Part 1: Iron Man, Ogun and Elegua
I will do my best to show how Marvel's characters are based on real life people and of their ancient, prehistoric and even cosmic cultures and existences. Let us start with Iron Man and how he is really an emulation of the Yoruba deity/orisa/god of Iron, Ogun. The character, Tony Stark is the son of a weapons developer. "He had a brilliant and unique mind. At the age of 4, he built his first circuit board. At age 6, his first engine. At 17, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from MIT. When his father passes in the movie,they refer to him as a "Titan."
The Titans, also known as the elder gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthrew them. Keep in mind also that Ogun is a god in the Yoruba, African pantheon. Tony Stark after going away to attend to other pursuits, returns at 21 to take over his father's weapons enterprise and to continue his legacy. Therefore, of you look at it, if his father was looked at as a "Titan", a god,m and Tony was returning to walk in his father's footsteps and continue his legacy, then he would be considered a "god" as well. As they say in the movie, "he inherits the keys to the kingdom." Here is where I would like to also reveal how Tony Stark's character is not only an emulation of Ogun but Elegua as well and how Elegua is closely associated with Ogun, the Orisha of iron and war because they share a lot of similar traits. Both are seen as warriors, and they are believed to have come from the same region of Nigeria.
They are often depicted together, with Elegua serving as a scout and messenger for Ogun. Also, he, Elegua, recognises himself and is recognised by the numbers 3 and 21. Take note once again that Tony returned to take on his father's weapons company and continue his legacy at "21 and that he "inherited the keys to the kingdom" just like Elegua. Elegua knows everything, witnesses everything and has the key to changing our destinies as humans: ebó (sacrifice). He is the one that can speak for all of the other orishas (gods) because he knows everything that’s going on. Eleggua is considered one of the warriors in the Yoruba religion along with Ogun. Legba is also sometimes compared to a policeman, because he keeps the keys to the sacred world, known in Vodou as Vilokan. He controls the order in which the lwas come down like the policeman controlling the traffic on the crossroads (Desmangles, 1992:108-109). Because of this, Legba is identified with St. Peter, who holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven in Catholic religion. Okaway developed.
Terrence Howard, an Indigenous/Autochthonous Man of North America BKA "Black man" is standing on stage at a podium at the beginning of the movie and gives a speech about how Tony Stark is his "friend and great mentor." Their relationship is necessary because they have to have a true representative of who these movies REALLY be about as a friend, sidekick, partner, etc. to the main character who usually is being played by a Caucasian, European, etc.in order to throw audiences off of what or WHO the film is REALLY alluding to. Ogun and Elegua are indigenous, dark complected entities, mind you, just like the first beings and people to inhabit the earth realm. They have to reveal, although covertly done, who these Super Heroes/Herus, cosmic forces, aliens, etc. REALLY represent by having these "black" side characters who assists the main heroes played by the Caucasian, European, etc. people's in these movies. They can't just COME OUT and tell the complete truth because of the politrikkks and repercussions that they fear would occur and so forth behind doing so.
Also, speaking of the number 3 and it's connection to Elegua, another part of the movie where Stark is late meeting Howard's character who is waiting for him to board Stark's private plane. Howard is standing at the top of the steps and as Tony walks up, Howard complains how Stark "is late" and Howard repeats twice the number 3 and how he has been waiting on Stark for "3hours". Notice also how Terrence Howard just happens to be Tony's best friend, James Rhodes (Roads). Elegba {also referred to Eleggua or Elegguá} is the owner of the roads and doors in this world; in particular, Elegba stands at the crossroads of the human and the divine, as he is child-like messenger between the two worlds, on the other hand, Ogún is the god of iron, war and labor. He is the owner of all technology and because this technology shares in his nature, it is almost always used first for war. As Elegba opens the roads, it is Ogún that clears the roads with his machete). Howard's character also had the nickname "War Machine." Perhaps giving a clue as to what role Tony Stark is REALLY playing in Marvel's adventure. Let us look at another figure in this movie that gives us a clue as to who Tony Stark REALLY is.
Next, Virginia "Pepper Potts." She is Tony's secretary, assistant, and longtime friend, and later becomes a armored superhero to stop threats. In Yoruba, one of the important sacrificial offerings to Ogun is the alligator pepper, and some people offer up other peppers on the altar if alligator peppers are not available. "The word oogun means medicine. So in a sense the word for medicine is owner of ogun. I am using the word medicine to mean both physical and spiritual transformation. We get another indication about the genesis of our understanding of Ogun by looking at the symbolism used to represent Ogun.
In Ogun’s pot we have an iron cauldron with three legs, wrapped with a chain and filled with spikes. There is usually a knife and maybe some tools in the pot. We can look at the pot and ask what do these things represent? With the pot itself we have the symbolism of the womb, and we also have the idea of three legs. Three is the symbolic number of Onile or Mother Earth. Ifa says that whenever two Awo (diviners) meet three are always present, the third being the Earth Herself. Three symbolizes the relationship to the Earth; this gives us the symbol of the womb supported by the symbol for the Earth a clear indication of the relationship between masculine dynamics and famine form.
The pot is surrounded by the chain. In Ifa the chain is used as a symbol for the link between Heaven and Earth, a link that is sustained by the genetic chain of DNA. There is a piece of red cloth around the pot which is filled with iron spikes. There is some scientific indication the rust on the iron deposits at the bottom of the ocean created bacteria which became the source of the first single cell life forms on Earth. This would be the beginning of evolution and the basis for Ogun’s praise name Oguntobi meaning Ogun is the Father of all. The seed of life in the womb of the ocean is now symbolized by the iron spikes in the iron cauldron of Ogun. In the pot iron spikes or tools symbolize sperm in the womb. The female component of Ogun is frequently diminished in the West. What is used to consecrate the Ogun pot is irosun. Irosun is red powder from the camwood tree. In Yoruba the word irosun is sometimes used to refer to menstrual blood from the elision ire osun meaning good fortune comes from the guardian of the head which I would interpret to mean genetic inheritance from our ancestors. If you are putting red camwood powder on the Ogun pot you are symbolizing the primal procreative drive for survival." Although Ogun and the other Orisa are from Nigeria, America has become their second home for over 400 years if you go along with the story that the Yoruba people got here as a part of being shipped here through the slave trade.
Engagingly enough, the movie makes America the prime focus, yet, using what we know as being African deities as an underlying story for Stark and several other characters as we see, although they are American natives. Their entire mission is to save and protect America and Her inhabitants. I find it interesting also how "Pepper " Potts first name is Virginia which is a state in America and one of the original 13 colonies. One more thing I would like to share is this from the book of African Mythology A to Z "One aspect of Ogun was as Chief of Hunters; in this role he married Red Buffalo Woman, an aspect of the orisa/goddess Oya. This in particular sounds very North Indian American or like a description of Autochthonous people from the Americas. Just something to ponder 🤔💭 and think about.
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