Arishem the Judge is a Celestial who is known for judging planets to determine their fate following successive visits from Celestial Hosts. It normally takes 50 years for Arishem to decide a verdict. Transcending space and time, the Celestials exist in multiple places simultaneously; thus, Arishem has no problem judging multiple planets at once. Arishem displays his judgment as either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.[5]
History
Celestial War
Arishem was one of the Celestials who rebelled against the Aspirants and First Firmament. They shattered the First Cosmos into the Second Cosmos, the first Multiverse, and later created the Omegas as servitors.[6]
The Celestials were split across the Multiverse. Their counterparts are interconnected aspects of themselves and not separate beings. Thus, the Arishem of Earth-616 is one aspect of the true Arishem.[7]
Knull
Following many multiversal cycles, Arishem and the other Celestials began the creation of the Seventh Cosmos and attempted to recruit Knull, a primordial god of darkness who ruled over the Void that had been formed by the Sixth Cosmos' destruction, to be their King in Black, but he rejected the responsibility.[8] When Knull killed one of Arishem's comrades, the Celestials retaliated by banishing Knull back into the void, though he eventually returned to wage war on them.[9]
Celestial Hosts
Arishem was the leader of all the Four Celestial Hosts on Earth,[10] the Fourth Host on the planet called Pangoria,[11] and the Fifth Host on an unnamed planet in a distant galaxy.[12] Arishem was responsible for the culling of the Deviants during the Second Host visit to Earth and caused the Great Cataclysm that flooded the world.[13] He was also the leader among the delegation of Celestials who waged war on the Watchers in an unknown galaxy.[14] He was one of two Celestials who had the right and ability to judge which planet's civilization would live and which would die.[15] X-Factor had encountered him during Judgement War. Cyclops managed to blow off Arishem's hand with the help of Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, preventing him from casting judgment.[16] Cyclops, along with the X-Men, briefly encountered him again and told him and the rest of the Celestials to leave.[17]
Death & Rebirth
Arishem, along with almost every other Celestial, was killed when the Beyonders attacked the Multiverse.[2] He was later resurrected when the Queen of Nevers used the last surviving Celestial to restore the Celestial race.[3]
Dark Celestials
Before the Final Host of rabid Dark Celestials invaded the Earth to purge the planet, they attacked and killed all existing Celestials, including Arishem, by infecting them with the Horde. Arishem's body was hurled to the Earth to herald the Dark Celestial's arrival, and it landed in London.[18] During the Avengers' final stand against the Dark Celestials, the Horde reanimated the bodies of the fallen Celestials. In order to defeat the Horde, the Avengers merged their energies to form a Uni-Mind, rendering the Horde dormant with its power. The Celestials returned to life and assisted the Avengers in taking down the Dark Celestials.[19]
Multiverse
Unlike you and me, who have separate aspects in each universe, the Celestials exist as aspects of one being linked across the Multiverse simultaneously.Dark Beast
The Celestials exist across the Multiverse simultaneously. A Celestial's alternate reality selves are actually aspects of the same being.[7] Despite this, their alternate aspects may have very different histories from the ones in the mainstream Marvel Universe.
Marvel Apes (Earth-8101)
On Earth-8101, this aspect of Arishem the Judge was one of the Celestials who visited Earth.[20]
Earth-X (Earth-9997)
On Earth-9997, this aspect of Arishem the Judge was one of the Celestials who long since evolved past physical bodies, the Celestials reproduced by impregnating a planet with their essence, which in time would gestate into an infant Celestial. To protect the growing fetus, they would genetically modify the people of said world, greatly enhancing their evolutionary potential and imbuing them with a certain level of aggressiveness.[21] One of these impregnated planets was Earth. After the populace of Earth fully mutated prematurely, Arishem and other Celestials travelled to the world to purge it of all life before they could threaten the infant Celestial.[22] They were met with opposition from Black Bolt on the Moon, Arishem and the Celestials would kill Black Bolt and then set their sights on Earth.[23]
On Earth, they would be opposed by Namor and an army of sea creatures, Tony Stark in a giant robotic factor and an army of Iron Men robots, and an army of Asgardians led by Loki. This bought the Earth precious moments for the arrival of "Galactus" (actually Franklin Richards) who was called to Earth by Black Bolt before his death. Galactus was able to fight off the Celestials, destroying some and forcing the others into retreat. Arishem's current whereabouts are unknown.[24]
Earth-15730
On Earth-15730, this aspect of Arishem was among the Celestials who banished Xodus to a dimension beyond the universe and trapped him forever.[25]
Earth-17628
Arishem the Judge was one of the Celestials who attempted to bring light to the universe but found themselves up against Knull. They were defeated after Knull created the Klyntar to be used against them. It is unknown if Arishem was killed or was one of the few who survived and fled to the farthest reaches of space.[26]
Earth-20051
When the Avengers fell through time, they ended up some point in the distant past where they saw Arishem the Judge.[27]
Earth-21178
On Knowhere, Arishem's image was used to promote various beverage vending machines that were scattered around.[28]
Earth-21317
Arishem's name was invoked by the Deviants. After conquering the surface world and renaming New York City to "New Deviant City", instead of the Statue of Liberty the Deviants had a statue of Arishem.[29]
Earth-82432
A member of the Celestials sent to watch over the Earth, to judge if it was worthy of continued existence. Korvac approached him shortly after destroying the Avengers, but deemed the Celestial to not be a threat. Arishem was later destroyed when Korvac drew upon the life energies of all the beings on Earth.[30]
Earth-89721
Arishem the Judge was one of the Celestials who came to Earth and judged humanity unworthy. The evolved humans joined their minds in one and killed him, which prompted the other Celestials to leave Earth alone.[31]
Earth-90251
Arishem and all of the Celestials were killed by Doctor Doom in a battle that lasted 407 years, after Doom gained the power of the Beyonder and the Infinity Gauntlet.[32]
Earth-16524
Earth-TRN666
Arishem the Judge was one of the many victims of Thanos in his eternal quest to please Death. He was obliterated along his fellow Celestials by Thanos when he stabbed Black Bolt to death in order to use his destructive voice as weapon. The bones of Arishem and the other Celestials were later used by Thanos to build a temple to live the rest of his infinite life.[33]
Earth-610102
Galacta thought of Arishem when discussing the Celestials.[34]
Earth-TRN909
Arishem was killed alongside the universe's galactic empires, Galactus, and the other Celestials by Annihilus during his universal conquest.[35]
Earth-TRN974
Arishem was one of the Celestials arrived and experimented on the Dinosaurs, creating beings like Fin Fang Foom and experimented on early humans, creating the Deviants and Eternals.[36]
Earth-TRN1539
Attributes
Powers
Weaknesses
Paraphernalia
Transportation
Notes
- Arishem should not be confused with the somewhat similar-looking Red "Gardener" Celestial who was slain by the Apocalypse Twins.[39]
- Arishem is the most powerful of the Fourth Host,[40][4] but he is not the most powerful Celestial. The Dreaming Celestial, one of Arishem's subordinates from the Second Host, managed to defeat him.[41] Also, the power and size of Fourth Host are nothing compared to higher level Celestials such as Exitar.[42]
- Arishem is outranked by the One Above All.[43]
- Other Celestials can also judge.[44][45][46] The ability to judge is not unique to Arishem.
See Also
- 97 appearance(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 5 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 24 minor appearance(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 4 mention(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 5 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 2 invocation(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
- 91 image(s) of Arishem (First Cosmos)
Links and References
References
- ↑ Eternals #12
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New Avengers (Vol. 3) #30
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ultimates 2 (Vol. 2) #100
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Avengers #339
- ↑ Thor #387
- ↑ Defenders: Beyond #2
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 X-Termination #1
- ↑ Venom (Vol. 5) #18
- ↑ Venom (Vol. 4) #4
- ↑ Eternals #2
- ↑ Thor #387–389
- ↑ X-Factor #43–50
- ↑ Eternals (Vol. 4) #4
- ↑ Fantastic Four #400
- ↑ Thor #387–388
- ↑ X-Factor #50
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Avengers (Vol. 8) #1
- ↑ Avengers (Vol. 8) #6
- ↑ Marvel Apes #1
- ↑ Earth X #9
- ↑ Earth X #11
- ↑ Earth X #12
- ↑ Earth X #X
- ↑ X-Men '92 (Vol. 2) #9
- ↑ The Secret History of Venom
- ↑ Marvel Adventures The Avengers #34
- ↑ Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
- ↑ Marvel #4
- ↑ What If? #32
- ↑ What If...? #1
- ↑ What If? Secret Wars #1
- ↑ Thanos (Vol. 2) #14
- ↑ Galacta: Daughter of Galactus #1
- ↑ Thanos: The Infinity Finale #1
- ↑ Fantastic Four: Grand Design #1
- ↑ Strange Tales II #3
- ↑ Thor #300
- ↑ Uncanny Avengers #7
- ↑ Eternals #7
- ↑ Eternals (Vol. 4) #3
- ↑ Thor Annual #14
- ↑ Eternals #10
- ↑ Fantastic Four Annual #26
- ↑ Uncanny Avengers #15
- ↑ A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #18