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Mathayus was an Akkadian warrior who was widely known as the Scorpion King, and he would later become the grandfather to an ancient evil that Rick O'Connell stopped from destroying the world.

Once a warrior-for-hire who was the last of a dying people, the Akkadians, Mathayus became a mercenary, training extensively in the deadly arts and only serving those whom he and his brothers personally preferred. However, after his brothers died, Mathayus went on to end the reign of Memnon, a murderous warlord who sought to conquer everything around him. He eventually rose to become the Scorpion King, a warlord himself. Mathayus ascended to power after Memnon's death by assuming the role of king, becoming a formidable ruler in ancient Egypt before the Pyramid era.

The Akkadian would have a grandson who became The Last Scorpion King known as Mathayus III. Unlike the former, Mathayus III became a warlord who led a siege on the city of Thebes, after which they were forced out into the deserts. There, Mathayus III earned the favor of Anubis himself and returned to decimate Thebes, losing his soul after the battle so that he was condemned to return to the oasis that Anubis had given him, awaiting a challenger in a hibernation-like state and under a severe transformation that caused him to lose his humanity and sanity. Mathayus III remained in his slumber for five thousand years until he was awoken by the resurrected High Priest Imhotep and the adventurer Rick O'Connell, both of whom sought the Scorpion King's destruction, but only Rick succeeded by using the spear of Osiris to send the warlord and his forces back to the Underworld.

While Mathayus serves as the main protagonist of The Scorpion King series, his fallen grandson, Mathayus III, became the tertiary antagonist of The Mummy Returns.

Biography[]

Early Life and Childhood[]

Mathayus lived in the kingdom of Akkad in the city of Nippur as a child. He was the son of Ashur, a renown unrivaled Black Scorpion of his era. Ashur debarred Mathayus to serve the Black Scorpions. Mathayus disregarded his father's remonstrance and took part in the Ancient Games to begin his training. During the games, he extricated Layla from Sargon, the then commander of Akkadian Armies. Ashur came to the aid of his son leading to a confrontation with Sargon. King Hammurabi on behalf of Ashur's services to Akkad, abridged Ashur and Mathayus violation for dishonoring the commander and the games, and commanded Mathayus to serve the Black Scorpions and depart for training. A few days prior to Mathayus's departure, Sargon excogitated Ahsur's death, through his occult and dark potency. Mathayus was enlightened that Sargon conspired to his father's death and took an oath to become a fierce warrior, to avenge his father's death. Mathayus travailed from dawn to dusk to become an unexcelled Black Scorpion amongst the others.

The Nippur Vamoose[]

Mathayus returned to Nippur after 6 long years, as an utterly dexterous Black Scorpion, yet he was longing to bag his father's vengeance from Sargon, who conspired on to become the King of Akkad. Sargon knew that Mathayus loathed him, Sargon excogitated to reveal Mahtayus's animosity by commanding him to slay Mathayus's brother Noah for slandering Sargon and to cement his loyalty to the King. Mathayus resisted and broke his allegiance to the King, attempting to kill the Sargon and fled from the city but wasn't able to save his brother. Mathayus along with Layla escaped to Egypt leaving Nippur behind. Sargon, however, was devising something peerless for Mathayus.

The Sword of Damocles[]

During his voyage to Egypt, he briefed Layla about the Spear of Osiris, and borrowing it from the Egyptian Pharoh, on account of the fact that his father once saved the Pharoh's private guard. A Greek poet named Ari, instructed Mathayus that the Spear is indeed a vigorous weapon but it was meant to annihilate solely Egyptian Monsters. He further proclaimed that the Sword of Damocles is an ideal weapon to eliminate Sargon. Mathayus along with Layla and Ari headed to Knossos to acclaim the Sword from the Underworld. They invaded the palace of Knossos, only to fall into a trap, a chamber constructed to feed the Minotaur, Mathayus was assisted by his father's old Illyrians fellows, led by Pollux. Mathayus with the help of his accompany slew the Minotaur and entered into the portal to the Underworld. Mathayus along with his fellows, entered into the Underworld, only to confront the Goddess of Love and War, Astarte. Mathayus was supposedly seduced by Astarte, Astarte proclaimed that his father wasn't an innocent warrior and had done bad deeds, earlier Mathayus had perceived his deceased father in the Underworld, besides Mathayus fled and was equipped with the Sword, to avenge his father. Mathayas was sworn to slay Sargon with the Sword of Damocles, Mathayus alongside Ari sneaked off into Sargon's palace. Sargon lured Mathayus by disguising himself as Ashur, Mathyus's father, to snatch the Sword. Sargon transformed himself into a Black Scorpion by using his exalted dark powers. However, Mathayus slew Sargon with the Sword of Damocles, putting an end to his unruly reign. Soon, Mathayus proclaimed to Lady Astarte, that his fate indeed lies in the Underworld, and will return soon someday. Mathayus then set off to the road of his noble mercenaries.

Magus' Conquest[]

Mathayus was hired by his stepfather, King Urmhet to go to Khemet and kill their lord who killed a concubine. Once he arrived, he realized that the evil sorcerer named Magus killed both the lord and concubine. He rejected Magus' offer to help him, which made him sent to his prison, where he met Hammet, an elder man who guided him into finding the Sword of Osiris. Once Mathayus arrived at the Tower of Babel, he learned that Hammet is a disguise by Magus and that he tricked him into finding the Sword to summon Set once he kills either Jesup or Rama. As Magus dies, he became a vessel for Set, which Mathayus shortly defeated.

Memnon's Empire[]

Memnon's "horde" came from the East, under the Law of the Horde their greatest warrior was proclaimed their King, was Memnon - Memnon was one of the greatest swordsmen the world had ever seen. Many enemies tried to defeat him but he bested all of them, he had the ability to block arrows with his sword and even catch single arrows with his bare hands. Eventually, only a few tribes were left to face Memnon's Empire, these were the rebels who hired Mathayus and his brothers.

Mathayus proclaimed that as long as one of them still breathed then the Sorceress will die. And with that, he set out to find her. He found her at one of Memnon's camps and he infiltrated, discovering a Horsethief which had been captured. He found the Sorceress but he didn't have enough time to kill her before one of her guards entered the tent and started fighting Mathayus, Mathayus defeated him but more entered.

Mathayus defeated most of them until he was captured, Memnon entered the tent and he ordered that Jessup was brought to the tent. After some discussion with Mathayus, Memnon killed Jessup and was about to have Mathayus killed when the Sorceress proclaimed that the Gods would be mad if Memnon or one of his soldiers killed Mathayus. Memnon then had to find a way to kill him without him or his soldiers killing him, he came up with a way and one of his soldiers smashed Mathayus in the head with his sword.

Desert Escape[]

Mathayus awoke the next morning buried up to his head next to Arpid, the horse thief he had discovered the night before; Memnon had ordered them buried up to their heads near fire ant colonies by guards who brought torches so the torch smoke put in the colonies would drive the ants out and they would slowly eat both Mathayus's and Arpid's heads slowly and painfully, a concept that Arpid explained to Mathayus laughingly because Arpid planned to escape while leaving Mathayus to die as revenge for leaving Arpid himself to die earlier the night before. Arpid waited buried for one guard, who had been drinking yak urine for an hour to get up and relieve himself; once the guard got to his feet, Arpid knocked him out with an unburned torch as the other guard came out and was knocked aside as well directly into an anthill, where swarms of the angry ants covered him.

Mathayus watched as more ants from a nearby hill burst out closer and called for Arpid to get him out as well; Arpid bade Mathayus promise not to kill him and to allow the horse thief to accompany him on his journeys, sharing the spoils, for Mathayus, as an Akkadian, was bound to his word. Mathayus promised this and Arpid subsequently took a lit torch and a swig from the flask that the guard had been drinking from to burn away the ants, spraying the fire with the fluid in front of the ants, charring some and driving others to escape back into the hills, after which Arpid plucked a few of the remaining ants from Mathayus' head.

Capturing Cassandra[]

Afterward, Arpid asked Mathayus where he was going to which he responds to Memnon's Kingdom to avenge his own brother's death. Mathayus whistle for his camel but didn't let Arpid ride with him. Arpid argued that they made a deal. Mathayus confirmed the deal that he hasn't killed him, yet. Together, they head to Gommorah. When they arrived near the heavily guarded gates of Gommorah, Arpid wishes to not enter due to the bounty on his head as a horse thief. Mathayus knocked Arpid out and went to the guards, claiming to collect the bounty, subsequently, getting through the city. Mathayus, then, heads to Memnon's Palace, leaving Arpid to watch his camel while he drinks joyfully.

Mathayus encountered local children, claiming they can be a guide through Gommorah. Then, one child stole Mathayus's pouch of twenty blood rubies. Mathayus chased a particular child to retrieved it. Once the child was captured, Mathayus made a deal with the child to get him through the palace in order for the child to earn a blood ruby. The child leads him in and encountered Philos, Memnon's Scientist. Philos told Mathayus to find Memnon in the training courtyard. When they arrived, Mathayus awarded the child and positioned himself to assassinate Memnon. However, the very child was caught by Memnon's red guards and was accused of thievery for having a blood ruby. Mathayus could either saved the child, whose hand was about to be cut off, or assassinate Memnon when his servants get out of the way. Mathayus chose to save the child, alerting all the palace guards of his presence.

Escaping, Mathayus encountered Philos again, and using Philos's invention of the early catapult, he used it to escape, only to land at Memnon's harem quarter. The Harem distracted him, took all of his weapons, and alerted the guards. Mathayus had to escape again which fell into the bathing chamber of Memnon's sorceress, Cassandra. He captured her and escape through the bath's drain, emerging to a nearby well used by the people. Mathayus decided to keep the sorceress alive, and using a knife to threaten her, they escaped the city that was locking down. Mathayus came to defeat Memnon and became the king with Cassandra, the two having since fallen in love, becoming his queen. Cassandra, however warned Mathayus that while they’d have a few years of peace and prosperity, it wouldn’t last as was the fate of all kingdoms. An undeterred Mathyaus stated that “we make our down destiny”.

Losing his Empire[]

After enjoying a few wonderful years of peace and prosperity, Cassandra’s prediction that the kingdom would fall came true. A devastating plague struck the empire, resulting in most of the people perishing. Tragically Cassandra would be among the countless who died, which greatly devastated Mathayus. After the death of his beloved queen and the fall of his empire, Mathayus became a mercenary once again as a means to escape his grief. Eventually after spending a few years as a mercenary, Mathyaus would eventually reclaim his title as Scorpion King.

Later Life and Legacy[]

Mathayus would father at least one child during his lifetime. The child in question would pass Scorpion King title to his son who identical to Mathayus appearance-wise. He even shared the latter's name as well.

Personality[]

Mathayus was among the last of the Akkadian tribe in his time and took his status as an Akkadian mercenary in stride as his brothers did. In his youth, Mathayus had some scruples about carrying out his assignments, though as a warlord his morals were somewhat lowered. Mathayus, though serious in a fight, was not without some humor as he often accepted the shortcomings of others with a somewhat jocular tone.

Physical description[]

Mathayus is a tall, muscular man considered handsome. He was tanned deeply by the deserts suns and wore long dreadlocks.

Behind the scenes[]

Mathayus was portrayed by actor and wrestler Dwayne Johnson in the films The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King and is voiced by Johnson as well in the video game The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian. In his appearance as a monster, Mathayus is voiced by metal singer Max Cavalera, and is performed as a young man by Pierre Marais and Michael Copon, who portray the Scorpion King as a child and teen, respectively. In The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption and The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, Mathayus was portrayed by Victor Webster. in The Scorpion King Book of Souls, Mathayus was portrayed by Zach McGowan.

While it appeared Scorpion Kings in The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King are the same person, Stephen Sommers would later clarify that the one in the latter film being identical grandfather of the former. He further stated that there's no way Mathayus could have become the bloodthirsty warrior like his late nemesis Memnon. To further drive this point, The Scorpion King's sequels showed him perservere in ordeals which would potentially put him into a dark path like his grandson or Memnon.

The Scorpion King is based on the real-life historical figure, King Scorpion, of which little is known historically. It is practically unlikely (although theoretically possible) that Scorpion was from Akkad or anywhere else in Mesopotamia; he was most likely born in Egypt. Roswell GA Lock

Gallery[]

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