Movie Thulsa Doom's Actualization Examined As A Thulsa Doom/Thoth-Amon Hybrid

Make no mistake that I saw Conan the Adventurer before I saw the rather bloody Conan the Barbarian. Yes, that was an incredible shock for my younger days. The name Thulsa Doom was used in the movie. However, anyone who has seen Conan the Adventurer might easily call him "Wrath-Amon" like I did. However, the Movie Thulsa seemed to be referenced in Conan the Adventurer via Ram-Amon.

It was years later when I discovered that the "Skeletor" that Conan fought in the comics was actually THULSA DOOM. Comics Thulsa was introduced as the archenemy of Kull. Even more, it wasn't Conan but Kull who was enslaved as a boy and became a king at his own hand. Basically, Conan the Barbarian (1982) combined the different elements of Kull and Conan into one epic film. In the 1982 film, Conan was enslaved as a boy and rose up against Movie Thulsa. 

Back in the day, I remember talking about how He-Man was inspired by Conan. People would say that the Movie Thulsa had this skull. It could be a blink, and you'll miss a moment. Movie Thulsa's helmet and armor here really has the skull illusion trick when he's fighting in battle. Sure, his face does become visible but from afar, he projects that "Death is coming!" Pareidolia could create a certain sense of unease compared to the obvious skeletal face. Why did they choose the "Easter Egg" way of referencing Comics Thulsa in Movie Thulsa?

In essence, people can say that Movie Thulsa was Thoth-Amon. It's a name lost in translation. Maybe that's why it was easy for me to call him "Wrath-Amon" even if he was far more cunning. However, the helmet always projected the suggestion of a skull like in this image. Sure, it's NOT a complete skull. However, the suggestion itself was making him a Thulsa Doom/Thoth-Amon hybrid rather than one over the other. The snakes gave the Thoth-Amon motif, but the skull was still Comics Thulsa referenced.

Ther Thoth-Amon side was never ignored. Comics Thulsa was a foe that existed during the time of Kull and came back to haunt Conan. Thoth-Amon, who was but a minor character in Phoenix and the Sword got promoted to Conan's greatest archenemy. Comics Thulsa was also a servant of the serpent god Set in the comics. Both Thoth-Amon and Comics Thulsa were often at odds with each other. The movie gave Comics Thulsa some wardrobe that made him a reference to Thoth-Amon, like the attire move. 

It's possible that the serpent horns were a reference to Thoth-Amon's horned helmet. Movie Thulsa's helmet had two snakes facing each other -- creating HORNS. The Amon in Thoth-Amon refers to the Egytian god Amun, who had ram horns. Comics Thulsa had dark skin and the late James Earl Jones was an AFRICAN-AMERICAN. Comics Thulsa's helmet has that "skull" at the face area which shows he's indeed a hybrid of two villains. Sadly, the name Thoth-Amon was used for a very minor character in Conan the Destroyer -- which may show the producers had a disdain for the name.

The name Thoth-Amon sounded to archaic and like a name you would find in a history textbook. The name Thulsa Doom was indeed PUNCHIER and SCARIER. The Snake Cult in the movie has this quote from Valeria:

 To the hell fires with Thulsa Doom. He's evil; a sorcerer who can summon demons. His followers' only purpose is to die in his service. Thousands of them.

Movie Thulsa's quotes revealed the Snake Cult was actually a DEATH CULT. The symbol of a snake eating its tail (Ouroboros) and the skulls is a dead giveaway. The movie had the Mountain of Power which may have inspired the Snake Mountain in He-Man even if Skeletor kept the Comics Thulsa look. Now, for the quote should send a chill to the spine, by yours truly Movie Thulsa:

 I see you. I have watched you. For a thousand years, I have watched you. Who among you still fears death? Who will not face emptiness?

The standard worship of Set the Serpent God, in the comics, was more inclined to appeasing a bloodthirsty serpent god. However, the movie was focused on making the followers die in Movie Thulsa's service. It's the practical combination of the Snake Cult and Comics Thulsa. It's almost like what if Comics Thulsa found a way to dissuade people from their deaths, millennia later.

The movie blended parts that were common to Thoth-Amon and Comics Thulsa. Both of them served as entrusted agents of Set the Serpent God, to command the Serpent Men. It's easy to think of Thoth-Amon first but it's hard to IGNORE Comics Thulsa after closer examination.