The Gorathians are a warlike spacefaring race.
History
There are two castes or subspecies of Gorathians. The ruling warrior caste are approximately as tall as an average human, but significantly more muscular. The servant class is short, scrawny and less aggressive.
The Gorathians managed to force their way in to an alliance of peaceful species who had banded together for mutual defence. Once inside, they bullied the other races into accepting a form of gladiatorial combat known as "The Games" as a means of resolving disputes. Under The Games, champions for each side would battle in brutal contests, with the winners gaining control of the losers' planet and resources. The Gorathians' warlike culture meant they easily won every Game, making them the undisputed masters of the alliance, which became a Gorathian empire in all but name. Even peoples as strong as the Daxamites were forced into compliance.
One of the subject races, the S'tahl, appealed to Superman to be their champion. He accepted and took part in The Games, fighting for the freedom of both S'tahl and Earth. He won, despite the Gorathian leader Grunhar cheating in an attempt to beat him, such as forcing him to use Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen as his seconds rather than Batman and Wonder Woman or pitting him against a Daxamite champion while his opponent was holding a piece of kryptonite. Superman not only freed the S'tahl, but by revealing the Games were rigged he legally invalidated the Gorathians' previous victories, freeing the alliance worlds of their rule.
Miscellaneous
Type of Government:
Dictatorship
Level of Technology:
Advanced
Cultural Traits:
Violence, gladiatorial combat
Representatives:
- Goor
- Grunhar
Notes
- The Gorathians resemble the Orks and Gretchin from Warhammer 40,000.
- Their folding-out mandibles may be a reference to Predator.
See Also
- Appearances of Gorathians
- Race Gallery: Gorathians
- Images of Gorathians