TUATHA de DANAN

Classification: Extra-Dimensional;
possibly a branch of the Celtic Gods (See Comments)

Location/Base of Operations: A village in Avalon

Known Members: Gwydion, Meghann;
presumably all descended from Danu (Gaea)

Affiliations: Sought to recruit Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair)

Enemies: Danielle Moonstar (Mirage);
possibly now Wolfsbane, as well

Aliases: The Children of Danu

 

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents#22/3 (Late June, 1989)

Powers/Abilities: The Tuatha de Danan are able to switch between human and wolf form.  They are presumably of magical origin (descended from a god/dess) and may well have extended life spans.  They are not immortal, however, and at some point in recent time, they lost the ability to reproduce.

Traits: The Tuatha de Danan live a simple life, hunting by day, feasting and singing and dancing by night.  Since losing the ability to reproduce, they desperately seek new wolf people to help repopulate their tribe.

 

 

History: The exact origins of the Tuatha de Danan are unknown (See Comments).

(Marvel Comics Presents#22/3 [fb]) - In centuries past, human soldiers drove the Tuatha de Danan beyond the mists, where they entered the realm of Avalon.

(Marvel Comics Presents#22/3 [fb] - BTS) - At some point the Tuatha de Danan lost the ability to reproduce.  Slowly, their tribe began to dwindle in size.

(Marvel Comics Presents#22/3) - On midsummer eve, young mutants Rahne Sinclair and Dani Moonstar explored the wilderness of Muir Isle.  Rahne was excited when she saw a wolf, and she chased after it.  She soon left Dani behind as she followed the wolf further into the woods, and before she knew it, she was lost.  She had actually passed through the mists into the realm of Avalon, where she met a woman named Meghann, who revealed that she, too, was a wolf-sister.  Meghann used her light magics to release Rahne's inhibitions, and she followed Meghann back to her tribe, where she was introduced to the Tuatha de Danan.

Rahne stayed with the Children of Danu for several days, playing, hunting, and partying with them. Eventually, however, her friend Dani managed to reach her mind through the rapport they shared, and broke Meghann's spell.  As Rahne got up in the middle of the night to leave, the wolf people heard her and tried to stop her.  Rahne leapt over their heads and fled into the mists, eventually returning to Muir Isle, though the wolves were not far behind.

Dani was there to greet Rahne, and when she saw the wolf people rushing towards them, she used her power to call forth an image of their greatest fear--the men who had driven them beyond the mists centuries before.  Terrified, the Tuatha de Danan turned and fled back into the mists.

As she heard the wolves howling in lament, Rahne thought, "Goodbye Meghann. Goodbye...sister."

 

 

Comments: The Tuatha de Danan was created by Sue Flaxman (writer) and Rodney Ramos (artist).

The Tuatha da Danaan is the name for the race of Gods worshipped by the Celts.  It is translated as the Children of Danu--Danu being the Earth spirit, mother god of that race.  In the Marvel Universe, it has been revealed that Mother Earth, Gaea, is actually the mother of all of the pantheons of Gods of Earth, making her Danu as well.

If you assume the Tuatha da Danaan (Celtic Gods) and the Tuatha de Danan (Wolf People) to be the same, then I would think that they are a branch off of the main race of gods, of undetermined origin...much like the Wolf Gods of Asgard (Hrimhari, Hati, Skoll, etc.)--although that race could be descendents of Fenris Wolf...but I digress.

At any rate, these Wolf Gods live on the landmass of Asgard, but far from the central city of Asgard (home of Thor, Odin, etc.).  The Children of Danu may exist in the same dimension of Avalon as the Celtic Gods, but live separately from them.  I would imagine that they originated in Avalon, but came to populate Earth in the past, much like other elves, faeries, giants, etc.  This would mean that they were driven back to Avalon.

This history of magic beings being driven off Earth in ages past, specifically those of Celtic origin, is not without precedent, and is briefly discussed in the Walkers profile.

Alternatively, if you take the name literally, it could just mean that they were spawned by Danu, and otherwise unrelated to the Celtic Gods.  However, the choice of names,  the tattoo-like markings, and the fact that their portal to Earth was on Muir Isle (off the coast of Scotland), all seem to connect them somehow to the Celtic Gods.  Furthermore, they refer to their realm as Avalon, which is the realm of the Celtic Gods, as well.

As pointed out by Carycomix, Brigit may the patron goddess of the lycanthropic Tuatha de Danan.

In addition--if Danu's their mommy, then who's their daddy?  Perhaps the same Wolf God/Demon that has been implicated in the existence of Werewolves, and that likely spawned the Wolf-Men of Valusia?  Are there any Celtic Gods or mystical beings connected to wolves?

I think Rahne should get together with her ol' wolf pal Hrimhari, and make a few litters to help out the Tuatha de Danan, to prevent their race from dying out.

Tuatha de Danan profile updated/edited by Kyle Sims

Clarifications:
While the relationship between the two is unknown, they should be considered as a distinct group from the Tuatha da Danaan, the Celtic Gods (See Comments).

They have no KNOWN connections to other wolf people:

 

Gwydion

 

Gwydion was the chief and husband of Meghann

 

--Marvel Comics Presents#22/3

 

 

 

 

 

Meghann

Meghann was the wife of Gwydion; she also possessed minor mental powers, magical in origin, enabling her to persuade others or lower their inhibitions.

She and Rahne parted as friends.

--Marvel Comics Presents#22/3

 

images:
Marvel Comics Presents#22, p21, pan1 (Tuatha de Danan main image)
Marvel Comics Presents#22, p21, pan2 (Tuatha de Danan wolf-form)
Marvel Comics Presents#22, p21, pan3 (Wolfsbane and Tuatha de Danan)
Marvel Comics Presents#22, p20, pan3 (Gwydion)
Marvel Comics Presents#22, p19, pan5 (Meghann)

Last updated: 02/09/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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