Real
Name: Catavolcus
CATAVOLCUS
Real
Name: Catavolcus
Identity/Class: Extra-dimensional (Earth-Who) sorcerer and mutant.
Occupation: (former) king and despot, dabbler in the
black arts
would-be world conqueror, interplanetary pillager
Affiliations: servant of Melanicus, leader of the Neutron Knights
Enemies: Arthur and the defenders of the Dragon. the Doctor, Merlin
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: the Wolf
Base of Operations: (formerly) third century Earth; (later) across time and space; (finally) Earth, the far future
First Appearance: Doctor Who Monthly#60 (January 1982)
Powers/Abilities: Minor league sorcerer, able to summon beings from other dimensions. Able to traverse time (means unknown). Strong (level unspecified, not necessarily superhuman), armed with a powerful sword of fire capable of cutting through solid steel in seconds.
History: (DWM#66, fb) - Catavolcus was a third century despot on the planet Earth. A dabbler in the black arts, his dreams were invaded by the demon Melanicus, who had become trapped in another dimension. At the demon's bidding, Catavolcus performed a ceremony which gave Melanicus entry to Earth's dimension, mistakenly believing he was conjuring forth a god. Melanicus granted his new ally great power, divulging the secrets of the atom to him, and giving him the ability to travel through time.
(DWM#173) - While travelling through time, Catavolcus and Melanicus briefly ended up on Maruthea, a space station at the centre of the space-time vortex. There they were involved in a large bar room brawl.
(DWM#66, fb) - The two plotted to conquer the Earth, but the wizard Merlin intervened, banishing Melanicus back to his prison. Catavolcus escaped, and set about roaming time and space without his mentor, pillaging planets for their power.
(DWM#60) - In the far future, Catavolcus led an army of Neutron Knights to Earth, where he set about devastating his homeworld, searching for the Dragon, a gigantic nuclear fission device whose power would make him invincible. Earth's last defenders gathered together under the command of a man called Arthur, who in turn was advised by Merlin the wizard. They gathered together in a castle to defend the Dragon, as the forces of the enemy laid siege. As Catavolcus breached the gates, Merlin mentally summoned the Doctor's TARDIS, giving the defenders an escape route. He then armed the Dragon, beginning an unstoppable countdown. Catavolcus burst into the chamber containing the TARDIS just as the Doctor was entering the ship; only one defender was still outside, and he ordered the Doctor to depart while he strived to hold the villain at bay. His life only bought seconds, but ensured that as Catavolcus swung his weapon at the TARDIS, it dematerialised. A split-second later the Dragon exploded in a nuclear fireball as hot as the sun, and Catavolcus, caught at ground zero, presumably perished.
Comments: Created by Steve Parkhouse and Dave Gibbons.
Catavolcus is described in his first appearance as being "the great mutant". Whether this means he was one of the earliest mutants on his Earth (which might explain how he became a king, and why, out of all the minds on Earth, Melanicus made contact with him), or whether Melanicus altered him when he granted him "the secrets of the atom", is unknown.
Historically speaking, there was a Germanic chief called Catavolcus who fought the Romans during the first century A.D., though I think it's safe to assume this isn't meant to be the same man (not if he hails from the third century).
Catavolcus presence at the party in the bar on Maruthea must have happened before Merlin banished Melanicus, as both are the despot and his master are seen to be present. In fact Maruthea might be the place where the two first met in physical form, rather than just communicating through telepathy and magic.
Catavolcus turned up again in DWM#250, but only as one of many old enemies of the Doctor seen in a VR illusion.
CLARIFICATIONS: The Neutron Knights should not be confused with
The Dragon should not be confused with
The Neutron Knights were soldiers in Catavolcus' army of conquest. "They came from the deeps...sailing the solar winds while planet Earth was sleeping", which suggests they were not all humans. Heavily armoured, and armed with flame swords like their master, they laid waste to the planet, and then besieged the last castle that stood defending their ultimate goal - the nuclear fission device known as the Dragon. They were unable to breach the castle defences, but their lord managed to do so, and they followed him in. Which means that most, if not all of them, perished in the nuclear fireball Merlin had arranged to greet them. Appearances: DWM#60 |
The Dragon was a gigantic nuclear fission device coveted by Catavolcus and defended by Arthur, Merlin, and their men. When it looked inevitable that the Neutron Knights would defeat the defenders, Merlin summoned the Doctor to give his allies an escape route, and armed the device. It exploded while Catavolcus was only a short distance away, destroying the entire castle, and those who had sought it's power. Appearances: DWM#60 |
by Loki
First Posted: 03/11/2003
Last updated: 10/03/2003
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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