Hawkman
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Since the 27th century BC, the man currently known as Hawkman has been trapped in a cycle of reincarnation. In each lifetime he is reborn as a new individual, but over time - and with exposure to his soulmate, Hawkgirl - begins to regain memories from his past lives, fragmentary at first, but eventually to such an extent that his personality becomes a blended amalgamation of his soul's entire history. His lives are often ended by Vandal Savage, an immortal for whom Hawkman is a frequent antagonist. His current incarnation is archaeologist and history professor Carter Hall.
It is unclear why the cycle of reincarnation affecting Hawkman and Hawkgirl exists. During more practically-minded lives, they have speculated that Vandal Savage may have killed them in their first lives with a blade of Nth Metal or some other alchemical or mystical material, while more spiritual incarnations have blamed the divine intervention of gods such as Horus, or Aphrodite, or even The Predator. It is also unclear whether it is Hawkman and Hawkgirl who are cursed, to suffer the deaths of their soulmate countless times over, or if it is Vandal Savage who is cursed by their frequent intervention in his plans and designs.
Though the alias "Hawkman" was not adopted until Carter Hall's time, many of his earlier lives have strong associations with similar birds of prey: Khufu with Horus, Mark Anthony with the Roman Eagle, Sir Tristan with falconry. This association becomes specifically a hawk with Hannibal Hawkes and his vigilante alias Nighthawk, and continued with Janos Prohaska of Blackhawk Squadron.
History
Khnum Khufu, known by the Greeks as Cheops, was a Pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He was not the son of his predecessor, Sneferu, but rather an adopted heir, established through a marriage between the Pharoah and Khufu's mother, Hetepheres. Khufu inherited the Old Kingdom from Sneferu after his apparent death, becoming Pharaoh of a nation built on the back of slave labour, and the indentured construction of temples and pyramids. He made no efforts to affect this status quo, and indeed is best remembered as the Pharaoh responsible for the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was built to Sneferu's specifications. His romantic entanglements, however, and a slow shift towards thinking for himself rather than upholding his predecessor's legacy, proved to be his downfall: he and his lover were killed by a seemingly resurrected Sneferu - in fact the immortal Vandal Savage - and cursed, inadvertently triggering the reincarnation cycle they have been trapped in ever since.
Khufu Kha-Tar
One of the numerous sons of the 19th Dynasty pharaoh Ramesses II, Prince Khufu Kha-Tar was so named by the royal vizier Hath-Set, who commented that he bore a striking resemblance to his 4th Dynasty self. The recognition was not mere hyperbole: Hath-Set was Vandal Savage, who recognised the reborn soul of his former heir. Hath-Set went to great lengths to prevent Prince Khufu from derailing his machinations for a second time, ensuring that Khufu and his reincarnated beloved Chay-Ara were trapped on opposite sides of the divide between the royal family and the priesthood, hoping to keep the two of them apart. Despite this, the two still found each other, lapsing into an illicit and forbidden romance, for which Vandal Savage murdered them for a second time.
Paris Alexander
Khufu was reincarnated as a Prince of Troy, who immediately became the subject of a prophecy foretelling the city's downfall. Supposedly left for dead on Mount Ida, he was rescued and raised as Paris, earning the cognomen Alexander through his heroic deeds as a "protector of men". Despite being wed to the nymph Oenone, he was later introduced to Helen of Troy - Hawkgirl - by Aphrodite following the Judgement of Paris. Their mutual infatuation precipitated the Trojan War, a retaliation against their elopement by Agamemnon - Vandal Savage - whose (adopted) brother Menelaus had been married to Helen.
Many (Greek) sources portray Paris as weak and cowardly, refusing to engage the Grecian heroes on their own heroic terms. This perspective is likely influenced by Vandal Savage: in reality, Paris was an incredibly skilled archer, and relied upon that talent to engage opponents from a distance rather than meeting them in hand-to-hand combat, where the Greeks were significantly more proficient. This same aptitude would resurface lifetimes later, in Medieval England.
It is from this lifetime that the suspicion of Aphrodite's involvement in Hawkman and Hawkgirl's reincarnation derives. As seen in the Judgement of Paris, he and Aphrodite were acquainted, and she played a part in his intial exposure to Helen, perhaps knowing what would transpire when they met.
Marcus Antonius
Reborn in Ancient Rome as Marcus Antonius, Khufu became the Roman general and politician better known as Mark Anthony, known for his association with Julius Caesar, his rivalry with Augustus, and his love affair with Cleopatra.
This lifetime was exceptional for a number of reasons. Remaining unaware that Julius Caesar was the current alias of Vandal Savage until long after the Aides of March, Mark Anthony became a trusted ally of Caesar, and played no part in derailing his plans to become Emperor. Caesar's alliance with Cleopatra also proved deeply beneficial, further feeding his belief that it was the romance between Hawkman and Hawkgirl that plagued him, and not the individuals themselves. This lifetime was also a rare instance where neither Hawk outlived the other, Anthony and Cleopatra ultimately taking their own lives.
Sir Tristan
Though scholars disagree on many details regarding the character of Sir Tristan from Arthurian lore, he was - according to Carter Hall, something of an expert on the subject - an early Medieval king of Lothian, the area surrounding modern Edinburgh. A skilled hunter and falconer, Knight of the Round Table, and close ally and friend of Lancelot, Tristan is best known for his tragic romance with Isolde, the reincarnation of Hawkgirl. the two encounter each other when Isolde is sought as a bride by King Mark of Cornwall, Tristan's uncle, who sends the knight to retrieve her from Ireland. Recognising each other as soulmates, the two engage in an illicit affair, and while they are able to be together for a time, Tristan's loyalty to Lancelot during his conflict with King Arthur over Guinevere is eventually his downfall: Tristan is mortally wounded, and dies in exile alongside Lancelot's forces in France.
Robert de Lacy
Named for his grandfather, Robert de Lacy was the 5th Baron of Pontefract, and 5th Lord of Bowland, a Norman noble during the reign of Henry II and Richard I. As a historical figure, the impact of Robert de Lacy was fairly minimal, dying childless in 1193. As the outlaw Robin Hood, however, he established himself as a folk hero, inspiring myths and legends for generations, as well as the vigilante identity of the Green Arrow.
In 1191, Robert accompanied King Richard I on his crusade to the Holy Land, alongside his cousin John fitz Richard, and John's son Roger de Lacy, the incumbent Constable of Chester and High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Darbyshire and the Royal Forests. They fought alongside Richard at the Siege of Acre, where John was killed; and remained with their King until his capture by the Byzantine Emperor in December of the following year. Roger was among those who returned to England, but Robert was not, separated from his King when Richard was handed over to the Holy Roman Empire. Though Robert ultimately managed to escape, he returned to England to discover that he was believed dead, his lands and titles passing to his cousin Roger. There had even been a funeral, burying an unknown individual at Kirkstall Abbey - which Robert's father had built - to reinforce the premise that Robert had died during the Crusades. He would later derive some grim amusement from this, once commenting: "I heard my funeral was lovely; I'm sorry I couldn't attend."
When Robert finally returned to England, he discovered that his cousin had been succeeded as Sheriff of Nottingham by William de Wendenal, seemingly a commoner raised to a position of prestige for his staunch support of Prince John. As Robert's memories of his past lives began to emerge, he would later come to recognise the Sheriff as being Vandal Savage. Having lost his home and titles, Robert found refuge in a small village close to the River Loxley: their hospitality and kindness, despite the ruthless taxation rampant at the time, would inspire not only Robert's crusade to steal from the rich and give to the poor, but also his nom de guerre, Robin of Locksley.
John Smith
Born in 1580, John Smith was a pioneer during the early colonisation of the New World, and a key figure in the history of Virginia and New England. He is well known for his role as governor of Jamestown, but is perhaps best remembered for his encounters with Pocahontas, the contemporary reincarnation of Hawkgirl: this marks one of the lifetimes where the two were not able to reconcile their reborn lives, and were forced to remain apart. Pocahantas died in 1617, and John Smith in 1631.
Hannibal Hawkes
James Wright
A native of St. Roch, Louisiana, James Wright was a Pinkerton detective shortly after the turn of the century. He and his beau Sheila Carr were murdered in 1917. Hawkman suspects that James and Sheila may have been targetted by Vandal Savage specifically to prevent their involvement and interference with World War I.
