SAURON

 

SAURON

Real Name: Karl Lykos

First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #59, August 1969 (As Lykos); The Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #60, September 1969 (as Sauron)

Powers: Karl Lykos was bitten by mutated pterodactyls while on an expedition near the Savage Land during his childhood. The bites transferred a genetic virus into his DNA, altering him on a mutagenic level as a non-mutant variant. This mutagenic change gave him the power to absorb the life energy of other people or animals, weakening them up to the point of death while increasing his own vitality and recuperative powers accordingly. By absorbing too much living energy, Lykos will transform into Sauron the Pterodactyl Man, with an alternate personality possibly based on the R-complex of his brain like the Lizard (Curt Connors). Mutant life energy is far more potent than that of regular humans, thus he can transform into Sauron by absorbing only a very small fraction of mutant energy. For him to transform into Sauron from regular human life energy, he'd have to completely drain that person of their life energy, leaving them dead.

As Sauron, he possesses superhuman strength (Class 10), endurance, reflexes, armor-like scales that protect him from a great deal of physical harm, razor sharp claws on his hands and feet, a prehensile tail, leather wings enabling him to fly with great speed and agility, and a sharpened beak. He maintains the life-absorbing powers in this form and requires a much smaller amount to maintain his existence than he needs to manifest it. He can, however, boost any and all of his physical abilities by absorbing excess amounts of energy. He possesses hypnotic powers, allowing him to influence the minds of anyone who met his gaze. Sauron could will his victims into unconsciousness, cause them to experience vivid audio/visual hallucinations, alter or block some of their memories, or place them in a trance, which makes them open to more complicated suggestions from him and can be compelled to reveal information to him.

The Weapon X Program has artificially enhanced Sauron so that he can now absorb other forms of energy as well, though he can't process it in the same manner as he does with life energy. He can now absorb the full kinetic force of an explosion, drain mechanical constructs of their electrical energy, among other things, and rechannel this energy as explosive and concussive blasts from his hands. He has also manifested the ability to breathe streams of flame from his throat, as well as developed certain abilities from the mutant energy of his victims, like Wolverine's healing factor.

Dr. Karl Lykos earned a dual M.D./Ph.D., specializing in genetics and psychology, respectively. He is an accomplished medical doctor, geneticist, and psychotherapist with expertise in employing hypnosis.