History ComicBook / Etrigan

* BiggerBad: During [[CrisisCrossover the Day of Vengeance crossover]], Etrigan was ultimately the one behind the scramble for control over ComicBook/TheSpectre, though he apparently knew better than to try for control himself. This resulted in [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] taking the role, and Etrigan getting to [[ForTheEvulz laugh at the demons who thought they could.]]

* GeniusBruiser: Etrigan is capable of going toe-to-toe with Superman, Darkseid, and Lobo. He's also one of the most powerful spellcasters in existence, and successfully plotted the overthrow of Hell's hierarchy on at least three occasions, emerging as a KarmaHoudini for orchestrating the Day of Vengeance CrisisCrossover (almost nobody realizes his involvement).

* {{Badass}}: Etrigan was rampaging through Hell when he was still a child and even higher level demons are afraid of the havoc and destruction he commits. He frequently goes hand to hand with people such as Lobo and Superman, Wonder Woman and other DC heavy hitters.

-->''Change! '''Change''', O form of man!''\\

''Rise, the Demon '''Etrigan'''!!''

* RedHeadedHero: For given qualities of hero.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Etrigan and Lobo are a Type 2 duo, prone to physically pummeling each other as their way of saying "Hi."

* VitriolicBestBuds: Etrigan and SelfDemonstrating/{{Lobo}} are a Type 2 duo, prone to physically pummeling each other as their way of saying "Hi."

* SuperStrength: He's been known to be able to trade blows with folks as strong as {{Superman}} and {{Lobo}}.

* BiggerBad: During [[CrisisCrossover the Day of Vengeance crossover]], Etrigan was ultimately the one behind the scramble for control over TheSpectre, though he apparently knew better than to try for control himself. This resulted in [[GreenLanter Hal Jordan]] taking the role, and Etrigan getting to [[ForTheEvulz laugh at the demons who thought they could.]]

* InstantRunes: WordOfGod says Etrigan's one of the most powerful spellcasters around, with only {{Merlin}} confirmed his superior. He can perform spells like this if he chooses, though he usually prefers hellfire or physical violence.

* AristocratsAreEvil: Baron Von ''Evilstein''
** In continuities where Etrigan is a true demon, not merely a construct of Merlin's, he's depicted as at least a prince of Hell. While he was under the pen of GarthEnnis, he was briefly king of it.

* BadassNormal: Jason Blood is no pushover either.
** Blood was briefly a member of the JusticeLeague. While he did invoke Etrigan once out of desperation, Blood was a member for his own power, not for the Demon's.

* DarkIsNotEvil: He may be a demon, but that doesn't make him any less of a good guy.
** Depending on how he feels at the time, really. Sometimes Etrigan will do good for the sake of good, or need coercing by Jason.
* DemonLordsAndArchDevils: Etrigan is one of the higher-ups in Hell. A helpful indicator of his position in the hierarchy is his rhyming.

* GoodIsNotNice: Jason Blood, especially outside of the Demon's own series. He isn't a villain, but he also doesn't bother often interfering with any disasters that aren't supernatural in nature.

** Etrigan once terrified even other demons by wearing [[OrganicTechnology living, writhing scorpions pierced through his skin]] as armor.

* NobleDemon: Though not particularly noble or magnanimous himself, even when he is doing good, Etrigan is royalty, as his father is one of the three rulers of hell, making Etrigan a prince.
** At times when he is in the mood, Etrigan himself ''can'' recognise the good qualities of others and lend them his assistance. But it's rare to catch him in this mood.

** He does not do this in his appearances in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', only speaking in rhyme for one line at the end of the ''Batman'' episode.

* ByThePowerOfGrayskull

* CursedWithAwesome

* GratuitousIambicPentameter

* InstantRunes

* LeastRhymableWord

* OurDemonsAreDifferent

* RedHeadedHero

* SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan

* SplitPersonality

* TorchesAndPitchforks

* VoluntaryShapeshifting

** The quality of his rhymes.

* BattleStrip: Averted. Since the transformation from Jason to Etrigan is magical in nature, Jason's clothes aren't destroyed during the change and Etrigan appears fully clothed.

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Averted.

* Rampage, a minor heroine from Franchise/{{Superman}} Post-Crisis comics, is turned into a villain in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]''.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Klarion the Witch Boy, whose portrayal in the comics generally ranges from an annoying troublemaker (JackKirby's version) to a well-meaning AntiHero (GrantMorrison's version), is much darker in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''.
** And he's clearly evil when he appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', stealing control of Etrigan from Jason Blood, tearing Gotham apart simply for fun, and using potential lethal spells on Batman when the hero tries to stop him. He finally crosses the MoralEventHorizon by telling Etrigan to kill Blood (who is aging at an accelerated rate and nearly helpless due to the Demon being separated from him).

* Klarion the Witch Boy, whose portrayal in the comics generally ranges from an annoying troublemaker (JackKirby's version) to a well-meaning AntiHero (GrantMorrison's version), is much darker in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''.

* BlessedWithSuck: Jason is thousands of years old, has witnessed the birth and fall of nations, traveled the world, and become a future seeing sorcerer. Oh...and he is forever bonded with a destructive, demon from Hell and they both don't get along. At all.

* RhymesOnADime: Apparently, this is ''required'' among the nobility of Hell. It takes incredibly effort for him to speak ''without'' rhyming his words.

Etrigan is a yellow skinned and red eyed demon who was summoned by Merlin to aid Camelot against the forces of Morgaine le Fay, who later became a recurring opponent in the series. After the fall of Camelot, Merlin sent Etrigan to roam the earth in the disguise of a man. DependingOnTheWriter, Etrigan is either bonded to one of KingArthur's noblemen or the human Jason Blood was merely created by Merlin's spell. In the present, Jason Blood is well versed in the skill of magic and has helped other superheroes in several occasions. Etrigan's habit of speaking in verses is a later addition, introduced by Creator/LenWein in ''ComicBook/DCComicsPresents'' #66, but really established and explained by Creator/AlanMoore. This also makes him fall under almost every rhyme Trope there is.

** The quality of his rhymes. Creator/AlanMoore, Creator/KevinSmith and the Keith Giffen/J.M. Dematteis team are usually considered the best. Though Creator/GarthEnnis has a talent for combining them with BlackComedy and {{Slapstick}}.

** The quality of his rhymes. Creator/AlanMoore, Creator/KevinSmith and the Keith Giffen/J.M. Dematteis team are usually considered the best.

Created by Creator/JackKirby and appearing for the first time in ''The Demon'' #1 (August, 1972), Etrigan has played many smaller roles in several DC comics from ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' to ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'', with occasional stories and miniseries wholly to himself (such as in anthology series ''WednesdayComics''), and a number of ongoings, including Kirby's original series, a fifty-nine issue run, not counting annuals, during TheNineties, and Creator/JohnByrne's ''Blood of the Demon''.