Hol

Hol's Soul

## Identity

### Aliases

The Deathbringer, Khufu, Brian Kent, Silent Knight, Hannibal Hawkes, Nighthawk, Fred Cantrell, Catar-Ol, Joseph Gardner, Hawkman, Fel Andar, Carter Hall, Katar Hol

### Relatives

Greg Saunders, Norda Cantrell, Rex Hall, Hector Hall, Kendra Hall, Ch'al Andar (soul-children)

### Affiliation

The Lords of Order
Thanagar (former)

## Biography

### Life

Hol's first name has been lost to history, although some believe it to be Katar. The more common name he was known as was the Deathbringer, the fiercest warrior in all of Thanagar. However, Hol was banished from Thanagar after slaughtering a village of innocent Thanagarians. He was forced to leave the planet with his mate, Thal, and they began exploring outer space together. However, Hol lied to Thal and told her they had to leave the planet to find a new world for Thanagar to inhabit as they were in a great resource drought. They spent decades exploring the galaxy, but around 2500 BC, they arrived on Earth, but were unprepared for entering the atmosphere, and it sent the ship's GPS haywire, causing the ship to plummet into the rough desert surface of Egypt, killing the two instantly.

However, a sorcerous fail-safe built into the ship had copied the soul's of Hol and Thal into absorbascons, crown-like objects contained within the ship. They were found by sorcerer Nabu, prince Khufu, and warrior priestess Chay-Ara. Chay and Khufu had a secret love affair, and that night they gifted the crowns to one another, when both became possessed by the souls of the Thanagarians.

The newfound knowledge of this soul transfer combined with resources gained from the wreckage site ushered in an era of enlightenment for Egypt. In addition to their newfound knowledge of the universe, Chay-Ara and Khufu could now sprout feathered wings like Hol and Thal had been able to do. The soul transfer also changed Chay-Ara's hair red, which would happen in every other subsequent soul transfer. Chay-Ara and Khufu were revered as Gods.

A fellow priest by the name of Hath-Set secretly lusted for Chay-Ara, so the revelation of her affair with Khufu and their newfound power drove him mad. He bargained with Nabu to allow him use of the ship's Nth Metal, which he forged into a dagger, spear, and helmet. He gifted the helmet to Nabu, and then with the dagger and spear he killed the prince and priestess, before turning the dagger on himself. Nabu arrived on the scene and discovered that the unique metaphysical capabilities of the Nth Metal had trapped the souls of the three victims in limbo and tethered them together. Nabu made a risky choice and entered the three osuls into a resurrection cycle.

Forevermore, Hol and Thal are destined to love each other, and Hath-Set is destined to kill them.

### Resurrection Cycle

Hol and Thal lived hundreds of lives throughout many eras in history. In one life, they were Sir Brian Kent and Lady Celia Penbrook who fought in Arthurian times alongside Jason Blood and the Shining Knight. Later, they were gunslingers Hannibal Hawkes and Kate Manser, members of the Rough Bunch.

The reincarnations were not always human. In one life, Hol was the human Fred Cantrell, while Thal was the Manhawk Worla who lived in the hidden city of Feithera. When they met, their affair was so forbidden it forced Worla out of the city, making her abandon her child, Norda, within the walls of Feithera. In another life, they were Kryptonians Catar-Ol and Shyla Kor-Onn, who found love but were murdered when Hath-Set reincarnated as a member of the House of Zod.

Their three most recent lives began with Joseph Gardner and Sharon Parker, two American artisocrat adventurers in the 1930s and 40s. The two crossed paths while exploring the tomb of Khufu and Chay-Ara where they regained their memories and found their old weapons and Thanagarian armor. With these materials, they joined the JSA as Hawkman and Hawkgirl, though they retired when the Keene Act came to be. Hath-Set reincarnated as a woman in this life, showing up at their ranch in the remote countryside to kill them, unaware that Sharon was pregnant in this life.

Unbeknownst to them, the soul of her unborn child transferred into the next life with them, where they were at last reborn on Thanagar as Fel Andar and Corla Tavo, two patrolmen on opposite ends of the galaxy. When they eventually crossed paths and regained their memories, Corla suddenly became pregnant and gave birth to their child, Ch'al, on the spot. Hath-Set also reincarnated in space this time and stormed their ship. Corla and Fel sent their child in an escape pod to Earth while they stood their ground against Hath-Set.

Now, in the modern period, they've been reincarnated as Carter Hall and Shiera Saunders, who have found love, reconnected with those of significance in their past lives and become heroes of the modern period as Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

## Trivia

* Hath-Set, Thal, and Hol all share an acute psychic connection that allows them to detect one another when they are close. Hol and Thal's connection is stronger, and they usually cannot detect Hath-Set before it is too late.
* Ch'al has a minor psychic connection with Thal, but does not share one with Hol or Hath-Set.

## Notes

* In 2018's *Hawkman* series, it was revealed that Hawkman's first life was as an angel called the Deathbringer, who is now forced to reincarnate until he saves as many souls as he had killed.
* Hol's name was decided based on the prominence of "Hol", "Hal", or "Hall" in Hawkman's surnames throughout comics history and adaptations.
* All of Hol's aliases were used by Hawkman at some point in DC Media.
* The original idea was to adapt *Legends of Tomorrow*'s use of Vandal Savage in place of Hath-Set, however it didn't quite work out that way.