Merlin is a powerful but benevolent wizard who leads the heroes of the world against Maleficent and her minions in Disney Heroes vs Villains. Despite his magical talents, he is more than willing to delegate important missions to heroes like Hercules, Aladdin, and Mickey Mouse.
Disney Vs Anime Villains War
Origins
Disney Heroes Vs Villains War
Origins
Sometimes, heroes can come from the most unlikely places... even from the greatest of evils.
Merlin's mother was a nun who was kidnapped by cultists serving the Black God Chernabog, who meant for her to be a sacrifice to Chernabog during his festival on Walpurgis Night. Brought before the powerful demon on the slopes of Bald Mountain, the unfortunate nun was impregnated by Chernabog's dark powers, but escaped when the hymns and prayers of a nearby procession of monks forced Chernabog into dormancy and broke up the cult.
Carrying the child to term, the nun gave up the child to an orphanage shortly after his birth, taking her life soon after, having been driven mad by her terrible experience. Though raised among humans, the boy named Merlin soon demonstrated tremendous magical potential that caught the attention of the great sorcerer Yen Sid. Taking Merlin under his tutelage, Yen Sid taught the youth how to harness his powers for the good of the world.
Upon his graduation from his apprenticeship, Merlin was drawn into Hell by his father, who revealed the secrets behind Merlin's birth and offered his son a place at his side if he would help him in his plans to cover the world in darkness. Merlin was appalled at both Chernabog's evil nature and the rape of his mother, and rejected Chernabog's offer. Enraged, Chernabog cursed Merlin, giving him immortality but denying him eternal youth. Merlin would continue to age normally until he was an old man, at which point he would spend eternity with the rigors of old age. Ever since, Merlin has been very sensitive when the topic of his age is brought up.
Cast into the distant past by one of Chernabog's spells, Merlin began the task of organizing resistance to Chernabog's evil. As the centuries passed, Merlin guided heroes in defeating Chernabog's pawns, including the evil fairy Maleficent. It was Merlin who instructed the three good fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather to attend the christening of the princess Aurora, knowing it would set in motion the events that would lead to Maleficent's death at the hands of Prince Philip. He also took on the young Arthur as his apprentice, knowing Arthur's destiny as one of the greatest heroes to ever live. He even directed the events that would lead to his own birth, directing the monks to the area near Bald Mountain where their presence allowed his mother to escape from Chernabog's clutches.
Not even Merlin, however, could foresee Maleficent's return from the dead. Now, with Maleficent seeking to grant Chernabog mastery over the mortal world, Merlin's knowledge of his father's methods may be the world's best hope for survival.
Heroes Vs Villains War
Origins
Many legends have been told throughout the ages of mighty heroes, their exploits serving as role models of strength, courage, and justice. One of them is the Arthurian tale of Merlin the wizard and his benevolence and tutorship to other heroes powerful enough to deal with the most nefarious forces the world has ever faced. However, not anyone knows about his true existence or at least his origins and the purpose he came into this world. There are many accounts revolving about Merlin's origins but most of them have not been legitimate to date.
One religious account tells about Merlin's conception, being older than the universe itself. It was said that he was involved in the battle with the Heavens, said to have been set millenias before the dawn of human civilization. Merlin existed as an divine being in a zone where the supreme deity known as "God" fought with the "Great Devil"'s (the latter passed on the folkore as the personification of the Black God Chernabog) armies. Growing hateful over the conflict that boiled between the supreme deity and the "Great Devil". Merlin decided to exploit their greatest assets in the midst of the battle, hoping that it would end the battle in some sorts. Using cunning and deceitful tricks, he appealed the combined forces of light and darkness through a truce, suggesting them that he would follow the deity he would find worthy, should the said deity would give him the best offering and blessing. The supreme deity complied by bestowing Merlin with powers of immortality as well as protection from the forces of evil, while the "Great Devil" gave him the knowledge of the dark arts and the ability to become immune to brainwashing and possession from either benevolent or malevolent beings. After being offered by both parties, Merlin took the powers for himself while tricking the two deities before revealing his traitorous nature to both of the deities. Angered for his deceit, especially towards the deities, the supreme being and the "Great Devil" cursed the young prodigy with death for the following years. Though, Merlin managed to escape unharmed, eventually crossing out their zone and reaching up the beginning of the universe, their offerings managed to bring the terrible consequences upon his new form. Their greatest assets became Merlin's greatest curse as he would spend eternity on the historical records of human civilization in his eldery form without aging or dying, probably until the world would end or perish by any means.
Another account indicates about his role as the tutor of King Arthur throughout his life. As said from the English cleric Geoffrey himself, he was inspired and based on the prophet and "mad man" known as "Myrdinn Wyllt" (the Welsh name of the wizard). While not much is known about Merlin's past, Geoffrey told about his involvement on the war between the Celtic Britons and the Saxons, the creation of Stonehedge through his works for the purpose to serve as the resting place of the Arhurian figure, Aurelius Ambrosius. He was also known as the guidance to Uther Pendragon's ascesion to the British throne, as well as being the tutor and guide of Uther's son, Arthur Pendragon. Particularly, he was requested by Uther to take care of Arthur before he was killed through a conspiracy, though the wizard saw his destiny through him as he was destinied to become the future king of England. While guiding him to the right path of the king, Merlin and Arthur clashed with sinister figures who conspired against Arthur's rule, wanting to take the throne for themselves. As such he was embroiled into the conflict with several of Uther's subjects and knights, including the sorceress Morgana le fay and Arthur's son and traitorous knight Mordred. Over the years, Arthur managed to reach into adulthood and take his responsibilites as king of England, accomodating the safety of his subjects and the Knights of the Round Table. However, he was fatally wounded in a battle with Mordred, leaving Merlin to transport him into the "Isle of Avalon", as the final resting place of the king. His role as Arthur's guidance ends here, leaving his fate unknown.
There was also an assumption of the wizard's relationship of the wizard with the group of extraterrestial and mechanical beings, while in disguise form, that aided Merlin in his battle against the Saxons. In the aftermath of the battle, Merlin was bestowed with a magical wand by the robots, capable of channeling both magical and super-cosmotic effects to turn the tide against powerful forces. The alien robots then depart to the borders of the galaxy to deal with their own enemies while Merlin focused on his own battles, though not before warning him that a "Great Evil" would consume the land in the near future, leaving the sorcerer to make arrangements for the heroes who would stand against the threat.
It was also said that Merlin was one of the few people who knew the existence of the fabled "Philosopher's Stone", as well as its secrets behind it, although it was not sufficient if he would handled such a powerful weapon.
While Merlin's narrative varies from different accounts, the true story behind this legend is very complicated and perplexed for even an intellectual figure to understand. As said from those who dwelled among him, most of the details that were inscribed in the said accounts have been valid to his character. Indeed, he was once a divine deity that brought chaos and disorder on the Heavens, although he tried to end the long-everlasting conflct between the two armies in a different approach, and not on vengeful approach, for the greater good of the survived species and civilization. In spite of his efforts, he was stripped down as a mortal being and eldery man for his indirect interference on the truce and the battle between the armies, and was banished to Earth, leaving him for the following millennials to teach newcomers in the art of sorcery.
Amongst his pupils, Merlin instructed the dwarf talented wizard known as Avatar, and his companions, Weehawk and Elinore, the illustrated sorcerer known as the Pagemaster, the talented wizard Carolinus, and his apprentice Princess Milisadre, the outlaw of Nottingham Robin Hood, and his close friend and partner Little John, the eternal youth Peter Pan, and his lost boys. He also instructed several fairies that could grant wishes to those in need of guidance, and other magical and endowed beings that could conjure nature forces at will. He also took the Great Owl and Nicodemus under his apprenticeship, preparing them for their role in guiding the heroes in organizing a form of resistance against their attackers.
With many magical beings aligned under him, Merlin was able to form a faction that would stand up against any threat. He also befriended King Stefan of Germany, who was in the process of creating a council of the rulers of the various regions of the land on purpose to unite them against the rising threat of the villains. As he became aware of Mok and Maleficent's uprising, Merlin instructed King Stefan in organizing his own resistance while he would observe the schemes of the villains through his scout force. While Merlin was able to gather a large group of heroes, he sensed that it was not sufficient against the large numbers of the villains. He knew that he needed to recruit more heroes capable of fighting while enlisting those who would lead them against the threat. To this day, he still feared for the next move of Mok and Maleficent, and their grand ultimate scheme that would be set in motion, though he had hopes in the faith of his companions, friends, and newfound allies. While not realising it yet, the moment of action to mobolize against the enemy would be soon unearthed, as the villains would made their move against the heroes, preparing Merlin and his allies to answer the call of wind and tides and defend the world from this new threat.