Origin
Druig is a member of the powerful Eternals, a race created by the space gods the Celestials as a consequence of genetic experiments on prehistoric Earth hominoids. The long lived Eternals are virtually immortal and possess physiology that modify to allow the Eternals to excel in chose fields. Druig, unlike the majority of the Eternals, desired additional power even at the expense of others and this selfishness would often bring him into conflict with other Eternal’s of most note Ikaris. Druig would still aid the Eternal’s over all when required, as he did often against the Eternal’s reoccurring nemesis the Deviants.
“I’m sorry. You’re a little reticent to join the new order, father. Hopefully, your exclusion will be brief. Or, at least, brief for an Eternal…”— Druig.
The Deviants much like the Eternal’s were of the Celestials creation, but unlike the Eternal’s when the Celestials revisited the planet to check the progress of their experiments the Deviants would attack the Celestials. Severely out powered by their creators, the Celestials would sink the Deviants homeland of Lemuria as punishment, effectively ending the Eternal’s and Deviants war. Druig unlike the other Eternal’s would shun humanity nor lend any help to fledging civilizations. Approximately one thousand years ago Druig, alongside his fellow Polar Eternals Valkin, Virako, and Ajak, encountered the Asgardian Thor in Peru. The group of Eternal’s prevented Thor from accidentally freeing an ancient and powerful psychic Deviant known as Dromedan. Druig however was thinking more ambitiously and having devised a Neutralizer Helmet with which he intended to subjugate Dromedan he released the Deviant. Druig had underestimated Dromedan’s power however, and fell under his thrall instead. His father Valkin as well as the other Eternals would never be aware that he was responsible for setting Dromedan free. Valkin, Virako, and Ajak, would team up with the mighty Thor to combat the newly liberated Dromedan and his newly released minions Thunder and Tutinax, eventually defeating all three, eventually fixing Druig’s mistake.
Creation
Druig is a Marvel comics character created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in The Eternals #11 released in 1977.
Character Evolution
Druig belongs to the Eternals‘ corner of the Marvel Universe. Fulfilling an antagonistic role within his group he is still tolerated by the other Eternals and even respected in many ways. A loose parallel could be made to the role Loki plays in Norse mythology. After a long period of in-use Druig reappeared in the Marvel mini-series The Eternals written by Neil Gaiman as well as a follow up series written by Charles Knauf and Daniel Knauf, with art by Daniel Acuña.
Uranosian War
When Uranos began a war between Uranites versus other Eternals, Druig joined the Uranites and then betrayed them. Druig arranged Uranos were taken alive and being imprisoned.
Major Story Arcs
Modern Times
In modern times, Druig served as an agent of the KGB in Russia, and found that he enjoyed torturing people. When Ziran the Tester came through Polaria, Druig planned to slay him using “the Weapon”, a Celestial gun he had learned of by torturing his cousin Ikaris. Before Druig could fire it, Ikaris damaged the Celestial weapon’s outer case leaving Druig caught up and molecularly disintegrated in energy capable of destroying Celestials. The remnants of his molecules were later recovered by the Celestials, and put into everlasting containment at the Desecration Annex. He is now deputy Prime Minister of Vorozheika (a fictional country to the northeast of Chechnya, formerly part of the USSR) and is currently using the name “Ivan Druig”. Druig hires Sersi to organise a party at the Vorozheikan embassy, asking her to invite wealthy guests and prominent scientists. He then arranges for armed men to storm the party, kidnapping the scientists and manufacturing a hostage situation – however, his troops betrayed him and he swiftly lost control of the situation. At this point, like Mark Curry Druig’s powers inexplicably “kick in”. Unlike Mark Curry though, he immediately gains some control over his powers. He has displayed a limited form of telepathy, allowing him to view a person’s most traumatic memory – and then immobilise them by forcing them to face that memory again. However, he does not appear to be able to read other memories from a target’s mind. Druig also seems able to conceal his presence, by influencing the minds of others so that they do not see him – so far, the limits of this ability are unclear. Returning to Vorozheika, Druig then seizes control of an army unit and then quickly rounds up all heads of the government. He then has all the people involved in the betrayal at the embassy dragged before him and the government heads, and gives the heads a choice. They either kill a betrayer, or kill themselves. After one government head tries killing Druig, and if then forced to kill himself, the other heads all turn on the betrayers. He then leaves to find the other Eternals, and help them prevent the Dreaming Celestial from destroying the Earth. In the end of the series, he remains absolute ruler of Vorozheika.
Final Judgment
Druig collaborates with Thanos. He thinks he has to be selfless enough to put things above their own dignity or ethics. His own survival.
He’s considered as a snake by Thanos. He is as the Celestials left him.
Powers and Abilities
As an Eternal, Druig possesses superhuman levels of strength, speed, stamina, durability, invulnerability and energy projection powers. Druig is of genius level intellect, as well as a trained hand to hand fighter. Like all Eternal’s Druig is effectively immortal and almost entirely immune to conventional damage/offense, with only the separation of Druig’s body at the molecular level enough to guarantee death. Feats are below:
Strength: Without amping via cosmic or telekinetic means, Druig can lift 25 tons at base. When amped Druig hits with enough force to temporarily stagger Ikaris and Thor, though he is far below the latter normally nor Ikaris’s physical equal.
Enhanced stamina and durability
Durability: As with all Eternals, Druig has Class 7 Durability or is invulnerable and nigh-indestructible to all but the most vicious attacks (though adamantium has been known to pierce Eternals). Druig is able to achieve such a stat due to having an unbreakable control over the cosmic reinforced molecules in his body, allowing him to rapidly repair fatal damage, live an immortal lifespan free of Illness, and have tireless stamina. He can resist temperature extremes in either direction, as is standard for all Eternals.
Enegy manipulation: Druig possesses the ability to project electromagnetic energy blasts from both his eyes and hands, as well as a signature technique ‘Solar flames’. This cosmic technique is potent, able to harm fellow Eternals and can even burn flame proof Ikaris (1 – 2). The weakest Eternals are heat resistant & can no-sell heat that wore down Thor & the avengers, so few beings are safe from this flame’s intense heat.
Matter Transmutation: As a changer (4/5 matter manipulator or above) Druig possesses the ability to manipulate reality on a limited scale. This includes easily manipulating organic matter (turns grass into barded wire) + Non-organic matter (I-beam into snake), and teleporting. Druig actually prefers to fly via platforms created by his reality manipulating powers, and as a fourth level adept the following type of reality warping is well within his ability: Fourth level adepts can:
Telekinesis: Druig has telekinetic abilities, ranging from precise movements such as turning the key in a car and creating thermal steps to compacting huge stone daggers and briefly trapping Gilgamesh in stone.
Telepathy: Druig is able to sense and exploit the psychological vulnerabilities of opponents. He also a tendency of forcing people to kill themselves, a fate the Lord of Nightmares finds much delight in.
Physical Characteristics
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 190 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
In Other Media
Film
- Druig is featured as one of the main characters in the live-action Eternals movie, portrayed by Irish actor Barry Keoghan.
Merchandise
- Druig was featured in Funko’s Pop! line of bobbleheads.
- Druig was featured in the Rise of the Domo Lego kit.
- Druig was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends as part of the Gilgamesh Build-a-Figure wave.