Sétanta (Earth-616)

Cúchulain
Name	Sétanta
Current Alias	Cúchulain ("Hound of Culann"), also spelled Cuchulain, Cú Chulainn, or Chulain
Aliases	The Hound, the Irish Wolfhound
Affiliation and Relationships
Group Affiliation	Tuatha de Danaan Formerly Culann
Relatives	Ancestors: Balor, Iarbonel (paternal great-grandfathers) Gaea/Danu (paternal great-grandmother) Grandparents: The Dagda (paternal grandfather) Ethniu (paternal grandmother) Cathbad (maternal grandfather) Parents: Lugh (father) Deichtine (mother) Súaltam (stepfather) Spouses: Emer (wife) Other Relatives: Conchobar mac Nessa (maternal uncle) Numerous others
Marital Status	Married
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	Variable, 6′5″ (1.96 m) (lower limit), 7′ (2.13 m) (upper limit)
Weight	450 lbs (204.12 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Brown Red (when enraged)
Hair	Black
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Demigod (Celtic god/mortal hybrid), apotheosized to godhood after his death
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Mag Muirthelne (modern-day County Louth, Ireland)
Personal Information
Identity	Public
Citizenship	Otherworld's Avalon, Ulster
Occupation	Demigod warrior Formerly guard for Culann, Ulster's guardian and champion
Education	Trained extensively in combat by the Craeb Ruad knights of Emain Macha and by Scathach, the warrior goddess; Tutored by mortal nobles and poets
Base of Operations	Otherworld Formerly Emain Macha, Ulster, Ireland (modern-day Armagh, Northern Ireland)
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Warren Ellis
First	Druid #2 (April, 1995) (Mentioned) Thor: Blood Oath #1 (September, 2005) (Drawing) Thor: Blood Oath #4 (November, 2005) (First full appearance)
First	Druid #2 (April, 1995) (Mentioned) Thor: Blood Oath #1 (September, 2005) (Drawing) Thor: Blood Oath #4 (November, 2005) (First full appearance)

Cúchulain, the legendary demigod of Celtic mythology, was celebrated as Earth's greatest warrior, wielding the deadly Spear of Lugh and renowned for his ferocious battle prowess, tragic downfall, and eventual apotheosis to godhood.

History

Origins

Sétanta was a demigod born in Mag Muirthelne (modern-day County Louth, Ireland). He was the son of Lugh, the Celtic god of the sun, and Deichtine, a mortal druidess and sister of Conchobar mac Nessa, the King of Ulster.

Childhood

As a child

During his childhood, Sétanta lived at Emain Macha (modern-day Armagh, Northern Ireland), where his uncle Conchobar ruled as king. His stepfather, Súaltam, raised him, and he received extensive training in combat from the Craeb Ruad knights of Emain Macha and Scathach, the warrior goddess. Additionally, he was educated by mortal nobles and poets.

At the age of seven, Sétanta killed Culann's hound, the royal smith's guard dog. To atone for this, he offered to serve as Culann's guard until a new hound could be trained, thus earning him the name Cúchulain, meaning "the Hound of Culann."

Adulthood

Earth's greatest warrior

As an adult, Cúchulain became the guardian and champion of Ulster. He was renowned for his prowess in battle, particularly for his ability to enter the "riastrad," a superhuman state of battle frenzy. Cúchulain was celebrated as Earth's greatest warrior, wielding the Gáe Bulg, a spear forged from the bones of the sea monster Coinchenn. As a man of great power in Celtic tradition, he was bound by a sacred geis, a taboo, which forbade him from eating the flesh of his namesake, the hound.

Cúchulain married Emer, but his life was marked by conflict. Queen Medb of Connacht and Prince Lugaid of Munster, rulers of rival kingdoms, conspired against him. His downfall began when he encountered the Washer-woman at the Ford, an apparition that foretold unavoidable death for Ireland's great powers. Shortly after, Cúchulain broke his geis by eating roasted dog meat, resulting in the loss of his powers. Within hours, he was mortally wounded by Lewey, King of Munster, who disemboweled him with a spear.

Godhood

Godhood

Upon his death, Cúchulain was apotheosized to godhood. He inherited his father Lugh's spear, which he named "Slaughter," and resided in the Otherworld. As a full-fledged god, Cúchulain wielded immense power, summoning Slaughter from afar as it obeyed his every command. He rode into battle on a scythed chariot drawn by two supernatural steeds, Dub Sainglend and Liath Macha.

Modern Age

Conflict with the Asgardians

Slaying Thor

In the modern era, when the Warriors Three inadvertently killed the shapeshifting giant Holth, Holth's father, King Gnives, demanded retribution in the form of several rare items, including Cúchulain's spear, Slaughter. The Asgardians, accompanied by Thor, traveled to the Otherworld via a sidhe–a fairy mound in Ireland–to retrieve the spear. The leprechaun Froud, who had allied with Cúchulain in order to steal Mjolnir, tricked the Asgardians into telling a story to a child–actually Cúchulain in disguise–in exchange for borrowing the spear. When the Asgardians attempted to return the child and steal the spear, Cúchulain revealed his true form. He swiftly beheaded Volstagg and mortally wounded Thor before being defeated by Hogun, who intercepted Slaughter. The Asgardians later used an Apple of Idunn to resurrect their fallen comrades.

Hercules and the Gods of War

In another instance, when Hercules assembled the Gods of War to battle the new gods of the Uprising Storm, the seer Tiresias suggested recruiting Cúchulain. However, Hercules deemed him too bloodthirsty, though he acknowledged he could not afford to be overly selective. It remains unknown whether Hercules attempted to contact Cúchulain.

Personality

Hercules deemed him 'too bloodthirsty' to collaborate with, citing his lack of restraint and mercy in his brutal encounters with the Warriors Three and Thor.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

Cúchulain possess the conventional superhuman physical attributes of the Celtic gods, with some particularities:

• Superhuman Strength: Cùchulain is stronger than the average Celtic deity and can lift 40 tons.
• Superhuman Durability: Cùchulain possesses vast physical resistance to damage.
• Superhuman Agility: As a deity Cùchulain is superhumanly agile.
• Superhuman speed: Cúchulain can move at faster speed than the average Celtic god.
• Battle frenzy: His powers also increase exponentially when he succumbs to battle frenzy (otherwise known as "ríastrad").

Abilities

Trained extensively in combat by the Craeb Ruad knights of Emain Macha and by Scathach, the warrior goddess, he was allegedly Earth's greatest warrior.

It is unknown how Chulain appeared as a baby before the Asgardians, whether it was one of his power, or Froud's doing.

Weaknesses

During his battle frenzies, he becomes unable to distinguish friend from foe.

Paraphernalia

Weapons

Spear of Lugh, aka Slaughter, a powerful spear who need blood to be calmed, and who seems to answer to Chulain, who can even summon it from others' hands.

He formerly used the Gáe Bulg, a spear crafted from the bones of the sea monster Coinchenn.

Transportation

Cúchulain rides a scythed chariot, pulled by Dub Sainglend and Liath Macha, two supernatural steeds.

See Also

• 2 appearance(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 2 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 7 image(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 1 item(s) used/owned by Sétanta (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Sétanta on Wikipedia.org