Avengers` #89-97 (1971-1972).
The concept of the Illuminati was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Steve McNiven. While the characters themselves had existed for decades, the idea of them forming a secret group was a significant retcon (retroactive continuity) to Marvel's history.
The team was first teased in the closing pages of `New Avengers` #7 (July 2005) before being fully explored in a self-titled one-shot, `New Avengers: Illuminati` #1 (May 2006). This issue detailed their formation in a flashback, establishing their secret involvement in events that readers had known for years. Bendis conceived of the group as a way to explain the interconnectedness of the Marvel Universe and provide a narrative engine for large-scale conflicts. It placed some of the universe's greatest heroes in a morally gray area, forcing them to make impossible decisions that would have massive repercussions, most notably leading into the blockbuster events `Planet Hulk` and `Civil War`. The idea was to create a “United Nations” of superheroes that operated with absolute secrecy and authority, a concept fraught with dramatic potential and ethical conflict.
The origin of the Illuminati differs dramatically between the comics and the cinematic universe, reflecting their fundamentally different roles in each continuity.
The formation of the Earth-616 Illuminati was a direct response to the cataclysmic kree-skrull_war. In the immediate aftermath of this galaxy-spanning conflict that nearly destroyed Earth, Tony Stark (iron_man) concluded that the planet's heroes were dangerously disorganized. Individually, they were powerful, but their lack of communication and coordination had almost led to annihilation. Stark arranged a clandestine meeting in wakanda, inviting individuals he considered the smartest and most influential leaders from every major corner of the super-powered world. The guest list was precise:
The meeting was hosted by King T'Challa, the black_panther. Stark proposed the formation of a formal governing body for superheroes, a type of super-human government that would operate in the open to preemptively handle global threats. The proposal was met with immediate and forceful opposition. The attendees, particularly Professor X and Namor, argued that such a group would have too much power and that their disparate personalities and ideologies would inevitably lead to conflict. They pointed out the inherent danger of a few individuals making decisions for the entire world. It was T'Challa who delivered the most cogent refusal. He warned the others that a cabal of heroes operating in the shadows would be no different than the villains they fight. He predicted that their good intentions would pave the way for disaster, that their secrets would breed mistrust, and that when they eventually disagreed, the resulting conflict would shatter the world. He refused to join, foreseeing the very tragedies the group would later cause. Though Stark's initial idea was rejected, a compromise was reached. The men agreed that while a formal government was a bad idea, sharing information was vital. They agreed to form a secret council—the Illuminati—to meet periodically, exchange critical intelligence that their respective groups discovered, and secretly shape events to protect the Earth. From that day forward, they operated in the shadows, their very existence a secret from their families, their teammates, and the world.
The Illuminati of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has, so far, only been depicted as existing on Earth-838, as seen in `Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness`. This version is starkly different from its comic book counterpart in both origin and function.
On Earth-838, the Illuminati was not a secret cabal but a well-known, established team of their world's greatest heroes, serving as its primary defense force and ultimate authority. Their formation was a response to a grave threat from their universe's thanos. They successfully defeated the Mad Titan on his moon, Titan, preventing his devastating Snap.
Their greatest challenge, however, came from one of their own: their universe's Doctor Strange. Obsessed with finding a way to defeat Thanos, Earth-838's Strange turned to the dark magic of the darkhold. While he found the key to victory in the Book of the Vishanti, his use of the Darkhold corrupted him and triggered an “Incursion”—a catastrophic collision of two universes—that annihilated another reality.
After defeating Thanos, the Illuminati confronted their corrupted Sorcerer Supreme. They judged him to be the greatest threat to the multiverse. In a moment of supreme sacrifice and cold pragmatism, they executed their friend and leader. Black Bolt, using his devastating voice, obliterated Strange.
To preserve Strange's heroic legacy, they lied to the public, claiming he died fighting Thanos. They replaced him on the council with Baron Karl Mordo. This act cemented the Illuminati's role on Earth-838: they were not just protectors but also judge, jury, and executioner, willing to make impossible, brutal decisions for what they perceived as the greater good. When the Prime MCU's Doctor Strange (from Earth-616) arrived in their universe, they viewed him with extreme prejudice, believing him capable of the same world-ending destruction as his variant. This hubris and underestimation of a new threat, the scarlet_witch, led directly to their swift and violent demise.
The purpose and roster of the Illuminati reflect the core challenges and power structures of their respective universes.
Mandate and Philosophy: The core mandate of the Earth-616 Illuminati was to be a proactive, not reactive, force for global security. They believed that by pooling their immense intellect, resources, and influence, they could secretly neutralize threats before they escalated into world-ending crises. Their philosophy was one of consequentialism; the ends justified the means, even if those means included mind-wiping allies, exiling teammates, or hoarding weapons of mass destruction. This utilitarian approach was a constant source of internal friction and moral decay. Structure: The group had no formal structure, hierarchy, or headquarters. They were a council of equals, with decisions typically made by a majority vote. Meetings were held irregularly and in secret, often in locations known only to them, like the hidden chambers of Wakanda or anonymous boardrooms. Each member held a “seat” representing their sphere of influence, and their authority was derived from the power they wielded outside the group. Founding Members and Their Roles:
Later Members:
Time Runs Out` storyline.Mandate and Philosophy: The mandate of the Earth-838 Illuminati was to be the ultimate arbiters of justice and safety for their reality. Unlike their secretive 616 counterparts, they operated with public knowledge and authority, headquartered in the Baxter Building. Their philosophy was rooted in a grim utilitarianism born from their experience with their own Doctor Strange: any individual, no matter how heroic, who threatens the stability of their universe must be neutralized without hesitation. Structure: This Illuminati was a formal council, complete with a futuristic meeting chamber and advanced Ultron sentries for security. They acted as a supreme court for multiversal threats, passing judgment and carrying out sentencing themselves. Mordo held the title of Sorcerer Supreme and appeared to act as the council's de facto speaker. Members and Their Roles:
X-Men: The Animated Series`, complete with his iconic yellow hoverchair. He was the group's moral center, advocating for reason and compassion, even towards a perceived threat like the Scarlet Witch.The Illuminati's secrecy precluded traditional alliances. Their greatest “allies” were, in fact, each other, and this internal trust was fragile and often broken. They did not collaborate with other teams; they manipulated them. For instance, during the Infinity Gauntlet affair, they worked together to reassemble the Gauntlet but kept its continued existence a secret from the rest of the universe. During the Incursion crisis, their “alliance” was one of desperate co-conspirators, bound by a terrible secret and the need to commit horrific acts. The closest they came to an external ally was when Black Panther finally joined, but he did so as a reluctant partner, not a true believer in their cause.
The Illuminati's greatest enemies were often a direct result of their own actions and hubris.
Time Runs Out` saga. These enigmatic, omnipotent beings were the cause of the multiverse's decay and the Incursions. The Illuminati's every effort—scientific, magical, and military—was utterly insignificant against them. The Beyonders systematically murdered every cosmic entity in the multiverse, and the Illuminati were ultimately powerless to stop them, proving the group's ultimate failure.The Illuminati itself is a secret affiliation, not a member of any larger body. Its power stems entirely from the fact that its members are the leaders of the most powerful groups on Earth:
This structure allowed them to leverage the resources, personnel, and intelligence of these organizations without their knowledge or consent. This parasitic relationship meant that when the Illuminati failed, the fallout often damaged the reputation and effectiveness of the very groups their members were supposed to be leading.
The history of the Illuminati is defined by a series of morally ambiguous decisions and their catastrophic consequences.
After the infinity_gauntlet was secured from Thanos, Reed Richards used it to attempt to wish the Infinity Gems out of existence, but the Living Tribunal intervened, stating the Gems were a necessary part of cosmic balance. Believing no single person should wield such power, Reed gathered the Illuminati. They decided to divide the six Gems amongst themselves for safekeeping, each member taking the Gem that was most alien to their own nature to prevent temptation. This act of supreme hubris—believing they alone were worthy to guard the universe's most powerful objects—would later come back to haunt them when other forces sought the Gems, leading directly to conflicts that threatened the fabric of reality during Jonathan Hickman's `Avengers` run.
Perhaps their most infamous act, the decision to exile the Hulk stands as a monument to their arrogance. After a particularly devastating rampage, Tony Stark convinced the group that Bruce Banner was a “ticking time bomb.” They voted to trick Hulk into a shuttle and send him to an uninhabited paradise. The plan went horribly wrong. The shuttle passed through a wormhole and crashed on Sakaar, a brutal gladiatorial world. Hulk rose from slave to king, only to have his kingdom, his queen, and his child incinerated when the shuttle's core exploded. Blaming the Illuminati, he returned to Earth for vengeance. In `World War Hulk`, he systematically defeated Black Bolt, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Mister Fantastic, forcing them to fight as gladiators in a packed Madison Square Garden, exposing their secret society to the world and shattering any moral authority they claimed to possess.
The Skrull invasion was a direct consequence of the Illuminati's early aggression. Their initial trip to the Skrull homeworld to issue a warning ended in their capture. The Skrulls vivisected and studied them, gaining intimate knowledge of their powers, psychology, and DNA. This research was the key to creating their “Super-Skrull” infiltrators and perfecting the sleeper agent program that allowed them to replace key heroes and figures across the globe. When the invasion finally happened, the Illuminati was as blind as everyone else. Iron Man was shocked to discover the corpse of a Skrull posing as Black Bolt in their meeting place, realizing their sanctum had been breached long ago. Their attempt to be proactive had, in fact, armed their enemy.
This storyline represents the Illuminati's final and greatest failure. Faced with the Incursions—a multiversal cancer where Earths from two universes collide, annihilating both unless one is destroyed—the group was reformed, this time with Black Panther. They grappled with an impossible choice: commit genocide to save their universe, or hold to their morals and allow everything to die. This dilemma shattered the group. They built planet-killing weapons. They fought and killed the heroes of other Earths. When Captain America refused to cross that line, they mind-wiped him. Their internal conflicts, especially between Namor and T'Challa, escalated into open war between Atlantis and Wakanda. Ultimately, they failed. They could not stop the Incursions, they could not defeat the Beyonders, and their actions only served to make the end of everything more violent and tragic.
Dark Reign`. Its members included Osborn, Doctor Doom, Namor (who held dual membership for a time), Emma Frost, Loki, and The Hood. While the Illuminati sought to protect the world through morally gray means, the Cabal sought to control it through overtly villainous ones, dividing the world's power amongst themselves.Avengers` #89-97 (1971-1972).Inhumans` TV series, Patrick Stewart returns as a variant of Professor X similar to his appearance in `X-Men: The Animated Series`, and John Krasinski makes a cameo as Reed Richards, a long-time fan-favorite casting choice.Time Runs Out` storyline, the Illuminati used the Infinity Gauntlet to try and push an encroaching Earth away. This act of desperation caused five of the six Infinity Gems to shatter, with only the Time Gem disappearing, leaving the universe defenseless against the final Incursions.