Otherplace
Encyclopedia
Otherplace, is a fictional location in titles published by Marvel Comics
. The concept debuted in Uncanny X-Men
#160, (August 1982) and was created by Chris Claremont
and Brent Anderson
.
(not be confused with "Other-Earth", homeworld of Kang the Conqueror.) Limbo's physical law
s are primarily magical, though laws of the ordinary universe (such as electromagnetism
and gravity) normally apply within its bounds.
It has an ecology composed primarily of demons
of various sizes, strengths, and intellects. It is said that its ether
is much thinner than that of the normal universe, allowing for a greater spectrum of magical powers and effects. All demons within it are magical creatures that possess spell making abilities to a greater or lesser degree. Although Otherplace has a linear history, time within it is not rigid. Many points in its past and future are connected through naturally occurring temporal rifts, and its present is relative to the individual. Its history can be changed by travel through these rifts, but for some reason this is rare.
Limbo is traditionally ruled by a Supreme Sorcerer, either a demonic native or an entity from another universe, often Earth's. Limbo's appearance and physical laws are highly variable, and determined by the power and personal taste of its ruler. It can take the form of an otherworldly paradise, or a rocky, sulfurous perdition. The demons of Limbo traditionally display an attitude of slavish loyalty to its sovereign, and act as servants. They can even assume forms mandated by a sufficiently powerful sorcerer. However, the longer Limbo's ruler spends away from the dimension, the weaker that individual's mystical thrall over it becomes, and the more autonomously the demons begin to act. Left to their own devices they will plot to betray and conquer whoever holds the highest position. They also try to invade other realities if not held in check.
Otherplace generally has a morally and spiritually corrupting influence over its denizens. If human, a resident of the realm slowly metamorphoses into a demonic entity. This change enhances the magical powers of the individual at the cost of their soul. Persons of great moral courage and wisdom can stave off the change for decades, but it is considered inevitable. The transformation usually progresses in stages initiated by the evil acts Limbo demands for survival. Magic in limbo is fundamentally neutral. It is the social and political climate that leads to this process.
The reality of Limbo is generated by a single deposit of a magical metal called promethium
. In Limbo it takes the form of a giant animal heart, hidden in a cavern deep below its surface. Removal of the promethium to another dimension will cause Limbo to vanish. The heart of Limbo was once sought by the supervillain Doctor Doom
as an inexhaustible energy source for his nation of Latveria
.
, an alien entity of vast technological power. To save her teammate Warlock
, Magik stranded the Magus in Limbo, where she hoped her demon vassals would subdue him. Instead he expanded to fill the entire dimension and radically transformed its ecology within a few days. A sizable percentage of Limbo's demons were infected by the Magus with the Transmode Virus, a techno-organic pathogen that transmogrifies carbon-based organisms into living electronic machines. Although the details are unclear, it is assumed he killed a large number of them by draining them of life energy. He then escaped by unknown means, leaving roughly half the remaining demons shape-shifting, techno-organic beings like himself.
While most living beings are immobilized by the techno-organic transformation, Limbo's demons are apparently immune to that effect. The infection can be transmitted intentionally, but most chose not to pass it on, and the ratio of “natural” to transmuted demons remained relatively stable. For example, at the time of Magik's overthrow, S'ym was a techno-organic demon, whereas N'astirh was not. The domination of Limbo by the Magus was purely physical. Apart from the infections, Limbo remained unperturbed. Control reverted to Magik when he vacated, then to Belasco when Magik was de-aged and N'astirh was killed during Inferno
. He retained power until recently, when he was overthrown by Amanda Sefton
, who had obtained Magik's soulsword and was now calling herself Magik.
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 concept debuted in Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#160, (August 1982) and was created by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and Brent Anderson
Brent Anderson
Brent Anderson is an American comic book artist known for his work on X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills and the comic book series Astro City.- Early life :...
.
History
"Otherplace" has sometimes erroneously been called "Otherworld"; however, in the Marvel Universe, Otherworld is actually the home dimension of the beings who empower and oversee the Captain Britain CorpsCaptain Britain Corps
In Marvel Comics, the Captain Britain Corps is a league of super-heroes all known as, or appear as an alternative version of, Captain Britain. They are all essentially the same hero except they each come from an alternative reality.-Fictional team history:...
(not be confused with "Other-Earth", homeworld of Kang the Conqueror.) Limbo's physical law
Physical law
A physical law or scientific law is "a theoretical principle deduced from particular facts, applicable to a defined group or class of phenomena, and expressible by the statement that a particular phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions be present." Physical laws are typically conclusions...
s are primarily magical, though laws of the ordinary universe (such as electromagnetism
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
and gravity) normally apply within its bounds.
It has an ecology composed primarily of demons
Demons (Marvel Comics)
The Marvel Comics universe hosts a number of demons, many of whom are at times at conflict with gods and angels. All possess varying degrees of mystical power, feed upon souls for self-sustenance, and are inclined towards dark or “black” magic - evil....
of various sizes, strengths, and intellects. It is said that its ether
Ether
Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
is much thinner than that of the normal universe, allowing for a greater spectrum of magical powers and effects. All demons within it are magical creatures that possess spell making abilities to a greater or lesser degree. Although Otherplace has a linear history, time within it is not rigid. Many points in its past and future are connected through naturally occurring temporal rifts, and its present is relative to the individual. Its history can be changed by travel through these rifts, but for some reason this is rare.
Limbo is traditionally ruled by a Supreme Sorcerer, either a demonic native or an entity from another universe, often Earth's. Limbo's appearance and physical laws are highly variable, and determined by the power and personal taste of its ruler. It can take the form of an otherworldly paradise, or a rocky, sulfurous perdition. The demons of Limbo traditionally display an attitude of slavish loyalty to its sovereign, and act as servants. They can even assume forms mandated by a sufficiently powerful sorcerer. However, the longer Limbo's ruler spends away from the dimension, the weaker that individual's mystical thrall over it becomes, and the more autonomously the demons begin to act. Left to their own devices they will plot to betray and conquer whoever holds the highest position. They also try to invade other realities if not held in check.
Otherplace generally has a morally and spiritually corrupting influence over its denizens. If human, a resident of the realm slowly metamorphoses into a demonic entity. This change enhances the magical powers of the individual at the cost of their soul. Persons of great moral courage and wisdom can stave off the change for decades, but it is considered inevitable. The transformation usually progresses in stages initiated by the evil acts Limbo demands for survival. Magic in limbo is fundamentally neutral. It is the social and political climate that leads to this process.
The reality of Limbo is generated by a single deposit of a magical metal called promethium
Promethium (comics)
Promethium is the name used for two different fictional substances; one from the DC Comics universe and one from the Marvel Comics universe. These should not be confused with promethium, which is an actual chemical element.-Depleted promethium:...
. In Limbo it takes the form of a giant animal heart, hidden in a cavern deep below its surface. Removal of the promethium to another dimension will cause Limbo to vanish. The heart of Limbo was once sought by the 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...
as an inexhaustible energy source for his nation of Latveria
Latveria
Latveria is a nation in the . It is an isolated European country ruled by the supervillain Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders the Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.-Publication history:Latveria first...
.
Rulers of Otherplace
The complete timeline of Limbo is unknown, but it has had several reigning sorcerers during its history with the Marvel Universe. These include:- BelascoBelascoBelasco is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character's first appearance was in Ka-Zar the Savage #11; he was created by Bruce Jones and Brent Anderson.-Fictional character biography:...
: Commonly referred to as The Demon Belasco, he is primarily human in appearance, and may have been human once. Though wicked as any demon, Belasco lacked the savagery common to Limbo natives. - Illyana Nikolievna RasputinMagik (comics)Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...
: Also known as Magik or the Darkchylde, Rasputin was abducted by Belasco as a child and was raised in Limbo. Belasco employed her as an apprentice, and was eventually overthrown by her. In time her mutant power of teleportationTeleportationTeleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
emerged, allowing her to leave, although she remained Limbo's ruler in absentia up until her death. In the alternate reality of the House of MHouse of MHouse of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, Illyana was returned to life, which inspired Belasco to resurrect her in the restored reality, using his memories and any remaining essence of her left in Limbo. The result was Illyana's Darkchylde persona, seemingly missing the innocent soul that Belasco had always coveted, and he rejected her. After defeating Belasco with the help of the New X-Men, Darkchylde once again ruled Limbo, and focused on recovering her soul. She sought pieces of her soul that had been taken from her before her death - the Bloodstones and her Soulsword. Soon afterwards, in the X-Infernus storyline, Pixie accidentally removed the Soulsword in Nightcrawler with her Souldagger. When Darkchylde left to reclaim it, Witchfire, the daughter of Belasco, seized the throne. Having regained her Soulsword, Illyana was able to resume her more human appearance as Magik, but was captured by Witchfire upon her return, losing the Bloodstone she took from Pixie's soul. During the X-Men's mission to Limbo to save Illyana and recover Pixie's Bloodstone, Witchfire's summoning of the Elder Gods was interrupted, sending her and the amulet containing Illyana's three Bloodstones (as well as one of Pixie's) back with them. When a saddened Magik teleported the X-Men home, they convinced her to stay. What this means for her status as ruler of Limbo, presumably restored after Witchfire's rule ended, is currently unclear. - S'ymS'ymS'ym is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, a demon of Limbo who served as a frequent enemy and sometimes supporting character in The Uncanny X-Men and The New Mutants...
& N'astirhN'astirhN'astirh is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics as a demonic inhabitant of Limbo. He first appeared in X-Factor #32 and was created by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove.-Fictional character biography:...
: Native demons of Limbo, this pair exhibited qualities far exceeding Limbo's average. S'ym was the most physically potent native of Limbo, while N'astirh was a powerful sorcerer. They were right-hand servants of Belasco and then Magik. They jointly seized power when Magik's hold weakened sufficiently due to her prolonged absence, then they tricked her into opening a permanent portal from Earth to Limbo. Their subsequent invasion caused the "InfernoInferno (Marvel Comics)Inferno was a Marvel Comics company-wide crossover in 1989 that mainly involved the mutant titles, namely The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants...
" crossoverFictional crossoverA fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
. N'astirh was weakened when their invasion was repelled, leaving S'ym the sole ruler, but without the Soulsword to strengthen his throne. - Doctor DoomDoctor DoomVictor 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...
: Conquered Limbo during his attempt to claim its precious promethiumPromethium (comics)Promethium is the name used for two different fictional substances; one from the DC Comics universe and one from the Marvel Comics universe. These should not be confused with promethium, which is an actual chemical element.-Depleted promethium:...
. - DarkothDarkothDarkoth is a fictional character, supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four series 1 #142, , and he was created by Gerry Conway and Rich Buckler....
: Wrested the Soulsword from Doom and slew S'ym. Assumed rulership of Limbo and wardenship of Soulsword. End of his rulership is unknown, but the Soulsword was next seen back in Kitty PrydeKitty PrydeKatherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
's possession. - Margali SzardosMargali SzardosMargali Szardos, also known as Margali of the Winding Way, Red Queen or Fata Morgana, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men Annual #4, and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr.Margali is...
: Tricked her daughter, Amanda Sefton, into giving her the Soulsword Kitty had entrusted her with, and used it to kill those ahead of her on the 'Winding Way'. After her attempt to release a demon under London was defeated by her daughter and Excalibur, she was taken captive by Belasco in Limbo, but switched bodies with her daughter at the last second. In Amanda's body, Margali returned to Limbo with Nightcrawler, defeated Belasco, and reclaimed her body. She quickly left, however, leaving Limbo without a ruler. Not wanting to leave the dimension unguarded, Amanda became ruler of Limbo. - Amanda SeftonAmanda SeftonAmanda Sefton is a fictional character, a witch in the Marvel Universe. She is the foster sister and former lover of Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler of the X-Men....
: Took control over Limbo after her mother's abdication. Bearing the Soulsword once again, she assumed the title of Magik. During her time as ruler, she hid the Soulsword for safekeeping inside a visiting Nightcrawler, the purest soul she knew. Although she rebuffed attempts by Belasco, the N'Garai, and Nightmare to recapture Limbo, a later invasion by Belasco resulted in her being driven out.
The Technarchy
Limbo was also briefly controlled by The MagusMagus (Technarchy)
The Magus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.The Magus is a techno-organic patriarch of an alien civilization, and should not be confused with another character called Magus who is associated with Adam Warlock.-Publication history:...
, an alien entity of vast technological power. To save her teammate Warlock
Warlock (New Mutants)
Warlock is a fictional character, a cybernetic alien superhero published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants vol. 1 #18 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.-Publication history:...
, Magik stranded the Magus in Limbo, where she hoped her demon vassals would subdue him. Instead he expanded to fill the entire dimension and radically transformed its ecology within a few days. A sizable percentage of Limbo's demons were infected by the Magus with the Transmode Virus, a techno-organic pathogen that transmogrifies carbon-based organisms into living electronic machines. Although the details are unclear, it is assumed he killed a large number of them by draining them of life energy. He then escaped by unknown means, leaving roughly half the remaining demons shape-shifting, techno-organic beings like himself.
While most living beings are immobilized by the techno-organic transformation, Limbo's demons are apparently immune to that effect. The infection can be transmitted intentionally, but most chose not to pass it on, and the ratio of “natural” to transmuted demons remained relatively stable. For example, at the time of Magik's overthrow, S'ym was a techno-organic demon, whereas N'astirh was not. The domination of Limbo by the Magus was purely physical. Apart from the infections, Limbo remained unperturbed. Control reverted to Magik when he vacated, then to Belasco when Magik was de-aged and N'astirh was killed during Inferno
Inferno (Marvel Comics)
Inferno was a Marvel Comics company-wide crossover in 1989 that mainly involved the mutant titles, namely The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants...
. He retained power until recently, when he was overthrown by Amanda Sefton
Amanda Sefton
Amanda Sefton is a fictional character, a witch in the Marvel Universe. She is the foster sister and former lover of Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler of the X-Men....
, who had obtained Magik's soulsword and was now calling herself Magik.
Other versions
- Storm The X-Men Leader appeared as a sorceress. She first appeared in the Uncanny X-Men #160. She was older than her main counterpart version. She was mercy killed by Illyana in Magik #4.
- NightcrawlerNightcrawler (comics)Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #160. He became the loyal servant of Belasco. He was killed by Cat in Magik #2. - Kitty PrydeKitty PrydeKatherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
She first appeared in Magik #1. She turned to combat and became a warrior. She had been mutated slightly by Belasco to give her cat like features (Eyes, claws and Teeth) and she renamed herself Cat. She was later mutated further into a cat like creature with an animal like mind. She was killed by Illyana in self defense in Magik #3. - Fantastic FourFantastic FourThe 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...
A demonic version of the Fantastic Four appeared in ExcaliburExcalibur (comics)Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
#37-#39. They fought Doctor Doom and Excalibur for the Soulsword.