Welcome to Thanagar

Written by Kal-El

Thanagar, it was a peaceful scientifically-advanced world, in which crime was virtually unknown. It was run by a single government and there wasn't any need for a police force. That is until an alien race called the Manhawks, who instigate the practice of stealing for the thrill of it, invaded.

As a result, Paran Katar established the "Hawk-Police" (or "Wingmen"). Amongst the first Wingmen was Paran's son, Katar Hol. Order was restored, but not completely, as a few Thanagarians also became involved in thrill-stealing.

Katar and his wife Shayera Hol, also a member of the force, later arrived on Earth pursuing a shapeshifting villain named Byth. Katar and Shayera decided to remain on Earth and study human police methods. They became superheroes as Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

Following a plague, Thanagar entered an expansionist phase, and began a war with Rann. This was eventually resolved, but Thanagar made several covert attempts to take over Earth. Katar and Shayera sided with Earth in this conflict. The Shadow War of Hawkman continued up to the Crisis.

Following the Justice League animated series; Hawkgirl Shayera Hol described Thanagar as "a war-like world. There one must strike first or die". The animated Thanagarians appear to have actual wings as part of their bodies.

In the episode "The Terror Beyond," it is learned that in ancient times, the people of Thanagar worshiped a pantheon of extradimensional entities known as The Great Old Ones. At that time, Thanagar was a hard world. Theirs was a primitive and savage culture; in return for offerings made to Ixthultu, the Old Ones leader, he gave them agriculture, mathmatics, and philosophy. The foundations of their entire culture. As they matured, however, the Thanagarians stopped worshipping them; modern Thanagarians bow down to no higher power. Their knowledge of the Great Old Ones was used in the creation of their personal weaponry. For this reason, their weapons (such as Hawkgirl's mace and Hro Talak's battle-axe) have mystical properties and can work against Green Lantern's power ring or Superman's invulnerability.

In the later episodes entitled "Starcrossed", an emissary of Thanagar, the army commander Hro Talak, declared to Earth that, "For generations, we on Thanagar have been locked in a bloody war with these monsters the Gordanians, referred to as 'our mortal enemies'." It was revealed that Hawkgirl was actually not a policewoman sent through a wormhole as she had earlier claimed, but a lieutenant with the army.

Shayera's duty was to be ambassador to the Earth (similar in capacity to her fellow Leaguer Wonder Woman's role for Patriarch's World and the Amazonian culture); she was to ensure mutual co-operation between Thanagar and Earth. Thus, she set up the alliance between the two planets when it seemed the Gordanians were about to invade the Earth.

The Thanagarian army claimed they would set up a planetary force field to help the inhabitants of Earth. After gaining the go-ahead and acceptance of world governments and the Justice League, they forcefully imposed martial law and stated they were establishing a garrison on Earth.

Lt. Hol believed that she was doing the best thing for Earth. However, not even she knew that the Thanagarians actually intended to build a hyper-space bypass network that they would use to assault the Gordanian homeworld.

Hro Talak stated:“ For decades, the Gordanian homeworld has been protected behind an impregnable defensive line. But this chain of hyperspace bypasses will allow our armada to jump their defenses and make a direct assault on their empire. Earth is the last link in that chain. Once that chain is completed, we can attack and wipe out the Gordanian threat forever! ”

Lt. Hol protested that "if we open a hole in hyperspace, it will destroy this entire planet!" To which Talak replied, "Sadly, yes. For Thanagar to live, Earth must die." At this point, Lt. Hol betrayed her homeworld to save her adopted homeworld, for which she was exiled and stripped of her rank. The Thanagarian military, under Commander Talak's orders, retreated from Earth.

Justice League Unlimited showed that Hro Talak's task force returned just after the final battle with the main force of the Gordanian invasion. In a suicide attack, Talak carried out a kamikaze ramming attack, motivated by revenge in despair over failing his mission.

Thanagar was completely conquered by the Gordanians, although an underground Resistance exists (such as the one on Korugar); the former army command operatives Paran Dul and Kragger mention having been part of it.

The Thanagarian response to their final fall appears to be a general consensus blaming the action of Shayera Hol, as she destroyed their hope to defeat the Gordoinians in the war, costing Thanagar its freedom. As a member of the Justice League's founding council, she admits her faults and justified her actions to the Justice League:

“I came to this planet as a patriot. I had a mission, and I carried it out. What I couldn’t know, was that I would come to care for the Earth, and her people. That I’d come to care for all of you. I’ve spent the last five years torn between my feelings and my duty. ”

The final fate of Thanagar under Gordanian rule remains unknown.