| Dr. Karl Lykos Sauron | |
|---|---|
 Sauron as depicted inThe New Mutants (vol. 3) #10 (April 2010). Art by Paul Davidson. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Karl Lykos: The X-Men #59 (August 1969)[1] As Sauron: The X-Men #60 (September 1969) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Neal Adams (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Karl Lykos |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Brotherhood of Mutants Savage Land Mutates Weapon X X-Men Green |
| Abilities |
|
Sauron (/ˈsɔːrɒn/[2]) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character was created by writerRoy Thomas and artistNeal Adams, and made his first appearance inThe X-Men #59 (August 1969).[3]
Sauron is thealter ego of physicianDr. Karl Lykos. After being bitten by mutantpterodactyls, Lykos was transformed into anenergy vampire, able to absorb the life force of others through touch. If Lykos absorbs the life force ofmutants, he transforms into ahumanoidPteranodon, gaining increased strength and speed in the process. However, this also causes Sauron to gain control over Lykos. Throughout his history, Sauron has often been depicted as inhabiting the hidden prehistoric jungle of theSavage Land and as an enemy of theX-Men.
Outside of comics, the character has appeared in animated series, video games, merchandise and has been referenced in film. In the animated seriesX-Men andHulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Karl Lykos / Sauron was voiced byRobert Bockstael andSteve Blum, respectively, and byJohn Kassir in theaction role-playing game video gameX-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse.
The character was created by writerRoy Thomas and artistNeal Adams, though the two differ in their accounts of which of them was responsible for specific aspects of the character.[4] He first fully appeared as Sauron inX-Men #60 (September 1969).[5][6]
Thomas and Adams originally envisioned Sauron as a bat-like creature. However, when they consulted with theComics Code Authority, they were told that Sauron's depiction as anenergy vampire with a bat body risked violating the Code's ban on the use ofvampires.[7] To get around this problem, Thomas and Adams tweaked his appearance to that of the most bat-like animal they could think of—apterodactyl—which in turn led them to have Sauron inhabit the hidden prehistoric jungle of theSavage Land.[4][7]
Karl Lykos was the son of an explorer's guide. As a teenager, he accompanied his father toTierra del Fuego as the elder Lykos guided a wealthy client named Mr. Anderssen and Anderssen's young daughter, Tanya. While defending Tanya from mutant pterodactyls, Karl was bitten by one of the creatures. During his recovery, he discovered that he could now drain the life-force of other organisms. He found himself repeatedly tempted to use his new power, feeling that he needed to drain life energy from other humans or animals to survive.[8]
When Karl's father died, Mr. Anderssen took Karl into his home in thanks for rescuing Tanya. As the years passed, Karl and Tanya fell in love, but Tanya's wealthy father would not allow her to date Karl because of his lack of wealth. In an effort to win Mr. Anderssen's support, Karl went to medical school and became a physician, geneticist, and hypnotherapist. He treated patients through hypnosis, but secretly robbed them of energy at the same time.[8]
Dr. Lykos becomes a colleague ofCharles Xavier, and first encounters the X-Men when they seek treatment forHavok. After absorbing Havok's mutant energy, Lykos transforms into a vampiric, pterodactyl-like monster with human intelligence and superhuman hypnotic powers. He names himself Sauron, afterJ.R.R. Tolkien's villain (also reminiscent of the wordsaurus,Latin for lizard),[8] and battles the X-Men, as a would-be conqueror.[9] When he realizes that his transformation would threaten Tanya, Lykos flees to Tierra del Fuego, where he reverts to his human form after running out of energy. When Tanya tracks him down, Lykos throws himself off a cliff to avoid harming her.[9]
Karl is presumed dead, but survived after landing on a ledge below the cliff. He journeys to theSavage Land and survived in human form by only draining less developed animals. He befriendsKa-Zar and uses his medical skills over many months to care for Ka-Zar's allies. When several X-Men are stranded in the Savage Land, Lykos is overwhelmed with the desire to absorb mutant energy. He transforms into Sauron once again after absorbingStorm's energy.[10] He reverts to human form during a battle with the X-Men, and Ka-Zar explains that Lykos was an ally.[11]
After learning that Lykos survived, Tanjya joinsAngel andPeter Parker on a journey to find Lykos in the Savage Land. They found Lykos, but are mutated into animalistic forms by a machine created by theSavage Land Mutates. The destruction of the machine forces Lykos to drain energy from the three in an attempt to restore their true forms. This is successful, but results in Lykos becoming Sauron again. After the X-Men capture Lykos, Professor X seemingly cures him of his condition. Lykos and Tanya decide to resume their relationship and a normal life.[12]
Lykos is again transformed into Sauron whenToad uses a device of his own design to force Lykos to drain the life energy of Tanya, killing her in the process. Sauron then joins the Toad'sBrotherhood of Mutants, despite not being amutant. Alongside them, he battlesX-Force, and injuresCannonball. Sauron is apparently shot dead byCable, and his body is given to theMorlocks.[13] Sauron is later revealed to have survived.[14]
Sauron has the Savage Land Mutates kidnap Havok, hoping to use his energy to satiate his hunger. When Cyclops,Phoenix, andPolaris arrive to rescue Havok, Sauron has Cyclops and Havok placed in an energy-transferring machine, which makes him larger and stronger than ever. Phoenix engages Sauron on the astral plane, with Lykos' personality subduing Sauron and dragging them both into the abyss of his mind. Sauron's mind is left in an animalistic state.[15]
Sauron is imprisoned by theWeapon X program jumpstarted by directorMalcolm Colcord. He starts a revolution with fellow agentBrent Jackson and dethrones Colcord as director, giving the position to Jackson.[volume & issue needed] Sometime later, Sauron escapes from theRaft, where he had been imprisoned after refusing to participate in any more Weapon X assignments.[16] Sauron is shot in the head by Yelena Belova, but survives due to having absorbed Wolverine's healing factor.[17]
Amphibius tells Sauron and the other Savage Land Mutates thatMagneto's Asteroid M has risen from the sea. When the other Mutates refuse to go to Asteroid M, Worm takes control of Sauron, Barbarus, and Lupo and commandeers a ship to find Magneto. After being threatened by the Japanese military, Sauron attacks an armored car, causing an international incident. Cannonball stops Sauron while the otherNew Mutants defeat the Savage Land Mutates.[18]
Sauron later collaborates withStegron in a plan to turn humanity into dinosaurs, battlingSpider-Man and the mutant students from the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. The duo's plans are unraveled by their own infighting, purposely exacerbated by their shared attraction toShark-Girl who caused their powers to neutralize each other.[19][20]
Lykos returns to working in a military laboratory to enhance his powers, until one of his colleagues is contacted by theScarlet Spider.[21] Now able to store mutant energy to trigger his transformations at will, Lykos turns into Sauron and attacks the vigilante, but although he wounds the man the Spider came to the base to collect, Sauron is defeated and webbed up to be taken away.[22]
Sauron later joinsX-Men Green, aneco-terrorist group founded byNature Girl.[23]
In human form, Karl Lykos is a normal human, although an accomplished medical doctor,geneticist, andpsychotherapist. He employshypnotism in his practice. He possesses an M.D. and Ph.D. in genetics and psychology.
After being infected with a genetic virus by mutant Pteranodons, Lykos gained the ability to absorb the life forces of other beings, enabling him to transform into aPteranodon hybrid and replicate superpowers. InSpider-Man and the X-Men, Sauron demonstrated the ability to transfer his life-absorption power to others via bite. By the time he confronts the Scarlet Spider, Lykos has developed his powers to the point where he can store mutant energy to transform on his own.[volume & issue needed]
Sauron additionally possesses fire breath, hypnosis via eye contact, and the ability to expel concussive energy bursts from his hands.[24][17]
Soaron, a heroic alternate universe version of Sauron from Earth-295, appears inAge of Apocalypse. This version is a member ofForge's Outcasts before being killed byMagneto.[25][26]
An alternate universe version of Sauron from Earth-58163 appears inHouse of M. This version is a guard at Magneto's palace onGenosha.[27]
Sauron appears inWolverine andPower Pack.[28]
Sauron was ranked #17 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters in 2015.[37]
Comic Book Resources (CBR) named him as the 8th topX-Men villain they would like to see in theMarvel Cinematic Universe.[38][39]
In 2020, CBR ranked Sauron 7th in their "Marvel: Dark Spider-Man Villains, Ranked From Lamest To Coolest" list.[40]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)Sauron is not only a speaking, bipedal, pterodactyl, he also has the ability to drain the life energy from his victim.