The Beyonders are an enigmatic and virtually omnipotent higher-dimensional race in Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Beyonders were first mentioned in the team-up comic Marvel Two-in-One #63 (May 1980), by Mark Gruenwald and Jerry Bingham. The Beyonders subsequently appear in Incredible Hulk #263 (September 1981), and Avengers Annual #17 (1988).
The Beyonders received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #1.
An initially unrelated character called the Beyonder was tied to these older characters by Steve Englehart for his "Secret Wars III" story in Fantastic Four #318-319 (Septemberâ€"October 1988). The Beyonder first appeared during the first Secret Wars, as an omnipotent being claiming to be the embodiment of an entire universe. As he became self-aware, he recognized himself as the only person in his universe. According to Englehart, an editor hated the character and ordered the Beyonder "removed" from the Marvel Universe. Englehart did as asked but has stated that he tried to exile the character with dignity. The character was retconned into a less powerful character, a self-aware Cosmic Cube inhabiting his own "dimension" because there was no matrix to hold his energy, with the explanation that other more powerful beings had exercised their powers on the Beyonder's behalf to ease his transition into self-awareness. The Beyonder took his name from the powerful Beyonders who were manipulating his destiny.
Fictional history
The Beyonders are a race of extra-dimensional entities powerful enough to collect planets. Their nature is so alien that they are unable to leave their own dimension and have never been observed by any being of the Earth dimension, and to interact with the Earth dimension they must operate through agents. After becoming aware of the Earth, the Beyonders commissioned the alien Nuwali race to create the Savage Land as part of their study of evolution. Thousands of years later, the Beyonders created the Fortisquians as agents to observe other worlds, including Max. The Beyonders were also responsible for providing the opportunity for the creation of the Cosmic Cubes. The Beyonders have also used the Pegasusian alien race as agents, to tow Counter-Earth to the Beyonders' museum.
The Beyonders study the Marvel Multiverse with amusement and curiosity, and every now and then would shunt a modicum of energy to it in the form of the reality-warping Cosmic Cubes - a practice they appear to have given up after the admonishments by Eternity and the Living Tribunal regarding the disruptive effect of these actions.
When Hank Pym is sent looking for help to stop the incursions, he finds the Beyonders, which he also refers to as the Ivory Kings. They are revealed to have killed the Living Tribunal, along with all the Celestials, and every abstract entity (Including Eternity, Infinity, Lord Chaos, Master Order, and the In-Betweener) in the entire Marvel Multiverse.
References
External links
- Beyonders at Marvel.com
- Beyonders at Marvel Wiki
