“Order. Chaos. Eternity. Infinity. The In-Betweener. They're abstractions. Concepts manifesting themselves as entities.”
Abstract entities are conceptual cosmic beings that do not have physical form. They manifest through "M-Bodies" provided from the Dimension of Manifestations.[2]
History
Abstracts are embodiments of concepts. Some of them were "born" when the universe was created, such as Eternity, Infinity, Death, Master Order, and Lord Chaos.[11] Some are older, such as Oblivion and the Living Tribunal.[12][13] Abstracts can be still born after the Big Bang, such as Eternity's children,[14] Epoch,[15] and the In-Betweener.[16]
The abstracts were decimated when the Multiverse was destroyed by the Beyonders and the incursions.[17][18] A coalition of the principal abstracts, including the Living Tribunal, attempted to challenge the Beyonders but were completely overpowered and were wiped out.[17]
Miscellaneous
Type of Government
Three intermediaries (front) and their six masters (back)
As of the Eighth Cosmos, the principal abstracts are divided into four pairs.[22][21] Also, they have lesser intermediaries, except for The-Powers-That-Be and The-Natural-Order-of-Things.[23]
- The Living Tribunal and Oblivion (Intermediary: the Preordained)
- Eternity and Infinity (Intermediary: Continuum[24])
- Master Order and Lord Chaos (Intermediary: the In-Betweener)
- The-Powers-That-Be and The-Natural-Order-of-Things
There are other groupings among the abstracts, such as Life and Death,[26] Mistress Love and Sire Hate,[27] Eternity's many children,[28][29][30] the Queen of Nevers and the Griever at the End of All Things (who also use agents for their roles and conflict),[31] etc.
In addition, even though former iterations of the Multiverse are defunct, their embodiments still live on in the Far Shore or the Mystery because "nothing truly dies." They form the "Ultimate Ultimates."[32] Generally, they have nothing to do with the current Multiverse, but the Never Queen was originally one of those embodiments and she interacts with the current Multiverse from outside of it.[33][34]Representatives
Notes
- In the Seventh Cosmos, the quartet of Eternity, Infinity, Death, and Oblivion was called "the four points of the cosmological compass"[35] or "the four pillars of reality."[36]
- This is no longer applicable in the Eighth Cosmos.[21] Instead, there are eight "Ur divisors":[22] the Living Tribunal, Oblivion, Eternity, Infinity, Master Order, Lord Chaos, The-Powers-That-Be, and The-Natural-Order-of-Things.[25][37] The former six also received redesigns for G.O.D.S., which can be viewed here.
- The term "abstract entity" is sometimes used interchangeably with "cosmic entity." Galactus, Celestials, Aspirants, and even the Proemial Gods have all been called abstracts.[5][38][39][10]
- As clarified in Quasar #37, Galactus, Celestials, the Stranger, Watchers, etc. are not actually abstract entities, but they can manifest M-Bodies in the same fashion as abstracts.
- Regardless, these beings share similar stature to abstracts and are frequently grouped together.
Trivia
See Also
- 615 appearance(s) of Abstract Entities
- 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Abstract Entities
- 211 minor appearance(s) of Abstract Entities
- 28 mention(s) of Abstract Entities
- 16 image(s) of Abstract Entities
- 199 representative(s) of Abstract Entities
Links and References
References
- ↑ Quasar #20
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Quasar #37
- ↑ Iceman #3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Thanos Imperative #1
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thanos Imperative #2
- ↑ Ultimates (Vol. 3) #6
- ↑ Ultimates (Vol. 3) #11
- ↑ Thanos Imperative #4
- ↑ Avengers Academy #7
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ultimates 2 (Vol. 2) #9
- ↑ History of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #1
- ↑ Iceman #3–4
- ↑ Adventures of the X-Men #12
- ↑ Quasar #2
- ↑ Quasar #27
- ↑ Doctor Strange (Vol. 2) #28
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 New Avengers (Vol. 3) #30
- ↑ Secret Wars #1
- ↑ Secret Wars #9
- ↑ Ultimates 2 (Vol. 2) #2–3
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Immortal Thor #11
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 G.O.D.S. #3
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 G.O.D.S. #1
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 G.O.D.S. #6
- ↑ Genis-Vell: Captain Marvel #5
- ↑ Infinity Gauntlet #3
- ↑ Captain Marvel (Vol. 4) #25
- ↑ Starbrand & Nightmask #3
- ↑ Loki (Vol. 3) #3
- ↑ Scarlet Witch (Vol. 4) #2
- ↑ Ultimates 2 #100
- ↑ Defenders (Vol. 6) #4
- ↑ Defenders: Beyond #4
- ↑ Quasar #25
- ↑ History of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #1 ; annotations: Abstracts
- ↑ G.O.D.S. #8
- ↑ Secret Wars II #6
- ↑ New Avengers (Vol. 4) #12
- ↑ Guardians of the Galaxy #47