Ogun (Marvel Comics)

"See Ogoun for the Vodoun Spirit."Superherobox|

caption=Ogun
Boris Vallejo, Art
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Ogun
real_name=unrevealed
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Kitty Pryde & Wolverine" #2
creators= Chris Claremont (story) and Al Milgrom (art)
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Imperial Japanese Army,Yakuza, Viper, Mister X
aliases=
powers= Telepathic ability to switch bodies and control minds which is derived from either a mutation or mystical powers. |

Ogun is a fictional character, a Japanese supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and a foe of Wolverine. His first appearance was in "Kitty Pryde & Wolverine" #2 (December, 1984). The issue was scripted by Chris Claremont and drawn by Allen Milgrom.

Fictional character biography

Ogun was a ninja and martial arts master who acted as Wolverine's mentor. Very little is known of his past or the exact nature of his abilities, but he was apparently a mutant who could possess and control minds via telepathy. His reflexes and reaction time also appear to have been enhanced beyond the range attainable by normal humans, such as that he was easily a match for Wolverine. Note that either or both of these abilities may have been wholly or partially mystical in nature.

According to "Wolverine" #113 (May, 1997, Ogun first met Wolverine in Shanghai, China. At the time Shanghai was held by the Empire of Japan, following the Battle of Shanghai in the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937 - 1945). Ogun was reportedly active in the War as a captain of the Imperial Japanese Army. Wolverine was only a wandering sailor but managed to draw the attention of the captain who would seek his acquaintance. The issue was scripted by Larry Hama and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu.

At some point in the past, Ogun fell from the path of honor and became a criminal enforcer for the Yakuza. Ogun mentally possessed Kitty Pryde, Wolverine's X-Men teammate, trained her as a ninja, and attempted to turn her into an assassin. Wolverine was eventually forced to kill Ogun.

Years later, Ogun returned as a disembodied spirit and mentally possessed host after host and again attacked Wolverine and Kitty Pryde. Wolverine figured out that to destroy Ogun he need only destroy Ogun's enchanted mask (apparently he had several as the first was already destroyed). Ogun was thus destroyed, "seemingly" for good.

Later, Ogun returned yet again this time travelling from host body to host body and he even tried to take over the body of Lady Deathstrike. Wolverine found a way to force him out of all available host bodies and into the body of Viper who Wolverine impaled (non-lethally). Panicking, Ogun jumped from Viper's body but had no form to inhabit. Ogun seemed to evaporate. It's unlikely, however, that the character was destroyed.

Powers and abilities

The extent and nature of Ogun's powers was never fully revealed. He demonstrated the ability to control minds and could remove his spirit from his body and place it in a new host (submerging the personality of that body). His original body also seemed to be somewhat resistant to injury, although Wolverine managed to kill him. Ogun was able to survive impalement through the torso by a sword thrust yet suffered no apparent ill-effects. His reflexes and agility were heightened beyond normal human levels. It is implied that Ogun was a telephatic mutant who also had some mystical powers but this was never clearly specified.

In life he was also apparently capable of slowing or completely halting his aging; a legend is mentioned where he had once a duel of wills with the Japanese swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi.