Baron Mordo
| Baron Mordo | |
|---|---|
| File:Baronmordostrangetales.gif From Strange Tales #159 Art by Marie Severin | |
| 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 | Dormammu, The Ancient One, Dr. Strange, Umar |
| Abilities | vast ability to manipulate black magic (energy projection, astral projection, teleportation, conjur demons, etc.) |
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo was a fictional villain created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, in comic books featuring his opponent Doctor Strange. He first appeared in Strange Tales #111 (August 1963).
Character biography
Originally a Transylvanian nobleman, Mordo became a student of the Tibetan sorcerer known as the Ancient One. When Mordo plotted to kill his teacher, the Ancient One's newer student Dr. Stephen Strange learned of the plot, and was forced to develop great magical skills in order to overcome Mordo. Thereafter, the evil Mordo became an open foe of Dr. Strange and often joined forces with his sometime master, the demonic Dormammu, to battle Strange and to generally amass power.
His abilities were similar to those of Dr. Strange, but he was particularly skilled at astral projection and 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.
Mordo eventually contracted terminal cancer as a side effect of his use of black magic, and renounced evil just before his death in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #87 (March 1996). However, in Amazing Spider-Man #500 (December 2003), he was resurrected as a side-effect of Doctor Strange's manipulation of time to help Spider-Man.
Powers and abilities
Baron Mordo has vast magical abilities derived from his years of studying black magic and the mystic arts. 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, and can manipulate many forms of magical energy. He can also summon demons but they often don't do what he wants them to do.
Baron Mordo has great intelligence.
Appearances in other media
In Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Baron Mordo (voiced by Tony Jay) appears in Sins of the Fathers Chapter 1: Dr. Strange. In the show, Mordo appears as Dormammu's minion. In his first appearance, he was ordered by Dormammu to steal the Wand of Wantommb 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 Kassidy, 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 moves to send the urn into Dormammu's portal, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Venom interrupt. 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.