NUMENOR
Real Name: Numenor
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-311 (1602 A.D.))
human mutant (see comments)
Occupation: Emperor of Bensaylum
Group Membership: Imperial Court of Bensaylum
Affiliations: Krang,
Rita, other Bensaylumites;
brief alliance with Four Who Are Frightful (Medusa, Sandman,
Trapster, Wizard), Count Otto von Doom, formerly Susan Storm (all Earth-311)
Enemies: Doris Evans, Fantastick Four
(Benjamin Grimm, Sir Richard Reed, John Storm, Susan Storm), Four Who
Are Frightful (Medusa, Sandman, Trapster, Wizard), William Shakespeare,
Count Otto von Doom (all Earth-311)
Known Relatives: Rita (cousin)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Bensaylum (Earth-311)
First Appearance: Marvel 1602: Fantastick
Four#4 (February, 2007)
Powers/Abilities: Numenor has superhuman
strength and enhanced durability. He wears winged sandals that
facilitate basic flight (although these sandals may just be cover for
ankle-wing mutations - see comments). He is a proud but arrogant ruler,
quick to anger. Numenor wields a powerful mystical trident said to have
once belonged to Poseidon and its magical power centers on focusing ley
lines; Numenor uses it chiefly to generate waterspouts and effect
crackling energy but its power is far greater. Like other
Bensaylumites, he has distinctive pointed ears. He also commanded (or
used
as sentries) giant sea creatures such as the Leviathan to protect his kingdom of Bensaylum.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 278 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
History:
(Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4 (fb) - BTS) - Legend
had it that gods created the sea city of Bensaylum, which was hidden
behind cliffs that kept back the sea and acted as an enormous sinkhole.
The ruler held a mystical trident, said to be Poseidon's, which
concentrated local magic, but also held a curse that Bensaylum
would be lost if the ruler's blood was spilled. Numenor was the current
ruler and relied on his cousin Rita to sire a blood heir.
(Marvel
1602: Fantastick Four#1-3)
- Keen to find a way to heal his disfigured face, Count Otto von Doom
spied for information on the legendary Bensaylum and rumors of its
healers. Count von Doom coerced adventurers the Four Who Are
Frightful (Medusa, Sandman, Trapster, Wizard) into taking him there with William Shakespeare as
chronicler. The Fantastick Four (Benjamin Grimm, Sir Richard Reed, John
Storm, Susan Storm) chased their nefarious foe in their ship the Fantastick. Von Doom and his cohorts boarded the Fantastick and
eliminated the monstrous sea-beast Leviathan just as the Fantastick
fell over the watery sea cliff to the hidden city of Bensaylum. The
ship was saved by Susan Storm's invisible force field.
(Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4) - Numenor chided
Rita for taking too long in selecting a partner to sire an heir, but
they were interrupted by warlord Krang informing them of a surviving
outsider's ship. They investigated; Numenor quelled any resistance with his
powerful trident. He was disappointed in Rita's instant attraction to
John Storm but was then himself smitten by Susan Storm. He played host
and gave Susan a dress, but she returned it as she was engaged to Reed.
Soon after, von Doom revealed to Numenor he was there to have his
face healed and offered a deal to deliver the entranced Storms for
romantic partners with the disposal of Reed and Grimm. Ruthless Numenor agreed.
(Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#5) - Numenor showcased
his trident's ability to create waterspouts before the visitors and
then progressed to festivities, but von Doom and Wizard now coveted the
mighty trident and they plotted to usurp Numenor of everything. Von
Doom's ploy to use Sandman's entrancing failed and Susan Storm railed
against Numenor at the regal dinner. In turn, Numenor accused his
newfound allies of betrayal. But Wizard was enthralled by the trident
and snatched it from the ruler, amplifying its power and raising
Bensaylum from its hidden sea-walled valley up high where they
perceived celestial eyes (really the Watcher but mistaken for a god).
All distracted, von Doom grabbed the trident in a bid for godly power
and stabbed Numenor in the chest. Although Numenor did not die, his
spilled blood triggered the curse and Bensaylum fell
cataclysmically into the ocean with only the Fantastick Four, Evans and
Shakespeare escaping. Numenor's final fate is unrevealed.
Comments:
Adapted by Peter David, Pascal Alixe, Livesay.
Numenor may well have escaped if he had the mutant
abilities of his Earth-616 counterpart by be being able to breathe
underwater (he already had super strength and the winged
sandals may just have been a cover as no one but he and family Rita had them).
He might have flown up or been able to wrench the
trident from von Doom when Bensaylum crashed and crumbled under
seawater.
Numenor is based on Namor, who first appeared in
Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (April, 1939)/Marvel Comics (October,
1939) and was created by Bill Everett. Stats are taken from his Earth-616 counterpart.
It's easy to dismiss Bensaylum as simply Atlantis, but it's a little more quaint and complex than that. "New Atlantis"
is an incomplete utopian novel by Sir Francis Bacon written around
1623. The mythical utopian land of "generosity and enlightenment,
dignity and splendour, piety and public spirit" is called Bensalem
(which roughly translates from Hebrew to "perfect son," "son of peace,"
"new Jerusalem").
The name Numenor also relates to a large western island in
J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth that was ultimately destroyed and most
of its people died. Tolkien apparently intended Numenor to allude to
Atlantis. Presumably, Tolkien likely derived this from the Latin word
"numen": the spirit or divine power presiding over a thing or place.
This profile was completed 8/24/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile
by Grendel
Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Numenor has no known connections to:
- any other "Numenor" characters
Krang
Krang was a Bensaylumite warlord loyal to Numenor. He
would usually lead raids against ships that had fallen and crashed into the
waters (or lost to surrounding defenses) near Bensaylum by killing the crews and plundering the
vessels. However, one ship, the Fantastick, survived due to the
incredible powers of those onboard. Krang sought Numenor's advice on
the matter and they both investigated. He likely perished with the
later fall of Bensaylum.
--Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4
Leviathan
Leviathan was one of several giant creatures
controlled and/or used by Numenor as sentries near Bensaylum. It
threatened the ship the Fantastick as it approached the hidden sea city
but Medusa turned it to stone with her inhuman gaze.
--Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#3 (4
images:
(without ads)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4, p15, pan1 (main image)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4, p10, pan6 (headshot)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#5, p1, pan2 (using trident)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4, p10, pan4 (Krang)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4, p1, pan1 (Leviathan)
Appearances:
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#4
(February, 2007) - Peter David (writer), Pascal Alixe (pencils),
Livesay (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four#5 (March, 2007) - Peter David (writer),
Pascal Alixe (pencils), Livesay (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
First posted: 09/29/2021
Last updated:
09/27/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let
me know.
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