LORD MANDRAGON

Real Name: Mandragon

Identity/Class: Extradimensional human.

Occupation: Omniversal Emperor, (former) Trial Judge

Group Membership: Ruler of the Dimensional Development Court

Affiliations: Dimensional Development Court

Enemies: Captain Britain, Saturnyne, the Special Executive.  

Known Relatives: None 

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Dimensional Development Court 

First Appearance: The Daredevils#6 (June, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Lord Mandragon has access to extremely advanced technology, including equipment that can destroy entire universes at the flick of a switch. 

History: (The Daredevils#6) - Captain Britain had been kidnapped by the Special Executive and brought to the Supreme Omniversal Tribune where his former ally Saturnyne was on trial. He was to act as a witness in her defense, as she stood accused of incompetence in the Earth-238 disaster (see Mad Jim Jaspers of Earth-238) Lord Mandragon, her successor to the Imperial Throne, was acting as the Judge of the trial. He began the trial by calling for the destruction of the Earth-238 continuum in order to stop the chaos blighting it from spreading to other universes.  The defense council objected to this, as this removed the only source of material evidence they had for Saturnyne's innocence, and Captain Britain objected on the grounds that to destroy an entire universe was insane. However both were over-ruled by Mandragon, who operated the console in front of him, setting off a chain reaction which obliterated the universe in question. The defense council was shocked that Mandragon had killed so many innocent beings, but the judge responded that it was a mercy killing, and that the defense council should simply be grateful that none of the inhabitants escaped.

(The Daredevils#7) - As the trial continued, Captain Britain expressed his outrage at the destruction of the Earth-238 continuum, resulting in a warning from Mandragon that if he committed any further outbursts, the hero would be restrained. He then asked the defense to call its first witness. Saturnyne was called, and related the events that led up to the problems on Earth-238. After she finished, Mandragon revealed that he was also acting as Prosecuting Council, and immediately refuted her story. He stated that since her own Avant Guard was barred from testifying as they were court employees, her only corroberating witness was Captain Britain, and that he believed she and the Captain were lovers, making any testimony he gave suspect. Captain Britain again lost his temper, pointing out the inequity of Mandragon being Judge and Prosecutor, as well as Saturnyne's successor should she be found guilty, and wanting to know if he was "the hangman" too. This was all the excuse Mandragon needed, and he ordered the bailiffs to restrain the hero. Stating that since the defense's only other witness was now prohibited from testifying, Mandragon ruled Saturnyne guilty, stripped her of her office, and ordered her immediate execution. At this Captain Britain broke free of his bonds and a fight broke out in the court.

(The Daredevils#8) - After the battle Saturnyne, the Special Executive, and Captain Britain fled. One of the remaining guards reported this to Mandragon, who seemed unperturbed by the news-- after all, regardless of the exact circumstances, Saturnyne was gone, leaving him ruler of the Dimensional Development Court. With the power this office brought, there was nowhere she could hide, no universe that he could not destroy with the touch of a switch. "So where is the bitch going to hide? You tell me....You tell me." And he smiled.

(The Mighty World of Marvel#13) - Roma returned Saturnyne home following the events of the Mad Jim Jaspers crisis on Earth-616 and the funeral of Merlyn. She confronted Mandragon in his bedchamber, and issued an ultimatum: unless he granted her a full pardon, reinstatement as Omniversal Majestrix and his own resignation as Emperor, her followers would unleash a clone of the insane reality-warping mutant on his world. At first he refused to believe she would do something that insane, but she pointed out to him that all omniversal tyrants were mad -- he of all people should know that. Then she commented that there was a speck of dust on the toe of her boot, and held her foot out to the terrified man, who dropped to his knees and began to literally lick her boots.

 

 

 

Comments: Created by Alan Moore and Alan Davis.

It's not entirely clear what Mandragon's actual title may be as Ruler of the Dimensional Development Court -- he is refered to as "Your Whyness" which was also the title of Saturnyne, who was the Majestrix. But that's a feminine title, and no one ever refers to Mandragon by it or anything similar. The closest we get is Saturnyne, who calls him the Emperor. I'm assuming that is his proper title -- but then why isn't Saturnyne referred to as Empress?

Similarly there is some doubt as to which world Mandragon hails from. The Tribunal is held on Captain England's world, and Captain Albion, also present at the trial, is said by Wardog to be from "the Earth next door". Later her Earth is given the numerical designation 523, so if the numbers are sequential, and if Wardog was being accurate rather than eloquent, this may mean the Court is either on Earth-522 or 524. Of course there is no guarantee that Mandragon is native to that continuum anyway, though it seems likely. Later Saturnyne, a native of Earth-9, is sent "home" by Roma, and is seen to threaten to unleash a Jaspers clone "Here. On your world." to Mandragon. That does suggest they both hail from Earth-9, but then why does she not refer to it as "our" world? In Excalibur Vol1.#24, the world housing the DDC is refered to as "The Hub". Later, in Excalibur Vol.1#47, it is stated that Saturnyne and the DDC are based on Otherworld, clearly not the case at this earlier point (apart from anything else, people who describe themselves as tyrants rarely answer to a higher authority, and by the Excalibur appearance Saturnyne is subordinate to Roma).

Here's how I think this all works:

Saturnyne is from Earth-9, but Mandragon is from either 522 or 524. It may be that the DDC can be based on a number of worlds, depending on who the Omniversal Tyrant is, with the tyrant deciding where the Court will be based -- but wherever it is currently based is also known as "The Hub". Certainly when Mandragon took office, it was on his homeworld, either Earth-522 or Earth-524. That would explain why Saturnyne called it "your" world rather than "our" world. When Roma sent Saturnyne "home" it was either to Earth-9, from where she made her way to Mandragon's continuum, or "home" was now regarded by Saturnyne as being the world of the DDC, regardless of where she originated. Roma, observing Saturnyne's humiliation of her usurper, noted to Captains Britain and U.K. that she would have to keep an eye on the Majestrix, so I suggest that following all this Roma made it clear that from now on the DDC would answer to her -- no more Omniversal tyrants destroying entire continuums just to win a trial. With no choice but to agree, Saturnyne moved the DDC to Otherworld. 

Profile by Loki

CLARIFICATIONS:  No known connections to

Appearances:
Daredevils#6-8 (June-August, 1983) - Alan Moore (writer), Alan Davis (artist), Bernie Jaye (editor)
Mighty World of Marvel#13 (June, 1984) - Alan Moore (writer), Alan Davis (artist), Chris Gill (editor)

First Posted: 12/17/2002
Last updated: 12/17/2002

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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