Origin
Anath-Na Mut was once the chief wizard in the court of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. One day It was proven that the wizard’s magic was inferior to that of the captive Israelites prophet Moses and the wizard was banished. Years upon years of wandering later, the wizard found a temple and found the Ka Stone. The stone then bid him to take it and place it in his head, granting the wizard immortality and superhuman powers. He changed his name to Sphinx and wandered the Earth for the next 5000 years.
Without a purpose, he involved himself in whichever endeavors of mankind struck his fantasy. Eventually after so many years of wandering and doing nothing Sphinx got bored and decided that he didn’t want his immortal life and his power. He then went searching to answer how to get rid of it.
Character Creation
Sphinx was created by Marv Wolfman and Sal Buscema in 1977.
Character Evolution
He heard a rumor of a man who rivaled his power living in the Himalayan Mountains. Sphinx traveled there and met Sayge and asked him for help. Sayge said no to Sphinx’s request and instead tormented Sphinx for no reason by telling him he was destined to live forever. Sayge’s other alias, Veritas, the embodiment of truth usually accompanied Sphinx for unknown reasons. Sphinx later on in the twentieth century had already probed thousands of minds looking for an answer but to no avail.
He then tapped a mind of a youth named Richard Rider who had the power of Nova Centurion. A super humanoid champion from a planet called Xandar. Rider’s mind had in its his subconscious the knowledge of the alien predecessor and also knowledge of the planet sized computer. Sphinx, unaware of Rider’s knowledge, believed he would know how to get rid of the Ka stone. Lucky for Rider it was in his subconscious part of his mind allowing him to wrest Sphinx from getting in. Eventually Sphinx went to a living computer also called Quasimodo and learned of Xandar that way. He then set fourth in the Nova-ship which rider had inherited. He then took some companions and opponents into service. Sphinx eventually reached the planet and drained the main computer of all its knowledge.
With that he had enough knowledge to end his life but abandoned that thought and sought to destroy Earth. The Fantastic Four heard of this and only knew of one being capable of taking Sphinx down: Galactus the world eater. The two met and fought ultimately ending with Galactus beating Sphinx, plucking the Ka stone from him crushing it and sending him back in time to a period he thought Sphinx hadn’t lived. Although even Galactus was wrong and didn’t know he just sent Sphinx to a time period he already existed in.
Sphinx then mets his former self and they work together to make a scheme in which they can avoid ever getting beat by Galactus and remake the stone. The former one in this time period how ever falls sleep for the next 5,000 years forgetting this encounter ever happened. In the 20th century however, months after Galactus sent him back in time the other self emerges from suspended animation. He began to restore the Ka Stone but was stopped by the Thing of the Fantastic Four. He got de-powered from his near Galactus level.
Major Story Arcs
War of Kings
Traveling time for over six millenia took it’s toll on the Sphinx. He became trapped in a limbo of time. When the Fault, a rip in space-time, was opening during the War of Kings he had an opportunity to escape. He contacted his younger self in order to warn him of his future. Instead of helping, the younger Sphinx saw this as a chance to increase his power and steal his older self’s Ka Stone. Since only one Ka Stone could exist, having two would make him incredibly powerful.
In order to help his situation, the Sphinx took some of his enemies from throughout time in the hopes they could defeat his younger self as they had defeated him so many times. He chose Richard Rider, Mr. Fantastic, Namorita and Black Bolt. Inadvertently, he also took Darkhawk. Having equal power that canceled each others out, Sphinx hoped they could defeat his younger self, but the younger version pulled a team of his own…
The young Sphinx selected Bloodstone, Moonstone, Man Wolf and Basilisk because of their crystal or stone based powers, putting them under his control. He also choose a raptor named Gyre to combat Darkhawk. In the end, the older Sphinx won the battle selections. But now aware of Darkhawk’s presence, the Sphinx used Darkhawk to give him the other Ka Stone since Darkhawk’s amulet made him easy to control. Possessing two Ka Stones would make the Sphinx all-powerful.
But it would take time for the Sphinx to adjust to his godly power. The Fault had given the Sphinx the ability to create the magical construction they were in where it would be possible to obtain two Ka Stones. To return to the real world, he must first remake it so two stones is a possibility. Mr. Fantastic formulated a plan with Nova and with Reed’s calculations, Nova was able to open a stargate and push the Sphinx out of his protective realm before he was finished. The transfer between dimensions caused the Sphinx to explosively decompress.
Powers
Sphinx had the power of the Ka Stone it granted him a variety of powers which he could employ. He could manipulate the magical energy of it into different forms such as beams of force, light, or heat. he can make it so he can augment his own strength to the point where he could do toe to toe with the Thing. The Ka stone also allowed Sphinx to travel through space unaided. It also made Sphinx invulnerable to all physical injury. It also allowed him to move at and unknown speed. It also granted him immortality as well.