HUNAB-KU

Real Name: Hunab-Ku

Identity/Class: MAyan god

Occupation: King of the Mayan Gods, god of sky and the sun

Affiliations: Ahau (Mayan Gods), The Council of God Kings

Enemies: Akhenaton

Known Relatives: Gaea (wife, alias Coatlique);
     Itzamna Kauil, Ahpuch (great-grandsons),

    Ouranus, Atum-Ra, Tecumotzin, Gitche Manitou, Purusha, Nuadhu , Panku, Rod, Papa, Buluku ("brothers")

Aliases: Citlatonac (Quiche), Kinebahan (Olmec)

Base of Operations: The Upperworld

First Appearance: Marvel Universe: The End#2 (May, 2003)

Powers/Abilities: Hunab-Ku possesses greater powers than any other Mexican God. He has superhuman strength (Class 100 perhaps), resistance to injury, a long-life enchantment and the ability to tap into and manipulate cosmic energy on a level close to Odin or Zeus. According to his worshippers, he was described as invisible, impalpable, incorporeal and omniscient.

History: (Mexican Myth) - Hunab-Ku is the ancestor of the Mayan Pantheons. His son, Itzamna, replaced him as the head of the pantheon on Earth and his son, Hunhu-Ahpu, ruled over Xibalba, the underground realm of the gods in whose depths, Mitnal, existed. The three of them shared heaven, earth and the underworld equally until Texcatlipoca, patron god of the Aztec tribes on Earth, lead the Aztec Gods in overthrowing the waning power of the Mayan Gods. Many of the Mayan Gods had roles in both pantheons as the Mayans lived in the shadow of the Aztec Empire.

(Marvel Universe: The End#2) - The Council of Godheads met to discuss the actions of Akhenaten against humanity. Amongst them were Atar, Horus, Hunab-Ku, Izanagi, Ndriananahary (Buluku), Shou-Hsing, Thor, Vishnu, and Zeus. They also discussed summoning Those of the Forgotten Realm. Horus, who was most familiar with Akhenaten, used the Eye of Ra to spy on the powerful being, but Akhenaten detected them and attacked, destroying all present, except Thor and Zeus, who managed to flee.

(Marvel Universe: The End#4 (BTS)) - Thanos gained the virtually unlimited power of the Heart of the Infinite and altered time so that Akhenaten never gained his power, effectively undoing his actions and restoring those he had destroyed. However, to those who could understand or even remember what had happened, these actions were seen as the replacement of one threat with another, perhaps even worse.

(Marvel Universe: The End#5-6)- The Godheads joined together with a multitude of heroes and villains from Earth and the rest of the universe to oppose Thanos, who had gained supreme power from the Heart of the Infinite. Thanos easily wiped out every single being in the universe, but later was convinced by Adam Warlock to sacrifice himself to restore the universe to its previous state.

(Chaos War#3) - Chaos King duped Hercules into identifying the location of the Council's throneroom, allowing the Chaos King to lead his hordes there to attack. The Godheads swiftly fell before the assault.

Comments: Adapted by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom.

There is actually no name in Mexican myth that covers the divided Aztec and Mayan Gods as a whole (as Asgardians does for the Viking and German Gods and Olympian for the Greek and Roman Gods). The closest possible term would be Coatli which actually translates as "dragons."

There are no actual stories behind Hunab-ku except for descriptions of his power, nature and importance. His history here is largely summarized given the facts that the Aztec and Mayan share common gods and origins and that the later Aztec Gods usurped the region as did the Olympians did to the Titans. After several hundred years, some modern Maya still repeat the same rituals handed down by their ancestors.

    A piece of info I found on the net (and can't remember where, sorry) said that Hunab-Ku rebuilt the world after three deluges, which poured from the mouth of a sky serpent. The first world he created was inhabited by dwarfs, the builders of the cities. The second world was inhabited by the Dzolob, 'the offenders', an obscure race. The third and final world Hunab Ku created for the Maya themselves (who are destined to be overcome by a fourth flood);
    Also, perhaps these "father gods" (listed as "brothers" under relatives) are actually the same being, a manifestation of the Demiurge, or perhaps just its direction offspring/fragments.
    --Snood.

by Will U

CLARIFICATIONS:
Hunab-Ku should not be confused with:

• Dr. Hu, one of Deathlok's creators, @ Marvel Comics Presents#62
• Ku, Polynesian god of war, @ X-Force#81 (mentioned)
• Ku-Var, self-proclaimed emperor of Atlantis, @ Kull III#1
• Kushad, sorcerer, @ Savage Sword of Conan#202
• Kurudred the Blood-Drinker, @ Marvel Graphic Novel#22
• Kurrgo, Master of Planet X, @ Fantastic Four I#7
• Nurse Kuyper of the Freedom Science Institute, @ Marvel Comics Presents#2