Sinifer (Faltine, Dormammu foe)

SINIFER

sinifer transformed in dark matter Real Name: Sinifer.
His real name likely cannot be pronounced or even understood by humans, so let's not even pretend

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Faltinian) magical energy creature energy creature

Occupation: Indescribable in human terms

Group Membership: Faltine

Affiliations: Faltine

Enemies: Dormammu, Kalijulaa, Rukkoplu, Umar, Wenigkyt

Known Relatives: Clea (grand-daughter), Dormammu (scion), Doyle Dormammu (grandson), Flyx (kin); Pharnovion (kin), Umar (scion);
see comments

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Faltine dimension

First Appearance: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2 (October, 1990)

Powers/Abilities: All Faltinians are made of, and control, vast amount of mystical energies in ways that are virtually incomprehensible for human minds; it was stated that the energy released by the materialization of a full-fledged Faltinian on Earth might incinerate half of New York City.

A Faltinian can send projections of himself in lower dimensions, investing them with his awareness and a portion of his energies.

Height, Weight: if applicable, seemed similar to other members of his race. No method of comparison available with other races.
Eyes: Two
Hair: None (or flame)

History:
(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - Sinifer spawned two new Faltinians, Dormammu and Umar, who were unlike their progenitor, due to an accident of nature or a mutation.

(Doctor Strange V#11 (fb)) - Many cycles later, Dormammu claimed that Sinifer had been inspired by the illogical desires of other races, and had thus decided to spawn two unique children.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - Dormammu and Umar became guilty of the worst perversion known to the Faltinians: they craved, or lusted, for matter. When Sinifer tried to put an end to that abominable practice, they transmuted him into matter, effectively killing him.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - This unprecedented, horrifying crime, added to other murders committed by the twins, rallied all the Faltinians against Dormammu and Umar. They were forced to flee their native universe.

(Doctor Strange V#11 (fb)) - Dormammu related his origins to Dr. Strange. In his story, Sinifer and other Faltine were depicted having humanoid form.

Comments: Created by Jean-Marc Lofficier, Roy Thomas, and Lee Weeks.

The name "Sinifer" was borrowed from a 1964 French science fiction novel, L'Astéroide Noir [The Black Asteroid] by B.R. Bruss in which Sinifer was a powerful and ultimately mysterious extradimensional alien from some far-flung, unfathomable dimension. There is, really, no reasons why the two Sinifers could not have been one and the same.

In Doctor Strange V#11, Sinifer was depicted in humanoid form (as well as other Faltine). The pictures are supposed to represent the interpretation of Strange's thoughts, while listening to Dormammu's story. They could also be Dormammu's own thoughts. He was the one that craved matter and settled his form into a humanoid one, so he probably "humanized" also the other Faltine of many cycles before. On the other hand, before Dormammu's birth, no Faltine had assumed material consistence, for they abhorred that status.

A pox on John McDonagh for bringing this up...
    Does Sinifer have other known relatives? According to the series Hellcat, Dormammu is the father of Satannish, who is in turn the father of Hellstorm.
    The short answer is "No."
    The longer answer is:

Satannish has been confirmed to be one of the demons who participated in fathering Daimon and Satana Hellstrom as the gestalt Satan. However, the relationship between Dormammu and Satannish is more figurative. As clarified in Satannish's profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe:

One of the many faces of evil, Satannish is a class two demon or Hell-lord, who arose from the primeval concentration of energy left behind when Demogorge drove the Elder Gods from Earth billions of years ago. That energy eventually produced demons, shaped by the unconscious desires of their earliest human worshippers. Unlike other Hell-lords, Satannish’s early development was guided by Dormammu, lord of the Dark Dimension, whom Satannish has secretly served on occasion since then and whom Satannish apparently considers a parent.

Further...

Satannish has been confirmed as Class Two demon by numerous sources, including multiple editions of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Class Two Demons are those who appear to have originated from/on Earth, but come from a period much later. These include the Hell-Lords, such beings who rule realms of Hell, and some of whom play at the role of "Satan." The classic examples of these are Mephisto, Satannish, Thog, etc. In addition, the demon servants of these beings are also considered Class Two demons.
Dormammu is a Class Three demon, of extradimensional origin, etc.
Satannish's origins have been detailed in

Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#8, Mephisto and Satannish were revealed to have diverged from a common precursor.
Doctor Strange Annual#2, there was a "Top Ten Villains piece" in which Rintrah goes over a number of villains, including Satannish. Rintrah stops to say that after Atum defeated the Elder Gods as Demogorge in the distant past (billions of years ago), a great quantity of evil energy was left behind. That energy eventually dispersed and gave birth to many demons, including Thog as well as Satannish and Mephisto.
In Silver Surfer III#45, Mephisto discusses coming from a great evil which spawned all such devils.

Profile by Jean-Marc Lofficier (yes, that Jean-Marc Lofficier!--Snood) with few additions by Spidermay.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sinifer should be distinguished from:

Mr. Sinister - Nathaniel Essex, the enemy of the X-Men--Uncanny X-Men#210
Slifer - demon, servant of Mephisto, empowered Roulette--Ghost Rider II#4
Slither (Aaron Solomon) - Mutant Force--Captain America Annual#4
Calcifer - head-only flaming demon fallen from the sky, whose power fueled the movement of Howl's Castle--Howl's Moving Castle, the movie (Studio Ghibli), and novel
any other "Sin" or "Infer" characters.

images: (without ads)
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2, p2, panel 1 (Sinifer dying, transformed in dark matter)
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/1, p1, panel 4 (Sinifer in energy form)
Doctor Strange V#11, p4, pan1 (Sinifer as imagined by Strange while Dormammu told him his origins)

Appearances:
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2 (October, 1990) - Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier (writers), Lee Weeks (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Doctor Strange V#11 (April, 2019) - Mark Waid (writer), Jesús Saiz & Javier Pina (artists), Jesús Saiz & Rachelle Rosenberg (colors), Nick Lowe (editor)

First posted: 05/14/2004
Last updated: 03/29/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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