The Avaloneans

TUATHA DA DANAAN (CELTIC GODS)

Classification: Gods (Extra-Dimensionals/Immortals)

Base of Operations: Tir na nÓg, Otherworld.

Known Members: Angus, Anpao, Arawn, Arianhrod, Badb/Andraste, Boann, Bodb (Red Lord, god of war), Brigit, Caber (god of speed & bards), Cernunnos (god of animals & the hunt), Conor, Crom, Cúchulain, Cuthbadth, Dagda (god of magic), Danu (Gaea), Gwynn (god of springtime), Niamh (Lady of the Lake, goddess of lakes), Leir (god of the storm & sea), Lud, Lug, Macha, Midir, Morrigan (goddess of battle), Nemain, Nuada/Nuadhu (god of warriors), Oghma, Rhiannon, Scathach, Taranis (god of thunder & the elements); Fuamnach (a deified mortal); Cuchulain (demi-god) (allegedly) Ludi, Nauda (see comments)

Affiliations: Thor, Odin, The Asgardians (former enemies)

Enemies: Fomorians/The Fomor

FIRST APPEARANCE:

Powers/Abilities/Traits: The Tuatha de Danaan all possess certain superhuman physical attributes. They are true immortals who cease to age upon reaching adulthood, and they cannot die by conventional means. The Tuatha are immune to all terrestrial diseases and are resistant to conventional injury. If a Tuatha is wounded, his or her godly life force will enable him or her to recover at a superhuman rate. It would take an injury of such magnitude that it incinerates a Tuatha or disperses a major portion of his or her bodily molecules to cause him or her to die. Even then, it may be possible for a god of greater or equal power, or several gods acting together, to revive the deceased god before the god's life essence is beyond resurrection. Tuatha flesh and bone are about three times denser than similar human tissue, contributing to the gods' superhuman strength and weight. An average male god can lift about 35 tons; an average goddess can lift about 25 tons. Though generally larger than Asgardian and Olympian deities, the Celtic gods have slightly slower reflexes (with notable exceptions, such as Leir, Caber, and Cúchulain). The gods' metabolism gives them superhuman endurance in all physical activities. Many Tuatha also possess additional superhuman powers and are highly skilled in magic. For instance, the animal god Cernnunos possesses the ability to shape-shift into various animal forms and communicate with all animal species, both wild and domesticated.

The Celtic gods become weak after prolonged stays in the Earth realm, and are only able to manifest via a mortal host with whom the god forms a symbiotic partnership. A mystic tattoo serves as the symbol of this link, and although the god can exist separately from his or her host for a time, he or she must inevitably return to the host body to regain strength. The link places a great stress on the mortal host, who usually dies a premature death; however, if the mortal host dies a violent death while still connected to the Tuatha, the god will be consigned to Oblivion.

HISTORY: (Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica) - The Tuatha de Danaan (also known as the "Celtic gods" and "Children of Danu") are a race of superhumanly powerful humanoid beings who were worshipped by the ancient Celts and earlier Goidelic-speaking people of the British Isles from about 2000 BC to 500 AD, although a number of Tuatha may have been worshipped as early as the Hyborian Age. The Tuatha originated in the land of Tir na nÓg within Otherworld, a small "pocket" dimension adjacent to Earth. Interdimensional nexuses between Otherworld and Earth exist near Glastonbury Tor (a hill in modern-day Glastonbury, Somerset, England) and at the Siege Perilous (in the Cheviot Hills bordering modern-day England and Scotland), as well as at various hidden sidhe (fairy mounds) situated throughout the British Isles. Worship of the Tuatha de Danaan in the Earth realm was largely supplanted by the spread of Catholicism by St. Patrick in the 5th century AD, although some druid priests and priestesses (such as Lady Evaine of Scandia) continued to worship the Tuatha in secret. Even today, they are still worshipped by practitioners of neo-druidism and other nature-based religions, such as Druid (Sebastian Druid) and Dark Mairi of the Shore.

(Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica) - The precise origin of the Tuatha, like that of all Earth's pantheons, is shrouded in legend. According to ancient myths, the high chieftain Iarbonel coupled with the primordial Earth Mother Gaea (known as "Danu" to the Tuatha) and produced the first generation of Celtic gods. Following Iarbonel's death, his progeny (under Nuada's leadership) left their cities in Otherworld's Tir na nÓg and traveled through an interdimensional nexus to Earth in approximately 1896 BC, just as their hated enemies the Fomorians had done centuries earlier.

- The Tuatha Da Danaan are the descendants of the goddess Danu. They have been at war with their Fomorian ancestors and relatives ever since they competed for worship rights from the ancient Fir Bholg tribes of Ireland. Their leader, Nuadhu (see COMMENTS) led them into battle at Magh Tuiredh, but lost his hand in battle. They were subsequently victorious, but Nuadhu was unable to reign with this disability and had to resign his leadership of the gods.

(Celtic Myth) - The Danaans, however, chose Bres from among them own to lead them. Bres, however, was half-Fomorian (his mother being one of the Danaans) and soon ended up turning over Ancient Ireland and Avalon back to his father's relatives, the Fomore. Nuadhu had his hand restored for one of silver by Dian Cecht the leech (healer) and led the Danaans into battle once more. This time, they completely eradicated the Fomore from Earth and exiled them and Bres to another dimension. Nuadhu turned over leadership of the Celtic Gods to The Dagda.

(Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica) - The Tuatha inhabited Ireland until 350 AD. Upon the arrival of the Milesians (ancestors of the Celts), the Tuatha relinquished their holdings in the Earth realm and returned to Otherworld. Thanks to an agreement made with the Milesian druid Amergin, the Tuatha were worshipped by Ireland's new mortal inhabitants as gods in exchange for protecting the land.

Starting in the 8th century AD, a cold war between the Tuatha de Danaan and the Asgardians began when the Norse Vikings who worshipped the Asgardians began plundering villages in the British Isles. This enmity lasted for centuries until.

The Celtic God Leir encounters the Asgardian god Thor who has pursued a griffin-like creature into Avalon where it kills a Danaan family. Because of an ages old enmity between the Celts and the Vikings, the two rehash old feuds as Leir accuses Thor for the deaths. The creature then returns to prove Thor's innocence as Leir and Thor destroy the beast. Feeling he owes Thor a debt, Leir later leads an army of Danaans to Asgard's defense against the Egyptian god Seth

- Leir defeated a Troll summoned by the Fomorians. Dagda attempted to dissuade Leir from seeking vengeance and potentially reigniting a war between the Danaans and the Fomor. Leir went off to battle anyway, but Dagda summoned a swarm of insects to disrupt the fight, causing both sides to retreat to their own land.

)- Dagda located Asgard, while it was adrift in the Negative Zone. Leir, who had fallen in love with Sif, jumped through the portal to find her, and Caber followed to keep Leir out of too much trouble. After the obligatory pointless struggle with other Asgardians, Caber, Leir, and Sif left for Earth to locate Thor.

Caber, Leir, and Sif arrived on Earth and learned that Thor was off on a mission in space.

- Caber, Leir, and Sif traveled to the Black Galaxy and located Thor. They returned to Asgard with he and Hercules and participated in the battle against Surtur and Ymir.

Leir challenged Thor for the right to Sif's hand. Sif, needing no one to fight her battles, challenged Leir herself--and defeated him. Leir returned to Avalon in disgrace.

A Celtic God calling himself Nauda of the Silver Hand uses three stones imbued with power that he had hidden on Earth to escape the underworld. Even using a band of loyal followers to attempt to conquer the Earth, he is confronted by the Young Gods and seemingly destroyed.

The leader of the Celtic Gods, Nuada, meets with Odin and the heads of the other pantheons in Asgard to discuss the mystery of several disappearances in their realms and on Earth. Unaware that it is the act of the Eternal Thanos using the Infinity Gauntlet, Nuada is briefly stranded on Asgard as Thanos is defeated by Adam Warlock leading the heroes of Earth. Cernunnos, Morrigan, and Taranis granted power to Kyllian in exchange for his accepting an oath to oppose evil. Kyllian then served as an apprentice to Dr. Strange, and later became known as Wildpride. a

COMMENTS: has always done a great job in its adaptations and depictions of the Olympian and Asgardian gods, but their conception of the Celtic gods has a lot of faults in it, especially where Nuadhu is concerned. It's not their fault though. Celtic Myth obviously has none of the clarity, definition or recognition of the Greek Myths.

A number of the Celtic Gods are referenced in the Hyborian era, by Conan and others, especially the Cimmerians. How this fits into this history will likely remain undetermined. The Hyborians worshipped Crom and his subordinates, including Father Lir and his son Mannanan, as well as the war goddess Morrigan (often in the same breath as Macha and Nemain). Conan the Barbarian I#74 on page 23 notes that Mannanan and Lir served as gods of the sea, and were passed down to the Cimmerians from the Atlanteans. Conan the Barbarian I#117 establishes that the Cimmerians imagined the avatar of death as a warrior maiden with a golden spear. Badb, Dagda, and Dian Cecht have been referenced in the Hyborian Age as well. A god called Arawn, Lord of the Dark Forest, appeared in Conan the Barbarian I#135, but other than the name, there seems to be no detectable connection to the Celtic god. Of all of those mentioned, only Crom and Arawn have been seen.

Some of this information has been supplemented by info from various websites, such as the Dictionary of Pagan Gods and Goddesses.

The Danaans (Celtic Gods) were also worshipped by the ancient Britons, Welsh and Gauls and even had some roles in Arthurian Legend. Morgan Le Fay was supposed to be half-faerie, and the faeries of Irish legend were also descended from the Fomore as were the Danaans. (see also Clarifications under Otherworld). Merlin/Merlyn was a descendant of the Celtic gods, although other sources claim him to be the son of a demon--there's a fine line between god and demon in the Marvel Universe, so I don't think these two definitions are mutually exclusive. There continues to be confusion over whether the one from Otherworld is the same as from Arthurian Legend. I vote "yes."

Want more confusion? Let's throw in the Druid Gods. In the Gargoyle limited series, we learn of: --Hu, Sun God of the Druids The Druid (Dr. Druid) limited series also mentions: --Macha-- --Nemain Straight from the keyboard of William:

"Macha is actually synonymous with Morrigan, but she was also cognate with Maev, Medb and Morgan Le Fay (three mortals in three different time periods)." "Nemain was, briefly put, the berserker form of Morrigan. In short, if Morrigan was Jen Walters, Nemain was her She-Hulk. On the battlefield, Morrigan would enter into a bloodlust and transform into Nemain. Since Morrigan was already large enough to straddle the Unius river, Nemain would be a lot more bigger and a lot more savage than anything else in Celtic myth."

The Druid gods are Celtic Gods. When I "scrape off the druid confusion" I take the names and histories and leave behind the chants, beliefs, superstitions, rituals, extraneous names, etc. etc. The druids changed their beliefs and rituals often, but at their core, they were the only worshippers of the Celtic Gods left after King Arthur introduced Christianity to the region. The druids were still around in some much diminished capacity into the time of Robin Hood and even King Henry The Eighth.

All of the Walkers of Otherworld are mortals; some of whom are even ancestors of King Arthur. Sounds a lot as if this is Marvel's version of a Celtic Valhalla for fallen Celtic warriors.

The OHotMU Master Edition names Danu as Leir's father, an error as Danu is a goddess. The same mistake was made in Leir's Update '89 entry, and the corrections page for Update '89#8 admitted the error.

Another problem exists with Samhain. Many people wrongly think that there was a Celtic god named Samhain, but there was not. Samhain was the name of a festival, not a god. An entity calling itself Samhain appeared in Vision and Scarlet Witch I#1 and Vision and Scarlet Witch II#5, and his alternate Earth counterpart appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#3.

The main image in this profile is by Mario Gully.

Clarifications:

The Tuatha de Danan, a race of wolf-people encountered by Mirage (Dani Moonstar)

Presents#22/3, appear to be an offshoot of the primary race of gods. Origins and connections are unclear, but there are no werewolf types in the Celtic Gods.

In the Marvel Universe, Otherworld is the extradimensional realm to which Merlyn, Arthur Pendragon, and others of Camelot (including Camelot itself), and the majority of the faery-folk, etc. from Celtic Mythology moved centuries ago. It is connected to Avalon, although exact boundaries, etc. are lacking. Annwn/Annwyn, has also been seen, as the home of the Red Lord,

In the first Black Knight limited series (August, 1990), Morgan le Fay and Mordred sent a group of demons (possibly Fomorians) to attack the people of Arizona, around the London Bridge. These demons included "Cernunnos, Taranis, and Morrigan". I don't think Morgan and Mordred were powerful enough to enslave and transform the Celtic Gods, so I think they were more likely demons and/or Fomorians, given the names of the gods, for whatever reason.

Rhiannon is obviously the inspiration for the Fleetwood Mac song by the same name. In the Ultraverse, there is a Rhiannon, aka Rita Desmond, whom I believe is supposed to be the Celtic Goddess. She is seen in Night Man#1, and named in NightM#4. Whatever her origins, she is distinct from the Earth Prime version.

The Fomor are the same as the Fomorians,

Info from the Library/Dictionary site is represented in inset.

Andraste-see Badb

Angus (ANGUS OF THE BRUGH, also OENGUS OF THE BRUIG) is the God of Youth. He is the son of Dagda and Boann. He out shone the Dagda's other children by Morrigan. His closest Olympian counterpart would be Apollo, although in Ireland he was the counterpart of Cupid. . Angus' kisses turn into singing birds, and the music he plays irresistibly draws all who hear. --Angus has been seen in the MU only off at a distance. Dagda directed him to summon the warriors to assist Leir in an assault on the Fomorians --Marvel Comics Presents#30/4

Anpao was the god of death; the son of Mider and Fuamnach, and the brother of Cernunnos and Arawn. He has not yet appeared in the Marvel Universe.

Arawn is the god of the dead and ruler of the underworld of Annwn/Annwyn. He is the nephew of Bodb Derg; brother of Anpao and Cernunnos. As noted earlier, a god called Arawn, Lord of the Dark Forest, appeared in Conan the Barbarian I#135, but other than the name, no detectable connection to the Celtic god appears.

Arianrhod "Silver Wheel," "High Fruitful Mother." One of the Three Virgins of Britain, her palace is Caer Arianrhod, the Celtic name for the Aurora Borealis. She has not appeared in the Marvel Universe.

Badb is a war-goddess, and is the daughter of Dagda and Morrigan, and the sister of Bodb Derg, Brigit, Mider, Oghma, and Rhiannon. She followed her mother (Morrigan) into battle; She is also known as Andraste ("victory"). "A" for Badb/Andraste; O for Bodb Derg--keep this straight, b/c there may be a quiz! In the MU, she was invoked by Doctor Druid in Avengers Spotlight#37, and again as one of the three goddesses that granted power to Druid during his brief transformation before his death. Her alternate Earth counterpart was seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#3. --Avengers Spotlight#37 (mentioned), Druid#1 (mentioned)
 * In other sources, she is one of a triad of war goddesses known collectively as the Morrigan. Bird shaped and crimson mouthed, Badb uses her magic to decide battles. Badb lusts after men and is often seen at fords washing the armor and weapons of men about to die in combat.

Boann is a river goddess (goddess of the Boyne river), daughter of Labraidh & Condatis, sister of Morrigan. The Dagda seduced her so she could be mother of Oenghus (Anghus). She has not been seen in the Marvel Universe.

Bodb Derg, aka Bodb the Red and the Red Lord, is a god of war, the son of Dagda and Morrigan, and the uncle of Arawn. His mortal descendants were known as the Red Clan. In the Marvel Universe, he is worshipped by the Bane, and an enemy of the Knights of Pendragon. He has also been referred to "the Horned One" --Knights of Pendragon I#15, 17

Brigit is the goddess of wisdom, and is the daughter of Dagda and Morrigan, as well as the sister of Andraste, Bodb Derg, Mider, Oghma, and Rhiannon. (see also comments on the Druid Gods)
 * In other sources, Brighid/Brigit is the Goddess of healing and craftsmanship, especially metalwork. She is also a patron of learning and poetry. In Wales she is Caridwen, who possesses the cauldron of knowledge and inspiration. The Celts so loved Brighid that they could not abandon her even when they became Christians, and so made Brighid a Christian saint.

Comments: She has not been seen in the Marvel Universe, but she may be the same as Cerridwen, who has at least been mentioned. As pointed out by Carycomix, Brigit may the patron goddess of the lycanthropic Tuatha de Danan.

Caber may or may not be based on the god Lugh (see below), as he has no known comparison in Celtic Mythology. He has a profile in the OHotMU Master Edition. In the MU he is the god of speed and bards. --Thor I#398 (399, 400, MCP#30/4, 417/2, 418/2, 423, 425, 426

Cerridwen was actually more of a witchcraft goddess figuring prominently in the Tale of Talesin. Her husband is named Tegid Voel in the myth; Cerridwen was supposedly Brigid in a mortal incarnation, her daughter or a contemporary of Arthur.

she possessed the Cauldron of Knowledge of Inspiration. In the Marvel Universe, she is mentioned only as one of the goddesses worshipped by the Druids. She is listed as the wife of Hu. --Gargoyle#2-BTS
 * CARIDWEN also HEN WEN; in Wales, BRIGHID "White Grain," "Old White One." Corn goddess. Mother of Taliesen, greatest and wisest of all the bards, and therefore a patron of poets. The "white goddess" of Robert Graves. Caridwen lives among the stars in the land of Caer Sidi. Caridwen is connected with wolves, and some claim her cult dates to the neolithic era.

Cernunnos, a horned/antlered god worshiped in both Britain and France as a god of the hunt, the harvest, fertility, and sometimes of the underworld as well. His parents are Mider and Fuamnach. His brothers would be Arawn (god of dead) and Anpao (god of death). The Romans identified him with Mercury as a 'psychopompos' or leader of souls to the underworld. In the Marvel Universe he has been described as a god of the hunt. Cernunnos sometimes appears as a stag-headed man. He was one of the three who granted power to Kyllian. Cernunnos was also mentioned in King Conan#2. --Dr. Strange III Annual#3
 * CERNUNNOS Horned god of virility. Cernunnos wears the torc (neck-ring) and is ever in the company of a ram-headed serpent and a stag. Extremely popular among the Celts, the Druids encouraged the worship of Cernunnos, attempting to replace the plethora of local deities and spirits with a national religion. The Celts were so enamored of Cernunnos that his cult was a serious obstacle to the spread of Christianity.

Conor is actually a King of Ireland (possibly deified after death) and ancestor of all Connors. He has been seen in the MU only off at a distance. Dagda directed him to summon the warriors to assist Leir in an assault on the Fomorians --Marvel Comics Presents#30/4

Crom-the Hyborian God worshipped by Conan may be based on the Irish pagan deity Crom Cruaich or Cremm Crioch

Cuchulain - a demi-god, son of Lugh and Deichtire, active as a hero on Earth in the 6th Century.

His Earth-616 counterpart has yet to be seen, but info on his legend, and his Earth-Guardians counterpart can be found here: Cuchulain

Cuthbadth is another mortal, who was presumably (at least in the Marvel Universe), deified. He has been seen in the MU only off at a distance. Dagda directed him to summon the warriors to assist Leir in an assault on the Fomorians --Marvel Comics Presents#30/4

Dagda--Thor I#399 see also comments.

Danu was Mother Earth and most likely an alias for Gaea, who admitted in Thor I#301 that she was the Mother Earth for all the other realms of gods. Danu is not among her OHotMU aliases, but then Marvel was not expecting storylines with the Celtic Gods to come up. As Danu, Gaea was worshipped by the Picts as early as the time of Valusia, per King Kull III#2, and was mentioned during the Hyborian Age in King Conan#2 and circa Conan the Savage#5, a sisterhood of priestesses serving Danu appeared.
 * Another of a triad of war goddesses known collectively as the Morrigan. Connected with the moon goddess Aine of Knockaine, who protects crops and cattle.

DIAN CECHT Dian Cecht built the Silver Hand for Nauda/Nuada after he lost his own hand in battle to the Fomor. --Marvel Comics Presents#108/2(fb)
 * A healer. At the second battle of Moytura, Dian Cecht murdered his own son whose skill in healing endangered his father's reputation. The Judgments of Dian Cecht, an ancient Irish legal tract, lays down the obligations to the ill and injured. An aggressor must pay for curing anyone he has injured, and the severity of any wound, even the smallest, is measured in grains of corn.

Fuamnach, actually a deified mortal, she may have served as the goddess of marriage. She is the daughter of Beothach and great-great-great granddaughter of Nemedh (leader of the Nemedians, and ancestor of the Fir Bholg tribes of Ireland). When she became immortal, she cast spells keeping her husband Mider from committing any other romances out of wedlock. She was more like Hera than Morrigan. She is the mother of Anpao and Cernunnos by Mider. She has not appeared in the Marvel Universe.

Lud? --This may be a name for Nuadhu, or the Olympian Neptune. The demon Ludi claims to be this god..

Lug also Lugh, Lleu - A sun god and a hero god, young, strong, radiant with hair of gold, master of all arts, skills and crafts. One day Lug arrived at the court of the Dagda and demanded to be admitted to the company of the gods. The gatekeeper asked him what he could do. For every skill or art Lug named, the gatekeeper replied that there was already one among the company who had mastered it. Lug at last pointed out that they had no one who had mastered them all, and so gained a place among the deities, eventually leading them to victory in the second battle of Moytura against the Fomorian invaders. (The Fomorians were a race of monsters who challenged the gods for supremacy in the first and second battles of Moytura.) The Romans identified Lug with Mercury. The most popular and widely worshipped of the Celtic gods, Lug's name in its various forms was taken by the cities of Lyons, Loudun, Laon, Leon, Lieden, Leignitz, Carlisle and Vienna. -no appearance in the MU, unless he is Caber.

Macha is actually synonymous with Morrigan, but she was also cognate with Maev, Medb and Morgan Le Fay (three mortals in three different time periods). She is mentioned/invoked frequently by Conan and others in the Hyborian era. She was also invoked by Doctor Druid in Avengers Spotlight#37. Otherwise, she has not been seen in the Earth-616 universe, though her alternate Earth counterpart was seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#3.
 * MACHA "Crow." The third of the triad of war goddesses known as the Morrigan, Macha feeds on the heads of slain enemies. Macha often dominates her male lovers through cunning or simple brute strength.

Midir was the god of the Underworld/Annwyn; He is the son of Dagda and Morrigan, and (according to some sources) the father of Anpao and Cernunnos. He is the brother of Andraste, Bodb Derg, Brigit, Ohgma, and Rhiannon. Midir was not an underworld god like Hades; he was ruler of the faeries, elves and leprechauns that lived there; they were distant relatives. He was sort of the elf king. Midir has not appeared in the Marvel Universe.

Morrigan (image above) was a darker more bloodthirsty of Hera. A river-goddess originally (goddess of the river Unius), she later served as goddess of war and death. She was so large that she straddled a river between her legs and washed off the armor of dead warriors. Dagda took her as his wife although he also had fidelities with other goddesses. She was mother of Andraste, Bodb Derg, Brigit, Mider, Oghma, and Rhiannon. She may be the sister of Boann. In the Marvel Universe, she was invoked for power by Doctor Druid in Avengers Spotlight#37. She was also one of the three who granted power to Kyllian. She was commonly invoked in the Hyborian era. Her alternate Earth counterpart was seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#3. --Dr. Strange Annual#3
 * MORRIGAN, THE also MORRIGU MORRIGAN A war goddess, forerunner of the Arthurian Morgan La Fey. Like Odin, fickle and unfaithful, not to be trusted. A hag with a demonic laugh, the Morrigan appears as a grotesque apparition to men about to die in battle. Her name is also used for a triad of war goddesses (Badb, Danu, Macha), who are often thought of as different aspects of the Morrigan.

Nemain, whose name means Panic, is another War Goddess. She was, briefly put, the berserker form of Morrigan. In short, if Morrigan was Jen Walters, Nemain was her She-Hulk. On the battlefield, Morrigan would enter into a bloodlust and transform into Nemain. Since Morrigan was already large enough to straddle the Unius river, Nemain would be a lot more bigger and a lot more savage than anything else in Celtic myth." --She was frequently invoked by Conan and others in the Hyborian era.

Niamh-see the Lady of the Lake. some sources have listed her as a form of Badb.

Nuada

aka Nuadhu:

(Marvel Comics Presents I#108/2(fb)) - In a time before man walked the Earth, when the gods roamed free, Nauda led the Tuatha de Danann (the people of Danu, a celtic goddess). He led them to Ireland in order to usurp it from the Fir Bolg, the gods who lived there. The two groups clashed on the lush green fields on Mag Tuireadth in a brutal and bloody battle. Nauda led his men to victory, butlost his right hand in the battle.

(Marvel Comics Presents I#108/2(fb)) - Victorious, the Tuatha de Danann took possession of the island, allowing the Fomorians (the enemies of the Celtic Gods) to keep the province of Connacht. They built a castle in Tara to be their stronghold. Dian Cecht, the leech (healer) for the Tuatha forged a silver hand for Nauda. However, Nauda's reign was not to be. He was opposed by the Lords of the Tuatha, who said that only one who was without blemish could rule: Nauda had no choice but to surrender his kingship.

For seven years, there was an uneasy alliance between the Tuatha and the Fomorians, but during that time, both groups prepared for battle. Nauda bided his time on the sidelines until the green fields of Mag Tuireadth ran red with the blood a second time, this time from the Tuatha and the Fomorians. Nauda leapt into battle and again led the way into victory, but was skewered from behind by a Fomorian, and died on the field of battle.

(Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica) - Nauda eventually took a human host to rule the Kingdom of Britain and father Gwythr and Gwynn. At the moment of his mortal host's death, Nuada attempted to leave the host and return to Otherworld, but the host clung to a fragment of Nuada's divine life essene and was consigned to Oblivion.

(Infinity Gauntlet#2)- The Godheads met in Asgard to discuss the disappearance of half of the beings in the universe. Those present were Itzamna (Mayan), Manitou (Native American), Nuada/Nuadhu (Celtic), Odin (see comments) (Asgardian), Osiris (Egyptian), Svarog (Russian), Tezcatlipoca (Mexican), and Zeus (Olympian).

As early as the Hyborian era, @ 10,000 BC specifically, Nuaden Argatlam of the Silver Hand ( a little redundant) has been referenced, by the Ligurean Druid Diviatrix, @ the Black Sphinx of Nebthu, retold in King Conan#2.

It is not quite clear if Nauda (MCP#105-109) or Nuada (Infinity Gauntlet#2) are supposed to be the mythological Nuadhu. Nauda obviously has a knowledge of the Celtic Gods' history, but is a bit off in some of the facts and motivations. He could be an imposter. On the other hand, if it really is him, the Nuada who met with Odin may have been the deity known as the Dagda (two titles for a immortal otherwise known as Eochaid Ollathir). If that's not enough; if Nuada were Dagda, where would that leave Dagda who saw battle against Seth? You see - mythological Nuadhu was rather like Ouranus of the Greeks, while Dagda had a role like Zeus with some lineage between them. Dagda is also a title; his real name being Eochaid Ollathir. Nuada being a second title for the former Dagda. It remains to be seen as to how Marvel may rectify this confusion. My explanation? Nuadhu is the ancient Celtic God, the "Ouranos" as mentioned above. Nauda of the Silver Hand is either a demonic being, a mortal, or the dark side of the Celtic God Nuadhu. There is some magical connection, but they are different beings. Dagda is similarly a separate being. To further confuse things, some sources note Lud (Ludi) as being derived from Nodens, aka Nuada.--Snood.

The mad Nauda seen in Marvel Comics Presents was revealed to be Nuadhu's former human host in Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica. --Markus Raymond

Oghma is the god of Labor, and the son of Dagda and Morrigan.

God of eloquence, inspiration, language, magic, music, physical strength, poets, writers. Invented the Ogam script alphabet and carried a huge club similar to Hercules'. Variants: Oghma, Ogmios, Grianainech (sun face), Cermait (honey-mouthed).

He has not been seen in the Marvel Universe.

Rhiannon is the goddess of horses, and is the daughter of Dagda and Morrigan, and the sister of Andraste, Bodb, Brigit, Mider, and Oghma. She was also known as Epona. A Hyborian Era character invokes Epona on page 32 of King Conan#2. The mainstream version has not been seen in the Marvel Universe, though she was invoked by Agatha Harkness in Avengers West Coast#61.

Taranis (image above) is a Celtic Storm God In other sources he was just a name the Celtics gave to Zeus when the Romans invade Briton. Nothing else. In the Marvel Universe, though, he could be some sort of Thor/Hercules like creation. He is the God of Thunder and the Elements. He was one of the three who granted power to Kyllian. --Dr. Strange Annual#3 Will speculates that Taranis is actually the Dagda. Discussion of his connection to Zeus/Jupiter, and other historical information can be found here.} Also: more info per Seth Richards: "Taranis, Taranos, Taranus [W, Bret. taran, thunder]. One of the three principal divinities, along with Esus and Teutates, of Gaul and Britain, according to the Roman poet Lucan (1st cent. AD) in his Pharsalia, on the subject of Julius Caesar's conquest 100 years earlier. While each of the deities was propitiated with human sacrifice, according to Lucan, the cult of Taranis was crueller than that of the Scythian Diana; victims could be burned alive in wooden vessels. Speculation on the death of the 4th-cent. BC man found in Lindow bog in 1984 has suggested that he may have been sacrificed to either Taranis or Teutates. A 9th-century commentary on Lucan describes Taranis as 'master of war' and links him to Jupiter. But from what we know, Taranis is only an embodiment of the natural force of thunder and lacks the complexity and wide-ranging functions of the Roman sky-god. Other commentators link Taranis to the Roman Dis Pater and to the British Etharun and Etirun. Archaeological evidence does not, however, support Lucan's contentions. The name of Taranis survives on only seven altars, and although they range from Britain to the Balkans, their size and implied wealth does not match that of gods like Gaulish Mercury, whose worship is much more widespread. See Paul-Marie Duval, 'Teutates, Esus, Taranis', Etudes Celtiques, 8 (1958), 41-58; Miranda J. Green, 'Tanarus, Taranis and the Chester Altar', Chester Archaeological Society, 65 (1982), 37-44." - p. 402, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, James Mackillop (ed.)   It's a short article, but that's about what is known about him. Myself, I don't know anything more about him... I just simply recognize him as distinct from the Dagda because the Celtic gods are one of my favorite pantheons to study and while every resource I've found on the gods usually has something to say about both, not one yet's linked the two. I just named the source I did because it's pretty easily available (if it's not at your local bookstore, it shouldn't be too hard to order,) and the bibliography's a pretty thorough one, listing plenty of sources to go to if you want to explore the subject beyond that, thus it's probably one of the best works out there for a layman like me, as a good summary of what's out there.

images: Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica, p49

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Last Updated: 07/16/04

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