Nox (Greek for night) is one of the seven known Fear Lords, mysterious other-dimensional beings who thrive on the purest forms of fear. While the other Fear Lords require fear for sustenance, Nox uses fear as an aesthetic pleasure, and inspires fear in others via complex schemes. Her true origins are unknown; Nox predates the Olympian gods. Many years ago, Nox posed as the goddess
Aphrodite and conceived two son after an encounter with the war god
Ares, naming them
Phobos and
Deimos (Greek for "fear" and "terror"); both sons would later perish in battle with
Thor and
Hercules. In recent years, she secretly influenced the Microverse scientist
Psycho-Man in developing his fear-enhancing device and manipulated the demon
Thog in using Nightmare Boxes to cause universal madness. Nox joined the other Fear Lords (except
Straw Man) in a plot to drive humanity to the brink of madness. Nox attacked the mystics
Doctor Strange,
Clea, and Rintrah, but the heroes regrouped and slew her sons. Furious, Nox called upon various magical sources to enfold and slay the heroes in night's shadow, but Strange bathed her in the
Eye of Agamotto's mystical light, weakening her. Nox fled to avoid capture. Recently Nox, using the name of Nyx appeared in the presence of the Olympians, with her reluctant champion
Nightmare, to battle on the side of
Hera, who was seeking to become sole ruler of the Olympians after the death of
Zeus.