Arion, also referred to as Arion, Lord of Atlantis, Arion the Immortal, is a sword and sorcery superhero and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He debuted in Warlord #55 (March 1982), created by Paul Kupperberg and Jan Duursema. The character is commonly associated within Aquaman and Power Girl, his stories and history having retroactively been connected to the former's version of Atlantis.

An immortal wizard and demigod from ancient Atlantis, Ahri'ahn served as its ancient protector, the era's Sorcerer Supreme, and a ranked member among the Lords of Order. The character's magical exploits, scientific discoveries and heroism in the fictional mythology of Atlantis makes him a revered figure and the cultural progenitor of the Homo magi race and their descendants. Surviving into the modern day, he is the ancestor of several notable heroes and villains such as Zatanna, Aquaman, and Ocean Master. The character was also once retroactively a relative to Power Girl, until this change was later also reversed, and has acted as both a hero and villain.

Publication history

upright|thumb|Cover of Arion, Lord of Atlantis #1 (November 1982).<br/>Art by [[Jan Duursema.|left]]

Arion began as a back-up feature in the DC Comics book Warlord with issue #55, in which ran until issue #62 when Arion gained his own series, Arion Lord of Atlantis, beginning with #1 (November 1982). The series lasted for 35 issues plus a special which wrapped up the original storyline, running from November 1982 to September 1985 with the special shipping in November 1985. Concurrently between April 1985 - March 1986, Arion was one of the many characters involved in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover title, with his history of Atlantis inserted into the main DC continuity. Arion also appeared in DC Comics Presents in a crossover with Superman.

Years later in 1991, Kupperburg sent in a proposal for what would eventually be Arion the IMMORTAL, a sequel to his original series. Originally titled Arion: Darkworld and Arion, Lord of Order, due to elements similar to characters presented in Doctor Fate and Sandman titles, the draft was reworked as to make the characters involved in the book independent of the Lords of Chaos and Order and the concept of Arion's magic different from the framework established in these other two DC Comic titles, as to not interfere with their direction and depiction. In 1992, Arion starred in a miniseries that established him in the modern era and he would also make appearances in several Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Justice League crossovers.

Modern stories

During the early 2000s, despite the efforts to ensure the characters and concepts in the series were dissimilar to both titles, many references books and encyclopedias later connected Arion's character, supporting cast, and villains to the same Lords of Chaos and Order characters referenced in other titles. Arion's character would play a role in the JSA title, where the character is involved in a conflict connected to the other characters involved in Lords of Order and Chaos and is killed off in the fiftieth issue of the series. Despite the character's death, a past version of the character hailing from the 1600s would appear in 2006 in the "Camelot Falls" storyline in the Superman title and is depicted as an antagonist to the story. Concurrently, a new incarnation of Arion appeared whose real name was William Knightly.

New 52 & Rebirth-onward

Eventually, a new version of the character was introduced in the Secret Six 2014 run by Gail Simone; while making a silhouetted appearance, the character's children, Uvian and his unnamed sons, formed a cult known as the Children of Arion and appeared in one of the main antagonists in the Gauntlet storyline in the series.

Fictional character biography

Origin

In Arion's original origin told to him by Calculha, Arion was a cosmic being born from energies coalesced into form. Because of his standing as a cosmic being, he is capable of affecting the balance between both order and chaos and because of that, is chosen as an unwitting agent. He is found by his aged mentor and Sorcerer Supreme, Calculha, and is tutored in the art of magic and spell-casting. Through their training, they form a familial bond.

In his revised origin, elements from the former remain with some changes; Arion (referred to then as "Ahri'ahn") is the son of deities Calculha and Majistra, the former Sorcerer Supreme and the latter his equal with a connection to Egyptians as well as the younger twin brother of Garn Daanuth. Due to the couple's differences in alignment from embodying light and darkness respectively, the pair separate and the two brothers are unaware of their connection until later in life. A prophesized hero, Calculha trained Ahri'ahn in white magic in preparation for his destiny. When near of age, he meets Majistra and Garn during a conclave with other wizards and the family later battles for supremacy when Majistra plots to empower herself with the Zodiac Crystals, artifacts of great magical power, to usher in an age of dark magic. While she manages to gain the upper hand with Calculha, Arion's intervention and sacrifice of usurping control of the crystals displaced her, mystically seared Garn's skin, granting him an albino-esque appearance, and also displaces Calculha when he tries to save his son from magically disintegrating. He sets his converted body into a star and his soul to the Darkworld dimension to be recalled at a later time although the family feud tiled the Earth's axis slightly, inadvertently causing an Ice Age. Ahri'ahn's soul is later recalled thanks to blinded warrior Wyynde's 10,000 years later after guided by Calculha's spirit, christened "Arion", a corruption of his name. He is taken to Atlantis and is made Lord High Mage for the King of Atlantis, D'Tilluh. Eventually, he is re-taught magic he had forgotten by Calculha and becomes one of Atlantis's foremost protectors, aided by Wyynde, Atlantean lieutenant guardsman, and Lady Chian, Captain of D'Tilluh's royal guard and lover.

Arion, Lord of Atlantis (1982–1985)

Throughout his life as Lord High Mage, Arion would have many adventures; he would encounter and be pitted against various gods of the Atlantean pantheon, ended the Ice Age at the cost of his own magical power, and sought ways to reclaim his former might. He would also encounter Garn and learn of their true connections as well as gain a new ally: Mara. Eventually, Arion defeated Garn by sealing him away in Darkworld. Arion would also reclaim his magical power when he was lured into Darkworld by his mother in a plot to gain more power through a connection to Darkworld like its respective denizens. With his soul re-worked by the deity known only as the Weaver, Arion gains his former might but is unable to stop the destruction of Atlantis when Chaon, one of the Atlantean dark gods, led an alien race (later revealed to be descendants of Atlanteans that ventured into space) against Atlantis and sunk it himself. With the empire fractured, the remaining Atlanteans venture to other corners of the globe to rebuild.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Arion would appear in the Crisis on Infinite Earth crossover as being among the heroes taken in by Harbinger and aids the heroes.

Post-Crisis

Owing to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Arion's universe now exists in the same DC Multiverse with a few changes; Arion's version of Atlantis took place in the distant past, roughly around 500,000 years before the main DCU timeline and is explained that despite Arion's belief, Atlantis as a whole was not destroyed. He was also made part of Power Girl's backstory, being his great-granddaughter jettisoned into the future, her powers said to originate from Arion's experimentation in genetic manipulation and an ancestor of Zatanna Zatara through her mother's side. Eventually, Arion and characters from within his series would be connected to DC's homo magi and the Lords of Chaos and Order, the aforementioned sorcerer being among the Lords of Order. Affiliated characters, like his father and mother, would also be retconned into being deities themselves, making him an actual being of divine origin. Arion renews his old rivalry with his brother, Garn Daanuth, and works to stop the return of Atlantean magic by preventing Darkworld, revealed to be a sentient being, from slumbering.

In the Time Masters mini-series, Rip Hunter and his allies travel back in time to Atlantis where Arion assists them while trying to convince Hunter to not use violence.

After Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Arion aided the Justice League of America against Scarabus. He eventually turned up in the present day, where his body was taken over by Mordru and his spirit imprisoned in Gemworld. His spirit was finally released and allowed to go to the afterlife by Power Girl and Hawkgirl (along with a recently awakened Dove) to weaken Mordru. Before his soul departed, Arion revealed to Power Girl that she was not his granddaughter and thus not an Atlantean.

Arion seemingly reappeared in Infinite Crisis as one of the mystics gathered in Atlantis to keep the Spectre at bay, and later in the Day of Vengeance tie-in special as one of several magical beings summoned to rebuild the Rock of Eternity. It was later revealed that this Arion was an imposter named Bill Knightley who used Arion's reputation to bolster his own.

In the "Camelot Falls" Superman storyline, a past and depowered version of Arion appears from 1659 after learning of a cataclysmic future centered around the presence of Superman. Using vestiges of magical power from artifacts collected over the millennia, he time travels to the modern era and reveals to Superman and his friends his vision, believing that alien interference has a hand in creating apocalyptic situations for humanity in the long-term, and tells him to quit. When he refuses despite escalating present situations supporting his point, he actively opposes Superman and nearly discredits him. He also kidnaps a "pretender" to his name, William Knightley, to understand his fate in the modern era. He battles Superman once more, who eventually prevails due to Phantom Stranger's protections but manages to slip back to his proper time by using Knightley as a decoy due to long-lasting disguise spells and Knightley possessing mystical powers.

The New 52 onward (2011 - current)

Although he did not make a full appearance, Arion would make a brief cameo and was mentioned in the 2014 Secret Six relaunch; it is revealed that millions of years ago, he was the wizard responsible for sealing away elder gods known as the "Dark Giants", who appear to be both based on and a reference to Cthulhu Mythos deities and are the central antagonists that threaten the world in the modern-day from being released due to Black Alice's condition of siphoning magic around the world, undoing the very seals that kept them in place. His children are also the antagonist as they work to help undo the seal, having formed a cult named the "Children of Arion". The four members remain nameless save seemingly the leader, Uvian.

Following the company-wide rebranding in DC Rebirth, Arion is reintroduced in Blue Beetle. In this continuity, he shares similarities to his previous version such as being a former king of Atlantis and is stated to be a Lord of Order manifested in the physical form of an Atlantean demigod. He is also indirectly mentioned alongside his brother by the newer version of Calculha and Dark Majistra, this revised history making him an ancestor of Aquaman, Ocean Master, Atlan, and Atlanna. In the Blue Beetle "Hard Choices" storyline, a villainous version of Arion appears. Thousands of years ago, Arion was believed to have been turned into an insane villain from exposure to the Blue Beetle scarab and gains a more demonic appearance from the usage of more malevolent magic. After being sealed away by Doctor Fate long ago, he uses his apprentice Mordecai Cull to lure Doctor Fate. Jaime Reyes, and the Blue Beetle scarab into undoing his sealing, stealing the scarab for himself to use its power to destroy the world. With the help of Doctor Fate and his allies, Jaime Reyes manages to defeat the sorcerer and his Atlantean demons created by his magic. Arion is then sealed in a crystal of absolution by Doctor Fate for 10,000 years.

Both the Hardline Choices and Drown Earth storylines conflicted in some accounts, with the former suggesting he became insane due to Khaji Da while the latter through the use of the Tear of Extinction led to his death, with a skeleton displaced. This discrepancy is addressed in the 2021 edition of the DC Comics Encyclopedia, explaining that he was driven insane due to the Tear of Exitinction but disappeared, with Atlantean authorities obfuscated details of his fall by claiming he perished.

Arion makes a major appearance in the 2025 Aquaman series, having since found himself in the extradimensional realm of the "Blue", an oceanic counterpart of Swamp Thing's "Green". Imprisoned by its new malevolent ruler, Dagon, and made to nourish oceanic life through his blood in place of water. Aquaman happens upon him and re-introduces himself, having met him previously during the 80th Anniversary issue. Using his new hydrokinetic powers, Aquaman frees him and Vivienne, confirming a prophecy Arion once foretold of an eventual new Avatar of the Blue. With her assistance, Arion helps forge Aquaman a new weapon and works to unseat Dagon with newfound allies as Aquaman searches for the displaced Atlantis. Eventually, he witnesses Aquaman become the new Avatar and defeat Dagon, freeing the Blue from his malignant influence.

Characterization

In his original debut, Arion was first defined as a cosmic being.

Arion is characterized originally as the "Lord High Mage" during the times of ancient Atlantis, a senior government post held by sorcerers that makes him a designated expert in the mystic matters, protector, and prominent a leader only surpassed by the monarch and their aide.

Supporting casts

Friends and allies

In the Arion Lord of Atlantis series, his chief friend and ally is Wyynde, a lieutenant royal guard who is a prince of the people Khe-Wannantu (who resembled depictions of Native Americans). He is also responsible for his resurrection. His love interest, Chian, is a noblewoman-turned-mercenary who serves as captain of the Atlantean royal guard and Wyynde's superior. Alongside Arion, the trio act as Atlantis' best warriors. They are later joined by Mara, an adventurer from city-state Thamuz with shapeshifting powers. She held an interest in Wyynde and later served as Queen of Atlantis following its apparent destruction and subsequent attempt to rebuild. With the latter, he comes into conflict with Jaime Reyes and Ted Kord for control of Khaji-Da and is allied with adversary Mordecai Cull, his apprentice and underling. Arion is considered both an "archmage" and "sorcerer", allowing for abilities originating from enchanted objects that safeguards him against the perils of magic while he himself is simultaneously an enchanted and/or higher-dimensional being himself, allowing for magical powers. Arion chiefly use a white magic variant of "Atlantean magic" originating from his connection to the extradimensional Darkworld; at his peak, his powers are considered limitless and has a wide array of abilities, including the capacity to alter his size, cast illusions, and unleash natural disasters. When depowered or severely limited due to circumstances, Arion can only utilize magic from tapping into sources of magic from anything, including unconventional ones (ex. fires and earthquakes) and can project illusions from existing water vapor or dust. Having a genius-level intellect, he is a technological and scientific expert responsible for the advanced technology Atlantis possess in the modern era. The staff is also owned by Traci 13.

|}

Weaknesses

Much of Arion's magical powers originates from a source, be it the extradimensional Darkworld or arcane objects to act from such as his mystic gem and crystals. This version is the grandson of Vandal Savage, the first king of Atlantis, an agent of the Lords of Order, and ancestor of the Atlanteans and Homo Magi whose magic was derived from his crown. After learning Vandal's intention to sink Atlantis and further the Atlantean and Homo Magi, Arion died opposing him while Klarion the Witch Boy fulfilled Vandal's plot. In the present, Vandal attempts to obtain Arion's crown by creating a clone of him inhabited by Ocean Master's mind, who is eventually killed by the Lords of Order.

  • Arion appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

References

  • DCDatabase: Arion
  • Cosmic Teams: History of Atlantis
  • Arion, Lord of Atlantis at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012.
  • Arion at DC Universe wiki