Wotan

Origin

Ages ago, the sorcerer now known as Wotan was a female member of a primitive tribe in a northern western wasteland. After being raped and beaten to the brink of death, the woman was determined to discover the reasons, if any, for human existence and the suffering it entails.

Escaping her tormentors, she found refuge with an aged shaman who taught her the mystical arts. The future Wotan grew to become a powerful sorceress that was worshiped as a goddess. Seeking to escape death, she learned how to extend her life by transferring her soul into another body, and finally to direct her own reincarnation into other bodies (or controlled re-birth, as Wotan named it). After thousands of incarnations, becoming both male and female.

The original Wotan named himself after the Teutinic god of the same name (who is better known as the Norse god Odin), although he has no connection with the gods of Asgard. Moreover he is not a demon, although he allowed people to believe he was.

It is known however, that Wotan had a physical incarnation previous to his current one. In his previous incarnation, Wotan battled his greatest foe, the mystical Lord of order known as Doctor Fate, who was then also in a body incarnation previous to his current one, presumably that of Nabu the wise.

Wotan has long sought to conquer the world. He utilises both ancient methods of magic and advanced technology in pursuit of his goal. Just after Kent Nelson first donned the helmet of Doctor Fate, he encountered Wotan in Egypt. Wotan had captured Inza Cramer, a young student from Colombia University. Fate defeated Wotan and Cramer and Kent Nelson became lovers.

Current Events

Wotan was re-introduced in the New 52 series Earth 2 by James Robinson. Jay Garrick, his mom and Khalid Ben-Hassin have been abducted into a mysterious place. Wotan desires the power of Nabu the Wise. He explains that the he was once the greatest mage ever, but he passed on his powers to a helmet, that was previously in Khalid’s hands. He, however, gave the helmet up and only Ben-Hassim and Jay can retrieve it. To make sure their task is complete, Wotan took Flash’s mom as a hostage.

Creation

Wotan’s first appearance was in the Golden Age of comics in More Fun Comics #55 created by Howard Sherman and Gardner Fox. His name is derived from the Germanic spelling of the god Woden/Odin from Germanic and Norse mythology.

Character Evolution

Wotan generally fills the role of the token villain without much motivation other than an agenda of evil. Little has changed over the years in his character portrayal.

Earth-2

During the New 52 series Earth-2, Wotan is portrayed as an ancient sorcerer who started life as a female viking and later mastered the arts of sorcery having lived several lifetimes with altered genders. An encounter with Nabu the Wise left her skin forever green and unable to enter the tower of Fate which held the helmet he/she desperately sought after.

At one point, Earth-2 becomes a desolate wasteland and Wotan wishes to escape. Constantine at the same time, finds himself lost on Earth-2. Wotan interrogates Constantine on how he managed to enter Earth-2. Constantine tricks Wotan by saying he has the ability to make a bridge between dimensions by using his own body as a gateway. Wotan and Constantine cast an enchantment together and a gateway opens. Wotan foolishly enters the gateway and the gateway closes prematurely thus cutting Wotan in half.

Major Story Arcs

Later when Nelson and Cramer were in America, Wotan tried to kill them both. Doctor Fate again defeated him, but Wotan escaped and vowed to return and get revenge by blowing up the Earth with his advanced science. Doctor Fate again thwarted him and placed him underground in a mystical trance.

However, Wotan’s spirit contacted another of Doctor Fate’s foes, the scientist Ian Karkull, who freed Wotan from his trance. Wotan and Karkull constructed advanced weapons with which to attack the nations of the world. But in trying to destroy Doctor Fate, Wotan instead destroyed his own arctic base.

Wotan and Karkull escaped, and Wotan later aided Karkull in his attempt to assassinate numerous future US presidents. Green Lantern (Alan Scott) sent Wotan into another dimension.

Wotan returned to Earth and on behalf of Adolf Hitler, launched a plan to destroy the British will to fight in World War 2. Actually Wotan intended to conquer the British Isles for himself, not for Hitler. This time he was defeated by the Shining Knight.

Powers and Abilities

Wotan is an entity with massive amounts of magical power at his disposal

Magic:

• Astral Projection
• Energy Manipulation
  • Eldritch Blast
  • Force Field
• Flight
• Illusion Casting
• Soul Manipulation

Characteristics

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 151 lbs.
• Eyes: Black
• Hair: Green

Other Media

Batman: Brave and the Bold

He appears in the opening of Batman the Brave and the Bold episode “The Eyes of Despero!” where he attempts to break into Library of Infinity. He foiled by Doctor Fate and Batman.

Young Justice

Wotan first appears in the episode “Revelation” as a member of the Injustice League. He also appears in the episode “Misplaced” along with other villainous magic users in an adaptation of the “World Without Grown Ups” storyline.