Cyttorak

Cyttorak is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mystical entity, he is the deity that powers Juggernaut through the artifact known as the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak.

Cyttorak
Two of Cyttorak's manifestations
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(First mentioned) Strange Tales #124 (Sept. 1964) (Actual appearance) Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #44 (Aug. 1992)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) Alex Toth (artist)
In-story information
Species	Deity
Partnerships	Octessence Juggernaut
Abilities	Nearly unlimited mystical abilities

Publication history

Cyttorak was first mentioned in Strange Tales #124 ("The Lady from Nowhere", September 1964; written by Stan Lee). He first appeared in person in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #44 (August 1992; written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Geof Isherwood).

Fictional character biography

Cyttorak is a deity who was previously banished to the Crimson Cosmos Dimension.^[1][2] Centuries later, renegade monks attempt to summon Cyttorak, but instead summon a destructive aspect of him. The magic apprentice Gomurr defeats the aspect and seals him in a magical gem.^[3]

During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Magik, Colossus, and Kitty Pryde travel to the Crimson Cosmos to speak to Cyttorak. They inform him that Juggernaut has been transformed into Kuurth and is under the control of the Serpent. Colossus makes a bargain with Cyttorak to gain the power to stand against Kuurth. Cyttorak agrees to the terms and Colossus becomes his avatar.^[4]

Through a miniature portal generated by Man-Thing, Cyttorak detects Cain Marko and grants him the powers of Juggernaut once again.^[5]

After becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Doom learns that Cyttorak's covenant requires the Sorcerer Supreme to fight the Scions of Cyttorak. He gives Spider-Man arcane armor that will resurrect him up to eight times to fight the Scions for him.^[6][7] After Spider-Man uses up all his lives and dies, the Scion Cya makes a deal with Phil Coulson to take her immortality in exchange for reviving Spider-Man. Emerging as the Spider-Naut, Spider-Man assists Juggernaut into defeating Callix.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

Avatars of Cyttorak

Jin Moon-ho

Jin Moon-ho was Cyttorak's avatar before Cain Marko. A poor farmer from Korea, Moon-ho came across an abandoned temple of Cytorrak after fleeing from bandits and encountered the Gem of Cyttorak, turning him into the Juggernaut. Cyttorak, the ruler of the Crimson Cosmos and the supplier of Moon-ho's powers, then ordered Moon-ho to align himself with Japanese imperialists to further the deity's goals of world destruction. Moon-ho dropped his Korean name, renamed himself "Taiko" and followed Cyttorak's command to help the Japanese colonize Korea. Taiko became increasingly remorseful and ashamed as he continued killing for the demon and eventually refused Cyttorak's orders to destroy his home village, who took his powers away until Cain Marko eventually found the gem and took over as Cyttorak's new avatar.^[14] Cain, as the new Juggernaut, faced and killed Taiko, burning his village to the ground.^[15] Due to Moon-ho's service with the Japanese, he was branded as a traitor by his fellow countrymen and his family was shunned, causing his son Jin Jong-Wu to resent him for many years and refusing to take the powers of the Juggernaut himself after inheriting a shard of the Gem of Cyttorak.^[14]

Cain Marko

Temple of Cyttorak

During the Korean War, an American soldier named Cain Marko hid in a cave to avoid an attack by the enemy. A fellow soldier, his stepbrother Charles Xavier, followed him in to convince him to rejoin the battle and avoid a court-martial (the inevitable result if his actions were to reach the attention of the commanding officers). The learned Xavier recognized that the cave contained the Temple of Cyttorak. Marko saw a ruby, remarking that it appeared to be living. He picked it up, despite Xavier's warning, to read the inscription: "Whosoever touches this gem shall possess the power of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak! Henceforth, you who read these words, shall become forevermore a human juggernaut!" Cain's transformation began as the Koreans' constant shelling of the cave caused it to collapse. Xavier escaped, but Marko also survived due to his new-found powers, becoming the Juggernaut.^[16]

Justin Jin

See also: Kid Juggernaut

Justin (Joon-Sung) Jin is an 18 year-old from Vancouver, Canada and the grandson of Jin Moon-ho who receives a shard of the Gem of Cyttorak after his estranged father Jung-woo is killed by Cyttorak's follower Malphegor.^[17][18] He uses the Gem's powers to become the superhero Kid Juggernaut and joins the Avengers Academy.^[14][19]

Powers and abilities

Cyttorak is a deity with enormous magical power. He possesses superhuman strength and durability and can create life at will.^[20][1]