Allfather D'Aronique

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caption = The Allfather, on the cover of "Preacher" #21
character_name = Allfather D'Aronique
publisher = DC Comics (Vertigo)
debut = "Preacher" #21 (January 1997)
creators = Garth Ennis
Steve Dillon
alter_ego =
full_name = Unknown
species =
homeworld =
alliances = The Grail
aliases =
powers = None

Allfather D'Aronique is a fictional character in the comic book series "Preacher", created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. He is French and his first name is never given. D'Aronique is the supreme leader of a powerful worldwide religious conspiracy, the Grail.

He is first heard in "Preacher" # 4, instructing his favourite, Thiery Poussin, to look into the Jesse Custer matter. His first appearance is in "Preacher" #21 (January 1997). The issues featuring the Allfather were collected in the trade paperback "Preacher: Proud Americans" (1997).

Fictional character biography

The Allfather is the leader of the Grail organization; on one occasion Allfather states "I am the hundred and twelfth Allfather of the Grail". Fantastically obese, he is barely mobile and requires to be carried about by retainers. His weight is so great that his private airplane breaks a wheel upon landing (it's stated the Grail goes through $25 million every year on plane repairs). D'Aronique is also bulimic, and uses an ivory stick in the shape of two fingers to induce vomiting. Because his subordinates are all too loyal or afraid of him to question anything he does, he has no compunction about messily gorging himself with food and then vomiting all over himself in front of others. Despite his seemingly hapless appearance, D'Aronique is both highly intelligent and absolutely ruthless, albeit very pious and fully believing in the cause of The Grail and the potential of the messiah (the retarded, inbred alleged descendant of Jesus Christ, who is under the full control of the Grail). He is also fond of manipulation and is somewhat egomaniacal. He requires multiple world leaders (including the American President) to call him daily and thank him for preserving their power. He also has a habit of speaking in oddly-constructed sentences, often using poetic reduplication (ie: "You wonder, you wonder, why do you wonder").

He is related to Jesse Custer and the L'Angelles, being Jesse's distant uncle. Unfortunately for Jesse, he had killed his own evil grandmother, Marie L'Angelle, who was a favored relative of D'Aronique. The Allfather had previously instructed Poussin to look into Custer's case, however Starr kills him in "Until the End of the World". The Allfather seems to know that Poussin is dead, but pretends ignorance (that Starr immediately sees through). Poussin's mission is already out of date when Custer comes to Masada, the Grail's top fortress (in France, not to be confused with historical Masada), because Allfather learnt of the massacre in Angelville and wishes to kill Custer for it.

D'Aronique dies during Herr Starr's coup of the Grail. While attempting to escape via helicopter from the Saint of Killers' attack on the Grail compound, he is kicked out by Herr Starr while in mid-air. D'Aronique lands on the Grail's messiah and a nearby soldier, killing all three instantly. Starr subsequently inherits the title of Allfather (assassination being an acceptable form of self-promotion), becoming the Grail's 113th ("Preacher" #24).