When the first of us appears to you, faithful one, look well upon his visage — and know the meaning of our mission!

-- Celestial^[1]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Appearance 1.2 Agenda 1.3 History 1.4 The Celestial Home Universe 1.5 The Watchers 1.6 The Monolith 1.7 X-Men 2 Alternate Universes 2.1 Earth X (Earth-9997) 2.2 Mutant X (Earth-1298) 2.3 Mad Celestials (Earth-4280) 2.4 Ultimate Celestials (Celestial City) (Earth-1610) 3 Powers and Abilities 3.1 Powers 3.2 Abilities 3.3 Average Strength level 3.4 Weaknesses 4 Habitat 5 Miscellaneous 6 Antibodies & Other Tools 7 Notes 8 Trivia 9 See Also 10 Links and References

History

The Celestials are a species of extremely powerful extra-terrestrial cosmic beings. The alien race influenced key events in human history for mysterious and unclear reasons. They were responsible for key human evolutionary events, such as the genetic-offshoot races the Eternals and the Deviants as well as the emergence of super-humans. They were also credited with influencing and aiding the development of some ancient advanced civilizations such as the Aztecs.

Appearance

The Celestials resemble massive armor-clad humanoids of enormous size, with most more than two thousand feet (600 meters) in height and some even larger.

Agenda

They were 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. The Celestials conducted similar experiments on other species, such as the Skrulls, whose main and Eternal branches were soon supplanted by the Deviant, shape-shifting branch of that race.

The exact purpose of the Celestials' genetic manipulation was unknown, and they went to great lengths to preserve their freedom to conduct such experiments. Should an experimented race "fail" by the Celestials' standards, Arishem arrived on the target world to herald the coming of Exitar the Exterminator, a Celestial ten times his height that "purified" the offending world and race by destroying its non-life-affirming elements. Thor was on the planet Pangoria when this happened, and was told the issues at stake were "too great for even an immortal to grasp".^[2]

History

Due to their imposing presence, all-concealing armor, and seeming indifference to those whom they judge, the Celestials 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 most of humanity. The only entities remaining aware of the Celestials' existence were the Asgardians, who actively opposed the Celestials' unrevealed motives; the other pantheons; and Earth's Eternals and Deviants. In modern times, however, with the rise of superhumans, many superheroes rediscovered the existence of the Celestials.

The Celestial Home Universe

One of the most baffling aspects of the Celestials is their origin. No one, not even the Watchers, ever knew where they came from. Nathaniel Richards once speculated that they really lived in hyperspace, and that their sets of armor were channels in which they could exist in this reality. Another theory came from the mysterious "Celestial Universe" discovered during a trip through alternate realities by Dr. Doom, The Thing, The Human Torch and Sharon Ventura. It was a reality completely overrun by Celestials and was only seen very briefly. Another place thought to be the Celestial homeworld by The Beyonder was a string of planets connected by Celestial technology. It was called the World Complex Headquarters and was converted into a tourist trap by various alien races so that they could view the Celestials daily. It turned out that The Celestials made this as an illusion to fool the Beyonder, and they also allowed him to beat them which in turn led to his rejection of friendship by the female mutant Tabitha Smith. There is also evidence that they were directly created by Eternity.

However despite all these claims there are still no leads as to who the Celestials truly are and where they came from. Many alien races accepted a diversity of beliefs as to their origins. Some of these beliefs led to interstellar war between two or more races. It is possible that the only one who really knows the truth behind the origin of the Celestials was the Supreme Being.

The Watchers

In opposition to the Celestials' agenda were the Watchers. Having sworn an oath of non-interference in species younger than themselves, the Watchers found the Celestials' genetic engineering of such species to be the antithesis of what they believed. Thus, the Watchers and the Celestials were in conflict for billions of years.^[3]

The Monolith

The creators of the legendary Black Monoliths were the Celestials, who had sent it to help record vast amounts of data over the centuries. An Arishem lookalike Celestial took off with the Monolith and Machine Man, (who was inside the Monolith at the time.) It was never revealed what happened to X-51 during his time with the Celestials. Later, however, the Celestials dumped Machine Man back on Earth after allowing him to travel with them for a time because they considered him to be "total ☠☠☠☠."^[4]

X-Men

After Mr. Sinister tampered with the Dreaming Celestial the Host came to Earth, seeking retribution. Cyclops' Extinction Team faced them down and asked them to leave; they consented when the Dreaming Celestial itself told them to, pointing skyward.

Alternate Universes

Earth X (Earth-9997)

According to the visions of Kyle Richmond, and the Watchers equipment, the Celestials came from the same universe as the Elders of the Universe. These beings would advance their natural evolution to such a state in which they would begin to lose all definition. In an attempt to maintain what little identity they had left, the Celestials would create giant suits of armor out of Vibranium to cohabitate. The Celestials also lost the means to reproduce, and would soon find a very devastating way around this: By "impregnating" a planet with a portion of their essence, it would become an "embryo" that would gestate and grow into a new member of their race. The planet in question would also be "injected" with Vibranium to form into a new shell for the newly born Celestial. As a form of protection of that growing Celestial, it's "parents" would manipulate the DNA of a planets dominant life form to gain super-abilities and unknowingly act as antibodies, protecting the planet until the Celestial is born.

Each race they manipulated would have three tiers of mutation, the first would be for each individual to manifest their own powers. These powers usually would manifest when triggered by a catalyst (radiation for example), and the powers would vary depending on a number of factors, usually a combination of the outside catalyst and the subjects subconscious image of themselves. The second tier would be have every member of their race exhibit the same ability, and the third would be a total loss of identity, those at this stage would be defined by what others around believed them to be. This was installed as a failsafe, should the Celestials ever have to quell a rebellion, it would be a matter of willing their wayward anti-bodes dead.

The Celestials would soon over populate their home universe causing it's collapse and the event that would lead to it's own creation. This event would lead to the birth of Galactus, who unknown to most but the most cosmically aware was actually an equalizer to insure that the Celestials would never overpopulate the universe again by feeding on some of the planets they impregnate.

In the early days of the new universe, the Watchers would be forced to maintain their pact of non-involvement by the Celestials after not acting to prevent the birth of Galactus, and then later interfering with an alien race which would then create atomic weapons that would destroy their world. The Celestials would then place a Watcher on a moon of each other worlds they impregnated. Forced to watch these worlds, the Watchers eventually would work to maintain the Celestials propagation roles, and at least in the case of Uatu, Earth's Watcher, interfere with events on the planet when they threatened the Celestial's plans.

Over the centuries, the Celestials would be responsible for manipulating the Kree, the Skrulls, the Asguardian's and many more. The Earth became subject to one of the Celestial's propagations during the time of the dinosaurs. Removing a portion of the Earth to create the moon, the Celestials were responsible for the dinosaurs extinction. They would place Uatu on Earth's moon.

Next the Celestials would manipulate the DNA of mankind, however some tribes of humans would escape the Celestials manipulations, such as the Moon tribe. The Celestials would create the Deviants and the Eternals to keep the human race in check until they themselves would begin mutating with special powers due to their own natural evolution. The Celestials involvement in the universe since is presumably the same as that of Earth-616.

In recent times, Reed Richards had succeeded in converting Galactus into a star, thus throwing off the universal balance, and being forced to work with the High Evolutionary and the Silver Surfer to advance his son Franklin's mutation to the third teir and convince him that he is Galactus in order to restore that balance.

When the entire human race was mutated by the release of the Terrigen Mists in Earth's atmosphere, it spet up the natural process of the planets evolution. The Celestials would come to Earth in order to terminate the project, however they would get opposition by the new Galactus, who would fight them off until they retreated. Galactus would then kill the Celestial growing in Earth's core, but sparing the planet. It would cause the mass of the planet to change and throw it's axis off, but this too in time would be corrected.

Since then, the Celestials have had no contact with Earth, nor are their current activities known, however X-51 had gathered a group of Heralds from other realities for the purpose of informing the Earth's of each reality of the potential danger of the Celestials.

The Celestials' physical forms are almost completely lacking in definition, and are probably an energy base of some kind. In order to maintain individuality, they have constructed giant suits of armor to habitate. These suits of armor are constructed out of Vibranium.

They are an alien race that advanced it's natural evolution to a point in which their species almost lost all sense of identity. In order to maintain individuality, they would construct suits of armor to live in. Impregnating planets with their essence, they would reproduce. This brought upon the end of the previous universe. The Celestials survived the death of the old universe and have started their procreation anew.^[5]

The Watchers were revealed to have been enslaved by the Celestials as guardians of unborn celestials which existed in certain planets such as Earth.

Mutant X (Earth-1298)

The only beings in the universe who were able to contain the Goblin Entity (they weren't able to kill it) prior to the birth of Scotty Summers.^[6]

Mad Celestials (Earth-4280)

The Celestials of this world became convinced they were gods and attempted to conquer the Multiverse by use of the Interdimensional Council of Reeds. They were defeated by the combined forces of Galactus and a Franklin Richards from an alternate future.

Ultimate Celestials (Celestial City) (Earth-1610)

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Vast Cosmic Powers with no known upper limit. Armor able to withstand planet shattering impacts with ease.

Abilities

Various

Average Strength level

Beyond Class 100

Weaknesses

None known

Habitat

Habitat: Habitat of this race is unknown.
Gravity: Gravity of this race is unknown.
Atmosphere: Atmosphere of this race is unknown.
Population: Population of this race is unknown.

Miscellaneous

Type of Government: Unknown
Level of Technology: Highly Advanced
Cultural Traits: Unknown

Representatives:

Antibodies & Other Tools

Notes

• They were created by Jack Kirby, first appearing in The Eternals #1 (July 1976).
• The concept of the Celestials and their involvement in human history may have been inspired by the theories of Erich von Däniken, which were first explored in the 1968 book Chariots of the Gods.
• Brio, one of the Proemial Gods (the first lifeforms to appear in the current universe), bears a resemblance to the Celestials. Her connection (if any) has yet to be explained, though she was tasked with "the welfare of fledgling lifeforms," a task similar to that carried out by the Celestials.
• It is possible that the only one who really knows the truth behind the origin of the Celestials was the Supreme Being (seen by some as Jack Kirby), the creator of the Marvel Multiverse.
• The Legendary Black Monolith from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey entered Marvel Continuity long ago (Mostly because of Nostalgia, since Machine Man's first appearance was in the 2001 Comics). In the final issue of Machine Man it was revealed that the creators of the Monolith were the Celestials, who had sent it to help record vast amounts of data over the centuries.

Trivia

• No trivia.

See Also

• Discuss Celestials on the forums
• Appearances of Celestials
• Race Gallery: Celestials
• Images of Celestials

Links and References

• Knightmare6.com; Marvel Cosmic Entities
• The Grand Comics Database
• The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators