The Celestials are an ancient race of entities that possess vast matter and energy manipulation abilities. They were present long before the dawn of the galactic communities and even the Asgardians. They were notorious for their utilization of the Infinity Stones.
History
Using the Power Stone
The Celestials originated at least several million years ago and have used immensely powerful tools to impose their will. Eson the Searcher used the Power Stone as a means of destroying an entire planet. Knowhere, a space-borne mining colony, is actually the severed head of a deceased Celestial.[1]
Ego's Schemes
The Celestial known as Ego became aware of his own existence soon after his birth millions of years ago. Ego realized that he could manipulate molecules and began creating a planet around himself. After a few millennia, Ego began wondering if there was other life around him. He created a host body for himself and began searching the galaxy before finally finding life. In his travels throughout the galaxy, he planted seedlings upon thousands of planets, capable of terraforming them into new extensions of himself, but they could only be activated by the power of a second Celestial. He interacted with other species, impregnating many women in an attempt to create a new Celestial. Ego hired the Ravager Yondu Udonta to collect the children. However, none of the children could access the Celestial power. Not being of any use to Ego, he killed and disposed of them.
Ego eventually met and seduced Meredith Quill, who then gave birth to a son named Peter. After Ego had killed Meredith, he paid Yondu Udonta to collect Peter, but Udonta never delivered the boy, after discovering what Ego had done to the other children he had delivered. Ego had been searching for his son ever since to see if he had inherited the Celestial gene.[2]
Characteristic Traits
The Celestials predate the dawn of the Asgardians and seem to be humanoid in nature. Their bodies appear to have had similar skeletal and neurological elements to humans, but on a much larger scale. The most that anyone has ever seen of a Celestial are severed extremities and footage from the Collector that depicted Eson the Searcher using the Power Stone.
Despite having been thought extinct, at least one Celestial lived into the 21st century: Ego. Ego's biology seems to be unique among Celestials. He was "born" as a large brain with immense cosmic power, able to alter the molecules around him to both protect himself (the brain-like "core" being his sole vulnerable spot) and mimic a humanoid (or any other) form.
As the Collector explained, the physical constitution of the Celestials is so immeasurably strong that they can wield the Infinity Stones.
There is only one known Celestial-Human hybrid: Peter Quill who, after learning of his origins, demonstrated the ability to draw power from his father (Ego) in order to manipulate matter and energy. Quill was also immortal and survived contact with the Power Stone, which he and the other Guardians of the Galaxy used to defeat and kill Ronan the Accuser. Quill's Celestial powers, including his immortality, seem to have faded with his defeat of Ego.
Although another Celestial can be created through sexual reproduction, it is extremely rare. Ego fathered numerous children in the hopes of creating another Celestial but only Peter showed any signs that he inherited the necessary genes.
Notable Celestials
Celestial Hybrids
Appearances
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (flashbacks)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (flashbacks)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Prelude (flashbacks)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (flashbacks)
- Thor: The Dark World (head)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Prequel Infinite Comic
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Prelude
- Avengers: Infinity War Prelude (flashback; concurrent events)
- Avengers: Endgame (alternate timeline)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (flashback)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Eternals (unreleased)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (unreleased)
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (unreleased)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (unreleased)
Trivia
- In the comics, the Celestials were deeply involved in humanity's early development, and were responsible for the creation of the Xartans, Deviants, Eternals, and Mutant X-gene.