| Naga | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Sub-Mariner #9 (January 1969) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Marie Severin (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Naga |
| Team affiliations | Lemuria, Set |
| Abilities | Fully amphibious physiognomy and suited for high water pressure, super strength, high-speed swimming. With theSerpent Crown:mind control, ability to project bolts of mystical energy, teleportation, matter transformation abilities, further increased strength levels, immortality. |
Naga is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Naga was created by writerRoy Thomas and artistMarie Severin and first appeared inSub-Mariner #9 (January 1969).
Naga was a member of the water breathinghumanoid raceHomo mermanus which settled inLemuria centuries after the continent was submerged during the Great Cataclysm. Approximately 600 years ago, Naga was the ruler of Lemuria when theSerpent Crown was discovered among the ruins of the old human built cities in the kingdom. Upon donning the helmet, Naga came under the influence of Set, a malevolentserpent god who was exiled in another dimension, but could use the Crown as a means to exert its malign influence on Earth.[1]
Naga's physical appearance was changed from exposure to the crown; his facial features came to resemble those of a snake, and his skin became scale-like and green. As theEmperor, he converted the Lemurian people to the worship of Set, and he, satisfied with Naga, explained him how to grease the crown with some fish oils to stop his aging - however, this effect could not last if the Crown was not on Naga's head, allowing him to rule over his people for centuries. With time, even Naga's subjects, the Lemurians, began to share this features. Naga's use of the crown eventually came to an end hundreds of years later, when the rebel group Piscastos stole it from him as he slept.[2] Without the Crown, Naga began to grow old. He formed a group of warriors, The Searchers, and sent them after the Crown, but they failed for decades.[3]
In more recent times, a half-Lemurianmutant calledLlyra came to prominence in Lemuria, eventually becoming the high priestess of Set. Attempting to attain even more power for herself, Llyra manipulated the by now senile and possibly insane Naga into arranging her marriage to his oldest surviving son, Merro, wanting to became empress of Lemuria herself.[4]
After those events, the Serpent Crown re-emerged in another underwater city –Atlantis. Upon donning the Serpent Crown, Namor had a vision of Naga.[5] Lemurian agents led byKarthon the Quester stole the Crown fromNamor the Sub-Mariner and returned it to Naga in Lemuria, who immediately donned it and once again accessed its vast powers. Naga battled Namor in a Lemurian arena. During the resulting conflict that was caused by Namor's attempts to reclaim the Serpent Crown, Karthon assassinated Naga by a sword wound in the back. The Crown and Naga were cast into an undersea chasm and thought destroyed and dead.[6]
A manifestation of Naga later briefly appeared whenHugh Jones, a human who wore the crown and fell under the influence of Set, conjured up "spirits" of the Crown's past wearers to do battle with theScarlet Witch and theThing.[7]
Later, in the 1989Atlantis Attackscrossover, when theDeviant Set worshiperGhaur created a massive, new Serpent Crown, Naga's spirit returned again. Ghaur then attempted to take control of the power of the new Crown, but came into conflict with Naga's spirit, a conflict which caused Llyra and Ghaur to vanish.[8]
Naga was a member of the evolutionary offshoot of the human race calledHomo mermanus. As such, he had enhanced strength, gills enabling him to extract oxygen from water, durability against water pressure, and the ability to see in the dimly lit ocean depths.
For a time, Naga wore the Serpent Crown of Set, endowing him with mystical abilities, great longevity and vitality, with the ability to project energy blasts, fly, teleport himself, createillusions, and control the minds of others.