# Ghaur

Ghaur (/ɡɔːr/) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In the Marvel Universe, he is the head of the Deviant race's priesthood.

## Publication history

Ghaur was created by Peter B. Gillis and Sal Buscema, and first appeared in The Eternals vol. 2 #2 (Nov. 1985).

## Fictional character biography

Ghaur was born in the "City of Toads" in Deviant Lemuria. He grew up to become a high priest in the Deviant priesthood, but had ambition to be much more. He had Ranar the Deviant killed when Ranar claimed succession to the Deviant throne. Ghaur became the unofficial leader of the Deviants.
In the present, Ghaur confronts Kro, whom he allowed to become a figurehead monarch. Ghaur captures Kro and the Eternals Thena and Sersi and reveals that he has amassed an army of Deviants in suspended animation. Ghaur uses a vial containing the essence of the Dreaming Celestial to transform himself into a Celestial. However, Ghaur falls under the control of the Dreaming Celestial, who attempts to escape his underground prison. Ghaur's consciousness is separated from his Celestial body by a Uni-Mind composed of the Eternals and the West Coast Avengers. Ghaur's consciousness seemingly dissipates, and his body shrinks into nothingness.
Ghaur later tricks the Silver Surfer into re-creating his physical form. Ghaur battles the Silver Surfer and frees the Lemurian Llyra from captivity. Ghaur forms an alliance with Llyra to recreate the Serpent Crown and free Tyrannus from the body of the Abomination. Ghaur and Llyra caused the devastation of Atlantis as a sacrifice to the serpent god Set. Ghaur and Llyra assemble the seven "Brides of Set" and use them to bring Set to Earth. They are thwarted by a Thor-possessed Demogorge. Ghaur seeks to slay the "Brides" to bring Set back to Earth, but is foiled by Naga.
Later, Kro leads a group of heroic Deviants known as the Delta Network to rescue the Avengers from a resurrected Ghaur, who is controlling the Deviants. Ghaur and the Deviants battle the Eternals and the Heroes for Hire while planning to rule the world and defy the Celestials. Kro and Ghaur formed bickering factions and keep the struggle for power in Deviant Lemuria. Ghaur threatens Wakanda with war if a Deviant child is not returned to Lemuria custody. In the aftermath of the diplomatic crisis, it is revealed that the child was Ghaur's daughter and that he felt threatened in his position as Priestlord because his daughter was a Reject, a human-like child. The child is declared officially dead and continues to live in Wakanda.
Much later, the Deviant males are rendered sterile by a plague, causing a power contest between Ereshkigal and Ghaur. Ghaur wins when he promised the Deviants the return of the fertility with the help of the kidnapped Eternal Phastos. Thor rescues Phastos and battles Ghaur. When the Unbiding Stone is destroyed, Ghaur and Ereshkigal disappear and Kro is left to lead the Deviants.

## Powers and abilities

Ghaur is the result of crossbreeding of his forebears supervised by Deviant priests trained in genetics over centuries. His superhuman powers include the psionic ability to manipulate any other Deviant whose genetic code is known to him. Since he also has a photographic memory, that effectively means every Deviant in existence, with the sole exception of Kro and Ransak the Reject.
Ghaur has a gifted intellect, and is a master politician and cunning strategist.
Deviant scientists have supplied him with "Brain Mines", which can render even an Eternal unconscious, bracelets containing cybernetic circuitry which paralyze the wearer's will (turning the wearer into a slave), and various Deviant vehicles.
Ghaur briefly possessed the body and attributes of a Celestial, but lost most of those powers upon returning to his original form. He retained a degree of superhuman strength and durability, the ability to survive without oxygen, and low level energy manipulation powers for a short time but then lost these superhuman powers entirely.