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The Multiverse was created by the One Who Is Above, who also created the Living Tribunal. From the Living Tribunal were born the cosmic entities Eternity, Infinity, Death, Entropy, Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Soul, and Time, from which the abstract ultra‑beings—representations of forces or concepts—emerged.
All reality has gone through seven different incarnations, each triggered by a distinct multiversal renewal cycle involving the destruction and recreation of everything: the Multiverse dies and is reborn many times, evolving each time.
Each iteration added a new quality to the Multiverse that was preserved in subsequent ones:
- First Iteration: the single universe
- Second Iteration: the Multiverse is created
- Third Iteration: destiny is introduced
- Fourth Iteration: archetypes are introduced
- Fifth Iteration: magic is introduced
- Sixth Iteration: science is introduced
- Seventh Iteration: current iteration
Each iteration begins with a Big Bang and ends with the total death of the Multiverse.
With each Big Bang the Celestials are born. Under the leadership of Arishem the Judge, they begin creating planets, stars, galaxies, and life itself. The six cosmic entities die in the explosion and reform as the six Infinity Gems: Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Soul, and Time.
The Celestial Knull, the Black King, begins to exist and reign in the Ginnungagap—a void dimension of total darkness—where he creates the Symbiotes, the Xenophage, and the Dark Elves to alleviate his solitude.
Arishem the Judge creates the first sun, bringing light.
After light invades his realm, Knull declares war on his fellow Celestials by forging All-Black, the Necrosword, and uses his creations as an army.
During the war, the Symbiotes begin sharing a hive-mind of knowledge across the Multiverse and rebel against their creator. They imprison Knull in Klyntar along with the Xenophage, and they migrate to the main dimension.
With the Symbiotes and Xenophage gone, the Dark Elves flourish in the Ginnungagap, becoming the dominant race there.
Without Knull, the Necrosword wanders the universe, passing from host to host.
Sometime later, the Celestials Ego the Living Planet and Galan—who becomes Galactus—are born.
The first intelligent races begin to arise and evolve; most go extinct but leave a single immortal survivor. These survivors form a brotherhood and call themselves the Titans, creating their own dimension to live in.
One race achieves immortality and great power. After failing in an attempt to help two other civilizations—resulting in their mutual destruction—it decides no longer to interfere, but only to record all events in the universe. They become known as the Watchers.
Two Titans separate from their brethren, choosing to live in the main universe, and adopt the names the Grandmaster and the Collector.
From the Titans are born the primordial gods. However, most begin devouring one another and devolve into demons, who are exiled to a separate dimension known as Hell. Only 88 survive and are not exiled. The most important among them are:
- Gea
- Izanagi
- Ymir
- Mephisto
A second generation of gods—simply called the gods—is born. With their help, the primordial gods rebel against the Titans in a war known as the Titanomachy. The primordial gods win, imprisoning the Titans in a dimension called Tartarus.
After the war, the primordial gods decide to kill the lesser gods, deeming them “unnecessary” now that the Titanomachy has ended. Both sides fight in a great conflict known as the “Apocalypse.”
By the war’s end most primordial gods are dead, with only a few survivors:
- Gea is sealed, her body transforming into Planet Earth.
- Izanagi, leader of the faction that wanted the death of the lesser gods, founds Omnipotence City and the Council of Godheads.
- Ymir is slain by his son Buri, who uses his corpse to create Asgard.
- Mephisto is exiled and sealed in the Hell where the demons dwell.
An indestructible set of scrolls (later bound into a book) containing Gea’s magic is lost and begins to wander the galaxy, continually added to by sorcerers who obtain it.
Seeing life spreading beyond Celestial limits, Arishem the Judge plants Celestial seeds to produce more of his kind and begins experimenting with intelligent life throughout the universe. He creates the Deviants to eliminate predators on Celestial-hosted planets, foster intelligent life, and influence races like the Kree and Skrull.
Arishem selects Earth to host the Celestial Tiamut the Speaker. He plants Tiamut’s seed on the planet and dispatches the Deviants to protect it. The Deviants evolve into highly intelligent apex predators and rebel, obstructing the Celestials’ emergence.
Noticing the Deviant issue, Arishem forges the Eternals on the World Forge—artificial beings incapable of evolving. He implants false memories of living in Omnipotence City, then sends them to various planets to combat the Deviants and ensure the Celestials can emerge.
On Earth, Vibranium meteorites fall, causing a global extinction event for non-avian dinosaurs—marking the end of the Cretaceous Period. Two large meteorites strike Eastern Africa and Lemuria (a continent in the Atlantic), imbuing surrounding plant life with strength, prosperity, and mysticism.
The gods begin creating their mortals to be worshipped. One such world is Earth (formerly Gea), where Izanagi, along with the Asgardians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Indians, create primitive humans.
Due to the influence of Gaea, Vibranium, the Deviants, the Eternals, and other anomalies, humanity develops the potential for mutation and superhumanity.
Nearly simultaneously, the god Set creates a new race: the Serpent Men, who blend in among humans.
In space, the Skrulls discover the Kree. The Kree kill Skrull envoys and steal their technology. A century later the Skrulls learn of this but have become a powerful space empire. The two races hate each other and wage almost constant war.
Humans in Wakanda and Atlantis discover Vibranium, ending their Stone Age ahead of Earth.
In space, the Deviants begin developing advanced technology. Some colonize Uranus and Titan (Saturn’s moon).
On the planet Gibborim, the royal family is exiled and wanders space until crashing to Earth. They fall into hibernation within it.
The kingdoms of Wakanda and Atlantis are born and grow into the planet’s most powerful, technologically advanced nations, developing numerous new Vibranium-based technologies: including inexhaustible energy, advanced aircraft, and weapons.
In Atlantis, Neptune’s Trident is created based on Poseidon’s. During a test, a massive energy pulse devastates Atlantis, causing it to sink and killing many. As a result, Atlantis and its empire split into seven successor kingdoms. Over time they evolve to survive in new forms, with Atlanteans themselves retaining the most human-like physiology.
The Celestial Ego creates a humanoid avatar and explores the universe seeking life, but is disappointed in his findings. He begins planting his seeds on many worlds with the intent of eventually absorbing all life until only he remains.
Arishem the Judge sends ten Eternals—Ajak, Sersi, Kingo, Ikaris, Thena, Gilgamesh, Sprite, Makkari, Phastos, and Druig—to Earth with the secret mission to help the Celestial emerge, stop the Deviants, and protect humanity’s growth.
Agamotto gains access to the Darkhold and learns to extract power from alternate universes to create magic and spells, becoming Earth’s first Sorcerer Supreme. He forms the Masters of the Mystic Arts—a league of magic practitioners—to protect Earth from dimensional evils.
During the Skrull–Kree War, a rebel faction of the Kree discovers the Deviants and attempts to engineer their own biological weapon by visiting many planets and genetically altering sentient life. One visited planet is Earth, and their experiments produce a unique caste of genetically altered humans who become the Inhumans.
A practitioner of the Mystic Arts named Varnae steals the Darkhold and becomes the first vampire.
Odin, son of Bor and prince of the Asgardians, defeats the fire demon Surtur in battle.
Balder Odinson is born and named Odin’s heir.
As a result of the cataclysm that sank Atlantis, humanity is plunged into a barbaric age known to history as the Hyborian Age. Conan—descendant of Kull, Atlantis’s last earthly king—rises as an unlikely champion of humanity and later becomes king of Aquilonia (which later is called Babylon). Most civilizations descend from Aquilonia.
During this time, the barrier between the demon dimension and the main dimension weakens, and a war between demons and humans erupts as demons roam Earth.
The Egyptian Ennead (the “gods”) make their presence known, becoming the first recognized deities via detailed mythologies among Earth’s people. They eventually banish the lunar god Khonshu for meddling in human affairs. Over time, more deities emerge, such as the Greek and Norse gods.
The man who becomes Kang the Conqueror travels back to ancient Egypt, seizes control, and rules as “Pharaoh Rama‑Tut” until the first mutant, En Sabah Nur (Apocalypse), overthrows him and takes Egypt. Over the following millennia, Apocalypse conquers and destroys many civilizations and is worshipped as a god.
The Eternals, seeking human development, force the gods to cease intervening in civilization’s progress. The Egyptian gods begin using champions to continue influencing events without attracting the Eternals’ attention.
The Convergence occurs, forming Yggdrasil—a connection of nine different dimensions on one plane. Resulting gravitational anomalies allow the construction of several megalithic monuments, including Stonehenge.
The Dark Elves, led by Malekith, attempt to conquer the Nine Realms using the Aether, the Reality Gem. They are stopped by the Asgardian army led by Bor, who successfully secures the Aether and uses it to slaughter the majority of Dark Elves, nearly driving them to extinction. Bor orders the Aether hidden in the deepest place possible so no one can find it.
In what is now China, a race of demons known as Soul Eaters attacks the peaceful people of Ta Lo, destroying their largest cities.
Ta Lo's leaders send the strongest warriors to an ancient village to protect the few survivors from the Soul Eaters. A great conflict ensues, but the Great Protector joins the battle and gives advantage to the Ta Lo warriors. The Protector and Ta Lo lure the Eater to the Dark Gate and seal it. Survivors guard the gate, bolstered by the Protector’s magic.
The Book of the Dead begins to be used in Egypt.
En Sabah Nur is betrayed by his worshippers, who bury him alive. His Four Horsemen die preserving him.
The Phoenix Force destroys the planet D’Bari. The remaining survivors, led by Vuk, follow it across the cosmos to reclaim its power for their own.
Odin Borson ascends as King of Asgard.
Hela Odinsdottir is born, daughter of Odin Borson and Frigga.
On Earth, Romulus and Remus are born—sons of the god Ares and the mutant Rhea Silva.
Vidar Odinson is born.
Romulus and Remus begin a millennia‑long war.
Odin, with his children Balder and Hela, launches the Nine Realms War, building the Asgardian empire by conquering the Nine Realms.
Tyr Odinson is born, son of Odin and Frigga.
Mary is born.
Jesus is born to Mary.
Hermod and Bragi Odinson, twin sons of Odin and Frigga, are born.
After Balder is nearly killed, Odin decides to halt conquests and make peace with the other realms. Hela opposes this, attempts a coup d’état, but is defeated and exiled. Odin orders her history to be buried, and that she never existed.
Honir Odinson, son of Odin and Frigga, is born.
The elders of K’un‑Lun study using Chi for medical purposes, but five wish to exploit it for immortality. They are exiled from the Crane Mother’s Order and form the Hand. The Hand learns to use Dragon Bones in an Elixir of Resurrection and begins conquering East Asia. A group called the Chaste opposes them, beginning a rivalry that lasts thousands of years.
Ullr Odinson, son of Odin and Frigga, is born.
On Mount Wundagore, spells transcribe the Darkhold and create multiple copies that spread worldwide.
In 476 A.D., the Roman Empire falls.
Aldrif Odinsdottir, daughter of Odin and Frigga, is born.
In Britain, the wizard Merlin helps King Arthur establish Camelot, and mentors the Black Knight (Sir Percy of Scandia) to oppose the evil influence of Arthur’s illegitimate son, Mordred. In the end, Mordred and Morgan Le Fay bring down Camelot, but are killed in the process.
Laussa Odinsdottir, daughter of Odin and Frigga, is born.
In Nanih Waiya, the Clay People emerge from the swamp.
Hela attempts to escape her prison in Hel after 1,600 years of incarceration. Her father sends his Valkyrie army mounted on flying steeds to keep her contained. Most of the army is massacred, with only a few survivors escaping. Afterwards, Balder is sent and subdues his younger sister again.
In 964 A.D., Thor Odinson is born, son of Odin and Gea.
In 965 A.D., Loki Laufeyson is born to Laufey, King of the Ice Giants. He is left outside to die but is adopted by Odin and renamed Loki Odinson.
In 987 A.D., seven members of a druidic cult make a pact with Mephisto for immortality: they agree to channel souls to his realm. Over the next millennium, the sorcerers amass great wealth and join its board of directors.
In 1000 A.D., the Kree and the Nova Empire enter a war lasting over a thousand years.
In 1015 A.D., Thanos is born on Titan, son of A’Lars.
Xu Wenwu discovers ten mystical rings and uses them to found the Ten Rings organization.
In 1171 A.D., a group of knights gather around the Bloodstone.
In 1245 A.D., the powerful sorcerer Khor the Black Mage lives in France. He is exiled by his peers and banished to the Savage Land, where he lives for centuries.
In 1316 A.D., the Ancient One is born.
Dafydd ap Andras is born in a small village in southern Wales. His mother dies in childbirth and he manifests powers from birth. In 1347, villagers blame him for crop failures and plagues, calling him a demon. To end the plague, the villagers demand his sacrifice. His father Andras refuses, so they burn their house down, killing Andras and almost Dafydd. Dafydd survives by teleporter away with the help of his older self.
In 1408 A.D., Odin hides the Tesseract in Tønsberg.
The Prince of Transylvania Vlad Tepes—better known as Dracula—is mortally wounded in battle with Turac, a Turkish warlord. Turac plans to heal him and install him as a puppet ruler, so he brings Dracula to a Roma healer, Lianda. Lianda—actually a vampire in Varnae’s service—turns Dracula into a vampire but is killed. Turac kills Dracula’s wife Maria, causing Dracula to fully embrace his vampiric power. He bites Turac and orders the warlord to return to Turkey and slaughter his own family. He then kills Varnae’s servant Nimrod to gain the title “Lord of Vampires.” Dracula is forced to drink Varnae’s lifeblood, granting him all the ancient vampire’s power.
The Order of the Red Daggers is founded. Its leader wears a red sash to conceal his identity.
In 1480 A.D., in Zeulniz (south of what’s now Leipzig, Germany), Harbin Zemo—Zeulniz’s barn keeper and ministerialis—stands alone and massacres a horde of invading Slavic raiders while wearing armor borrowed from others. Impressed by his courage, the Holy Roman Emperor elevates this former peasant to Baron of Zeulniz and its surrounding lands.
In 1571 A.D., Namor is born to an Atlantean princess and an English navigator.
In 1591 A.D., the first English colony settles on Roanoke Island. It fails, attacked by a vampire who turns all 121 colonists into vampires, leaving only one message carved into a tree: “Croatoan.”
In 1631 A.D., Namor’s grandfather dies and he becomes king of Atlantis.
In 1674 A.D., Agatha Harkness is born.
In 1692 A.D., the Salem witch trials begin.
In space, the High Evolutionary founds OrgoCorp.
In 1693 A.D., Agatha Harkness is tried with her coven for using dark magic. Agatha kills the entire coven; their hatred against her forms an animalistic hive-mind known as the Salem Seven.