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
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 (step-father) 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 (November, 2005) (Drawing) Thor: Blood Oath #4 (January, 2006) (First full appearance)
First	Druid #2 (April, 1995) (Mentioned) Thor: Blood Oath #1 (November, 2005) (Drawing) Thor: Blood Oath #4 (January, 2006) (First full appearance)

History

Origin and youth

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

During his youth, he lived at Emain Macha (modern-day Armagh, Northern Ireland), where his uncle reigned as king, with Súaltam as step-father. He trained in combat with the Craeb Ruad knights of Emain Macha, and by Scathach, the warrior goddess. He was also tutored by mortal nobles and poets.

At age seven, he killed the hound of the royal smith, Culann, and offered himself as guard in the hound's place until a new one could be trained. That earned him the name Cúchulain ("the Hound of Culann").

Adulthood

An adult, he became Ulster's guardian and champion, and was notorious for succumbing to the "riastrad", superhuman bouts of battle frenzy. As a great power in Celtic tradition, Cuchulain was under a sacred geis, a taboo. Cuchulain's geis, as the Hound, was to eat of his namesake. At some point, he married Emer.

Queen Medb of Connacht and Prince Lugaid of Munster, both from rival kingdoms, conspired against him, leading him to his death: Cuchulain saw the Washer-woman at the Ford, an apparition haunting the great powers of Ireland in those days, portent of unavoidable death. After it, he ate of a roasted dog, thus breaking his taboo and losing his powers. Within hours, Lewey, King of Munster, disemboweled him with a stroke of his spear.

Godhood

Upon his death, Cúchulain was apotheosized to godhood, and inherited his father's spear, which he called "Slaughter".

Modern Age

Chulain remained in Otherworld, with his spear.

When the Warriors Three inadvertently killed the shapeshifting Giant Holth, his father King Gnives demanded as retribution a list of items (all extremely difficult to acquire), including Slaughter.

Knowing the arrival of the Asgardians, accompanied by Thor, the Leprechaun Froud, and came in league with Chulain in order to steal Mjolnir from them.

As they arrived to Otherworld via a sidhe, a fairy mound in Ireland. There, they were welcomed by Froud who asked them to tell a story to a child that they had stolen (in fact Chulain in disguise) in exchange for the borrowing of the Spear. As the Asgardians decided to return the child and steal the Spear. Arriving back to Ireland, Chulain revealed his true form, swiftly beheaded Volstagg and mortally wounded Thor, before being defeated and forced to fled by Hogun, who intercepted Slaughter. His victims were quickly resurrected using the healing properties of an Apple of Idunn previously acquired by the group.

When Hercules assembled the Gods of War to battle the new gods of the Uprising Storm, Tiresias proposed Cú Chulainn, but Hercules considered him to blood-thirsty, before recalling he couldn't be too picky. It is unknown if he did try to contact him in the end.

Personality

He was considered "too blood-thirsty" by Hercules to work with him. He didn't show any restraint nor mercy towards 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 ("riastrad").

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)
• 6 image(s) of Sétanta (Earth-616)
• 1 item(s) used/owned by Sétanta (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Sétanta on Wikipedia.org