Etrigan

Current Events

After he and his teammates on the Demon Knights successfully defend the town of Little Spring from the forces of the Questing Queen, the team moves on while Madame Xanadu explains the relationship between herself and Etrigan and Jason Blood.

Origin

There are two different origins for how Etrigan and Jason Blood became bound to each other. The original telling, which appeared in the Demon’s first issue, showed that Jason and Etrigan were the same creature. Jason Blood was simply created by Merlin to act as a living prison for Etrigan and had no knowledge of his demonic half.

The second origin had Jason Blood and Etrigan as two separate creatures living during the time of Arthur and his knights, the same time period as the original. Etrigan’s role was the same as in his first appearance, a servant of Merlin’s summoned to help defend Camelot, and Jason was depicted as a Druid.

Merlin gave him a torn part of the fabled Eternity Book for keeping it. It is to be part of his destiny on Earth. He was the way to Merlin and The Eternity Book. He was the “One who waits”. He was the Demon.

Etrigan is the son of the arch-demon Belial and another demon, Ran Va Daath. Merlin is his half-brother, as is Scapegoat (they all share Belial as their father).

Creation

Etrigan was created by Jack Kirby on September, 1972 in The Demon #1.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Etrigan is a yellowish humanoid demon with fan-like ears and small horns on his forehead. He almost always speaks in rhyme. (This last characteristic was briefly dropped during John Byrne’s Blood of the Demon.)

Jason Blood is a normal human with a white streak that runs back through the middle of his hair.

Character Evolution

Bronze Age

True to Merlin’s intended form, The Demon Etrigan is of two natures – human and demon. When first was created, Etrigan openly lamented their being merged before being able to find a balance between the two psyches. This is why they often act in amoral fashions; serving their own interest whether it be for good or other.

Etrigan however would emerge as a hero who could be called in times of peril to fight alongside other members of the DCU. When left to its own devices however, the Demon would prove volatile. Separated from Jason Blood – Etrigan showed sadistic tendencies around mortals. Going so far as to openly murder and seriously injure bystanders – this would call Etrigan’s true moments of heroism into question since it remained unclear how much influence Jason Blood exerted over their merged form.

Post-Flashpoint / Earth 0

After Flashpoint Etrigan appears monthly as one of the main characters of Demon Knights. During the Siege of Camelot Merlin needs to hide the power of his bound demon Etrigan from the attackers who will soon overrun the castle. Jason Blood appears to warn Merlin of the attackers and is immediately chosen to host Etrigan. After the siege Jason meets the manipulative Madame Xanadu who builds a relationship with both Jason and Etrigan. Eventually the pair finds themselves in the path of the Questing Queen along with a number of other adventurers; an exiled Amazon, a young knight on a quest, an Arab inventor, later a lame horsewoman and Vandal Savage. After the siege is turned back, the Demon Knights are invited to the mythical city of Alba Sarum, only to find Merlin murdered. Because of the wizards connection to most of them, they decide to journey to the island of Albion to find out who was behind the crime.

In the present day of DC, the armor Etrigan wears in Demon Knights has been seen stored in the Black Room under A.R.G.U.S. While Madam Xanadu is currently associated with the Justice League Dark, though she is weary of a certain Brit who has been put in charge of the group.

Etrigan makes his modern day début in Stormwatch #13 where it is revealed that he sometime in the past was put into a magical sleep before being buried somewhere under the modern day London metropolitan area. An apartment building called the Malory House is later constructed directly on top of the sleeping Etrigan and has over the years acquired a sinister reputation, being the home of several serial killers, a place of strange sightings and disappearances and where tenants often loose their minds, all thanks to the dreaming demon beneath them. Whenever by design or chance, Etrigan’s dreaming mind finally breaks into the mind of a deranged boy and has him called forth, resulting in the collapse of Malory House and the immediate confrontation between Etrigan, the Midnighter and Apollo. Despite the lethargy from his long sleep, Etrigan still manages to dispatch Midnighter with just a casual swipe of his hand.

Major Story Arcs

Green Arrow’s Resurrection

For further details: Quiver

After Green Arrow‘s resurrection, he and Batman sought out Jason Blood (the alter ego of the Demon) for his occult knowledge, to try to find out how Oliver was resurrected. They soon learned that Oliver was a hollow (a soulless husk of a human). He was made into a hollow by the Spectre (Hal Jordan) out of pure guilt. Blood then tried to kill Oliver, due to the risk of being possessed due to his being a hollow. So he called upon the Demon’s powers and they fought. The Demon was defeated by being shot in the mouth with a fire extinguishing arrow shot by Green Lantern.

Supergirl

For further details: Supergirl

While at a dinner party in San Francisco, Etrigan tries to escape Jason’s body, but Jason forces the demon back inside. Jason and Etrigan are then drawn towards Las Vegas and once inside one of the casinos, Etrigan is summoned out of Jason, by The Cult of Buzz. Etrigan is then put into Buzz‘s body. Etrigan-Buzz then attacks Supergirl, who was there trying to stop the summoning. Etrigan seems to winning the fight but Frank the Mighty teleports her away. Etrigan kills him for this.

Etrigan-Buzz then goes to Dante’s Inferno Casino and begins winning at craps. This comes to an abrupt end when he loses all his money on one roll. Supergirl flies in and stops him from wrecking the place, but instead of fighting her he makes her a proposal. Marry him and all his troops will be hers to fight the Mother of Demons. Supergirl agrees, but during the wedding Lilith shows up and stops it. She sends Supergirl to Reno and puts Etrigan back in Jason’s body.

Later when Jason finds Buzz he threatens him if he ever tries that again he will be in trouble.

Reign in Hell

For further details: Reign in Hell

Etrigan participated in the war for control of Hell, working for Neron. He fought Blue Devil, and stole his humanity. He was depowered by Satanus‘ spell. Because he was fully demonic at the time, Blue Devil also became human. Etrigan, now in possession of his demonic side, restored it to Blue Devil. Etrigan later appeared fully powered in the Solomon Grundy miniseries.

Blackest Night

For further details: Blackest Night

Etrigan had chosen not to take part in the fight against the Black Lanterns, but was forced to after he was possessed by Deadman. Etrigan fought against the possession after a while during a fight between the Black Lanterns and Batman (Dick Grayson), Red Robin, and Deadman. He then flies off saying that this was not his fight. Etrigan is immune to the heart ripping of the Black Lanterns.

Batman: Dark Knight

Jason Blood was at his Gotham Penthouse when he felt a disturbance in the balance between Heaven and Hell. He immediately transforms into Etrigan and begins to track down this supernatural threat that is lurking in the dank alleys of Gotham City. Etrigan finally comes across a group of vagrants who proclaim some demon has been picking off their fellow indigents. Etrigan observes the area for any signs of truth to these stories but the only thing he could pick up on was Killer Croc’s scent. Etrigan figures Croc has been devouring Gotham’s unfortunates but then he comes under attack by Ragman.

Ragman has become possessed by Blaze because she wants to see if Etrigan is worthy of returning to Hell as her consort. The battle between these demonic forces ends in the sewers because Blaze intervenes. Blaze tells Etrigan that she is pleased with his performance and she offers him the chance to regain his hellish status in the underworld. Without hesitation, Etrigan agrees to Blaze’s request even though Jason pleaded with Etrigan in not accepting Blaze’s proposal.

Powers and Abilities

“The Rhyme”

The transformation spell has varied over the years. The full texts follow, but generally the rhyme to transform him from Jason Blood to Etrigan is shortened to “Gone, Gone the form of Man! Arise the Demon, Etrigan!” The rhyme to return him to Jason Blood is “Gone now, O Etrigan, and rise again the form of man!”

John Byrne changed it during Blood of the Demon so that Jason generally transformed to Etrigan simply after hearing “Yarva Etrigan Demonicus,” or even simply “Demonicus.” He transformed back to Jason after hearing “Leave, leave, Etrigan, Fade O Demon, return the man!”

Jason and Etrigan can say it themselves, but they don’t need to. Anyone can say it within earshot and they will transform.

Current long form:

Yarva Demonicus Etrigan.

Change, change the form of man.

Free the prince forever damned.

Free the might from fleshy mire.

Boil the blood in heart of fire.

Gone, gone the form of man,

Rise the demon Etrigan!”

Original long form:

“Change! Change, O form of man!

Release the might from fleshy mire!

Boil the blood in heart of fire!

Gone! Gone! — the form of man —

Rise, the Demon Etrigan!!”

Demonic Powers

Superhuman strength – He has demonstrated immense physical strength. His punches can quickly demolish buildings, he can leap hundreds of yards in a single leap, and he has punched Superman out of Earth’s orbit with one blow.

Hellfire Projection – He can project hellfire out of his body although he usually only projects it out of his mouth or hands.

Superhuman Durability – He is highly resistant to most forms of injury.

Sorcery – He is able to cast spells although he usually does not have the patience. He has been able to teleport, create mystic shields, project mystic blasts, pull demonic spirits out of humans, and create other effects.

Healing – He is able to heal from almost all injuries. At one time when his limbs were cut off, he was able to transplant human limbs in their place through magic.

Immortality – He is immortal and due to his durability and healing factor he is extremely hard to kill.

His clothes have also been described as protective against attacks.

He has exhibited the ability to track someone by smell across a city.

Abilities

Occult knowledge

Above Average Combatant

Weakness

Demonic laws

Iron

Jason Blood

Sorcery, Telepathy, and Limited Precognition, gained both during his days as a druid, and also during his time spent as a prisoner in Hell.

For a while, Jason was able to turn into a form that was halfway between human and demon, and which Jason controlled. This form exhibited superhuman strength and durability.

Trivia

For much of the characters existence, it has been maintained that Etrigan is the brother of Merlin both having been sired by Belial, a notorious Duke of Hell. The identity of their mother(s) normally go unmentioned.

With the New 52 timeline, Etrigan’s family tree was expanded as his father Belial was made into one of the three Sons of Trigon. Making Etrigan the nephew of Raven, Trigon, Ruskoff and Suge.

Other Versions

Flashpoint

Etrigan appears in DC’s huge event Flashpoint during the summer of 2011. In Flashpoint Etrigan is part of the resistance that rose up in London after the Amazons took over the city. Grifter leads the resistance into the epic final battle between the Amazons and Atlanteans be they are killed during the fighting.

Other Media

Television

DC Animated Universe

• The Demon first appears in the New Batman Adventures episode “The Demon Within,” voiced by Billy Zane. This version of Jason Blood is a friend of Bruce Wayne who transforms into the demon Etrigan in order to help Batman battle Klarion.
• The Demon returns In the Justice League episode A Knight of Shadows, now voiced by Michael T. Weiss. The character’s backstory is expanded, revealing that Jason betrayed Camelot to Morgaine Le Feye, and was subsequently poisoned by her. As punishment, he was bonded with the demon Etrigan. 700 years later, the Demon teams up with the Justice League to stop Morgaine from turning Gotham City into a kingdom for Mordred.
• The Demon returns once again in Justice League Unlimited, now as part of the expanded Justice League roster. He first appears in “Kid’s Stuff” (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), where he is turned into a baby and forced to battle Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern after they are turned into children. He reappears as an adult in the episode “The Balance,” once again voiced by Michael T. Weiss.

Other TV shows

• The Demon appears as a recurring character in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced again by Dee Bradley Baker. He first appears in “Day of the Dark Knight!” where he is brainwashed by Morgaine and forced to fight Batman and Green Arrow. In his second appearance, “Trials of the Demon!” Batman went back in time to clear his name when he was framed for crimes Jim Craddock committed. In “Shadow of the Bat!” he teamed up with Martian Manhunter to stop the vampirized Batman after he turned the rest of the Justice League International into vampires as well.
• The Demon appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Patrick Seitz.

Films

• Etrigan appears in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox as part of the Resistance. He is voiced again by Dee Bradley Baker.
• Etrigan appears as a major character in Justice League Dark, voiced by Ray Chase.
• Etrigan appears in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, voiced again by Ray Chase. During the final assault on Apokolips by the surviving members of the Justice League, he is killed by a brainwashed cyborg version of Wonder Woman.

Video Games

• Etrigan appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Christopher S. Field.
• Etrigan appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Liam O’Brien.
• Etrigan makes a cameo appearance in Injustice 2, where he can be seen as part of the Justice League Dark in Raiden‘s ending.
• Etrigan appears in Lego DC Super-Villains as part of the Justice League Dark DLC pack.

Merchandise

• The Demo was featured in DC Direct’s Other Worlds action figure line.
• The Demon was featured in Mattel’s DC Universe Classics line as part of the Metamorpho Collect-and-Connect wave, the very first assortment of figures.
• Etrigan has appeared in the HeorClix figure game.
• The Demon was featured in Mattel’s action figure line for Justice League Unlimited.
• The Demon was featured in Mattel’s action figure line for Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
• DC Collectibles released a special two-pack depicting Etrigan and Klarion from The New Batman Adventures.
• Etrigan was planned to be featured in the DC Icons line from DC Collectibles, but the series was cancelled.
• Etrigan was featured in the DC Multiverse line from McFarlane Toys.