Mongul the Elder

Creation

Mongul the Elder first appeared in DC Comics Presents #27 and is created by Jim Starlin and Len Wein.

Not to be confused with his son Mongul.

Character History

Bronze Age

Mongul was the ruler of his people, until a revolution occurred and he was forced into exile. In Mongul’s first appearance he kidnapped Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Steve Lombard and threatened to kill them unless Superman gave him the key to Warworld. He retrieved the key and mentally linked to Warworld’s controls. He attempted to kill Superman and Supergirl, but he was ultimately rendered unconscious due to the mental strain of hooking his mind up to Warworld. Mongul manages to escape before Warworld is destroyed.

Mongul then attempts to conquer Prince Gavyn’s homeworld, Throneworld. Mongul kills Prince Gavyn’s sister and forces the prince’s love to marry him so he can take the thrown. He blackmails the resident planets to submit to him with Throneworld’s planet-destroying weapon. Superman arrives and battles Mongul while in the meantime Gavyn shuts down the weapon, forcing Mongul to retreat. After this defeat Mongul desires revenge against Kal-El. He kills a Controller and steals the Sun-Eater to devour Earth’s sun. The Legion of Superheroes and the Justice League battled Mongul, but it was futile until Superman finally defeated Mongul while the Legion of Superheroes destroyed the Sun-Eater.

Mongul then attacks the kryptonian on is birthday and ensnares him with a Black Mercy. In the end he is a victim of the Black Mercy himself and dreams of a universe where he is its ruler.

Modern Age

In the Modern Age Mongul was reintroduced as the ruler of Warworld and entertained himself and his citizens with gladiator like games.

Mongul captures Superman to participate in his gladiator games, but Superman joins forces with another warrior named Draaga causing Mongul to flee. Mongul was then forced by Cyborg Superman to serve him and turn Earth into another Warworld. In the process of making Earth another Warworld Coast City was destroyed which lead to Hal Jordan helping Superman and his allies defeat Mongul.

He was arrested for his crimes and is imprisoned in a jail for intergalactic criminals, but broke out during a riot. He planned his revenge against Green Lantern and found that the one he was facing was not Jordan, but actually a new Lantern named Kyle Rayner. Rayner defeats Mongul and he is re-imprisoned.

Mogul once again breaks out of prison and is teleported to a planet and saved. In gratitude Mongul takes over the planet and the inhabitants die of a virus leaving Mongul one of last inhabitant of the planet. He then finds two alien babies who are immune to the virus; these children grow up to be Mongal and Mongul II.

Mongul returns to Earth only to be defeated by Wally West. During Underworld Unleashed he is offered a deal by Neron, but Mongul refuses the deal and threatens Neron. In the end Neron kills Mongul.

New 52:

Villains Month

Mongul is given his own issue during the New 52’s villains month. This issue shows us the new look and whereabouts of Mongul. The issue starts off with a foreign police force surrounding Warworld demanding its surrender. The police chief who was at first demanding surrender is then transported onto WarWorld and is immediately exposed to the brutal gladiatorial arena of WarWorld. After this traumatizing experience he is then introduced to Mongul who at first appears friendly yet intimidating. After giving a brief tour of WarWorld, Mongul describes the process of how the commanders planet is being destroyed and the population being abducted by robots sent from WarWorld as they speak. The police commander is horrified by the turn of events that have taken place, and is then brought to a strange room were there are hundreds of heads on pikes, the commander questions Mongul about the room and Mongul explains to him that “all these heads demanded my surrender”, then Mongul rips the police commander’s head off. The end of the issue hints towards Mongul’s future in the New 52 when his scout report that Warworld is coming into a sector protected by the Green Lantern Corps.

Invasion of Earth

In the past The galactic despot had attempted a conquest of the planet earth but was overcome by it’s various protectors. Mongul would attempt to do so again when he would devise a cleaver ploy to utilize the natural aggression of earths local populace to raise the most diverse military mind in the galaxy, which involved a two pronged front of covert operations relating to an acquaintance of the Worlds Finest by the name of Hiro Okamura.

Sending one of his spies to earth acting as the boy geniuses aid in developing a mmrpg splicing its system with alien Nanotechnology for his personal use, while his orbital satellite launches a slew of alien seedlings disguised as meteorites at the earth were superman flies up to and shatters them. Upon making earth-fall the pieces of which land prominently in several locations all around the world, blooming into the Golden Fury; a Black Mercy variant which secretes and disperses bright yellow pollen into the planets atmosphere spreading across the globe causing a sharp increase in metabolic heart rate and aggression levels. After Batman crashes into Toy Masters video game promotional warehouse, he surmises that the game created might be potentially dangerous; then Agnes arrives to preempt the caped crusader moments before Mongul arrived on earth in a personal flagship blowing the warehouse to bits with everyone in it.

Mongul muses to batman that Earth is the only planet that has ever repelled his advances for invasion in his long lifetime of decimating and enslavement. Noting that while his worlds superhuman population was an unknown factor the first time around, he mentioned its true uniqueness stems in its human race. Who spend they’re countless hours contemplating, debating and visualizing complex stratagems to for fighting and combat on a regular basis; ending on that note by blasting a hole in Bruce’s chest killing him instantly.

Noticing the other spare in the wreckage of his surroundings, the plant said tyrant sent to earth dubbed him inconsequential taking it as incentive to blast the games co-creator. Then Superman flies in saving Hiro cannonballing himself into Mongul out of anger for Batman’s death while under the effects of the fury’s spores. Mongul twists around and clutches superman saying he had missed him in the last incursion attempt but marveled at the bloodlust he could see in the man of steel’s eye. After blasting him hard with the same cannon that killed batman Mongul himself is knocked several miles away from Bridge City; Gotham out into the open sea; in the time it takes for Kal-El to check on the expired hero just after Batman is revived by the game console, Mongul returns on his ship cutting a bloody warpath across the city goading them into combat.

Superman rams into his ship before it collides with the cityscape then Mongul crashes in sending both of them into the deep waters. Still in the heat of battle he delights in the interruption when the mass hive-mind of several million different players in his diabolic war game; present in the form of a nano-powered batman, interrupts them flinging Clark into the ground beginning to pummel him mercilessly.

Taking a particular joy in all the mayhem he called upon Agnes asking if the preparations were set yet, whom had replied soon with the populace of earth joining in on the virtual reality program by the thousands to millions within the hour would enable Mongul to own the planet and its ready and willing soldiers. Showing how he now sees the true terrifying potential within these beings Mongul heads up towards earths outer stratosphere upon a floating platform, where he waits by a string of Warmoon satellites powered by the collective id of humanity converted into raw energy for him to utilize. As superman makes his way up towards him with batman in tow he collides with an energy barrier made of the same energies powering Mongul’s satellites. Having surmised to take and reinvent the resting aggression and passion of the human race as the ultimate strategic home base for a population powered doomsday weapon both in the resuscitated batman and his new orbital array. Seeing as he couldn’t smash Mongul’s force field without igniting the earths atmosphere in the process Superman concedes defeat at Batman’s hands dying in the game in order to become apart of it.

Noting this turn of events with his own eyes Mongul vacates the sanctity of his view to do battle with the now galvanized game playable heroes. Showcasing his formidable capacity in combat by battling and besting both nanite empowered super heroes at once, but he eventually falls to the combined might of the duo backed by millions of they’re online players. Mongul stands beaten and most everything returns to normal after Superman sticks him into the phantom zone.

After a time, he can be seen on a monitor fantasizing of killing both Batman/Superman and razing they’re world to the ground with a smile on his face as the two aforementioned adversaries watch him from a zone monitor. When Jochi; son of Mongul acclaims to test his might against the duo and they’re respective families in a war like attribution to his father, which failed ending in him and the revolting dissidents of Warworld trapped in the zone using the Phantom Zone Projector. Mongul appeared to his son noting that he had killed most of they’re residential fleet when they refused his sovereignty over them, to which Mongul claimed such a station only belonged to him as he slew his own flesh and blood.

Time in the zone

Deal with Zod

Mongul spent an unmitigated amount of time within the prison dimension where he possibly came to an agreement with fellow Zoner inmate Dru-Zod. The kryptonian criminal promising him and his facilities freedom in exchange fro usage of Warworld to conquer Earth, after a couple of tests involving the monster Doomsday and Himself. Zod had finally been able to escape his imprisonment and eventually enlisted the help of his lover and militant confidant Faora after freeing her as well. When the time came to honor agreements Mongul, his war satellite and a host of mechanized dreadnaughts teemed with eager Phantom Zone Criminals awaiting on the other side of the two escapees jury rigged Phantom Zone Portal. On they’re way out however the portal collapsed trapping the would be tyrant and the hoards of the zone back within it again, Genral Zod and Faora Hu-Ul vanishing without a trace.

Super Doomed

During the crisis presented by Brainiac‘s collector ship around the time when Superman had been afflicted with Doomsday’s essence Mongul could be seen wandering the zone with fellow prisoner Non.

Powers

Pre-Crisis

• Super Strength: Mongul had physical strength greater than Silver-age Superman*; in fact Superman was only able to beat him in a fight once, while Mongul himself overwhelmed Superman numerous times. Mongul has also beaten Hal Jordan + Supergirl & Martian Manhunter with just pure brute force, and broke out of inertron; the hardest material in the universe with ease.

*SAS feats just before the Mongul fight: Planet level attack (shakes off), faster than Infinity, survived near the explosion of a White Dwarf sized Warworld (this version has Planet vaporizing lasers & city dwarfing nukes, the latter of which Super-man experiences personally).

• Nigh-Invulnerability: Mongul The Elder was all but invulnerable to nearly all types of harm. Wonder Woman hurt her own hands just punching the War Lord’s face. Even Superman’s & MMH’s best efforts often left them swatted away & Starman’s most powerful blasts were treated as fodder (Starman blocked blasts that could carve lesser moons & tanked energy from miniature Suns. He also has melted crystal capable of tanking the a star’s core)

• SuperSpeed:
• Super Stamina:
• Super Agility:
• Super Leaping:
• Energy Manipulation: Mongul also had energy discharge capabilities able to bursts capable of stunning silver age superman from his eyes and hands.
• Psionic Manipulation: Mongul had limited telepathy and telekinesis.
• Teleportation: He had the ability to teleport, though for a long time was unknown whether it was an actual ability or own caused by technology, until after a battle with Superman & Starman damaged his costume; he managed to get away from them by teleporting.

(While gloating to Superman, he confesses to besting a Controller in battle to obtain the Sun-Eater. A noteworthy feat.)

Post Crisis

• Super Strength: Mongul was strong enough to engage superman in a physical fight and survive.
• Super Speed:
• Super Stamina:
• Super Agility:
• Super Leaping:
• Super Durability:
• Energy Projection: Mongul had an energy cannon within his chest with which to fire potent blast waves from.

DCnU

• Super Strength: Mongul boasted incredible levels of physical strength. Capable of fighting both superman and an empowered Batman on equal footing; the former feeling he rivals Darkseid in sheer might, survive fighting against Doomsday, do battle with several sinestro corpsmen and best a powerful New God.
• Super Stamina:
  
• Self-Sustenance: Can fight ans survive out in the cold recesses of space
• Regenrative Healing Factor: to an unknown degree, Mongul has shown to be capable of recovering from a great deal of physical trauma. Such as getting dragged upon the rough metallic surface of war world, being impaled on sword and seemingly much worse.
• Super Durability: Proven tough enough to take heavy blows from uninhibited Kryptonians, Amazonian Demigoddesses, an artillery barrage from yellow lantern’s and survive impalement from on a New God’s blade.
• Energy Projection: Mongul still retains his ability to discharge energy from his chest dial, save this time it is not affiliated to his biology and can also fire heat beams from his eyes.

But even more dangerous than either his intellect or physical stats was his complete and total lack of respect for life. He had little to no respect for other beings’ lives and would do anything to accomplish his goals, even destroying entire worlds.

Abilities

Tactical Genius

Mongul Sr. was also a very intelligent and cunning foe capable of using the hatred, anger or underlying aggression and negative emotions of others to serve his purposes.

Psychological Mastery

Mongul is, was and forever will be a master manipulator of conscious and subconscious minds. Able to incorperate incredulous fear tactics in order to move a populated planets ruling powers, citizenry or even national armies to his advantage.

Xenoherbology Expertise

Despite being a brutal warlord Mongul happens to have a softer touch to him, being a gifted gardener he has an expedited understanding of certain alien horticulture to which he can use to further his own goals.

Expert Combatant

Mongul Sr. was also a superb combatant able to take on entire teams of heroes alone and still come out on top.

Equipment

War World (Formerly)

He commanded numerous arrays of technology along with the many items of interest within his countless arsenal, Mongul had the planet-sized engine of destruction. He lost his ultimate weapon when sinestro used bits of one of his shattered rings to jettison him into deep space.

• Anti-Matter Cannons
• Emotional Energy Siphons
• Mass Teleportation Systems
• Cache’s of Alien Weapons & Equipment
• Warmoon orbital Satellites

Dimensional Inversion Cubes (Formerly)

Devices capable of growing, capturing and shrinking their prisoner along with it, to pocket size to keep on his person or crush them within the cube, said devices also repel any force exerted upon them by warping their interior reality and absorbing any power used against them from within. One of it’s settings inlcuded the appliance of red solar energy within it’s own distorted physics to weaken superman.

Chest Cannon Module

Throughout all of Mongul’s appearances he usually has an armament affixed to his broad chest that can discharge destructive energy waves to which he can incinerate even the mightiest of adversaries. In the old days it used to be equipment used in his armor, in the modern age however it became a jewel tied to his physical state of being that if removed forcefully would lead to his demise. Mongul used it not only as a means to assault his adversary as a lethal blast cannon but as a form of control beacon to command War World with.

Black Mercy’s

Androgynous parasitic plants which leech onto a host and project the victims deepest fantasy’s onto their minds as they feast on both their physical and psychic energy for sustenance. In new continuity the warlord has altered these alien flowers to project ones most deepest desires just before sampling their most horrid nightmares afterward trapping the host within a perpetual horror factory until death.

Golden Fury’s

A genetically modified version of the mercy, these mutated variants secrete bright burning golden spores which served to increase the amount of rage and aggression within all those who inhaled the pollen. Leaving the afflicted in a constant state of burning rage it was so potent it could even effect superman.

Sinestro Corps Ring (Formerly)

For a time Mongul wielded a fear power ring when he was chosen to be a member of the dreaded Sinestro Corps, his skill with the ring was unknown but appears to have been vast considering he used it to take it over and rechristen it the Mongul Corps before his expulsion from it.

Other Media

Television

Justice League

Mongul appears in the Justice League episode “War World” where he is voiced by Eric Roberts. He forcefully coerces Superman into fighting for him in Gladiator-style matches, providing entertainment for the masses. Ultimately, however, he is defeated, and consequently humiliated, in single-combat by Superman and Draaga.

Justice League Unlimited

Mongul traps Superman in The Fortress of Solitude on Superman’s birthday using Black Mercy plant. His Voice work was once again provided for by Eric Roberts from Justice League, Mongul returns to claim revenge on Superman by killing him and taking the Earth under his tyrannical rule. After totally beating down Wonder Woman effortlessly, and tossing Batman aside like a ragdoll, Mongul got into a brutal battle with the Man of Steel, gaining an upper hand he was going to finish off Superman until Wonder Woman tossed the Black Mercy onto him trapping him in his own dark twisted Fantasies.