Whiro (Akua/Oceanic gods)

Affiliations: Ruamoko, Whanau-akaka;
formerly Flag-Smasher (Karl Morgenthau), Oracle Inc., U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. (Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind);
Collective Man (Han, Chang, Lin, Sun, and Ho Tao-Yu; used as pawn)

Enemies: Citizen V (John Watkins III), Collective Man, Kane Milohai/Tane/Tame, V-Battalion's Penance Council (notably Roger Aubrey; as well as Betty Barstow/formerly Silver Scorpion, Fred Davis Jr./formerly Bucky, Robert Frank Jr./Nuklo, Ameiko Sabuki/Goldfire, Daryl Mitchell/Topspin), Whanau-puhi

Known Relatives: Rangi (father), Papahanaumoku (Gaea, mother; possibly also Haumea (see comments));
    Kane Milohai/Tane/Tame (light god), Kanaloa (sea god), Ku (war god), Lono (peace and agriculture god) (brothers);
    Poliahu (goddess of snow) (eldest sister);
    Namaka (sea goddess), Pele (volcano goddess) (nieces via Kane and Haumea);
    B'ngudja and other shark gods (nephews via Kane and Haumea);
    many others not yet defined in Reality-616;
    extended family via Gaea

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly Oracle Inc. and/or Marduk's base aboard an abandoned oil refinery in the Black Sea;
    at least formerly Autoia, one of the divisions of the underworld of Celestial Hawaiki ;
    possibly formerly Tu-te-aniwaniwa;

First Appearance: (As Papahanau-Moku) Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting#1 (March, 2002);
(as Whiro) Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Akua entry (2009)

Powers/Abilities: As one of the Akua, Whiro is naturally immortal, unaging and resistant to terrestrial disease, although he could be killed by severe injury; however, he could also potentially be resurrected by other gods if that occurred.

He presumably possesses superhuman strength, durability, speed, agility, and endurance.

Whiro is notably a shape-shifter. While sometimes appearing in a reptilian form, he skillfully impersonated Papahanaumoku, deceiving even other gods, including the ancient Marduk. All of the images below this section show him in the form of Papa.

At least in the form of Papahanaumoku, he could convert into energy and transport himself and at least one other at immense speeds and across vast distances.

Also, at least while in the Papahanaumoku, he could detect camouflaged/cloaked individuals, allegedly via being able to sense rain pattern/disruption.

Height: Unrevealed (variable)
Weight: Unrevealed (variable)
Eyes: Unrevealed (variable; solid yellow in the form of Papahanau-Moku)
Hair: None (variable)

(Oceanic myth history) - Whiro is the lord of darkness and embodiment of all evil in Māori mythology. He inhabits the underworld and is responsible for the ills of all persons, a contrast to his brother and enemy Tāne; by some accounts, Whiro is the oldest of his brothers;
According to some tribes, when people die, their bodies descend into the underworld, where they are eaten by Whiro. Each time Whiro eats a body, he becomes stronger. This process will eventually make him sufficiently powerful to break free of the underworld, at which point he will come to the surface and devour everything and everyone on it. Cremation is therefore recommended to prevent this, because Whiro cannot gain strength from ashes.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1-4 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, the Annunaki god Marduk joined up with Annunaki demi-god Aqhat and Whiro (posing as Papahanau-Moku; see comments) and formed an organization known as the Everlasting, gathering life energy into the Genesis Well to restore godly power the Asgardian thunder god Thor Odinson had stripped from Marduk circa 980 AD.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#2 (fb) - BTS) - Circa 1971, the V Battalion learn of Marduk's connection to the Everlasting -- of which they had learned from Aqhat in 1953 -- from Amahl Farouk.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#3) <1981>- In Zurich, Switzerland, after Marduk (in his human guise as museum curator (or something similar) Zoltan Nestor (see comments)), met with Roger Aubrey (who was seeking information on Marduk), Marduk told Aqhat and "Papa" that Roger Aubrey knew enough about their plans to be concerned but not enough to be a threat.

Nestor then shared with them his plans to send Aubrey off on a wild-goose chase that would yield years of freedom from discovery. In addition, Marduk/Nestor had also also shaken hands with Aubrey, and thus gained power over his life.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#3 (fb) - BTS) - As Nestor Zoltan (see comments), Marduk took over Oracle, INC, which had been sold by Namor the Sub-Mariner to Stark-Fujikawa (at which point Jim Hammond quit the company).

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1-3 (fb) - BTS) - Using Oracle's resources, Marduk funded and supplied weaponry to the anti-national terrorist group U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M., led by Flag-Smasher.

Marduk planned to use all of the souls slain in the battles with U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. to fuel the Genesis Well, from which he hoped to regain his full power.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1 (fb) - BTS) - When U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. began ramping up their activies in several unstable countries, the V-Battalion reasoned that they were being helped. whiro-akua-cvbev1-flight-energy

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1-2 (fb) - BTS) - At the same time, Aqhat, possibly "Papa," and other agents of Marduk captured the Chinese mutant hero Collective Man. Using the technology of the Everlasting and/or Oracle, they enhanced and altered his powers such that he actually drained the life force from his Chinese fellows, sending the entire nation into a comatose state which approached death.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1) - After Aghat was wounded by Citizen V (John Watkins III) during a weapons delivery from Oracle to U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. in Bosnia-Herzegovina, "Papa" (seen only as a rush of energy) swiftly flew in and picked up Aqhat, disrupting the Penance Council's monitoring and escaping with him faster than either the V-Battalion's Vanguard ship or Citizen V's V-Battalion could follow/pursue. whiro-akua-cvbev2-energy-redirect

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1 - BTS) - Roger Aubrey wondered why Oracle was helping U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M., and what Oracle stood to gain from such an alliance.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#2 - BTS) - While investigating the sleeping Chinese people and the monstrous Collective Man, Citizen V again engaged and gained the advantage over Aqhat. whiro-akua-cvbev2-sittingback

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#2) - When the V-Battalion's Vradec reported incoming energy mirroring what had transported Aqhat from Bosnia, the prepared Citizen V diverted the energy, causing what appeared to be Papahanau-Moku (see comments) to crash into the wall before abruptly flying away again.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#2 - BTS) - Citizen V slashed the bloated-with-power Collective Man, causing him to explode like a ruptured ballooon.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#3 - BTS) - Citizen V convinced Flag-Smasher to abandon his current plan in exchange for being given sovereignty of the nation Rumekistan (faciliated by using the Collective Man's tissue to put everyone in Rumekistan into a sound sleep), preventing Flag-Smasher's international violence from providing further souls for the Genesis Well.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#3) - Within an Oracle Inc. facility, Marduk assured "Papa" that he was unconcerned, despite the thwarting of the plan to use the Chinese as the well-spring, the capture of Aqhat and the retreat of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. forces in many countries. He noted that life forces drained by the Collective Man's demise and the soul morsels accumulated by U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s actions should prove more than sufficient.

After the announcement of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s peaceful takeover of Rumekistan, Papa noted that Marduk had said that involving Aubrey would escalate the level of killing. Marduk agreed that Aubrey must be punished, and he used his previous contact with Aubrey in 1981 to steal his life force, causing Aubrey to fall, dead.

Comments: Created by unrevealed parties whiro-akua-cvbev3-1983-tilty

adapted to the Marvel Universe by Fabian Nicieza, Lewis LaRosa, and Jim Royal....sort of...and by Anthony Flamini.

Papahanau-Moku had previously been defined as an aspect/incarnation of the Elder Earth goddess Gaea. The Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Akua entry reveals that the Papahanau-Moku in this story was actually the shapeshifting Akua god of evil, Whiro.

By some accounts I find on-line, Haumea is the mother of Kane/Tane/Tame, which would make her also Papa/Gaea. I don't know if that is the case in the Marvel Universe, but in Chaos War#4, Pele calls Gaea her mother and specifically refers to her as Haumea. On an interesting note in that regard, the Wikipedia article on Haumea says this:

With the help of a magic stick called the Makalei, Haumea repeatedly transforms herself from an old woman to a young girl, and returns to her homeland periodically to marry one of her offspring, thus giving birth to continuous generations of humans

The personification of darkness and evil, the antithesis of Tāne as the light. At the time that Rangi (Sky) still embraced Papa (Earth), their offspring became discontented with their lot in the world, for the conditions of life were unpleasing, so cramped were they for space. It was Tāne who proposed to separate their parents by forcing Rangi upward. Most of the children agreed to this course, but Whiro and others objected, preferring to remain in darkness. Hence dissension arose among the children. Some sided with Whiro, while many followed Tāne.

Whiro was angered at having to endure the cold and discomfort of the outer world, the open spaces. He objected to the separation of Rangi and Papa, to their limbs being severed, to the superior attitude of Tāne, to his ascent to the heavens to obtain the three "baskets" of knowledge. Yet another cause did Whiro have for his opposition to Tāne. Ruatau and Rehua, the two messengers of Io, came down to Maunga-nui (great mountain) and bade Tāne and Tupai ascend it. They did so, whereupon they were conducted to the Wai-o-Rongo (waters of Rongo), where the sacred tohi rite was performed over them, as also the pure. In this ceremony they received the names of Tāne-nui-a-Rangi (great Tāne, offspring of Rangi) and Tupai-a-tau. The two then returned earthward, while Rehua and Ruatau returned to the realm of Io. The above incident increased the ill-feeling of Whiro towards his younger brother Tāne, and so the rivalry between them continued.

At a certain time Io sent Ruatau and Aitupawa down to this world to ascertain which of the primal offspring would be selected to ascend to the realm of Io in order to obtain the wananga (occult knowledge and arts, esoteric lore). They visited Tu-te-aniwaniwa, the realm of Whiro and Uru-te-ngangana; Wharekura, the domain of Rongo, and others, also Huaki-pouri, the home of Tāne, Pāia, and others. Whiro declared that he would ascend to the uppermost heaven to obtain the prized wananga, that he would ascend thereto by scaling the sides of the heavens. But Aitu-pawa said: Not so. It cannot be accomplished in that way. Tāne declared that he would make the ascent, that he would ascend by way of the Ara-tiatia, the Toi-huarewa of the offspring of his brother Tāwhiri-mā-tea. These two terms are sacerdotal or honorific names for the whirlwind. Many of the brethren were in favor of Tāne being selected to carry out the important task at the behest of Io. Whiro was again angered by this selection of Tāne.

Tane now decided that a fit place must be prepared in which to preserve the sacred wananga, when obtained from Io. He proposed to proceed to Rangitamaku (the second of the twelve heavens) in order to procure the semblance of the Whare kura of that realm, which house had been erected by one Nuku-te-aio, father of Rua-i-te-pukenga. Thus it was that the first Whare-wananga was constructed in this world. It was named Wharekura.

Tāne was now prepared to commence his ascent, but meanwhile Whiro had already begun to scale the side of the heavens, as he wished to obtain the prize himself, and so confuse Tāne. Tāne now began his ascent, accompanied by Tawhiri-ma-tea, by Tamakaka and Tupai. They ascended by way of the Ara-tiatia (whirlwind); they were borne upward by the Whanau-puhi (the Wind Children). Other brethren now joined the company, including Tukapua. So exasperated was Whiro that he despatched the horde of the Whanau-akaaka, the repulsive ones, to assail Tāne. These emissaries were insects, reptiles, and certain carrion-eating birds. They furiously attacked Tāne, and endeavored to obtain a portion of his blood to be used as a medium for magic spells that destroy life. But now the Wind Children came swiftly to the rescue; from the outer regions, from the vast realm of Vātea (Space) they rushed to the fray. Fiercely they attacked the repulsive ones, banished them, drove them afar off. Tāne continued his ascent.

Meanwhile Whiro was compelled to desist in his attempt to scale the bespaced heavens; he awaited the return of Tane in order to again assail him. Tāne succeeded in his quest and received from Io the three "baskets" of knowledge and two highly sacred whatu atua, or supernatural stones. He was afterwards escorted down to the eleventh heaven, where he met his companions. On reaching the ninth heaven in their descent, Tane and his companions were again assailed by the emissaries of Whiro, by insects and birds. Again the swift Wind Children came to the rescue and dispersed the hordes of Whiro. They took many captives and brought them down to this world, which is why we have the mosquito, sandfly, mantis, and other creatures, also the the hawk, bittern, bat, owl, parrot, kea, and some other birds.

The face of the heavens was now marked by reddened clouds, a token to the brethren in the world that Tāne had succeeded in his great quest. Whiro alone was angered by that success. All now assembled at Wharekura, and in that edifice the three "baskets" and two stones were deposited at the rear end of the house. Whiro demanded that they should be handed over to him, but this course was objected to, and the darkness of disappointment and anger descended upon Whiro.

The contest between the two brothers was long and bitter and many fierce struggles ensued. This series of battles is known as Te Paerangi. War, bitter and unrelenting waged on earth, in the heavens, and in the vast space of Vātea. In the end Whiro was defeated by Tāne and he and his forces were compelled to descend to the underworld.

Whiro, also Whiro-te-tipua (Whiro the demon), is responsible for all the evil that is manifested in the human mind and human acts: Ko Whiro te putake o te kino o te ao (Whiro is the origin of evil in the world). Hence a malignant demon is styled an atua whiro, and the latter word also denotes a person of evil character. The old contest between Tāne and Whiro is still continued, for Whiro leagued with Ruaumoko, who still abides within Papa's womb, and together they assail mankind, the offspring of Tāne. The most relentless and effective emissaries of Whiro, however, are the dreaded Maike brethren, the personified forms of sickness and disease.

Whiro was viewed as one of the most active, and certainly the most pernicious, of all beings. His activities are ceaseless and so many offerings were made to him, and it was considered advisable to placate him.

A House of Knowledge, called Tai-whetuki, belonged to Whiro. His representative is the lizard. Seeing a lizard was deemed a very serious omen. It is the emissary of Whiro and the harbinger of death. When the gods decide to destroy man they do so by introducing a lizard into his body, and that creature devours his vitals and so causes death.

In New Zealand, as in Polynesia, the doings of Whiro the demon have been confused with the those of Whiro the voyager.

Whiro-te-tipua (Whiro, or Hiro in the Tuamotus) is the lord of darkness and embodiment of all evil in Māori mythology.^[1]^[2] He inhabits the underworld and is responsible for the ills of all persons, a contrast to his brother and enemy Tāne.

According to some tribes, when people die, their bodies descend into the underworld, where they are eaten by Whiro. Each time Whiro eats a body, he becomes stronger. This process will eventually make him sufficiently powerful to break free of the underworld, at which point he will come to the surface and devour everything and everyone on it. Cremation is therefore recommended to prevent this, because Whiro cannot gain strength from ashes.

Taiwhetuki – Whiro's House of Death – is a deep and dark cave^[3] where all things evil are preserved, such as black magic. It is a place in which countless personifications of illnesses and diseases dwell.^[4]

Geckos, skinks, and tuatara were feared because of their spiritual association with Whiro.

This profile was completed 7/28/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Appearances:
Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#1 (March, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Lewis LaRosa (pencils), Jim Royal (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#2 (May, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Lewis LaRosa (pencils), Scott Koblish, Jim Royal & Udon Studios (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#3 (June, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Lewis LaRosa (pencils), Udon Studios (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting#4 (July, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Jose Kleber de Moura Jr. (pencils), Udon Studios (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica (2009) - Anthony Flamini (head writer, coordinator), Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Paul Cornell (consulting writers), Kevin Sharpe (The Apu entry art), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

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