LORD SCAPEGOAT

Real Name: Scapegoat

Class: Demon / God (Middle Eastern gods) hybrid

Occupation: Lord of Beyond Region

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Belial (father), Etrigan (Demon, half-brother), Golgotha (nephew, deceased), Merlin (half-brother), unnamed mother

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Beyond Region, formerly Hell

First Appearance: Demon III #16 (October, 1991)

Powers: Scapegoat, like all demons, was virtually immortal and possessed great magical abilities.

History: (Demon III #19 (fb)) - Archduke of Hell Belial and serpent queen Ran va Daath sired the demon Etrigan. Etrigan was cruel even for Hell, and ran amok. The last straw for Belial was when his young son attempted to steal Lucifer's Crown of Horns. He blamed Ran va Daath for always giving in to her son's wants and being a bad influence, so he cast her out to live in exile in Masak Mavdil. Etrigan was furious, and promised to make his father pay, but Belial scoffed at him, reminding him how much greater his power was than Etrigan's. A century later Etrigan finally found an opportunity to humiliate his father. He met a minor Middle Eastern goddess who was a goat spirit, and cast a spell to make her appear as a ravishing woman. Belial quickly seduced her after meeting her, but was shocked and disgust when his son, a small humanoid goat, was born. Etrigan removed his spell, showing Belial he'd made love to a goat and gloated. Belial vowed that his little Scapegoat would henceforth rule over his older brother and make his life miserable. As Scapegoat grew he found a deep love and respect for Etrigan, although the feelings were not reciprocated. He defied Belial, saying he didn't have it in him to harm his beloved brother or rule over him, earning Belial's scorn and disappointment. Belial sired Merlin with a mortal so he’d have someone that could hold sway over Etrigan. Merlin demonstrated his power over his half-brother by using the Book of Eternity to cast a spell that caged Etrigan. Etrigan demanded Belial punish Scapegoat too, giving Merlin and Belial an idea. Even Hell needed cleansing, so all of demonkind confessed their sins to Scapegoat, and he was to bear all of their sins on himself. Merlin then exiled Scapegoat to the Beyond Region.

(Demon III #16, 18) - Lord Scapegoat made an alliance with Klarion the With-Boy, who promised to send Scapegoat's half-brother Etrigan the demon to the Beyond Region. Klarion's spell had the unintended consequence of putting Etrigan's mind in the body of his human host Jason Blood and vice versa. As part of his curse to bear the sins of demonkind Scapegoat had one of his usual torture sessions in his castle, being chained up, confessing to unspeakable crimes he didn't commit and having his torturer ravage his body while saying how much he deserved his punishment. Jason, in Etrigan's body was being pursued by Wotan and the Wild Hunt. His companion the Thing-That-Cannot-Die knew how to escape the Region; only the virtuous could leave, and he'd acquired enough virtue to see the golden thread that led out of the Region, so he and Jason followed it. The Thing was shocked that it led to the castle of Lord Scapegoat. Scapegoat greeted them, and when Wotan and the Wild Hunt caught up he demanded they leave his guest alone. Wotan complained, but feared Scapegoat's power, so he fled. Jason didn't recognize Scapegoat, and the Lord though he jested, revealing himself as Etrigan's half-brother.

(Demon III #19, 20) - Scapegoat brought Thing and Jason into his castle to recuperate, and Jason, not knowing their personal history, or wanting to reveal that he was merely controlling Etrigan's body, claimed he was suffering from amnesia. Scapegoat left for his morning session of being tortured, then dined with his guests and caught Jason up on Etrigan's early years and his relationship with his brother. Etrigan always despised his brother, and when he was put under Merlin's control he suggested a punishment for Scapegoat as well out of spite. Belial and Merlin made Scapegoat the receptacle for the sins of demonkind, and banished him to the Beyond Region, where he still felt compelled to have himself tortured for the sins of others. Thing and Jason asked him about the path of virtue that ran through his castle, and Scapegoat knew it existed, but said he and his brother were far too wicked to ever see it, and said Jason would be better off just enjoying being exiled because he could spend quality time with his brother who loved him deeply. While Scapegoat had his next scourging Thing located the golden thread and Jason followed him to the bowels of Scapegoat's castle, where they found the exit to the Beyond Region, guarded by the Golden Knight. Scapegoat noticed his guests were missing, and wondered if his brother truly loved him as he loved Etrigan. He correctly guessed they went to find the exit to the Beyond Region and went to find them. The Golden Knight used his Sword of Truth on Etrigan and the Thing, probing their hearts and minds to see if they were pure, and found only the Thing had attained the virtue needed to leave. Thing initially refused to leave Jason behind, but Jason told him to go and he'd figure his own way out. Jason tried to leap over the Knight, but was stopped by an invisible barrier. Thing, meanwhile followed a bridge into a room where Sir Percival of the Knights of the Round Table waited for him. Centuries ago Merlin had assigned him to guard the exit to the Beyond Region and created the Golden Knight from the essence of his purity. He gave Thing a spell and told him to cast it to open a portal out of the Region. Jason engaged the Golden Knight in combat, but was overmatched, and the Knight was about to run him through with a sword when the Thing emerged from Percival's room and begged the Knight to stay his hand. In desperation Jason turned back into Etrigan in his human form, and used Thing's distraction to push the Knight off the bridge he stood on. Thing warned him the Knight would return, and when Etrigan saw he had the spell to leave the Region he bashed the Thing's head in with a rock and took the scroll from him. Etrigan cast the spell just as Scapegoat arrived and the Golden Knight reformed. Scapegoat initially clashed with the Knight, but as the portal out of the Region closed he saw no reason to continue the fight. He realized his brother had tricked him and was probably laughing at him, but that was indeed the brother he grew up with and loved.

(Demon III #36 (fb)) - Lord Scapegoat was so devastated by his brother Etrigan leaving him, that he locked himself in his torture chamber, and told his torturer to flay him for eternity. Etrigan’s departure caused the Region Beyond to become unstable, and beings and aspects of the Region started disappearing from the realm. Wotan and the Wild Hunt stormed Scapegoat’s castle, although Scapegoat didn’t care, and confronted the Golden Knight. Wotan confronted the Golden Knight in combat, and during the confusion the Thing-That-Cannot-Die saw an opening and escaped the Region.

Comments: Created by Alan Grant & Val Semeiks.

Lord Scapegoat had cameos in Demon III #0, 32.

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