Arkon

Arkon is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the warlord and ruler of the extra-dimensional world of Polemachus.

Publication history

Arkon first appeared in Avengers #75 (April 1970), and was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

Fictional character biography

Arkon was born of noble lineage on the extra-dimensional world Polemachus. The people of the Realm of Polemachus developed a culture that glorifies warfare, and Arkon succeeded in becoming the greatest warrior of his people. Appointed Imperion (ruler) of the largest country on Polemachus, Arkon mounted military campaigns against neighboring countries in an effort to conquer the world. His dreams were forgotten when Polemachus was faced with a worldwide catastrophe in that the light-and heat-providing planetary rings were disintegrating. Arkon's scientists determined that atomic explosions occurring on Earth somehow were extra-dimensionally translated to rekindle the energy rings for about a year. Although Polemachus had not developed nuclear weaponry, the scientists predicted that if they were to atomically annihilate the Earth, their world's energy-rings would be restored to power.

Toward this goal, Arkon manipulated the hero known as the Scarlet Witch into reciting a magical spell found in a Polemachian book to enable Arkon to transport himself to Earth. Attracted to the Scarlet Witch and intending to marry her, Arkon kidnapped her as well as a group of atomic scientists. The scientists were forced to construct an atomic device. Before Arkon could detonate it on Earth, however, Scarlet Witch's super team, the Avengers battled Arkon. Iron Man and Thor managed to rekindle Polemachus' energy-rings via a super device devised by Stark, and Arkon ceased hostilities with Earth.^[1]

The Avengers had cause to revisit Arkon's world when their comrade, the Black Knight, was taken captive by Arkon while searching for the Well at the Center of Time. Arkon ceased hostilities with the Avengers when he learned that he was being duped by the Asgardian Amora the Enchantress, and later reconciled with the Avengers.^[2]

Although his world now possessed the capacity for atomic weapons, Arkon was dissatisfied with the length of time it took to build a nuclear arsenal. Thus, he devised a plan to pit three extra-dimensional worlds, one of which was Earth, against one another, in hopes that the energy from the resultant nuclear conflagration could be absorbed by his world. His elaborate machinations failed, due to the efforts of the Fantastic Four.^[3]

Arkon was forced to return to Earth yet again when the machine that Iron Man had once built to rekindle Polemachus' rings failed due to Arkon's tinkering with it. Arkon traveled to Earth to recruit Thor to recharge the machine, but since Thor had left the Avengers at that time, he settled for the mutant X-Man known as Storm, who also had the ability to summon lightning, forcing her teammates to go after them. After a monumental struggle, the conflict was settled amicably. Storm through Cyclops' optic blasts helped re-energize the Energy Ring, and Arkon returned Storm and her allies to Earth.^[4] Another time, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four helped Arkon drive off an extra-dimensional invasion of Polemachus by the alien race of Badoon.^[5]

Arkon was later prodded via a dream-suggestion to return to Earth because a Hollywood movie had been made about him. This subliminal coaxing was from Amora the Enchantress. She had been given the task of killing Doctor Strange during the "Acts of Vengeance" campaign (where all the major villains teamed up and tried to see if "swapping" foes would result in the defeat of their heroic enemies). Arkon fought Wonder Man to punish him for appearing in the "Arkon" movies, and told him to warn the studio not to make any more.^[6] The Enchantress tricks Arkon into battling Dr Strange, but with the help of Clea, they are able to defeat her.^[7]

Some time later, Arkon traveled to Earth to employ the Avengers West Coast and Fantastic Four as pawns in his war with rival otherworldly monarch Thundra, until he made peace with Thundra after realizing they shared a strong mutual attraction.^[8] Later, with Thundra as his consort, Arkon sought Avengers' aid in repairing Polemachus' energy ring and protecting the maiden Astra from becoming a human sacrifice to Polemachus' religious zealots led by the high priest Anskar.^[9]

Arkon, Thundra, and all of Polemachus were last seen being wiped out by Krona during the JLA/Avengers crossover miniseries. However, since this took place in an intercompany crossover story, Arkon, Thundra, and Polemachus itself were all restored to normal when the miniseries ended.^[10] This is further evidenced by Thundra's subsequent appearances in the Marvel Universe since the miniseries ended.

Powers and abilities

Arkon possesses a variety of superhuman abilities including great superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability. Arkon also possesses an accelerated healing factor enabling him to rapidly heal damaged tissue should he sustain injury. While all of his people possess these same physical attributes, Arkon's are much more developed than the majority of his race.

Arkon is a cunning military strategist. He is an extraordinary hand-to-hand combatant and swordsman, and is highly skilled in the usage of his throwing weapons, which were designed by the scientists and craftsmen of Polemachus.

Arkon wields a collection of three energy weapons shaped like stylized lightning bolts that he carries in a quiver. Each of these bolts has a specific function and color. The golden bolts are used to open gateways to different dimensional planes. The scarlet and black bolts are used as offensive weapons and generate powerful explosive blasts when they hit their target. He also carries a shield.

Arkon has been known to ride dinosaur-like reptilian mounts, some of which walk on two legs and others on four. Other reptilian mounts he uses have wings enabling them to carry him through the air.

In other media

Television

Arkon as depicted in X-Men: The Animated Series

• Arkon appeared in the two-part X-Men episode "Storm Front", and was voiced by Paul Haddad. In the series, Arkon, unleashes terrible weather conditions over Washington, D.C. to get Storm's attention. When she arrives to quell the weather, he begs her to return with him to his planet Polemachus to save it from meteorological chaos which threatens his people. Storm agrees to come, but both intrigued by this dynamic leader and slightly suspicious, she leaves a clue for the other X-Men to follow. Once Storm saves the planet she is proclaimed savior of Polemachus and Arkon asks her to marry him. She leaves him after learning that his ships are bringing thousands of slaves from nearby planets and knows that Arkon is a tyrant.

• Arkon appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "The Hunted", voiced by Liam O'Brien.^[11] Hulk encounters Arkon on Monster Island where Arkon hunts Hulk and the baby Gooms. When Arkon does manages to catch Hulk and the baby Gooms, he places them in different cages on his ship. It is also shown that Arkon had captured the adult Goom so that he can raise the baby Gooms to help him hunt Earth's heroes. With help from the Gooms, Hulk crashes Arkon's ship. Upon finding that his thunderbolts are missing, Arkon becomes the hunted as he is chased away by Monster Island's monsters.

References

External links

• Arkon at Marvel Wiki
• Arkon at Comic Vine