Baron Mordo

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Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo, commonly known as Baron Mordo, is a villainous sorcerer from Transylvania.[1] He is the archnemesis of Doctor Strange, and like Strange, he was taught in the magical arts by the Ancient One, but used the latter's teachings for evil rather than good. Over time, Mordo's repeated failings against Strange have proven that his skills are much the inferior to Strange's, though this inferiority also fuels his intense desire for victory.

Biography

Disciple of the Ancient One

While under the instruction of the Ancient One[note 1] in India, Mordo plotted against his master, seeking utmost power as a sorcerer. One day, an American surgeon named Stephen Strange arrived at the Ancient One's temple, seeking healing for horribly damaged nerves in his hands. The empirically minded Strange was unimpressed with the Ancient One's supposed magic, but was prevented from leaving by a sudden blizzard (secretly caused by the Ancient One himself). That night, Mordo attempted to kill the Ancient One using a vapor spell. Strange spotted him, but Mordo cast a spell on him to prevent him from telling the Ancient One. The Ancient One survived Mordo's attack, and unbeknownst to Mordo, was perfectly aware of Mordo's treachery. Precluded from telling the Ancient One directly, Strange humbly submitted myself as a disciple of the great sorcerer so that he may defeat Mordo and his dark powers himself. The Ancient One accepted, and Strange and Mordo's rivalry began.[2]

By 1963, Mordo and Strange were weathered rivals, and Mordo continued trying to eliminate the Ancient One in order to prove himself as the world's greatest sorcerer and defeat Strange once and for all. Mordo sent his spirit form to the Ancient One's home in Tibet, using his magic to influence one of his weak-willed servants. He had the servant poison the Ancient One's meal, bringing him to the brink of death. Doctor Strange in spirit form soon arrived, disturbed by the Ancient One's failure to respond to his call. Strange and Mordo's spirits did battle, almost perfectly matched, until the Ancient One weakly told Strange to use his amulet. He did so, using the amulet to funnel a great deal of his energy into the Ancient One to save him. Strange was able to repel Mordo long enough for the Ancient One to recover, fending off the evil sorcerer for the moment.[3] Later that year, Mordo baited Doctor Strange to a castle in London, claiming to be his old acquaintance Clive Bentley in need of help. Bentley had died ten years prior, and Mordo had claimed his castle. He trapped Strange in a magical field with a candle nearby. Mordo informed him that once the candle burned out, Strange would perish, and Mordo would be left as the world's greatest sorcerer. Mordo left the room, and when he returned sometime later, Strange had been freed by Victoria Bentley, Clive's daughter who lived nearby. Mordo recognized the latent magical potential that Victoria possessed, and attempted to hypnotize Strange into killing her. But this was in fact only Strange's spirit form, and his body soon walked in the door, having just arrived by plane from New York. Claiming the mental edge, Strange defeated Mordo in spiritual combat, forcing him to retreat once more.[4]

Mordo continued his goal of defeating the Ancient One, but also realized that it was necessary to eliminate Strange before doing so. He cast a spell on Strange's home, sending it into another dimension, and causing Strange's astral form to investigate. This led Strange's spirit to Mordo's home, where the evil sorcerer trapped Strange in a magical cylinder. He then traveled to the Ancient One's domicile in Tibet, feigning a desire for penance for his wickedness to be allowed entry. When he had seemingly lulled the Ancient One into defenselessness, Mordo struck, but was repelled by a prepared spell. The Ancient One revealed himself to be Strange in disguise, having escaped from Mordo's confines. Strange handily defeated the shocked Mordo and sent him on his way, releasing the spell on his home in the process.[5] A few months later, Mordo again tried to defeat Strange by separating his body and spirit, but fell victim to Strange's superior wits and failed.[6] Mordo was later able to kidnap the Ancient One and magically imprison him at his hideout in the Himalayan jungle. He confronted Strange at his Sanctum Sanctorum, and their spirits fought all over the globe. But Strange was able to locate the Ancient One, and defeated Mordo well enough to break his confines and escape.[7]

Alliance with Dormammu

Desperate to defeat Doctor Strange, Mordo forged a bond with Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension. Dormammu granted Mordo a portion of his power, and as a result Mordo at last became more powerful than Strange. Mordo and a pair of henchmen went to Tibet, where Strange and the Ancient One were conversing, and attacked them. Strange managed to flee with the Ancient One's injured body and narrowly escaped Mordo's pursuit. Mordo sent an alert out to malicious mages throughout the world to find and deliver Strange to him. Strange was soon spotted in Hong Kong,[8] and Mordo sent his henchman Kaecilius to find him. Mordo "inhabited" Kaecilius's body, seeing through his eyes. Through his disciple, Mordo coerced the locals in Hong Kong to assist in finding Strange as well. Strange soon slipped away on an airplane utilizing a bit of spiritual deception.[9]

Strange unwittingly revealed his location by returning to his Sanctum Sanctorum and using the Eye of Agamotto, which Mordo had magically booby trapped. Mordo teleported to the Sanctum, and the two fought. Strange battled valiantly, but was again overwhelmed by Mordo and Dormammu's superior power. With no other recourse, Strange used all of his remaining power to hastily warp himself to another, unknown dimension.[10] Mordo initially thought he had achieved victory, but Dormammu doused his excitement and told him to remain vigilant for when Strange returned.[11] Meanwhile, Dormammu was attacked by the Mindless Ones in his dimension, forcing him to withdraw his power from Mordo temporarily. One of Mordo's henchmen eventually spotted Strange in Tibet, and Mordo's spirit form chased him. Strange fled to the Sun, and dared Mordo to follow him into the core: though their spirits were unaffected by the heat, the radioactivity would surely kill them. Mordo thought it was some kind of trick, that Strange had protected himself from the radioactivity, and so declined and fled back to Earth. Dormammu chastised him and told him that there was no such solar-protection spell. Dormammu would also need some time to recover his powers after the Mindless Ones' attack.[12]

Mordo soon received word from his disciple, Sir Anthony Baskerville in England, that Strange had come to Baskerville seeking knowledge about something called Eternity. Mordo sent Kaecilius to the castle and looked through him again, but Strange sensed that something was amiss and outwitted Kaecilius and Baskerville, evading Mordo's grasp once more.[13] Mordo reported to Dormammu that Strange sought Eternity—something Mordo knew nothing about. Dormammu was greatly concerned at the mention of Eternity, but refused to explain what it meant: he simply assured Mordo that Strange mustn't learn more. Later, Mordo detected Strange casting a spell and teleported to his location, but in that moment Strange went through a portal that his spell had just opened. Mordo found a scroll that Strange had left behind, and took it back to Dormammu for advice. Dormammu recognized that Strange had simply entered a dark and dangerous realm, and would gain no knowledge of Eternity there.[14]

Mordo soon detected Strange casting another spell, this one incredibly powerful, but again arrived a split-second after Strange had teleported away.[15] Mordo correctly deduced that Strange had at last found a way to Eternity. He found and kidnapped the comatose Ancient One in a cave nearby and brought him back to his sanctum, placing him in a "time trap" to keep Strange from interfering with him. Mordo's spirits found Strange and brought him semi-willingly back to Mordo's sanctum. Mordo and Dormammu, through their magical communication screen, prepared for what seemed at last to be their final victory.[16]

Strange had indeed seen Eternity—a living embodiment of the universe. But, in answer to Dormammu's probing, Strange told them that Eternity had not granted him any additional power, and Dormammu saw the truth in his words. Mordo released the Ancient One from his time trap so that he could witness Strange's defeat, and engaged his nemesis in magical combat. Dormammu and Ancient One bolstered their respective charges with their own powers, but all involved knew that Dormammu's might allowed Mordo to be the superior. On the advice of the Ancient One, Strange instead relied on his wits to out-duel Mordo, and he indeed managed to prolong what might well have been an easy victory for Mordo. Dormammu grew impatient, and he banished everyone to another dimension.[17] Mordo, Strange, and the Ancient One emerged in a distant dimension. Mordo tried to keep fighting, but Strange easily held him off, demonstrating just how lacking Mordo's power was without Dormammu to bolster it. They were soon joined by a number of different dignitaries from myriad other dimensions, and the Ancient One knew immediately that Dormammu had sent them as well. Dormammu himself arrived and challenged Strange to a duel with the fate of Earth and the approval of the other dimensions at stake. Some present supported Dormammu, while others supported the Ancient One, and Strange in turn. Strange agreed to Dormammu's terms, whereby they would battle in such a way that relied upon skill and wits rather than raw magical power. The two proved to be relatively even, but Strange eventually got the upper hand. As he did so, Mordo blindsided him with a powerful blast of energy to the back, taking him down.[18] Dormammu was naturally furious at Mordo's interference. Mordo said he was only trying to help, but Dormammu only got more insulted at Mordo's insolence. He banished Mordo to the "Dimension of Demons" indefinitely. Strange went on to defeat Dormammu fairly, holding off his wrath once more.[19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Also known simply as the Master.

References

  1. ↑ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #2: "From Baron Mordo to the Collective Man." (February 1983) Shooter, Jim (ed).
  2. ↑ Strange Tales #115b: "The Origin of Dr. Strange." (December 1963) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  3. ↑ Strange Tales #111c: "Face-to-Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!" (August 1963) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Szenics, Terry (let).
  4. ↑ Strange Tales #114b: "The Return of the Omnipotent Baron Mordo!" (November 1963) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  5. ↑ Strange Tales #117b: "The Many Traps of Baron Mordo!" (February 1964) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (p), Rosen, Sam (let).
  6. ↑ Strange Tales #121b: "Witchcraft in the Wax Museum!" (June 1964) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  7. ↑ Strange Tales #125b: "Mordo Must Not Catch Me!" (October 1964) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (p), Bell, George (i), Simek, Artie (let).
  8. ↑ Strange Tales #130b: "The Defeat of Dr. Strange." (March 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  9. ↑ Strange Tales #131b: "The Hunter and the Hunted!" (April 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  10. ↑ Strange Tales #132b: "Face-to-Face at Last with Baron Mordo!" (May 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  11. ↑ Strange Tales #133b: "A Nameless Land, a Timeless Time!" (June 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  12. ↑ Strange Tales #134b: "Earth Be My Battleground." (July 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  13. ↑ Strange Tales #135b: "Eternity Beckons!" (August 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (w, art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  14. ↑ Strange Tales #136b: "What Lurks Beneath the Mask?" (September 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (w, art), Simek, Artie (let).
  15. ↑ Strange Tales #137b: "When Meet the Mystic Minds!" (October 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (w, art), Simek, Artie (let).
  16. ↑ Strange Tales #138b: "If Eternity Should Fail!" (November 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (w, art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  17. ↑ Strange Tales #139b: "Beware...! Dormammu Is Watching!" (December 1965) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Simek, Artie (let).
  18. ↑ Strange Tales #140b: "The Pincers of Power!" (January 1966) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (art), Rosen, Sam (let).
  19. ↑ Strange Tales #141b: "Let There Be Victory!" (February 1966) Lee, Stan (w), Ditko, Steve (w, art), Simek, Artie (let).
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