Where there is hope there can be no dominion. We are dominion. The three who stand against us inspire hope. The island of our "birthing" seethes with hope...ultimately futile. We are the harbingers. We are inevitable. This world will be ours. 
- — Azraeuz src
History
Chang Tzu's Science Squad worked in an old Socialist Chinese facility on Oolong Island. With the aid of the brilliant geneticist Veronica Cale, they succeeded in creating four monstrous creatures which became known as the Four Horsemen of Apokolips. Azraeuz was the avatar of Death, whose coming was foretold in the Bible of Crime. The Four Horsemen were created specifically to target Black Adam and his family and wipe them out.[1]
Azraeuz and the Horsemen, Rogga and Zorrm traveled to Kahndaq where they met with their brother, Yurrd the Unknown (who had been posing as a benevolent crocodile named Sobek). They laid waste to Kahndaq, killing Black Adam's wife, Isis, and his brother-in-law, Osiris. Before dying, Isis managed to drive Azraeuz away by summoning a geyser of lava from out of the ground.[2]
After killing Roggra, Zurrm and Yurrd, Black Adam traced Azraeuz to Bialya for a final showdown. The battle was immense, but ultimately Black Adam proved victorious and he killed the last of the Four Horsemen.[3]
Resurrection
But the Four Horsemen had only lost their bodies, not their potency. In time, Azraeuz took possession of a Bialya survivor scavenging among the dead. Using the mass of bodies within the country, as well as taking over President Rashid to prevent international or superhero action, Azraeuz set about making new bodies for himself and his brothers. Building a mound made of earth and corpses, the dead of Bialya were able to build new bodies for the Horsemen using morphogenetic technology that had been intended to raise a fire pit in Bailya, using the corpses as conductors to fuel the pit after ignition. Unaware of their intent, the Justice Leaguers Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman tried to destroy the Horsemen by throwing a massive block of ice onto the mound. Unfortunately, the kinetic energy activated the fire pit, allowing the Horsemen to empower their bodies and be reborn.[4] Restored, Azraeuz dispatched Rogga to destroy the forces on Oolong Island trying to return them to where they were born, while Yurrd and Zorrm were dispatched to deal with the Justice League.
Unfortunately, the Horsemen were now born of Earth, and had Earth frailties as well. Each brother save Azraeuz was dispatched, but took possession of the Justice Leaguers that had opposed them. However, Veronica Cale, who had overseen the horsemen's rebirth, swallowed a crystal intended to contain their essences, and reabsorbed Azraeuz's essence into the crystal, defeating him and the other Horsemen for now.[5]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Unique Physiology: As the avatar of death, Azraeuz is a demon-like creature of incredible strength and ability. Despite his origins, he has taken control of powerful planes of death and seized their power for his own.
- Necrotic Empowerment: Azraeuz draws strength from every death that occurs around him, although the range of this ability is unknown.
- Possession: Azraeuz can possess a host body to use as a means to interact with the physical world.
- Necromancy: Azraeuz has control over the Mortuus Dominion, whereby he can reanimate the deceased to serve his will.[6]
Weaknesses
- Power Limitation: Azraeuz cannot possess anyone at will, but must instead be "invited" to possess the target host. This "invitation" is not necessarily intended or even knowingly made, but must be within the purview of the intended horsemen's domain, such as the dead in Azraeuz's case.
Notes
Trivia
- Azraeus is also known as the Silent King and the Silent King of the Age of Death.
Related
- 9 Appearances of Azraeuz (New Earth)
- 7 Images featuring Azraeuz (New Earth)
- 2 Quotations by or about Azraeuz (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Azraeuz (New Earth)
Footnotes