Celestial (comics)
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The Celestials are a group of Marvel Comics extra-terrestrial beings, and were created by Jack Kirby. The Celestials first appeared in The Eternals Vol. 1, #1 (July 1976).
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[edit] Fictional character biography
The Celestials are almost a total enigma. Appearing as a group of massive armoured humanoids with an average height of 2,000 feet, these totally silent beings have only appeared on Earth on a few occasions. What is known is that the Celestials are apparently responsible for the creation of two offshoots of humanity — the Eternals and the Deviants — on Earth over a million years ago. The exact reason for the Celestials' genetic manipulation of proto-humans is unknown, although it is known that the Celestials conduct similar experiments on other races. Each race that the Celestials has experimented on is periodically assessed by Arishem the Judge, and if a race "fails" by Celestials standards, Arishem will send an execution code to Exitar the Executioner, a 10,000 foot tall Celestial who will pass final judgement on the planet in question. On the first occasion that this act was witnessed, Exitar terraformed a planet into a garden paradise, with only the "evil" inhabitants being destroyed, and the survivors being given a second chance. More recent depictions, however, show races that fail the genetic test are destroyed with their planet.
Very few beings on Earth are even aware of the Celestials' existance. The Eternals and Deviants call the Celestials "Space Gods" and know that they visit Earth in "Hosts" on 1,000 year intervals to monitor mankind's progress. It was revealed that Odin and the other Skyfather figures of Earth's pantheons (eg. Zeus, Horus) had been humbled by the Celestial Third Host, and developed a plan to stop the Fourth Host from judging Earth again. Unfortunately this plan failed, but as a result of the offering of the Skymothers (eg. Frigga, Hera) Earth was left in peace until the time of the Fifth Host.
[edit] Powers and abilities
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Based on all encounters to date, the Celestials appear to be omnipotent and all-powerful. The cosmic cube beings, Kosmos and Kubik, who possess unlimited energy, matter and reality manipulation powers stated that a single Celestial has "power many orders of magnitude beyond our own." This was demonstrated when the Celestials defeated a 2,000 foot tall Destroyer with ease - despite the fact that it was controlled by Odin and imbued with the life force of every god in Asgard with the exception of Thor and wielding the Odin Sword.
The Celestials do not appear to be totally invulnerable, as the Destroyer, Thor and the Invisible Woman have managed their armour. The damage, however, is repaired almost immediately and it possible the Celestials have allowed this in order to further their learning about Earth's metahumans.
[edit] Alternate versions
In the series Earth X the Celestials are beings of energy encased in life-preserving vibranium (it prevented their total dissipation). They reproduce by planting a fragment of their essence in a planet, which eventually matures into a new Celestial which absorbs the planet. This brings the Celestials into conflict with Galactus.
[edit] 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 (judged unworthy of life - The Mighty Thor v1 #387-389) and a Fifth Host on an unnamed 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 Brethren 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 Celestials. She 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 California (Eternals Limited #12). 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 (as seen in Fantastic Four #339-340) and manipulated the hunger of a defensless Galactus who was near death, 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.
- It was recently revealed in Eternals #3 (the series by Neil Gaiman) that The Deviants plan to reawaken The Dreaming Celestial. In Eternals #4, it was further revealed that Sprite, using a Uni-Mind link at the resting place of the Dreaming Celestial in order to rewrite reality to make himself human, and to make the Eternals forget of their past. — 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 worlds which fail the Celestials' tests. A full-strength hammer blow from Thor, which shook the entire planet, only managed to punch a small hole in his armor. During a conflict with The Watchers, Exitar's physical form was "murdered" by Sue Storm after she disrupted his "brain case." It was stated however that Exitar will reform after some time.
- 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 escort Blink back to Earth safely while at the same time giving her a warning about the "Timebreaker" — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #6
- Hargen the Measurer A Celestial that measures. True nature of the Job has never been defined. — First appeared in The Eternals (1976 series) #7
- 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 escort 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. (Eternals #9-11).
- 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 Above All — The leader of the Celestials. Not much is known about him; however, both X-Factor and Thor have encountered him. In particular, he has rescued Gilgamesh the "Forgotten", after a Deviant nuclear bomb (Eternals #13), and dispatched him to Olympia to tell both Eternals and gods not to interfere in the Celestial's judgement. In the subsequent battle will be involved Thor and Uni-Mind. (The Mighty Thor v1 #287-291).
- Not to be confused with the entity of the same name whom the Living Tribunal answers to. - 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 Celestials 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 midwifery. 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 its older brethren 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 Kubik traveled the Universe they encountered this strange Celestial standing alone. It allowed them to enter its mind and have a peek at what some of the Celestials' secrets were. 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 godlike child known as Protege. In the end Scathan captured Protege and killed him. Unlike Arishem who judges, Scathan approves and disaproves of certain situations. It is speculated that Scathan was actually a representative 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.
