WOTAN
Real Name: Wotan
Class: Supernatural creature
Occupation: Hunter
Group Affiliation: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Beyond Region, formerly England, 6th Century
First Appearance: Demon III #16 (October, 1991)
Powers: Lord Wotan possessed superhuman strength and endurance, was extremely long lived, and armed with a battleax and a spear that always hit its mark. Wotan commanded a pack of demonic hounds and hunters called the Wild Hunt.
History: (Demon III #18 (fb, BTS) - Wotan and the Wild Hunt spread terror through England for two millennia, at times being feared, revered or worshipped. King Arthur took the throne, and his sorcerer Merlin banished Wotan and the Wild Hunt to the Beyond Region.
(Demon III #16-18) - Wotan and the Wild Hunt chose the Thing-That-Cannot-Die for his current sport, enjoying the difficulty in catching the Thing and the fact that he was impossible to kill. His hunter sicced the hounds on the Thing, who fled and stumbled upon Etrigan. Etrigan was a demon soul-bonded to the mortal Jason Blood, but a spell cast by his enemy Klarion banished him to the Beyond Region and switched Jason's consciousness into Etrigan's body and vice verse. Etrigan struck the Thing and then raged about being trapped in mortal form, although he found the fact that he could feel pain delicious. He killed the hounds bare-handed, but when Wotan's hunter wrapped a whip around his neck and dragged him behind his steed Etrigan was forced to change into his demonic form commanded by Jason. Jason instinctively burned the hunter alive with hellfire, but regretted it instantly. Wotan came upon his hunter's corpse and knew it was not the Thing that had killed him. A group of Beyond Region residents kidnapped Etrigan, mistaking him in his demonic form for his father Belial. They intended to take him to Belial's son Lord Scapegoat, the one who'd exiled them to the Region. Wotan spotted them, ambushed them, and demanded they hand Etrigan over to him, wanting retribution for his dead hounds. Wotan smelled Merlin's magic on Etrigan, and demanded he tell him his connection to the wizard. He shot Etrigan with arrows, but he pleaded that he was an innocent mortal, so Wotan told him to run, promising that his Wild Hunt would get him to talk. In desperation Etrigan turned into his demonic form controlled by Blood and fled. Wotan recognized Merlin's half-brother and was determined to torture him to death The Thing came across the fleeing Jason and offered to guide him through the Beyond Region's undergrowth, although Wotan managed to throw his spear that never missed its mark and wound Jason. Wotan's pursuit was hampered by traps the Thing set, but he was undeterred. The Thing told Jason how he'd helped Wonder Woman escape the Beyond Region, and was inspired by her to continue on his path of virtue that would allow freedom from the Region. He was finally virtuous enough to see the golden thread that led out of the Region, so he and Jason followed it, but 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 #36 (fb)) - Lord Scapegoat was so devastated by his brother Etrigan fleeing the Region and 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 who guarded the exit to the Region Beyond. 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.
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