Celestials - Definition

The Celestials are a fictional species of very powerful beings in the Marvel Comics' universe. The Celestials resemble massive armor-clad humanoids two thousand feet in height. 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. They have conducted similar experiments on other species such as the Skrulls, whose mainline 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; however, 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 and heralds 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 he was told that the issues at stake were "too great for even an immortal to grasp". Any one Celestial (so far) has been shown to be powerful enough to disregard any entity not a threat to its own survival.

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 mainline humanity. Only the Asgardians, who actively opposed the Celestials' unrevealed motives, the other pantheons of the Marvel Universe, and Earth Eternals and Deviants remained aware of the Celestials' existence.

First Appearances

• Arishem the Judge in:Eternals (1976 series) #2
• The Dreaming Celestial in Eternals (1976 series) #18
• Eson the Searcher in Eternals (1976 series) #9
• Gammenon the Gatherer in Eternals (1976 series) #4
• Hargen the Measurer in Eternals (1976 series) #9
• Jemiah the Analyzer in Eternals (1976 series) #7
• Nezarr the Calculator in Eternals (1976 series) #9
• The One Above All in Eternals (1976 series) #7
• Oneg the Prober in Eternals (1976 series) #9
• Tefral the Surveyor in Eternals (1976 series) #7
• Ziran the Tester in Eternals (1976 series) #18

Quotations

• "When the first of us appears to you, faithful one - Look well upon his visage - and know the meaning of our mission!"

-- the only time the Celestials speak, Eternals (1976 series) #2

External links

• Sersi's Loft: Home of the Eternals (http://www.geocities.com/brenni_au/) - Celestials (http://www.geocities.com/brenni_au/Celestials.html)