Many objects of power seemingly proliferate around and upon the Earths of the DC Multiverse. Among the oldest and most potentially powerful were the glowing globes known as the Orb of Ra and the Hammer of Thor, each tied to heroes of the 20th century.
The Orb of Ra was originally fabricated from a meteorite that crash landed in ancient Egypt on Earth-One, crafted by a Pharoah and his chief priest which could transmute elements. Left buried in a pyramid for thousands of years, it as recovered by soldier-of-fortune Rex Mason, who was exposed to its radiation when left unconscious by treacherous associate Java. Mutated into the inhuman Metamorpho, it allowed the so-called Element Man to transform his body into myriad of shapes and sizes, a reluctant but brave hero in service to the amoral businessman Simon Stagg.
At times, Stagg used the Orb to attempt to reverse Mason's physical condition. At other times, he would use the Orb to weaken Rex, when the two came into conflict. Java, jealous of Rex’s relationship to Stagg’s daughter Sapphire, once used it against Metamorpho.
Eventually, Stagg’s soldiers used a few replicas on Mason, when Rex tried to reunite with Sapphire, rendering Mason inert. His Outsiders allies traveled back to ancient Egypt to help revive Rex, and defeat the priest Akh-Ton who was behind Mason’s transformation. The original Orb was once more secured safely when Mason and Simon reconciled, with Rex marrying Sapphire.
The Hammer of Thor arrived on ancient Earth-Two, once in the possession of a space-traveling elder race who left it behind. In the mid 20th century, it would be uncovered by a Norwegian archaeologist and given to Carter Hall, the heir to an ancient Egyptian Prince tied to alien artifacts. Hall used the Hammer as a blunt-force weapon in his masked alter ego of Hawkman while battling the evil Mazda the Great. During this tale, the Winged Warrior misplaced the hammer in a volcano, which was extracted by a renowned college professor and metallurgist turned criminal mastermind Fairytales Fenton.
Fenton had previously led a gang of crooks disguised as Vikings, while he appeared as Thor of legends. Using a replica of alien alloy Hammer, Fenton battled New York City police and the city’s resident masked men Sandman and Sandy, the Golden Boy. Empowered by his hammer’s electromagnetic generating mallet, Fairytale rendered Sandy unconscious.
After his defeat at the hands of Sandman, Fenton was liberated from a lengthy prison sentence by the Ultra-Humanite, sending the malevolent metallurgist to retrieve the original Hammer***. Once in its possession, the energies emitted from it turned Fenton insane, leading him into battle with the All-Star Squadron and Tarantula… whom Fenton mistook for Sandman himself. Ultra through her agent Cyclotron recovered the Hammer, which she used once more versus the All-Stars. When Cyclotron betrayed Ultra and exploded, seemingly killing both, the Hammer seemed to vaporize. Or did it? Given its properties, this is highly unlikely.
In an alternate timeline, Prince Khufu of Earth-Two, connected to the Hammer of Thor through Hawkman, battled the Earth-One Priest Ahk-Ton in a proto-Metamorpho form using the Orb of Ra. This was shortly after Rex, Sapphire and the Outsiders journeyed to that era when Metamorpho was temporary under Ahk-Ton's control.
Metamorpho was shown to be connected to silicon-based creatures, mirroring the Silicon Creature formerly known as Sandy, and the other silicon men whom the golden age Flash faced in the present day. This became evideht when the Egyptian Elemental Ahk-Ton's new master Vandal Savage used thr Orb to create and army of literal sandmen.
***Cyclotron’s electro-generator powered by the Hammer of Thor was utilized by the Ultra-Humanite into transforming Olympic athlete Will Everett into the Amazing-Man. As a result, Everett gained the power to alter his body chemistry to mimic any substance he touched, similar to Mason’s abilities.
Since an electro-magnetic belt worn by Will’s counterpart Jefferson Pierce only gave him electricity based powers rather than those displayed by Everett, this apparent derivation in superhuman attributes must have been derived from the extra-terrestrial influence of the hammer itself. Latent similar effects were caused by Fenton’s replica hammer as energy he was imbued with an afflicted upon Sandy Hawkins transformed that lad into his matter-mutating sand based form when coupled with exposure to Wesley “Sandman” Dodds experimental silicon gun that irradiated Sandy.
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