THEOSTHEOS
Real Name: Theos
Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-6212, aka the "Earth of the 5th Dimension" or Earth-5D) human
Occupation: Unrevealed
(I don't know that his father is royalty, as opposed to just a ruler);
former rebel
Group Membership: Perhaps some position in his father's ruling party
Affiliations: Human Torch (Johnny Storm);
see comments
Enemies: Zemu (aka Xemu);
formerly soldiers serving Zemu;
see comments
Known Relatives: Phineas (father), Valeria (sister)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: The capital city of Gomath, somewhere on Earth-6212 (the Fifth Dimension)
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#103/1 (December, 1962)
Powers/Abilities: Theos has no known superhuman powers.
He was willing to risk his life to save others and further the revolution, although he did not act futilely against overwhelming forces.
He had access to an air-mask, as well as some sort of torch that could be used to melt bonds within a liquid chemical that prevented the Human Torch from igniting.
Height: Unrevealed (he seemed a good bit taller
than the 5'10" Human Torch, although the Torch was maybe only 16 in this
appearance, so perhaps a bit shorter?; approximately 6'1")
Weight: Unrevealed (at height height and
build, with human density, I would estimate 180 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (he does not have any close-up
face images)
Hair: Black
Skin: Blue (green in original appearance; see comments)
History:
(Strange Tales I#103 (fb) - BTS / Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#14: Zemu) -
Theos is the son of Phineas on Earth-6212,
commonly known as the Fifth Dimension (as described by natives of their
own realm), which was ruled by the tyrannical
warlord, Zemu (or at least he ruled their land). While
Zemu sought to invade and takeover Earth-616, to which a portal (in a
wooded region of Long Island, New York) had been discovered, Phineas, Theos, Valeria, and many others opposed
this. However, Zemu had the support of the army, while Theos felt the
resistance was too weak and unorganized to stop him.
(Strange Tales I#103 - BTS) - Zemu's soldiers' efforts to prevent a housing development from building in the area of the portal attracted the attention of the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), who was captured and brought before Zemu in the Fifth Dimension, in the capital city of Gomath.
(Strange Tales I#103 - BTS) - Theos and/or Phineas were likely with Valeria when the Torch was brought before Zemu and then outfitted with a breathing apparatus and submerged in a tank filled with a liquid chemical that prevented him from flaming on.
(Strange Tales I#103 (fb) - BTS) - Theos, Phineas, and Valeria resolved to free the Torch.
(Strange Tales I#103 - BTS) - Valeria used her hypno-ring to send the guard into a deep, hypnotic sleep.
(Strange Tales I#103) - As Theos entered the tank and freed the Torch, Valeria
urged haste. Valeria thanked "Heavens" that the Torch was alright, and
he acknowledged that it was because of her. Valeria, Phineas, and Theos
subsequently took the Torch back to their home, where they discussed how
they opposed Zemu and his plot to invade Earth-616, but that they could
not challenge his army--Theos noted how the
resistance was too weak and unorganized to stop Zemu's forces.
At Valeria's request, the Torch agreed to help them, and Phineas directed him to Zemu's arsenal. When Theos commented, "If only there were some way for us to enter--, "the Torch burned a tunnel before melting the arsenal's foundation and causing its floor to collapse.
Meanwhile, however, Zemu's soldiers discovered Theos, Valeria, and Phineas, and they used a giant magnet to pull the "traitors" to it, threatening to slay the Torch's co-conspirators unless he surrendered. Instead, the Torch generated a smokescreen and then melted the magnet, freeing his allies; although the Torch carried Valeria to the ground, Theos and Phineas made it down on their own unharmed.
Zemu then summoned tanks bearing asbestos-coated ammunition, but the Torch created a super-tornado that destroyed the tanks while sparing his allies. As Theos noted that Zemu still had thousands of loyal troops stationed throughout the land, Phineas advised that only a general uprising could topple Zemu's regime, but he acknowledged that Zemu controlled all the communication systems.
In response, the Torch wrote a fiery message in the sky urging the people to arise against tyranny and defeat Zemu, and a revolt ensued. The Torch captured Zemu himself, and Theos noted that Zemu didn't look like much of a menace now, and that from now on they would live in peace as free men. Phineas announced that the invasion of the Torch's world was cancelled.
Theos watched as the Torch bade them all farewell, despite Valeria's efforts to get him to stay.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.
The people of the Fifth Dimension were
originally green-skinned in Strange Tales I#103 (and pink/Caucasian on
the cover). I had forgotten that, as I was working from a reprint in the
1970s Human Torch series. When David Zuckerman sent me the digital
versions, I was puzzled by the green skin until I went back and checked
the originals. I don't recall any explanation for this color change, but
they were blue in the 1974 reprint in Human Torch I#3 as well as in
1975's Fantastic Four I#158-159 and 161-162...
Anyway, thanks to David for the scans!
Theos originally had a sub-profile in the Fifth Dimension profile that I first published WAY back 9/6/2001 in the early days of the Appendix.
In that original sub-profile, I had mistakenly
believed that Theos was the guard that Valeria had hypnotized, after
which I assumed she forced him to free the Torch. By the time we
profiled Zemu for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to
Z#14, we picked up on details -- Theos was the guy who freed the
Torch and subsequently participated in the rebellion. Further, the text
stated that the Torch was taken back to the home of his liberators, and
Phineas, Valeria, and Theos were all there. The guy didn't show any
objection to Valeria's interest in the Torch, and it seems likely that
he was a relative, possibly Phineas' son, or a cousin...although he
could have just been a fellow rebel living with them...or not... -- and
Theos was confirmed to be Phineas' son.
The Fifth Dimension was confirmed to be alternate Earth-6212 in the Earth-A entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#3. Zemu's profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 further speculated: "...whose blue-skinned inhabitants may be descended from Kree colonizers or a land-dwelling Homo mermani offshoot."
It would be interesting if the Fifth Dimensions mentioned in the clarifications turned out to all be the same realm.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Theos should be distinguished from:
The Fifth Dimension that is home to Theos has no KNOWN connection to the:
images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#103/1, p12, pan1 (main image - Theos)
Strange Tales I#103/1, p8, pan6 (headshot - Theos)
Strange Tales I#103/1, p8, pan4 (Theos frees Human Torch in tank)
Strange Tales I#103/1, p8, pan5 (Theos with Human Torch outside
tank)
Appearances:
Strange Tales I#103/1 (December, 1962) - Stan Lee
& Larry Lieber (writer), Jack Kirby (pencils), Dick Ayer (inks), Art
Simek (letters), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 10/22/2021
Last updated: 10/08/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
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