When a biblical character known for his bad nature is placed into fiction, it always adds to the excitement. The name is sometimes kept, and other times the creators take on some of the traits. Mammon is one of the recurring villains in the Spawn series, and he is a supervillain in the Spawn universe.
Todd McFarlane created the dark, scary Spawn universe, and he chose some horrific villains who were based on legendary beings from Hell. Mammon is one of these powerful beings, and he has proven to be a formidable foe in the Spawn universe. His name is inspired by a legendary being who is thought to be an old fertility god and the embodiment of abundant wealth. Mammon has been depicted as a demonic embodiment of the sin of avarice in many writings. He has been a handful for Spawn in Todd McFarlane’s conception, and even the mighty villain Maleboglia has succumbed to his evil schemes.
Mammon’s Dark Origin – Fall from Heavens to Ashes
For a major part of the narrative, Mammon’s past life is shrouded in mystery. Later, in one of the issues, it was revealed that he was one of the Forgotten. This was a group of Muses who stayed loyal to God during the Great Battle in Heaven. However, they still refused to fight their fellow Archangels who had crafted a rebellion against God. Due to their nonparticipation in the war, they were banished from Heaven. The remaining members of the Forgotten were bound to the Tiend, but Mammon was cast into Hell.
With time, he became a high-ranking Lord of Hell, but it is not really clear if Mammon is truly an evil demon. However, he certainly could transform into one, as we have seen in one of the comic issues. Much later, in one of the comic issues, more about his past life was revealed. After his fall from Heaven into Hell, he initially offered his services to Malebolgia. He then used his time to travel the Earth, and picked up skills like sorcery, alchemy, and became fascinated with the human race.
He believed that humans could be one of the greatest creations, and he started to pick capable warriors for Hell’s Legions. This was a part of Mammon’s larger plan of leading mankind against both God and Satan, so that he would emerge as the real power behind everything. Back then, he met Al Simmons’ great-grandfather Henry Simmons, and he had the idea of creating a perfect Hellspawn who would help his cause. Al Simmons is not that perfect Hellspawn, but he did fulfill Mammon’s plans of exiling God and Satan, and defeating Malebolgia.
Mammon went on to become one of the strongest entities in Hell, and he probably controlled one of the spheres of Hell as a high-ranking Lord of Hell. Malebolgia was hailed as the King of Hell and also the ruler of the 8th Sphere, but it has been mentioned that he was no match for Mammon. In fact, in the whole power structure of Hell, Mammon would fall between Satan and Malebolgia.
There have been instances, where high-ranking demons referred to him as Lord and referred to Satan as Master, suggesting that Mammon was second in command. We have seen time and again how Mammon made Spawn’s life miserable, and he has been observed to be the real brain behind some of the most notorious schemes.
What Makes Mammon so Dangerous!
A truly evil entity doesn’t necessarily have to appear as a grotesque, hideous, and deformed creature. In fact, appearances can be deceptive to a large extent, and some of the most gentle-looking fellows can be the epitome of evil. Mammon is somewhat in this category, and he appears to be a rather sophisticated gentleman.
This demonic entity appears as a handsome man and he is known for his terrific manipulative abilities. He can strike attractive deals with humans in return for their souls, and needless to say, these deals benefit him more than anyone else! Mammon’s true goal is to gain access to the Throne of Creation and find a way to remake the universe to his own liking. He also has a demonic form, where he transforms into a large monstrosity with bat wings, and green eyes.
A hint of his twisted thinking comes from the fact that he actually planned a way to unleash Urizen, which eventually led to Spawn killing Malebolgia. It hasn’t been clearly specified, but all hints point in that direction. He was also the mastermind behind the plot to give Cog the ability to betray Spawn and take control of the 8th Sphere of Hell.
While Mammon might not be directly involved with a lot of these things, his clear influence is obvious from the way he manipulates crucial people in the process. For instance, he pulled a few strings to make Eddie Frank become the Redeemer, and Spawn was beaten badly enough to be dragged into Hell. Mammon orchestrated the whole idea of destroying Eddie’s faith by telling him the truth about his father, which also weakened his powers. He also planned on sending Violators to Earth so that the body of Jason Wynn could be taken over and used to break Spawn down physically and mentally.
In many such instances, we have observed Mammon pulling the strings just enough without being pro-actively involved. This evil mastermind has an incredible ability to foresee the potential in individuals and how they can be used to his advantage. This largely compensates for his lack of brute strength.
In terms of raw power, he is outclassed by the likes of Satan and Malebolgia. He is more of second fiddle, and there have been various instances that suggested that Mammon wouldn’t dare to fight Spawn directly. But his true powers lie in his calculative moves like a veteran Chessmaster. His evil mind is such a powerhouse that Mammon can outthink his opponents even if he cannot overpower them! Thus, he was the real mastermind, who organized everything to fall in place for Al Simmons to become Spawn.
Our Final Words
An intense superhero or the perfect anti-hero is never complete without a menacing villain who is at par. Spawn has encountered some genuine threats over the years, but Mammon is certainly one of the most unique opponents. This cunning and scheming Lord of Hell managed to overthrow some very powerful personalities to become one of the rulers, and his subtle planning always ensured that he had his way.
Mammon is all the more deceptive for his gentlemanly looks, and he hardly seems like the threat that he actually is! Isn’t that one of the best things about the perfect villain though? Mammon has been captivating, and the ruler of the 9th Sphere of Hell has been a valuable addition to the Spawn universe as the demonic mastermind.