Young Gods (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Young Gods are a fictional group in the Marvel Comics
universe
. They are a group of twelve young human beings who were chosen by the major pantheons of Earth's goddesses
to represent the finest qualities of humanity and the pinnacle of mankind's genetic potential and cultural accomplishment.
announced that they would return in a millennium to judge humanity. The male godheads of the various pantheons
agreed to prepare to battle them. Fearing that the Celestials were too powerful, Gaea gathered the female godheads and formed an alternate plan: to prove humanity's worth by choosing 12 individuals, each one representing the best of a human activity, knowledge, endeavor or talent (such as music or hunting), making them into gods, and putting them into a magical sleep under the Earth, watched over by goddesses (each pantheon taking turns) until the Celestials returned. After a failed attack by the Asgardians, Gaea presented the Young Gods to the Celestials and they accepted them, judging that Earth would survive. They then left for space, taking the Young Gods with them to educate them.
The Celestials had two aliens teach both combat and philosophy to the Young Gods, for what purpose is unknown even to them. The Young Gods briefly visited Earth and helped defeat the undead
Celtic god, Nuada of the Silver Hand.
After years of waiting on the silent and unmoving Celestials for a sign, the Young Gods go mad and descend into deviant behavior for the hopes of even the slights of acknlowedgements. They then decide that the Celestials must wish for them to use their powers and act on their own. Upon deciding this, the group left the Celestials' spacecraft and returned to earth where they intended to use the consciousness of all humans on the planet to create a new Celestial. They decide to start with the island nation of Madripoor
and extend outwards. Upon learning of this, the Eternals
, who were unaffected by the Young Gods' power to drain consciousness, encountered and attempted to stop them. Eventually, the Eternals convince Varua that the Celestials may have been testing them with their silence and coming to Earth may be the wrong choice. While Varua hesitates to ponder the possibility of being wrong, she is killed and the other Young Gods immediately fall to the ground, seemingly dead.
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...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. They are a group of twelve young human beings who were chosen by the major pantheons of Earth's goddesses
Gods (Marvel Comics)
Several characters in many Marvel Comics stories have been referred to as gods. Generally, however, only those belonging to two specific types are considered to be the "true" gods. Note that only ONE of these beings are divine in the commonly understood sense, but most are rather simply powerful...
to represent the finest qualities of humanity and the pinnacle of mankind's genetic potential and cultural accomplishment.
Fictional team history
One thousand years ago, the CelestialsCelestial (comics)
The Celestials are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters first appear in Eternals #1 and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
announced that they would return in a millennium to judge humanity. The male godheads of the various pantheons
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a...
agreed to prepare to battle them. Fearing that the Celestials were too powerful, Gaea gathered the female godheads and formed an alternate plan: to prove humanity's worth by choosing 12 individuals, each one representing the best of a human activity, knowledge, endeavor or talent (such as music or hunting), making them into gods, and putting them into a magical sleep under the Earth, watched over by goddesses (each pantheon taking turns) until the Celestials returned. After a failed attack by the Asgardians, Gaea presented the Young Gods to the Celestials and they accepted them, judging that Earth would survive. They then left for space, taking the Young Gods with them to educate them.
The Celestials had two aliens teach both combat and philosophy to the Young Gods, for what purpose is unknown even to them. The Young Gods briefly visited Earth and helped defeat the undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
Celtic god, Nuada of the Silver Hand.
After years of waiting on the silent and unmoving Celestials for a sign, the Young Gods go mad and descend into deviant behavior for the hopes of even the slights of acknlowedgements. They then decide that the Celestials must wish for them to use their powers and act on their own. Upon deciding this, the group left the Celestials' spacecraft and returned to earth where they intended to use the consciousness of all humans on the planet to create a new Celestial. They decide to start with the island nation of Madripoor
Madripoor
The Principality of Madripoor is a fictional island located in Southeast Asia in the Marvel Comics universe. Based on illustrations, it is in the southern portion of the Strait of Malacca, southwest of Singapore.-Publication history:...
and extend outwards. Upon learning of this, the 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...
, who were unaffected by the Young Gods' power to drain consciousness, encountered and attempted to stop them. Eventually, the Eternals convince Varua that the Celestials may have been testing them with their silence and coming to Earth may be the wrong choice. While Varua hesitates to ponder the possibility of being wrong, she is killed and the other Young Gods immediately fall to the ground, seemingly dead.
Membership
The following are members of the Young Gods:- Bright Sword (Carter Dyam) was a 24-year old Israeli soldier who was approached by the Asgardian god HeimdallHeimdall (comics)Heimdall is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, loosely based on the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. He first appeared in a comic in Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby...
. First appeared in Thor #203 (Sep 1972). - Caduceus (Mark Cadmon) the physician was approached in 1919 at the age of 30 to become one of the Young Gods. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Calculus (Jahaharel Patel) was a scientist, born in 1928, contacted by the gods of the Hindu pantheon at the age of 20. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Daydreamer (Catherine Moranis) was a 25-year-old farm woman in 19th-century Ottawa, Canada. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Genii (Jason Kimball) was a 26-year-old fashion designer when he was approached by the Asgardian god HeimdallHeimdall (comics)Heimdall is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, loosely based on the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. He first appeared in a comic in Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby...
in modern times. First appeared in Thor vol. 1, #202 (Aug 1972). - Harvest (Chi Lo). First appeared in Thor #203 (Sep 1972).
- Highnote (Raoul Hernandez) was a saloon dancer and musician living in Colombia in the 19th century. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Mindsinger (Gregor Buhkarov) was a 28-year old student living in the city of Kiev in the 18th century. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Moonstalker (Kiana) was a 16-year-old Inupiat woman living in 11th century Alaska. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Sea Witch (Bridget O'Hare) was a 17-year old Irish girl living in the 12th century. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Splice (Chandra Ku) was a 13-year-old girl of the Zulu people of 18th century Africa. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).
- Varua (Mira) the spiritual leader of the Young Gods. She was a Polynesian girl born in 1405 on Ruk Island and was approached to become one of the Young Gods when she was 14 years old. First appeared in Thor #300 (Oct 1980).