on the island where Carnage could finally use the Darkhold as he was intended to.
(Carnage II#13 - BTS) - Fighting their way through a horde of Broodlings Carnage and Raze made it to the Temple of Chthon with the Darkhold. The whole time Raze suspected that the Broodlings were leading them to the temple.
(Carnage II#14 - BTS) - Carnage and Raze made it to the altar where the male half-Broodling priest Obrien and his followers were already waiting for him. Carnage attacked them because he was not the sacrifice the book demanded, but the one to spill the blood.
(Carnage II#15 - BTS) - Carnage slew all the cultists except for Obrien, who got the important job to hold the Darkhold while Carnage read from it.
(Carnage II#15) - Carnage succeeded to awaken Chthon, who rose from the depths of the Earth.
(Carnage II#16) - Chthon feasted on Broodlings and Carnage knew that the Elder God would be the death of millions. Unfortunately for the Elder God and Chthon, Jubulile's connection to Carnage and the Darkhold allowed her to see Chthon's dark thoughts and his need to feed to grow in power again. While Chthon feasted on more and more Broodlings, Carnage approached the Elder God to receive his reward for awakening the Elder God. Chthon just swatted him away like a fly. He then began to shout a spell to summon his kind from the black depths, but Jubulile shot her him in the back with her newfound powers to defy the Elder God. Victoria Montesi then used the Darkhold to empower Jubulile with enough psychic energy to transform her into her final form to blast Chthon through the head and destroy this physical form.
(Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire)#1) - During Hydra's invasion of Washington D.C. they used the Darkhold (they also used it to help Blackout encase Manhattan in Darkforce in Secret Invasion#0) to allow Chthon to possess the Scarlet Witch once again and turn her against her allies.
(Uncanny Avengers III#26 (fb)) - The first person Chthon attacked after he had taken control over the Scarlet Witch once again in Washington D.C. was her brother Quicksilver, who promised to save her.
(Secret Empire#5 (fb) - BTS) - While Chthon was in control of the Scarlet Witch he could only harness a portion of her powers.
(Secret Empire#1) - In Denver Hydra's Avengers took down the monster Krigorrath without civilian casualties. Scarlet Witch, possessed by Chthon, played her part in the victory.
(Secret Empire#3) - Baron Zemo led the Avengers, including Scarlet Witch (Chthon), on a mission to retrieve a Cosmic Cube fragment from an Atlantean temple. Scarlet Witch ripped the location of the fragment from a priest's mind, but what they found was a fake planted by Namor.
(Captain America: Steve Rogers#18 (fb)) - Steve Rogers threatened Namor with Zemo and the Avengers (Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch, Superior Octopus and Taskmaster) if he didn't return the Cosmic Cube fragment to him.
(Secret Empire#4) - Captain America led the Avengers on a mission to Alaska to retrieve a Cosmic Cube fragment from the Ultronic Territories. They got into a fight with the Tony Stark's Underground, who were after the fragment as well. Scarlet Witch (Chthon) easily took down Quicksilver, who was reluctant to attack his sister. Both teams ended up caught by Ultron (controlled by Hank Pym...kind of), who took them to a replica of Avengers Mansion and tried to talk some sense into his former teammates. He realized that Scarlet Witch was possessed by Chthon, unlike Quicksilver, who still tried to talk to her like it was his sister. In the end Ultron handed the Cosmic Cube fragment to Scott Lang and kept Captain America's team around a bit longer for dinner to give the Underground a chance to escape.
(Secret Empire: United#1) - Magik brought a team of mutants to Hydra Detention Facility-8 undetected to break out Sunfire, but Scarlet Witch (Chthon) detected Magik's magic as soon as she had crossed the border and deactivated the mutants' invisibility. The mutants Magik, Marrow, Boom-Boom and Sebastian Shaw fought the Avengers (Deadpool, Scarlet Witch, Taskmaster and Vision) while Strong Guy ripped a hole into the wall leading to Sunfire's cell. Scarlet Witch took a special interest to take out Magik to claim her Soulsword, but Marrow impaled Scarlet Witch through the chest with one of her bones. Scarlet Witch (Chthon) was really miffed and promised to punish the mutants for harming his physical vessel only to get burned by Sunfire, who was out of his cell. The mutants escaped.
(Secret Empire: United#1 - BTS) - Scarlet Witch (Chthon) healed through mystical means after the attack and was pretty angry.
(Secret Warriors II#3) - The Avengers (Deadpool, Scarlet Witch, Taskmaster and Vision) aided Mister Hyde and hundreds of Hydra soldiers to capture a subversive Inhuman Warriors team led by Karnak that included Devil Dinosaur, Inferno, Ms. Marvel, Moon Girl and Quake.
(Secret Warriors II#4) - The Warriors didn't just stay down and Scarlet Witch (Chthon) used magic to use Ms. Marvel's own stretching powers against her. She then helped Taskmaster knock out Karnak and Quake. The Warriors soon escaped Hydra captivity with the aid of the mutants Angel and Sunfire.
(Secret Empire#5 (fb)) - Scarlet Witch (Chthon) slaughtered her personal staff for no explainable reason.
(Secret Empire#6) - The Avengers (Odinson, Scarlet Witch and Vision) joined Hydra's assault on the Mount, which served the Underground as their base. They couldn't get through the defenses set up by the Tony Stark A.I. and even Scarlet Witch failed due to mystical defenses conjured up by Daimon Hellstrom for the Underground. When everything else failed Captain America sent in the Hulk to break the Mount's defenses. He succeeded and the Avengers joined Hydra's invasion of the Mount, which was evacuated by the Underground.
(Avengers VII#10) - Scarlet Witch (Chthon) had some fun time with Vision in the back of the Quinjet before the Avengers landed near the Planetary Defense Shield Signal-Boost Outpost in Uzbekistan, which was under attack by an unidentified alien threat. The Avengers successfully dealt with the creatures.
(Secret Empire#9) - The Avengers (Odinson, Scarlet Witch, Superior Octopus and Vision) were joined by High Council members Gorgon, Hyve and Viper to defend Hydra's supremacy against heroes from all over the world. During the battle Odinson just left the team and Viv Vision freed her father from Hydra's control. Scarlet Witch took on Doctor Strange, but he opened a portal for Thor (Jane Foster) to quickly knock out the possessed Scarlet Witch. Doctor Strange performed an exorcism on Scarlet Witch to rid her of Chthon's possession.
(Darkhold Alpha) - When the original Darkhold was found in abandoned subterranean nation Abysmia by Doom's Servo-Bots, Doom arrogantly read it through the eyes of his Servo-Bots and inadvertently not only drew the attention of Chthon, but also opened a dimensional path that Chthon could eventually use to invade Earth with his demonic army.
Scarlet Witch and Doom were both plagued by nightmares showing the future invasion. Scarlet Witch was drawn to the Darkhold and tried to take it from Doom's loyal subject Victorious, but Doom personally appeared to explain his actions and how he would personally deal with Chthon because he was not driven mad by reading the Darkhold unlike any other living creature. Doom read about five Darkhold Defenders in the Darkhold that once drove Chthon back into his realm. Scarlet Witch suggested to find modern versions of these Darkhold Defenders, but Doom rather wanted to travel to the Other-Realm by himself and then just defeat Chthon. Doom went through with his plan, but Scarlet Witch didn't trust his plan and combined a seeking spell with Victorious' cosmic awareness to find modern versions of the Darkhold Defenders. After teleporting Black Bolt, Blade, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Wasp to Abysmia, Scarlet Witch explained the situation, but Black Bolt was not interested to join the mission. Doom was quickly overwhelmed by demons in Other-Realm and barely escaped back to Earth alive, but wouldn't even tell the heroes what he saw and just returned to Latveria. His failure convinced the heroes that they had to do what Wanda asked them to do. They read from the Darkhold, but instead of becoming the Darkhold Defenders they became the Darkhold Defiled because they had read too far and were utterly driven mad.
(Darkhold Omega) - Chthon readied his army for the invasion of Earth, but Scarlet Witch unleashed the Darkhold Defiled on Other-Realm to wound Chthon enough for her to deal with him. They slaughtered the previous Darkhold Defenders and countless demons before finally drawing Chthon's attention. His hand rose from the ground and he had the Darkhold Defiled in his hand and even Wasp in giant form could barely prevent him from crushing them. They were saved by Omega, a lost traveler from Earth, that blew apart Chthon's giant hand. Chthon showed his full form and headed for the portal to Earth, but couldn't get through because he was blocked by Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom. Chthon was not impressed by Doom's threat to use the Darkhold against him because he wrote the book. They blocked Chthon's mystic attacks and Doom was going to use the Darkhold to bind the Elder God, but Scarlet Witch took the Darkhold from Doom after burning him and then completely absorbed the ancient tome. With the Darkhold bound to her soul she simply absorbed Chthon along with it and left him trapped in a labyrinthine prison made of the Darkhold inside her soul.
(Captain America: Unforgiven#1 - BTS) - After Chthon had been contained within the Scarlet Witch, his former servant Geiomar decided to replace him. His plan was thwarted.
(Scarlet Witch Annual I#1) - Agatha Harkness tried to prove to the Scarlet Witch that she had taken on too much by absorbing the Darkhold and Chthon into her soul. She poisoned Wanda's tea with Brood eggs and secretly put a clipping of herself in the tea as well. After Wanda overcame the Brood infection, Agatha further provoked her into a battle through several dimensions, but in the end Agatha surrendered and pretended to reconcile with Wanda. Agatha vanished into thin air, but secretly entered Wanda's soul through the clipping from the tea earlier. Inside Wanda's soul Agatha found her way to Chthon's prison and ripped out his heart to begin her quest to create a new Darkhold.
(Scarlet Witch IV#1) - Scarlet Witch checked up on Chthon, who was still trapped deep within a prison of her soul. She had tea with him and wanted to make sure he was alright after Agatha Harkness had ripped out his heart. He wasn't bothered by it and pointed out how keeping him imprisoned weakened her against all the threats she was threatened by. He wondered if the Scarlet Witch would aid him like all those that came through her Last Door.
Comments: The Other created by Marv Wolfman,
Bill Mantlo and Yong Montano.
Chthon in full Elder God form created by Mark
Gruenwald, Steven Grant, David Michiline, John Byrne and Dan Green.
Chthon is a Greek word meaning earth or earthly.
--Snood.
I expect I've missed a few occurrences of people summoning on Chthon's power through the Darkhold. The most important ones should be here though. Also, I tried my best to get the chronology of the Other's appearances right, but it was all over the Midnight Sons line and I'm no expert on most of the characters there, so it can be hard to tell which stories happened in what order sometimes.
The height, weight and eye and hair color given up there are as they were given in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Deluxe Edition #2), but given Chthon's nature I'd imagine any of those things are subject to his will.
It seems very likely to me that Belathauzer is related to Chthon, probably as one of his children in the N'Garai. Also, it has been suggested that maybe the People of the Dust could be connected to him. Noting that they were on Earth for the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, while Chthon was in his dimension, perhaps he created the People of the Dust to protect his Darkhold Parchments. Surely he'd not want to just leave them lying there with Demogorge around. And the scrolls weren't found by humans until Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis, not long after the Blood would have apparently put the People of the Dust out of action.
Marvel Comics Presents I#145 doesn't actually tell any part of the tale of Chthon creating the N'Garai but it is, as far as I know, the first confirmation that they are the Elder God's spawn.
In Spider-Woman I#44 the Viper was revealed to be Merriam Drew, Spider-Woman's mother. Except in a later issue of Captain America, the Viper revealed to Spider-Woman that that was actually an illusion put into the Viper's mind. Jessica suspected it was her enemy Morgan Le Fey who had caused the deception and the Official Handbook Chthon entry "Morgan once used her magic to simulate the aspect of Chthon in an attempt to defeat the Spider-Woman" so I guess it is quite possible that Chthon was also an illusion in that issue.
Chthon isn't mentioned by name in that Quicksilver issue, but Exodus stated that the cavern was living with power. It's pretty clearly a reference to the Elder God trapped there.
I'd like to add a bit from Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#10 that I like. Diabolique described Chthon and the Darkhold: "A long time ago, when the world was so new nothing had a name, something woke up. It learned all about what was and what would be... but most of all it learned what couldn't be, what shouldn't be. And it gave those things names, names it wrote on indestructible pages, because a namer has mastery of the named."
Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#6 (March 1993) page 4 slightly revises Chthon's
Avengers I#186-187 appearance. Agatha Harkness says (after the Scarlet Witch says "....when he [Chthon] possessed me!") ""He
possessed" you? My dear child, no human vessel-not even yours-could contain
Chthon. You were inhabited by a mere fraction of it, which interacted with your
own repressed dark side". Agatha Harkness notes what we already know from
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#11/2 and Set's Update '89 entry; Chthon is not really
humanoid in form, but people subjectively perceive Chthon that way.
--Per Degaton
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#90 suggested that human perception of Chthon as having a
physical form somehow bound him into having an actual physical form.
--Sean
Chthon has entries in OHotMU Deluxe Edition#2, Master Edition and Horror 2005.
In the Marvel Tarot, sorcerer Ian McNee does a reading from the First Tarot, and he puts together a wealth of information on his findings and thoughts. Among these are the "Marvelous Catalogue of Correspondences, which links various beings, objects, and things as being connected and/or related to one of four categories. See the entries on Gaea and Oshtur for additional detail/discussion/categories.
In the Marvel Tarot, Chthon, though originally an earth god, is described as being best matched with the ancient element fire. Further parallels are drawn to Sister Grimm, the Mirror (with the Darkhold representing the dark reflection of Chthon), the card suit Clubs, the tarot suit Wands, the color Red, the Southern lands, the Sun, the will and the spirit, Summer, Dusk, certain animals (lion, horse, fox, tiger, coyote, wolf, salamander, phoenix), symbols (candle, altar, smoke, blood, thorns), astrology (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), the lion aspect of Ammut, the Will portion of the Ritual of the Sphinx, the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, the Frightful Four's Medusa, the U-Foes' X-Ray, Firelord, Power Pack's Katie Power, the Elementals' Hellfire, the Four (or Three or Five) Who Are All's Fire-Eyes, the Scarlet Centurion aspect of Immortus, the spirit totem of Red Wolf, Marie Laveau of the Voodoo Council, the Faltine race, the Octseence/Examplar's Balthakk & Inferno (subtle) and Farallah & Carnivore (base), the N'Garai, the Wolf Men of Valusia, the Phoenix Force, Oblivion, the Ruby gemstone, the celestial beast Suzaku - Red Phoenix, the Crowley quote "With the Wand he createth He!", the Impossible Man, the strong interaction force, the Skrull race, radiance of energy, the energy form of matter, Lord Chaos, the Magus aspect of Adam Warlock, Dr. Strange of the Defenders, the Stranger, the Jungian state feeling, and Vampires.
(Marvel Tarot) - Chthon periodically withdrew his influence from Modred, allowing him to realize what he has become and attempt to save himself. Chthon would allow this as long as it amused him, but eventually he could simply retake his control.
(Marvel Tarot) - The higher elements (Chthon and Oshtur) seek to understand. Chthon dissects humanity, which continues to surprise him. This distresses him, and he tests humanity to goad them so that he may learn to predict what they will do.
In the novel Spider-Man: Requiem by
Jeff Marriotte, the Darkhold and Chthon appear. I did not get a chance
to look at this book more closely. Further information when I do.
--Per Degaton
The Scrying Stones of Chthon were utilized by Doctor Voodoo to keep tabs on potential allies and threats in Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural#1-5 (December, 2009 - April, 2010). Unfortunately the demon Nightmare had a better use for them in the same series and used them to gain control over the beings watched by Doctor Voodoo. Doctor Doom and Doctor Voodoo stopped Nightmare's plot.
Profile by Patrick D Ryall. Update by Markus Raymond (2014-2025).
CLARIFICATIONS:
Chthon should not be confused with:
images:
Darkhold Omega, p17 (main)
Venom V#38, p16, pan2 (head shot)
Thor Annual I#10, p2, pan3 (Chthon is born from the Earth)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22, p50, pan4 (Chthon is summoned by Darkholders)
X-Men Annual I#12, p54, pan6 (The Other attacks the Knights of Wundagore)
Marvel Chillers#2, p13, pan4 (The Other, as a ball of light confronts Modred)
Avengers I#186, p17 (In the form of Wanda)
Spider-Woman I#44, p17, pan2 (Chthon is below the Spider-Woman)
Venom V#38, p2, pan1 (dystopian illusion)
Venom V#38, p15, pan1 (in Flickering Realms)
Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#3, p11, pan1 (The Other introduces itself)
Morbius: The Living Vampire I#13, p7, pan4 (The Other is summoned by Morbius)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#90, p13, pan1 (The Great Shadow looms over Strange, who wears a magical protective cocoon.)
Mighty Avengers#21, p37, pan2 (Chthon possessing Quicksilver)
Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3, p5, pan4 (with Heka-Nut)
New Warriors V#5, p2, pan3 (playing chess with Caninus)
New Warriors V#12, p20, pan4 (spirit floating behind Caninus)
Carnage II#15, p21 (summoned to Earth)
Carnage II#16, p17, pan1-5 (destroyed by Jubulile van Scotter)
Secret Empire: United#1, p18, pan1 (possessing Scarlet Witch again)
Darkhold Omega, p21, pan1 (head like a hole)
First Posted: 01/10/2005
Last updated: 10/31/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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