Living Tribunal
The Living Tribunal is a cosmic being who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
The Living Tribunal was the ultimate protector of the cosmic balance in all the Multiverse. The Tribunal has three faces. One, uncovered, is the face of equity, the face it normally uses when speaking. The second face, half-hooded, is the face of just revenge. The third face, completely hooded, represents necessity. All three faces must agree to reach a verdict, but once it has been reached, it is irreversible without a direct appeal to the Tribunal.
The Living Tribunal only intervenes in matters of the gravest importance, beyond the ability of even cosmic beings to control, and his power is unsurpassed. He can cause a star to supernova or obliterate sections of a universe, if such actions were deemed necessary for balance.
Some of his most notable known actions were the ruling that kept the Infinity Gems from being united; his rescinding that order, and subsequent restoration of it, during the Infinity War; a campaign against the godlike Korvac in a divergent timeline, wherein he obliterated Earth's solar system in a last-ditch attempt to stop him, and then sealed that timeline from all others; and, with the Spectre, preventing the DC and Marvel continua from being wiped out by the two Brothers.
To defeat Umar, Doctor Strange came to be guided by the Ancient One into freeing Zom. Once she was defeated, the mystical barrier containing Zom was severed leading to evil being awakened within mankind's mystics. Such an act came to be a threat to other worlds thus drawing the attention of the Living Tribunal. (Strange Tales v1 #157)
The Living Tribunal was later resurrected and seen taking Lord Chaos and Master Order to judgment after the defeat of the First Firmament. (Ultimates 2 v1 #100)
The repeated return of the dead led to Death of Death aspect standing in judgement over Death herself. This caused her to fall ill as the resurrections caused an infection to emerge that weakened her immune system. Doctor Strange and a group of other medics that included Jane Foster travelled into the realm of Death. Once there, Foster convinced the Death of Death of the validity of Death's existence who was restored to her full health as a concept in the universe. (Valkyrie: Jane Foster v1 #7)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was also known as the Living Trinity. (Silver Surfer v3 #31) In addition, he was referred to as the We Who Are. (FF v2 #16)
He followed the dictates of universal law and ensured that justice was maintained according to its tenets. (She-Hulk v1 #7)
The Living Tribunal served as the final judge for matters involving cosmic entities. (Thor Annual v1 #14)
Another aspect was said to be a skull-faced persona known as the Death of Death. He was deemed to be responsible for the living judgement of Death as a function in the universe. Death of Death was said to be both an aspect of the Living Tribunal and separate at the same time with him being too big a concept to understand for lower dimensional beings. (Valkyrie: Jane Foster v1 #7)
Powers and abilities
He was noted for being the embodiment of the Multiverse. (New Avengers v3 #30)
He was able to read the innermost thoughts of other beings. (Strange Tales v1 #158)
He was able to cast a variety of spells and abilities:
- Sign of the Seraphim : a spell that caused any attack to be reflected back at the enemy. (Strange Tales v1 #158)
- Incantation of Oblivion : a power that allowed him to destroy an entire world. (Strange Tales v1 #158) It was said that only the Living Tribunal could use the spell to its fullest power. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme v1 #18)
Relics tied to the Living Tribunal included:
- Glass of Doom : able to be summoned from the timeless time and the infinite nothingness was a gargantuan hourglass that ran the Sands of Death upon which the Living Tribunal would pass his judgement. (Strange Tales v1 #158)
- Staff of Polar Power :
Among his agents were the Magistrati that acted as his voice and arbitrated cases across time and space. They tended to make first contact with the most prominent legal circles of any planet and recruited them to their service. Their base of operations was the star chamber where they could teleport to and from that location. Those recruited into their ranks were offered robes of office and given instructions on particular cases such as in the cosmic claims court. Rigellian Recorders were offered to serve as court recorders to assist the members of the court. (She-Hulk v1 #7) He was also tended to by a group of Watchers that served as scribes and custodians to the Journal of Life from which he based his judgements. (FF v2 #16)
The base of operations of the Living Tribunal was a cosmic area known as the Star Chamber. (She-Hulk v1 #7) He had also created the Infinite Embassy that was an interdimensional nexus sitting above a cluster of dimensions overlooking them all. It served as a meeting ground for gods, fairies, demons, ghosts and magicians. (Journey into Mystery v1 #627)
Notes
- The Living Tribunal was created by Stan Lee, Marie Severin and Herb Trimpe where it made its first appearance in Strange Tales v1 #157 (June, 1967).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Films
Appearances
- Strange Tales v1: (1967)
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch v1:
- She-Hulk v1:
- Infinity v1:
- Ultimates 2:
- Valkyrie: Jane Foster v1:
External Links
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