The Origin of Heli0s?

 

With much speculation about the new hero Heli0S, The Daily Planet attempted to find someone who could shed more light (no pun intended) on this new figure within the Super Hero community. We turned to none other than the Amazonian Warrior herself Wonder Woman, and Earth's Mightiest mortal Captain Marvel. Neither would give us much insight into the origin of Heli0S. However, one of our sources within the Department of Meta-Human affairs has given us a top secret document that we feel you all need to see. After hearing what told us, and reading this file, all I have to say is that I'm glad this guy is on our side. We're sure you will agree.

Ron Troupe reporting.

ORIGIN

As the story is told, in ancient Ethiopia there lived a young man by the name of Phaeton. His mother was an Ethiopian princess, but Phaeton's father was the sun-god himself. One day while he was playing with a friend he boasted that his father was Helios, the sun-god. Phaeton's friend teased him by saying "Your father really isn't the Helios. Your mother just made that up and you are foolish to believe such a story."

Phaeton went home confused and ashamed. He told his mother of the taunt and begged her to give him some proof that he really was the child of Helios. His mother spoke softly but proudly, " My son, your father truly is the radiant Sun-god, but if you have doubts, then why not go to his palace and speak to him yourself ? Go to the land of the far East and there in the high mountains you will find the glittering palace of your father."

He traveled in the land of Persia and crossed the strange land of India.  Finally he came to the gigantic mountains at the eastern end of the world. The boy climbed into the mountains and found a palace that he immediately knew must belong to Helios.

He eventually found himself before a man with auburn hair and dressed in a robe of orange, yellow, and red leaves.  It hurt Phaeton's eyes to gaze at this throne, for it was made of shimmering jewels and upon this throne, sat Helios. The god's eyes blazed like fire and the crown on his head seemed to be made of pure radiant light.

 

Why have you come here to the far ends of the earth, Phaeton?" asks Helios. The boy replied, "Sir, I have come to find proof that you, are truly my father."

The Sun-god smiled and answered, " Your mother has spoken the truth. I am your father. As proof of this I will grant you one wish of your heart's desire." No sooner had Helios spoken the words when Phaeton requested, "I wish to drive your chariot, father."

Helios quickly regretted giving his child a wish and pleaded, “ No, my child, choose something else. You ask for too dangerous a gift. Even Zeus, the mighty god of thunder, will not drive the chariot of the Sun. The horses breathe out flames and the chariot itself is fiery hot. So powerful are the steeds that I, a full-grown god, can barely restrain them. What chance would a mortal boy have ?  I beg you to pick some other gift. Think of all the riches in the world or pearls from the boundless sea. Ask for any of these and I shall gladly give it to you.”

Phaeton, however, was adamant. When the day came, true to his word, Helios anointed Phaeton's head with magic oil to keep the chariot from burning him. As he predicted, Phaeton was unable to control the fierce horses that drew the chariot as they sensed a weaker hand.

First it veered too high, so that the earth grew chill. Then it dipped too close, and the vegetation dried and burned. He accidentally turned most of Africa into desert. Rivers and lakes began to dry up, Poseidon rose out of the sea and waved his trident in anger at the sun, but soon the heat became even too great for him and he dove to the bottom of the sea.

With the Earth in danger of burning up, Zeus was forced to intervene by striking the runaway chariot with a lightning bolt to stop it, and Phaeton plunging to his death into the river Eridanos. Helios, stricken with grief, refused to drive his chariot for days. Finally the other Greek gods persuaded him not to leave the world in darkness. Helios blamed Zeus for killing his son, but Zeus told him there was no other way. This created tension between Zeus and Helios that culminated with an attempt by Helios to seek revenge for his son. After thwarting Helios, Zeus determined rather than to kill him, he would banish the sun-god, and the other gods reluctantly agreed. Zeus, thus imprisoned Helios within a sacred amulet which was lost for a millennia.

 

In the present day, Ethan Malenfonte  was a respected curator at the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. He was also a professor of archaeological studies at Metropolis University. In one of his excavations, Malenfonte unearthed an ancient temple built to the Sun god Helios, on the Greek Island of Rhodes. In a hidden chamber, he found an amulet that was incased within a golden chest. This amulet was believed to contain the very embodiment of Helios himself. Upon returning to Metropolis, Malenfonte placed the amulet on display in the museum’s : “Mythology From Around The World” exhibit. Although the talisman was available for public viewing at the museum, Malenfonte found himself increasingly drawn to it. 

 

Unbeknownst to him,  Lex Luthor from the future, released exobytes into earth’s  atmosphere. When the exobytes swarmed Metropolis, Malenfonte was one of the first citizens endowed with superhuman powers. Scared and confused about his new abilities, he returned to the museum to make sense of it all. Once he arrived at the museum, Malenfonte could hear a voice calling out to him. The voice was emanating from the amulet he found in Rhodes. It was the spirit of Helios calling out to him. He had been selected by Helios to be his host after being trapped for eons inside the amulet by Zeus. Helios invited him to embrace his destiny as the new physical representation of the Sun-god . When he placed the amulet around his neck, the consciousness  of Helios merged with Malenfonte’s.  All the thoughts, memories, and experiences of Helios were now granted to him. Braniac, on becoming aware of this, immediately dispatched an incursion army to apprehend Malenfonte. Braniac believes acquiring the knowledge, wisdom, and power of Helios would be instrumental in his capture of Earth. Unable to fully utilize and control his new powers, Malenfonte was captured by Braniac’s forces. As he is awakened by Oracle aboard the Braniac Harvester Ship, Malenfonte now finds himself in a war that he must fight in. With Superman as his mentor, Helios, the very personification of the Sun, will fight to stop Braniac and all evil that challenges Earth. Can the power of a god, be contained within a man ? Only time will tell.

 

POWERS: 

Malenfonte’s abilities are the combination of exobyte exposure and uniting with the deity Helios. The The exobytes granted him tremendously augmented strength, reflexes, and durability. Acquiring this power made Malenfonte the perfect host for Helios. Fusing with Helios granted Malenfonte the following capabilities:

·         The ability to manipulate fire. He can control any fire within his immediate range of vision, causing it to increase or decrease in intensity or to move in a pattern directed by his thoughts, and can project flames from his eyes or weapon.

·         He is able to absorb fire/plasma into his body with no detrimental effects.

·         By providing thrust behind him with his own flame, Malenfonte is able to fly in excess of the speed of sound.

·         The plasma field immediately surrounding his body is sufficiently hot to vaporize projectiles that approach him, including but not limited to bullets.

·         While his maximum flame output is undetermined, it speculated that Malenfonte can reach well over 1,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet, there is no precise way to determine just how powerful he is.

·         Merging with Helios allows Malenfonte access to the entire culture and history of the Titans and Olympians, as well as Helios being thoroughly trained in various forms of combat.

 

It should be noted however, that Malenfonte and Helios are two separate entities. Malenfonte is in  full control with Helios acting as his internal guide within his mind. Nevertheless, he is now bonded to Helios and unable to survive if separated from him.