Cernunnos (Earth-616)

Cernunnos
Name	Cernunnos
Aliases	God of the Hunt, Antler-Horned Cernunnos, Kernunnos
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Tuatha de Danaan
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Hair	Brown
Unusual Features	Often appears with a stag's head
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Tuatha de Danaan
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Personal Information
Citizenship	Tír na nÓg
Occupation	God of animals, the hunt, harvest, and fertility
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Geof Isherwood
First	King Conan #2 (March, 1980) (Mentioned) Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual #3 (April, 1993) (First appearance)
First	King Conan #2 (March, 1980) (Mentioned) Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual #3 (April, 1993) (First appearance)

Cernunnos was a revered Celtic god and a prominent member of the Tuatha de Danaan, worshipped as the deity of the hunt, harvest, fertility, and animals. Often depicted as a stag-headed man, he possessed the ability to shapeshift and communicate with all animal species.

History

Origins

God of the hunt

Cernunnos was a Celtic god and a prominent member of the Tuatha de Danaan. Presumably born in Tír na nÓg, the Otherworld, he was revered as the god of the hunt, harvest, fertility, and animals. Among the Tuatha de Danaan, Cernunnos was one of the most widely worshipped deities. He typically manifested as a stag-headed man and possessed the ability to shapeshift into various animal forms. Additionally, he could communicate with all animal species, both wild and domesticated.

Hyborian Age

Cernunnos's worship dates back to at least 10,000 BC, during the Hyborian Age. During this period, he was invoked by Diviatix, the chief druid of Pictland.

The Druidic Pact

Guiding his followers through the hunt

In the 1st century AD, Celtic druids Taliesin and Moiragh were mortally wounded during a Roman attack on their village. As they lay dying, they offered themselves as sacrifices to three powerful Celtic gods: Morrigan, Taranis, and Cernunnos. They prayed for a warrior to rise and exact vengeance upon evil. In response, the three gods imbued Moiragh's wooden staff, later known as the "Oak Staff of the Druids," with mystical power. This act bound the gods to empower a future champion of justice.

Herne's Patron

Fulfilling an ancient oath

By the 5th century AD, the Tuatha de Danaan had interacted with the Celts of the British Isles and France for centuries, mentoring many of the Walkers. During this time, Cernunnos may have served as a patron, relative, or mentor to Herne the Hunter, a similarly antler-headed Proud Walker.

Modern Age

In modern times, Morgan Le Fay summoned corrupted versions of Morrigan, Cernunnos, and Taranis from the Netherworld to attack Arizona. Doctor Strange identified these entities as ancient demons and Fomorians, ultimately banishing them back to the Dark Realm.

Cernunnos's Champion

Cernunnos trapped by Doctor Strange

The true Cernunnos, alongside Morrigan and Taranis, later chose Kyllian Boddicker, an American mob enforcer, as their instrument of justice. The three gods simultaneously possessed Boddicker, granting him mystical tattoos and magical abilities. Cernunnos claimed that the gods were fulfilling an ancient oath. However, their possession pushed Boddicker to the brink of insanity, leading to a confrontation with Doctor Strange, who sought to sever their influence. Realizing the futility of resisting the gods, Boddicker ultimately agreed to serve as their champion—but only under the condition that they respect his free will and intervene only when summoned. With their pact sealed, Boddicker, now known as Wildpride, took up the Oak Staff of the Druids and embraced his role as the gods' chosen warrior.

Cernunnos's Realm

The Emerald Warlock, a powerful Greek mage, sought vengeance in the modern era after being denied entry to Ireland by four mages of the Tuatha de Danaan in 600 BC. His actions eventually led him into conflict with the Scarlet Witch. Their confrontation took place on the Witches' Road, a mystical pathway connecting realms of magical power. Initially, the battle unfolded in the realm of Cernunnos, a domain deeply tied to male magic, but the Scarlet Witch cleverly lured the Warlock into the realm of Cerridwen, Nicneven, and Oya—the Mother Goddesses. This realm was known to amplify female magic while diminishing male power. Recognizing his disadvantage, the Emerald Warlock retreated, declaring the Scarlet Witch his archenemy.

Attributes

Powers

Superhuman Strength: Cernunnos, like all Celtic gods, possesses superhuman strength. However, the Celtic gods are physically weaker than some other god pantheons on average, such as the Olympians and Asgardians. Cernunnos' strength is about average for a male member of his race and can lift about 25 tons.

Superhuman Speed: Cernunnos can run and move at speeds that are beyond the physical capabilities of the finest human athlete.

Superhuman Stamina: Cernunnos' advanced musculature produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of a human.

Superhuman Durability: Cernunnos' body is much tougher and more resistant to physical injury than the body of a human being.

Superhumanly Dense Tissue: Cernunnos' skin, muscle, and bone tissues have about 3 times the density as the same tissue in the body of a human being.

Superhuman Agility: Cernunnos' agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.

Superhuman Reflexes: Cernunnos' reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.

Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite his body's great resistance to injury, it is possible for Cernunnos to be hurt like any other member of his race. Like all other Celtic gods, Cernunnos' accelerated metabolism and the mystical energies of his godly life force enable him to rapidly heal damaged bodily tissues much faster and more extensively than a human is capable of. He can't, however, regenerate missing limbs or organs, at least not without the aid of powerful and outside mystical forces.

Immortality: Cernunnos and its race do not age after reaching adulthood. Your body is immune, however, to all known terrestrial diseases and infections.

Energy Manipulation: Like most other Celtic gods and goddess deities of prominence, Cernunnos is able to control magical forces to a considerable degree on a scale.

Shapeshifting: Cernunnos can shapeshift into numerous animal forms.

Animal Communication: Cernunnos can communicate with all animals.

Trivia

• Cernunnos, though the most well-known Celtic Deity, isn't a member of the Tuatha de Danaan in actual Mythology, as he was a Gallic/Gaulish Deity, not an Irish one
  • It is also unknown exactly what he was the Deity of, many guess the wild, but others have assumed that he was a wealth deity, a god of hunting, or even ruler of the Celtic afterlife. What is known is that he was a highly important, widely worshiped and very respected deity among his followers

See Also

• 3 appearance(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 2 minor appearance(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 2 invocation(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)
• 8 image(s) of Cernunnos (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Cernunnos on Wikipedia.org
• Cernunnos at the Guide to the Mythological Universe
• Cernunnos at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe