Bori (Earth-616)

Bori
Name	Bori
Aliases	Editorial Names: Grim Grey God Other Aliases: "The Grey Man", Grey God, Grim Grey God Borri, (typo, see notes) Father Borri
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Leader of the Choosers of the Slain; former great chief among the Hybori
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Hair	Grey
Unusual Features	Monstrous stature
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human ascended as deity
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Personal Information
Identity	No Dual
Citizenship	Hyborian
Occupation	War-god, god of battle, formerly chief
Base of Operations	Hyperborea
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, Barry Smith
First	Conan the Barbarian #3 (February, 1971)
First	Conan the Barbarian #3 (February, 1971)

History

Origin

Bori was a great chief that led the tribe of the Hybori (or Hyborians) into the Far North, where they displaced the indigenous white apes from the region, and prospered.

A legend, Bori was raised to the status of deity, worshiped by the Hybori after the Lesser Cataclysm.

Hyborian Age

He became the war-god of the Hyperboreans, who sacrificed to him the souls of those slain in battle.

He was also worshiped by Vanirmen, and formerly by the Gundermen, who adopted Mitra in his place at the time they joined Aquilonia (that being their greatest concession).

Age of Conan

King Tomar of Hyperborea allegedly sent more warriors to Borri than man could count.

Bori met with Conan in Brythunia, gazed upon the passing of the Choosers of the Slain and prophesized to Conan the reaping of kings.

He later observed from the sky as Kings Tomar and Brian dueling and slaying each other simultaneously, then summoned rain and sent the Choosers of the Slain, for the last time, as even Gods must die when their worshippers are all dead. Afterwards, in the aftermath of the battle of Ravenfield, Borri turned his back upon mankind as few of his worshippers were left alive from the fighting. He then retreated into his frozen realm with the Choosers of the Slain, apart from Skalla who had tasted life in taking it, and wanted it for herself. As she met Conan, Hylda came to force Skalla to follow Borri's departure, because as she would have killed Conan and many others by draining their lives.

Attributes

Powers

Borri was seemingly able to summon rain.

Paraphernalia

Weapons

Gleaming sword.

Notes

• This character was created by Robert E. Howard in his essay "The Hyborian Age" (an unpublished fragment written in the 1930s).
  • Roy Thomas and Barry Smith adapted Howard's non-Conan historical fiction tale "The Grey God Passes" in a Conan story by in "The Twilight of the Grim Grey God!" (Conan the Barbarian #3; February, 1971), in which Odin was replaced by Bori.
  • Though spelled "Borri" in Conan the Barbarian #3, Roy Thomas confirming the correct spelling was "Bori", fitting with Howard's character.
  • Bori was named after the god Borr/Burr from Scandinavian mythology, the father of Odin and grandfather of Thor. Whether the Marvel Comics' version of Bori is related to the Asgardians has never been clarified.
  • The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe has speculated that Bori is an alias used by either Bor Burison or Buri.

See Also

• 2 appearance(s) of Bori (Earth-616)
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Bori (Earth-616)
• 6 mention(s) of Bori (Earth-616)
• 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Bori (Earth-616)
• 5 invocation(s) of Bori (Earth-616)
• 3 image(s) of Bori (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Bori at the Appendix of the Handbook of the Marvel Universe