Warhammer’s Origins of Malekith: Tabletop Legendary Heroes – PRIME
Malekith/Malerion is one of the most iconic figures in Warhammer lore, and his origins are spread across multiple universes.
Whether you were on his side or not, there’s no question that Malekith, the Witch King, Supreme Leader of the Dark Elves, is one of the most famous characters in Warhammer lore. I still remember the first Dark Elves cover I saw when I started playing in 6th edition, which featured the mighty champion prominently, his enchanted blade lifted high and his hand dripping blood in striking comparison to Khaine.
It’s also pretty cool that his face is totally obscured
But like everything in Fantasy, the Prince of Naggaroth owes his origin to several sources, and the inspirations for this dark sorcerer are rather widespread. Here’s a deep dive into said origins and who this terrifying (and arguably justified) warrior-king was before becoming the Shadow God of Ulgu.
The Warhammer Origin Story
Malekith was the son of Aenarion, First of the Phoenix Kings and greatest of the Elves. His mother, Morathi, was Aenarion’s second wife, and he was the Prince of the province of Nagarythe by that right. When he was passed over as the next Phoenix King in favor of Bel Shanaar of Tiranoc, he traveled to the West to seek glory in the Elvish colonies and did fairly well at that. He established a friendship and trade with the dwarves of the mountains, raised the prosperity of the colonies and, by extension, Ulthuan, and even survived a foray into the Chaos Wastes of the North, where he encountered the earliest settlements of humanity and claimed the powerful Crown of Sorcery.
However, word reached him that his mother had started a series of cults of forbidden worship that were destabilizing Ulthuan, and so he returned at the head of a great army. He defeated the cults and brought Morathi to Bel Shanaar, who sentenced her to be imprisoned for her crimes. As time passed, Malekith and Mortahi began secretly planning to overthrow Bel Shanaar, and not long after the cults had been wiped out, they put their plan into motion. Malekith poisoned Bel Shanaar, slew the nobles that had stood against him, and stepped into the Flame of Asuryan to prove his worth. The ordeal left him scarred and in constant pain, sealed inside his jet black armor, and many within Ulthuan took this as a sign that he had been deemed unfit to rule.
He returned to the western colonies and renamed them Naggaroth, and he ruled there until the events of the End Times. It was discovered then that had he remained in the flames just a few moments longer, his wounds would have been healed, and he would have emerged renewed. This meant he had always been the rightful heir of Aenarion, and every other Phoenix King had been a pretender in the eyes of Asuryan.
The Eternity King: Because Phoenix wasn’t Eternal enough
Secondary Origins
One of the most easily recognizable inspirations for Malekith is his potential namesake, Malekith the Accursed, leader of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, and enemy of Thor in Marvel Comics. Though he does not relate to an actual figure in Norse mythology (Svartalfheim in ancient mythology, he was synonymous with Nidavellir and thus home to the dwarves, or “black elves”), Malekith is a powerful and ruthless foe for Thor. He is a powerful sorcerer and warrior, able to wield the Casket of Ancient Winters, as well as disguise himself or summon the Wild Hunt, an omen thought to bring catastrophe to whoever witnessed it.
Appearing first in Thor #344 in 1984, it makes sense that he and his dark elf followers could have inspired Warhammer Malekith, who himself did not appear in Warhammer lore until 1995. Malekith’s actions against Thor and Asgard could also mirror Malekith’s views on Sigmar and the other early humans, who he viewed as lesser creatures.
Honestly a little bit scarier
Enter Tolkien…
Another easily recognizable influence, and one that also bears a namesake for Malekith, is the leader of the Nazgul, the Witch-king of Angmar, from Tolkien’s writings. Aside from his name, the Witch-king bears several similarities to Malekith, such as magical weapons, powerful enchanted armor, and the dark face under his helm, though Malekith is not an ethereal wraith. Both characters also ride dark flying drakes, though Seraphon is a flesh and blood dragon, and the creatures that the Nazgul ride are more like beings made of shadow and smoke. One major difference is that the Witch-king acts in service of a greater power, while Malekith is entirely self-reliant, but the similarities are still there.
If you want to learn more about Malekith and the events that split the elvish races in half, check out The Sundering series by Gav Thorpe, available on the Black Library website.
