It is not proper that this young man be given the Task of Vengeance... Sister Lilhy. Surely you remember that Azrael is a hereditary position, passed from father to son for these six centuries. This young man -- though doubtlessly worthy -- is a newcomer to the most holy Order of St. Dumas. 
The Faux-Azrael was sponsored by Sister Lilhy to replace the previous owner of the Azrael moniker after proving himself worthy by besting other potential candidates through a series of unspecified trials.
History
After Jean-Paul Valley abandoned the Order of St. Dumas to join Batman in protecting Gotham City[3], Sister Lilhy held a series of trials for a potential candidate to be selected to replace Jean-Paul as the new Azrael. This unnamed individual successfully completed all of the trials and slew the other candidates; despite this, High Brother Rollo - the leader of the Switzerland sect of the Order of St Dumas - was hesitant to have this candidate be the new Azrael, as the title was traditionally passed down from a single bloodline. However, when Jean-Paul Valley came to Switzerland to uncover the truth of his at the hands of the Order, the new Azrael sought to prove himself by ambushing Jean-Paul and his partner Brian Bryan on their way to the Ice Cathedral.[2] After catching the two off-guard, the new Azrael forced Jean-Paul off an icy ledge and presumably to his death and captured Brian to be interrogated.
However, when he returned to the Ice Cathedral to inform Sister Lilhy of his triumph, the Faux-Azrael had learned that Jean-Paul had in fact survived the fall, was now being treated as an honored guest by Brother Rollo and that Jean-Paul had been formally pardoned for his previous treasonous actions. After locking Brian Bryan in a dungeon within the Ice Cathedral, the Faux-Azrael was ordered by Brother Rollo to disguise himself in Rollo's robes and wait within the chapel for Jean-Paul, who Rollo believed planned to assassinate him. As predicted, Jean-Paul broke into the chapel to find and kill Brother Rollo, only to be attacked by the Faux-Azrael wielding a flaming sword.[4] The two commenced a sword duel within the chapel until Jean-Paul managed to kick the unnamed Azrael onto an ice bridge outside the Cathedral. Jean-Paul bested the Faux-Azrael by slicing the bridge with his own flaming sword, causing his attacker to presumably fall to his death.[5]
Underworld Unleashed
However, much later during the Underworld Unleashed crossover event, it was revealed that this Azrael had not died, but had instead been saved by Abra Kadabra, who was working on behalf of the demon-lord Neron, so that he could grant the unnamed Azrael two wishes in return for his soul when Neron ascended to Earth. The Faux-Azrael was more than willing to take Abra Kadabra up on Neron's offer and asked that his two wishes be that he was strong enough to both survive his fall and defeat Jean-Paul Valley. Abra Kadabra granted the Faux-Azrael his first wish, but presented him with a counter-offer of being able to kill Batman as an alternate way to prove himself stronger than Jean-Paul Valley. The Faux-Azrael accepted this compromise and, once he survived his fall from the Ice Cathedral, slowly but surely made his way to Gotham City, somehow acquiring Jean-Paul's techno-Batman suit from his time as Batman during "Knightquest" along the way. The Faux-Azrael then donned Jean-Paul's techno-Batman suit and entered Gotham City's Professional Karate Championships, where he brutally assaulted the contestants while claiming to be Batman in order to draw the real Batman out.
However, instead of gaining the attention of Batman, he was instead confronted by Robin whom the unnamed Azrael proceeded to brutally attack in frustration of not garnering the attention of Batman. But before the Faux-Azrael could beat Robin to a pulp, he was pulled out of the tournament ring by Batman, who proceeded to combat him on the roof of the tournament building. After defeating the unnamed Azrael and also saving his life when he was about to fall off the edge of the building, the Faux-Azrael willingly surrendered to Batman, claiming that he was happy that he had lost, presumably because it meant that he would not have to sacrifice his soul to Neron.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Abilities
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Kevlar Body-Armor
Weapons
Notes
- An individual bearing the same mask as this Azrael appeared in Azrael #16 as a guard within the Ice Cathedral as part of a tie-in issue to the Batman: Contagion crossover event, but it is unknown if this man was actually the same Azrael.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 5 Appearances of Faux-Azrael (New Earth)
- 1 Images featuring Faux-Azrael (New Earth)
- 2 Quotations by or about Faux-Azrael (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Faux-Azrael (New Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was primarily an enemy of Azrael. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Azrael Villains." |