Ultima (Freedom City)

The "Ultima" are a fictional race in the Freedom City campaign setting from the role-playing game, Mutants and Masterminds. Like most Freedom City characters, they are analogous to comic book characters; in this case, the Ultima are similar to the Eternals of Marvel Comics, combined with aspects of ancient mythology. The Superior combines aspects of Superman's foe General Zod, and Captain Marvel enemies Black Adam, and Captain Nazi.

The Ultima are an ancient offshoot of homo sapiens created by the alien Preservers (similar to Marvel's Celestials) who long ago withdrew to a hidden location in the Arctic called Hyperborea. When the Nazi occult organization called the Thule Society sought out the mysterious land called the Ultima Thule, they found an underground civilization of vastly advanced and powerful immortals, able to manipulate a form of "cosmic energy" that they called "vril", which they could use to defy gravity, read minds, enhance their bodies and vastly lengthen their lives. Overjoyed at having their theories confirmed, the Nazis tried to get the Ultimans to join their cause-- but the Ultimans merely laughed at these fragile, powerless mortals who had the temerity to call themselves a "Master Race". The Ultimans erased the Nazis' memories and sent them on their way empty-handed... but the dark message of racial superiority had stirred the interest of at least one Ultima.

Kal-Zed mused on what the outsiders had told him; after all, he really "was" superior in all measurable ways to the pathetic mortals who scurried all over the planet! Why should he restrain himself in a dank, cold cave while these puny creatures enjoyed all the pleasures of life? Fleeing to Nazi Germany, the newly named "Übermensch" was enthralled by the charismatic influence of Adolf Hitler, and vowed to conquer the world for Naziism... though he secretly planned afterwards to conquer the Nazis for himself.

Despite considering himself a big fish in a small pond, Kal-Zed proved to be evenly matched with the hero known as Centurion. After the war, he renamed himself "Superior" and continued trying to best his only worthy foe. Eventually, however, Superior was banished (with the permission of the other Ultima) to the "Zero Zone" (analogous to the Phantom Zone), a timeless Limbo where he waits for his chance to escape and wreak vengeance on the world. Meanwhile, the other Ultima, in their eternal refuge, continue to patiently hone their skills and mourn the loss of their most infamous member.