PLUTO

Real Name: Hades (Greek version of name; Pluto is his Roman name)

Identity/Class: Olympian God

Occupation: Ruler of Hades (the Olympian underworld), God of the Dead

Group Membership: Death Gods (Ahpuch, Arawn (Tuatha da Danaan/Celtic gods), Chibiabos (Anasazi/Native American gods), Damballah (Dam-Ayido, Vodū/African gods), Emma-O (Amatsu-Kami/Japanese gods), Eriskegal, Erlik (Mongolian gods), Hela, Hina (Kahunas/Oceanic gods), Kâli (Daevas/Hindu gods), Narahdarn (Aboriginal gods), Ndriananahary (Vodū/African gods), Osiris (Ennead), Pikulos (Dievas/Slavic gods), Seth, Tuonetar (Kavelas/Finnish gods), Vichima (Incan gods), Yama, and Yen-Lo Wang (Xian/Chinese gods); formerly Crom (Tuatha da Danaan/Celtic gods));
    Lords of the Splinter Realms (Brutus Klor, Dormammu, D'Spayre, the Haemovore Kings of the Outer Dark, Hedron the Faceted, High Seers of Nox, Magik (Amanda Sefton), Malevolence, Mephisto, Molgotha, Muranai, Nightmare, Phemous, Siffror, Skarabrous the Stalker, Surtur, Thog, Umar, Viliven, plus "daemon lords astride phantom dragons, tyrant wizards in air-machines, queens of the damned with endless retinues, formless things that materialize in pentagrams," and countless others)

Affiliations: Ampharon, Arges the Cyclops, Bacchae, Centaurs, Cerberus, Charon, Crusher, Cult of Hades (Victoria), Cyclopes, Demon Hounds of Hades, Demon of the Mask, Gygather, Harpies, Hell-Lords (Daimon Hellstrom, Beelzeboul, Lucifer, Mephisto, Murray, Olivier, Satan (Marduk Kurios), Satannish, Thog), Hippolyta and Amazons, Hrinmeer, Huntsman, Kottus the Furious, Loki, Lorelei, Magik (Amanda Sefton), Menoetius, Mutates, Myrmidons, Nestos, Snatos, Mr. Stardust, Typhon, Tyrannus, Yellow-Crested Titans

Enemies: Asgardian Norns (Atropos, Klothos, Laecius), Avengers (Black Knight (Whitman), Captain America (Rogers), Captain Marvel (Rambeau), Crystal, Dr. Druid, Giant-Man (Pym), She-Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Thor, Thunderstrike, Vision), Balder, Black Knight (Sir Percy of Scandia), Bounty, Caledonia, Champions (Angel/Archangel, Black Widow (Romanoff), Ghost Rider (Blaze), Hercules, Iceman), Chara, Dark Gods, Defenders (Dr. Strange, Hellcat, Hulk (Banner), Nighthawk, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Valkyrie (Parrington)), Demogorge, Dormammu, Fantastic Four (Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing), Jane Foster, Hela, Hercules, Hulk (Banner), King Arthur, Krista, Marvel Girl (Valeria Von Doom), Alyssa Moy, Odin, Papa Hagg, Puppy, Franklin Richards, Sif, Sigyn, Squirrel Girl, Stranger, Thing, Thor, Thunderbolts (Atlas (Josten), Charcoal, Jolt, MACH-III, Moonstone (Sofen), Songbird), Ulik the Rock-Troll, Valkyrior (including Valkyrie (Brunnhilde)), Venus, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), X-Force (Jesse Bedlam, Cannonball, Meltdown, Moonstar, Siryn, Sunspot, Warpath)

Known Relatives: Persephone (niece/wife), Ouranos (grandfather, deceased), Gaea (grandmother), Cronus (father), Rhea (mother), Zeus, Neptune (brothers), Chiron (half-brother), Hera, Demeter, Vesta (sisters), Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hercules, Hermes, Triton, Consus, Vertumnus (nephews), Artemis, Athena, Venus, Eileithyia, Hebe, Discord, Helen, Iris, Pandia, Pomona (nieces), Asclepius, Cupid, Janus, Deimos, Phobos, Pan (great nephews), Harmonia (great-niece), Circe, Hecate, Prometheus, Eprimetheus, Atlas (cousins), Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Japetus, Oceanus, Ophion (uncles, the Titans), Dione, Mnemosyne, Theia, Tethys, Themis (aunts, Titanesses)

Aliases: DisPater, Mantus (Etruscan name), Zeus Katachthonius ("Zeus of the Underworld"), Hayden P. Hellman, Supreme Sovereign, Lord of the Infernal Regions, Ruler of Hades, Supreme Commander of the Unliving Legions, Master of Hades, Overlord of the Underworld, Mr. Pluto, Lord of the Netherworld, Prince of Deceit, Lord of the Lower Depths, Sovereign Supreme, Black Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, Master of the Unliving, King of the Dark Domain, Lord of Death, Master of Treachery, Dark Prince of Deceit, Lord of the Nether Regions, Prince of Hell, Lord of the Dead, Caretaker of Hades, Dark Lord, Olympian God of the Underworld, Hades, Death-Man, Link

Base of Operations: Hades

First Appearance: Thor I#127 (April, 1966)

Powers/Abilities: Pluto possesses the conventional attributes of the Olympian gods including superhuman strength (class 70), longevity, durability, and ability to recover from wounds. He has referred to his godly powers as his Eterna-Power. He is immortal and has lived for thousands of years. Pluto possesses the ability of inter-dimensional and time-travel. He can drain other’s strength with a touch, create illusions, alter the memories of mortals, sheathe himself in mystical flame and fire projectiles of flame, fire force bolts and create force fields, create an impenetrable time funnel, hold others captive by slowing their body's vibrations, and manipulate energy. Pluto has purported that his powers are at their peak when he is in his realm. Pluto has worn a helmet of invisibility and has wielded more than one seemingly indestructible battleaxe (composed of Adamantine). Pluto could view across time and space using his Eterna-Screen, and hold others immobile with Attracto-spheres. He has the command of a vast army, including Centaurs, Harpies, giants, Cyclopes, Yellow-Crested Titans, armored warriors, and cosmic cannons. He has command over the souls sent to his realm. Pluto is bound by the various edicts given by Zeus, which have included the inability to succeed rule of Hades to someone else, inability to seek out other realms to conquer, and inability to leave Hades at all. It is likely that Pluto possesses many abilities not yet revealed.

The land of Hades itself is a pocket dimension where the souls of gods and worshippers go after death, though it does have several residents as well, including Cyclopes, centaurs, Yellow-Crested Titans, harpies, demon bats, snake-women, the ferryman Charon, Cerberus, and others. Hades is made up of several rivers including the Styx (which contains deadly creatures), Acheron, Cocytus, Aornis, Phlegethron (which is generally aflame), and Lethe (which induces memory loss). Pluto and Persephone share a large palace in Hades. The most wicked souls were sent for torture in Tartarus while the purest souls were sent on to peaceful Elysius. The Pathway to Infinity connects Hades to Olympia, and Hades contains other portals to Earth and other dimensions. It has been purported that any soul that remains in Hades becomes demonic and monstrous, completely subject to Pluto's whims.

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 520 lbs.
Eyes: Grey, generally invisible
Hair: Black

History: (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#10/Greek mythology) - The eldest son of Titans Cronus and Rhea, Pluto and his siblings were confined to Tartarus, the Olympian underworld, to be tortured when Cronus feared one of his offspring may seek to dethrone him. On the birth of her sixth child, Rhea conceived in secret near Mount Ida on Crete, sheltered by a number of goddesses. Her son, Zeus, upon reaching adulthood, freed Pluto and the others and joined forces to dethrone their father, sending them to Tartarus in their place. During the battle, Pluto used a helmet of invisibility given to him by the mysterious gods known as the Cabeiri, who had taught him control of his powers. Having conquered Olympus, Olympus, Zeus, Pluto, and Neptune cast lots for creation with Zeus claiming the sky, Neptune the seas, and Pluto the underworld, responsible for watching out for the imprisoned Titans. However, in desiring companionship, he fell in love with the goddess Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Although Hades bribed Zeus with a new thunderbolt to claim Persephone, Zeus told Pluto to take Persephone by force in order to conceal the arrangement from Demeter. Demeter petitioned Pluto to release her daughter, but Zeus had to arbitrate that Persephone had to spend equal parts of the year on earth and in the underworld. Rarely leaving his realm, Pluto was often visited by heroes on heroic quests or seeking advice from the shades of the dead, such as Orpheus, Odysseus, and Aeneas. As part of his Twelve Labors, Hercules broke into Hades and fought with Cerberus, servant of Hades, and Hercules earned Pluto's enmity. During his visit, Hercules freed the Athenian prince Theseus, who had joined King Peirithous in trying to abduct Persephone. However, as Christianity began replacing the worship of the Olympians, Zeus limited Pluto's control over the souls he was allowed to claim, and Pluto grew frustrated with his lessened subjects.

(Thor I#127 (fb) - BTS) - Pluto was sentenced by Zeus to stay in Hades, only allowed to be free of its rule if he could find a fitting replacement.

(Marvel Two-in-One Annual#5 (fb) - BTS) - Pluto created an energy smelter in Hades that fed its energies directly into a "nether hole" (multi-dimensional black hole), and planned to use it to destroy Olympus and other worlds some day. He kept it fed over eons, commanding his slaves to tend to it.

(Ares#1 (fb)) - Ages ago, Pluto warred with Olympus, surrounding the mountain with his forces and nearly triumphing until Ares was called on. Ares made quick work of Pluto's forces. Many of them were chopped into halves before being sent back to Hades.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1) - In Camelot, Pluto aided the Roman Tyrannus, who worshipped Pluto, in an attempt to usurp the throne of Arthur. Tyrannus met his match against the Black Knight (Sir Percy of Scandia), so Pluto drew his axe and fought the Black Knight himself. Pluto dealt the hero a deathly blow, but was forced to retreat to Hades when he was pierced by the Ebony Blade. The Black Knight later recovered.

(Thor I#127) - Posing as Hollywood director Hayden P. Hellman (alias Mr. Pluto) and seeking to make a new Hercules movie, Pluto designed a new set with Stardust Studios, having brokered a deal with Mr. Stardust, and invited Hercules himself to star in the movie. After scolding some workers for talking about him, Pluto checked in with a slave in Hades to see how the realm was doing in his absence. Pluto prepared a binding contract for Hercules to sign, hoping to hoodwink the god into doing so, and had Hyppolita disguiser herself as an actress, playing the part of queen of the Amazons in the movie.

(Thor I#128) - Hercules arrived on set, impressed by its likeness to Olympus. Hades tested him with a battling monster (claiming it was a robot) and a wall of flame (claiming it was special effects), then treated Hercules to an Olympian feast. Hercules signed the contract quickly, and Pluto and Hyppolita revealed themselves. Pluto opened up the way to Hades and had his legions attack Hercules when the godling refused to go. Soon joined by his ally Thor, son of Odin, Hercules began to triumph over the monsters. Pluto and Hyppolita transported themselves to Olympus to plead their case before Zeus.

(Thor I#129) - Pluto appeared before Zeus, Dionysius, and others, announcing Hercules’ assignment to Hades. Zeus refused to intercede, but told Hercules that one could fight on his behalf if willing. Hercules was unable to find anyone willing, but as Pluto’s forces prepared to drag Hercules to Hades, Thor arrived and offered himself.

(Thor I#130) - Though shocked, Pluto sent Thor and Hercules down to Hades, thinking that there was no way Thor would be able to battle his way free. Thor managed to defeat Cerberus and plunged into Hades’ armies, besting even their Cosmic Cannons. He fell into Pluto’s Turbulence Trap, which buffeted him with high pressure winds, but still managed to escape. Thor then bested the powerful super-strong helmeted Crusher, a legion of archers, and a group of flame-throwers before , until Pluto, disgusted by the display, chose to shred the contract and resume his rule of Hades.

(Thor I#163 (fb)) - Pluto spent the following months planning his revenge on Thor. One day, while viewing his Eterna-Screen, which could show him scenes from across time and space, he witnessed the warring Mutates that humanity would eventually evolve into. He traveled to Earth to the Advanced Science Research Center, seeking to study the powerful Him that dwelled inside, in New York City and, using his Eterna-Power, created a mystic impenetrable time funnel around the building, transporting it to the far future of the Mutates.

(Thor I#163) - When the Asgardian Sif drew near, Pluto had the Mutates take her captive, then he pulled Thor through when the hero came to investigate. He briefly had Sif in immobile Attracto-spheres, then immobilized Thor and Sif by slowing their body’s vibrations as he explained his plot. He mobilized the Mutates to invade 20th century Earth.

(Thor I#164) - Pluto’s forces tried to pass Thor to investigate Him, but Thor used his hammer’s powers to return them all to the 20th century. The Mutates burst forth, attacking the police and Thor’s ally, Balder, while Pluto sheathed himself in Stygian Flame, to make himself impervious to any attack. Thor summoned rain to douse the flame, then attacked Pluto again, but before Pluto could triumph, Zeus appeared, immediately vanquishing Pluto back to Hades.

(Thor I#199) - Pluto marshaled some of his forces aboard a ship and sailed to Asgard, where he sought to dethrone the weakened Odin. Hela, Asgardian goddess of death, petitioned Thor for Odin’s soul in order to save him from Pluto. Pluto offered to take Thor’s life instead of Odin’s, but Hela attacked Pluto instead, leaving Thor’s men (including Balder and the Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg) to battle Hades’ forces (including Gygather). Pluto used his axe to summon the Demon Hounds of Hades, large red hands that begin to pull Hela away, but she retreated instead. Thor attacked Pluto’s forces, vanquishing them. Pluto then sheathed  himself in flame, drawing Thor in close before the flames were put out, then Pluto drained Thor’s strength. He drew his axe, ready to deliver the killing blow.

(Thor I#200) - The three Asgardian Norns (Atropos, Klothos, Laecius) fired a blast, shattering Pluto’s axe, and stopping him from killing Thor.

(Thor I#201) - Pluto, furious, was batted aside by Thor’s hammer, but trapped the Warriors Three in an energy bubble, demanding Thor’s surrender. Thor refused, and Pluto allowed the Three to descend to Earth, though Thor thought they’d perished and renewed his attack. Meanwhile, Hela helped restore Odin to life, to deny Pluto Odin’s life force. Just as Pluto was preparing to destroy Thor, Odin stood renewed and forced Pluto to leave Asgard’s shores.

(Thor I#221) - Seeking to incite a war between Olympus and Asgard, Pluto, plotting with Ares, kidnapped the Asgardian Krista, and left an illusion for Odin to think it was both Pluto and Hercules behind the treachery. Thor stormed the gates of Olympus demanding vengeance, and began battling Hercules. Pluto sent Snatos to Ares with the message that the hordes of Hades were prepared for their plan. Hercules and Thor soon joined forces, plotting to rescue Krista from Pluto.

(Thor I#222) - Pluto sent Nestos to Ares with a message stating that they would join forces at the gates of Hades. Thor and Hercules battled some of Hades’ dwellers, then traveled to the witch, Chaga, for aid, and she revealed Ares’ involvement. Thor and Ares, his powers boosted by Pluto, battled in Hades and Ares was defeated.

(Thor I#223) - As Thor and Hercules entered Hades, they fought off demonic bats, leaving Pluto to punish them. He then teleported Krista, who still refused to speak, away with him to Manhattan, where his power was supposedly halved. After fighting Pluto’s snake-women, Thor and Hercules followed Pluto, who immediately paralyzed Hercules with a spear of fire. Thor’s hammer absorbed the second spear, and he and Pluto began trading blows. Thor threw Pluto into an electric sign, then Pluto teleported away.

(Champions I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Pluto developed a complex scheme, hoping to gain control of Olympus. He allied with several  Hell-Lords, then threatened war with Zeus unless Zeus stood down. Pluto then marshaled his forces, planning on forcing marriage between Venus and Ares and Hippolyta and Hercules, knowing that if these couples were wed, Pluto would be free to attack Olympus due to an ancient law that forbid Olympian spouses to battle each other.

(Champions I#1) - After allying with Ares and Hippolyta, Pluto instructed Cerberus and groups of Harpies and Amazons to attack the surface world and draw out Hercules and Venus, who were living on Earth. They fought against Venus and a newly allied super-team, the Champions (Angel/Archangel, Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Ghost Rider (John Blaze), Hercules, Iceman), then Pluto appeared, telling Venus she must marry Ares and Hercules must marry Hippolyta or the world would die.

(Champions I#2) - When Hercules and Venus refused, Pluto returned to Olympus and demanded that Zeus force the marriage, so  Zeus sent the Huntsman and Menoetius to gather Hercules and Venus, bringing them back to Olympus.

(Champions I#3) - The Champions pursued their allies to Olympus and defeated some of Pluto's forces, so Pluto attacked them directly, but did not triumph before Zeus was made aware of Pluto's deceit and treachery. Zeus banished Pluto to Hades.

(X-Force/Champions Annual 1998 (fb) - BTS) - Pluto placed the false memory into the minds of the Champions that Zeus had forced him to grant the Champions the ability to banish a Titan if Pluto attempted to raise it on Earth, using a spell he placed in their minds. The spell, however, would actually raise the Titan. 

(Avengers I#163 - BTS) - Pluto made a bargain with Typhon, giving the Titan a brief reprieve from Hades in order to retrieve Hercules. Granting Typhon added powers of lightning and fire, Pluto promised to free Typhon from Hades if he brought him Hercules. Typhon fought the Avengers, however, and Pluto brought him back to Hades when it looked as though Typhon would fail.

(Marvel Two-in-One Annual#5) - The growing nether hole, from Pluto's energy smelter, attracted the attention of the Stranger, who recruited Thing and Hulk and brought them to Hades to investigate. While the Earth heroes fought Pluto's minions, Pluto triumphed over Stranger, using the entity's own energies against him and drawing upon Hades' energies itself. Before Pluto could through Stranger into the energy smelter, Thing and Hulk destroyed the platform on which the smelter stood, sending Pluto plummeting into the smelter himself. The smelter exploded and Pluto was believed dead.

(Thor I#279) - Seeking vengeance on Thor, Pluto entered an alliance with Loki, then lured the mortal Jane Foster, mentally, to Hades, placing her in a trap for Thor. Thor pursued Foster, and the Loki transported Ulik the Rock Troll to Hades to battle Thor. Pluto promised Foster to whoever the victor of the battle would be. He ignored Foster’s pleadings for mercy while he chided Ulik on, accidentally revealing Loki’s part in their battle. Ulik, furious, turned his attack on Pluto, preparing to throw the god into the fiery depths, which Pluto claimed could kill even him. Thor rescued Pluto, however, and returned Ulik to Asgard. In gratitude, Pluto let Thor and Foster return to Earth.

(Thor Annual#10) - Pluto struck a bargain with Mephisto and Seth to increase the size of their realms by merging their perspective realms. During the course of this endeavor, they lured a few other gods of the dead, such as the Asgardian death-goddess Hela, Ahpuch of the Mexican Pantheon, Yama from the Hindu Gods, and Eriskegal of the Mesopotamian Gods. Their endeavor did not proceed as planned and they instead unleashed the primordial entity Demogorge from its eternal slumber and it began devouring them, suspecting them to be degenerated gods. Thor lead a team of warrior gods against the beast to stop it from escaping the underworld, but was unable to stop the entity, ending up consumed himself with his allies. Appealing to Atum, the buried consciousness within Demogorge, Thor managed to reverse its palate and free himself and Pluto, with all the other consumed gods. Humiliated over the experience, Pluto and the other gods of the dead dissolved their scheme and returned to their own respective realms.

(Avengers I#282) - Zeus, seeking to punish the Avengers for their part in injuring Hercules, placed Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Doctor Druid, She-Hulk, and Thor into Hades to be punished eternally. Pluto immediately set about doing so, tending personal to the torture of Thor in Fortress Tartarus, where the most tormented of souls was to dwell. Meanwhile, Neptune gathered Sub-Mariner for punishment and delivered him into Hades as well, into Cerberus' arms. Sub-Mariner escaped into the River Styx, got out of the grasp of the beasts there, and exited the flaming waters of the River Phlegethon. He managed to free the Avengers and they defeated their guards, then joined forces against Pluto, who'd just been warned by Cerberus. The Avengers made a break for it, despite Hades' attempts to stop them. He blasted a gap into the Pathway of Infinity from the back of tank to stop their departure, and his forces closed in on them.

(Avengers I#283) - From the back of his tank, Pluto threatened the Avengers, but Captain Marvel managed to overload all of Pluto’s tanks at light-speed, causing them to explode. Pluto hefted a large piece of debris to crush the Avengers, surprised when Thor used the debris to close the gap in the bridge, allowing the Avengers to escape. Pluto had to let them go, unable to pursue them so close to Olympus.

(Dr. Strange III#35 – BTS) – Hela utilized Cerberus in Hel, claiming that Pluto had tried to order her and so she had briefly taken the dog to serve her.

(Thor I#462) - Having learned that Thor was mad, Pluto summoned Ares to Hades and they agreed to fight Thor together. They attacked Thor aboard his inter-dimensional ship, Pluto wielding a flaming axe, and Thor savagely held his own against them both. Before Thor could slay the fallen Ares, Pluto transported Ares back to Olympus, telling Zeus that Thor had harmed his son.

(Thor I#463) - As Zeus prepared to petition Asgard for Thor’s punishment, Sif approached Zeus, asking for a reprieve. Pluto retold his tale of Thor’s guilt, making himself and Ares seem innocent. When it seemed Zeus would believe Sif, Pluto challenged her to the Circle of Combat, a warriors’ battle in which the victor would be believed, and Sif accepted. Pluto soon bested her in battle, but she used magical stones to teleport to Ares’ side and pleaded to his conscience. Ares agreed and revealed Pluto’s treachery. Zeus, furious, banished Pluto to Hades and forbid him to ever leave again.

(Avengers Annual#23) - While wandering the astral planes, Pluto came across the astral form of Loki. The two tried battling briefly, but then decided to make a truce, Loki working to destroy Hercules while Pluto would destroy Thor. Pluto recommended that Loki utilize Typhon, and Loki sent his astral form to Tartarus, where he freed Typhon and recruited a Harpy, a Yellow-Crested Titan, Kottus the Furious, and Arges the Cyclops.  The allies attacked and subdued Hercules on Earth, then retreated to Hades before the Avengers (Captain America (Steve Rogers), Crystal, Giant-Man (Hank Pym), Thunderstrike, Vision) could stop them. There, they submerged Hercules in the River Lethe, which caused him to lose his memory, then they turned him against Zeus and instructed him to extinguish the Promethean Flame, which caused the Gods to cease to exist on the Earthly plane. The Avengers attacked and defeated Typhon’s allies, restored Hercules’ mind, and reignited the Promethean Flame. Zeus, restored, confined the captives back to Hades and angrily confronted Pluto, who’d been standing by with his wife Persephone to give him the necessary alibi.

(Thor Annual#19) - During a brief respite, Pluto set about refurbishing portions of his realm while Loki's shade appeared to him and reminded him of his pact to destroy his hated brother, Thor. When Loki threatened to reveal his complicity in releasing Typhon, Pluto relented and sought out Hrinmeer, an enemy of Thor exiled to the wastelands o Asgard to confront  Thor on his behalf. Pluto even granted him Cerberus to help him carry out his deed. They succeeded in besting Thor, but just before killing him, Pluto instructed him to carry Thor back to Asgard to slay him at the feet of Odin. When Hrinmeer slighted the death goddess Sigyn, Loki's wife, Loki revived Thor to defend his wife and defeat Hrinmeer.

(X-Force/Champions Annual 1998 (fb) - BTS) - Seeking revenge on the Champions, Pluto posed as the mortal Link and organized the Cult of Hades in California, recruiting many followers, including mutants and one member, Victoria, who agreed to pose as a traitor and contact Hercules in return for a place at Pluto's side in ruling the world.

(X-Force/Champions Annual 1998) - "Link" exposed Victoria as the traitor to the cult and cast a spell to begin resurrecting the Titan just as Hercules and X-Force (Jesse Bedlam, Cannonball, Meltdown, Moonstar, Siryn, Sunspot, Warpath) arrived, sending "Link" and the Cult retreating. Hercules gathered his Champions teammates and they cast their spell, accidentally completing the resurrection. "Link" revealed himself as Pluto and attacked the heroes until they tricked him into admitting the plot was his, which infuriated the Titan. Pluto chose to flee and the heroes reversed the raising by reciting the correct spell.

(Thor II#7) - Thor and Hercules traveled to Olympus, discovering it had been waylaid by the Dark Gods. Hercules briefly accused Pluto of being responsible, but Zeus let them know the truth.

(Fantastic Four III#21) - Pluto led Hippolyta and the Bacchae in a revenge plot on the Fantastic Four (as the heroes had recently fought the Bacchae), instead coming across the heroes' allies Marvel Girl (Valeria Von Doom), Franklin Richards, Puppy, Bounty, Alyssa Moy, and Caledonia. After Caledonia vanquished Hippolyta in battle, Pluto took her back to Hades with him. The young ones pursued them and fought Hades' forces, the Myrmidons, until the Fantastic Four, with Hercules, brought Persephone to the realm, making her aware of Pluto's plots. He agreed to let the mortals go at his wife's request.

(Thunderbolts Annual 2000) - At Enchantress' request, Pluto aided the Thunderbolts (Atlas (Erik Josten), Charcoal, Jolt, MACH-III, Moonstone (Karla Sofen), Songbird) in entering Mephisto's realm through a portal on Earth.

(Hellcat#2) - At a meeting alongside the other Lords of Hell (Hela, Mephisto, Satannish, and Son of Satan), Pluto rejected the plan to join forces against Dormammu, who planned to take over Earth's hells. Pluto departed, thinking his connection to the Greek pantheon would be enough for him.

(Hellcat#3) - Pluto was convinced by Hellcat to rejoin the Hell-lords against Dormammu, who'd swayed Satannish to his side. The other four hell-lords follows a plan of Hellcat's and used their control over their realms to freeze the land, denying Dormammu power and causing the entity to flee.

(Magik II#3) - At a meeting in Limbo, Pluto allied with other Hell-Lords after some debate to fight against a threat to their realms, which had been created in a magical database.

(Magik II#4) - The Hell-Lords agreed to channel their powers through Magik (Amanda Sefton) to defeat the enemy.

(Defenders II#3 (fb)) - Pluto traveled to Asgard to recruit the Enchantress in a new plot, but found her missing and instead approached her sister, Lorelei, the Ice Queen. He asked her to bind a Valkyrie to him, and promised to share world power with her if she did so.

(Defenders II#4 (fb) - BTS) - Lorelei bonded a mortal, Samantha Parrington, who had previously been bonded to a Valkyrie, to become the Valkyrie once again, and to obey Pluto and Lorelei's orders. Pluto wielded the residual magic to trap Lorelei in a separate Valkyrie form, with no memory and unable to speak. Pluto martialed his forces in Hades and established a temple in northern Canada on Earth that would shield him from Zeus' view.

(Defenders II#2) - Pluto brought his minions to northern Canada, where they soon found the Defenders (Doctor Stephen Strange, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner), who'd been transported to fight against the danger threatening the world. The Defenders fought Pluto's minions, including the Yellow-Crested Titans and Ampharon, finally burying them under a mountain, while Strange tried defeating Pluto. Pluto had Valkyrie vanquish all four heroes, knocking them  and a nearby mortal unconscious.

(Defenders II#3) - Pluto kept the Defenders imprisoned in a pillar, held there by the mystic Gem of Tartarus. He revealed his plans, then killed a mortal man who was of no use to his plans. Defenders' allies Nighthawk and Hellcat arrived with the Lorelei-Valkyrie, and Hellcat destroyed the Gem of Tartarus, freeing Pluto's captives and freeing them to fight his minions. Pluto fought with Dr. Strange while the two Valkyries fought, the feedback allowing Lorelei to restore herself. Pluto and Lorelei immediately tried to assert their will over Valkyrie, the pull between them causing their hold on her to weaken. The Defenders destroyed Pluto's temple, giving the denizens of the dead direct access to Earth, and Pluto had no control over them.

(Defenders II#4) - While the Defenders fought the dead, the Asgardian Valkyrior suddenly entered the fray to aid them. Faced with a renewed attack by the Defenders, Pluto and Lorelei continued fighting over control of Valkyrie, who soon broke their spell and lashed out against them. Then Zeus' visage appeared above them, promising punishment. Pluto and Lorelei quickly teleported away rather than face Zeus' wrath.

(Hercules III#4) - In the aftermath of the death of the Asgardian gods, Zeus instructed the Olympians to take more mortal roles on earth rather than distancing them as the Asgardians had done. He created an earthly version of the pantheon from behind the facade of a corporation on earth with Pluto, Hera, Dionysus, and others. When Hera asked for a vote that Hercules should complete a modern version of his Twelve Labors without interference, the gods voted in favor.

(Hercules III#5) - Seeing himself more of a Mafia-type figure, Pluto was approached by Hercules on Earth for permission to enter the underworld during his new Twelve Labors. Drinking an espresso, he confessed a fondness for his Roman constituents than the Greeks for their war-mongering and Italian crime family legacy as well as a preference for his real name because his Roman name had been maligned by jokes over a stupid cartoon dog. Confessing Hercules was his favorite nephew as well, he gave him permission to enter the underworld but only in return for a future favor.

(Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular#1/1 - BTS) - Squirrel Girl gained access to Olympus to return Dionysus and helped Zeus out with a problem with Pluto.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta.

In mythology, Pluto (Hades) is not nearly the maligned character that Marvel Comics has portrayed him as. He is a grim, shrewd, solitary, wily, and just god, but he is not the diabolical character which modern fiction has made him out to be. The concept of such a figure comes from Eastern mythology and was not prevalent through western civilization until the Middle Ages. Although Hades is one of the major Olympian gods, he was not typically a part of the high council of the Olympian gods; those roles are filled by Zeus, Hera, Neptune (Poseidon), Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Ares, Venus (Aphrodite), Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus, who replaced Hestia when she committed herself to the care of the home. Some sources erroneously call Pluto the god of death, but that is incorrect. The Greek god of death is Thanatos (Roman: Orcus), who is also called the Vizier of Pluto. 

Will U: "Actually, I came up with the exact same idea about the gods having mortal identities on Earth ten years ago in an unpublished novel before the Hercules limited series was published. My idea came from rationalizing that retired deities would not sit idly by bored and restless in other dimensions as they watched their former worshippers create technology and discover new lands, and that they would frequent earth posing as advisors, captains of industry, and mortal role models while playing with the "toys" mortals created. Along those lines, I named the roles that best suited the personalities of the retired gods with Hades akin to being a demonologist, Aphrodite a media celebrity, and Zeus a philandering philanthropist, a cross between Blake Carrington of "Dynasty" and JR. Ewing of "Dallas." Some aspects of that unpublished novel have appeared in my site, mentioned below."

Pluto has had bios in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (the standard edition, the Deluxe Edition, and the Master Edition) and Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Other Monstrosities. He also has a bio in the Guide to the Mythological Universe website.

Special thanks to Mark O'English (SQUEAK) for his help with the Marvel Two-In-One annual.

Thanks for the scans go to Markus Raymond (Avengers I#282, Thunderbolts Annual 2000 and Thor II#7) and for the Grand Comics Database Project (Thor I#201, Champions I#2).

Profile by Chadman and Will U.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Pluto has no known connections to

images: (without ads)
Defenders II#4, cover (main)
Defenders II#2, p15, pan3  (2nd)
Thor I#201, Cover (VS Thor)
Champions I#2, Cover (VS Hercules)
Avengers I#282, p20, pan4 (on tank)
Thor II#7, p12, pan1 (with helmet)
Thunderbolts Annual 2000, p13, pan5 (with Thunderbolts)

Appearances:
Thor I#127-130 (April-July, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#163-164 (April-May, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#199 (May, 1972) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Thor I#200 (June, 1972) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), John Verpoorten (inker), Stan Lee (writer/editor)
Thor I#201 (July, 1972) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Stan Lee (writer/editor)
Thor I#221 (March, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#222 (April, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#223 (May, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Champions I#1 (October, 1975) - Tony Isabella (writer), Don Heck (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Champions I#2 (January, 1976) - Tony Isabella (writer), Don Heck (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Champions I#3 (February, 1976) - Tony Isabella, Bill Mantlo (writers), George Tuska (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Avengers I#163 (September, 1977) - Jim Shooter (writer), George Tuska (penciler), Pablo Marcos (inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Marvel Two-in-One Annual#5 (1976) - Alan Kupperberg (writer, penciler), Pablo Marcos (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Thor I#279 (January, 1979) - Don Glut (writer), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Pablo Marcos (inker), Roy Thomas, Jim Shooter (editors)
Thor Annual#10 (1982) - Mark Gruenwald (writer/editor), Alan Zelenetz (writer), Bob Hall (penciler), Rick Bryant, Joe Rubinstein, Andy Myshynsky, Al Gordon, Kevin Dzuban (inkers)
Avengers I#282-283 (August-September, 1987) - Roger Stern (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Dr. Strange III#35 (November, 1991) – Roy & Dann Thomas (writer), Dan Lawlis (penciler), Sam DeLarosa, Donald Hudson (inkers), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Thor I#462 (May, 1993) - Jim Starlin, Ron Marz (writers), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike Decarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Thor I#467 (October, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike Decarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Avengers Annual#23 (1994) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (penciler/inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor Annual#19 (1994) -  Roy Thomas (writer), Jerry DeCaire (penciler), Romeo Tanghal (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
X-Force/Champions Annual 1998 (1998) - Tom and Mary Beirbaum (writers), Terry Shoemaker (penciler), Sean Parsons and Harry Candelario (inkers), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Thor II#7 (January, 1999) - Dan Jurgens (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Fantastic Four III#21 (September, 1999) - Chris Claremont (writer), Salvador Larroca (penciler), Art Thibert (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Thunderbolts Annual 2000 (2000) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Norm Breyfogle (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Hellcat#2-3 (October-November, 2000) - Steve Englehart (writer), Norm Breyfogle (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Magik II#3-4 (February-March, 2001) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Liam Sharp (penciler/inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Defenders II#2-3 (April-May, 2001) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Erik Larson (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Defenders II#4 (June, 2001) - Kurt Busiek & Erik Larson (writers), Ron Frenz (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Hercules III#4-5 (September-October, 2005) - Frank Tieri (writer), Mark Texeira (penciler), Jimmy Palmiotti (inker), Axel Alonso (editor)
Ares#1 (March, 2006) - Mike Oeming (writer), Travel Foreman (penciler), Derek Fridolfs (inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (September, 2007) - Roy Thomas (writer), Tom Grummett (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular#1 (September, 2007) - Fabian Nicieza & Dan Slott (writers), Nelson (artist), Nicole Boose (editor)

Last updated: 09/03/07

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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