Govan was a member of the
Homo mermanus race. An evolutionary offshoot of humanity who possess gills and dwell underwater. It is not yet known how this subspecies came into being. Homo mermanus are popularly called
Atlanteans, although the term properly refers only to the citizens that reside in the lost city of
Atlantis.
Following the deaths of
Namorita and hundreds of others at the hands of super-villain
Nitro (Robert Hunter) in Stamford, Connecticut, a vengeful
Namor activated the all but forgotten Atlantean sleeper agents, whose activities, although leading to Nttro's capture, exacerbated the so-called "
Civil War" among the United States of America's super-hero population, culminating in the attempted assassination of Atlantean diplomatic Ambassador Govan by the
Green Goblin (Norman Osborn). Govan survived the attmpt on his life by Osborn and was taken back to Atlantis to heal from his wounds.