Bêlit (Earth-616)

Bêlit
Name	Bêlit ("Goddess" in Shemitish)
Aliases	Queen of the Black Coast, Goddess, Belît, "Bel-it"
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Black Corsairs
Relatives	Ancestors: Kings of Asgalun (ancestors); Mahalat (possible ancestor) Parents: Atrahasis (father, deceased); Derketa (alleged mother) Other Relatives: Nim-Karrak (uncle, deceased); Uriaz, Akhîrom (cousins, deceased)
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Female
Hair	Black
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human
Living Status	Deceased
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Asgalun, Shem
Place of Death	Temple of the Old Ones, City of the Winged One, near the River Zarkheba, Kush
Personal Information
Identity	No Dual
Citizenship	Asgalunim and Pelishtian, Shemite, Southern Isleander
Occupation	Pirate captain/queen, goddess
Base of Operations	Mobile in Hyboria, Black Kingdoms and Black Coast aboard the Tigress Formerly Asgalun, Pelishtia, Shem; Southern Isles
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema
First	Giant-Size Conan #1 (June, 1974) (Dream or mention, see notes) Conan the Barbarian #58 (October, 1975) (Full appearance)
First	Giant-Size Conan #1 (June, 1974) (Dream or mention, see notes) Conan the Barbarian #58 (October, 1975) (Full appearance)
Death	Conan the Barbarian #100 (April, 1979)
Death	Conan the Barbarian #100 (April, 1979)

History

Origin and early years

Daughter of King Atrahasis of Asgalun

Bêlit was the daughter of King Atrahasis of Asgalun. As a child, she was educated by the shaman N'Yaga who had fled the Southern Isles and become an advisor to the King. When Atrahasis was assassinated by Stygian soldiers allied to his brother Nim-Karrak who planned to usurp the throne, Bêlit was taken away by N'Yaga.

Daughter of Derketa the Death-Goddess

They ended up in his old home on the Southern Isles where they were adopted by a tribe of Bird-Riders whom N'Yaga led to believe that she was the daughter of the death-goddess Derketa. Bêlit beame a fierce warrior and when she came of age, she took control of the tribe.

Black Corsairs

She turned her tribesmen into notorious pirates, calling herself the Queen of the Black Coast.

Conan

She met Conan when her pirates raided an Argossean ship which he had boarded. Bêlit was impressed with him and had Conan duel one of her officers, Odongo. After he won, Conan joined her crew and the two began a romantic relationship.

While collecting tribute from the Watambi tribe, Bêlit was kidnapped by the Dragon Riders who were at war with the Watambi. She freed herself and ran into the wild man calling himself Amra the Lion, who planned to marry her. She was freed by Conan who slew Amra in a duel.

...

After refusing the crown, Bêlit resumed her piracy activities, but was troubled dreams about giant towers full of treasures, up the Zarkheba.

The Mountains of Madness

After boarding a Stygian ship, Bêlit and Conan found a ivory-skinned girl which they took with them before heading towards the Silver Isles for supplies and crew replacements. Despite Bêlit's hostility for the girl, suspected to be from the southern ice land, Conan noticed her necklace's non-Stygian gems, and convinced Bêlit that the girl could lead them to new riches.

At the Silver Islands, they were attacked by the Bird-Riders, led by Ghomli, who rejected Bêlit's divinity and queenship. Conan assaulted Ghomli, resulting a duel between Ghomli and Bêlit's champion. Conan was defeated and apparently killed, and Ghomli took Bêlit as his mate as a symbol of his kingship. N'Yaga in fact had drugged Conan with an herb giving him the semblance of death. Despite Bêlit's opposition, N'Yaga informed Ghomli of their theory on the snow-skinned girl and the riches that lied in the southern Frozen Land.

Buried alive, Conan awoke and broke Bêlit, N'Yaga, the girl, and the Black Corsairs out of Ghomli's grasp. They sailed southwards to escape Ghomli and find gems to sell in order to assemble a fleet and annihilate him. Ghomli pursed them aboard the Stygian ship captured some time before. The girl, christened "Tekeli-Li" because she kept repeating it while attempting suicide rather than go home, learned their language and resigned, helping them in their course. Bêlit's jealousy towards her was eased by Conan. After days of sailing, they finally reached the Frozen Land, where they hid. For days, they walked towards Leng, and finally reached the Mountains of Madness. Despite "Tekeli-Li"'s terrified protest, Bêlit insisted to enter the Mountain, where the group was soon surrounded by a party of snow-skinned warriors. Bêlit wanted to battle but Conan had them surrender, in order to be able to find the gems.

Taken prisoners, they witnessed carvings of the life and fall of the Old Ones. "Tekeli-Li" was revealed to be named Ta-No, daughter of the Snow Queen, who ordered them to be executed, though Ta-No had Conan spared, wishing him to be her mate. Free, Conan returned to save his companions, just as Ghomli and his warriors attacked the place, killing the queen. Fleeing the scene, they witnessed more carvings, and even found the frozen corpse Old One and piles of gems. Ghomli's warriors rejoined them in a short-lived fight, as a Shoggoth arrived. Conan caused a cave-in to stop it, and both parties exited the mountain. Ta-No rushed at Ghomli to avenge her mother, and fell, soon joined by her murderer, thrown down by Conan.

Bêlit felt sorry for Ta-No and her own actions of late. Before heading back to re-supply, Bêlit decided to sail towards the Zarkheba to finally investigate the towers of her dreams.

Death

...

Aftermaths and legacy

...

Paraphernalia

Transportation

She traveled on the Tigress.

Bêlit (or Valeria?)

Notes

• Bêlit first appeared in Robert E. Howard's Conan novelette "Queen of the Black Coast", first published in Weird Tales 23 5 (May 1934).
• Though her first full appearance occurs in "Queen of the Black Coast!" (Conan the Barbarian #58; January, 1976), Bêlit was mentioned, and allegedly first appeared in Giant-Size Conan #1 (September, 1974). Although the woman is indeed accompanied with what seems to be black pirates (who would fit Bêlit's Black Corsairs), the depiction of the woman fits more with Valeria of the Red Brotherhood's appearance (blonde hair, cloths).

See Also

• 48 appearance(s) of Bêlit (Earth-616)
• 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Bêlit (Earth-616)
• 10 minor appearance(s) of Bêlit (Earth-616)
• 37 mention(s) of Bêlit (Earth-616)
• 31 image(s) of Bêlit (Earth-616)
• 2 quotation(s) by or about Bêlit (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Bêlit on Wikipedia.org
• Bêlit at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe