Anck-Su-Namun was Pharaoh Seti I's imperial concubine and closest bodyguard, as well as secret lover of Imhotep.
History[]
Original Life[]
Anck-Su-Namun was betrothed to Pharaoh Seti I as his concubine, and even trusted by the latter to be his daughter's combat instructor. Treacherous she was, Anck-Su-Namun didn't bother to build a good image upon Nefertiri who harbored misgivings toward her and began an affair with Imhotep, the High Priest of Osiris, which was forbidden because no other man was allowed to touch her.
Having foreseen that Seti I would discover their forbidden love, Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun conspired to kill the Pharaoh. The two then killed Seti I and Anck-Su-Namun convinced Imhotep to flee from the scene as she committed suicide in a bid to distract the guards, trusting his powers as the high priest of Osiris where he would resurect her.
Imhotep and his priests were ordered to perform the concubine's funeral services shortly after her death. It entailed casting soul-condemning spells on her corpse and burying her remains at Hamunaptra. In addition, the slaves present were ordered to bury the body and be killed by the soldiers present. The priests murdered the soldiers in order to keep the location of Hamunaptra a secret forever. Imhotep broke into Anck-Su-Namun's crypt at night and stole her body. He then took it to the necropolis Hamunaptra, also known as the City of the Dead. Here, the blasphemous priest attempted to resurrect her using the forbidden Book of the Dead, unaware that he was being watched by the Medjai. The ritual was cut short before Anck-Su-Namun's soul could properly return to her mortal body, and her soul was returned to the Underworld. Imhotep's followers were sentenced to be mummified alive as a form of retribution, while Imhotep himself was cursed with the dreaded Hom-Dai and buried alive beneath Hamunaptra.
Imhotep was accidentally brought back by a librarian named Evelyn Carnahan in 1926 A.D. and set out to repeat the ritual that had been botched so many centuries before. Imhotep had been close to completing the ritual the previous time, requiring no sacrifice, but after three thousand years, he needed a human sacrifice to provide Anck-Su-Namun with fresher flesh. After taking the Book of the Dead, finding Anck-Su-Namun's five sacred canopic jars, and choosing Evelyn, Nefertiri's reincarnation, as his sacrifice, he found Anck-Su-Namun's body and tied Evelyn by her ankles and wrists to a sacrifice altar in Hamunaptra. Imhotep was about to kill Evelyn with a ceremonial dagger after reuniting Anck-Su-Namun's spirit and body, bringing her back to life, when Evelyn's brother, Jonathan, entered the chamber with the Book of Amun-Ra, the only force capable of killing the High Priest.
As Imhotep advanced to catch Jonathan, he set down the dagger and advanced, leaving Anck-Su-Namun alone with the dagger. The undead concubine attempted to kill Evelyn with the dagger in order to complete her own resurrection, as well as out of hatred for having recognized Evelyn as Nefertiri. As Anck-Su-Namun attempted to kill Evelyn, Jonathan read some incantations from the cover of the Book of Amun-Ra's summoning mummified soldiers whom he commanded to kill Anck-Su-Namun. One of them stabbed her in the stomach with a spear, and the rest of them helped cut up her mummified body.
Meela Nais[]
Anck-Su-Namun was reincarnated as a woman named Meela Nais, a matriarch millionaire and female crime lord with an unnatural memory that extended to things that no living person could have known. Using her past knowledge to her advantage, Meela aided a nefarious cult with the goal of resurrecting Imhotep in order to gain control of the powers said to result from killing a fabled figure known as the Scorpion King with an artifact known as the Spear of Osiris.
The cultists began probing around the ruins of Hamunaptra, where they would find the mummy and the texts that could bring him back to life, enlisting native Egyptian diggers and ordering the cultist group's hired guns to oversee work. After recovering the Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra, the cultist group came across a swarm of scarabs, which were subdued by the cultist forces, and discovered Imhotep's preserved corpse, preserved in a large mass of an amber-like substance. Meela recognized the body inside the mineral as her beloved's right away, but her joy was cut short when three grave robbers named Spivey, Red, and Jacques whom the cultists had enlisted stepped forward to inform the cult leader, Baltus Hafez, that they had returned empty-handed. The thieves explained that the Bracelet was on its way to London.
The cultists traveled to London, bringing with them the Black Book of the Dead and the incased Imhotep, and then to the loading docks of the British Museum of Antiquities, where Hafez performed the rite that brought Imhotep out of the mineral and back to life, as a mummy. Imhotep inquired about the year and was informed by Hafez that it was 1933, the Year of the Scorpion. After saying this, Imhotep saw a familiar face coming toward him. Anck-Su-Namun had also come back to life, but in a different way. When Hafez told her not to be afraid, Meela explained in Ancient Egyptian that she was Anck-Su-Namun reincarnated, to which Imhotep replied that she was only Anck-Su-Namun in body, but after bringing her soul back from the Underworld, their love would be complete.
Meela then brought Imhotep a gift: Evelyn Carnahan, long since married to Rick O'Connell, the adventurer who had assisted in Imhotep's death several years before: Meela knew that seeing Evelyn die would please Imhotep, and Meela ordered the cultists to drop Evelyn into a flaming stone basin. Rick O'Connell stopped the killing and fought back against the cultists, escaping with Evelyn. However, the cultist group had achieved its own victory by kidnapping the O'Connell couple's son, Alex O'Connell, as Alex had put on the Bracelet of Anubis, rendering himself as a human map that would know the way to Ahm Shere. That night, Meela and Imhotep were on a balcony overlooking London when Hafez told Imhotep that the Spear of Osiris was in the hands of the O'Connell family. Imhotep said it didn't matter because by the time they got to the Scorpion King's home, Ahm Shere, the Scorpion King's powers would have grown enough that he wouldn't need the Spear. Imhotep then resurrected Meela's memories as Anck-Su-Namun, putting her into a trance that transformed the balcony into the one she remembered from her childhood, and London into Thebes. Meela was completely enthralled and kissed Imhotep deeply as she saw Imhotep whole again, rather than decayed.
Restored[]
After sometime had passed, the cultists boarded a train bound for Karnak, which also carried the three thieves hired to retrieve the Bracelet of Anubis. Imhotep had duped the thieves into becoming his sacrifices, from which he drew their organs and fluids. Imhotep regained his full form, kissed Meela passionately, and then stopped to apprehend Alex, who had attempted to flee. That night, Alex was chained by his ankle, and the cultists had camped in Karnak for the night; however, Imhotep took Meela to a sacred pool within the temple, where he cast the same trance as before on her, reconnecting her with her past life. Meela reincarnated herself as Anck-Su-Namun and relived her past memory of engaging in a duel with Nefertiri, the Pharaoh's daughter: Anck-Su-Namun won the duel, and the Pharaoh praised both women's efforts.
The memories continued in her trance until Meela reenacted her death as Anck-Su-Namun, stabbing herself in the stomach as she had done years before, and ending her life as Meela Nais. Imhotep, using the Book of the Dead, summoned Anck-Su-Namun's spirit from the Underworld and resurrected her as the woman she had been centuries ago within her reincarnated body.
The cultists continued their journey to Ahm Shere by camel the next morning, passing through deserts as Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun rode side by side. The cultists first arrived at the temple island of Philae, then at the statues of Abu Simbel, and finally at a canyon that stretched from modern Egypt into Abyssinia, marked by the Blue Nile. However, as the cult traveled, they were being followed by Alex's parents, and Imhotep knew this because he had seen them travel in a dirigible. Imhotep then used his powers to create a massive tidal wave of water, which surprised Anck-Su-Namun and the other cultists who were watching the phenomenon. The tidal wave sank the balloon and its passengers, and Imhotep strode confidently onwards, assuming that his enemies had been defeated. Within Ahm Shere, the cultists discovered the remains of soldiers from Julius Caesar's time, as well as Napoleon's troops from the previous century, all in cages or mutilated in appearance.
Imhotep foresaw something bad happening, but the cultists were caught off guard when they were attacked by skeletal cannibal pygmies. The little mummies killed most of the cultists, except for Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun, who stood behind her lover while the pygmies kept their distance. Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun had reached the pyramid after some time spent walking through the jungles; the other cultists had all been killed by the pygmies or by the O'Connell family and their allies, the majority of whom had also reached the pyramid. When Rick O'Connell and his son were reunited in the chaos, they dashed into the pyramid, releasing the Bracelet of Anubis from Alex's wrist. Evelyn found them outside the pyramid, where they were tired from running but happy to have made it.
Anck-Su-Namun snuck up on Evelyn and fatally stabbed her in the stomach with a dagger as she was caught off guard. Jonathan attempted to assist Evelyn by stopping Anck-Su-Namun, but was quickly defeated when Imhotep grabbed him by the throat and tossed him aside. Anck-su-Namun then entered the pyramid with Imhotep, waving sardonically to Alex as she held the Book of the Dead. Imhotep stepped onto a platform surrounded by two large statues, both of which stripped him of his immortality and took away his powers as they continued walking into the pyramid. Imhotep stated that Anubis had taken his powers and wished for him to face the Scorpion King as a mortal. Imhotep, on the other hand, was adamant about fighting the Scorpion King. Anck-Su-Namun begged him not to go, but Imhotep insisted that he could win the fight without his powers, reminding Anck-Su-Namun that if he died, she would have to resurrect him using the Book of the Dead. Anck-Su-Namun forbids it, stating that she cannot bear the heartbreak of losing him again. He kissed her as a distraction before proceeding to face the Scorpion King, while Anck-Su-Namun screamed in despair after him.
After some time, Anck-Su-Namun was confronted with Jonathan Carnahan, who decided to fist-fight her in order to "teach her a lesson"; Jonathan was actually distracting Anck-Su-Namun from watching over the Book of the Dead and its key, which she had left behind as she fought Jonathan off, punching him hard. His nephew Alex stole the Book and its key and used them to bring his mother back to life. Anck-Su-Namun slashed Jonathan in the chest with a pair of twin blades he took from a nearby statue. Anck-Su-Namun was about to kill Jonathan when Evelyn appeared, shaking her off and sending Jonathan and Alex to find Rick. Evelyn and Anck-Su-Namun fought as they had centuries before, but Evelyn used her current fighting skills as well as those from her previous life; after being struck with wounding blows, Anck-Su-Namun realized Evelyn had surpassed her and fled. After some time had passed, both women heard that their loved ones were fighting the Scorpion King and ran to see how the fight ended. Rick used the Spear of Osiris to stab the Scorpion King, but the ensuing explosion threw Rick and Imhotep into a pit overlooking Hell.
Betrayal and Final Death[]
Evelyn and Anck-Su-Namun stood by as their lovers summoned them. Rick urged Evelyn to flee with Alex and Jonathan, but she rushed to help her husband despite the falling rocks. Imhotep called for Anck-Su-Namun's help as he clung to the ledge of the pit for dear life, but not wanting to die after being successfully resurrected, Anck-Su-Namun fled, proving that their love for each other was not as strong as Rick and Evelyn's. Imhotep, devastated, then looked at Evelyn and Rick before willingly letting go and falling to his death inside the pit, forever severing the two lovers' bond. As she fled, Anck-Su-Namun's route was blocked by another falling rock. She turned to find another route, only to find herself standing over a pit filled with scorpions, which panicked and swarmed after their king, the Scorpion King, was defeated. Despite trying hard to maintain her balance, Anck-Su-Namun panicked and fell into the pit where the scorpions suffocated and stung her to her final death.
Appearance[]
Anck-Su-Namun was regarded as so beautiful that men of all social classes turned to gaze upon her: she had long, glossy black hair, an olive complexion, barefoot, and a slim but voluptuous physique. As the Pharaoh's concubine, she was frequently seen naked, with only coats of gold and black body paint as cover - not by choice, but as a security measure implemented by Pharaoh Seti I to ensure that no other man could touch her without leaving proof.
Abilities[]
Trained in ancient the fighting styles, Anck-Su-Namun served Seti not only as his concubine but also his closest bodyguard. So impressive was her mastery that the pharaoh even charged her with training his daughter. Her weapons of choice were a pair of duel daggers, but she was equally adept with spears and staves or in unarmed combat.
As Meela Nais, Anck-Su-Namun seemed to retain few of her combat skills, relying on psychological manipulation, intimidation, and even hired muscle to reach her ends. She regained her martial prowess when Imhotep reunited her original soul with Meela's body.
Personality and traits[]
Anck-Su-Namun was a beautiful woman; who was not afraid to break rules to get what she wanted. She was haughty, scornful, and more than capable of pathos; which she displayed most; when in the presence of Imhotep, whom she adored. Anck-Su-Namun's resurrected form, Meela Nais, exhibited many of her old characteristics; including her haughty, near-vain demeanor and callousness toward others; with the exception of Imhotep. This callousness could and often did escalate to outright cruelty and viciousness, directed almost entirely at those; who disagreed with her.
It is easy to sympathize with Anck-Su-Namun: in life, the man she truly loved was unattainable; due to her status as the Pharaoh's concubine (making her essentially a high-valued slave) and she later died a brave and defiant death, by her own hand. But her ultimate betrayal of Imhotep at the time when he most needed her contrasts the darkness of her soul with the blinding brightness of Evelyn's, demonstrating that, she truly deserves no true sympathy, as the one she loved most was ultimately her own-self.
The Mummy: The Animated Series[]
Like in the films, Anck-Su-Namun and Imhotep were lovers, but she was not involved in him being mummified; but; instead, he was cursed to this fate after attempting to steal the Manacle of Osiris. After her resurrection, she also possessed magical powers similar to those of Imhotep. Prior to her own demise, Anck-Su-Namun was chosen to accompany Princess Nefertiri in placing the Scythe of Anubis in the Temple of Anubis for safe-keeping, the Princess not realizing at that time that she couldn't be trusted. Anck-Su-Namun later betrayed Nefertiri's father and killed her, for which she earned the nickname Viper. For this, vipers were carved into her sarcophagus after her death. She was described as the most dangerous woman in the world.
Resurrection[]
When the Lake of Eternity appeared during its 5000-year cycle, Imhotep took her corpse and traveled to the Lake to resurrect her. Despite the efforts of the O'Connells and Ardeth Bay, Anck-Nu-Samun was brought back to life, and attacked them, personally dueling Evelyn O'Connell for fun. Before she could finish her off, however, Imhotep scooped her and Colin Weasler away to safety, seeing that the Lake was about to disappear.
Desiring the Scythe of Anubis, Imhotep asked her to reveal its location. When they reached the Temple and found the Scythe, however, Anck-Su-Namun knew that Imhotep would force her into being subservient to him and betrayed him, taking the Scythe for herself. The O'Connells and Ardeth gave chase where Evelyn, whose body was currently under the control of Princess Nefertiri's mind due to after-effects of the waters from the Lake, fought her. Nefertiri eventually brought a large statue of Anubis to life, which dragged the Scythe and Anck-Su-Namun, who refused to let go of her prize, into the Underworld.
Escape from the Underworld[]
Through unknown means, Anck-Su-Namun escaped the Underworld and appeared in Thailand, where she obtained the Ring of Sukhothai, which allowed her to drain others of their youth and life force. Despite her mummified and ancient state, she still possessed her magical abilities as seen in her previous dealings. Her first victim was Jane Sherman, friend, and co-worker of Evelyn O'Connell, who happened to be in the area studying ruins. Anck-Su-Namun stole her youth and left her for others to find, believing that a rescue team would be summoned to investigate.
Much to her satisfaction, the O'Connells are sent to investigate. Bringing nearby totems to life and summoning bat-like creatures to subdue them, she first steals some of Rick's youth before Alex intervenes to prevent her stealing anymore. By this time, but Anck-Su-Namun starts to regain her human appearance, albeit still wrinkly and older-looking. She manages to steal Evelyn and Jonathan's youth, turning them both extremely old, by which time she has now managed to revert back to her youthful appearance as seen in their previous encounter. When she touches Alex, however, the Manacle shields his life energy from her, causing the energies from that and the ring to rebound in all directions and knocking her back. However, she reveals that the ring is capable of transferring the Manacle's powers into her body, allowing her to become even more powerful. However, during one of their struggles, the others use mirrors to reflect the energy discharges back to allow them to hit her, knocking her out temporarily. Alex uses this crucial moment to destroy the ring, reversing all previous effects and turning Anck-Su-Namun back into the mummified corpse seen when she first appeared, swearing that she'll return to enact revenge before turning to dust and being taken back to the Underworld.
Doomed to the Underworld[]
Imhotep and Colin Weasler later travel to Duat to raise an army using the Medallion of the Medjai. Whilst passing through one of the corridors, they find Anck-Su-Namun trapped; within a wall. She calls them over and smiles at the thought of them freeing her, but Imhotep responds that; they did not come there to free her. Remembering their previous encounter, he tells her that; everyone makes their own destiny and to enjoy her's before walking away; much to her extreme dismay; leaving her to scream out in sadness at the thought of her being trapped forever.
Gallery[]
The Mummy: The Animated Series[]
Behind the scenes[]
- Anck-Su-Namun was portrayed by Patricia Velasquez in both films and was voiced by Lenore Zann in the animated series.
- The source of her name is most likely taken from that of Queen Ankhesenamun (Egyptian: ˁnḫ-s-n-imn, "Her Life is of Amun"), daughter of Queen Nefertiti and Pharaoh Akhenaten and Great Royal Wife to her well-known half-brother Tutankhamun.
- In the movies, her name was pronounced as "ah-NAK soo nah-moon". The first part, misspelled as "Anck", was closer to a reconstructed pronunciation of "ankh", referring to "life".
Appearances[]
- The Mummy (First appearance)
- The Mummy Returns
- The Mummy: Secrets of the Medjai
- A New Beginning (1)
- A New Beginning (2)
- Old Friends
- The Reckoning