Mordru

Mordru
Mordru in Doctor Fate's garb; from JSA #45.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Adventure Comics #369 (June 1968)
Created by	Jim Shooter (writer), Curt Swan (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Wrynn
Team affiliations	Lords of Chaos Legion of Super-Villains
Partnerships	Eclipso Obsidian
Notable aliases	The Dark Lord, The Dark Nobleman
Abilities	Practically limitless sorcerous power

Mordru (Mordru the Merciless) is a fictional character who is a supervillain in the DC Comics mainstream shared universe of the future - world of the 30th and 31st centuries. ^[1]

Mordru is a Lord of Chaos, a powerful wizard who is fated to immortality, even beyond the end of the universe. He is likely the most powerful enemy of the Justice Society of America, the Legion of Super-Heroes and the Lord of Order Amethyst.

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis (20th century)

Mordru's origin lies prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries. His first battle with the costumed superheroes occurs during a meeting between Earth-One's Justice League of America and Earth-Two's Justice Society of America. During the battle, the Justice League and the Justice Society ally with the Legion of Super-Heroes. ^[2]There is some loss of continuity following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the battle is restored to continuity by the events of Infinite Crisis,^[3] where the Justice League and the Justice Society reside on a combined "New Earth".

Post-Crisis (20th and 21st centuries)

After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Mordru is recast as a timeless "Lord of Chaos". He attempts to steal the power of "Doctor Fate" and for a time is imprisoned in Fate's amulet. Once escaped, he overpowers Fate (Hector Hall), steals his collar and amulet and takes on the familiar garb of Doctor Fate.^[1] With the aid of Eclipso and Obsidian, Mordru tries to conquer the world but is defeated by Doctor Fate and the Justice Society. ^[1] Fate imprisons Mordru within the "Rock of Eternity". There, Mordru is guarded by the wizard, Shazam. Spectre is seduced by the Jean Loring, hosted by Eclipso, then murders Shazam moments after Mordru escapes. Mordru's appearance in this Princes of Darkness story arc marks a connection with the backstory of Power Girl and its revision in Infinite Crisis. (The defeat of Mordru entails the freeing the soul of Atlantean sorcerer Arion. Arion states he is not the grandfather of Power Girl). After his escape from the "Rock of Eternity", Mordru seeks revenge on Fate and the Justice Society. ^[4] During Mordru's battle with Fate, Mordru and Fate encounter different timelines, such as the Kingdom Come timeline. Fate mocks Mordru, suggesting he is a 'cosmic fluke' and a cancer and that no other versions of him exist. Mordru is then defeated by Jakeem Thunder, who places him "somewhere where none of us will see him again." Mordru returns to again impersonate Fate. However, the members of the Justice Society see the ruse. When cast out, Mordru returns to his original form. (Volume 2, issue #34).

Mordru battles the JSA and the hostless Nabu in JSA #80. Art by Don Kramer.

Gemworld

Mordru's begins his existence as Wrynn, one of the twin sons of Lord Topaz and Lady Turquoise. Wrynn becomes entranced by the study of Black magic. When performing a summoning ritual, Wrynn accidentally resurrects a gemstone golem called Flaw, a servant of the Child and one of the Lords of Chaos. Flaw had chosen Wrynn to be the instrument of the Lords of Chaos who wanted to retake Gemworld. They renamed Wrynn, "Mordru" and gave him tremendous magical power. Wrynn kills his twin brother, Donal during a battle with Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. He is banished from the Twelve Kingdoms of Gemworld. Amethyst is not satisfied with this punishment and locks Modru inside Gemworld by merging him with the planet itself. During his years inside Gemworld, Mordru develops taphephobia (the fear of being buried alive). This thereafter is Mordru's "Achilles' heel". ^[5]

Pre-Zero Hour (30th Century)

In the 30th century, Mordru's becomes one of the most powerful figures in the universe. Although Mordru's story line suffers some loss of continuity, there is an essential plot: Mordru appears on Zerox (the Sorcerer's planet). He joins the sorcerers, rises in power and takes control in a coup. In doing so, he steals the sorcerers' powers. However, his apprentice, Mysa Nal (the White Witch) escapes. Mordru, now known as the "Dark Lord", creates an unstoppable, tyrannical, space empire by conquering nearby planets. He combines the technology of the conquered planets with his sorcery. For example, he can jam an enemy's weapons before a space battle. However, Shooter notices that the Dark Lord is choosing his conquests carefully "as if selecting baubles from a jewellers tray" (Adventure Comics #369) thus suggesting his power has wavered. Earth remains free, defended by "The Legion of Superheroes". In a large space battle, the Legion defeats the Dark Lord's armada. Mordru fights back by creating 100 giant replications of himself. He is sealed in an airless vault at superspeed by Superboy and Mon-El. This triggers his phobia rendering him comatose. The vault is placed beneath Legion Headquarters. While exploring the headquarters, Shadow Lass, finds Mordru's vault and opens it. Mon-El warns Shadow Lass and tries to seal the vault but is too lat and Mordru is revived. The Legion flee through a Time Bubble. The Legion have no time to set the bubble and arrive at its last setting, Smallville in Superboy's time. They hide the bubble and aided by Clark Kent (Superboy) they assume secret identities. Through Lana Lang and the Smallville townsfolk, Mordru finds The Legion. They battle and again, Mordru is left imprisoned and comatose. This establishes the classic Mordru story cycle: Mordru is freed, continues his obsession with destroying the legion then loses in battle, only to be trapped again until the next time.

Earthwar

Lord Romdur

Mordru flees to Avalon (a backwater planet). He takes the name Romdur (an anagram of Mordru). Star Boy uses his "mass-inducing" power to collapse Modru's castle, trapping him again.

Great Darkness Saga

Relations with other Villains

Due to Mordru's power, other would be conqueror's of the 30th century, consider Mordru (and hence The Legion) in their plans. For example, Pulsar Stargrave masquerades as Brainiac 5's father and sends the father on a series of missions to gather artifacts that could defeat Mordru. Stargrave enlists the aid of the Time Trapper, a "time manipulator". Stargrave orders the Time Trapper to prove his worth by killing The Legion. When the Time Trapper fails, Stargrave tries to enlist The Legion themselves. Later on, an alien sorcerer named Sden tries to trick the Legion into retrieving yet another artifact, again with the goal of defeating Mordru.

Volume 4

Mordru is fated to rule the universe for a thousand years. The Time Trapper tries to use The Legion to stop Mordru's rise to power. However, in the Great Darkness Saga, The Legion become more powerful than expected. The Time Trapper realises The Legion is a potential threat. Mordru does come to power after Valor destroys the Time Trapper. Glorith, a minor villain, casts a spell, at the expense of her own life. With this spell, she goes back in time and becomes a time manipulator responsible for creation of The Legion. In the new timeline, Glorith orchestrates a battle between Mordru and the Legion. Glorith plans to have Mordru and The Legion destroy each other so she can come to power. Ultra Boy discovers her plan. He coerces Mordru to attack Glorith. It is this battle which is said to explain Mordru's wavering planetary conquest. (Adventure Comics #369). At this point, the Sorcerors of Zerox find an opportunity to remove Mordru's powers and cure his mind. He finds contentment on Zerox and later, after Zerox was destroyed in the "Magic Wars", on [[Tharn]. He marries Mysa Nal. Following the Magic Wars, there is Galactic economic collapse and Tharn faces destruction by the Khund. To protect the planet against the Khund starships, the Sorcerors' Council restores Mordru's powers (even though they know the power will corrupt Mordru). Mordru defeats the Khund and becomes Emperor. He is not as powerful as before. He can defeat the Green Lantern, Rond Vidar but not the combined powers of The Legion and the United Planets. Mordru joins with Glorith and together they make a number of attempts to secure power. One such attempt disturbs the internal logic of the Zero Hour crossover story.

Post-Zero Hour (30th and 31st centuries)

The story after Zero Hour, has Mordru establishing a large empire in the 28th and 29th centuries before being imprisoned by Mysa (now his daughter rather than his apprentice) in an airtight vault on the Yuen asteroid. (In the battle, Mysa's allies are killed and she is severely aged). Mordru is released by a mining project on the Yuen asteroid controlled by a group of disgruntled Legion rejects. The new Legion consisting of Sensor, Umbra and Magno investigate unusual events on the asteroid. Mordru searches for his lost talismans which hold his power such as the Emerald Eye of Ekron.^[1] The owner of the Eye defends the relic until a Legion led alliance (including Mysa (who is now de-aged), the Workforce, and the Amazers defeats Mordru and imprisons him in an airtight sphere. Although the "Elements of Disaster" threatened at one point to revive him, Mordru remains imprisoned.

Legion of 3 Worlds

In this story, Mordru is one of Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains. Mordru rules the Sorcerers' World and holds the White Witch hostage. After killling Glorith, Dragonmage and Prince Evillo, Mordru holds the remaining magic of the universe. ^[6] He also receives the power of Kinetix (killed by Superboy-Prime) and that of the other sorcerers of "Universe-247". However, the White Witch absorbs Mordru. Due to Mordru's evil, in doing so, she becomes the "Black Witch". ^[7]

Powers and abilities

In the 30th and 31st centuries, Mordru is the premiere sorcerer of the known universe. He is the "Legion of Super-Heroes'" most powerful individual foe. Only Darkseid and the Time Trapper (or Glorith) rival his powers.

Sorcery

Mordru's sorcerous powers are among the most formidable in the DC universe. They include:

• General strength. For example, during an attack on the Justice Society in New York, Mordru was able to take multiple blows from Power Girl without serious damage and was able to withstand a joint attack by the JSA and the Freedom Fighters.
• Super human strength
• Flight
• Control of matter at a molecular level and formation of solid objects
• Generation of magical energy in bolts or shields
• Healing of fatal wounds. For example, when Alan Scott slashed Mordru's abdomen open with an energy sword, the sorcerer was able to heal the injury in seconds before ripping the Starheart from Alan's body.
• Regrowing limbs using "chthonic energy."

Magic relics

Mordru's powers are increased by repositories of magical energy. Examples are the Rock of Eternity, Fate's artifacts, the Starheart, and Arion's body.

Immortality

Mordru is apparently ageless. In JSA: Justice Be Done, the Hourman android attempts to de-age Mordru and discovers his life has no beginning or end. Mordru has never been born and will never die.

In other media

Legends of the Superheroes

Gabriel Dell portrayed Mordru in the 1979 live action miniseries Legends of the Superheroes. In this, he sings an evil version of the song "That's Entertainment!".

Justice League Unlimited

Mordru appears in Justice League Unlimited's first season episode, "The Greatest Story Never Told". He is depicted as he was in his Silver Age incarnation. As the episode focuses on the adventure of Booster Gold (a fame seeking hero), Mordru's backstory is not explored. However, his god-like power is noted as it takes the entire Justice League (with the exceptions of J'onn, Shayera, Flash, and Booster Gold) to confront him, and he decimated Metropolis in a fight that took up an entire night, and used his magic to fuse Superman and Batman into one person (with Wonder Woman's voice). Elongated Man delivers the blow that knocks him unconscious, defeating him.

Legion of Super Heroes

A wizard resembling Mordru makes an appearance in the first season Legion of Super-Heroes episode "Child's Play" as a member of the Sorcerer's World Council on Zarok. Openly disdainful of the "United Planets", he supports a war with Earth over a minor breach in etiquette. He was voiced by Richard McGonagle. Mordru appears as the villain of the second season episode "Trials" (this time voiced by James Ward) where he attempts to drain the magic of the wizards on the Council so he can rule the planet Zarok. He was defeated by Zyx and the Legion.

References