Celestials

Biodata

Background

The Celestials incubate embryos inside planets. A newborn’s strength depends on its embryo and the energy it absorbs; the embryo within Blue Star received an entire universe’s worth of energy and was expected to be at least Universal Level at birth 133 213. The Celestials periodically supplied it with more energy and stationed Gamil to watch the planet 133 139.

To protect developing embryos, the Celestials modified the Titans and tasked them with guarding planetary seeds. The Titans later rebelled and abandoned the name “Eternal Titans” 95. On Blue Star, the Celestials created mutants for protection, then replaced them with the Eternals 213.

Appearance

Celestials vary greatly in size and form 73 138 239 253.

• Some have metallic or mechanical-looking bodies and multiple glowing eyes; one observed Celestial had steel-like skin, six red eyes, and four arms 73 221.
• Tiamut has gold-like skin and three pairs of glowing yellow eyes 138.
• Exitar stood roughly 200,000 kilometers tall when Thanos first met him 239.

Organization and Duties

• Multiversal councils — In one Multiverse, Exitar, Recorder, Judgment, Judge, and Maintainer formed a five-member council directing several thousand Celestials. Its titleholders could change 257.
• Assigned missions — Exitar erased planets deemed unfit; Recorder documented the development of universes and reported to superiors 239 257.
• Crisis response — Celestials dealt with threats such as universe-destroying beings, weapons, and infections. Most who answered Exitar’s call against Fire Phoenix brought their true bodies rather than relying on avatars 257 259.
• Higher ranks — Chief Inspectors and other senior officers could stand at the peak of Multiversal Level; higher-ranking Celestials included the Supreme Celestial and the Five Great Commanders 279.

Abilities & Limits

Cosmic power and avatars

• Celestials can operate through avatars or clones while their true bodies remain elsewhere. Losing an avatar does not necessarily kill its owner 133 260 265.
• Their power varies widely: a Celestial confronting Dormammu was Universal Level, while three hostile avatars confronting the Dimension Lords were at least late-stage Multiversal Level 73 221.
• They can use energy attacks, mental influence, and barriers. Blue Star’s core was protected by a Magic Barrier that opened during a Celestial energy infusion once every thousand years 61 133 249.

Planetary protection and containment

• Celestial avatars intervened when fighting on ancient Blue Star threatened its embryo, killing many combatants and sealing survivors in Alternate Spaces 133.
• Celestials restrained their attacks during a battle near another Blue Star to prevent collateral damage. Against the Cosmic Locusts, they sealed the Solar System, though stealth-type locusts escaped unnoticed 263 266 279.
• Their bodies are not invulnerable: Cosmic Locusts can breach their shells, drain their energy, and cause infected Celestials to attack allies 263 265.

Factions and Conflicts

• Universe-preserving order — Its stated duty is to maintain cosmic balance and protect the development of universes, even when that requires destroying planets judged unfit 169 239 240.
• Opposing order — Sharing the Celestials’ origin, this order seeks the universe’s destruction and obeys the First God. Its members are often described as black or Dark Celestials 169 221 260.
• Divided conduct — Some Celestials risked their true bodies to defend a Multiverse, while another group delayed reporting the Cosmic Locust outbreak out of fear for their reputations and promotions 259 265. In a separate conflict, Celestials voted to purge native populations after blaming them for a Dark Celestial’s death 301.

Story Role

• Blue Star and Tiamut — The Celestials’ investment in Tiamut made Blue Star strategically important. Thanos suspected they worked indirectly against his invasion rather than risk a direct clash between cosmic powers 74 133.
• The Dimension Lords’ rebellion — Three hostile Celestials demanded submission to the First God. Their refusal to help the Dimension Lords survive a Multiversal crisis helped provoke an alliance that defeated their avatars 221 225.
• Exitar’s Multiverse — Exitar dealt with Celestials secretly entering his Multiverse. When Fire Phoenix threatened it, Celestials rallied to fight her, but an ambush by the opposing order broke their encirclement; Exitar later died of his injuries 249 259 263.
• Cosmic Locust outbreak — A Celestial containment effort around the Solar System held the main swarm temporarily, but failed to catch locusts that escaped to Proxima Centauri 265 266 279.