by Bevan Thomas
Real Name: Solaris (alleged)
Aliases: The Tyrant Sun
Occupation: Intergalactic conqueror and god.
Group Affiliation: Commands the Sun-Eaters
Image by Reetta Linjama
Few names are as feared across the galaxy as Emperor Solaris, the Tyrant Sun. No one knows where he came from: some say he was once human until he bargained that away for power, others that he is a sun that has somehow acquired sentience and a humanoid body. And a few insist that the Sun Emperor is a demon hungry for this universe. Whatever his origin, Solaris has warred across the heavens for aeons, conquering planets, solar systems, vast areas of space. He shattered the Star Tsar, conquered the Cosmic King, smashed the Saturn Queen, laid waste to all who oppose him. Now he has turned his eyes to Earth and leads his armada to conquer our realm.
Before recorded history, the Sun Emperor had mounted a previous invasion on our world, guided here by the demon Abin Sur, and though the Emperor had been driven back by the being later known as the Immortal Man, the resulting cataclysm had destroyed Atlantis and much of civilization. Solaris’ power has increased much since then, and he is confident he will defeat Earth’s champions. Is he not the Sun Emperor? The ruler of the heavens? Conqueror of more than half of the galaxy? He is coming. He is coming to claim everything.
The Sun Emperor’s most devoted slaves are known as the Sun-Eaters. He selects the best and brightest of those places he conquers, then feeds them on his own divine flame, filling their minds with loyalty and their bodies with power as they become addicted to his essence and worship him as their only god. They spread his gospel throughout the galaxy, adding their power to him as he adds his power to theirs.
Powers
The Sun Emperor is a being of primal flame who has total control over fire: able to create it, extinguish it, and transform it into various forms. He can also sheath himself in fire and fly, leaving a trail of flames behind him. Strange still, he can gaze through flames to view other places that are in the presence of a different fire, and can communicate through the flames as well. Because of that, he has his worshippers always keep lanterns and candles lit, so that he can view and converse with them whenever he wishes.
The Sun Emperor is nourished by loyalty. The more slaves the Sun Emperor has, the more powerful he becomes: his physical strength is increased and his flame burns brighter. With planets of individually fanning his fire, he is mightier than almost anyone else in existence. The Sun Emperor is immortal. He is thousands of years old and can regenerate from most wounds. Even if he appears to be completely obliterated, as long as he has at least one faithful follower left, Solaris can resurrect himself from that person. However, in doing so he must consume the follower’s body, turning that person to ash. The only way for him to be totally destroyed would be to convert or kill all his worshippers and then destroy his body.
The fire of the Sun Emperor is hypnotic, and he can use it to create fear and awe in those before him, so that they see him as an avenging god. But to create even greater loyalty, the Sun Emperor feeds people a piece of the flame that is his essence, converting them into Sun-Eaters. Sun-Eaters are filled with awe and fear for their lord and become addicted to the flame, so that they feel the need to have more and more, which binds them even further to Solaris. As Sun-Eaters, the beings have some of Solaris’ mastery over fire and have the ability to watch and communicate through flames, which is how they keep in touch across the heavens.
Perhaps the most terrible of the Sun Emperor’s powers is his ability to gain the memories, skills, and powers of those whose souls or “fire” he’s consumed. That is one of the reasons for his obsessive conquest, and his fascination for Earth, to feast on the essence of those that dwell there, and add their power to his own. Among the abilities he has taken in such a fashion include the Saturn Queen’s mastery of gravity, the Cosmic King’s powerful psionics, and the Star Tsar’s mysterious quantum bursts.
Limitation
It is said that a light lit in the mythical Green Lantern could wound the Sun Emperor. Green is the opposite of red, after all. That has never been tested, and most people assume the Green Lantern to be nothing more than a fairy tale. However, the mysterious individual known as the “Joker” thinks differently….
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