Baron Mordo

Baron Mordo
File:BaronM.png From The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1 Art by Paul Smith
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Strange Tales #111 (August 1963)
Created by	Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
In-story information
Alter ego	Karl Amadeus Mordo
Team affiliations	Legion Accursed Offenders
Partnerships	Dormammu Ancient One
Abilities	Skilled magic user Highly intelligent Energy projection Astral projection Teleportation Ability to conjure demons Hypnotism Mesmerism

Baron Mordo (Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo) is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Strange Tales #111 (August 1963).

Fictional character biography

Originally a Transylvanian nobleman (born in Varf Mandra), Mordo became a student of the Tibetan sorcerer known as the Ancient One. When Mordo plotted to kill his teacher, the Ancient One's visitor Dr. Stephen Strange learned of the plot, forcing Mordo to cast restraining spells to prevent him from warning his Master or attacking him. Unfortunately, when Strange selflessly decided to accept the Ancient One's offer to learn magic in order to help the old man, the Ancient One freed him from those spells, which he was fully aware were in place, and trained him as a formidable enemy of Mordo. Eventually Mordo was exiled by the Ancient One. Mordo's abilities were similar to those of Doctor Strange, but Mordo was particularly skilled at astral projection and hypnosis, as well as mesmerism. He was more than willing to use powerful black magic and invoke demons, both of which Strange was reluctant or unable to do, although both acts would sometimes backfire on Mordo.

The evil Mordo became an open foe of Doctor Strange, serving as one of Strange's primary antagonists early in his career as Sorcerer Supreme. Mordo disguised himself as Sir Clive Bentley, and trapped Doctor Strange. He opposed Doctor Strange's discipleship to the Ancient One. He set a series of new traps for Strange in a bid to wrest magical secrets from the Ancient One. Mordo stole Strange's body while Strange was astral projecting. He imprisoned the Ancient One. Mordo made a deal with his new master, the demonic Dormammu, to amass additional power to defeat Doctor Strange. He dispatched agents to search for the incognito Strange, and then banished him from the Earth. He fled from Strange, and then dispatched agents to kill Strange. He engaged in personal combat with Strange. Mordo was exiled to the Dimension of Demons by Dormammu. He battled Doctor Strange once more at Stonehenge, but was ultimately banished from Earth.

Mordo would return in time to continue to bedevil Doctor Strange. He impersonated Doctor Strange during Strange's brief retirement, but was soon vanquished. Mordo discovered the Book of Cagliostro, and battled Strange in 18th-Century Paris. He then accompanied Strange and Sise-Neg to the dawn of time. After suffering a mental breakdown, he was placed in Doctor Strange's care, but later escaped. Mordo transformed the dead Lord Phyffe into Azrael, angel of death, and dispatched him against Strange. He sent the Man-Thing to kill Strange, and assembled thirteen people for human sacrifice to the Chaos Demon. Mordo was defeated by Strange, Jennifer Kale, and the Man-Thing. He attacked Strange, and escaped into the 1940s, but was manipulated by Dormammu.

Mordo later sold his soul to both Mephisto and Satannish for power, gaming that Strange would save him. He was trapped with Sara Wolfe, and later rescued her. Mordo himself was later imprisoned, and Sara Wolfe freed him from imprisonment. Mordo battled Dormammu to defend the Earth. He was defeated, and pretended to ally himself with Dormammu, and then allied himself with Umar to defeat Dormammu.

Umar and Mordo were eventually deposed by Clea. Mordo eventually contracted terminal cancer as a side effect of his use of black magic, and renounced evil just before his death. He later returned to life. He later allies himself with Terrax, Tiger Shark and Red Hulk, to be opposed by his old rival and newly costumed Doctor Strange, aided by the other three original Defenders.

Mordo appeared in the pages of X-Factor volume 3, where it is revealed that he kidnapped politician Cartier St. Croix in order to lure his daughter Monet St. Croix into a trap.

Powers and abilities

Baron Mordo has vast magical abilities derived from his years of studying black magic and the mystic arts. He can manipulate magical forces for a variety of effects, including hypnotism, mesmerism, thought-casting, and illusion casting. He can separate his astral form from his body, allowing him to become intangible and invisible to most beings. He can project deadly force blasts using magic, can teleport inter-dimensionally, and can manipulate many forms of magical energy. He can tap extra-dimensional energy by invoking entities or objects of power existing in dimensions tangential to Earth's through the recitation of spells. He can also summon demons, but often does not have enough power to force them to do what he wants them to do.

Baron Mordo has some knowledge of a karate-like martial art form, and has an extensive knowledge of magical lore.

Other versions

Mutant X

Baron Mordo appears in the last issue of Mutant X, being referred to as the 'Ancient One'. He is still considered a villain, though he allies himself with other heroes and villains in order to stop the Beyonder/Goblin Queen entity.

In other media

Television

• Baron Mordo first appears in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series episode "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 1: Dr. Strange" voiced by Tony Jay. In the show, Mordo appears as Dormammu's minion. In his first appearance, he was ordered by Dormammu to steal the Wand of Watoomb to make a portal that would release him from his dimension. To do so, Mordo brainwashes Mary Jane Watson to become his servant. His plan almost succeeded when Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, his assistant Wong, and Mary Jane stopped him from freeing Mordo's master from his dimension. Later, in "Venom Returns" and "Carnage", Mordo was ordered by Dormammu to bring the symbiote back to Earth to make Eddie Brock whole once more. Then, Dormammu orders Mordo to give Brock a message. At Stark Enterprises, Mordo disguises himself as Orden Bloom in order to get the portal. When Spider-Man and War Machine join forces to fight Venom, Dormammu tells Mordo that there is another symbiote, which Mordo then bestows to Cletus Kasady, naming the result "Carnage." After retrieving the probe, Dormammu orders Carnage to steal the "life force" energy from humans, so he may gain enough strength to enter our world. When Carnage absorbs too much force, Mordo brings him back to his lair to drain the power into an urn. When Carnage attempts to send the urn into Dormammu's portal, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Venom interrupt him. Mordo ordered Carnage to throw the urn to unleash Dormammu, but was thwarted. Sacrificing himself, Venom pulled Carnage into the dimension following Dormammu's reversion, after which Mordo made his escape.
• Baron Mordo appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "Night in the Sanctorum" voiced by Dave Boat. This version of the character is also completely insane. He was shown imprisoned in a soda can when Enchantress' magic vexes Thor to open the soda can containing Mordo. While belching out bubbles, Mordo ends up fighting Thor destroying Doctor Stange's kitchen until Doctor Strange appears and reimprisons Mordo in the soda can. In "Invader from the Dark Dimension", the soda can Mordo was imprisoned in was recycled into the Dark Dimension by Wong. When Iron Man ends up in the Dark Dimension through a portal near the statue of the Mayor of Superhero City, he encounters Mordo. Mordo manages to possess Iron Man, and uses his body to try and claim all of the Infinity Fractals. Upon turning Iron Man into the Iron Menace upon possessing him, Mordo takes over Stark Industries and uses mind control technology to take over Wolverine, Falcon, Redwing, and Abomination. Thor, Silver Surfer, and Hulk had to team up with Doctor Strange and Valkyrie to stop him even gaining some help from Doctor Doom and MODOK. Doctor Strange managed to trick Mordo back into the Dark Dimension and free Iron Man from his control.

Film

• Baron Mordo appears as one of the main villains in the 2007 animated movie Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. His origin is altered, yet maintains his dislike for Strange and the Ancient One. In this adaptation he is a warrior-like sorcerer who began to think only about victory instead of why they battled, willing to go as far as killing innocent children, which was against all the Ancient One stood for; this caused the Ancient One to reject his attempt to be Sorcerer Supreme. Believing the Ancient One is the traitor, Mordo sided with Dormammu and killed his former master. Doctor Strange and Wong manage to avenge the Ancient One and defeat Mordo. Angered at his failure, Dormammu devours his failed servant.

Video games

• Baron Mordo appears in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance voiced by Philip Proctor. He is a member of this version of the Masters of Evil, and one of Doctor Doom's lieutenants. He uses a spell to have the Orb of Teleportation to transport the heroes to Murderworld instead of Castle Doom. He and Ultron fight the heroes in the path to Spire's Ascent after Doctor Doom and Loki left them behind. A simulation disk has Doctor Strange protecting Clea from Baron Mordo while in Mephisto's Realm. Another simulation disk has Ghost Rider protecting Wolverine from Baron Mordo while in Mephisto's Realm also. He doesn't speak in either simulation disk though.

External links

• Baron Mordo at Marvel.com
• Baron Mordo at Marvel Directory