MAKEDA

Real Name: Makeda

Identity/Class: Human;
    Hyborian era;

Occupation: Former princess;
    possibly mistress of the Amra's harem;
    former "demiqueen" of the Lair of the Lions

Group Membership: Formerly Amra's harem;
    formerly the Moonhawk tribe

Affiliations: Formerly Amra;
    forced alliance with Conan and a trio of Watambis (Anaki and two others);
    after Amra cast her out, the text narrative described her as "the dethroned demiqueen"

Enemies: Amra, Bêlit, Dwellers in Darkness, unidentified leopard

Known Relatives:  She described herself as "a daughter of many warrior-kings," which presumably meant her father and "many" paternal ancestors had been warrior kings;
    she was presumably one of many wives of Amra

Presumably daughter to a king and/or queen of the Moonhawk tribe

Aliases: Mistress of the Lair of the Lions (by which she referred to herself)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly the Lair of Lions, south of Kush in the Dark Continent

First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#62 (May, 1976)

History:

(Conan the Barbarian I#62 (fb) - BTS) - After Makeda, former princess of the Moonhawk tribe, became one of the Aquilonian Amra's mates, she eventually rose to the role of mistress of the Lair of the Lions. Makeda's fierceness pleased Amra more than most of his mates. When other wenches sought to replace Makeda in Amra's affections, Makeda wooed Amra away from them or, failing that, she slew the women with her bare hands. (Conan the Barbarian I#62 - BTS) - Amra arrived with the kidnapped Bêlit (pirate queen of the Tigress and the lover of Conan) at the Lair of the Lions. (Conan the Barbarian I#62) - Within the city, after Amra showed Bêlit the treasure chamber and she noted how she had waited long to see so much riches in one place, Makeda interrupted, telling her she would bury Bêlit in it "and let her bones wear the gold of kings!"     When Bêlit asked who she was, Amra told Bêlit of Makeda and her history, after which she introduced herself as the "Mistress of the Lair of the Lions." Makeda then asked Amra if he had told "his new pet" of her history and how she had slain many would-be competitors for his affections with her bare hands?     As the jealous Makeda charged Bêlit to prove her point, Bêlit -- though her hands were still bound -- kicked Makeda back, informing Makeda that she was not a terrified, fragile maiden like those she had slain, but rather the Queen of the Black Coast.     Land on her backside, Makeda, drew her dagger and told Bêlit she would make her "Queen of Shades, you pale-skinned witch!"     However, Amra grabbed both of her hands and stopped her. When Makeda insisted he let her go, he told her he would let her go, as she had pleased him more than most with her fierceness, but he instructed her to leave quickly and never return or he would release her from his protection, and she would become a meal for his lion pride.

(Conan the Barbarian I#62 (fb)) - The vengeful Makeda rushed to the tomb-wall. Having learned how to read the symbols on its walls, she performed a spell to awaken and release the monstrous beings -- aka the Dwellers in Darkness,  Unbound Ones, Earthspawn, etc. -- imprisoned below the city for allegedly a million or more years. (Conan the Barbarian I#63 (fb) - BTS) - As the creatures began to emerge from the ground, Makeda fled.

(Conan the Barbarian I#62) - As Makeda departed the Lair of the Lions below a full moon, her hurt and anger distracted her, causing her to forget the dangers of the jungle. As a growling leopard leapt down on her from a tree, Makeda cried to Amra for help, but she was instead saved by Conan.

    Having followed Bêlit's trail toward the Lair of the Lions, Conan caught the leopard from behind and broke its neck in a Full Nelson. After Makeda asked if the appearance of another white-skin, like Amra and the wench, was some deviltry of the trickster gods, Conan insisted Makeda take her to "this wench and to Amra."

    Makeda agreed to do so, but warned him he would never arrive to save them in time, if save them he could. She then told him that after Amra had cast her out she had performed the mystic rites to release deadly creatures into the city.

(Conan the Barbarian I#63) - Makeda showed Conan and his Watambi allies to the Lair of the Lions, and she pointed out as Amra ascended to the top of the Lion-Altar with his new bride-to-be, as well as Sholo and other lions. When Conan demanded she show him the fastest path to the altar, she agreed, but she also warned him that he would not live long after regretting it.

    Conan slew the lion guarding the entrance and then led the Watambis into the Lair, after which Makeda noted that while he was a mightier warrior than she had imagined, Amra could have slain the lion with but a knife; nonetheless, she hoped Conan could kill slay Amra to win her revenge for her. While Conan cared little for her bloodlust, Makeda assured him that he would only get his mate back over Amra's lifeless body.

(Conan the Barbarian I#63 - BTS) - After Dwellers in Darkness pulled Bêlit through a trap door, Amra followed them.

(Conan the Barbarian I#63) - Hearing the uproar above them, Makeda realized that it was the creatures she had released. Noting her fear, she advised they turn back, but Conan demanded she show him to Bêlit. Makeda led them down a staircase passageway that would take them directly below the Lion Altar, but a group of the Dwellers swarmed over Conan, Makeda, and the Watambis. They fought back fiercely and slew them, although at least one of the Watambi perished in the struggle.

    As they continued on, finding skeletons in chains, Conan noted that Makeda's master was a cruel man, but Makeda countered that one could not instill fear in human hearts unless one was merciless. She noted that these men were "nothing." Conan found this a curious judgment as Amra had sent her to die in the jungle.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, and Steve Gan.

    There are additional images of Makeda -- performing the ritual to release the Dwellers in Darkness -- in that profile.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Makeda should be distinguished from:

•  MAKEDE of MEROË - active sometime between 50 BC and 50 AD, physician of Ashake--Epic Illustrated#12
• Other "Make" characters, etc.
  

Conan the Barbarian I#62, pg. 15, panel 3 (charging Bêlit);
          panel 4 (kicked away by Bêlit);
          panel 5 (drawing dagger)
       last page, panel 4-5 (Makeda reading the writings and performing the ritual) - in Dwellers profile, at least.
    #63, pg. 1, mostly full);
       pg. 6, panel 4 (face);
       pg. 12, panel 3 (dead)

Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian I#62-63 (May-June, 1976) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Steve Gan (inker)

First posted: 12/05/2020
Last updated: 12/05/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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