Karnilla
| Karnilla | |
|---|---|
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Karnilla. Art by Greg Tocchini. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Journey into Mystery #107 (Aug 1964) |
| Created by | Stan Lee and Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Karnilla |
| Notable aliases | The Norn Queen |
| Abilities |
Even though Karnilla is a Norn, she possesses the conventional attributes of an Asgardian woman, such as:
Mystical Powers:
|
Karnilla is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Karnilla first appeared in Journey into Mystery #107 (Aug 1964), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Fictional character biography
Karnilla the Norn Queen is a sorceress and the Queen of Nornheim (one of the Asgardian provinces). She has proved to be an enemy of Asgard, allying with Loki, though she is deeply in love with Balder the Brave.
When she first appeared, Karnilla saved Balder the Brave from assassination by Loki. She says the reason was that like everything that existed in Asgard, with the exception of Mistletoe, she promised to protect Balder.[1] She then lent Loki some magic from the Norn stones.[2]
Later, she was accidentally responsible for granting the Wrecker supernatural power that was intended for Loki.[3] She then allied with Loki, and tricked Sif into animating the Destroyer.[4] However, during this plan she became romantically attracted to Balder.[5] She declared her love for Balder, but was spurned.[6] Heartbroken, she pitted Balder against the Legion of the Lost.[7] Later, she tried to tempt Balder to renounce his service to Odin,[8] and then tried to capture Balder.[9] She then saved Balder and the Warriors Three from the Thermal Man.[10]
Karnilla later cast a spell waking Odin in time to defeat Infinity.[11] She finally forced Balder to renounce Odin and serve her.[12] With Loki, she created Durok the Demolisher to battle Thor.[13] Before too long, she released Balder from her service.[14] She then aided Thor against Loki in return for Sif's aid in her quest for Balder, who had gone missing.[15] With Sif, she was held captive within Xorr the God-Jewel for a time.[16]
Later, she allied with Thor against Mangog and Igron.[17] She and Balder then defended Asgard against an assault by animated suits of armor. They then battled the Enchantress and Executioner, but were defeated by Kroda the Duelist.[18] She then battled Loki to save Balder.[19]
After a while, she was spurned again by Balder, who had given up his career as a warrior on returning from the dead.[20] Undaunted, she abducted Balder and his new beloved, Nanna. Karnilla forced Balder to agree to marry her to save Nanna's life.[21] With Loki, she then released a Snow Giant to battle Thor, but betrayed Loki and was defeated by him.[22] She later sought Balder's forgiveness for Nanna's death.[23]
Karnilla revealed the location of the Rose of Purity to the Enchantress.[24] She then joined in an alliance of Loki and Tyr against Odin.[25] Later, she was petitioned by Balder to join forces with Asgard against Surtur.[26]
Karnilla then schemed to keep Balder with her in Nornheim.[27] However, she eventually came to regret her actions as she had truly fallen in love with him. She was then captured by Utgard-Loki and the Frost Giants, who tormented and humiliated her by cutting her long black hair down to a flat top and forcing her to be their slave.[28] She was rescued by Balder and Agnar and returned to Nornheim.[29]
She later saved Balder from the forces of Seth.[30] Some of her subjects which had been turned to stone were then returned to life, although still stone.[31] Karnilla joined with a resistance force against the death-goddess Hela. Her allies included the Warriors Three, the wolf-prince Hrimhari, various troll races and the mortal New Mutants. The goal of saving Odin from death at the hands of Hela was accomplished.[32]
Following Fear Itself, Karnilla began to prepare an attack on the now-Earthbound Asgard, her first assault being to replace Thor (killed by the Serpent God of Fear with a wound that created a rift in time and space) with new thunder god Taranus (really a disguised Ulik) with all of Thor's allies memories being altered so that they remember Taranus rather than Thor, save for Loki.[33]
Powers and abilities
Karnilla is a member of the race of superhumans known as Asgardians, giving her superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. She also possesses additional powers through her manipulation of the forces of magic. She has the ability to manipulate the forces of magic for a number of effects, including the enchantment of physical and sensory abilities, physical malleability, temporary paralysis or sleep, inter-dimensional teleportation, energy projection and deflection, elemental conversion, and illusion-casting. She can even cast permanent spells interdimensionally with no significant preparation or effort.
Karnilla possesses vast knowledge of magical spells and enchantments of Asgardian origin, granting her skills that have been described as equal to those of Loki,[34][35] or surpassed only by Odin among Asgardians.[36]
In other media
- Karnilla appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "This Hostage Earth", voiced by Kari Wahlgren. Enchantress and Executioner raid Karnilla's lair for the Norn Stones and Karnilla ends up turned to stone by Grey Gargoyle.
- Karnilla has made a major role in the Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers animated motion-comic DVD release.
References
- ↑ Journey into Mystery #107 (Aug. 1964)
- ↑ Journey into Mystery #117 (June 1965)
- ↑ Thor #148 (Jan. 1968)
- ↑ Thor #150 (Mar. 1968)
- ↑ Thor #151 (Apr. 1968)
- ↑ Thor #154 (July 1968)
- ↑ Thor #155-156 (Aug. - Sept. 1968)
- ↑ Thor #164 (May 1969)
- ↑ Thor #165 (June 1969)
- ↑ Thor #170 (Nov. 1969)
- ↑ Thor #188 (May 1971)
- ↑ Thor #189 (June 1971)
- ↑ Thor #191 (Aug. 1971)
- ↑ Thor #199-201 (May - July 1972)
- ↑ Thor #207 (Jan. 1973)
- ↑ Thor #214-216 (Aug. - Oct. 1973)
- ↑ Thor #249-250 (July - Aug. 1976)
- ↑ Thor #258-261 (Apr. - July 1977)
- ↑ Thor #266 (Dec. 1977)
- ↑ Thor #304 (Feb. 1981)
- ↑ Thor #305 (Mar. 1981)
- ↑ Thor #308 (June 1981)
- ↑ Thor Annual #14 (Nov. 1989)
- ↑ Defenders #107 (May 1982)
- ↑ Thor #324 (Oct. 1982)
- ↑ Thor #350-351 (Dec. 1984 - Jan. 1985)
- ↑ Balder the Brave #1 (Nov. 1985)
- ↑ Balder the Brave #2 (Jan. 1986)
- ↑ Balder the Brave #3-4 (Mar. - May 1986)
- ↑ Thor #399-400 (Jan. - Feb. 1989)
- ↑ New Mutants #84 (Dec. 1989)
- ↑ New Mutants #85 (Jan. 1990)
- ↑ The Mighty Thor #8 (November 2011)
- ↑ New Mutants Special Edition #1 (Dec. 1985)
- ↑ X-Men Annual #9 (Dec. 1985)
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #6