Lord Votan was a powerful Marvel comics supervillain and a prominent enemy of the Star Masters, a group associated with the more well-known Silver Surfer.
History
Following the death of his father, Lord Trantor, Votan became ruler of Tun, and used his abilities to subvert the will of the populace to serve him. Votan sought to sever his planet's ties with the Charter, and conceived a plan to eliminate the entire Charter.
Ramrog, one of Votan's servants, set about eradicating all life on planets by using a stolen Rigellian Planet-Lock to release giant planetoids onto the planets. Arcturus IV was destroyed in this manner. Votan's agents released a plague into the Hub, headquarters of the Charter, which killed everyone aboard. The deed was placed at the feet of Quasar, who had been aboard the Hub at the time.
The attempt to eradicate earth using the Planet-Lock failed thanks to the efforts of the Star Masters. Votan's servant Aldebron informed him of the failure, and he decided to continue with his plans by having his servant Sidereus eliminate the Korbinite race.
Votan contacted Ramrog, who admitted to his failure to destroy earth. Votan commanded him to purify himself and his crew, and Ramrog complied, self-destructing his vessel.
Aldebron contacted Votan to inform him of the destruction of the M'Ndavian race, which was blamed on the Pheragots. Votan then addressed his people on Tun, telling them how the Charter deserved to be eliminated. Present in the crowd was his brother Landar, who was disgusted with what Votan had planned. When Aldebron and Votan's other agents failed to destroy the Star Masters and lost the Cauldron of Conversion needed to spread Votan's plague, he ordered them to purify themselves. Aldebron seemingly complied, but secretly saved her life, hoping to take the throne of Tun away from Votan one day.
The Star Masters came to Tun to arrest Votan for engineering the massacre of the Charter, but he unleashed an army of his followers upon them, simultaneously using his psychic powers to sap the will of the Star Masters. Although Beta Ray Bill was immune to Votan's power, he was unable to fight the hordes of Axi-Tun alone, and they were all defeated. Votan then commanded Quasar to confess to the massacre of the Charter. However, the Star Masters funneled their willpower through Tana Nile into Quasar so that he could overcome Votan's control and break free. The freed Star Masters were joined by Landar and his loyal Axi-Tun against Votan. Simultaneously, the Pheragots attempted to obliterate Tun after having been framed for the massacre of the M'Ndavians. More of Votan's forces turned against him to combat the Pheragots, who were defeated thanks to the Star Masters.
Votan still refused to stand down, and attempted to take control of Landar and the Star Masters, but Beta Ray Bill assaulted Votan personally. He could have killed Votan, but let him live to be punished. Landar wanted Votan to remain on Tun to serve his sentence, but the Star Masters convinced him that the Charter would be best suited to dealing with him. With Votan deposed, Landar assumed the throne.
Powers / Abilities
Lord Votan is a mutant member of the Axi-Tun race, with the ability to subvert the willpower of others to force them to serve him.