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Celestial (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Celestials are a group of fiction
al characters
that appear in comic book
s published by Marvel Comics
. The characters first appear in Eternals
#1 (July 1976) and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
.
Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books
, the Celestials have appeared in four decades of Marvel continuity and other associated merchandise such as trading card
s.
#1 (July 1976) and reappeared as regular guest stars in three subsequent limited series
sequels: Eternals vol. 2, #1 - 12 (Oct. 1985 - Sep. 1986); Eternals vol. 3, #1 - 7 (Aug. 2006 - Feb. 2007), and Eternals vol. 4, #1 - 9 (Aug. 2008 - May 2009).
The Celestials reappeared in the "Celestial Saga" storyline in Thor
Annual #7 (1978) and Thor #283 – 300 (May 1979 - Oct. 1980), and once again in Thor #387 – 389 (Jan. – March 1988). The characters reappeared in Quasar
#24 (July 1991) and Fantastic Four
#400 (May 1995).
The Celestials also appear in X-Factor
vol. 1 issues 43-46 and 48-50, in a story line called "Judgement War."
Also, appearing in FF
#3 (2011) with a one panel appearance.
and the Deviants
, the Celestials appear as silent, armored humanoids with an average height of 2000 feet (609.6 m). Visiting Earth every thousand years in groups called "Hosts," the group are revealed to have been responsible for the creation of both the Eternals and the Deviants over a million years ago, and the genetic manipulation is ultimately responsible for the existence of superpowers in mutants.
Resenting the presence of the Celestials and their monitoring of Earth's progress, the Skyfather figures
of Earth (e.g., Odin, Zeus, and Vishnu
) attempted to stop the Third Host, but are quickly outmatched. The Skyfathers then develop a convoluted plan to stop the Fourth Host via the use of the Odinsword
and Destroyer
armour, but once again the Celestials—although also opposed by Odin's son Thor
—prevent the offensive and melt the Destroyer armour into slag, scattering the Asgardians' life-forces. Thor throws the Odinsword through Arishem's chest, but he removes it, analyzes it, and vaporizes it. The Earthmothers
(such as Frigga and Hera
) of Earth, however, make an offering of twelve perfect humans, which is accepted and the planet is spared judgment.
The judgment process is eventually witnessed by Thor, observing Celestial Arishem the Judge
sending an execution code to Exitar the Exterminator
, a 20000 feet (6,096 m) tall Celestial who carries out Arishem's "sentence". Exitar terraforms
the planet in question into a garden paradise, with only the "evil" inhabitants having been destroyed. On one occasion the hero Quasar
observes a race completely fail the genetic test, with every living creature being destroyed with their planet. The Celestials' actions conflict with the policy of "non-interference" practiced by fellow cosmic entities the Watchers
, with the two races having become enemies.
The Celestials and their "opposites", a group of entities known as the Horde, are established as instruments of an entity referred to as the Fulcrum
, their purpose to be "instruments of the planting/creation/teeming of the universe".
The team of space adventurers the Guardians of the Galaxy find and use as a base the severed head of a Celestial floating in an area of space known as "The Rip." Dubbing the structure "Knowhere
," it also acts as a common port of call (complete with a market and bar) for travelers from all points in the space-time continuum
. The base is administered by its chief of security, Cosmo, a telepathic
and telekinetic
Soviet space dog originally lost in Earth orbit in the 1960s. Courtesy of the deceased Celestial's "Continuum Cortex", travelers with special "passport" bracelets can teleport to any point in the universe instantaneously.
and Kubik
– beings who wield vast but undefined energy, matter, and reality manipulation
powers in their own right – stated that a single Celestial possesses "power many orders of magnitude beyond our own". The Celestials were capable of reducing the Asgardian construct known as the Destroyer
to slag even when the Destroyer was imbued with the life force of all the Asgardian gods (with the exception of Thor); move planets at will; and contain, create, and seal off entire universes.
Reed Richards
theorized that the Celestials' source of power is Hyperspace
itself – the source of all energy in the Marvel Universe – a suggestion seemingly confirmed by the Invisible Woman
's ability to destroy Exitar's physical form with her hyperspace-sourced force fields. The Celestials have only been shown to be physically damaged in a handful of instances, most notably by the Invisible Woman, and the Odinsword-wielding Destroyer. Jean Grey
recalling an echo of the power of the Phoenix Force within her also managed to destroy the hand of Arishem and Thanos
, while in possession of the Heart of the Universe
, managed to completely destroy a Celestial. The Celestials, however, are capable of instant regeneration from most injuries. According to the Dreaming Celestial
itself, Celestials are possessed of such durability that they cannot truly be destroyed, even by other Celestials (which is why, as he explains, he was imprisoned instead of destroyed). It's also revealed in the same graphic novel that the Celestials employ magic as their technology
.
limited series Earth X
, the Celestials are beings of energy encased in armor composed of vibranium
, a metal with properties that prevent their dissipation. They reproduce by planting a fragment of their essence in a planet, which matures into a new Celestial over the course of eons. The cosmic entity Galactus
is an enemy of the Celestials, as the character devours planets that incubate Celestial "eggs" to prevent the Celestials from overpopulating the universe.
The Celestials appear in an issue of the second volume of the title What If
, returning to Earth in a distant future and deeming humanity unfit due to the genetic tampering of the High Evolutionary
. The characters are also featured in two What If? one-shot publications: In the first, the superhero Iron Man
attempts to use Celestial armor powered by the Negative Zone
to stop the supervillain Thanos
, while the second depicts a 407-year war between supervillain Doctor Doom
(possessing the powers of the Infinity Gauntlet
and the Beyonder) and the entire Celestial race.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al characters
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appear in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The characters first appear in Eternals
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
#1 (July 1976) and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books
Bronze Age of Comic Books
The Bronze Age of Comic Books is an informal name for a period in the history of mainstream American comic books usually said to run from 1970 to 1985. It follows the Silver Age of Comic Books....
, the Celestials have appeared in four decades of Marvel continuity and other associated merchandise such as trading card
Trading card
A trading card is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing and a short description of the picture, along with other text...
s.
Publication history
The Celestials debuted in EternalsEternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
#1 (July 1976) and reappeared as regular guest stars in three subsequent limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
sequels: Eternals vol. 2, #1 - 12 (Oct. 1985 - Sep. 1986); Eternals vol. 3, #1 - 7 (Aug. 2006 - Feb. 2007), and Eternals vol. 4, #1 - 9 (Aug. 2008 - May 2009).
The Celestials reappeared in the "Celestial Saga" storyline in Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
Annual #7 (1978) and Thor #283 – 300 (May 1979 - Oct. 1980), and once again in Thor #387 – 389 (Jan. – March 1988). The characters reappeared in Quasar
Quasar (comics)
Quasar is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the . He is one of Marvel's cosmic heroes, a character whose adventures frequently take him into outer space or other dimensions...
#24 (July 1991) and Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
#400 (May 1995).
The Celestials also appear in X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
vol. 1 issues 43-46 and 48-50, in a story line called "Judgement War."
Also, appearing in FF
Future Foundation
Future Foundation is a fictional organization appearing in comics published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, the team first appeared in Fantastic Four #579 and stars in the series FF, written by Hickman and illustrated by Steve Epting...
#3 (2011) with a one panel appearance.
Biography
Referred to as "space gods" by the EternalsEternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
and the Deviants
Deviant (comics)
The Deviants are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics' universe. They are an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth instigated by the alien Celestials, and wage war against their counterparts, the Eternals...
, the Celestials appear as silent, armored humanoids with an average height of 2000 feet (609.6 m). Visiting Earth every thousand years in groups called "Hosts," the group are revealed to have been responsible for the creation of both the Eternals and the Deviants over a million years ago, and the genetic manipulation is ultimately responsible for the existence of superpowers in mutants.
Resenting the presence of the Celestials and their monitoring of Earth's progress, the Skyfather figures
Sky father
The sky father or heavenly father is a recurring theme in mythology all over the world. The sky father is the complement of the earth mother and appears in some creation myths, many of which are Indo-European or ancient Near Eastern. Other cultures have quite different myths; Egyptian mythology...
of Earth (e.g., Odin, Zeus, and Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
) attempted to stop the Third Host, but are quickly outmatched. The Skyfathers then develop a convoluted plan to stop the Fourth Host via the use of the Odinsword
Odinsword
The Odinsword is a fictional weapon that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a huge magical sword several hundred feet in length...
and Destroyer
Destroyer (Thor)
The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The...
armour, but once again the Celestials—although also opposed by Odin's son Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
—prevent the offensive and melt the Destroyer armour into slag, scattering the Asgardians' life-forces. Thor throws the Odinsword through Arishem's chest, but he removes it, analyzes it, and vaporizes it. The Earthmothers
Mother goddess
Mother goddess is a term used to refer to a goddess who represents motherhood, fertility, creation or embodies the bounty of the Earth. When equated with the Earth or the natural world such goddesses are sometimes referred to as Mother Earth or as the Earth Mother.Many different goddesses have...
(such as Frigga and Hera
Hera (Marvel Comics)
Hera is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor #129, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
) of Earth, however, make an offering of twelve perfect humans, which is accepted and the planet is spared judgment.
The judgment process is eventually witnessed by Thor, observing Celestial Arishem the Judge
Arishem the Judge
Arishem the Judge is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Arishem is one of two Celestials who have the right and ability to judge which planet's civilization will live and which will die...
sending an execution code to Exitar the Exterminator
Exitar the Exterminator
Exitar the Exterminator is a member of the starfaring race known as the Celestials, a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics...
, a 20000 feet (6,096 m) tall Celestial who carries out Arishem's "sentence". Exitar terraforms
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
the planet in question into a garden paradise, with only the "evil" inhabitants having been destroyed. On one occasion the hero Quasar
Quasar (comics)
Quasar is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the . He is one of Marvel's cosmic heroes, a character whose adventures frequently take him into outer space or other dimensions...
observes a race completely fail the genetic test, with every living creature being destroyed with their planet. The Celestials' actions conflict with the policy of "non-interference" practiced by fellow cosmic entities the Watchers
Watcher (comics)
The Watchers are a fictional race of extraterrestrials that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the first Watcher - named Uatu - appears in Fantastic Four #13 .-Fictional history:...
, with the two races having become enemies.
The Celestials and their "opposites", a group of entities known as the Horde, are established as instruments of an entity referred to as the Fulcrum
The Fulcrum (comics)
The Fulcrum is a cosmic entity in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:The Fulcrum is served by the Celestials, the Watchers, and the Horde. The Dreaming Celestial has conversed with it. He goes by the name "Jack" and runs a bar where the Eternals hang out...
, their purpose to be "instruments of the planting/creation/teeming of the universe".
The team of space adventurers the Guardians of the Galaxy find and use as a base the severed head of a Celestial floating in an area of space known as "The Rip." Dubbing the structure "Knowhere
Knowhere
Knowhere is a fictional location in the Marvel Comics universe. It is an interdimensional crossroads and scientific observatory. It was created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and first appeared in Nova #8 .-Development:...
," it also acts as a common port of call (complete with a market and bar) for travelers from all points in the space-time continuum
Spacetime
In physics, spacetime is any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single continuum. Spacetime is usually interpreted with space as being three-dimensional and time playing the role of a fourth dimension that is of a different sort from the spatial dimensions...
. The base is administered by its chief of security, Cosmo, a telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
and telekinetic
Psychokinesis
The term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
Soviet space dog originally lost in Earth orbit in the 1960s. Courtesy of the deceased Celestial's "Continuum Cortex", travelers with special "passport" bracelets can teleport to any point in the universe instantaneously.
Powers and abilities
KosmosKosmos (Marvel Comics)
Kosmos is a character in the Marvel Comics universe, a fusion of the Beyonder and Molecule Man, who are apparently parts of a Cosmic Cube, and cared for by Kubik....
and Kubik
Kubik
Kubik is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears as a Cosmic Cube in Tales of Suspense #79 , and as Kubik in Avengers #289...
– beings who wield vast but undefined energy, matter, and reality manipulation
Reality warping
Reality warping is a superpower in superhero fiction. It is the ability to reshape matter and energy, create or alter life forms, turn a person's thoughts or desires into reality, simulate any and all other powers and abilities, bend time and space, and possibly even rewrite the laws of physics.All...
powers in their own right – stated that a single Celestial possesses "power many orders of magnitude beyond our own". The Celestials were capable of reducing the Asgardian construct known as the Destroyer
Destroyer (Thor)
The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The...
to slag even when the Destroyer was imbued with the life force of all the Asgardian gods (with the exception of Thor); move planets at will; and contain, create, and seal off entire universes.
Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
theorized that the Celestials' source of power is Hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
itself – the source of all energy in the Marvel Universe – a suggestion seemingly confirmed by the Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
's ability to destroy Exitar's physical form with her hyperspace-sourced force fields. The Celestials have only been shown to be physically damaged in a handful of instances, most notably by the Invisible Woman, and the Odinsword-wielding Destroyer. Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
recalling an echo of the power of the Phoenix Force within her also managed to destroy the hand of Arishem and Thanos
Thanos
Thanos is a fictional character that appears in comic books and other media published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin....
, while in possession of the Heart of the Universe
Heart of the Universe
The Heart of the Universe is a fictional location in the Marvel Universe and appeared in publications from Marvel Comics.It is a source of great power, and is sometimes called Heart of the Infinate.-Publication history:...
, managed to completely destroy a Celestial. The Celestials, however, are capable of instant regeneration from most injuries. According to the Dreaming Celestial
Dreaming Celestial
In the Marvel Comics' universe, the Dreaming Celestial is a renegade member of the race of god-like Celestials.-Publication history:The Dreaming Celestial first appeared in Eternals Vol. 1, #18 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
itself, Celestials are possessed of such durability that they cannot truly be destroyed, even by other Celestials (which is why, as he explains, he was imprisoned instead of destroyed). It's also revealed in the same graphic novel that the Celestials employ magic as their technology
Technomancy
The term technomancy refers to an imaginary or fictional category of magical abilities that affect technology, or to magical powers that are gained through the use of technology....
.
Other versions
In the alternate universeParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
limited series Earth X
Earth X
Earth X is a 1999 comic book limited series written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon and published by Marvel Comics. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian future version of the Marvel Universe....
, the Celestials are beings of energy encased in armor composed of vibranium
Vibranium
Vibranium is a fictional metal that appears in the Marvel Universe. It is most commonly known as one of the materials used to construct Captain America's shield, but it is also noted for its connection to the Black Panther and his native homeland of Wakanda .-Publication history:Vibranium first...
, a metal with properties that prevent their dissipation. They reproduce by planting a fragment of their essence in a planet, which matures into a new Celestial over the course of eons. The cosmic entity Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
is an enemy of the Celestials, as the character devours planets that incubate Celestial "eggs" to prevent the Celestials from overpopulating the universe.
The Celestials appear in an issue of the second volume of the title What If
What If (comics)
What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
, returning to Earth in a distant future and deeming humanity unfit due to the genetic tampering of the High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary
The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
. The characters are also featured in two What If? one-shot publications: In the first, the superhero Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
attempts to use Celestial armor powered by the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
to stop the supervillain Thanos
Thanos
Thanos is a fictional character that appears in comic books and other media published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin....
, while the second depicts a 407-year war between supervillain Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
(possessing the powers of the Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
and the Beyonder) and the entire Celestial race.