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Quote1 No, he's not God. He's just the biggest kid in all the playgrounds. And if he knows the principal, he's not exactly chatty about it. Quote2
Mephisto[src]

The Living Tribunal was the personification of multiversal law.[3] As the representative for the One Above All,[4] the Living Tribunal had the highest authority in the Multiverse.[5] The Living Tribunal was slain when the Beyonders (beings from outside the Multiverse) attacked.[6] Following this, the One Above All replaced it with a new Living Tribunal.[7]

Quick Answers

Who is the Living Tribunal in the Marvel Multiverse? toggle section
The Living Tribunal is a vastly powerful humanoid cosmic entity in the Marvel Multiverse. This entity has existed as long as the universe itself and serves to safeguard the Multiverse from an imbalance of mystical forces. The Living Tribunal can prevent one universe from amassing more power than any of the others, or from upsetting the cosmic balance in some way. It is the personification of multiversal law and represents the One Above All, holding the highest authority in the Multiverse. The Living Tribunal was killed by the Beyonders, but was later replaced by a new Living Tribunal by the One Above All.
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What are the powers of the Living Tribunal? toggle section
The Living Tribunal, a vastly powerful humanoid cosmic entity, possesses powers that allow it to safeguard the Multiverse from an imbalance of mystical forces. It can prevent one universe from amassing more power than any of the others, or from upsetting the cosmic balance in some way. The Tribunal also has the ability to prevent an overwhelming imbalance of good or evil within a universe. Notably, the Living Tribunal can nullify the Infinity Gems in unison, a feat worth noting because the Infinity Gauntlet could overpower almost every other cosmic entity simultaneously. The Tribunal's authority comes from the One Above All, and as its servant and representative, the Living Tribunal has the unique ability to contact the One Above All directly.
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Who killed the Living Tribunal and why? toggle section
The Living Tribunal, the personification of multiversal law, was slain by the Beyonders, beings from outside the Multiverse. This attack was part of the Beyonders' attempt to annihilate cosmic entities across the Multiverse. However, after the Living Tribunal's death, the One Above All replaced it with a new Living Tribunal.
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How does the Living Tribunal compare to Eternity in terms of power and authority? toggle section
The Living Tribunal, a vastly powerful cosmic entity, is considered to be the greatest power in the Multiverse, second only to the One Above All. The Living Tribunal's authority comes directly from the One Above All, and it serves as its representative. In terms of power and authority, the Living Tribunal is said to exceed even Eternity. The Tribunal has the unique ability to prevent one universe from amassing more power than any of the others, or from upsetting the cosmic balance in some way, which includes preventing an overwhelming imbalance of good or evil within a universe. This makes the Living Tribunal more powerful and authoritative than Eternity.
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What is the relationship between Adam Warlock and the Living Tribunal? toggle section
Adam Warlock from Earth-19141 took over the position of the Living Tribunal, the personification of multiversal law and judgment. This happened after a cosmic event of great proportions, where the original Living Tribunal was slain by the Beyonders. Adam Warlock's transformation into the Living Tribunal granted him omniscience and the ability to alter his physical characteristics. He also absorbed the essence of his universe's Living Tribunal into himself, further enhancing his powers.
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History

The Living Tribunal was a vastly powerful humanoid cosmic entity who has existed as long as the universe itself. Its function is to safeguard the Multiverse from an imbalance of mystical forces.[8] It may act to prevent one universe from amassing more power than any of the others, or from upsetting the cosmic balance in some way. The Tribunal may also act to prevent an overwhelming imbalance of good or evil within a universe. When a matter involves only one universe, the Tribunal may leave the final judgment to the Abstract Entities there.[9] The Living Tribunal does not possess alternate counterparts, as there is only one Living Tribunal in the Multiverse. However, he does or can exist simultaneously in multiple planes of reality, giving the appearance of multiple variations to the human perception.[6]

Living Tribunal (Multiverse) from Infinity War Vol 1 5 001

The Living Tribunal's faces: Equity, vengeance, necessity

The Tribunal manifests itself as a being with three faces, which represent the three sides of the Tribunal's personality. Its front face, through which it usually speaks, represents equity, the fully hooded face on its right side represents necessity, and the partially hooded face on its left represents vengeance. All three voices must agree in a case before the Tribunal can intervene.[1]

The Living Tribunal's first known encounter with a being of Earth-616 was with Earth's Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange.[10] He later met Rom[11] and the Beyonder.[12] The Tribunal sealed off an alternate Earth devastated by Korvac,[9] and he encountered the Phoenix of an alternate Earth devastated by S'ym and the Goblin Queen.[13]

In a future timeline, the Tribunal encountered the Hawk God and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The Living Tribunal and the Cosmic Congress were responsible for banishing the Hawk God from their midst, which inadvertently led to the origins of Starhawk and Aleta.[14]

When Adam Warlock came into possession of the Infinity Gauntlet, the Tribunal told Warlock he couldn't wield that much power, leading to the creation of the Infinity Watch.[15] Although the Tribunal refused to allow Warlock to wield the Gauntlet, he also ruled against Eternity, who wished the Gems to be placed under his direct supervision.[16]

When the Stranger teleported the Earth of the New Universe to the mainstream Marvel Universe, the Tribunal sealed it off and imprisoned Quasar's girlfriend in there due to the threat the Star Brand had on the balance of power.[17]

He also allied himself with his closest counterpart of the DC Universe, the Spectre, to save their respective universes from being destroyed by two cosmic "brothers".[18]

Although his own duties are purely cosmic in scope, the Living Tribunal maintains a lesser conclave of judicial officers known as the Magistrati to rule on less dire matters.[19]

When the Unmaker of Earth-TRN891 became corrupted and began to destroy its universe, the Living Tribunal defeated it. Containing too much power to be simply eliminated, the Living Tribunal deactivated the Unmaker and sealed it into the core of the newly developed Earth.[20]

Anthony Stark (Earth-616), Uatu (Earth-616), and Living Tribunal (Multiverse) from New Avengers Vol 3 8 001

Dead on the Moon

Uatu and Iron Man found the Living Tribunal on the Moon,[21] having been killed by the Beyonders, and landing on every reality, one sliver of itself for each universe.[6] Its body was used to create the Life Rafts that enabled a few to survive the incursions.[22] Curiously, other parts of its body where found in Earth-23203 where the Artificial Super-Intelligences studied them to harness its power.[23]

Later, Adam Warlock of Earth-19141 was given the title and duties of the Living Tribunal, becoming its replacement.[7]


Court[]

Cosmic Beings from Warlock and the Infinity Watch Vol 1 1 001
Cosmic Beings from Warlock and the Infinity Watch Vol 1 1 002

The Celestial representative here is Ziran and the Watcher representative is Uatu

The Living Tribunal served as the final judge for matters involving cosmic entities.[5] Often, he would gather the upper echelon of the cosmic hierarchy. Cosmic entities do not like it when mortals interrupt the proceedings.[24][25]

Members of the Living Tribunal's court:

Notes[]

Attributes

Power Grid[46]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Poor:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Virtually Unlimited:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Virtually Indestructible:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Warp:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Incalculable:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Omniscient

Powers

The Living Tribunal was the nigh-omnipotent[34] judge of all realities,[26] existing across the Multiverse simultaneously.[35] He could nullify the Infinity Gems in unison,[15] a feat worth noting because the Infinity Gauntlet could overpower almost every other cosmic entity simultaneously.[36][15] The Tribunal was generally considered to be the greatest power in the Multiverse, second only to the One Above All.[5][37][38][7] The Tribunal's authority came from the One Above All,[15] and as its servant and representative,[4][39] the Living Tribunal had the unique ability to contact the One Above All directly.[7]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Notes

  • The Living Tribunal once asserted that if he had a fourth face opposed to the one of equity, it would be the Stranger's,[1][40] or that the fourth face had become the Stranger.[41]
    • The Stranger was angered by those claims since he refused to be related to anyone.[1]
  • The Living Tribunal may or may not have been defeated when Thanos claimed the power of Heart of the Universe for himself, and seemingly absorbed the Living Tribunal, along with Eternity, and Infinity. However, given that Thanos only absorbed and recreated a single universe, whereas the rest of the multiverse suffered no effects from his actions, it was likely just a Manifestation Body/weak avatar of the Tribunal.[42]
    • This interpretation was validated by Marvel's executive editor Tom Brevoort, who stated that like all, "The End" series, the story was intended to have no effect whatsoever on continuity, and if it had, Death would have been made absolute again, which it was not. So the entire event may also have taken place as an "imaginary story" completely outside of Marvel's multiversal continuity.[30][43][44]
  • On Earth-9047 (the Humorverse), the Living Tribunal was seen on a queue to seek a job as guest star and driver for the Quasi-Humans, but he failed to get the contract.[45]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Silver Surfer (Vol. 3) #31
  2. FF (Vol. 2) #16
  3. Ultimates 2 (Vol. 2) #3
  4. 4.0 4.1 Infinity War #2
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Thor Annual #14
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 New Avengers (Vol. 3) #30
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Thanos: The Infinity Finale #1
  8. Strange Tales #158
  9. 9.0 9.1 What If? #32
  10. Strange Tales #157159
  11. Rom #41
  12. Secret Wars II #6
  13. What If...? #6
  14. Guardians of the Galaxy #50
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
  16. Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9
  17. Quasar #5758
  18. DC Versus Marvel #1
  19. She-Hulk #7
  20. Dark Ages #1
  21. New Avengers (Vol. 3) #8
  22. Avengers (Vol. 5) #42
  23. Venom: The End #1
  24. Quasar #37
  25. Guardians of the Galaxy #49
  26. 26.00 26.01 26.02 26.03 26.04 26.05 26.06 26.07 26.08 26.09 26.10 26.11 Infinity Gauntlet #3
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Iron Man (Vol. 6) #15
  28. Guardians of the Galaxy #4650
  29. Marvel Universe: The End #4
  30. 30.0 30.1 Brevoort statement
  31. Marvel Universe: The End #3
  32. Marvel Universe: The End #2
  33. Infinity Gauntlet #23
  34. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #3 ; Glossary: omnipotent
  35. Fantastic Four Annual #23
  36. Infinity Gauntlet #5
  37. Guardians of the Galaxy #47
  38. Thanos Annual #1
  39. Warlock Chronicles #2
  40. All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #11 ; Stranger's entry
  41. All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #6
  42. Marvel Universe: The End #6
  43. Brevoort statement
  44. Brevoort statement
  45. What The--?! #21
  46. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 6
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