RANARK THE RAVAGER

Real Name: Ranark

Identity/Class: Human spirit, shaman

Occupation: Native American shaman, now vengeful spirit

Affiliations: None

Enemies: The Thing, Alpha Flight, "other medicine men" of centuries past

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Canada, originally northwestern Alberta

First Appearance: Marvel Two-in-One#83 (January, 1982)

Powers/Abilities:
Ranark has a variety of abilities which are mystical in nature.
Ranark, in his usual form, is very large (approximately 20 feet in height) and exceedingly strong (he has been seen to easily lift a bus). He is extremely resistant to physical damage, and can withstand blows from the Thing and Sasquatch. He can fly, if relatively slowly, and can "tunnel" through the earth as easily as flying. As a spirit, Ranark claims to be immortal.
The above abilities/powers all seem to be innate to Ranark, and occur with no real effort on his part. In addition, Ranark also possesses a wide variety of shamanic powers, listed hereafter. He has not been seen to use more than one of these other abilities simultaneously- unlike the above abilities, these apparently require some concentration or attention on Ranark's part.
Ranark can control the actions of individuals against their will. He can read a person's mind, seeing their memories through their own eyes. He can inflict tremendous mental pain on an individual. However, Ranark has not been seen to use these mental abilities on more than one individual at a time.
Ranark can change his own size, can create a personal force field to protect himself, and claims he can "assume any size, shape, or substance" that he desires. He has been seen to change into a living whirlwind.
Ranark claims he can "bend the earth, the wind, and the fire to my very will!" He can controls plants and plant growth to create enormous vines. He can cause earthquakes by touching the ground. He can create giant earthen hands, capable of grabbing and holding people. He can conjure storms and control the weather. He can absorb (and return) electro-magnetic bolts. Ranark can also fire blasts of physical energy from his hands.

History:
(Marvel Two-in-One#83 (fb) - BTS) - Centuries ago, Ranark was the self-professed "greatest of all shamans." Hungry for more power, he sacrificed virgins and made dark pacts with demons in return for godlike powers. Other medicine men grouped together and bound Ranark's spirit into a mystical urn and an eternal sleep. The urn was placed in a warded cave in the northern Alberta mountains.

(Marvel Two-in-One#83) - Michael Twoyoungmen (Shaman, of Alpha Flight) discovered a cave recently exposed by a rockslide. Inside he found an unreadable warning of some sort, and then a variety of mystical ornaments in "the sacred tomb of the ancient shamans." In this tomb was the urn which Ranark's spirit was trapped in. Ranark was able to seize control of Shaman and force him to open the urn, freeing him from his imprisonment.
Shaman recovered, and quickly attempted to overpower Ranark using his own shamanic abilities, but Ranark was much more powerful, and Shaman was quickly subdued. Ranark looked through Shaman's memories, and saw the technological nature of the modern world, the number of people, the political strife. In anger, Ranark swore to purge the world of these abominations, to "cleanse this planet of life- and begin anew!" So vowing, Ranark ascended through the roof of the cave to the surface world above and flew away.

(Marvel Two-in-One#84) - Ranark flew from the wilds of Canada towards its more populous cities, stopping to teach a lesson to some hikers, and then to demolish four Canadian military jets which had the misfortune to intercept him. He proceeded to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Having chosen to rule the world (instead of destroying it), Ranark decided he needed to display his powers to the people. He began by animating giant vines, which began demolishing the street and nearby buildings. The Thing and Alpha Flight, consisting of Vindicator (James MacDonald Hudson), Shaman, Sasquatch, Aurora, and Northstar, intervened. Ranark continued generating widespread chaos, creating earthquakes, whirlwinds, lightning, and tremendous hail. Eventually, Ranark is first blinded by Northstar and Aurora, and then caught off guard when Sasquatch and the Thing hit him simultaneously with abandoned automobiles, which exploded. While Ranark was dazed, Shaman was able to place him in a "mystic cocoon," presumably much as he was originally confined.

Comments: Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Wilson.
At the end of MTIO 84, Shaman stated that he intended to hide the cocoon that holds Ranark "in a place far from the prying eyes of unwary men." The exact location has not been revealed.

Profile by: SQUEAK

CLARIFICATIONS:

Ranark should not be confused with: "The Ravager" appears to be a self-proclaimed title, and bears no relation to:

Appearances:
Marvel Two-in-One#83-84 (January-February, 1982) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Wilson (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)

First Posted: 12/29/2003
Last updated: 12/29/2003

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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