Back in December, re-reading some of Omega Red's older appearances, I started wondering about the name the Soul Skinner calls him here in this panel of X-Men 18:
Vasyliev Arkady. His human name has been given alternatively as Arkady Grigorievich or Arkady Rossovich, but Russian names have three parts, not just two: Given Name, Patronymic, and Family Name. Technically, Grigorievich/Rossovich would not be equivalent to his last name. EDIT: I wasn't able to resolve the mystery of why the Soul Skinner would call Arkady "Vasyliev" Arkady. The closest I could figure out was that it might actually be Arkady's surname (third name), since it can be either a patronymic or a surname. It might also have been meant as an insult, since calling someone only by their surname is how inferiors were traditionally referred to, or how a teacher might address a student, or ironically as in some modern usage.
Which then led me to wondering how his first name would have been chosen?
Russian first names are, or often were, chosen from Greek Orthodox tradition or pre-Christian Slavic names. Arkady is from the Greek "Arcadia" and there was a Russian saint in the Greek Orthodox Church, Arkady or Arkadios of Novotorsk from the 1600s whose saint's days are June 11th, July 11th, and August 14th.
Now I started to get curious about what kind of natal horoscope would Arkady Grigorievich/Rossovich have?
Buckle in with your drinks and snacks, because this is going to be a bit of a ride...!
Given that his first appearance was in 1992 and it's been stated several times he was in cryogenic stasis for 30 years; that Wolverine stated his team's operation to sabotage Omega Red's program was in the early 1960s; and that Arkady would have likely been in his early-to mid 20s at the oldest the time (likely entered military service at 18 if not earlier - this wasn't uncommon back before networked records, and his abilities would have likely been discovered pretty soon thereafter) gave me a rough likely timeframe of 1936-1943ish to consider for his birth year.
Western astrology doesn't give much importance to, or assign characteristics to, the year of birth, but Chinese/Eastern astrology does. Here's the breakout of the animal zodiac signs for each year in that range:
There's a lot of background I'm going to skip over here for the sake of brevity in what's already a long post, but from a thematic point as well as a likely age point, having a heavenly branch element of metal makes a certain amount of sense, not to mention the personality and characteristics usually ascribed to Dragon or Snake.
This was really a tough call, because with all the force of his personality, you might initially think Yang Metal Dragon is the logical choice for birth year. Both Metal Dragon and Metal Snake are ascribed similar traits of unyielding strength and resolve, really a lot similar between both of them for Arkady's observed traits. What really clinched it for me as his most likely birth year (again, following astrology's ascribed characteristics purely for fun) was the nature of Yin Metal Snakes being described as emotionally distant, suspicious, and absolutely undying in either loyalty or hatred for betrayal. THAT sounds like Omega Red to a T!
So 1941, likely in June, July, or August. Let's turn back to the Western zodiac for his sun sign - those mid-month dates give us the likely choices of Gemini, Cancer, or Leo:
Gemini
Flexibility, balance and adaptability describe the Gemini personality. Their responses can be difficult to predict and they may be prone to mood swings, but they can also be generous, affectionate and imaginative.
Cancer
Cancer people are traditionalists, loving a simple home life. They will usually be composed, but that hides a turmoil of moods going on under the surface. They are easily hurt and can be prone to depression, but they are loyal, sympathetic friends and carers.
Leo
Leo people are exuberant and powerful. Born leaders, they won’t hesitate to let you know what they think and that they are right. Which they usually are. They can be brave and intuitive, but may come across as pushy and overbearing. Their bossiness often hides a sensitive soul and an underlying insecurity.
Oh, our boy is HELLA a Leo, then. Hands down, no question!
So in combination with his official biography on Marvel.com giving his birthplace as Novorossiysk, with an assumed birthdate of August 14th, 1941, and after a little adjusting time of birth for rising sign, his natal chart looks like this, courtesy of Astrolabe:
Rising Sign is in 15 Degrees Scorpio
You tend to be quiet, reserved, secretive and, at times, quite difficult to understand. Others notice your deep emotions and feelings and wonder how to draw you out. Stubborn and tough, you fight for any position you believe in. You are very resourceful and formidable when you become angered or upset about something. You enjoy living life at the cutting edge -- for you life must be experienced intensely and totally. Quite courageous, you are willing to take calculated risks. Easily hurt by others, you often strike back with bitter sarcasm. Sensitive and curious, you are concerned with the deeper mysteries of human psychology. Once you have become interested in any subject, you pursue it with total fanaticism.
Sun is in 21 Degrees Leo
More than a bit of a showoff, you love to be the center of attention! But others do not usually mind because they tend to enjoy your genuine warmth and affection. Very spirited and willful, proud and self-important at times, you demand your own way. You are quite honest, however, and the respect of others is very important to you. You never compromise yourself and you pursue your goals with persistence and dedication. Your regal presence and demeanor draws you to positions of leadership and authority. But beware of being overly hardheaded, domineering, ostentatious or patronizing or you will lose the goodwill and admiration that you enjoy. Very theatrical, you live life on a grand scale wherever and whenever possible. Your strength and energy vitalizes those who come in contact with you.
Moon is in 14 Degrees Taurus
Warmth, comfort, security and familiar surroundings are necessary for you to feel at ease. Very loving and affectionate, you prefer a steady, patterned way of life. Patient, calm and steadfast, you are not easily upset. Others look to you for support. You tend to be a slow starter and a slow mover -- others may try to rush you, but they will never succeed. Emotionally, you are quite stubborn -- your attitudes about people and things were firmly set in your youth and will change very little as an adult. You are also very cautious and conservative about spending money. It is not that you are selfish, you just need to feel secure. Beware of a tendency to become overly complacent and too self-satisfied.
Mercury is in 16 Degrees Leo
You are usually quite convinced that your own ideas are correct and you enjoy persuading others that they are. At times, you are very stubborn and proud of your beliefs and principles, and you get very defensive when they are challenged. You appreciate truth and honesty -- you practice it yourself and expect it in others. You have good talent for organizing, directing and planning. You delight in being asked for your advice and counsel.
Venus is in 22 Degrees Virgo
You express your love and affection through selfless service to people or causes. You have a tendency to underestimate yourself and doubt your self-worth. This is very demeaning and should be avoided -- learn to love yourself as well as you do others. Your standards of perfection are very high -- you are attracted to relationships based on duty and responsibility. You are supercritical of yourself and others and, at times, prefer to be alone rather than deal with any imperfections in yourself or in those with whom you might relate.
Mars is in 20 Degrees Aries
You are very independent and self-assertive, and you have lots of physical energy. You are not satisfied unless you can be the first to do something. As such, you are more comfortable in leadership positions than you are as an underling. When you are challenged by anyone for anything, you delight in the competitive process and will fight long and hard for your beliefs. You are bold and courageous and often act without thinking. At times, in your zeal to get ahead, you are tactless and offensive -- learn that cooperation with others can often bring you nearer to your goals quicker because of the support you will get.
Jupiter is in 16 Degrees Gemini
You have a logical, detached, objective view of most things. Your interests are wide-ranging and you are an avid student, with expertise in many different areas. You love to work things out in your mind -- everything you do is reduced to an exercise in logic and reason. You have the ability to grasp abstractions and to deal successfully with the larger issues of life. Your overemphasis on developing your powerful intellect can cause your emotional and intuitive abilities to atrophy unless you consciously choose to exercise them.
Saturn is in 27 Degrees Taurus
Complete freedom of choice makes you ill at ease. You must have a firm, ordered, secure foundation in your life in order to feel comfortable. You do not adapt easily and tend to fear the new and untried. You constantly fear that you do not have enough (love, property, material things, etc.) and this makes you tend toward being selfish, withdrawn and stingy. If you try to surround yourself with supportive people in your environment, you will become more emotionally self-supporting.
Uranus is in 00 Degrees Gemini
You, and your peer group as well, are attracted to new, unusual and revolutionary thoughts, ideas and lifestyles. You prefer abstract, idealistic solutions to practical, immediately useful answers. You delight in communications, the mass media, electronics, computers and all sorts of gadgetry.
Neptune is in 26 Degrees Virgo
You, and your entire generation, idealize work, duty and responsibility. You tend to be very fearful of anything that would force you out of the protective shell of your everyday routines. You place a high premium on personal pride in productivity and craftsmanship. But in your search for perfection in minor details, you sometimes lose track of the overall purpose of life.
Pluto is in 04 Degrees Leo
For your entire generation, this is a time when the relationship of the individual to society as a whole is being thoroughly re-examined. Major attempts will be made to find a balance between the need to be self-sufficient and the need to honor debts of social commitment.
Happy birthday (maybe?) Omega Red/Arkady Rossovich!
N. Node is in 23 Degrees Virgo
You're usually quite at ease in leaving leadership roles in the hands of others. You would rather tend to the thousand and one details that need to be accomplished to keep any group going. Although you're very fussy and high-minded when it comes to choosing your associates, once your loyalty is given you can be trusted with many of the practical aspects of any project that is being undertaken. Usually quite unselfish, you will toil long hours in the service of any worthy cause that demands your attention. But be careful that your perfectionist tendencies don't get in the way of making real progress. (In other words, don't waste your time dusting clean shelves!)
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, thanks for reading! This was a real labor of love for one of my favorite characters in any fandom, I hope you enjoyed the journey.
