Elders of the Universe | |
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The Elders of the Universe surround the Silver Surfer in Silver Surfer vol. 3, #4 (Oct. 1987). Art by Marshall Rogers. |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Characteristics | |
Notable members | Architect Astronomer Caregiver Champion Collector Contemplator Ego Explorer Gardener Grandmaster Judicator Obliterator Possessor Runner Trader |
The Elders of the Universe are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Grandmaster was the first Elder to appear, and featured in Avengers #69 - 71 (Oct. - Dec. 1969). The character was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema.
Publication history
The Elders of the Universe are the last survivors of otherwise extinct races, and are known for their personal obsessions, such as collecting, gaming and fighting, which are pursued fanatically. While the characters are not truly cosmic entities, all have achieved some cosmic level of power and knowledge. The first encounter with the heroes of Earth occurs when the Grandmaster creates supervillain team the Squadron Sinister as pawns to battle the champions of the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror, the superhero team the Avengers. [1]
Although thwarted, the Grandmaster and his fellow Elders take an interest in Earth, and the Collector has two separate encounters with the Avengers, the second ending with his murder by the entity Korvac.[2] The Grandmaster also tricks the entity Death into playing a contest - again involving many of Earth's heroes - that he deliberately loses to resurrect the Collector. [3] The Grandmaster usurps control of Death's realm, and after a battle between the Avengers and the Grandmaster's champions - the Legion of the Unliving - is tricked by the Avengers. An angered Death then prevents the Elders from ever entering her realm, which effectively makes them immortal and is the Grandmaster's true goal. [4]
The Elder known as the Champion has a brief encounter with many of Earth's strongest heroes. After defeating Colossus, Sasquatch, Wonderman, Hulk, and Thor in hand-to-hand combat,by knockout or DQ, he faces Benjamin Grimm of the Fantastic Four. Eventually realizing that the outmatched Grimm will never submit under any circumstances, the Champion concedes the match and offers Grimm his respect.[5]
The entire group of Elders later join forces (and meet on Ego the Living Planet who is also regarded as an Elder) in an effort to kill the cosmic entity Galactus, which would cause the concepts Eternity and Death to become unbalanced and end the universe. The Elders believe since they are now immortal they would be the only beings in the universe to survive and would be supreme beings in the new universe. The plan, however is thwarted by Galactus' Heralds the Silver Surfer and Nova and several of the Elders are consumed by Galactus.[6] Although the Elders escape, three - the Astronomer, Possessor and Trader - are permanently erased by an angered Death. [7] Another Elder, the Contemplator, allies with the space-pirate Captain Reptyl against the Silver Surfer, but is betrayed and apparently killed.[8] The Contemplator is revealed to have survived - as a disembodied head - and goes on to attempt to rule the Kree Empire, but is seemingly destroyed by the peace-loving alien Cotati.[9]
Several Elders are targeted by the Titan Thanos, as they possess the Infinity Gems. The character humiliates each in turn (the Garderner is murdered) and captures the Gems.[10] The Elder the Runner has an encounter with the hero Quasar.[11] Quasar also confronts the Obliterator and Possessor and previously-unknown Elders the Explorer, the Judicator and the Caregiver. It is also revealed that the Contemplator killed by Reptyl was in fact a Skrull, and not the true Contemplator.[12]
The Grandmaster reappears and creates a new version of the Squadron Sinister. Courtesy of a phenomenon known as the Wellspring of Power - an interdimensional source of superhuman abilities - the Grandmaster increases the Squadron Sinister's powers and they battle the superhero team the New Thunderbolts. The Grandmaster is defeated by Baron Zemo, and the Squadron Sinister scatter and escape.[13] Champion has an encounter with the heroine She-Hulk and aids her foe Titania by giving her the Power Gem currently in his possession. [14]
The Power Primordial
Each Elder of the Universe possesses a fraction of what is referred to as the Power Primordial, remnants of the primordial energies of the Big Bang that still permeate the universe. [15] The Power Primordial can be used to produce a wide range of effects, including augmentation of physical attributes (strength, durability, speed); molecular restructuring; creation of force fields; teleportation and numerous other abilities.
References
- ^ Avengers #69 - 71 (Oct. - Dec. 1969)
- ^ Avengers #119 (Jan. 1974) + 173 - 174 (July - Aug. 1978)
- ^ Contest of Champions #1 - 3 (June - Aug. 1982)
- ^ Avengers Annual #16 (Dec. 1987)
- ^ Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 (Jan. 1982)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #1 - 10 (July 1987 - Apr. 1988)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #16 - 17 (Oct. - Nov. 1988)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #12 (June 1988)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #20 (Feb. 1989); 25 - 27 (July - Sep. 1989) + 29 - 31 (Nov. - Dec. 1989)
- ^ Thanos Quest #1 - 2 (Sep. - Oct. 1990)
- ^ Quasar #17 (Dec. 1990)
- ^ Quasar #47 - 48 (Jun.- Jul. 1989)
- ^ New Thunderbolts #15 - 16 (Jan. - Feb. 2006)+ Thunderbolts #102 - 108 (July 2006 - Jan. 2007)
- ^ She-Hulk vol. 3, #7 - 12 (Nov. 2004 - Apr. 2005)
- ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #5 (Nov. 1987)
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