Celestials
PURPOSE: Full Purpose Unknown, To Judge the Worthiness of a Species to Exist AFFILIATIONS: Eternals ENEMIES: Unknown PROMINANT MEMBERS: Arishem the Judge, Ashema the Listener, Devron the Experimenter, Eson the Searcher, Exitar the Executioner, Gamiel the Manipulator, Gammenon the Gatherer, Hargen the Measurer, Jemiah the Analyzer, Nezarr the Calculator, One Above All, Oneg the Prober, Scathan the Approver, Tefral the Surveyor, Tiamut the Dreaming Celestial, Ziran the Tester TECHN(OLOGY LEVEL : Celestials have mastered an unknown form of advanced technology which is some of the most sophisticated in the universe PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Celestials are beings who manifest their energies inside physical shells, most appearing as armor. Most Celestials stand about 2000 feet tall. All Celestials possess cosmic power of an unknown limit. Celestials rarely communicate and will usually send representatives to speak on their behalf. Each Celestial is outfitted for a certain task or duty BASE OF OPERATIONS: Universe 616, the Celestials have visited many worlds FIRST APPEARENCE: Eternals #2 (1976)
HISTORY :
The Celestials are a star-faring race of humanoid aliens who possess untold cosmic power. Standing two thousand
feet tall, the Celestials are clad in full body armor. No Earth being has ever seen what they look like beneath
their armor or knows their origin.
What is known is that they have visited the Earth at four different periods in the Earth's past, each time
altering the course of history. The first Celestial Host came to Earth approximately one million years ago to
perform genetic tests and experimentation on Earth's highest lifeform, the nascent human being. Testing the
versatility of human genes, the First Host created two sub-species of humanity, the Eternals and the Deviants.
Their sole legacy to the mainstream human race was the implantation of a dormant DNA complex which would one
day permit benevolent mutations.
The Second Celestial Host came to Earth approximately twenty-five thousand years ago to inspect the results of
their first visit. Finding the direction of Deviants technology counter-productive, the Celestials destroyed the
Deviants' major stronghold, Lemuria. Repercussions of that destruction caused tectonic plate shifting that
eventually contributed to the sinking of the continent of Atlantis.
The Third Celestial Host arrived on Earth one thousand years ago to inspect the progress of the human race.
Their landing site was arranged by the Eternals working in conjunction with the Incas of Peru. The Third Host
was met by a contingent of Earth's mythological gods, including Odin of the Asgardians and Zeus of the Olympians,
who challenged the Celestials' right to interfere in Earth's affairs. The outcome of that encounter was that all
of the major races of gods swore to forego their active involvement in the destiny of mankind.
The Fourth Celestial Host arrived in recent years in order to judge mankind's worthiness now that the dormant
DNA complex for benevolent mutations had become activated by the worldwide increase in radiation levels. The
Celestials deemed humanity fit to survive. A group of twelve human beings representing the great accomplishments
of mankind accompanied the Celestials when they left Earth.
It is not known how many Celestials there are in existence. Even the number of Celestials on Earth in the Fourth
Host is a mystery. Nine were known by name and function, others were glimpsed but not identified. The Fourth Host
was led by the Celestial known only as The One Above All, who remained aboard the orbiting mother ship during the
entire stay on Earth. The head of the landing party was Arishem.
However, it is known that the Celestials have visited many other worlds in order to perform genetic experimentation.
For example, the Skrulls are known to be a result of Celestial experimentation. The Celestials have returned to
judge many of these worlds, and Earth is apparently the only one of these that they judged favorably and hence did
not destroy for posing a potential menace to the universe.
There have only been indications of the full scope of the Celestials' power. Each member of the Fourth Host
withstood a full frontal attack by the collective power of the Eternals and the Asgardians. Arishem has been
shown to have sufficient power to permanently seal dimensional portals to the godly realms. The Celestials are
not indestructible, however. During the Third Host, the Celestials used their combined might to slay one of their
brethren for breach of conduct.
Another indication of the Celestials' power is that when the Fourth Host left Earth, they eradicated all evidence
of their recent and past presence from the minds and records of mortal men. Only the Eternals, Deviants, dimensional
gods of Earth, and a handful of human beings are now aware of their existence and remember the nature of their
visits.
Celestials
