STAR of CAPISTAN

Classification: Power Gem, origins unknown;
    active in Pre-Cataclysmic Era, World War II era, Pre-Modern, and modern eras

Creator: Bloodgem (Exo-Mind, Hellfire Helix)

User/Possessors: Dr. Stephen Strange, Headmen, Omar Karindu, Red Rajah

First Appearance: Defenders I#42 (December, 1976)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Star of Capistan is an immense ruby, allegedly larger than any other on Earth, or any other planet. It is sentient, and sensitive to human brainwaves on a global--or perhaps even cosmic--scale. Imbued with a supreme will and a devilish drive all its own, the Star seeks an end to conflict and an absolute harmony among all men's minds.

    Its primary limitation is its immobility, and it must take a human host to act as its spokesman and protector. Upon contacting a human, it transforms that person into the Red Rajah, enabling it to affect others. Normally it cannot affect others without physical contact or via a host, however, it can seduce those who approach it, encouraging them to touch it and become its host.

    Contained, the Star is an incredible force for good or evil. It serves as the "key" to the Cult of the Unliving Four. Unleashed, it is a threat almost beyond comparison.
    Those trained to believe in harmony or in the greater good over individual rights are especially susceptible to its will.

History:
(Defenders II#9-10 (fb) - BTS) - The Star of Capistan was "birthed" by the Bloodgem at some point in the past.

(Defenders I#44 (fb)) - The Star of Capistan is rumored to have existed back in ancient Lemuria (presumably referring to prior to the Great Cataclysm, circa 18,000 BC).

(Defenders I#44 (fb)) <1933> - The Star of Capistan was found in the ruins of Dashetal by an unfortunate man who became possessed by the Star and was transformed into the Red Rajah. However, as the host was powerless, he was easily subdued by Omar Karindu, who shot the man and took control of the Star for the Cult of the Unliving Four.

(Defenders I#42 (fb) - BTS) <1971> - During the Bangladesh War, Karindu relocated the Star of Capistan to London, England.

(Defenders I#42 (fb) - BTS) - In the modern era, the Star of Capistan grew out of the Four Cult's control, and Karindu took it to Manhattan to seek the aid of Dr. Strange.

(Defenders I#42) - Omar Karindu, via his friend Bundu, summoned Dr. Strange to the Americana Hotel in which he was staying. However, Strange himself was possessed by the Star and transformed into the Red Rajah.

(Defenders I#43) - When the Rhino and Solarr came to steal the Star of Capistan for Egghead, the Red Rajah easily overpowered them both.

(Defenders I#44) - When the Hulk, Nighthawk, and Power Man (Luke Cage) sought out Karindu in an effort to locate Dr. Strange, Karindu informed them that Strange had fallen victim to the Star of Capistan. Eventually, Karindu joined the growing crowd of people under the mental domination of the Star/Rajah, and the trio of Defenders were overcome by the Red Rajah and his followers.

(Defenders I#45) - As Hellcat, Red Guardian, and Valkyrie fought the male Defenders and the Rajah's followers, Clea was able to make contact with Dr. Strange, and their combined efforts forced the Rajah to retreat back into the Star of Capistan, freeing all those formerly under its sway, including Karindu.

   Dr. Strange, after being freed from the control of the Red Rajah, cast a spell that seemingly destroyed the gemstone, "And by the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, let the Star of Capistan be no more!"

(Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4 (fb) - BTS) - The Star of Capistan was recovered again.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4 (fb)) - It was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park when Peter Parker accompanied J. Jonah Jameson to the museum to take photographs for the Daily Bugle of Jameson with the Star of Capistan. People were warned not to touch it, but Jameson got too close and possessed by the Red Rajah.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4) - Spider-Man took care of the situation, Red Rajah returned to the Star of Capistan and Spider-Man planned to take the Star to Doctor Strange.

(Defenders II#9 (fb) - BTS) - The Headmen somehow located and restored the Star of Capistan for their own plot.

(Defenders II#9) - The Headmen used the Star of Capistan, in conjunction with the idol known as "The God from Beyond," to control Orrgo, forcing him to take over the planet for them and AIM. However, those previously influenced by the Star were immune, namely the Defenders.

(Defenders II#10) - While the Headmen continued their exploration of science, MODOK and AIM allowed the Defenders to approach them, in order to break their ties to the group and to restore the world to normal. Nighthawk snatched up the God from Beyond and forced Orrgo to restore the world to normal. However, when Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, and the Silver Surfer began plotting other uses for Orrgo, Hellcat shattered the God from Beyond idol to prevent its abuse. Hellcat made up for things by convincing Orrgo to depart Earth, and Dr. Strange, unseen by the others, scooped up the Star of Capistan for himself.

(The Order I#4) - Dr. Strange revealed he had adopted the Star of Capistan as his amulet now that the Eye of Agamotto had failed him. 
However, in the last two issues of THE ORDER, Strange appears to again be wearing the Eye of Agamotto and no explanation of what happened to the Star of Capistan was ever provided.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway, Keith Giffen, and Klaus Janson.

    It is uncertain whether the Star of Capistan was part of the Lifestone Tree.
Also, the Bloodstone supposedly arrived on Earth about 8250 BC, but the Star of Capistan was rumored to have existed in ancient Lemuria, a continent which sank during the Great Cataclysm of 18,000 BC.  This would mean that the Star existed on Earth almost 10,000 years before its parent came to Earth. Either the rumors of the Star of Capistan's presence in ancient Lemuria were unfounded (i.e. over time, legends about the Star became confused with those about another sentient gem of power that DID exist in ancient Lemuria) or the Bloodstone "birthed" the Star somewhere in outer space over 20,000 years ago but the Star reached Earth first (unless it was birthed on Earth over 20,000 years ago by the Bloodstone, which then went back into outer space for 10 millennia before returning to Earth?)--Donald Campbell

    Per Kurt Busiek: "We were leading up to the return of the Red Rajah, but it seems it may never come to pass..."

    It was much smaller in Defenders II#9 and 10, presumably a result of its destruction and subsequent reformation.

Since the gem was destroyed by Dr. Strange, its consciousness has not manifested itself since, even when it was handled by the Headmen. It's possible that its sentience died when its physical form was shattered.
--Donald Campbell

      Which became a moot point due the flashback story appearance in Amazing Spider-Man in 2020.
--Markus Raymond

In Amazing Spider-Man V#49 it stated that the story took place during Peter Parker's junior year in college, which would place it before the Defenders issues. The story also states that the ruby had been lost, recovered, reported destroyed and the recovered again, which seems like a reference to the Defenders issues. But the Defenders issues were published during the 70s while Peter started in college during the mid 60s. Let us just ignore the bit about Peter's college year and it can easily be placed after the first Defenders arc and the appearance in Defenders II.
--Markus Raymond

In Daredevil I#10, the Organizer sent Ape-Man out to steal "the Rajah Ruby"; could this ruby possibly have some connection to the Star of Capistan?
--John Kaminski

The Star of Capistan has a small entry in Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic.

New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Snood. Update by Markus Raymond (ASM).

CLARIFICATIONS: The Star of Capistan has no known connection to:

The Red Rajah has no known connection to:

(Defenders I#44 (fb)) - The Red Rajah, aka. "The Messiah of the Single Spirit", is the form taken by the human host of the Star of Capistan, which allows the Star to project its power outwards and influence others. The Rajah can unite the minds of those around it into a single will, the will of the Star of Capistan. This effect spreads in an ever-increasing radius until the Rajah/Star is forced to leave the host and return to the Star of Capistan.

    After remaining lost for an undefined period of time, the Star took a human host in Dashetal in 1933, but the host was shot by Omar Karindu, who took the Star into the protective custody of the Cult of the Unliving Four.

(Defender I#43-45) - In the modern era, the Star managed to possess Dr. Stephen Strange, granting the Rajah access to the sorcerer's power. As such, the Rajah proved easily able to neutralize the powers of behemoths such as the Hulk and Rhino, as well as the energy powers of Solarr. He could fire blasts of energy, grow in size and strength, and form shields. The Rajah's influence quickly spread throughout Manhattan, but a group of female Defenders proved resistant to its will, and while Hellcat, Red Guardian, and Valkyrie fought the male Defenders and the Rajah's followers, Clea was able to make contact with Dr. Strange, and their combined efforts forced the Rajah to retreat back into the Star of Capistan, freeing all those formerly under its way.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4 (fb)) - J. Jonah Jameson got too close to the Star of Capistan in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park and got possessed by the Red Rajah.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4) - Spider-Man took the fight with the Red Rajah to Central Park and was soon attacked by strawberries transformed into flesh-eating plants. Red Rajah ate Spider-Man's webs and had his mind-controlled followers, all the people that had been at the museum including Joe Robertson and Mary Jane Watson, throw giant strawberries at the hero. Spider-Man got nearly eaten by one of the strawberry plants, but broke free and realized that even though he was not in control, Jameson's mind was still inside his body, which gave Spider-Man an idea. He pretended to join Red Rajah's cause, hugged Jameson and declared his love for him, which was enough for Jameson to regain control again and banish the Red Rajah back to the Star of Capistan because Jameson's hatred for Spider-Man was bigger than Red Rajah's wish to bring harmonious union to humanity.

--Defenders I#42 (Defenders I#44 (fb), [42], 43-45, Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4 (fb)

images: (without ads)
Defenders I#44, p8, pan6 (Star of Capistan)
Defenders I#44, p12, pan4 (in flashback, unfortunate man discovers Star of Capistan)
Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4, p2, pan4 (Star with JJJ)
Defenders II#9, p4, pan3 (Jerry Morgan [hands] places Star of Capistan in idol; Arthur Nagan [background])
Defenders II#10, p18, pan1 (Nighthawk carrying God from Beyond idol)
Defenders II#10, p22, pan9 (Dr. Strange recovers Star of Capistan)
Defenders I#43, p8, pan2 (Red Rajah)
Defenders I#44, p15, pan1 (headshot - Red Rajah)
Defenders I#44, p14, pan4 (Red Rajah)
Amazing Spider-Man V#49/2, p3, pan6 (Red Rajah possesses J. Jonah Jameson)

Appearances:
Defenders I#42-43 (December, 1976 - January, 1977) - Gerry Conway (writer/editor), Keith Giffen (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks)
Defenders I#44-45 (February - March, 1977) - Gerry Conway, Roger Slifer & David Kraft (writers), Keith Giffen (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Gerry Conway (editor)
Defenders II#9 (November, 2001) - Kurt Busiek, Erik Larsen & EricStephenson (writers), Ron Frenz (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Defenders II#10 (December, 2001) - Kurt Busiek, Erik Larsen & EricStephenson (writers), Erik Larsen (pencils), Sal Buscema (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
The Order I#4 (July, 2002) - Jo Duffy & Kurt Busiek (writers), Dan Jurgens (pencils), Bob Layton (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man V#49/4 (November, 2020) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Chris Bachalo (pencils), Tim Townsend (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)

First Posted: 07/28/2004
Last updated: 10/16/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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