Celestial (comics)
The Celestials are a fictional species of very powerful beings in the Marvel Comics' universe, They were created by Jack Kirby in The Eternals #1 (July 1976).
Appearance
The Celestials resemble massive armor-clad humanoids of enormous size, with most more than two thousand feet (600 meters) in height and some even larger.
Agenda
They are responsible for the creation of two offshoots of humanity — the Eternals and the Deviants — on Earth one million years ago. However, through Celestial experimentation, mainline humanity retained the greatest potential for superhuman abilities. The Celestials have conducted similar experiments on other species, such as the Skrulls, whose main and Eternal branches were soon supplanted by the Deviant, shape-shifting branch of that race.
The exact purpose of the Celestials' genetic manipulation is unknown, and they go to great lengths to preserve their freedom to conduct such experiments. Should an experimented race "fail" by the Celestials' standards, Arishem arrives on the target world to herald the coming of Exitar the Exterminator, a Celestial ten times his height that "purifies" the offending world and race by destroying its non-life-affirming elements. Thor was on the planet Pangoria when this happened, and was told the issues at stake were "too great for even an immortal to grasp" (Thor 1st series #389).
History
Due to their imposing presence, all-concealing armor, and seeming indifference to those whom they judge, the Celestials have acquired the sobriquet of "Space Gods" used by many star-faring races. On their last visit to Earth 616 in the Fourth Host, the Celestials wiped all memory of their existence from most of humanity. The only entities remaining aware of the Celestials' existence were the Asgardians, who actively opposed the Celestials' unrevealed motives; the other pantheons of the Marvel Universe; and Earth's Eternals and Deviants. In modern times, however, with the rise of superhumans, many superheroes have rediscovered the existence of the Celestials.
The Celestial Home Universe
One of the most baffling things about The Celestials is their origins. No one...not even the Watchers have ever known where they have come from. Nathaniel Richards once speculated that they really lived in Hyperspace, and that their sets of Armor were channels in which they can exist in this reality. Another theory comes from the mysterious "Celestial Universe" discovered during a trip through alternate realities by Dr. Doom, The Thing, The Human Torch and Sharon Ventura. It was a reality completely overrun by Celestials and was only seen very briefly. Another Place thought to be the Celestial Homeworld by The Beyonder was a string of Planets connected together by Celestial Technology. It was called the World Complex Headquarters and was converted into a tourist trap by various alien races so that they could view The Celestials daily. It turned out that The Celestials made this as an illusion to fool the Beyonder, and they also allowed him to beat them which in turn lead to his rejection of friendship by the Female Mutant Boom Boom.
However despite all these claims there are still no leads as to who the Celestials truly are and where they came from. Many alien races have believed many different theories as to their origins. Some have lead to Interstellar War between two or more races. It is possible that the only one who knows the truth behind The Celestials origins is the Supreme Being (seen by some as Jack Kirby) that crafted the Marvel Multiverse.
The Watchers
In opposition to the Celestials' agenda are the Watchers. Having sworn an oath of non-interference in species younger than themselves, the Watchers find the Celestials' genetic engineering of such species to be the antithesis of what they believe. Thus, the Watchers and the Celestials have been in conflict for billions of years, coming to a head in Fantastic Four #400 (May 1995).
In the series Earth X, which is not in continuity, the Watchers have been enslaved by the Celestials.
The Monolith
The Legendary Black Monolith from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey entered Marvel Continuity long ago (Mostly because of Nostalgia, since Machine Man's first appearance was in the 2001 Comics). During the last issue of X-51, the Machine Man it was revealed that the Creators of the Monolith were The Celestials, who had sent it to help record vast amounts of data over the Centuries. At the end of the Issue an Arishem Lookalike Celestial takes off with The Monolith and X-51 (who is inside the Monolith at the time.) It is never revealed what happened to X-51 during his time with The Celestials.
Members
Arishem the Judge — One of two Celestials who have the right and ability to judge which planet's civilization will live and which will die. Arishem has led all Four Celestial Hosts on Earth as well as Fourth Host on the planet called Pangoria and a Fifth Host on an unamed planet in a distant galaxy. He was also the leader among the delegation of Celestials who waged war on the Watchers in an unknown galaxy. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #2
- Ashema the Listener — A female Celestial who took Human Form while on a Mission with Nezzar the Calculator. The two were to take Franklin Richards back to presumably the One Above All Celestial for evaluation. However Franklin taught Ashema the gifts and curses of Human Emotion and caused her to change her mind about Franklin and all of Humanity for that matter. She eventually defied her Celestial Bretheren and saved Franklin's Counter Earth by storing it inside of her. However The Dreaming Celestial, a renegade, entered the Counter Earth and began corrupting it and Ashema. Eventually Ashema retaliated and fell under the complete control of The Dreaming Celestial. She was eventually saved by the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom and helped recapture the Dreaming Celestial. It is presumed that she left Earth to rejoin the other The Celestials. She, like many other Celestials, hasn't been seen since. First appeared in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1
- Tiamut, The Dreaming Celestial — A renegade Celestial. During the Second Host, the Dreaming Celestial committed a crime "against life itself" (Which was in fact murdering another Celestial) and was exiled by his brethren. His spirit was ripped from his body and placed in a device known as "The Vial", which was sealed under the Diablo Mountains in Colorado. He slept there until the Deviant Priestlord Ghaur discovered the Vial and drank the essence of the Dreaming Celestial, giving him the height and power of a Celestial. The Dreaming Celestial took advantage of this opportunity and began mentally controlling Ghaur in order to be freed. An intervention by The Avengers and the Eternals led to the plan's downfall and the Vial was sealed once more.
- The Dreaming Celestial, while still trapped in his Diablo Mountain prison, sensed the rebirth of Ghaur and caused an Earthquake while tossing and turning uncontrollably in his "bed."
- After the events of Heroes Reborn, the Dreaming Celestial found a loophole out of his prison and into the Heroes Reborn Universe. There, he learned the Celestial Ashema guarded this Pocket Universe and that the only way out was through her. However, he found himself opposed by Dr. Doom, Lancer, Technarx and several other heroes. Eventually The Dreaming Celestial captured Ashema and escaped to our Universe, where he was finally thwarted by Doom and The Fantastic Four.
- He awoke again in an alternate future and turned the world-devourer Galactus into a weapon that would consume the entire Universe, enabling him to become the Nucleus and Founder of a new, darker reality. However, the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man and the Shi'ar race were able to avert this by causing Galactus to consume the Renegade. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #18
- Eson the Searcher — Destroyed the legendary isle of Lemuria. - First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #9
- Exitar the Exterminator — Twenty-thousand-feet tall with yellow and black armor. Exitar destroys the life on world which fail the Celestials' tests. A full-strength hammer blow from Thor only managed to punch a small hole in his armor. During a conflict with The Watchers, Exitar (or another Exitar as this one had been storing his energies for millions of years where as the first one had spent his energy terraforming the planet Pangoria) was "murdered" by Sue Storm after she destroyed his "brain case." He is never seen again except for in a flashback splash page in the last issue of Thor, Son of Asgard.
- Gammenon the Gatherer A Celestial that is sent out to find various Plant, Animal and Humanoid Specimens for Experimentation. He reports to Jemiah and often travels with Eson. An Alternate Reality version of him fought alongside Jemiah to battle Ego, The Living Planet. As Ego was about to kill the two they were saved at the last moment by Blink of the Exiles. Gammenon takes pity on her and as a reward for saving them, he and Jemiah personally escourt Blink back to Earth safely while at the same time giving her a warning about the "Timebreaker" — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #4
- Hargen the Measurer A Celestial that measures. True nature of the Job has never been defined. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #9
- Jemiah the Analyzer Jemaih gathers all of the specimens given to him by Gammenon and places them into a massive analyzing machine. An Alternate Reality version of him fought alongside Gammenon to battle Ego, The Living Planet. As Ego was about to kill the two they were saved at the last moment by Blink of the Exiles. Jemiah takes pity on her and as a reward for saving them, he and Gammenon personally escourt Blink back to Earth safely while at the same time giving her a warning about the "Timebreaker" — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #7
- Nezarr the Calculator — Two-thousand-feet tall and depicted in dark blue armor, Nezarr participated in the Celestials' four visits (the first through fourth Hosts) to Earth. As a member of the Fourth Host of the Celestials, Nezarr appeared in the Soviet Union and was targeted by an atomic missile directed by General Greshkov. However, Nezarr created an illusion in the minds of the firing crew that the missile had turned back on them, and the resulting mental trauma put all of them into comas. In opposing the Asgardians, Nezarr lost his arm in battle with the artificial being the Destroyer. The Destroyer cut Nezarr's arm off with the Odinsword, but he re-grew it almost instantly. Nezarr was also among the delegation of Celestials who waged war against the Watchers. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #9
- The One Who Is Above All — The leader of the Celestials. Not much is known about him; however, both X-Factor and Thor have encountered him. Speculated it may be the God of monotheism. - First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #7
- Oneg the Prober A Celestial that apparently specializes in probing. Is often mocked by fans due to the nature of his job. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #9
- Tefral the Surveyor A Celestial that specializes in Surveying the landscape. He is one of the few Celestials that actually explore the Planet during the First Hosts — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #7
- Ziran the Tester A Celestial that tests the stability of genes and such in the lifeforms they have evolved. He sends them through a series of tests until they are ready to go back to the Planet to start their new lives. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #18
- Devron the Experimenter — A young Celestial who was assigned to watch over Earth alongside Gamiel the Manipulator. The two were very competitive and nearly caused the Destruction of Earth. Eventually he and Gamiel were reassigned to coordinate the first meeting between The Kree and The Skrull...who go to War almost instantly after meeting each other. Unlike most Celestials Devron is only as tall as The Incredible Hulk. — First appeared in Marvel Monsters: Devil Dinosaur #1 one-shot (2005). Note: This is a humor story depicting Celestial youth, an inconsistency with Celestial full-grown birth as seen in The Mighty Thor #424, and appears to be non-canonical.
- Gamiel the Manipulator — A young Celestial who, like Devron, was assigned to watch over Earth. He was disgusted that Devron's Little Folk had beaten back his creations: the Killer Folk so he brought the Hulk from the Future and sent him down upon the Little Folk and their champion: Devil Dinosaur. Eventually he and Devron got in trouble and were reassigned to Hala where they accidentally set the Kree and The Skrull races into a four-million-year war against each other. Unlike most Celstials Gamiel is only as tall as the Incredible Hulk. Note: This is a humor story depicting Celestial youth, an inconsistency with Celestial full-grown birth as seen in The Mighty Thor #424, and appears to be non-canonical.
- The Red Celestial - This Celestial was the one who helped bring the baby "Blue" Celestial into this Universe. Its name is unknown but it appears its job would be midwifing. After the events of The Black Galaxy Saga this Celestial was never seen again.
- The Blue Celestial - The first ever documented Celestial that was seen born. It was made from the genetic material of the Black Galaxy, a place where Ego, the Living Planet, snuffed out all of the stars and the genetic material of Eric Masterson and Hercules. After leaving with the giant Celestial Host at the Black Galaxy it was encountered again by the High Evolutionary, the Goddess Sif and the God Balder. Its duty was to keep Ego the Living Planet at bay while it and his brothers awaited the arrival of the Awe-Inspiring Super Ego. Once the creature appeared and crushed Ego, The Blue Celestial and it's older bretheren attacked The Super Ego with full force. However The High Evolutionary has suspicions that they are trying to help the Super Ego in some way...not destroy it. The Blue Celestial was never seen again after this Event.
- The Red/Blue Judge - The Second known Celestial with the right to Judge Worlds. When Kosmos and Kubick traveled the Universe they encountered this strange Celestial standing alone. It allowed them to enter it's mind and have a peek at what some of the Celestials secrets are. It eventually judged them worthy of life after letting them see its mind and then it was never seen again.
- Monolith Gatherer - A Celestial nearly identical to Arishem despite the fact that his armor is red and purple. He made a cameo at the end of the X-51, The Machine Man series and was seen by Uatu, the Watcher as he took off into the Celestial Mothership with a Monolith in hand. Inside that Monolith was X-51. This Celestial was never seen again after the final issue of the series.
- Scathan the Approver - A Celestial from the Alternate Future of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He was summoned by the Living Tribunal during a battle against the God-Like Child known as Protege. In the end Scathan captured Protege and killed him. Unlike Arishem who judges Scathan approves and dissaproves of certain situations. It is speculated that Scathan was actually a represenative of the True Beyonders and not the Celestials. However...with the cancellation of The Guardians of the Galaxy series Scathan was never seen again and makes it impossible to prove whether or not this assumption is true or false.
Quotes
- "When the first of us appears to you, faithful one, look well upon his visage — and know the meaning of our mission!"
- — The only Celestial utterance (other than in the seemingly non-canonical Marvel Monsters: Devil Dinosaur), from The Eternals (1976 series) #2