ZARDETH

Real Name:  Zardeth

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Crystalium) human

Occupation: Sorcerer of Chaos

Group Membership: Forces of Chaos

Affiliations: Forces of Chaos, Lavour, Malachon, Moltar

Enemies: Forces of Order, Alpha Flight (Shaman (Michael Twoyoungmen), Puck (Eugene Milton Judd), Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier)), Bekk, Crystar, Ika, Kalibar, Koth, Ogeode, Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Shen, Stalax, Dr. Strange (Stephan Strange), Warbow

Known Relatives: None named

Aliases: None given

Base of Operations: Caverns of Chaos, Crystalium, Fountain of Fire, Galax and surrounding countryside

First Appearance:  Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#1 (May 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Zardeth was one of the mightiest sorcerers serving the Forces of Chaos and as such could cast spells, teleport and even heal most serious injuries, but he was unable to recreate damaged tissue.

History: (Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#1) - After the war ended, Chaos swore it would return, and that its emissary would bring untold strife and pit brother against brother. Several months passed, and after a visit fro Ogeode, Zardeth appeared before the twin princes. After standing down the assembled captains, the wizard of chaos made it clear that he was the emissary of Chaos and that he wanted both princes as his allies. He gave them time to decide and told them that he would wait for them by the Fountain of Fire. On his way back to his base, he was aware of the presence of Captain Warbow. Despite losing an eye to the captain’s crossbow, Zardeth returned the favor and hurled to wounded man over the cliff to his apparent death, unaware of Warbow’s body vanishing in a flash of light. When the allotted time had passed, Zardeth found only Moltar and Lavor and their loyal subjects were willing to follow him. Manly to escape the rain of crystal, not that he cared. Turning the lot of them into magma men (and women), he crafted magma weapons and even living dragons from the fire and ordered them to burn Galax to the ground. When Moltar’s forces were routed, Zardeth seemed indifferent about the failure.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#2) - After the battle, Zardeth, along with Ogeode, turned Feldspar into a 50/50 blend of crystal and magma. While Moltar and his forces licked their wounds, Zardeth spied on Crystar’s men and gave the information to Moltar. He then faded into the background while a small group of Magma Men attacked Crystar.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#3) - Viewing the misplaced Crystar and Ika, Zardeth ordered several Magma Men to follow the wayward pair to Earth, all the while undercutting Moltar’s authority.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#4) - Zardeth was the first to welcome back the returning Magma Men, and for their failure put them in irons. When the men begged to be changed back to normal, Zardeth followed Moltar’s orders and did so promptly, not caring that the now mortal men died instantly due to the heat. The wizard said nothing as Moltar put into motion a plan that saw Crystar and his followers becoming formally banned from Galax (see comments).

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#5) - Zardeth reluctantly sided with Ogeode as their respective headquarters became teleported next to each other thanks to a botched spell.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#6) - Zardeth was on hand to welcome the misplaced Nightcrawler as a servant of Chaos. When the lost X-Man stopped the sacrifice of Ika, Zardeth attacked, but found that his spells were fairly useless against the mutant random teleportating. Moltar called for another truce and ignored the seething Chaos wizard.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#7) - Gazing into the flames to spy on the city of Galax (since Ogeode’s spells prevented him from spying on the Crystal Men), Zardeth saw the Green Hill people sacking the outskirts of the city. Informing Moltar of this, he smugly sat back and allowed the molten prince to watch Crystar’s men beat the invaders back before being chased off by Feldspar’s arriving troops. The Chaos wizard proposed an alliance with the Green Hill people, perhaps sensing Moltar’s growing resentment and offered to transform them into mighty warriors. Moltar agreed, although with great reluctance. Appearing before the wounded Hill people, Zardeth made Moltar and the Hill people’s leader Malachon sit down and swear loyalty to each other. Once the pact was made, Zardeth transformed Malachon and his warriors into living beings of pure malachite.  

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#9) - Able to see the land of Order but not Ogeode, Zardeth, with no orders given to Moltar, devised a plan to attack Crystar and his forces. Disguising himself as Feldspar and using a similar spell to transform Malachon and several warriors (both magma and malachite) into official envoys from Galax, Zardeth was able to successfully infiltrate the land of Order. Having their cover blown by the young Captain Stalax not long after arriving, Zardeth ordered an immediate attack. Many members of the Council were killed before Crystar could repel the invaders. Viewing the battle as a victory, Zardeth called for a retreat and left, leaving a frustrated Crystar behind.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#10 (fb)- BTS) - Once Zardeth returned to the Caverns of Chaos, he, along with Malachon and his entire army, marched on Galax and had an audience with Feldspar. Zardeth’s demands were simple: Give Moltar total control over the throne, and else the entire city were be crushed under the malachite fist of the Green Hill people (see comments).

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#10) - Zardeth had to placate the enraged Moltar with the thought of his uncle taking control of the city for himself. Egging the molten prince on, Zardeth watched with glee as Moltar attacked Crystar’s forces and captured Captain Koth.

(Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior#11) - Zardeth, now clearly showing favor of Malachon over Moltar, announced his plan to slowly torture Koth to death before the assembled magma and malachite men. Despite Moltar’s objections, Zardeth planned to carry his threat out until an attack lead by Crystar changed them. As the crystal forces and several displaced members of Alpha Flight battled the army of Chaos, Zardeth and Moltar had their final confrontation. Seeing that Moltar planned to rejoin with his brother’s forces, Zardeth planned to kill both the magma prince and his lover Lavour, but a timely intervention thanks to Crystar and his sword put an end to that. Dying, the crystal sword having been run almost completely through his chest, Zardeth managed to utter one last curse, turning Moltar back into a human being. The wizard then promptly expired.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, John Romita, Jr., and Jim Shooter. Concept expanded on by Mary Jo Duffy and Ricardo Villamonte.

Odd that he could take an arrow through the eye but not a sword through the chest, eh?

Issue #4 was a bedtime story told by Kalibar to his children, so the events within and how they transpired is suspect. Which brings up the questions, how did Kailbar know what Zardeth did and said? Also, if the entire Hill people army just left, wouldn’t someone on Moltar’s side have noticed that? It is possible Zardeth teleported the lot of them however, but this was never brought up.

Extra special thanks to Madison Carter for clarifying this question- yes, Crystar and all related characters are in fact Marvel owned and created. You might remember these guys from the Remco toy line, but the toys were a tie-in to the comic and not vice versa.

Profile by David Lawrence.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Zardeth has no known connections to

• Zardok, Starblasters member @ Starblasts#1
• Zarek, Captain Mar-Vell foe @ Marvel Super-Heroes II#12
• Any character with a name beginning in Z or any magic user with one eye

images:
Crystar the Crystal Warrior#1, p15, pan1 (main image)