"God of the Druff"

Real Name: Unrevealed; apparently none ("I am nameless. Faceless.")

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (unidentified race)

Occupation: Would-be-conqueror;
    posed as benevolent benefactor;
    believed to be a god by the Druff

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Formerly the Druff (it helped them survive, although it had ulterior motives; notably the representative of the "God of the Druff")

Enemies: Adam Warlock;
    it intended to conscript the Druff into its army, but this was never realized

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "God"

Base of Operations: Unrevealed; 
    formerly in planet Ryas' orbit (its apparently deceased form may still be there), fourth from the sun in the Psori star system, Andromeda galaxy;
    portions or creations of it exist on Ryas, notably in the Druff's temple to their god;

First Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (August, 2019)

Powers/Abilities:
    The being known only as "God" to the Druff was an immense alien form, seeming to be composed of technology and organic structures. 

    It had a face/mask/shield covering the energies contained within it, and removing the mask limited its ability to function/communicate (see comments).

    It possessed multiple (two to five pairs (it was not clear whether all of the tentacle-like structures were mobile tentacles, as opposed to perhaps decorative structures around its upper form)) tentacles that could wrap around and restrain others.

    The being could exist in space without harm, and it could presumably fly at great (likely warp) speeds in order to access different star systems (although it is possible it originated on another planet in the Psori system).

    The "god" could supply food, water, and fuel, at least, and he sent these to the surface of Ryas in sphere's bearing a plate similar to his mask/face (see comments).

    Prior to his transformation, this being was apparently a mortal "man," lacking in any superhuman powers.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 15-20')
Weight: Unrevealed (it is constructed of unidentified alien materials and is of unrevealed solidity)
Eyes: None
Hair: None

History:
(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - Originally a mortal being (a "man," per his own description, although he did not know what was a heart), the being was transformed by unrevealed circumstances into a large alien being of power. He considered himself to be both nameless and faceless.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - During a harsh drought on Ryas, the Druff struggled to survive.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - The unidentified being approached Ryas and observed the Druff. 

    Seeing how swiftly they replicated, the being sought to make the Druff worship him so that when the time came for him to call upon them to pay their debts, they would serve as his crusading army (see comments), one capable of making more of itself in no time at all. The being intended to train the Druff in warfare.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - The being masked itself so as not to frighten the "beasts" on Ryas, but he was surprised to find that the Druff had no faces (see comments). 

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - From Ryas' orbit, the being launched a spherical structure containing fruits, water, and fuel to burn to the planet's surface. 

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - When the spherical structure crashed on Ryas from the skies, the Druff felt that gods from the Heavens had come to destroy them, and they thought it was mercy. 

    However, they instead found the structure to be full of fruits, water, and fuel to burn. 

    The Druff pledged themselves to the god-like being they believed was nourishing them thusly, and they built a temple for him, within which they placed the sphere he had delivered.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - The being apparently continued to supply the Druff with at least another sphere, if not multiple in series.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - One of the Druff sat on a throne next to the sphere, wearing a crown and presumably serving as representative to their god. 

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - After escaping a black hole, Adam Warlock entered Ryas' atmosphere, and the Druff witnessed his fiery landing and considered him to be their god. 

    Having crashed into the temple, Adam apologized and repaired it, but they silently led him to the spheres on either side of the representative of the god.

    After Adam asked what the sphere was, the representative asked if he had not sent it, and Warlock assured the representative that he was not their god, and he further noted that he was suspicious of anyone who gave gifts and called themselves a god. 

    After Adam noted that they deserved to know this being, the representative noted that they had been doomed before this blessing, and it asked if Adam was not their god if he could not be their god's herald from the Heavens and lead them to their god's light.

    Warlock asked them to tell them more of their god, and their tellings allowed him to see this being in their minds.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3) - Warlock flew out into the space above Ryas and encountered the alien being, who hailed him by name. Identifying the being as the "god of the Druff," Warlock asked his name, and the being identified itself as nameless and faceless." 

    The being then explained that he had once been merely a man, like Warlock, but that now he was something else, also like Warlock...the being further noted how he had masked himself to avoid frightening the beasts below only to find the natives had no faces. 

    When Warlock asked if he was gifting the Druff because he was so pure of heart, the being asked what was a heart before explaining that he intended to make the Druff into his army. 

    Warlock argued that the being was giving the Druffs prosperity without telling them they would pay with their lives, and he asked to what end the was doing this, and what the being actually was. 

    Bypassing the question, the being assured Warlock that whatever he was before, it would be nothing compared to what he would be with an ever-breeding army of zealots at his side. 

    When Warlock became enraged, the being wrapped its tentacles around him, taunted him, telling Adam to kill him and then watch the Druff bury their young from starvation and cold. 

    When the being noted that he would have taught the Druff to fight back, Warlock broke free and advised the being that if he sought war, he would find it with him (Warlock). 

    Mocking the being's comment about the Druff being faceless, Warlock tore the being's face off, causing it to cry out, "Noooo--!" and then to begin speaking in some rune-like text/language (see comments). 

    Warlock subsequently struck the being repeatedly with his staff of power, apparently causing it to explode.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3) - Observing the flash of light in the sky, the Druff considered this to be a sign of their god, and they waved their hands and cheered. 

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - Adam resolved that the Druff need not know that their god was dead and they would be free to live and believe in that being as they chose, and he (Warlock) would use his power to protect the Druff, and he would protect them from the truth of their god.

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - Within the temple, the Druff continued to worship their god via the sphere he had sent.

Comments: Created by Tini Howard and Ibrahim Moustafa.

    This being and its nature, history, motivations, and powers were quite vague. Interesting, but unsatisfying on many levels. 

• Who was the "god" before his transformation?
• Where did the "god" come from originally? What is his race?
• What transformed the man into this alien being?
• What was his true nature?
• What were the extent and limitation of his powers?
• Did the "god" supply just one village on Druff, or did it repeat the process across the planet? 
• Did he gather the food, water, and fuel from other locations on Druff and then send them to the location(s) in need?
• Did he create the materials under his own power and send them?
• Did he send a new sphere to Earth each time, but did he recall the spheres and then refill them and send them back.
• What was his goal? 
• Conquering the universe in some sort of holy crusade or just for his own self?
• Why did he think the Druff had no faces? 
• They clearly have faces, although they differ from "human" faces.
• What was the nature of his mask? 
• Why did removing it cause him to speak in some alien dialect? 
• Was it like some sort of computer error, and the mask is what granted it control/sentience?"
• With the being's destruction, how was Warlock keeping the nature of the "god" going? 
• Did he access the being's power and set it on automatic? 
• Was Warlock using his own power? 
• Obviously Warlock isn't going to stay on Ryas and protect the Druff forever, so what would happen after his departure?
• Inquiring minds want to know!

    Crusading is defined as vigorously campaigning on a social or political issue, but it carries at least the connotation of a religious war. I don't know whether that was the intent or not.

    The "God of the Druff" reminded me Psyphon, a possible future incarnation of Death's Head (Minion). Comparing the two images, they're really not that similar, but the central head/mask and tentacles sparked the memory...

    I don't know how you are planning to conquer the universe if Adam Warlock can incapacitate you in the space of seconds...

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The "god of the Druff" should be distinguished from:

• Blessed-of-Litters - god worshipped by Druffs until slain by Skrulls--[Incredible Hercules#118], 119
• other gods, Druff or otherwise
  

(Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - The Druff pledged themselves to the god-like being they believed was nourishing them thusly, and they built a temple for him, within which they placed the sphere he had delivered. (Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - One of the Druff sat on a throne next to the sphere, wearing a crown and presumably serving as representative to their god.  (Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - After escaping a black hole, Adam Warlock entered Ryas' atmosphere, and crashed into the temple. Adam apologized and repaired it, but the Druff led him to the spheres on either side of the representative of the god.     Warlock assured the representative that he was not their god, and he further noted that he was suspicious of anyone who gave gifts and called themselves a god.      After Adam noted that they deserved to know this being, the representative asked if Adam was not their god if he could not be their god's herald from the Heavens and lead them to their god's light.     Warlock asked them to tell them more of their god, and their tellings allowed him to see this being in their minds. (Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - Warlock apparently destroyed the god, but he hid this information from the Druff and vowed to continue to protect them. (Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 - BTS) - Within the temple, the Druff continued to worship their god via the sphere he had sent. --Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 Note: Another image of the temple interior is seen in the sub-profile for the representative of the God of the Druff.

Appearances:
Guardians of the Galaxy VI Annual#1/3 (August, 2019) - Tini Howard (writer), Ibrahim Moustafa (artist), Lauren Amaro (assistant editor), Darren Shan (editor), Jordan D. White (senior editor)

First posted: 01/25/2022
Last updated: 01/25/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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