"Ares" is an evocative name, pulling to mind concepts of mythology and the cosmos. Far from the only character to bear the name, Marvel's Ares is an interpretation of the Greek God of War and stands out among the crowd. One of the Avengers' most intriguing antiheroes, there's more to Ares than meets the eye.
Since his Silver Age creation by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of Thor, Ares has only grown more popular, even headlining his own miniseries in 2006. Over the past sixty years, writers and artists have continued to add cool complexity and neat nuance to Marvel's God of War.
10 His Powers Are Staggering
As a member of the Olympian Gods, Ares possesses enormous power. The only Olympians stronger than him are Zeus and Hercules. Ares is so tough he can withstand multiple blows from Mjolnir. Ares has expert reflexes, is superhumanly fast, and unlike the Asgardian gods, is truly immortal.
As the God of War, Ares boasts several other powers. He's a master of nearly every weapon and form of combat. A strong tactician and skilled torture, he possesses the ability to manipulate war — inciting violence in people, cities, and even continents. Once these erupt in war, Ares holds near-total control over them.
9 His Classic Costume Left Something To Be Desired
When comic book fans picture Marvel's Ares, chances are that an image of a bulky warrior armed with ancient weapons comes to mind. Modern Ares wears black pants, a skull-emblazoned chestplate, and an awesomely-mohawked Spartan helmet. However, Ares wasn't always garbed so sleekly: his classic costume is a flashy fashion disaster.
Even though Kirby designed epic costumes for gods like Thor and Heimdall, his work on Ares isn't nearly as iconic. Some elements of the costume — like his visible weaponry, mohawk, and bare shoulders — carry over to his modern incarnation. Others, like his purple neckerchief, red tunic, and gold buttons are better left in the past.
8 He Originated As A Villain
Ares's position in the Marvel Universe is vastly different from the one he debuts in. While modern fans may know Ares as an antiheroic figure, Silver and Bronze Age comics fans remember the Greek War God as one of Thor and the Avengers' most persistent villains.
In older comics, Ares often teamed up with figures like Pluto (AKA Hades) and the Enchantress. He was often pictured as a character who sought nothing more than the propagation of war, even going so far as to found a group dedicated to spreading it.
7 He Has A Strained Relationship With The Rest Of Olympus
Even though Ares is one of the more famous Olympian gods, his relationship to his divine relatives has been strained at best. Hercules plays a particularly prominent part in this, as Ares has long held a grudge against his brother for killing his Stymphalian birds in the Ancient Greek era.
Even in the modern day, Ares's troubles have continued. On multiple occasions, Ares tries to conquer Olympus, generally prevented from doing so by characters like Hercules, Thor, and other members of the Olympian Gods and Avengers. Of course, these events are rarely helped by Zeus and Hera's repeated verbal abuse of their son.
6 He Has A Secret Identity
Ares often spent his time in the Marvel Universe presenting himself as the deity he was, but there came a time when — after yet another family squabble — Ares renounced his godhood and moved to Earth to live as a mortal. While short-lived, Ares's time as a civilian was an important chapter in his history.
Living in New Jersey under the assumed name "John Aaron," Ares made his living by working in construction and carpentry. Ares had normal relationships with other humans, even having a son with an unnamed wife. However, Ares's bliss as a contractor wasn't to last.
5 He Joined Several Superteams
Despite the fact he had spent decades battling the heroes of the Marvel Universe, Ares made a well-received heel-face turn. Top-tier heroes Iron Man and Captain Marvel (then Ms. Marvel) were some of the first to take advantage of this, strong-arming the god into joining their pro-registration Mighty Avengers team.
The Mighty Avengers weren't the only group Ares joined. Ares spent a turn on Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, fighting for H.A.M.M.E.R. alongside characters like the Sentry, Daken, and Bullseye. During the 2017 event Secret Empire, he helped repel the forces of Hydra while a member of the Champions of Europe.
4 He Has A Superson
Ares joining the Avengers was one of the character's largest developments in the 2000s, but equally important was the creation of Ares's son, Phobos. Based off of the original God of Fear of Greek myth, Phobos first appeared as child named Alexander and was unaware of his divine parentage.
As Phobos spent more time in the Marvel Universe, his fear powers grew, leading Nick Fury to take an interest in him. While Ares was away with the Avengers, Alexander trained with Nick Fury and Maria Hill as a member of the Secret Warriors — a group of underground heroes who helped battle Secret Invasion and the Dark Reign.
3 He Experienced A Brutal Death
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The early 2010s Bendis-driven era of Marvel were the years that most prominently featured Ares. As Bendis' tenure as story-driver came to a close, so did Ares's time in the spotlight. The 2010 event comic Siege led to the God of War's demise.
When Norman Osborn ordered H.A.M.M.E.R. and his Dark Avengers to attack the newly-Earthbound Asgard, Ares led the charge. However, a battle with Balder caused Ares to see the error of his ways and he quickly turned on his former master. However, Ares was brutally ripped in half by his fellow Dark Avenger, the Sentry.
2 He Came Back To Life In A Video Game Tie-In
In comics, nobody stays dead forever. However, the way a character comes back is anyone's guess. Ares returns to the pages of Marvel Comics in a tie-in to the mobile game Contest of Champions — a fighting game allowing players to pit their favorite Marvel characters against each other.
The Contest of Champions comic saw Ares conscripted as the Grandmaster's pawn in a new Contest of Champions when the Grandmaster played against the Maestro. Ares battled in the tournament until he escaped with fellow heroes like Stick, Guillotine, and White Fox.
1 People Think Ares Is A Pretender
Godhood is a funny thing in the Marvel Universe. Civilians are constantly inundated with news of characters like Thor and Loki, but it's often unclear to the comic book reader whether the average person in the 616 is aware literal gods walk among them.
While some characters like Hercules have been recognized and even worshipped as the mythological figures they are, Ares isn't one of them. Despite his obvious power, Marvel's Ares is generally believed to be a superhuman in a costume, not the fabled figure of legend in the flesh.