Ikaris
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Ikaris is a fictional member of the Eternals, a race appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. Both he and the Eternals were created by Jack Kirby.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Ikaris was born 20,000 years ago in Polaria, in the area now known as Siberia. He is the son of the Eternals Virako and Tulayn. His real birthname is unknown. Ikaris' mother Tulayn died when he was only 300 years old
When the Second Host of the Celestials sank the Deviant Lemuria in what is known as the "Great Cataclysm," Ikaris guides a ship of humans to safety. The humans mistake Ikaris for a bird, and (as per Marvel Universe history) he is memorialized as the dove that guided Noah to the Mountains of Ararat (Eternals vol. 1, #2).
Ikaris chose his name due to a tragic accident hundreds of years ago. While fighting the Deviants in ancient Greece, the man eventually known as Ikaris meets and weds a human woman. Together they bare a son named Icarus, who loves to soar with his father high above the seas and mountains of Greece. In time, the Eternal builds his son a set of mechanical wings so the boy can fly on his own. When his father disappears while fighting the Deviants, the young Icarus seeks him out using the mechanical wings. Too inexperienced to fly on his own, young Icarus soars too high, loses consciousness in the upper atmosphere, and falls to his death. Finding his son dead, the father Eternal takes the name of his son, Ikaris, in his memory.
Around 1000 AD, Virako, Ikaris' father, dies in battle against the Deviant Dromedan. Ikaris is then adopted by his uncle Valkin, who reveals to him his secret Arctic home, the Pyramid of the Winds.
In 1823, as part of the Eternals' preparation for the coming of the Fourth Host of the Celestials, Zuras orders Ikaris to perfect his cosmic senses in anticpation of their coming. When they draw near, Ikaris is ordered to go to the City of the Space Gods and revive the sleeping Eternal Ajak to greet them.
When the Celestials arrives around a century and a half later, Ikaris succeeds in this mission with the aid of human archaeologist Dr. Daniel Damian and his daughter, Margo (Eternals vol.1, #1).
During the Fourth Host, Valkin's son Druig captures and tortures Ikaris to force him to reveal the location of the Pyramid of the Winds. Ikaris catches up with Druig and kills him, but not before Druig is able to fire a weapon at a Celestial. Fortunately, the Celestial is unharmed.
During his long lifetime, Ikaris also attempts to be a fair and just leader of the Eternals, but has abandoned Eternal traditions to take an active and public role in protecting the human race. He has even adopted a unique human identity by fighting in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation as "Iceberg" Ike Harris.
Ikaris and fellow Eternal Thena have had a strong dislike for each other for a long time, and find themselves coming to conflict when she is appointed as Prime Eternal. Questioning her worth as Prime Eternal, Ikaris faces her in the Hall of Eternal Judgement and defeats her, becoming the new Prime Eternal.
In The New Eternals series, Ikaris still retains the title of Prime Eternal. When Apocalypse detonates a nuclear warhead on Deviant Lemuria, he causes Ikaris's father Virako to return to life. Although Ikaris is defeated by Apocalypse, he manages to destroy his ship and thwart Apocalypse's plan. Virako is appalled to find the Eternals accepting Deviants such as Ransak the Reject and Karkas. Under the alias of "Sovereign", he introduces the Eternals to the world as a team of super-heroes called the "New Breed".
[edit] Eternals mini-series (2006)
Ikaris is featured in the Marvel mini-series Eternals, written by Neil Gaiman and penciled by artist John Romita, Jr. The Eternals are the victims of memory and reality manipulation by former Eternal Sprite, and thus have forgotten their true identities. Although Ikaris (calling himself Ike Harris) is captured and atomized by the Deviants Gelt and Morjak, his body reappears at the bottom of the (fictional) Antarctic city of Olympia. His body and powers fully restored by the sentient city, Ikaris regains his memories and sets out to awaken his fellow Eternals to their true identities.
[edit] Powers and abilities
As an Eternal, Ikaris possesses a number of powers far beyond those of normal humans, including:
- Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, and reflexes;
- Manipulation of cosmic energy (including the ability to project beams of energy from his eyes and hands);
- Immunity to disease and aging;
- Regenerative powers (Note: with the aid of Celestial technology, Ikaris' body can be completely regenerated after almost total atomization);
- Ability to manipulate matter at an atomic level;
- Levitation of himself and/or others through mental control;(Ikaris has a speed exceeded only by Makkari among the Eternals.)
- Limited psionic powers, including illusion casting and telepathy;
- Creation of force shields around himself and/or others;
- Limited teleportation; and
- Superhuman sensory perception, far greater than even those of most Eternals.
[edit] Alternate versions
- There is an alternate future version of Ikaris in the Marvel 2099 universe. He appears in 2099: Manifest Destiny.
[edit] Bibliography
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23
- Avengers vol. 1 #246-248, 308-310, 361
- Contest of Champions vol. 1 #1-3
- Eternals vol. 1 #1-6, 8-19
- Eternals vol. 2 #1-12
- Eternals: Apocalypse Now
- Eternals: Herod Factor
- Eternals 2006 mini-series, on-going
- The Eternals (Hardcover, 2006; collects Eternals vol. 1 #1-19 and Eternals Annual #1)
- Fantastic Four Unlimited #10
- Iron Man Annual #6
- Iron Man vol. 1 #179
- Marvel Universe: The End #5-6
- Quasar #28-29, 54-58
- Silver Surfer Annual #1
- StarBlast #1-4
- Thor Annual #7
- Thor vol. 1 #284-289, 291-292, 301
- What If? vol. 1 #29
