Darkhold

• Core Identity: The Darkhold, often called the Book of the Damned or the Shiatra Book of the Damned, is a legendary grimoire of immense dark magical power, transcribed from the demonic utterings of the Elder God Chthon and serving as his primary conduit to influence Earth.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: It is the ultimate repository of chaos magic and forbidden knowledge in the Marvel Universe. The Darkhold is not merely a book but a sentient, malevolent artifact that actively seeks to corrupt its readers, offering them immense power at the cost of their soul and sanity. It is the antithesis of the Book of the Vishanti.
• Primary Impact: The book is responsible for the creation of the first vampires, werewolves, and countless other supernatural curses. Its influence has been a corrupting force behind major mystical events and has tempted some of the most powerful magic-users, including Doctor Doom and the Scarlet Witch, twisting their abilities to serve its dark master, chthon.
• Key Incarnations: In the comics (earth_616), the Darkhold is a bound collection of indestructible parchments containing Chthon's spells. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it is a copy of spells carved into the walls of Wundagore Mountain, with its power corrupting anyone who reads it, most notably turning Wanda Maximoff into the feared Scarlet Witch.

The Darkhold first appeared, though unnamed, as a generic “ancient evil spellbook” in Marvel Spotlight #3 (May 1972) in the first appearance of the character Werewolf by Night. It was officially named and fleshed out in Marvel Spotlight #4 (June 1972), written by Gerry Conway with art by Mike Ploog. The concept was heavily influenced by the pulp horror tradition and, most notably, H.P. Lovecraft's fictional Necronomicon. Conway and subsequent writers, particularly Marv Wolfman and Steve Gerber, expanded its lore, establishing it as a cornerstone of Marvel's supernatural landscape. They linked it to the origins of vampires (in The Tomb of Dracula) and other monsters, solidifying its reputation as the ultimate source of evil magic. Its true creator, the Elder God Chthon, was introduced later, providing a cosmic and demonic origin that elevated the book from a simple plot device to a character in its own right—an extension of a trapped, malevolent deity.

The origin of the Darkhold predates humanity itself. Billions of years ago, Earth was ruled by the Elder Gods, immensely powerful mystical beings. One among them, Chthon, was the first and most powerful practitioner of dark magic. As other Elder Gods, like Gaea and Oshtur, began to shape the nascent planet, Chthon's chaotic and destructive sorcery threatened all of existence. Foreseeing his eventual defeat and banishment at the hands of the Demogorge (a being formed from the sun's consciousness), Chthon took measures to ensure his influence would remain. Before being sealed away in a pocket dimension, Chthon transcribed all of his malevolent knowledge—spells of chaos, destruction, and corruption—onto indestructible parchments. These writings served as a permanent tether, a magical “backdoor” to the Earth dimension, allowing his power to seep through and influence mortals. These parchments became the original Darkhold. The collected parchments were discovered by ancient human sorcerers in pre-cataclysmic Atlantis. They were bound together into a single volume, and over millennia, the book passed through countless hands. Its first known human wielder was the Atlantean sorcerer Varnae, who used a spell from the Darkhold to become the first vampire in a desperate attempt to survive the Great Cataclysm. Similarly, the first werewolves were created through a Darkhold curse. The book was sought by sorcerers, demons, and cultists throughout history. The sorcerer Modred the Mystic attempted to use its power for good but was inevitably corrupted by Chthon. Morgan le Fay used it in the 6th century against King Arthur's Camelot. In the modern era, the book has been a central object of conflict, sought by Dracula, Doctor Doom, and cults dedicated to Chthon. Its guardianship often fell to those with the strength to resist it, such as the line of Sorcerers Supreme or the cursed Montesi family, who were mystically bound to protect the world from the vampire scourge it created.

The origin of the Darkhold in the MCU (Earth-199999) is presented with significant differences, streamlining the lore for a cinematic narrative focused on the Scarlet Witch. As revealed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Darkhold is not a unique artifact written by Chthon but rather a copy. The original text, containing the dark spells of Chthon, was carved into the walls of a castle atop Wundagore Mountain, a place depicted as a throne for the Scarlet Witch, saturated with dark magical energy. This primeval source material was transcribed by sorcerers or demons into the physical book seen in WandaVision and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. This establishes a crucial distinction: the book is a “copy of a copy,” and the true source of its power and knowledge is Wundagore itself. As Agatha Harkness explains in WandaVision, the Darkhold contains a full chapter on the Scarlet Witch, an immensely powerful being of chaos magic whose coming was prophesied. The book claims that her power “exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme” and that she is “destined to destroy the world.” The physical book seen in the MCU was acquired by Agatha Harkness, who used it to manipulate the events in Westview. After defeating her, Wanda Maximoff took the Darkhold and used it to study chaos magic. Sequestered in a remote cabin, she used its spells to “dreamwalk”—projecting her consciousness into the bodies of her variants across the multiverse in a desperate attempt to reunite with her children, Billy and Tommy. The book's corrupting influence is shown to be absolute; it twists Wanda's grief into a multiversal crusade, transforming her from a grieving hero into the terrifying and relentless Scarlet Witch. She confirms that every universe has its own version of the Darkhold, all of which are copies of the carvings at Wundagore, the one true source. This implies a multiversal constant, with Wundagore as the nexus of this dark power.

The Darkhold of Earth-616 is a physical object of immense power and resilience.

• Physical Composition: The book is bound in an unknown, flesh-like material and its pages are made of indestructible parchment. It has been shown to be immune to virtually all forms of physical and magical damage. Attempts to burn, tear, or otherwise destroy it have universally failed. The only known method of destroying its pages is the Montesi Formula, a specific counter-spell that requires a great sacrifice to enact.
• Magical Properties and Spells: The Darkhold is a near-infinite repository of dark magical knowledge. Its contents are not static; the book seems to reveal spells to users based on their desires, tempting them with the exact power they crave. Its known capabilities include:
• Supernatural Transmogrification: The Darkhold contains the spells that created the first vampires (the Varnae curse) and werewolves. It can be used to create and control all manner of monstrous beings.
• Reality Warping and Chaos Magic: As the source text for chaos magic, it grants users the ability to manipulate probability and reshape reality on a fundamental level. These are the same energies wielded by the Scarlet Witch, but the Darkhold provides the structure and forbidden knowledge to unleash their full, destructive potential.
• Necromancy and Soul Manipulation: It contains powerful spells for raising the dead, summoning demons, and trapping or consuming souls.
• Dimensional Travel: The book can be used to open portals to other dimensions, particularly Chthon's prison realm.
• Power Augmentation: It can dramatically increase a magic-user's innate power, but always at a terrible price.
• Corrupting Influence: The Darkhold's most dangerous quality is its malevolent sentience, an extension of Chthon's will. It does not simply provide knowledge; it actively corrupts the user. Reading the Darkhold invariably leads to madness, physical degradation, and servitude to Chthon. It preys on the user's weaknesses—their fears, grief, and ambitions—and twists them into justifications for horrific acts. Modred the Mystic, who sought to use it for good, was enslaved for centuries. Doctor Doom, despite his immense willpower, has been wary of its influence. Doctor Strange has only ever used it as a last resort, understanding that each reading carves away a piece of his soul.

The MCU's Darkhold functions similarly but with some key distinctions tailored for its narrative role.

• Physical Composition and Copies: The physical book is shown to be ancient and bound, but its destruction is possible. Wanda Maximoff, upon realizing its corruption, uses her chaos magic to destroy Wundagore Mountain, the source of the Darkhold's power. This act seemingly destroys every copy of the Darkhold across the entire multiverse simultaneously, severing Chthon's connection. This suggests that while the copies are durable, they are ultimately tethered to a singular, destructible source.
• Powers and Manifestations: The MCU Darkhold focuses on a few key abilities to drive the plot of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness:
• Dreamwalking: This is its most prominently featured power. It allows a user to possess the body of their variant in another universe. The connection is visceral and dangerous, causing physical decay in the host body and requiring immense concentration. The spell is considered a “desecration of reality” by the Masters of the Mystic Arts.
• Summoning and Control of Demons: The Scarlet Witch uses the Darkhold to summon demonic, ribbon-like creatures to hunt America Chavez across the multiverse. These creatures are extensions of her will, loyal only to the Darkhold's wielder.
• Prophecy and Forbidden Knowledge: The book contains a chapter dedicated to the Scarlet Witch, outlining her destiny and power. It acts as a guide and a corrupting influence, convincing Wanda that her prophesied role justifies any action, no matter how monstrous.
• Corruption as a Visual Motif: The corrupting influence of the Darkhold is visually represented. A user's fingertips become blackened and corrupted, and their magical energy takes on a darker, more volatile appearance. Wanda's transformation is stark: her demeanor, her costume, and her powers all shift to reflect the book's evil. The Darkhold doesn't just grant power; it physically and spiritually taints the user, a clear visual indicator of their fall from grace.

Many have sought to harness the Darkhold's power, almost always with disastrous consequences.

• Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff): In both canons, Wanda is the Darkhold's most significant user. In the comics, her innate chaos magic makes her a natural conduit for Chthon, who once possessed her at birth on Wundagore Mountain. In the MCU, her study of the Darkhold transforms her grief into a multiversal threat, cementing her as the legendary Scarlet Witch. She is one of the few beings powerful enough to wield its full potential, and also one of the few to ultimately reject and destroy it.
• Modred the Mystic: An apprentice of the wizard Gervasse in the 6th century, Modred sought to use the Darkhold's power to defend Camelot. However, he was slowly corrupted by Chthon, becoming the Elder God's loyal pawn for centuries before eventually finding a measure of redemption.
• Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom): A master of both science and sorcery, Doom has sought the Darkhold on numerous occasions to augment his own power and knowledge. His legendary willpower has allowed him to study it without completely succumbing to Chthon's influence, but even he acknowledges the immense danger it poses. In the 2021 Darkhold event, he works with the Scarlet Witch to combat Chthon's re-emergence.
• Dracula: The Lord of Vampires has frequently sought the Darkhold, both to enhance his own power and to remove the Montesi Formula, the one spell capable of destroying him and all his kind. His quests for the book have often brought him into conflict with Doctor Strange and the Midnight Sons.

Just as many have sought to use the Darkhold, others have dedicated their lives to containing it.

• Doctor Strange: As the Sorcerer Supreme, Strange is one of the primary guardians of the Earth dimension. He views the Darkhold as one of the greatest threats to existence. He was responsible for assembling the spellcasters needed to invoke the Montesi Formula and has fought to keep the book out of the hands of those who would misuse it. He understands that reading it is a necessary evil at times, but a profound risk.
• The Montesi Family (Victoria and Vittorio): The Montesi family line was mystically cursed to be the custodians of the Darkhold. They were charged with protecting it and preventing the vampire curse from running rampant. Victoria Montesi, a descendant in the modern era, discovered her heritage and became a key member of the Darkhold Redeemers, a group dedicated to finding the book's scattered pages. The “Montesi Formula” is a spell within the Darkhold itself that, when cast, eradicates all vampires from the Earthly plane.
• The Midnight Sons: This loose affiliation of supernatural heroes—including Ghost Riders Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze, Blade, Morbius, and the Darkhold Redeemers—was originally formed to combat Lilith, the Mother of Demons, whose children were unleashed by a page from the Darkhold. They have often served as the front line of defense against threats originating from the Book of the Damned.
• Agatha Harkness: In the MCU, Agatha is initially a wielder of the Darkhold but also serves as an expositional figure who understands its true danger and the prophecy of the Scarlet Witch. In the comics, Agatha is a far more benevolent (though still manipulative) figure who has tutored Wanda and fought against demonic forces like Chthon.

This is arguably the most impactful storyline involving the Darkhold. Doctor Strange, aided by the Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), and the ghost of a Montesi priest, gathers the necessary components to cast the Montesi Formula. The spell, found within the Darkhold itself, is a magical contagion that targets the mystical impurity created by the original vampire curse. Strange successfully casts it, and in a blinding flash of light, every vampire on Earth, including Dracula, crumbles to dust. This event fundamentally altered the supernatural landscape of Marvel for years, though vampires were eventually resurrected through other magical means.

This crossover event established the Darkhold as a central threat in the '90s supernatural revival. A page from the Darkhold is used by a group of explorers, which inadvertently summons Lilith, the ancient Mother of Demons. Lilith seeks to reclaim her demonic children, the Lilin, and conquer the world. The Ghost Riders have visions of this coming apocalypse, leading them to assemble a team of dark heroes—the Midnight Sons—to stop her. The Darkhold's power is the inciting incident and the source of the primary conflict, cementing its role as a catalyst for large-scale supernatural crises.

In this recent event, Doctor Doom uncovers the Darkhold, forcing the Scarlet Witch to intervene. To combat the encroaching madness of Chthon, Wanda assembles a team of heroes—Iron Man, Wasp, Black Bolt, Blade, and Spider-Man—to enter Chthon's realm. To survive, each must read from the Darkhold, which confronts them with their deepest fears and transforms them into twisted, monstrous versions of themselves (the “Darkhold Defiled”). The series explores the psychological toll of the book, showing how it tailors its corruption to each individual, promising them their heart's desire while turning them into living nightmares.

• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV Series): Before its appearance in WandaVision, a version of the Darkhold was the central MacGuffin of the fourth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Here, it was a book of infinite knowledge that could create matter from nothing, but it drove its readers insane. It was used by the Life-Model Decoy Aida to create a virtual world called the Framework and later to build herself an organic Inhuman body. The Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) ultimately took the book to another dimension to safeguard it, though how it returned to Agatha Harkness's possession is unexplained.
• Runaways (Hulu Series): The Darkhold, or a book visually identical to it, appears briefly in the third season. It is in the possession of the sorceress Morgan le Fay, who uses it in her plot to conquer the world by merging the Dark Dimension with Earth. Its powers and specific origins are less defined here, serving more as a generic book of powerful evil magic.
• Marvel's Midnight Suns (Video Game): The Darkhold is a key plot element in the 2022 tactical RPG. In the game's continuity, Doctor Faustus uses a torn page to resurrect Lilith, Mother of Demons. The book's corrupting influence is a central theme, with Hydra and Lilith's forces seeking to harness its power. The Scarlet Witch, under Lilith's control due to the Darkhold's influence, serves as a primary antagonist for part of the game.

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