ERESHKIGAL

Real Name: Ereshkigal

Identity/Class: Sub-species of humanity (Deviant), utilized extra-dimensional energy source

Occupation: Would-be world/universe/multiverse conqueror;
    former explorer of dimensions, former employee of Vaughn Security Systems

Group Membership: Delta Network/Force (Blackwulf/Lucian, Dragona, Enigmo, Karkas, Kro, Metabo, Ransak the Reject, el Toro Rojo, Tzabaoth), Deviants of Earth

Affiliations: Ghaur;
    former agent of Brother Tode, former ally of Lord Chaos and the Congress of Realities;
    posed as friend to Kayla Ballantine;
    used Quasar as a pawn;
    encountered the Dance

Enemies: Ajak, Celestials, Chief Examiner, Warlord Kro, Living Tribunal, Man-Thing (Ted Sallis), Master Order, Quagmire (Jerome Myers of Earth-712), Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd), Starblasters/Black Fleet, Thor (Thor Odinson)

Known Relatives: Dragona (sister)

Aliases: Hecate, "Queen of Darkness," Lisa, Holly Debra "H. D." Steckley, "Explorer of Dimensions," "Seeker of Truth," "Master of the Multiverse"

Base of Operations: Formerly the Interzone of the Nexus of Realities; Four Freedoms Plaza; City of the Space Gods, Andes Mountains; Deviant Lemuria

First Appearance: (behind the scenes) Thor I#283 (BTS; May, 1979),
    (fully seen) Thor I#284 (June, 1979)

Powers/Abilities: Ereshkigal formerly could alter her shape to assume a number of human forms. In her natural form, she possesses bat-like wings which enabled her to fly. She may have some degree of superhuman strength and/or durability, and likely has an extended lifespan.

She has access to the advanced technology of the Deviants and used a number of energy weapons. One of her guns could encase its target in ice. She used a Dimensional Harness to navigate among the dimensions.

After obtaining the Star Brand, she had virtually limitless power on a cosmic scale. This power was so great that she could challenge the Living Tribunal, one of the most (if not actually THE most) powerful beings known in existence. She may not have been able to defeat him but the energy released would have devastated the Multiverse.

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 157 lbs.
Eyes: Red
Hair: Black

History: (All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z I#4 - Ereshkigal entry - BTS) - Ereshkigal is a Deviant, part of an offshoot of humanity created by the Celestials. She claimed to be many millennia old and to have much experience manipulating others. She assumed many forms over the centuries, usually appearing as the Mesopotamian death goddess Ereshkigel. She also posed as the goddess Hecate.

(Quasar I#50 (fb) - BTS) - Ereshkigal became an explorer of dimensions like her parents. These journeys made her aware of the existence of the Living Tribunal. She realized that she and everyone else was a slave to the system: the Multiverse as it is. She felt that the rules governing everything inhibited herself and others from reaching their true potential.

(Thor I#283-284) - After the Celestials destroyed the undersea city of the Deviants, their leader, Brother Tode, sent Ereshkigal to the City of the Space Gods to find out what the Celestials were up to. To this end, she took the form of a human woman she called "Lisa" and was part of a flight chartered to fly over the Andes Mountains. The plane was snatched from the air by the Celestial Gammenon the Gatherer and brought into the otherwise hidden city. Also aboard that plane was Don Blake, who was called upon by Ajak to help Dr. David Damian, who had feigned illness to gain an outsider's ear to pass word on to his daughter that he was alright (too much Eternals history to explain here). "Lisa", along with another passenger, pretended to be indignant at being left behind and followed Ajak and Blake into the depths of the city. The other passenger revealed himself to be a SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division) agent and Lisa revealed herself as Ereshkigal. She tried to stop Thor from leaving by covering him in ice but he broke free and she was knocked out by the ensuing shrapnel. Thor left her in the city for Ajak to deal with.

(Quasar I#30, [32], 35-48) - Ereshkigal joined the Delta Network and assumed the form of H.D. Steckley, an identity previously used by Moondragon as an employee of Vaughn Security Systems. She pretended that she was actually part of the company the whole time and that there never was another. Because the head of the company, Quasar, was always zipping away on other missions, she managed to get away with it and became an accepted part of the company. Her initial plan was to somehow steal Quasar's Quantum Bands but after she detected the power of the Star Brand (from the "New Universe"), she set her sights on it instead. She detected the power of the Star Brand within Kayla Ballantine and made efforts to befriend her to steal the power for herself when opportunity arose. She convinced Kayla to become her apartment roommate.

The Chief Examiner sought the Star Brand power as well to defend the planet Scadam from the Black Fleet that was decimating it. He sent his agent, Earth-712's Quagmire, to abduct Kayla and "H.D." managed to go as well. This brought them to the planet Scadam, where they were nearly killed until Kayla tapped into the Star Brand power to destroy the fleet. H.D. pushed Kayla to use the power to fly them back to Earth and with some assistance from the enigmatic group known as the Dance, they made it back.

(Quasar I#49-50) - The power within Kayla drew the attention of Kismet/Her, who wished to examine it. Kayla was fed up with being examined and fought Kismet, badly injuring her. Kayla was distraught and wished she didn't have the power. H.D. said she'd take it so Kayla passed it on to her. H.D. then revealed herself as Ereshkigal.

She traveled to Earth's Nexus of Realities in Citrusville, Florida to begin her plans to takeover the Multiverse. She was assaulted by the Nexus's protector, the Man-Thing, but she easily blew him to pieces. She then used the Nexus to access the Nexus Interzone, the crossroads of all realities, and sent a pulse of energy into the infinite number of portals as a proclamation that she had come and wished an audience. This drew the attention of the Congress of Realities, who wished to know her purpose, since her power was from an outside multiverse. She challenged the status quo that the Congress endured and offered them the chance for real power. By joining with her, they could destroy the central authority of the "overseers of the multiverse" and gain the freedom to make their realities in their own, independent fashion. Several joined her and the others she destroyed with a single burst of energy.

Ereshkigal then brought her allies in the Congress to the Cosmic Axis, where they aligned themselves and began to release their nexus energies. This drew the attention of the Living Tribunal, the final overseer of the Multiverse, as well as Lord Chaos and Master Order. She challenged them to surrender their rule to her or risk destruction of the Multiverse in the ensuing battle. She used her power to magnify the substance of Lord Chaos, simultaneously shrinking Master Order. Realizing the threat she posed and the problems a struggle could cause, the Living Tribunal agreed to a tournament where they each chose a champion to represent them. If Ereshkigal's champion would win, the Living Tribunal would see her unopposed in her plan of Multiversal modification. If the Tribunal's champion would win, Ereshkigal would surrender her power to the Tribunal.

Kayla Ballantine told Quasar what had happened and he followed Ereshkigal's trail to the Interzone. The Silver Surfer, meanwhile, sensed the shifting of the Cosmic Axis and made his way to the Interzone as well. These two were chosen as the champions of Ereshkigal and the Living Tribunal and told that they fought for the Multiverse but not told who represented whom. The two heroes fought, each believing himself to be fighting for the Multiverse, and the other to be the champion of Ereshkigal. However, Quasar observed that each time he gained ground, Lord Chaos would swell in power and Master Order would shrink, and the opposite would occur when the Silver Surfer had him on the ropes. Realizing that he himself was Ereshkigal's champion, Quasar threw the fight and allowed the Silver Surfer to defeat him. Understanding her defeat, Ereshkigal chose to annihilate herself rather than surrender the Star Brand to the Tribunal. The Tribunal removed the Star Brand from her remains.

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ereshkigal revived, claiming she possessed "a certain talent for survival."

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Ereshkigal discovered she could no longer shapeshift, her body being galvanized from contact with the Star Brand.

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#1) - After learning the male Deviants of Lemuria had become sterile, Ereshkigal journeyed to the ruins of Asgard near Broxton, Oklahoma in the hopes of locating the Golden Apples of Idunn to aid her people. Thor found her in the ruins and was surprised to see she was alive. Ereshkigal explained the Deviants' predicament but when Thor insisted the apples were not in the ruins and would not help her people, she resolved to find something else to help her. Venturing into the vaults, Ereshkigal set off a security enchantment which caused a flaming head to manifest. While Thor fought the flaming head, Ereshkigal found the Unbinding Stone of Oshemar in the vault. Thor tried to warn her about the artifact's dangerous powers but this only served to convince Ereshkigal it was what she wanted.

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#3) - Returning to Lemuria, Ereshkigal claimed an audience with priestlord Ghaur. Ghaur wondered if the Mesopotamian goddess Ereshkigel had yet learned that the Deviant Ereshkigal had assumed her identity. Ereshkigal retorted "I wouldn't care if she did. I've done far more to burnish the name Ereshkigal than she ever has." Ereshkigal boasted to Ghaur of her time wielding the Star Brand but Ghaur retorted that he too once possessed the power of the Celestials. As the audience grew restless with their bickering, Ereshkigal finally presented the Unbinding Stone. Ghaur had no idea what the Unbinding Stone was and asked how it would help them. Ereshkigal admitted she didn't know how it would help, which did not impress Ghaur. Just then, Warlord Kro entered with one of the Eternals' Resurrection Chambers and Phastos as his prisoner to force his aid against the sterility malady. This convinced the Deviants watching that Kro had the means to save them and they began throwing garbage at Ereshkigal. Ereshkigal fled but Ghaur told Kro to bring her and the Unbinding Stone back. Heading to a remote place, Ereshkigal examined the runes on the Unbinding Stone, frustrated that she had lost the abilities the Star Brand had given her, as they would have enabled her to decipher the runes.

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#4) - As Ereshkigal continued to investigate the object, Warlord Kro arrived and offered to help her activate the Unbinding Stone. From his examination, Kro determined the device was activated by the wielder's thoughts.

(Thor: The Deviants Saga I#5) - Unfortunately, Kro successfully activated the Unbinding Stone and it started to tear apart the fabric of reality around it. Ereshkigal was powerless to stop it but Thor finally halted the device.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Chic Stone.

    Surely Ereshkigal would come back to snag another power source sometime (and don't call me Shirley).

    When you re-read the stories, you definitely get the feeling that H.D. Steckley was always scheming and you feel like she was almost forced to reveal herself in a few situations.

    You should read the Quasar series to learn the lingo. The Earth dimension is an Universe. The divergent Earths and other associated dimensions make up a Multiverse. Other dimensions, such as the one known as the New Universe, which are far different than just divergent timelines, are from separate multiverses. The multiverses together are part of the greater Omniverse.

    ...As always, no one stays dead in the Marvel Universe...unless, of course, no one cares about them. Too bad, she's one of my favorites. Robert Rodi was apparently listening!--Prime Eternal

    The name H. D. Steckley was taken from an identity previously used by Moondragon (Heather Douglas).

    Original improved main image by MarvellousLuke (until it was replaced by the digitally colored version of that image from her modern day OHotMU entry).

    For further descriptions of ANYTHING Eternal, check out Encyclopaedia Olympianna. It's got it all.

Profile by Snood (with updates by Prime Eternal).

CLARIFICATIONS:
Ereshkigal, the Deviant (aka Hecate and H.D. Steckley) should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z TPB Vol. 4, Ereshkigal entry, main image (main)
Thor I#284, p13, pan3 (headshot)
Thor I#284, p6, pan1 (as Lisa)
Quasar I#30, p5, pan1 (as H.D. Steckley)

Other appearances:
Thor I#284 (June, 1979) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Quasar I#30 (January, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Joel Zulueta, Pat Broderick & Co. (pencils), Fred Fredricks (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#35-38 (June-September, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#39 (October, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Steve Lightle (pencils), Harry Candelario & Mark McKenna (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#40-50 (November, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Steve Lightle & Andy Smith (pencils), Mark McKenna & Ralph Cabrera (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#41-44 (December, 1992 - March, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Andy Smith (pencils), Ralph Cabrera (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Quasar I#45 (April, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Grant Miehm (pencils), David & Dan Day (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Quasar I#46-48 (May-July, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Andy Smith (pencils), Ralph Cabrera (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Quasar I#49 (August, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Grant Miehm (pencils), Ralph Cabrera (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Quasar I#50 (September, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Andy Smith (pencils), Ralph Cabrera (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Thor: The Deviants Saga I#1 (January, 2012) - Robert Rodi (writer), Stephen Segovia (pencils), Jason Paz (inks), Jeffrey Huet (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor: The Deviants Saga I#3 (March, 2012) - Robert Rodi (writer), Stephen Segovia (pencils), Jason Paz (inks), Jeffrey Huet (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor: The Deviants Saga I#4-5 (April-May, 2012) - Robert Rodi (writer), Stephen Segovia (art), Ralph Macchio (editor)

First posted: 10/18/2001
Last updated: 01/20/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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