Crocodile Cult (Earth-616)

Origin[]

The Crocodile Cult is an ancient religion of Wakanda that worshiped Sobek the "Crocodile God".^[1][2]

After the Egyptian goddess Bast came to be worshipped as the Panther Goddess by some inhabitants of the wilderness that would later become Wakanda, members of other early pre-Wakandan tribes began worshipping different animal totems and soon turned on each other. But while the Crocodile Cult was busy battling rival tribes such as the White Gorilla Cult, Lion Cult, and Hyena Clan, the Panther Tribe loyal to Bast was busy preparing for larger threats. When Bashenga of the Panther Tribe predicted that the cosmic energy Mena Ngai picked up on its way to Earth from the Vega system would erupt catastrophically, the Crocodile Cult and Wakanda's other tribes refused to assist him. After Bashenga single-handedly averted this threat, the other tribes united around him and the nation of Wakanda was born.^[3]

Years ago, after the assassination of King T'Chaka of Wakanda, his brother S'Yan ascended to the throne and became the new Black Panther. In a fighting tournament that was held every five years to allow the various tribes of Wakanda the opportunity to challenge the Black Panther for the throne of Wakanda, the Crocodile Cult entered a male combatant. However, the Crocodile Cult's representative was defeated by a combatant from the Lion Cult before he got a chance to challenge S'Yan for the throne.^[4] T'Chaka's son, T'Challa ultimately won the tournament, becoming the new Black Panther and ruler of Wakanda.^[5]

Morlun[]

Sometime later, the Crocodile Cult

resurrected Morlun so that he could devour the Black Panther totem and in turn weaken the nation of Wakanda. He instantly turned on the Cult killing them all.^[6] As a start, Morlun fed on the long-term Panther adversary Man-Ape. He was defeated by the new Black Panther Shuri, who, with the help of a witch-doctor, sent Morlun into limbo,^[7] where he was forced to battle the endless hordes of Death.^[8][9]