Zaladane

Zaladane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Zaladane is usually depicted as a sorceress and the high priestess of the sun god Garokk, the Petrified Man. She is the alleged sister of Polaris, a claim made at a time when Polaris' own parentage had not yet been confirmed.

Publication history

The character first appeared in Astonishing Tales #3 and was created by Gerry Conway and Barry Windsor-Smith.

Fictional character biography

Zaladane was the war-like high priestess and queen of the Sun People, who live in the Savage Land. She attempted to lead the Sun People in a war to conquer the peoples of the Savage Land. Her army's weapons were destroyed by Garokk, so she attempted to force Garokk to do her bidding but was attacked by him. She was defeated by Ka-Zar and seemingly destroyed.^[1] Zaladane later reappeared, and magically transformed her captive Kirk Marston into Garokk, endowing him with the original Garokk's consciousness. She aided Garokk in attempting to unite the Savage Land tribes under his leadership. She captured the X-Men and Ka-Zar, but was thwarted by the X-Men.^[2]

Years later, Zaladane became the assistant of the High Evolutionary in his project to restore the Savage Land after its near destruction by the alien Terminus. Zaladane was allied with the Savage Land Mutates (Savage Land natives who had been given superhuman powers through artificially induced mutation by Magneto), and with them plotted to conquer the Savage Land.^[3]

In her quest for power she, with the help of the Mutate Worm, enslaved many of the land's natives and abducted Polaris to steal her magnetic powers with some machinery supplied by Brainchild. It was here she claimed to Lorna that she was actually her "sister". Zaladane then led an army in an attempt to conquer the Savage Land. She captured Ka-Zar, Shanna, and various X-Men, but was defeated by them.^[4] When Lorna arrived at Muir Island after losing her magnetic powers, she was examined by Moira MacTaggert due to the sudden appearance of a new power mutation. Moira confirmed during testing that the only way Zaladane could have taken Lorna's powers away was if she was a biological sibling.^[5]

With Polaris' magnetic powers, Zaladane took over the Savage Land. She led her army and the Savage Land mutates against Magneto, Ka-Zar, Rogue, Nick Fury, and S.H.I.E.L.D. forces in the Savage Land. She sought world domination, and captured Magneto, Shanna, and Nereel, and attempted to steal Magneto's powers as well. After a series of attacks using the various tribes in that region they managed to distract Zaladane, allowing Magneto to use the machine to regain his power. Shortly afterwards, Magneto executed Zaladane, who was impaled by an object propelled by magnetic forces projected by Magneto. At the time of her death, neither Zaladane nor Magneto were aware of their potential blood relation.^[6]

Some time after Zaladane's death and the Shadow King incident, Polaris' powers were returned to her.^[7]

Powers and abilities

Zaladane is a sorceress with an extensive knowledge of sorcery, and the ability to wield and manipulate the forces of magic for an undefined variety of effects. She primarily has used these powers for mind control and limited energy projection. For a time she wielded the ability to control magnetic forces in a manner similar to Magneto, but of a more limited nature.

She claimed to be a mutate (a mutagenically altered human rather than a born mutant). However, the nature of her artificially induced mutation was never revealed. She was able to steal the powers of Polaris and Magneto for a time and it is possible that this ability to steal superhuman powers was part of her mutation (although she needed the assistance of a machine).

Zaladane was trained in the combat skills of the Sun People. She sometimes wore body armor of an unknown composition, and wielded spears, and torch-bombs (chemically-filled incendiary bombs). She had access to various scientifically advanced equipment, including skysleds (advanced air vehicles), and devices such as the transmutator, formerly belonging to the High Evolutionary and modified by Brainchild. Zaladane also rode dinosaurs, pterodactyls, and diatrymas (giant flightless birds) trained to carry riders.

In other media

Television

• Zaladane appeared in the two-part X-Men episode "Savage Land, Strange Heart". She worked with Garokk in a plot to free him.

References

External links

• MarvelDatabase:Zaladane
• MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Zaladane
• UncannyXmen.net Character Profile on Zaladane
• Zaladane at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe