minax

Minax is a fictional sorceress and the principal antagonist in the early computer role-playing game Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress, released by Origin Systems in 1982. In the game’s story, Minax is an immortal archmage who seeks to conquer the world by wielding powerful magic and exploiting an artifact that grants control over time and reality. The Avatar, the player character, travels through a series of mirrored worlds and time periods to thwart Minax’s schemes and restore balance to the world.

Character and portrayal: Minax is depicted as intelligent, highly skilled in sorcery, and willing to manipulate others to achieve her ends. Her portrayal as a formidable female villain contributed to early depictions of female antagonists in Western role-playing games, helping to shape the archetype of a charismatic and dangerous magic user.

Development and legacy: As one of Ultima’s earliest antagonists, Minax helped establish the series’ tradition of powerful, personified threats that drive the overarching plot. The game introduced elements and storytelling approaches that influenced later titles within the Ultima canon, even as subsequent installments developed their own villains and mythos. The Minax name remains most closely associated with Ultima II in discussions of early game design and villainy.

Other uses: The name Minax has occasionally appeared in fan works and derivative fantasy media, but canonical material remains centered on Ultima II. Outside of Ultima-related contexts, the term is not widely used as a formal, recognized concept in mainstream media.