Weird n' Wild Creatures Wiki
Advertisement

Many ancient legends tell of beasts that were half human and half animal, but few were as clearly threatening as the scorpion men of Middle Eastern mythology. Not only did these monsters have giant, venomous stings on their tails, like real scorpions, but they were the best archers in the land and also had god-like powers. The scorpion men were soldiers in a divine army and couldn't be defeated until the most powerful god of all stepped in.

Bad News in the End: With the back half of their body like that of a scorpion, these monsters had a huge arching tail that ended in a giant sting. Like real scorpions, these weapons were loaded with venom, and it was said to be strong enough to kill a man in seconds.

Deadeye: If a giant sting weren't enough to ward off enemies, scorpion men were also experts with bows and arrows. Legend has it that every arrow ever shot from their bows hit its target with deadly accuracy.

Attack of the Scorpion[]

Scorpion Men Back Image

Since prehistoric times the power of scorpions has long been feared.

Scorpion men were god-like creatures. According to Mesopotamian (ancient Middle Eastern) creation stories, Tiamat was the goddess of the seas. When her husband was killed and her daughter enslaved, she gave birth to a set of hideous monsters-the scorpion men. She sent these beasts to battle the other gods as revenge for the betrayal of her family. The scorpion men won many battles against the gods until Marduk, who became the strongest of all deities, defeated them and sent them to the underworld.

Scared Stiff: According to stories, scorpion men stood so tall that their heads touched the clouds. They also had the divine power to turn people into solid stone with just a look into their eyes.

Pearly Gates: In one story, a scorpion man actually helped someone. The hero Gilgamesh was seeking immortality, and needed to enter heaven. Seeing that the hero was part god, a scorpion man opened the gates to let him in.

Here Comes the Sun[]

In addition to being fierce warriors and guardians, the scorpion men also tended to the needs of the sun god. When the sun was to rise through the mountains in the east, the scorpion men parted the stone so the sun god could come through. They did the same in the west when the sun was setting, then retired to the underworld for the night, where they punished the dead by making them lie on their bellies and eat mud.

Trading Card[]

Trivia[]

  • The knowledge card says Scorpion Men, but the trading card says Scorpion Man.
  • Scorpion men are one of the three creatures to have two Trading Cards needed for completion, along with Postosuchus and Screw-Worm Fly.
  • The title of the bottom-most section on the back of the knowledge card, "Here Comes the Sun", is likely a reference to the 1969 Beatles song of the same name.
  • The scorpion man is featured in Monster Mix-Up on Monster Mania 101.
  • The scorpion man has the biggest gap in packets from it's trading card until its eventual knowledge card, at 53- the first trading card comes in packet 28, while the knowledge card itself finally comes in packet 81.
Advertisement