====== Secret Wars ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity: In its various incarnations, Secret Wars is a cataclysmic Marvel Comics crossover event where heroes and villains are forcibly transported to a new world and compelled to fight, often by a god-like entity, with the fate of reality itself hanging in the balance.**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  * **Role in the Universe:** Secret Wars serves as a pivotal, universe-altering mega-event. The original 1984 series was a landmark "event comic" that brought together nearly every major Marvel character, while the 2015 sequel acted as a complete reset button for the entire [[multiverse]], destroying it and birthing a new Prime Earth.
  * **Primary Impact:** Its consequences are legendary and far-reaching. The first event introduced Spider-Man's black alien symbiote suit (which would become [[venom]]), established She-Hulk as a member of the Fantastic Four, and introduced new villains like Titania. The second event merged key characters like Miles Morales into the main Marvel universe and redefined the cosmic landscape for a new generation.
  * **Key Incarnations:** The original comic (1984-1985) was a straightforward "heroes vs. villains" battle royale on a planet called Battleworld, orchestrated by the [[beyonder]]. The 2015 comic was a vastly more complex and philosophical epic where [[doctor_doom]] became a god, saving remnants of a dying multiverse by forging a new patchwork Battleworld. The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation, //Avengers: Secret Wars//, is poised to be the conclusion of the MCU's "Multiverse Saga," likely focusing on a conflict against variants of [[kang_the_conqueror]].
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
The genesis of the original //Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars//, commonly known as Secret Wars, is a famous tale in comic book history, intrinsically linked to a commercial partnership. In the early 1980s, toy manufacturer Mattel, seeking to compete with Kenner's wildly successful //Super Powers Collection// line of DC Comics figures, approached Marvel Comics. Mattel desired a major comic book event that could serve as a vehicle for a new, unified toy line of Marvel characters.
Marvel's then-Editor-in-Chief, Jim Shooter, took on the task of writing the series himself. The story goes that Shooter, after observing focus groups of children playing with toys, noted they were drawn to compelling, high-stakes concepts. The name itself was reportedly chosen based on market research indicating that the words "Secret" and "Wars" were highly appealing to young boys. The result was a 12-issue limited series, running from May 1984 to April 1985, with art primarily by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. It was an unprecedented commercial success, becoming one of the best-selling comics of its era and solidifying the "summer event comic" as a staple of the industry.
Three decades later, Marvel revisited the concept with a completely new scope and ambition. The 2015 //Secret Wars//, an 9-issue series written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Esad Ribić, was not a toy tie-in but the culmination of Hickman's years-long, intricate storytelling in his //Avengers// and //New Avengers// titles. This new series was darker, more thematically dense, and served as a grand finale to the entire Marvel Multiverse as it had existed since its inception. It was both a critical and commercial triumph, praised for its epic scale and satisfying conclusion to one of modern comics' most complex narratives.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
The in-universe catalyst for the Secret Wars events differs dramatically between the two major comic versions and what is being foreshadowed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
**Secret Wars (1984):**
The first Secret Wars was initiated by a cosmic entity of nigh-unlimited power known as the Beyonder. Hailing from a dimension beyond the traditional Marvel Multiverse, the Beyonder became aware of Earth-616 and was fascinated by the concept of desire and the eternal conflict between good and evil. To study this phenomenon, he used his incredible power to rip a galaxy from space, construct a patchwork planet he dubbed "Battleworld" from pieces of various worlds (including a suburb of Denver, Colorado), and abduct a curated selection of Earth's most powerful heroes and villains.
The chosen combatants included members of the [[avengers]] (Captain America, Iron Man (Jim Rhodes), Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, Wasp, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), She-Hulk), the [[fantastic_four]] (Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, Thing), the [[x-men]] (Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Magneto), and solo heroes like Spider-Man. The villains included powerhouses like Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Ultron, Kang the Conqueror, the Enchantress, and Galactus.
Upon their arrival, the Beyonder appeared as a blinding white light and declared his simple, terrifying premise: "//I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all that you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!//" This simple command kicked off a planet-wide brawl for the ultimate prize, testing the alliances, morals, and limits of every participant.
**Secret Wars (2015):**
The second Secret Wars was the result of a far more complex and dire cosmic event: the total collapse of the Multiverse. This cataclysm was caused by a phenomenon known as **Incursions**—events where two parallel Earths would collide, destroying both of their respective universes unless one of the Earths was destroyed first. For years, the Illuminati (a secret cabal of heroes including Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther) fought a losing battle, compromising their morals to save their reality, Earth-616.
The ultimate cause of the Incursions was revealed to be the Beyonders, a mysterious and omnipotent alien race (distinct from the original singular Beyonder) who were conducting an experiment to destroy the entire Multiverse simultaneously. In the final moments before the last Incursion between Earth-616 and the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610), Doctor Doom, with the help of [[molecule_man]], executed a final, desperate gambit. He confronted the Beyonders and managed to steal their cosmic power, killing them in the process.
As all of reality collapsed into nothingness, Doom used this newfound omnipotence to salvage the dying remnants of various universes. He stitched them together into a new, singular planet—also called Battleworld—with himself as its God Emperor and savior. This new world was a feudal society of distinct "domains," each a fragment of a different dead reality (such as a land of Hulks, a kingdom ruled by Iron Man, and the zombie-infested Deadlands), all policed by a Thor Corps and held together by Doom's absolute will. The "origin" of this Secret Wars was not a game, but a last-ditch act of preservation by Marvel's greatest villain, creating a final bastion of existence from the ashes of everything.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The MCU's version of Secret Wars is still developing, but its foundations are being meticulously laid throughout Phase Four and beyond. It is not being initiated by a Beyonder but is instead positioned as the ultimate consequence of multiversal instability, primarily caused by the actions and existence of Kang the Conqueror and his variants.
The origin of this conflict can be traced to the Disney+ series //Loki//. "He Who Remains," a "benevolent" variant of Kang, explained that he had weaponized the entity Alioth to end a multiversal war waged by his own evil variants. To prevent another war, he isolated a collection of realities into the "Sacred Timeline" and created the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to "prune" any deviation that might lead to the birth of new Kang variants. Sylvie's decision to kill He Who Remains shattered the Sacred Timeline, causing the multiverse to branch out uncontrollably and, presumably, allowing countless dangerous Kangs to emerge.
The concept of **Incursions** was officially introduced in //Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//. This film established that prolonged and reckless travel between universes can cause them to collide and annihilate each other, mirroring the comic's prelude. The film ends with Doctor Strange developing a third eye as a result of using the Darkhold, and he is recruited by Clea to help fix an Incursion he caused.
//Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania// further solidified this trajectory by introducing the Council of Kangs, an infinite gathering of Kang variants from across the multiverse, led by Immortus, Rama-Tut, and a version of the Scarlet Centurion. They are aware of the threat posed by the "exiled one" (the Kang defeated in the film) and the heroes of Earth-616 meddling with the multiverse. Their existence confirms that a massive, multiversal conflict orchestrated by Kangs is inevitable.
Therefore, the MCU's Secret Wars will likely originate from the chaos of an untamed multiverse and a resulting war between the Council of Kangs and the heroes of the remaining realities, culminating in a series of catastrophic Incursions that threaten all of existence. The final conflict will be the "secret war" to save what's left.
===== Part 3: Timeline, Key Turning Points & Aftermath =====
=== Secret Wars (1984-1985) ===
==== Timeline & Key Turning Points ====
  - **The Arrival:** Heroes and villains are instantaneously teleported from Earth to ships in orbit above the newly formed Battleworld. After a brief period of confusion, the Beyonder makes his declaration of war.
  - **Early Skirmishes:** The heroes, led by Captain America, attempt a defensive strategy, while the villains, nominally led by Doctor Doom, immediately go on the offensive. Galactus stands apart, intending to consume Battleworld to sate his hunger and confront the Beyonder.
  - **The X-Men's Gambit:** Magneto, initially placed with the heroes, is distrusted. He leaves to act on his own, and Professor X eventually leads the X-Men to join him, believing they can't trust the other heroes who have historically feared and hated them. This creates a third, independent faction.
  - **Spider-Man's New Suit:** After his classic red-and-blue suit is damaged, Spider-Man is directed by Thor and Hulk to a machine they believe is a fabric replicator. It produces a black sphere that flows over Peter's body, forming a new black-and-white costume that can respond to his thoughts and generate its own webbing. This is the first appearance of the alien symbiote.
  - **Doom's Ascent:** Doctor Doom proves to be the most ambitious player. He captures Molecule Man, studies the Beyonder's technology, and later confronts the world-devourer Galactus. In a stunning turn, he uses his technology to siphon Galactus's immense power.
  - **Godhood and Downfall:** Not content, Doom challenges the Beyonder directly. In a titanic battle, he manages to steal the Beyonder's omnipotence, becoming a god-like being. He seemingly obliterates the heroes with a single energy blast. However, the Beyonder's consciousness secretly inhabits the mind of Klaw. Doom, struggling to control his infinite power, is goaded by Captain America's indomitable will and ultimately defeated when the Beyonder reclaims his power from him.
  - **The Wish Fulfillment:** With the war over, the Beyonder grants the heroes a way home. The Thing, who discovered he could change back to Ben Grimm at will on Battleworld, decides to stay behind for a time to explore, asking She-Hulk to take his place on the Fantastic Four back on Earth. The heroes return home in a craft they construct from the remnants of Battleworld.
==== Aftermath ====
The consequences of the first Secret Wars rippled through the Marvel Universe for years.
  * **The Birth of Venom:** Spider-Man brought the symbiote back to Earth, where he discovered it was a living creature trying to permanently bond with him. After rejecting it, the symbiote eventually found Eddie Brock, and their shared hatred for Peter Parker created the lethal protector, [[venom]].
  * **Fantastic Four Roster Change:** She-Hulk officially joined the Fantastic Four, a tenure that would become beloved by fans. The Thing's solo adventures on Battleworld were chronicled in his own series.
  * **New Characters:** Doctor Doom's followers, the super-strong Titania and the energy-projecting Volcana, became recurring villains.
  * **Colossus's Heartbreak:** While on Battleworld, Colossus fell in love with an alien healer named Zsaji. His feelings for her caused him to break up with Kitty Pryde upon his return, a major turning point for the X-Men.
=== Secret Wars (2015) ===
==== Timeline & Key Turning Points ====
  - **The Final Incursion:** The last two universes in the Multiverse, Earth-616 and Earth-1610 (the Ultimate Universe), collide. A small number of heroes from 616 (led by Reed Richards) and villains (the "Cabal" led by Thanos) escape on specially designed "life rafts."
  - **The Reign of God Emperor Doom:** Eight years pass. Reality now consists solely of Battleworld, a patchwork planet created and ruled by the all-powerful God Emperor Doom. He has rewritten history so that most inhabitants believe the world has always been this way. His right-hand man and Sheriff is Doctor Strange, and his police force is the Thor Corps, composed of various Thors from dead universes.
  - **The Rafts Open:** The two life rafts are discovered and opened. The heroes from 616 (Captain America, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, etc.) and the villains of the Cabal are unleashed into this strange new world, a world that has no memory of them.
  - **The Death of the Sheriff:** Sheriff Strange discovers the 616 survivors and realizes they represent the past—a truth Doom has suppressed. When he confronts Doom to protect them, Doom, in a fit of rage, kills his only friend. This act reveals the cracks in Doom's rule and galvanizes the burgeoning rebellion.
  - **The Seeds of Rebellion:** Survivors from various domains, including a resistance led by the Prophet, begin to challenge Doom's authority. The discovery of the 616 heroes gives them a symbol to rally behind.
  - **Reed vs. Doom:** The ultimate conflict boils down to the two men who have defined each other for their entire lives. Reed Richards (from 616) and The Maker (the evil Reed Richards from the Ultimate Universe) work together temporarily to find the source of Doom's power. The final battle is not one of fists, but of philosophy and will between God Emperor Doom and Mister Fantastic.
  - **The Role of Molecule Man:** It is revealed that the source of Doom's power is Molecule Man, whom Doom has kept hidden and who has been channeling the Beyonders' power. Molecule Man, weary of the conflict, agrees to a transfer of power during the final confrontation.
  - **The Final Choice:** Reed forces Doom to admit that he, Reed Richards, could have done a better job as god. This admission of inadequacy is all Molecule Man needs to hear. He gives the power to Reed.
==== Aftermath ====
The 2015 Secret Wars fundamentally remade the entire Marvel reality.
  * **Rebirth of the Multiverse:** Using his new powers and working with his son, Franklin Richards, Reed Richards and the Future Foundation venture out to restore the Multiverse, seeding it with new realities.
  * **Creation of Prime Earth:** A new, singular main universe is born from the ashes. It is largely a reconstruction of Earth-616 but with key elements from other realities integrated.
  * **Miles Morales Joins the Main Universe:** The most significant change is that Miles Morales (the Ultimate Spider-Man), his family, and his supporting cast are now part of the main Marvel continuity, a "thank you" from Molecule Man to Miles for giving him a hamburger during the event.
  * **Doctor Doom's Redemption:** Having his scarred face healed by Reed, Victor von Doom renounces his villainy for a time. He returns to Latveria a changed man and even takes up the mantle of the //Infamous Iron Man// in Tony Stark's absence.
  * **The Maker's Rise:** The evil Ultimate Reed Richards survives and becomes a major, persistent threat in the new universe.
===== Part 4: Key Factions & Players =====
==== The Beyonder(s) ====
The architects of the Secret Wars are crucial to understanding their nature. The **1984 Beyonder** was a singular, almost naive entity from the "Beyond-Realm." He was depicted as possessing power far exceeding any cosmic being known at the time, but he was emotionally immature. His Secret Wars was an experiment born of curiosity. In the sequel, //Secret Wars II//, he came to Earth in a human body to "understand" desire, a story that was far less popular.
The **2015 Beyonders** were a complete reimagining. They were not one being, but an entire race of enigmatic, ivory-colored aliens who existed outside the Multiverse. They were viewed as the "creators" of the cosmic entities like the Living Tribunal. Their motivation was not curiosity but cold, scientific finality; they set the Incursions in motion to witness the simultaneous death of all reality. They were the ultimate, unseen antagonists of Hickman's saga, and their power was so absolute that only Doctor Doom's brilliant, impossible scheme could defeat them.
==== Doctor Doom ====
Victor von Doom is the single most important character in the Secret Wars saga. In the 1984 event, he is the ultimate expression of ambition. While other villains squabbled, Doom aimed for the ultimate prize from the start: the Beyonder's power. His brief, flawed godhood was a testament to his intellect and arrogance.
In the 2015 event, he is elevated to a far more complex figure. He is simultaneously the story's villain and its savior. He committed cosmic genocide against the Beyonders to //save// existence, but then created a new reality founded on a lie, with himself as its absolute monarch. His reign as God Emperor is a deep character study: he has everything he ever wanted, but he is deeply insecure, knowing it was built on a foundation of stolen power and that Reed Richards is still his intellectual superior. His eventual defeat is a moment of catharsis, not just for the heroes, but for Doom himself.
==== Reed Richards ====
Mister Fantastic is the central protagonist of the 2015 epic, serving as the ideological and intellectual counterpoint to Doctor Doom. The entire "Time Runs Out" saga leading up to the event chronicled Reed's moral descent as he made impossible choices to save the world. During Secret Wars, he represents the lost hope of the old universe. His final confrontation with Doom is the climax of decades of their rivalry, a debate over who is the better man and who was more fit to hold the power of a god. Reed's "victory" is not just saving the day, but healing his greatest enemy and taking on the responsibility of rebuilding everything.
==== The Hero Factions ====
In the first Secret Wars, the hero community was fractured. The Avengers, Fantastic Four, and solo heroes formed one group, but the X-Men, led by their justified paranoia of how other heroes viewed them, operated independently. This tension was a major subplot, reflecting the comics' status quo at the time where the X-Men were often treated as outcasts.
In the second Secret Wars, the primary "hero faction" was the small group of survivors from Earth-616's life raft. They were fugitives in a world that didn't know them, carrying the memory of a universe that no longer existed. Their arrival was the spark that ignited a world-wide rebellion against Doom, as they represented a "truth" that his subjects had been conditioned to forget.
===== Part 5: Tie-Ins and Expanded Universe =====
==== "Time Runs Out" - The Road to Secret Wars (2015) ====
To fully appreciate the 2015 event, the preceding storyline, "Time Runs Out," is essential reading. Running through Jonathan Hickman's //Avengers// and //New Avengers// titles, it jumped the timeline forward eight months to show the final days before the last Incursion. It depicts a broken world: the Avengers are fractured and in hiding, S.H.I.E.L.D. is hunting them, and the Illuminati have become ruthless anti-heroes, creating world-destroying weapons to save their own universe. This arc brilliantly sets the desperate, apocalyptic tone and explains the complex cosmic mechanics that make Secret Wars not just an event, but an inevitability.
==== Secret Wars II (1985) ====
Following the massive success of the original, Marvel launched a sequel, //Secret Wars II//. This 9-issue series saw the Beyonder travel to Earth in a human form to experience life and understand humanity. The series was widely considered a critical and narrative failure. Where the first series was a focused action epic, the sequel was a disjointed philosophical journey that saw the Beyonder interacting with various heroes and villains in often bizarre ways. Its most lasting impact was the death of the New Mutants character Warlock and the Beyonder's eventual "death" after being forced to experience mortality. Most modern storytelling ignores or downplays the events of this series.
==== Secret Wars (2015) Tie-In Miniseries ====
The 2015 event was accompanied by dozens of tie-in miniseries, each exploring a different domain of Battleworld. These were not just supplementary but were a core part of the experience, showcasing the incredible creative potential of Doom's patchwork world. Notable and popular tie-ins included:
  * **//Thors//:** A police procedural starring the Thor Corps as they investigate a murder mystery that threatens Doom's entire order.
  * **//A-Force//:** Featuring an all-female team of Avengers defending the island nation of Arcadia.
  * **//Old Man Logan//:** Bringing the popular character from Mark Millar's classic storyline into the main event, as Logan travels across the domains of Battleworld.
  * **//Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows//:** Set in a domain where Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane Watson was never erased, and they fight crime as a family with their super-powered daughter, Annie.
  * **//Siege//:** A gritty story about the defenders of the Shield, a massive wall that keeps the zombie, Ultron, and Annihilus hordes of the Deadlands at bay, led by an aged Abigail Brand.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
==== Animated Adaptations ====
Many fans' first exposure to the Secret Wars concept was through the final season of the 1990s //Spider-Man: The Animated Series//. This three-part story arc was a very loose adaptation. The Beyonder, voiced by Earl Boen, brings Spider-Man to a peaceful Battleworld and tasks him with leading a team of heroes (the Fantastic Four, Captain America, Iron Man, and Storm) against a team of villains (Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Alistair Smythe, the Lizard, and Red Skull) to see which ideology, good or evil, is stronger. It captured the core premise of the original comic but on a much smaller scale.
==== Video Game Adaptations ====
While no game is a direct adaptation of the storyline, the core concept of heroes and villains being brought to a specific location to battle by a cosmic entity is the foundation for several popular mobile and console games.
  * **//Marvel Contest of Champions//:** The premise of this mobile fighting game is a direct spiritual successor to Secret Wars, with the Collector and the Grandmaster pitting heroes and villains against each other in the "Battlerealm."
  * **//Marvel Super Hero Squad Online//:** This game featured a location called "Battleworld" for players to engage in combat.
==== Upcoming MCU Adaptation ====
As the announced finale for the MCU's "Multiverse Saga," //Avengers: Secret Wars// will be the highest-profile adaptation of the story to date. While details are scarce, it is expected to draw thematic elements from both the 1984 and 2015 comic events. It will likely feature a massive cast of characters, including heroes from different universes and timelines (potentially including characters from Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four films). The primary antagonist is expected to be a variant of Kang the Conqueror, who may take on the god-like role of the Beyonder or God Emperor Doom, forcing the surviving heroes to fight for the fate of a shattered multiverse.
===== See Also =====
  * [[beyonder]]
  * [[doctor_doom]]
  * [[molecule_man]]
  * [[multiverse]]
  * [[incursion]]
  * [[kang_the_conqueror]]
  * [[venom]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((The original 1984 series was published as //Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars//. Its success led to a 9-issue sequel, //Secret Wars II//, in 1985-86, and a 4-issue //Secret Wars// tie-in for the Thing's solo comic in 1984.))
((Jim Shooter's original pitch for the series was reportedly called "Cosmic Champions." The name was changed after marketing feedback.))
((The design for Spider-Man's black symbiote costume was created by a fan, Randy Schueller, who submitted the idea to Marvel. Jim Shooter purchased the idea from him for $220.))
((The 2015 //Secret Wars// series was the culmination of Jonathan Hickman's entire Marvel run, which began with //Secret Warriors// and continued through his epic tenures on //Fantastic Four//, //FF//, //Avengers//, and //New Avengers//.))
((The final issue of the 2015 event, //Secret Wars #9//, was delayed several months, finally releasing in January 2016, well after the "All-New, All-Different Marvel" relaunch it was meant to precede had already begun.))
((In the original script for the 1984 series, Wolverine was meant to be the one who killed several villains in a berserker rage, but this was toned down for the final version to keep him more heroic.))