What the D’ast? Abraxas

(Editor’s note: This is another in a series of irregularly-scheduled columns by Managing Editor Byron Brewer, mainly dealing with Marvel Cosmic and its many denizens. Mr. Brewer’s opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CosmicBookNews.com. He welcomes both raves and opposing views.)

 

By Byron Brewer

 

Abraxas is new to me, and I am fascinated to learn more. This green-hued “Dark Man” apparently arose out of the very heart of Eternity after one of Galactus’ many “deaths.” Hmm. Let’s find out more!

Abraxas is a cosmic entity who seeks to destroy not only Earth-616 and its universe but all parallel realities as well by using a weapon of universal destructive power – the Ultimate Nullifier!

The location of the Ultimate Nullifier is unknown to all except to the Human Torch. With the intention of attracting the attention of the Fantastic Four, Abraxas kills another universe’s Galactus and sends his skull to Earth-616, also using the skull as a homing beacon. This causes a disturbance in the space-time continuum, allowing people from other universes to come through the gap left by the head, including another Nova. When the Fantastic Four seeks the counsel of the Watcher, they find that he has forgotten who he was, and then he becomes comatose. Eternity informs Reed Richards that this was caused by Abraxas.

After Richards gathers a selection of superheroes to fight the minions of Abraxas on the Moon (Uatu’s home base), a mist of micro-organisms kills our boy Norrin Radd as he attempts to defend the Watcher from them. The minions seemingly seek the Torch and after some investigation it is discovered that he possesses the coordinates of the Ultimate Nullifier within his subconscious. However, they are not only within the mind of their Human Torch, but split between the minds of three other Human Torches in alternate universes.

After finding these alternate Human Torches and passing on the information to our Johnny Storm, the FF finally locate the Ultimate Nullifier. However, they are betrayed by the alternate version of Nova, who reveals she serves Abraxas. Abraxas then seemingly destroys Roma, protector of Eternity.

After Nova gives Abraxas the Ultimate Nullifier, a battle commences and the Fantastic Four seem hopelessly outmatched. However, Franklin and Valeria pool their powers and reconstitute Galactus from his star-like remnants, though the siblings burn out their powers in the act. The newly reformed Galactus then recalls the Ultimate Nullifier from Abraxas’ grasp, and states that it is “as much a part of me as my heart itself,”

Due to a distraction from Nova, the Ultimate Nullifier falls to Reed Richards, who realizes that the only way to destroy Abraxas is to destroy the whole of reality and recreate the Multiverse using the Nullifier. After he does so, those who had died are restored to life. Franklin is left without any power, Valeria is replaced with a new baby (who, apparently, actually is her) inside the womb of Sue Richards, and the Watcher is returned to normal.

Hey, that is one powerful villain. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again … but no Ultimate Nullifer this time. It always makes me nervous!