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History

Dane Whitman, in the body of Eobar Garrington, encountered a Crusader named Prester John battling Muslim warriors. The Black Knight helped John overcome his attackers and brought him to the Crusaders' camp. They then prevented an assassination attempt on Richard the Lionhearted.[1]

After the Crusades, John traveled the world until he found the Isle of Avalon. There he gained the Evil Eye. As a plague seemed to wipe out the citizens of Avalon, John prepared to sit upon the Seat of Survival, which would place him in suspended animation.[2]

However, Kang appeared, trying to get John to join him. As a result of their battle, John was sent into the past. He attempted to manipulate events in the past, advising a Frankish king to battle Vikings. He was stopped by Thunderstrike (then acting as Thor), who was investigating a town Kang had reverted to medieval times. A bolt from Mjolnir somehow triggered the Eye to teleport John back to Avalon.[3]

Under unknown circumstances, he ended up in Africa while in suspended animation. John and the Seat were later found in Africa by Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot while searching for a way to assist the Inhumans, and they awakened John. Johnny Storm took the Eye forcibly and activated its self-destruction, but dropped it before it exploded.[2]

While wandering in the desert, John found a tribe of Bedouins and took the Stone of Power. Using its power he collapsed an area, and again returned to suspended animation. He was later found and briefly battled the Thing and Iron Man.[4]

When the Shaper of Worlds formed the medieval world Eurth using the imagination of a child and the history of Avalon, John acted as one of its 'Four Muses'.[5]

Dormammu and Loki reformed the Evil Eye. The Defenders and Avengers were tricked into battling each other over the fate of Dane Whitman, who was once again in the body of his ancestor Eobard Garrington. Prester John was able to regain the Eye from Prince John and Mordred.[6][7]

Prester John (Johann) (Earth-616) from Cable & Deadpool Vol 1 15 0001

Prester John

Prester John later returned to modern times. He became involved with Cable and Deadpool due to Cable's attempt to control the world and Deadpool being falsely accused of murdering a Muslim cleric. He took residence on Providence. He seemed to have altered or added the Eye to his 'Stellar Rod'.[8]

Attributes

Power Grid[12]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Master: Several Forms of Combat:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Multiple Types:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Enhanced:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Superhuman:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Peak Human:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Abilities

Gifted intelligence, skilled swordsman, highly athletic; trained as a priest and warrior.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Weapons

Evil Eye, currently placed on or altered into the Stellar Rod.

Transportation

Traveled using the Eye.

Notes

Prester John (Johann) (Earth-11127) from Defenders Vol 4 3 0002

With Ω on his palms

  • Prester John's origin as an Omega is revealed in Defenders (Vol. 4), though the events diverge due to time-travel at the end. Later, in Defenders: Beyond #2, the Omegas are revealed to be another name for the Beyonders. Thus, due to a series of retcons, Prester John is the first Beyonder to appear in Marvel Comics.
    • The weird-looking machine that appears in Prester John's backstory is also expanded upon as the Concordance Engine.[10]

Trivia

  • Loosely based on a folkloric Nestorian king named Prester John who supposedly aided King Richard the Lionhearted during the Crusades.

See Also

Links and References

References

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