Gravitonium (Symbol: Gr), is a rare, high atomic number element that possesses unique gravitational properties. Gravitonium has an atomic number of 123 and an atomic mass of 308.
History[]
- "Gravitonium above all."
"Why gravitonium?"
"Because its power is unlimited. It can bend space, build empires and destroy them." - ―Qovas and Phil Coulson[src]
Gravitonium is an extremely rare, high atomic numbered element;[1] in fact, it is considered to be so rare that most people did not believe it even existed. Gravitonium's existence and applications were first theorized by Doctor Franklin Hall.
Hall theorized the element's effects on gravity, and was possibly the only scientist that could determine how to control the gravitational field produced by the element for use on other objects. As part of his theories about Gravitonium, Hall also designed a theoretical machine that could stimulate the element in a way that would allow its gravitational fields to be harnessed.
After two decades of searching twelve mines across the world, an actual store of Gravitonium was discovered by Hall's former associate, Ian Quinn. Quinn wished to use the element for his own personal gains and began building miniature Gravity Field Generators based on Hall's designs. Quinn later kidnapped Hall himself so that he could unlock the secrets behind using the new element.
Franklin Hall is consumed by the Gravitonium
After Hall's plans were thwarted and he was consumed by the element, the mass of Gravitonium was placed in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s possession beneath the storage facility known as the Fridge.[2]
During the exposure of the HYDRA infiltration, Victoria Hand planned to capture and kill Phil Coulson's team under the assumption that they were undercover HYDRA agents.
Agent Grant Ward discussed with Coulson the different assets the team carried and the risk they posed to HYDRA exposure, believing that the Gravitonium was among them. Coulson corrected him and revealed its true location.[3]
John Garrett steals the Gravitonium
The Gravitonium was later obtained by John Garrett and Ward during a HYDRA attack on the Fridge and given to Quinn. Neither Ward nor Garrett seemed to know Hall was inside the element.[4]
As he stood over the Gravitonium with Raina discussing giving it to Quinn, Garrett said he could see "its soul."
During the Battle at Cybertek, Quinn and Raina decided to take the Gravitonium and left.[5] However, Raina then opened the Gravitonium's container, telling Quinn that it wanted him, before the substance suddenly consumed him.[6]
The Gravitonium was transferred on the Principia ship's cargo to a facility in the Pacific Ocean. However, during the transport, the ship was hit by lightning, causing the Gravitonium to be charged and create a gravity field, which lifted the ship miles above the sea level. General Hale of the United States Air Force sent her Sleeper Mechs to retrieve the Gravitonium, only to leave a small amount to lift the ship.[7] The Gravitonium was delivered to the Confederacy as part of the deal the organization made with Hale.[8]
Using the Gravitonium from Deke Shaw's Gravity Puck, Leo Fitz created the Gravity Containment Device, which was used by Phil Coulson to close the Fear Dimension rift.[9]
Quake manipulating the Gravitonium
The amount of Gravitonium was not enough to seal the rift, so S.H.I.E.L.D. tracked down the Principia. Alphonso Mackenzie used a plastic box to take the remaining Gravitonium off the ship and bring it to the Lighthouse.[7] Fitz unsuccessfully tried to compress the Gravitonium to insert it into the new Gravity Containment Device. Following his failure, the dark personality of The Doctor took over and removed Daisy Johnson's Inhuman Control Device, unlocking her powers, which she used to compress the Gravitonium into the sphere.[10]
Hale later told a captive Coulson her plan to use Gravitonium to backstab the Confederacy by resurrecting Project Destroyer of Worlds by using Daniel Whitehall's Particle Infusion Chamber to infuse Daisy Johnson with Gravitonium, amplifying her powers to make a force to be reckoned with.[8]
Carl Creel loses control of the Gravitonium
Hale later had Absorbing Man try to absorb the Gravitonium to understand its properties. Instead, the Gravitonium tried to absorb him, causing Creel to experience violent visions of Dr. Hall's encounter with Coulson years earlier, as well as Quinn, leading him to believe the substance to be alive.[6]
After Ruby Hale went rogue and disobeyed her mother, she and Werner von Strucker arrived at the facility where the Particle Infusion Chamber was held in order to complete Project Destroyer of Worlds. She forced Fitz and Simmons to repair the machine after the two had broken it. Despite their efforts to convince Ruby about the danger of her plan, Ruby entered the chamber and was infused with Gravitonium. The process caused her suffering, so Strucker stopped it after she was infused with only 8% of the Gravitonium. Ruby gained the power to manipulate gravity; however, the voices of Dr. Hall and Quinn were inside her head too. She accidentally killed Strucker and caused a huge disturbance in the room. While Hale and Johnson tried to calm her down, Yo-Yo Rodriguez entered the room and killed Ruby out of revenge for cutting her arms off. Ruby's body then began to float in the air and then the Gravitonium busted out of her. Furious at S.H.I.E.L.D. for killing her daughter, Hale told Qovas of the Confederacy the location of S.H.I.E.L.D., promising him that they had the Gravitonium he desired.[11]
Coulson planned to throw the Gravitonium into the Sun to destroy the element and had Deke extract a small amount into a cylinder to power Zephyr One for spaceflight. However, Qovas sent his Remorath warriors into the Lighthouse to reclaim the Gravitonium. Glenn Talbot got into the Particle Infusion Chamber and infused himself with the remaining 92% of Gravitonium. With his new powers, Talbot killed all of the Remorath inside the base and flew with Coulson to Qovas' warship.[12]
Glenn Talbot kills Crixon with Gravitonium
Onboard Qovas' warship, Talbot showed dominance by using his powers and thus gained Qovas' compliance. He arranged a meeting with the leaders of the Confederacy, where Talbot used the Gravitonium to swallow Crixon in order to get a seat among them. The Kree leader Taryan Kasius warned Talbot about Thanos' attack on Earth, and told him to look for more Gravitonium beneath the Earth's surface in order to stand a chance against the Mad Titan. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. powered Zephyr One with Gravitonium, so that it would have the capability of flying in space.[13]
Talbot arrived on Earth and absorbed Creel with Gravitonium, to gain more of it. He then kidnapped Robin Hinton so she would tell him where to find the Gravitonium beneath Earth's surface.[14] She used a globe to show Talbot where the Gravitonium was, revealing that at least half of the Earth contained at least small amounts of it. Thus he piloted the Remorath ship to Chicago, where he used his powers to raise a column of Earth to extract the small amount of Gravitonium beneath it.[15]
During the final battle between Quake and Talbot, Quake, empowered after being forced to inject Centipede Serum to avoid being absorbed, shot him out into space, where he froze and perished, taking the Gravitonium (and possibly Hall and Quinn) inside his body with him.[15]
Alternate Universes[]
Destroyed Earth[]
- "I was trying to figure out how it was all possible... a planet this shape with atmosphere. Gravitonium would explain why it's held together."
"And maybe why it was cracked apart." - ―Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons[src]
In an alternate timeline, S.H.I.E.L.D. used the last of the Centipede Serum to save Phil Coulson's life, leaving it unavailable to Quake and resulting in Glenn Talbot absorbing her into the Gravitonium he was infused with, not only leaving him unopposed as he destructively mined more but granting him a dangerously enhanced version of Quake's powers. Following the resulting Destruction of Earth, the Kree Watch used Gravitonium to power the artificial gravity of the Lighthouse.[16] The Gravity Pucks owned by the human inhabitants like Deke Shaw or Tess also featured Gravitonium.[17]
When Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz were in Zephyr One, trying to make it function again, they discovered Gravitonium being used as the artificial gravity of the plane. They realized that it was proof that they would eventually return to the present and use the designs on the Lighthouse to upgrade the Zephyr with artificial gravity.[18]
Capabilities[]
- "Gravitonium distorts gravity fields within itself, causing an undulating, amorphous shape."
"Which causes these, um, wiggly bits here. But when an electric current is applied, the Gravitonium solidifies. And those gravity fields erupt, randomly changing the rules of gravity around it." - ―Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz to Skye[src]
Gravitonium possesses unique gravitational properties. A mass of Gravitonium atoms distorts gravity fields within itself, giving itself an undulating, amorphous shape that is akin to liquid. However, when stimulated by an electrical current, the mass of Gravitonium will solidify into a uniform sphere and causes powerful gravity fields to emanate outwardly from it. These gravity fields cause changes in the rules of gravity in various ways within a certain proximity of it. This can range from phenomenon such as levitating objects by reversing the pull of gravity or increasing gravity and shifting the direction/point of attraction.[2] Gravitonium can also absorb beings into itself, similar to Zero Matter, as shown with Franklin Hall, Ian Quinn, Crixon and Carl Creel.
Effects on Human Beings[]
- "The side effects of Gravitonium are catastrophic. Ruby absorbed just a fraction..."
"And it drove her completely insane." - ―Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz[src]
If infused with a human being, Gravitonium will grant that person gravitational powers and the ability to absorb both more Gravitonium and people. However, it will also cause a marked, immediate deterioration in their mental state, especially when it has absorbed people and if the person infused with it was mentally unstable to begin with - Ruby Hale could not handle the voices of those absorbed into the Gravitonium she was infused with and went mad with grief after accidentally killing Werner von Strucker, and Glenn Talbot, though seeming to gain control of the voices due to his military background, quickly developed a messiah complex that turned him into an unhinged narcissist and led him to nearly destroy the Earth he believed he was protecting. Carl Creel, easily the most stable of the three known to have been infused, eventually managed to resist the voices after his partial infusion; however, this was after attempting to kill Phil Coulson at Hall's urging, and he ended up hospitalized from attempting to smash his own head in to free Hall and Quinn.
Alternate Versions[]
| Origin | Status | Owners | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destroyed Earth | Active | True Believers Kree Watch Deke Shaw S.H.I.E.L.D. |
Deke Shaw Glenn Talbot † S.H.I.E.L.D. Kree Watch |
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- In the comics, Franklin Hall is modified at the molecular level by Gravitons, a sub-molecular type of particle able to mediate the force of gravity.
References[]
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season One Declassified
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.03: The Asset
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.17: Turn, Turn, Turn
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.18: Providence
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.22: Beginning of the End
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.16: Inside Voices
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.13: Principia
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.15: Rise and Shine
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.12: The Real Deal
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.14: The Devil Complex
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.18: All Roads Lead...
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.19: Option Two
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.20: The One Who Will Save Us All
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.21: The Force of Gravity
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.22: The End
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.07: Together or Not at All
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.01: Orientation Part One
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.09: Best Laid Plans
