History
Origin and ancient years[]
Very little is known of Watoomb's origin, though, like virtually all of the Principalities, Watoomb was presumably of extradimensional origin.[4] Watoomb was once a mortal sorcerer.[5][6] Millenia before the modern era, he became an immensely powerful mage.
Instead of listening to his elders among the wizards, he allegedly listened to the wind itself, which told him many secrets about the ways of magic. Watoomb became the very first wizard on his world to summon the power of extradimensional mystic entities using Exocentric Magic.
Unsatisfied with wielding only fractions of said entities, Watoomb became one of the few (including Agamotto) to raise from mortal sorcerers to mystic Principalities,[5] mystic beings invoked for power by lesser sorcerers.[4] His most usually summoned spell, the Winds of Watoomb, was used by sorcerers of both good and evil.[5][4] He became part of the Octessence, eight powerful mystic Principalities, rivals to each other, and claiming to be the most powerful.[3]
At some point, he performed other remarkable feats:
- He conquered and claimed as his own one of the Splinter Realms: the Plane of Watoomb, a stormy dimension linked to the Boreas Dimension (home to Ikthalon}, and adjacent to the Veils of Valtorr[6] and to Balthakk.[7]
- He created the Wand of Watoomb, a magical artifact.[8] There may be six of them across the dimensions, all bearing the same name.[9] One was used during the Hyborian Age, circa 10,000 BC, by a priestess of Yog[3] (who seemingly believed its power to be drawn from Yog, through it is unclear whether or not it was indeed) then by Conan (empowered by Mitra).[10] Wands of Watoomb were also witnessed during the Modern Age in the Dark Dimension,[11] on Earth,[11][12][13] and in outer space.[14] Just like spells, relying on the Wand of Watoomb caused power to be borrowed from him.[15]
Other artifacts and talismans were associated with Watoomb:
- He was known for the Eye of Watoomb, another mystical talisman,[3] originated from the House of M reality and allegedly the remains of the Wand of Watoomb.[16]
- The Warhead of Watoomb was part of the Apostles of War's arsenal in Greece.[17]
- Some items were tied to Temples of Watoomb erected on Earth:
- The Grimoire of Watoomb was a book of power, whose source of magic was the Temple of Watoomb deep beneath the Indian Ocean.[18] The Scrolls of Watoomb were in possession of the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth as well,[2] unless they're the same.
- In the Wager of the Octessence, a contest to determine which one of the Octessence members was the most powerful, each would chose an avatar, or "Exemplar", who would find an artifact or landscape tied to said Principality. The Waterfall of Watoomb was at a temple in Australia.[3]
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Watoomb initiating the challenge over the Wand of Watoomb
Modern Age[]
As he sought an adept to pass the Wand to, Watoomb split it in half, giving them to Doctor Strange and Cyrus Black. The two apprentices battled for the possession of both halves, and Strange won.[19][3] The Wand became one of the artifacts that were passed down from a Sorcerer Supreme from Earth (or the Earth dimension) to their successor.[20]
War of the Seven Spheres[]
Before the War of the Seven Spheres was to begin, Watoomb sought to recruit Doctor Strange to fight for his cause as he was already fleeing the Vishanti after having refused to serve them in exchange for his debts to them. Doctor Strange declined again, and was attacked by Watoomb as well, though he escaped using a spell that drew him to another entity. Eventually, Watoomb, Cyttorak, Ikonn, the Seraphim, the Vishanti (Agamotto, Oshtur, and Hoggoth), the Faltine, Raggadorr, Munipoor, Satannish, Valtorr, and Denak found themselves in direct conflict over the Sorcerer Supreme. To escape them all, Strange invoked the Law of Emancipation, relinquish the ability to call upon any of the powers and principalities.[21] The conflict would last five thousand years, though waged within months by human reckoning.[3]
Wager of the Octessence[]
Later, in the Wager of the Octessence, Watoomb chose as Exemplar Tempest (Nicolette Giroux), who found the Waterfall of Watoomb at the temple in Australia.[3]
Empirikul[]
During the magic-hunting crusade of the Empirikul, their forces killed all magic in the Temple of Watoomb beneath the Indian Ocean, causing the death of the Grimoire of Watoomb.[18]Attributes
Powers
- Weather, especially wind.
- Power Bestowal: As a mystic Principality, Watoomb's name is invoked for power, both when summoning spells, especially the Winds of Watoomb,[5] and when relying on the Wand of Watoomb.[15]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Many items are associated to Watoomb, including:
- Waterfall of Watoomb, in Australia
- Wand of Watoomb
- Eye of Watoomb
- Scrolls of Watoomb
- Grimoire of Watoomb
Notes
- Though Watoomb was a mortal, his world of origin is unknown, and it is possible that he was of extradimensional origin, like virtually all of the mystic Principalities.
- Watoomb has been referred to using gender-neutral[3] or masculine pronouns.[5] His depictions have been changing as well. He has been represented as a somewhat masculine armored figure (seemingly his normal form),[3] or as alternate forms: a fully-white woman,[19] and a bearded figure.[21]
- The Octessence's profile in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #8 mentions Watoomb as being best known (among others) its eye, but the Eye of Watoomb is known to be originated from the House of M reality.
See Also
- 4 appearance(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 16 mention(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 5 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 27 invocation(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 5 image(s) of Watoomb (Earth-616)
- 1 item(s) used/owned by Watoomb (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ Doctor Strange #183
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Doctor Strange (Vol. 2) #81
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #8 ; Octessence's profile
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #3 ; Demons' profile
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #7 ; Magic - Index: A: Commonly Invoked Mystic Principalities: Watoomb's profile
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mystic Dimensions - From the Journals of Ian McNee at the Appendix: The Splinter Realms (The Dark Dimension, the Archipelago of Anguish and Redemption), Watoomb's profile
- ↑ Mystic Dimensions - From the Journals of Ian McNee at the Appendix: The Splinter Realms (The Dark Dimension, the Archipelago of Anguish and Redemption), Balthakk's profile
- ↑ Realms of Magic
- ↑ Invincible Iron Man (Vol. 3) #2
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #188 ; Endless River of Blood
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2
- ↑ Ms. Marvel (Vol. 2) #4–5
- ↑ Invincible Iron Man (Vol. 3) #1–2
- ↑ Star-Lord #2
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Doctor Strange (Vol. 5) #10
- ↑ Ms. Marvel (Vol. 2) #4
- ↑ Punisher (Vol. 13) #1
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Doctor Strange (Vol. 4) #4
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Doctor Strange (Vol. 2) #34
- ↑ New Avengers #51
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #49