LUAREIANS
Classification: Extra-terrestrial race
Location/Base of Operations: The planet Luarei, "a dozen galaxies distant"
Known Members: Harkort, King Trissao(long dead)
Affiliations: Firelord (like unto a god to them)
Appearances: Warlock and the Infinity Watch#37 (February, 1995); 38, 39
Powers: The Luareians are a race of subsistence-level farmers. They possess no technology beyond metal-working. In the past they seemed to have a feudal society at about the same technology level, but now there are no kings or any kind of planetary government, only isolated communities of survivors. They have never visited Earth.
Traits: The Luareians are an entirely peaceful race. They possess a great respect for the dead.
History: (W&IW#38 (fb) ) - I'll let them tell it in their own words: "A hundred cycles ago, our land was rich, its people hale, its kings mighty and benevolent. Then came the white rain, burning away the lives of our people and our land. Warping children inside the bellies of women who survived. Leaving those offspring to us, to bury our deceased past in the tainted earth." Apparently the Luareians had a more humanoid appearance in the past, but the "white rain" mutated them, causing most of them to go bald and develop Star-Trek-Like forehead and chin wrinkles. It's pretty obvious that they themselves did not cause this "white rain", it was either a natural cosmic phenomenon, or done to them by a technologically advanced race. (Maybe the Celestials?)
(W&IW#37) - Harkort, a young Luareian, returns home late and is scolded by his mother. But he brings with him a strange-looking stick that he found in the woods next to a 'sleeping man'. His mom insists that he returns the stick to the man, and accompanies Karkort into the woods, discovering Firelord, not sleeping, but very much dead.
The body is brought before the town council, apparently the local ruling body. They argue about whether he is just a man, a king of old in the flesh, or a god from the stars. They are all humbled by his prescence, and decide they must give him an elaborate funeral, worthy of a high king of old.
(W&IW#38) - Firelord is brought to their church, where they read from their 'book of truth' and pray to Manassass, their god. Harkort sneaks away to watch this at the window, still carrying Firelord's staff.
They decide that they must make a funeral pyre for Firelord, and set him alight. They take his staff away from Harkort, and add it to the fire. As Firelord burns, they pray and chant for his soul.
(W&IW#39) - In the morning, they discover that Firelord's body was untouched by the flame. Harkort finds the staff has survived too, and takes it. The Luareians decide that he must be as great as the kings of old, and decide to entomb his with the ashes of their other kings. The seal him in a stone tomb.
Harkort is playing with Firelord's staff, imagining that it once belonged to a god. That night, after Warlock releases the life-force of Firelord contained in the runes, Firelord's staff lights up in Harkort's bedroom and begins flying away to the tomb. Harkort follows it and is just in time to see the newly resurrected Firelord holding the staff, and smiling down at him. And in a nice moment, Harkort sees that his "simple, cold little universe has suddenly grown larger, more complex and just a little more benevolent." They all stare in awe as Firelord takes his leave, without saying a word. The other Luareians see the flash and come to find Harkort and the empty tomb, but he only smiles when asked what happened.
Comments: Created by John Arcudi and Pat Olliffe.
They could have made this story into an obvious Christian paralell, with Firelord rising from his stone entombment and going into the sky. They could have made this into a nuclear warning story, about how we can harm ourselves and our environment. Instead, with just a hint of both those cliches, John Arcudi crafts an original story that steals the show in the issues it's in, far more intersting than the main plot.
I really love these little guys, you get a wonderful sense of their culture and Harkort's personality in just 10 pages spread over three issues. If Marvel ever has an extra 10 pages in a reprint, this is a great stand-alone story. Yeah, like that'll happen.
Profile by: caliban
Harkort: The young Luareian who discovered the staff of
Firelord, he's very inquisitve and tends to ignore his elders. He
learns that there is more to life in the universe than just their
village.
images:
Other appearances:
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#38-39 (March-April, 1995)
Last updated: 08/02/02
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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