Minotus is the King of the Minotaur / Neanderthal slave labour force in the Underworld.
History[]
Early History[]
While he was born as a pure-bred Neanderthal in the Underworld, Minotus was given a proper name due to his familial line being given royal status by the Four Legendary Kingdoms who enslaved his people (presumably so that they could control the minotaur population better).
When Minotus became the minotaur King, it was some time after the latest King of Underworld, Anthony DeSaxe, took the title of Hades. Anthony surprised Minotus and the other minotaurs that, while he was still firm in his treatment of them, he was also kinder and fairer than any of his predecessors. Indeed, Minotus became a good friend to this Hades, and while occasionally conflicted with his master's orders, Minotus understood the difficulties of Hades' rule.
While Minotus was aware of the exceptionally cruel treatment that Hades' sons, Dion and Zaitan, inflicted upon his people, he decided not to tell Hades since Dion would eventually replace him and be more cruel if he spoke out.
When the Underworld's Star Chamber opened, allowing the nine Golden Spheres to be retrieved, it heralded the fourth Great Games of the Hydra. Prior to the commencement of the Games, Hades promised Minotus that he would allow his people their freedom within the Underworld once the Games were completed.
The Four Legendary Kingdoms[]
Presumably like the Royals of the Four Kingdoms, Minotus watched the progression of the Great Games, albeit from a distance. During the Third Challenge, after Jack West Jr saved the life of E-147, Minotus became curious as to why Jack had done so considering no Champion had ever saved the life of a minotaur in previous Games.
As the remaining Champions had been invited to a lunch hosted by Hades before the Fifth Challenge, Minotus requested Vacheron to allow Jack to meet with him first. Upon meeting with Jack, E-147 and Alby Calvin at the entrance to the minotaur castle, the minotaur King questioned why Jack had saved E-147, and Jack explained his reasons. Minotus proceeded to note how the minotaurs were rarely treated well, and that the current Hades was a fair ruler of them, and explained that he wanted to meet the Champion who had saved one of his minotaurs. Thanking Jack for his kindness, the minotaur King apologised for the actions of his people in the upcoming Challenge since they were trained for these Games, but also wished him luck from himself and the rest of his people.
Some time later, while the final Challenges were being performed, the escaped hostages returned to the Underworld's entrance, and though the minotaurs surrounded them, Minotus recognised Alby as Jack's friend and agreed to hear him out. To the minotaurs' fury, Alby told them about Dion and Zaitan's plans to kill Anthony after the Games, thus denying them their freedom and dooming them to further tortures. Minotus agreed to aid Alby in the others in retrieving Lily from the Royals' clutches, and so Minotus quickly assembled the minotaur army and led them to assault the mountain.
Minotus and E-147 helped Alby, Mother and Astro find their comrades, and Minotus explained to Anthony his need to act in the face of Dion and Zaitan's plans. Grateful that Minotus had acted, Anthony agreed to uphold his promise to give Minotus and his people their freedom, and Minotus secured a chopper for them to depart the Underworld in. As they prepared to take off, Minotus offered to allow E-147 to go with them, telling his subject that he had found a true friend, something no other minotaur could claim to have, and then watched as E-147, Jack and the others flew off.
The Three Secret Cities[]
A few days after the Great Games ended, Minotus decided that it was time for him and his people to begin clearing away the carnage left behind during the course of the Games. Soon, however, one of the cleaning crews sent to the Great Bend radioed Minotus to report that one of the mysterious silver coffins on the hanging tower had opened, prompting the minotaur King to go investigate himself. But by the time he and his lieutenants arrived, a strange bronze figure had slaughtered the thirty-strong crew. When the Bronze Guardian asked them a question in the Word of Thoth, Minotus simply responded that he didn't understand, and with that answer the Bronzeman went on the attack.
As the Bronze Guardian began tearing its way through his people, Minotus attempted to call Anthony to ask for assistance, but only got his voicemail. As he described the situation to his former master, something happened to cut Minotus off.
As the number of minotaurs killed by the Bronzeman grew despite their attempts to kill it, Minotus soon came up with a plan to instead trap it, and had his people lure it into an alley before collapsing the building behind it.
Soon afterwards, Jack's friends Stretch and Pooh Bear arrived in response to Minotus's call to Anthony, and so the minotuar king explained the situation, the number of people he had lost to the Bronze Guardian, and its repeating question. Stretch called Lily West to confirm that the automaton was speaking Thoth, and she translated its question: "Are you my master?" As Minotus confirmed that there were hundreds more of the silver coffins containing the Bronze Guardians, Jack instructed Minotus and his friends to do what they could to prevent the rest of the silver coffins in the Underworld from opening.
Upon finishing the task, Stretch and Pooh Bear left the Underworld, while Minotus and the rest of his minotaurs opted to stay in the realm Anthony had promised them despite the danger.
Personality[]
Though not quite as intelligent as a human being, Minotus is one of the smartest minotaurs alive, being more eloquent with his speech and understanding some concepts the rest of his people don't. Perhaps because of this, Minotus is allowed by Hades to lead the minotaurs like a king, and is treated in some way like royalty, and like the rest his people, who are treated like dirt by the Four Kingdoms, Minotus has pride. Understanding the difficult balance Hades must hold over the ruling of the minotaurs, Minotus has now learned from Jack that not everyone is as callous as the Royals of the Four Kingdoms and are capable of compassion.
Skills[]
- Trained Marksman: Minotus may have had some training in using firearms, as he competently carried a rifle during the minotaur revolt.
Equipment[]
- Rifle: During the minotaur revolt, Minotus carried a rifle.
- Phone: A phone Minotus used to call Hades and leave a message warning about the Bronze Guardian's attack.
Trivia[]
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