Elfric (comics)
Encyclopedia
Elfric is an antagonist of the fantasy comic series Sláine
by Pat Mills
. He first appeared in the story Time Killer (2000AD
progs 411-434, 1985) as "Elfric Serpent-Eye", the changeling
leader of a force of Norsemen in the Battle of Clontarf
. Sláine's sponsor, Myrddin, gave Sláine the task of killing Elfric, explaining that Elfric was an agent of the Cythrons, a pre-human race of aliens who sought to alter the course of history by fomenting wars and farming humans like swine.
Elfric is not himself a Cythron. Rather, he is a Dark El (colloquially known as 'Dev-Els', in contrast to the Light Els or 'Ang-Els'); a native of the El worlds (which he calls 'Els-Where'), which are located on dimensions at right angles to our own. These realms are analogous to the Fairy
realms, and as such Elfric exhibits many traits common to these creatures of legend, including immortality; immunity to pain and injury; and a loathing of iron
. He bears only a passing resemblance to humans, and is usually depicted with blue skin, needle-shaped teeth, and his most distinctive feature: a third eye set in the middle of his forehead, from which he is able to project bursts of deadly energy. He has also on occasions exhibited a talent for shape-shifting, though he usually has to take pains to hide his third eye, making his disguises imperfect. He favours heavy make-up, and often has a mocking, sadistic manner matched by an appetite for debauchery and decadence.
Elfric too survived the battle, but was banished to Els-Where, where he met Sláine and his new ally Murdach, and he was killed in battle once again. His immortality once again preserved him, but under the 'laws of the macrocosm' he felt certain that he could not be defeated a third time. He did not have long to wait for this third conflict. Later, in the realm of Cythrawl (really pre-historic Earth), Sláine orchestrated a revolt amongst the Cythrons' human gladiators. The Cythrons were about to put this revolt down, forcing Myrddin to intervene directly by summoning elementals. This direct intervention allowed Elfric to appear to confront his bitter enemy, and sure enough, Sláine was unable to harm him. Following advice from his goddess, Sláine at least proved capable of matching Elfric, and thus became 'immune' to him.
For the rest of Sláine's sojourn in Cythrawl, Elfric proved to be a thorn in the side of the barbarian and his allies. He pursued them into the tomb of the dark god Grimnismal who apparently slew him. He then reappeared in Dragoncorpse (Diceman #2), where he revealed that Grimnismal had merely transferred some of his power to him, and attempted to use a magic shield named Death's Door to open a portal to his own demonic realm. Sláine banished him to Els-Where yet again, but this did not stop him from reappearing in the Celtic Otherworld
, where once again he harassed Sláine; a conflict that culminated in his assuming Sláine's likeness, taking the role of his fetch
, practically identical to the berserker in all respects. Once again (assuming the player completes the gamestrip successfully) this attempt on his enemy's life failed, and he was pierced with a Gáe Bulg
-- a weapon Elfric did not have in his possession at the time.
Elfric remained absent from the strip for a few years, reappearing as the chief antagonist in Demon Killer (2000AD
progs 852-859) and its sequel Queen of Witches (progs 889-896). He had resumed his old role of meddling with the course of history, this time aiding the Roman conquest of Britain
. A personal friend of Emperor Nero
, he set about his task of subjugating the Britons with gusto, personally undertaking the flogging of Boudica
and the rape
of her daughters. Though dispatched by Sláine, he soon returns with a host of demons and despoils the land. The ensuing battle ultimately leads to the defeat of the Britons and suicide of Boudica, and though Sláine slays him again, Elfric claims victory. As a footnote to this tragic chapter, the Romans decide that due to the difficulty of keeping Britannia under control, invading Ireland would be too costly, suggesting that Sláine's mission in Roman Britain was not to drive out the Romans, but merely to halt their advance.
Elfric has yet to reappear in the comic, although his brother Morholt
(named after the character of Arthurian legend) featured as an antagonist in the Book of Invasions: Tara story (prog 2005-prog 1425). Another three-eyed El rider, Morholt wielded a huge pair of shears with which he decapitated his foes. He was petrified at the end of the story, but if he takes after his brother he may yet return.
Sláine (comics)
Sláine is a comic hero from the pages of 2000 AD - one of Britain's most popular comic books.Sláine is a barbarian fantasy adventure series based on Celtic myths and stories which first appeared in 1983, written by Pat Mills and initially drawn by his then wife, Angela Kincaid. Most of the early...
by Pat Mills
Pat Mills
Pat Mills, nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since....
. He first appeared in the story Time Killer (2000AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
progs 411-434, 1985) as "Elfric Serpent-Eye", the changeling
Changeling
A changeling is a creature found in Western European folklore and folk religion. It is typically described as being the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. Sometimes the term is also used to refer to the child who...
leader of a force of Norsemen in the Battle of Clontarf
Battle of Clontarf
The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, Máel Mórda mac Murchada: composed mainly of his own men, Viking mercenaries from Dublin and the Orkney Islands led by his cousin Sigtrygg, as well as the one rebellious...
. Sláine's sponsor, Myrddin, gave Sláine the task of killing Elfric, explaining that Elfric was an agent of the Cythrons, a pre-human race of aliens who sought to alter the course of history by fomenting wars and farming humans like swine.
Elfric is not himself a Cythron. Rather, he is a Dark El (colloquially known as 'Dev-Els', in contrast to the Light Els or 'Ang-Els'); a native of the El worlds (which he calls 'Els-Where'), which are located on dimensions at right angles to our own. These realms are analogous to the Fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
realms, and as such Elfric exhibits many traits common to these creatures of legend, including immortality; immunity to pain and injury; and a loathing of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. He bears only a passing resemblance to humans, and is usually depicted with blue skin, needle-shaped teeth, and his most distinctive feature: a third eye set in the middle of his forehead, from which he is able to project bursts of deadly energy. He has also on occasions exhibited a talent for shape-shifting, though he usually has to take pains to hide his third eye, making his disguises imperfect. He favours heavy make-up, and often has a mocking, sadistic manner matched by an appetite for debauchery and decadence.
History
A skilled and sadistic warrior and sorcerer, Sláine was only able to defeat him in battle by using his warp spasm, and even then was still mortally wounded: an event he only survived by way of the temporal manipulations of Myrddin and the Ever-Living Ones.Elfric too survived the battle, but was banished to Els-Where, where he met Sláine and his new ally Murdach, and he was killed in battle once again. His immortality once again preserved him, but under the 'laws of the macrocosm' he felt certain that he could not be defeated a third time. He did not have long to wait for this third conflict. Later, in the realm of Cythrawl (really pre-historic Earth), Sláine orchestrated a revolt amongst the Cythrons' human gladiators. The Cythrons were about to put this revolt down, forcing Myrddin to intervene directly by summoning elementals. This direct intervention allowed Elfric to appear to confront his bitter enemy, and sure enough, Sláine was unable to harm him. Following advice from his goddess, Sláine at least proved capable of matching Elfric, and thus became 'immune' to him.
For the rest of Sláine's sojourn in Cythrawl, Elfric proved to be a thorn in the side of the barbarian and his allies. He pursued them into the tomb of the dark god Grimnismal who apparently slew him. He then reappeared in Dragoncorpse (Diceman #2), where he revealed that Grimnismal had merely transferred some of his power to him, and attempted to use a magic shield named Death's Door to open a portal to his own demonic realm. Sláine banished him to Els-Where yet again, but this did not stop him from reappearing in the Celtic Otherworld
Other World
The Otherworld is a concept in Celtic mythology, referring to a realm of the dead, the home of the deities or spirits....
, where once again he harassed Sláine; a conflict that culminated in his assuming Sláine's likeness, taking the role of his fetch
Fetch (folklore)
A fetch is a supernatural double or apparition of a living person in Irish folklore. It is largely akin to the doppelgänger. Francis Grose associated the term with Northern England in his 1787 Provincial Glossary, but otherwise it seems to have been in popular use only in Ireland...
, practically identical to the berserker in all respects. Once again (assuming the player completes the gamestrip successfully) this attempt on his enemy's life failed, and he was pierced with a Gáe Bulg
Gáe Bulg
The Gáe Bulg , meaning "spear of mortal pain/death spear", "gapped/notched spear", or "belly spear", was the name of the spear of Cúchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
-- a weapon Elfric did not have in his possession at the time.
Elfric remained absent from the strip for a few years, reappearing as the chief antagonist in Demon Killer (2000AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
progs 852-859) and its sequel Queen of Witches (progs 889-896). He had resumed his old role of meddling with the course of history, this time aiding the Roman conquest of Britain
Roman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
. A personal friend of Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
, he set about his task of subjugating the Britons with gusto, personally undertaking the flogging of Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
and the rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
of her daughters. Though dispatched by Sláine, he soon returns with a host of demons and despoils the land. The ensuing battle ultimately leads to the defeat of the Britons and suicide of Boudica, and though Sláine slays him again, Elfric claims victory. As a footnote to this tragic chapter, the Romans decide that due to the difficulty of keeping Britannia under control, invading Ireland would be too costly, suggesting that Sláine's mission in Roman Britain was not to drive out the Romans, but merely to halt their advance.
Elfric has yet to reappear in the comic, although his brother Morholt
Morholt
In Arthurian legend, Morholt is an Irish warrior who demands tribute from King Mark of Cornwall until he is slain by Tristan, Mark's nephew and defender. He appears in almost all versions of the Tristan and Iseult story, beginning with the verse works of Thomas of Britain and Béroul...
(named after the character of Arthurian legend) featured as an antagonist in the Book of Invasions: Tara story (prog 2005-prog 1425). Another three-eyed El rider, Morholt wielded a huge pair of shears with which he decapitated his foes. He was petrified at the end of the story, but if he takes after his brother he may yet return.