The Faltine (also called Faltinians)

Classification: Extradimensional magical energy beings
    possibly demons (per Dr. Strange, possibly a hyperbole)

Location/Base of Operations: Faltine dimension. A very old and very dense (i.e.: with a greater number of spatial dimensions than three, as is the case in our universe) universe (or, improperly, "dimension"). In spells the Faltine "land" [universe] is referred to as "bitter" and "blazing" which is certainly true if one considers that, assuming that the concept of temperature is meaningful, we are dealing with a superconducting universe that exists in a state of absolute zero.

Known Members: Clea, Dormammu and son, Flyx, Kalijulaa, Pharnovion, Rorkannu, Rukkoplu, Sinifer, Umar, Wenigkyt

Affiliations: Many magic-users of lower dimensions

First Appearance: (Spell used  referenced): Amazing Spider-Man Annual#2 (Summer 1965);
    (Dormammu seen): Strange Tales I#126 (November, 1964);
    actual representation of true Faltinian form: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2 (October, 1990)

Powers/Abilities: 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.

    Faltinians have a form made of energy but don'tt have a body of matter. Their energy forms enable them to survive in the Faltine universe. Only two exceptions are known: Dormammu and Umar who became matter-beings. They may have been mutants.

    Faltinians have been known to lend power to mages of lower dimensions who invoke them. Presumably the spells used by said mages enable the Faltinians to access or rearrange energies in ways which are favorable to their purposes, and they reciprocate in granting the spell user limited and controlled access to their own vast supply of general-purpose energies.

Type: Flames with the shape of spider-like octopods
Eyes: Two (on head)
Fingers and toes: Apparently inapplicable
Exterior color: From yellow to red (the colors of the fire)
Size: No method of comparison available for their energy form. In material form they probably can assume any shape and size they want.

Traits: The Faltinians are pure energy creatures whose entire life, civilization and pursuits are based on differentiating between degrees and kinds of energy (e.g.: between a quark and a gluon). These differences are as important to them as the difference between lead and gold would be to a human.

    The Faltinians reproduce by scissiparity (fission): a little like Earth amoebas. The goal of every Faltinian is to gather more and choicer combination of energies. When that happens, a Faltinian "genitor" or "progenitor" gives birth to a "scion" - or "kin-being" - who is devoted to him. The purpose of each Faltinian is, naturally, to increase the size of his "clan." This gives rise to complex family relationships (such as being a "third quark proto-scion") and unending feuds.

    Matter being a "dead" form of energy is considered particularly vile and repugnant by Faltinian standard, like excrement or putrefying matter on Earth. The most famous Faltinians of all were Dormammu and Umar, who were exiled from their native universe for craving matter and having killed their progenitor.

    In spells the Faltine are called "flawless," a terms that oddly reflects their pure energy nature.

    "Full-blooded" Faltinians tend to be offended by any mention of familiar relationships.

History: (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - There is no matter in the Faltine dimension, only energy in various forms.

    The Faltinians lived as beings of pure energy, and developed a society based on clans and kinship.
   
(Amazing Spider-Man Annual#2 (fb) - BTS / Strange Tales I#142 / many many other issues BTS, see Flames of the Faltine) - The Faltine lent their energy to other beings of lower planes. Those beings were usually magic users that learned to invoke the Faltine to fuel their enchantments and magic spells. The effects of those spells could be several and different.
    The most common conduit used to channel that power was "The Flames of the Faltine".

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - An incredibly exceptional event happened in the Faltinian history with the birth of two beings different from all the others: Dormammu and Umar. The two became capable of assuming material form.

(Doctor Strange V#10/1 (fb)) - The twins abhorred their own kind and tried to seize power over them.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - This conflict led to another terrible event as terrible as unique: the two killed their genitor, Sinifer, transforming him into dead dark matter.

(Doctor Strange V#10/1 (fb)) - Dormammu and Umar's crimes grew, and they killed other Faltinians in their search for dominance.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#22/2) - These unprecedented, absurd crimes forced the Faltinian society to rally against the two criminals and to banish them forever from the Faltine dimension.

    The two fugitives survived in the lower dimensions. They found that the Dark Dimension was very suitable to their needs and their lust for power. They assumed human form and  even became rulers of that Dimension.

    The first known case of a Faltinian not coming to life by scissiparity was Clea. She was the daughter of Umar (in material human form) and Orini, inhabitant of the Dark Dimension. Clea was very much like his father's race, material and human.

(Nextwave#7) - Another Faltine, Rorkannu, took human form and became ruler of the Dank Dimension, he described himself as a prodigal scion of Faltine.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual#2/5 (fb) - BTS) - After an unrevealed lapse of time, a feud arose between some clans. While posing as the Faltinian known as Flyx, Dormammu described the feud involving Sinifer's clan:

"Five hundred lesser cycles ago [the duration of a Faltinian "cycle" is unrevealed] ... two of the Faltine commenced a most unseemly feud: It seems that a Faltinian known as Kalijulaa attacked one Pharnovion, a kin-being of Sinifer, and valenced a gluon from Pharnovion's sub-atomic chain. However, he did not have time to assimilate it because he, in turn,was ambushed by his third quark proto-scion Wenigkyt who immediately claimed the allegiance of Pharnovion's kin-grouping [presumably the unique combination of energies stolen from Pharnovion by Kalijulaa, and then by Wenigkyt enabled the latter to command the resources of at least a portion of Pharnovion's immediate kin-grouping]. But meanwhile, a fourth Faltine, Rukkoplu, allied itself with Kalijulaa..."

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#49 (fb) - BTS / Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#54 (fb) - BTS) - The Faltine were involved in the War of the Seven Spheres as well as the Gods of Outer Dimensions, against the Trinity of Ashes. The War would span and touch several dimensions.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#49) - A Faltine in material form, apparently, was among the entities who wanted Doctor Strange to be their soldier in the War of the Seven Sphere.
     Strange pronounced the Emancipation Incantation to be free from the control of the mystic entities.

(Dark Reign: The Hood#3) - Satana Hellstrom revealed Dormammu's origins to Parker Robbins (the Hood) and mentioned the Faltine as powerful beings from universes away.
 
(Doctor Strange V#10/1) - After years of loaning power to Doctor Strange, some Faltinians decided to exact the enormous credit that had been collected. Reckoning that Strange was unable to pay, the Faltine decided to take possession of the planet Earth. Dormammu was their herald.

(Doctor Strange V#11) - Three Faltinians, in giant, material, humanoid form started roaming through New York, destroying everything was on their path. Even if then they were more powerful than Dormammu, they didn't know that the Dread One had waited for them to leave their realm so that he might conquer it. However, Doctor Strange enabled his allies Zelma, Wong and Kanna to gain the magic powers of the Ancient One. In three separated one-to-one fights, the Faltinians were delayed. When the Ancient One regained his own magic, he sent the Faltine back to their plane.

Comments: Created (in spell form and Dormammu's humanoid form) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko;
    (actual representation) by Jean-Marc Lofficier, Roy Thomas and Lee Weeks.

    The Faltine were listed in Ian McNee's Catalogue of Correspondences as having some association with Chthon; see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Chthon from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot.

    In Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#49 a Faltine appeared in human form. Considering how much they hated the material form, it was an almost unique event. Nonetheless it must be put in perspective of the situation of the mystical Universe in those "days." The Pancyclical conflict of the Seven Spheres involved all the mystical entities. Due to the importance of the War, many of them assumed material or even human form, despite usually adopting other forms (energy, spiritual, beyond human comprehension?).

    The Earth invasion of the Faltine is in harsh contrast with their repulsion for the material form, besides, we saw only three of them, not the entire race (as announced by Dormammu). Considering that Strange himself stated that Dormammu was no match for their power, it is also likely that only three of them were enough to destroy(?), conquer(?), consume(?) Earth. What is unlikely is Dormammu's plan to seize power in the Faltine Dimension while its race was on Earth. Unless he lied, and he was lying when he told his origins to Dr. Strange.

(Hellcat I#3) - Two other beings declared to have descend from the Faltinian race: Satannish and Daimon Hellstrom. 

Satannish is 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. 

    Invoking powerful Entities to bolster and strengthen defenses, attacks, purposes and so on is quite logical. It could happen not only when a long verbal formula is spelled, but also with simple exclamations like "By Vishanti!". Here are listed some examples of those invocations. The invocations of the Flames of the Faltine are reported in their relative spell profile.

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#38

• "By my forebears, the Faltine--!" - Surprise, fear? Clea drawing power from her ancestors?
• "Foolish female of the Faltine!" - It was a direct insult from the Lurking Unknown to Clea. Less probably, he was subtly conditioning her to think that her heritage meant very little to him and it couldn't give her enough power to match him in battle.

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#39

• "Thank the Faltine..." - Exclamation. Clea had recognized the spell cast by Strange minutes before (by Divination), or was just thanking her ancestors.
  

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual#2/5

• "Who in the name of the Faltine..." - An exclamation by Clea when she was taken by surprise by Flyx. Was it curiosity (Divination)? Or in search for protection (Abjuration)?
  

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#55/1

• "By the Faltine I once was!" - Dormammu was surprised that Strange dragged him to the world of the Goddess. Maybe the invocation was a request for power.
  

Captain America/Nick Fury: The Otherworld War

• "By the Faltine, I swear you will pay." - Dormammu menaced the Ancient One. Gathering power to attack later (Evocation), or trying to see (Divination) the future?

Amazing Spider-Man II#58 = Amazing Spider-Man#499

• Flung in the void there was before time and space existed, Dr. Strange tried a way to transport Spider-Man and himself back to their time-space, when and where Dormammu invaded Earth. The Master of the Mystic Arts could not correct both time and space, so choose to correct the latter. The magic spell was unintelligible but some words were recognizable "...Agamotto...Faltine...". It worked, the two were back on Earth, but they existed between moments, outside of time, shifting from the close past and the imminent future.

Amazing Spider-Man IV#32

• Norman Osborn underwent a test to understand if he could practice the Mystic Arts. He didn't know that he was living an illusion. During the illusion he used different spells, the Flames of the Faltine, too. The spell caused his fist to glow and he knocked-out Spider-Man. It is probable that the Emerald Oracle of Ikkon, which was real, gave him some suggestions about names of powerful beings, and not a real knowledge of the Faltine nor the Flames.

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

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Faltinians or Faltine are strictly connected to the Flames of the Faltine.

The Faltinians or Faltine have no known connections to:

• Fal Ton - extraterrestrial, partner of Fan Ton, summoned to Earth by communication of mad scientist Howard, unwittingly crushed Howard under foot--Tower of Shadows#6/2
• Falton - provided weapons to criminals during WWII--Human Torch I#6
• "Fatine" - the Italian word for "faeries" like the ones living in the Sanctum Sanctorum and similar to the shape assumed by Flyx--Dr. Strange Sorcerer, Supreme Annual#2/5
  
• or any other characters with a similar name.

images: (without ads)
Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#22/2, p1, pan3 (Faltinians)
Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#22/2, p1, pan2 (Faltine dimension)
Doctor Strange V#10/1, p19, pan1 (a Faltine, in giant material form)

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#10/1 (March, 2019) - Mark Waid (writer), Jesús Saiz (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Doctor Strange V#11 (April, 2019) - Mark Waid (writer), Jesús Saiz & Javier Pina (artists), Jesús Saiz & Rachelle Rosenberg (colors), Nick Lowe (editor)

Appearances of the Flames of the Faltine (many many others).

First Posted: (As a full profile) 03/29/2022
Last updated: 04/02/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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