| Filmation Character | |
| Merlin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| Species: | Human |
| Homeworld: | Earth |
| Universe: | Earth-One Earth-1A |
| Hair: | Black |
| Eyes: | Blue |
| Base: | King Arthur's Court (Camelot) Valley of Time |
| Affiliations: | Freedom Force |
| Abilities: | Magic |
Merlin was a wizard during the reign of King Arthur in Camelot in the 5th and 6th centuries. He possessed a demon of immense power called Etrigan,[1] which gave him many magical powers.
Background Information[]
Merlin is the half-demon son of the demon Belial and an unknown human woman. He is also half-brother of the Demons Etrigan and Lord Scapegoat.[2]
Background from The Freedom Force TV Show[]
Merlin, as depicted in The Freedom Force.
During the 5th century, Merlin meets Isis, who had time traveled from the 20th century. She had teamed up with Super Samurai, Sinbad and Hercules (who are all also apparently from different time periods). Together they became the Freedom Force, a group of time traveling superheroes, that are headquartered at the Valley of Time, which exists in an ancient time frame in Africa.[3]
Merlin eventually grew to notoriety, because he had foretold that the King of Camelot would be able to remove Excalibur from the mystical stone. It was a young man named Arthur who removed the sword from the stone, becoming the king of the British nation and who gathered the Knights of the famed Round Table. Merlin served for many years as the King's court magician.
Background from The Adventures of Superboy (1966) TV Show[]
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Merlin, as depicted in The Adventures of Superboy.
Many years later, when a time traveling Superboy arrives in the 6th century. Merlin, appearing as an old man, is jealous of Superboy's great powers. King Arthur even states that "His magic is greater than thine!" Driven by jealousy, Merlin and the Black Knight devise a plan to get revenge against Superboy. Meanwhile, King Arthur tells Superboy that if he has the strength to remove his sword from an anvil, then he will become the king. He easily removes the sword, but Merlin uses his magic to remove the sword from Superboy's hand, and gives it to the Black Knight. Superboy humiliates the Knight and easily defeats him. King Arthur then tells the Knights to seize the Black Knight, but Merlin uses his magic to teleport away.[4]
Background from The Demon Comic Book (1972-74)[]
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Merlin, as depicted in The Demon Comic Book.
A few years later, during the final days of Camelot, Merlin summoned Etrigan to battle the hordes of King Arthur's evil half sister, the sorceress Morgan le Fey, who sought everlasting life from Merlin's tome of spells, the Book of Eternity. To stop the Eternity Book from falling into the evil sorceress' hands, the wizard razed the castle himself, causing Morgaine's army to flee.[5] Merlin then housed his demon guardian inside the body and soul of the druid Iason (who would later be known as Jason Blood)[6] until needed again. Merlin decided to go into hiding for a time.[7]
After centuries of searching, Morgan le Fey managed to draw out the host to the demon who once served her greatest enemy. Sensing the danger posed by le Fey, Merlin sent an animated statue to the Blood's apartment requesting the demonologist to seek out Castle Branek so the Demon could be awakened once more.[8] He did this because Blood had no knowledge of his demonic self. Blood arrived at the castle, the secret location of Merlin’s crypt and read the rhyming incantation that revived the demon. It was not until the Iron Duke and his skilled witch, Ugly Meg, forced Merlin to show himself in person. With their defeat, Merlin returned to his plane of existence.[9]
Background from The New Adventures of Superman (1966-67) TV Show[]
Merlin, as seen through Lex Luthor's time machine.
In the 20th century, during the mid 1960s, Lex Luthor creates a time machine that he uses to communicate with Merlin in the past. He manages to get secrets from Merlin about his magic, to help him with his crimes. Luthor uses magic marbles to turn him into a child to fool Superman. Ultimately, Superman manages to capture Lex Luthor.[10]
Background from SuperFriends Comic Book (1976-81)[]
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Merlin, as depicted in SuperFriends, #20 (May, 1979).
About a decade later, Merlin shows up again. This time he is mysterious robed figure on a movie set, observing the SuperFriends and the Wonder Twins. After a small explosion, which produces a quite a lot of smoke, Merlin mistakenly believes the the director, Frownin' Fritz Frazzle is the one responsible for getting him to safety. He then grants him a reward for his supposed bravery. He gives him a magic lantern that has the power to transform objects drawn on paper it real, tangible objects. With this new power, the director wreaks havoc on Downtown Gotham, all in the name of making the greatest movie of all time. The SuperFriends eventually defeat the crazy director and Merlin mysteriously disappears.
Powers and Abilities[]
Various Magical Powers:
Items[]
Appearances/References[]
The Freedom Force (1978):
The Adventures of Superboy (1966–1969):
The New Adventures of Superman (1966-1967):
The SuperFriends Comic Book (1976-1981):
- SuperFriends, #20 (May, 1979)
Notes[]
- Merlin of Earth-Two made his first appearance in New Comics, Vol. 1 #3 (February 1936)[11]
- Merlin is supposedly the fabled character from Arthurian folklore.
References[]
- ↑ This is conjecture based on the Earth-One version of the character.
- ↑ As revealed in New Comics, #3 (February 1936)
- ↑ As established in The Freedom Force TV Show, episode: ???
- ↑ As seen in The Adventures of Superboy episode: The Black Knight (September 10, 1966).
- ↑ As revealed in The Demon, #1 (September, 1972).
- ↑ The Etrigan / Blood duality offered a one-of-a-kind spin that only Kirby could craft. While most comics stories had humans possessed by demonic entities, Kirby reversed the roles, with Etrigan, whom Merlin imprisoned within a human vessel.
- ↑ As revealed in The Demon, #0 (October, 1994).
- ↑ Merlin, however, only spoke to Etrigan telepathically, and appeared to Jason as an astral projection.
- ↑ As revealed in The Demon, #5 (January, 1973). The entire story of Etrigan above was crafted over the corse of 16 issue run in a comic entitled "The Demon", which ran from September 1972 – January 1974. Etrigan has remained a major character in the DC Universe to this day -- especially where a good rhyme or devilish deed is concerned.
- ↑ As revealed in The New Adventures of Superman (1966-1967) episode: Merlin's Magic Marbles.
- ↑ Go to the DC Database for more on New Comics, Vol. 1 #3, published in February 1936.