Malekith the Accursed (Marvel)

"Isn't it obvious? You are. You wanted the Dark Elves to stand together, remember? And so they have. Who do you think they would elect? A peacemaker? Have you met my people before? Dark Elves aren't weak little children, locking for a mother to love and coddle us. We only follow the leaders we fear. And as for now... Svartalfheim fears no one more than me. Many thanks for your assist in this matters, God of Thunder. Would you like a seat of honor at my coronation feast?"

- Malekith

"We ride, my warriors. To the gardens of Alfheim and the mountains of Nidavellir. To the frozen fields of Jotunheim and beyond. Wherever the Dark Elves cower, we ride. Let the great horn be sounded. The Wild Hunt has begun!"

- Malekith

Malekith the Accursed is a Dark Elf from the Realm of Svatalheim, and an enemy of Thor. He is a powerful sorcerer and controls a pack of supernatural wolves. Half of his body is black, while the other half is bluish-white.

Identity
Malekith the Accursed is the ruler of the Dark Elves. He is one of the Nine Worlds of Asgardian cosmology. The Dark Elves are also known as the Faerie of Celtic mythology and of Arthurian legend. The principal nexus between Earth and Svartalfheim lies beneath a palace (that is now in ruins) in the Cotswolds of Britain.

Early Life
Malekith was a Dark Elf of Svartalfheim. He was born to Lady Mazerot of the Black Bile Clan, which were Known as the lords of the Wild Hunt for their usage of war dogs. Eventually, his father, brothers and uncles all died in the many wars the Dark Elves had. His mother assured him he won't have to die a soldier. However, during the forty third Troll war, his Mother sold him to the undertaker Elves of the southern swamps for food for the war dogs they sold. As he was taken away, his mother told him she couldn't lose another son without gaining nothing and that at least he won't have to be a soldier. He was forced to work as a corpse burner in the war, burning the corpses of fallen Dark Elves after each battle while leaving the enemy corpses rot. Once, he found a still alive soldier along the corpses, but he had lost both legs. Malekith put him with the other corpses and burned him alive, claiming that all soldiers do is die. While burning corpses one day, he was captured by the Trolls and kept with the other prisoners. An elder prisoner told Malekith to get a big meaty millipedes from their nest, cock it with a torch and give it to him to eat, claiming it will give him strength enough to do what he needs. When Malekith asked him what that would be, he told him he will show him a magic trick. He obeyed him and after the elder finished, he revealed himself as a Dark Elf wizard. They escaped and the wizard decimated the Trolls. In the following years, he became the wizard's apprentice, being the most natural spell caster the wizard seen and eventually surpassing him as a wizard. While having breakfast, the wizard told him his training was completed and that Malekith had teach him his true purpose and asked him his help to end war, which shocked Malekith.

The wizard told him that their people have suffered because of a senseless war after another and that someone must save their realm while there is still a realm to save and that together, they have the power to unite the clans, make the king see reason and bring peace. He was convinced that since Malekith was forged in the tragedies of war he would understand. However, Malekith used one of the floating knifes they were eating with to impale the wizard. Malekith angrily told him he know nothing about war and that what he knows of it is what he has lost. He told him that is what makes him the only one who can bring peace, but he replied that to say that war must end is to say that he is weak and some thing that should have never existed. The wizard tried to convince him that he didn't think that, but he impaled him with the other knifes. He claimed that war was the fire that forged the Elves' souls and that as long that he lives there will always be war, asking him that without war, what is he. The wizard replied that he knows what he is and is to late for him but that he will make sure everyone who sees him knows. The wizard then attacked and disfigured Malekith, making half of his face black, before dying. Some time later, he travelled to his former home and was greeted by his mother, who thought he was a costumer looking to buy hunting dogs until she recognized him. Mazerot claimed that she had done what she had to in order to feed the dogs, he claimed that he understand and that as Lords of the Wild Hunt, they must feed the dogs and promised her that the dogs will never be hungry again before feeding her to them. Taking the mantle of Lord of the Wild Hunt.

Casket of Ancient Winters
Malekith struck an alliance with Loki on behalf of the fire demon Surtur. He took control of a number of Earth humans using special food of the faerie provided by Hela. Malekith then killed Eric Willis, guardian of the Casket of Ancient Winters, after learning its location. As Master of the Hounds, Malekith hunted down Roger Willis, Eric's son and new guardian of the Casket. Malekith battled Thor and kidnapped Lorelei. Using Lorelei as bait, Malekith forced Thor to battle Algrim the Strong, one of his Dark Elf followers, then attempted to destroy both combatants by plunging them into a pool of magma. He then captured the Casket of Ancient Winters from Roger Willis. Malekith was ultimately defeated by Thor, but not before he destroyed the Casket of Ancient Winters, releasing magical frigid force all over the Earth. Many villain such as Graviton took advantage of the chaos, as well as Surtur who battle the Avengers. Malekith was then brought as a captive by Thor to Asgard.

Hel
Malekith impersonated Lorelei and tricked the Thing to drink some mead and then convinced him that it was Thor and Sif that killed her. He went on a rampage against them both, but overcame it when he tried to kill Sif and could not because it’s not in his nature. Malekith realized that he must send someone else after them his old allies Kurse. In Asgard, Kurse beat his way past Heimdall, and plunged all the way down to Hel, where he demanded Malekith. Hela tried to stop him but to no avail, and he beas her easily becoming the new master of Hel. Lorelei told him that Malekith escaped to Earth, and he took her there. Once there, Kurse saw Thor as Malekith and begins to attack him. As the new master of Hel and Niffleheim, Kurse called forth dead monsters to destroy the one he believed to be Malekith. Thor and Sif battle Kurse’s monsters, until they are joined by High Evolutionary and the Godpack. But they are still not making much progress, and Thor is swallowed by Jormungand. With the help of the Asgardians and the Godpack, Thor manages to free himself and start turning the tide again. Elsewhere, Jane sees Lorelei running away and follows her, and sees her change to Malekith. Jane saw Sif and goes to tell her what she saw, only to have a building fall on them. Hela arrived and proved her power by stopping them all. She revealed the entirety of Malekith’s plan, and made Kurse see Thor instead of Malekith. Hela orders her minions to find Malekith, but Thor told her no. She agreed to return them all to Hel, if Thor went with her. He agreed and made the Asgardians and Godpack swear to not attempt a rescue. Fortunately, the newly arrived Hulk has made no such promise. Hulk agreed to enter Hel and return with Thor. On earth, Riger realizes that Jane is really Malekith, and he fills in the rest of his escape story, then fled. He thought he’s eluded them, but he can never escape Kurse. Kurse beat on him mercilessly, until he is stopped by Sif, who begs him to return Malekith to Hel in exchange for Thor’s freedom. In Hel, Hulk and Thor continue their battle, destroying much of Hela’s kingdom, until Kurse arrived with Malekith.

X-Force
Malekith battled the time-travelling mutant Cable and X-Force.

Avalon
Malekith later attempted to gain control of Avalon.

Return of the Casket of Ancient Winters
"MALEKITH! THE DARK ELF! HE WHO SHALL SIT IN RULE OF ALL THE NINE WORLDS!"

- Malekith Rising to Power

In Svartalfheim; Jagrfelm was overjoyed by the possession of the Cask of Ancient Winters. But this did not last long. The Dark Elves crashed through his home and run him through. He died never knowing that the Cask has been reclaimed by Malekith. Malekith relishied having the Cask of Ancient Winters once more within his grasp. Using its power, he called forth Pentigaar, to go to Midgard and kill Thor. Balder, using Thor's chariot, road towards Midgard to deliver Neffethesk's remedy for Hogun, but was attacked by Pentigaar. Balder and the icy demon battled, until a mysterious egg is cracked open, and Beta Ray Bill steps forth. Balder and Bill defeat Pentigaar, sending him back to where he came from.[24] When Thor arrived on the Bifrost, he saw the whole of Asgard covered in ice. Inside, Balder is overcome by the Wild Hunt, as Pentigaar and Malekith made their way into Odin's bedchambers. Inside, Sif at the Crimson Hawks make their stand, but to no avail. Malekith is about to suffocate Odin with a pillow, when Thor and the others arrived. They manage to battle them off, but Malekith cracked open the Cask of Ancient Winters, blowing Thor out a window to the frozen ground below, where he sees Asgardians encased in ice. It dawns on him what Malekith was holding, when Thor is struck from behind by Kurse. Thor managed to free himself from Kurse, while Sif engaged Malekith himself. Thor went to find the Gem of Infinite Suns, which has the power to free them all, and has Sif lead Malekith away. In Odin's bedchamber, Thor opened Odin's treasures and retrieved the gem. Using its power, Thor destroyed Pentigaar, and then frees Asgard from its icy tomb. Thor then slammed the gem into the face of Kurse, freeing him from Malekith's spell, and used its power to close the Cask of Ancient Winters. Thor takes the gem and wraps it around the cask, then sends them both away to an unknown dimension. Before Thor is about to smite Malekith, Sif intervenes and claims that right for stealing a kiss from her.

Hercules
Disguising himself as Balder once again, he enlisted Hercules to attack Alflyse, the Dark Elf Queen of the Eastern Spires. His scheme humorously unravels, and he is easily defeated by Zeus.

The Accursed
Years later, he was broken out of Hel by a group of Dark Elves loyal to him and returned to Svartalfheim with only one of them, Scumtounge, surviving, however, after seeing that his people has grown weak and won't accept him as their ruler, he and his followers began hunting the other Dark Elves to make them strong again, starting in a village in Svartalfheim, they massacred all Dark Elves except for the woman Waziria. Thor and the Warriors Three arrived in the village, and Malekith told them his intentions of killing all Dark Elves who won't follow him and cutted Waziria's arm before leaving. He began his rebellion in Svartalheim, looking for Queen Alfyse and battling the troops she sent to stop him. He eventually track her down to Nidavellir where she was hiding with the Dwarves, he attacked their fortress and eventually killed her, turning the Dark Elves into a state of chaos, Civil War and greater division than before. He forged an alliance with the Frost Giants, promising to find the skull of their late king and Loki's father Laufey, which they have previously attempted to use to resurrect him but were stooped by Thor while the skull was lost in the sea.

He demands various groups to hunt Dark Elves refugees in all Realms, while attacking a refugees camp in Mountain Giant territory in Jotunheim, he was confronted by the League of Realms which included Thor and Waziria, however, he was prepared for them and manage to kill Oggy the Giant. Thor almost killed Malekith until he revealed they were now on Fost Giant territory and called upon his new allies the Frost Giants. Since it would mean an act of war, the League could not enter the Frost Giant territories, after which Malekith and his men left with them. He then showed up on Earth were the Council of the Unhallowed, a council of all tribal leaders of the Dark Elves come together to discuss Malekith's attacks. Using a parasite inside Thor, which he had used to track the League, he made him attack Waziria. After it came out, he battle him and the League of Realms, but before Thor could kill Malekith, the council intervened and declared that they have decided to unite their people and thay they choose Malekith as their ruler, which outraged Thor. When the ceremony was held, Frigga told Malekith that he still needed to serve his sentence for his crimes, but Waziria, knowing that the Dark Elves will most likely fight without a ruler, volunteered to serve it for him since that way there will be less bloodshed. Malekith then names Scumtounge his senator in the congress of worlds. Later, on Muspelheim he and a Frost Giant made their way to speak to the Fire Demons about a League of their own.

Rings of the Mandarin
Malekith was chosen to be the host of Mandarin's Spectral Ring after each of the villain's ring started searching for hosts following their owner's death. The ring attempted to influence Malekith into helping it, since they were searching for hosts to manipulate to fight Iron Man, but Malekith overcame the ring's attempts and took it against its will, after which he asked his ring for information about the other ring-wielders. Malekith later begun looking for the other rings, and in Earth took two more rings from Lord Remaker, by beheading him, and Red Peril, by cutting her hands. He later briefly arrived to New York in order to kill and take Lightning Conductor's ring. Which he did.

Iron Man travelled to Svartalfheim in order to retrieve the rings Malekith possessed however, he was discovered and escaped to the woods. Malekith gave the Lighting, Spectral and Incandescence Rings to his fellow Dark Elves Snaggi, Terrana and Xan respectively. He gave Terrana a special secret mission, while he ordered the others to hunt Iron Man. However, Xan and his group, were knocked out by Iron Man with a taser gun, who took the Incandescence Ring and escaped, for which the Accursed beheaded Xan. Iron Man, using an armor fully made of iron, which was lethal to the Dark Elves, overpowered the other hunters. He managed to get close enough to Snaggi to hurt her. Before Iron Man could finish her, Snaggi gave her ring to him and fled.

After fleeing from being almost-killed by the Armored Avenger, Malekith started looking for any spell which could help him defeat Stark. Terrana, who completed her mission, encountered Malekith. However, his search was interrupted by the arrival of the other Mandarins, who had decided to confront Malekith before he could steal their rings and previously attacked Terrana. After being beaten by the Mandarins and discovering that he could not loose them for long, as the rings could locate each other, Malekith decided to make a pact with Iron Man and give him the rings he had in exchange for the Armored Avenger not to take his life as he planned. After giving the ring to Iron Man, Malekith escaped from the Mandarin's clutches to safety, as he could no longer be located by them. After which, the Mandarins parted from Svartalfheim. Terrana’s secret mission was revealed to be the extraction of the Extremis mutate known as the Bride's offspring from her body, for Malekith to raise as his heir.

Alliance with the Frost Giants
Malekith eventually discovered that the skull of Laufey was in Midgard in possession of Roxxon. He went to Jotunheim and talk with Skrymir about retrieving it. He was hesitant with invading Midgard without their king but Malekith told him that his spies in Asgard informed him the Thor lost Mjolnir and that the invasion of Midgard began now. The Frost Giants raided a Roxxon underwater facility while he entered it and demanded the location of the skull. Killing two employees, he and the third one were interrupted by the arrival of Thor. Malekith taunted him that the rumors of his loss of Mjolnir were true. They battled but the Giants attacked and restrained him. Malekith took Thor's axe Jarnbjorn claiming that he won't need his arm now that he doesn't have to carry his hammer, cutting it, taking it as a trophy and letting him to drown will he and the Giants look for their prize. They freeze the Pacific Ocean and made a stair way to Roxxon Island, also freezing Asgardian warriors and Avengers that tried to stop them. They attacked Roxxon Island and Malekith confronted Roxxon C.E.O. Dario Agger and his inter-realm advisor Ulik the Troll. Agger escaped into his vault and Malekith and the Giants surrounded the new female Thor that came to stop them. Thor warned them to return to their realms but Malekith leave her to the Giants while he entered the vault despite its magical locks. He demanded Dario to give him the skull but he transformed into his Minotaur form and they battled. Malekith had the advantage until Agger used a magic axe but Malekith found the skull. As both claimed their right to it, Thor, who had defeated the Giants, destroyed it. Malekith told her that the Giants will raze Earth for this but the Odinson appeared to retrieved his hammer.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Malekith appeared in the TV show, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. After being raised from the dead by Loki, he sought the Casket of Ancient Winters, a relic that had the power to cover the whole earth in ice. He was supposed to return it Loki, but betrayed him and took it for himself, unleashing it's power across the world. He was eventually defeated by Thor, Iron Man, and the Black Panther, and the Casket was taken by The Enchantress.

Thor: The Dark World
See: Malekith the Accursed (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Malekith is the main antagonist in the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World. He is the leader of the Dark Elves who seeks to plunge the nine realms into darkness using his weapon the Aether. He is portrayed by English actor Christopher Eccleston who also played the G.I. Joe villain, Destro and Doctor Who.

Lego Marvel Superheroes
He is an unlockable character in one of the "Deadpool" bonus missions called "Bro-tunheim", which requires 200 gold bricks to enter.