VERITAS, the SAYGE

Real Name: Possibly Veritas

Identity/Class: Uncertain; possibly an abstract/cosmic entity or of human origin

Occupation: Revealer of the truth

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Sphinx (Anath-Na-Mut), Sphinx (Meryet Karim)-antagonistic role, but loosely allied with them; Dr. Strange, New Warriors, esp. Nova (Richard Rider)

Enemies: Umar

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Veritas

Base of Operations: Unknown; Sayge has been seen in various parts of Earth-616, the alternate world of Earth-9105, the Dark Dimension, and presumably he can appear wherever he wishes, or wherever he is needed. Sayge spent a significant amount of time in his sanctorum in the Himalayas, as well as in the Sphinx's Pyramid of Knowledge in upstate New York.

First Appearance: (As Veritas) Strange Tales I#154/2 (March, 1967); (as Sayge) Nova I#6 (February, 1977)

Powers: Sayge can project the truth, causing others to see it mirrored in his face. This can be used to cause others to see themselves as they truly are, to see their future destiny, or to see into divergent timelines. He can travel between dimensions and cannot be harmed by any known means. Sayge is apparently immortal, and his limitations are unknown. He has referred to his face as the Mirror of All Souls.

History: Sayge's origins are unknown. He may be a cosmic/abstract entity serving as the physical manifestation/embodiment of truth, and may be as old as the universe, if not older. However, Sayge may also be of earthly or mortal origin--it is unknown.

(Fantastic Four I#212 (fb) ) - Several centuries ago, the Sphinx (Anath-Na-Mut) wandered the Himalayas, and came across the sanctorum of the being known as Sayge. Sayge showed the Sphinx his destiny, and calmly waited as the Sphinx tried in vain to destroy him (...his destiny was not so good...it made him angry...you get the picture). After that, Sayge joined the Sphinx in his base in upstate New York--observing him as he tried futilely to prevent Sayge's vision from coming true.

(Strange Tales I#154/2) - Dr. Strange encountered Veritas in the Dark Dimension, in the dungeons of Umar. Veritas exposed Strange to some of the ultimate truths, which didn't seem to bother him in the least. Veritas accompanied Strange to confront Umar. Strange was grossly outmatched by Umar's magical power, but Veritas stepped in, allowing Umar to see a reflection of her true self in his face. Umar was mortified at the reflection, which gave Strange time to recover, and to open a portal in an effort to free Clea. Veritas vanished behind the scenes.

(Nova I#6-7, 10-11) - Sayge was present at the Sphinx's base offering guidance, but forever taunting him with images of his unwanted destiny every time the Sphinx saw his face. Sayge did actually give the Sphinx some assistance by telling him that he could not gain the information he needed from Richard Rider's mind while he was protected by the Nova power.

(Fantastic Four I#212-213) - Sayge's vision came true for the Sphinx when he was overpowered by Galactus, his Ka Stone crushed, and he was sent back into time to relive his life endlessly. Sayge was there to say, "I told you so." (Being a mystical guy, he didn't say that in so many words, but that was the gist of it)

(New Warriors I#11-13) - The female Sphinx (Meryet Karim) used the power of the Ka Stone to alter history, creating the world of Earth-Forever Yesterday (Earth-9105), in which she had lived her life at the side of her lover Anath-Na-Mut, and Egypt ruled the world. Sayge appeared to Nova (Richard Rider) and revealed the history of the Sphinxes, and where things had diverged. Nova joined with the resistance forces against the female Sphinx. Ultimately, Sayge forced her to see what she had done. She initially attempted to destroy him, but after seeing the futility in that, she reverted Earth back to its mainstream timeline.

(New Warriors I#47) - Sayge tried to get the original Sphinx to understand that Meryet Karim took his powers and name out of love for him, rather than from the desire for power. Sphinx simply blasted him and (believing him destroyed) denied his attempts at enlightenment.

(New Warriors I#50) - Sayge returned in the midst of a pitched battle between the New Warriors and the Sphinx, and for the sake of the Warriors, he forced the Sphinx I to realize the truth of his existance. Defeated by the revelation, the Sphinx I finally made a decision in his life that would make him happy, and joined together with Sphinx II, and the composite entity travelled back to their beginning to live it all again, but correctly this time. Sayge told the Warriors he was forever at their call before he vanished -- they need only look within themselves.

Comments: Veritas created by Stan Lee and Marie Severin; Sayge by Marv Wolfman and Sal Buscema.

"He" in this entry is used purely for ease of description. Sayge's sex is unknown--if even applicable.

Earth-Forever Yesterday (Earth-9105) is a divergent Earth created by the female Sphinx. The name is subjective, but representative.

The image Veritas showed Umar should have reflected her nature as a Faltinian...but I guess it was more of an abstract image...that she's ugly on the inside, rather than literal. She really shouldn't have cared anyway, though.

Thanks to Flank McLargehuge for reminding me of Sayge/Veritas' last two appearances. He also pointed out that Veritas is a derivative of the Latin word for "true."

Clarifications: Sayge has no known connection to:

• Henry Sage, a vampire who used the "Sun-Walker" formula, @ Marvel Team-Up II#7
• Sage, a hippie/new age guru, @ Man-Thing I#20
• Sage, Tessa, of the X-Men, @ Uncanny X-Men#132, X-Men II#109
• Sage of Earth-Deathlok, an agent of Godwulf, @ Captain America I#288
• The Libris Verititatus, the Books of Truth, the books of the precog Destiny, @ X-Treme X-Men blah, blah, blah