TZADQIELTZADQIEL
Real Name: Tzadqiel
Identity/Class: Extra-Dimensional (Heaven) Angel
Occupation: Assassin, Warrior
Affiliations: Angels of Heaven, probably
the Asura;
Donny (former host)
Enemies: Church of Lucifer, Hellstorm
Known Relatives: none named
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Bend Sinister, Utah;
formerly Heaven;
possibly the House of Blue Lights
First Appearance: Hellstorm#19 (October, 1994)
Powers/Abilities: Tzadqiel has a number of unspecified magical powers, including transportation between dimensions and possessing humans. He would almost certainly have immunity to conventional injury, age, or disease, and possibly other offensive abilities as well.
History: Tzadqiel is apparently an Angel of Heaven, a servant of the Judeo-Christian God. He may represent the soul of a deceased human, or he may have been created as an Angel. He is most likely is part of the Asura, a militant branch dedicated to exterminating all opposition.
(Hellstorm#19) - As part of an active war against the forces of Satan, Tzadqiel plotted to reduce Satan's power by eradicating his worship, by making it known that Satanic worship would be punished on Earth by his Heavenly master. To this end, he traveled to Bend Sinister, Utah, to a small coven of the Church of Lucifer. There he possessed one of the Satanists, Donny. Too late, the other Satanists tried to stop him: one of them, versed in simple magics, threw up occult fencing around their house, while another contacted the head of their Church, Anton Devine.
Devine, in turn,
contacted his ally, Daimon Hellstorm, who had recently slain his
father and ascended (or descended) to the role of Satan, ruler of
his father's former branch of Hell. Hellstorm investigated this
novel case of Angelic possession, and in the process encountered Stephen Loss, who had also
come to investigate, but was kept out by the mystic shields.
Hellstorm, not held back by the wards against Angels and the
like, entered the hovel, revealed his true nature to the three
remaining Satanists, and confronted Tzadqiel/Donny. Unprepared to
be confronted by Hellstorm's new power, Tzadqiel was forced to
reveal his true name and plan to him. Calling on his full power,
Hellstorm easily exorcised the Angel, who laughed at him,
revealing that he could not be fully exorcised (sent back from
whence he came) due to the shieldfield barring angels' entry or
exit. Hellstorm revealed that that was exactly as he had planned
and, in fact, he had actually reinforced to the shield--trapping
Tzadqiel there for all eternity--more or less. As Hellstorm
teleported away, Tzadqiel tested the shield, found there was no
escape, and slaughtered the other Satanists--but remained trapped
nonetheless.
Hellstorm revealed his intent: If I hadn't done that,
Satanists would hear that Angels could take their bodies at any
time if they worshipped. And if I'd just exterminated Tzadqiel,
they'd think I could provide omnipresent protection for them
all...It's best this way. They'll hear the story; how an Angel of
the Lord came down and killed four Satanists. And then Satan
came, and trapped the Angel in the house, so that the Angel would
go insane. As an example to Heaven, should they touch his own
once again.
Comments: Created by Warren Ellis and Leonardo Manco.
Try not to get caught up in actual, real world religion. I would consider that if a number of beings could pose as Satan, than there's no reason that there might not be a number of beings trying to pose as God, as well. And I'd bet that the "God" directing the Asura is another Mesopotamian God gone awry. Maybe it's Anu...or Enlil (Dagon)...or maybe it's the Hyborian God Asura. Well, that's all just my opinion anyway, and it's pretty unlikely to ever be resolved.
The name Bend Sinister was the subject of a spell in Amazing Spider-Man Annual#14.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
Tzaboroth, one of the aliases used by the Ritter twins, @ Eternals: the Herod Factor
Church of Lucifer
Jacky Medavoy, Donny (see above), Moroni, and
an unnamed fourth represented one small sect of the Church of
Lucifer. Based in Bend Sinister, Utah, they were the target of
Tzadqiel's plot to undermine Satan's worship. They were
sacrificed by Hellstorm to turn Tzadqiel into an example of what
would happen to those who targeted one of his own again.
Further information on the Church of Lucifer can be gained under Anton Devine.
One of the three possessed crude magical knowledge, enabling him to form a magical ward against forces of Heaven--too late to do any good, though.
--Hellstorm#19
Last updated: 12/01/02
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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