Real Name: Unknown
the term Mxyztplk is actually the incantation that allows him to cross into the Earth 2 dimension from his home dimension of Zrff
Current Aliases: Mister Mxyztplk
Nicknames: Mxy (mix-ee)
Former Aliases: None
Status
Occupation: Officially Court Jester, UNoffical ruler of Fifth dimension due to his extensive powers over all other magic users of the land of Zrfff
Legal Status: Deceased;
(Pre-Crisis) citizen of the Fifth dimension attached to Earth-Two dimension with criminal record in home dimension of Zrfff as well on Earth 2
Identity: Secret
Marital Status: Unknown, most likely single
Known Relatives: None known
Group Affiliation: Court of King in home dimension of Zrfff; None known in Earth-2 dimension
Base of Operations: Formerly home dimension of Zrfff and Earth-Two dimension
Origin
The being who would later become known as "Mister Mxyztplk" was born into the Fifth dimentional realm of Zrfff where magic rather than technolgy and science flourished. Spending most of his life in mastery of magic forms used throughout his native dimension of Zrff, Mxyztplk grew in power and scope as did his arrogance of his abilities. Expecting his mastery of magics to be rewarded he presented himself to the ruling court of King whereupon demonstration of his great skills in magic he was awarded with the position of Royal Court Jester. While he could have overcome King Brpxz and replaced him as ruler, Mxyztplk settled into his role and became the power behind the throne effectively ruling his home dimension.
Tiring of his life in the Fifth Dimension and probably from being restrained in the usage of his magic by the amassed other beings of his home dimension, Mxyztplk left in order to find entertainment and indulge in his abilities outside the restrainments of his dimension of Zrfff. He wandered for some time and landed on Earth. According to some written texts, Mxyztplk was the inspiration for the Earth legends of genies and imps and otehr short fairies. His encounters with most humans left him with the feeling that most were below his own superior nature. "This three-dimensional world is so backward that I can easily conquer and rule it. Think of that! A court jester could become a king!" (Superman Vol 1, #30)
It was during one of his trips to Earth-2, he encountered Kal-L who was not only able to defeat him but stopped almost all of his tricks and dangers which seemingly were unintented to cause lasting harm to the general public as when he released wild animals into the streets (Superman Vol 1, #30) probably assuming that Kal-L would restrain the animals before any real harm could result.
Mxyztplk continued to return to annoy Kal-L on many occassions, forever testing and trying to prove his superiority over the Earth 2 Superman. But try as he might, Mxyztplk never could. Some surmise that he never really wanted to defeat Superman in later times but only wanted Kal-L to not take life so seriously and not look on life as a series of challenges to overcome, as he did not appear as much in the Earth-2 dimension after Kent married. Though he did pop in now and again and with less anger and more mischief such as not dropping a plane full of passenger from midair but just startling them with an invisible plane as shown in Superman Family #208.
Earth Two Mxyztplk and Mr and Mrs. Superman
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Mxyztplk's ultimate fate was unknown when the Crisis on Infinite Earths happened. It was assumed by many to have effected the updimensions as well as the lower third dimensional ones as well. When the fifth dimensional imp reappeared after the Crisis, he was almost identical the Earth 1 version using the name of Earth 1 MxyzPTlk and form with truly limitless powers and none of Mxyztplk's magic limitations such as the need for incantations or objects to produce his effects.
According to the writings in the published "World's Funniest" the current imp was really both the Earth 1 and 2 beings just merely deciding to alter his form between the dimensions. This seems highly unlikely as the Earth 1 incarnation was openly willing to kill people unlike Mxyztplk, and again has no real limits on his powers other than his own willingness to agree to such limitations.
Lately the current reality incarnation of MxyzPTlk has started to wear the form of the Earth 2 Mxyztplk rather than the Earth 1 incarnation in which he originally appeared and has seemingly adopted the attitude of the Earth 2 Mxyztplk to remind people not to take life so seriously all the time much to the annoyance of the people he is trying to help appreciate life.
Powers
Unlike his Earth 1 and later incarnations, Mxyztplk powers were based on true magicks whereby specific incantations and potions would effect him and his abilities. He specifically had to use incantations in order to produce effects and was limited to them where his Earth 1 and later counterparts would only agree to be limited to a set of conditions and could break such agreements if they so chose to do.
The range of his magick ability was near limitless and able to be used for almost any efect such as turning solid matter invisible, converting matter from one source into another (i.e., lead into gold) mobilizing inanimate objects with seemingly lifelike mobility, mass hypnotism to compel others to invoke incantations for effect, and many other effects and abilities.
His most used ability was interdimensional teleportation but seemingly it was limited to operate between only the Earth 2 dimension and his home dimensiuon of Zrff. He may have used other incantations to go to other dimensions but such adventures were not listed. He could teleport from Zrfff to the Earth 2 dimension by the invocation of his adopted name and return using its reverse. In order to transport other people to Zrfff, he needed for others to speak another incantation as invoking his adopted name only seemed to be effective for him and other people native to Zrff.