The Original Sin storyline was announced by Marvel Comics in early 2014 as their major summer crossover event for that year, following the cosmic-scale Infinity event of 2013. The central creative team consisted of writer Jason Aaron (known for his acclaimed run on Thor: God of Thunder) and artist Mike Deodato Jr. (a veteran artist known for his gritty and atmospheric style). The series was edited by Tom Brevoort and Axel Alonso. Marvel's marketing for the event was built around a simple, compelling question: “Who Shot the Watcher?” This murder mystery premise was designed to be an accessible entry point for new readers while promising significant revelations for long-time fans. The event was structured as a core 8-issue limited series (plus a prologue Issue #0), which ran from May to September 2014. It was supported by numerous tie-in issues across Marvel's publishing line, each exploring a specific character's “original sin” as it was revealed. Jason Aaron stated in interviews that his goal was to blend different genres, combining a street-level noir detective story with a high-stakes cosmic epic. He aimed to create an event that had lasting, meaningful consequences for the characters involved, rather than simply returning to the status quo at its conclusion. The event's structure, which involved sending out small, mismatched teams of heroes to investigate different leads, was a deliberate choice to create unique character interactions and dramatic tension.
The event begins with Uatu, the cosmic being assigned to observe Earth from his base on the Blue Area of the Moon, sensing a dire, unseen threat. He is confronted by unknown assailants, and a battle ensues. Shortly thereafter, Captain America, Wolverine, Black Widow, and Nick Fury are enjoying a quiet moment when Fury is called away on urgent business. Steve Rogers then receives a call from Thor, who has made a grisly discovery on the Moon. The assembled avengers arrive at Uatu's citadel to find him dead, seated on his throne with a massive gunshot wound to his head and his famously all-seeing eyes gouged out and stolen. This act of deicide is a profound violation of cosmic law and a catastrophic security breach, as Uatu's eyes contain every secret he has ever witnessed throughout Earth's history. Before the heroes can formulate a plan, a mysterious, cloaked figure appears. This figure, whose identity is initially unknown, reveals they have a plan to find the killer. They select and teleport away several small, unorthodox teams to investigate different facets of the crime:
These teams are tasked with tracking down leads across the universe, from the center of the Earth to deep space, all while dealing with their own mistrust and conflicting methodologies. Their investigation quickly reveals that several parties are after the Watcher's eyes, including the classic villain Doctor Midas and his daughter Exterminatrix, as well as a D-list villain known as The Orb, who has somehow come into possession of one of the eyes. The true mastermind behind the investigation, however, remains hidden, manipulating events from the shadows.
Original Sin has no direct adaptation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The core characters, plot points, and consequences of the comic storyline do not exist within the MCU's continuity. The concept of “The Watchers” as a species has been introduced, most notably through the character of The Watcher (voiced by Jeffrey Wright) who serves as the narrator for the animated series What If…?. However, this version is presented as a multiversal observer, distinct from the Earth-616 Uatu who was specifically assigned to Earth's solar system. There are, however, thematic parallels. The MCU often uses the revelation of world-shattering secrets as a major plot driver:
An MCU adaptation of Original Sin would require significant changes. The role of the original Nick Fury as a secret, aging protector of Earth is not part of the MCU canon, where Samuel L. Jackson's Fury has a much more public (though still clandestine) role. Furthermore, the specific secrets revealed in the comics (Thor's unworthiness, Angela's heritage, etc.) are tied to decades of comic book continuity that do not exist in the films. A potential adaptation would likely need to invent new “sins” relevant to the established MCU timeline and its characters.
The narrative of Original Sin unfolds as a tense whodunit that quickly escalates into a full-blown crisis, with the final act revealing a conspiracy decades in the making.
The initial investigation is chaotic. The Orb, empowered by one of the Watcher's eyes, unleashes a “truth bomb” on Earth, a psychic shockwave that implants a deep, personal secret into the mind of everyone in its radius. This act sows discord and sends heroes reeling, but it's only a taste of the full power contained within the eyes. The investigative teams follow their leads:
Their separate investigations eventually converge on a secret, hidden S.H.I.E.L.D. orbital space station. It is here they are confronted by the mastermind who assembled them: an aged, weary, and dying Nick Fury. He reveals a stunning truth: for over half a century, he has been secretly acting as Earth's “Man on the Wall,” a clandestine, one-man army single-handedly protecting the planet from cosmic and extradimensional threats that the Avengers never even knew existed. He has committed countless morally questionable acts and assassinations to keep humanity safe, a lifelong “original sin” he has borne alone. He explains he is now dying due to the Infinity Formula in his body failing and that he assembled the heroes to find his replacement.
The climax of the story occurs when the heroes confront Nick Fury. During the battle, Doctor Midas and The Orb also arrive, seeking the power of the Watcher for themselves. The Orb gains control of the second eye, and in a moment of overload, its power explodes, unleashing all of Uatu's remaining secrets into the minds of those present. This is the source of the event's most significant revelations:
The final confrontation reveals the complete truth of Uatu's death. Doctor Midas's group attacked Uatu first. Nick Fury arrived to help, but Uatu was mortally wounded. To spare him further pain and to protect his secrets, Fury killed him. He then took one eye, but The Orb and the Exterminatrix ambushed him, gouging out his other eye and stealing Uatu's. The Orb then shot Fury with Uatu's own gun, which triggered the psychic blast that gave him the Watcher's knowledge and ultimately led the heroes to Fury. In the final battle, Fury unleashes the full power of the Watcher's eye, seemingly vaporizing Doctor Midas. However, the feedback from the cosmic energy appears to kill Fury as well. In reality, the remaining heroes realize the cosmic imbalance left by Uatu's death must be filled.
The central relationship of Original Sin is the tragic, symbiotic one between Uatu the Watcher and Nick Fury. Uatu, for millennia, was bound by his sacred oath to only observe and never interfere. However, he bent this rule countless times, subtly aiding Earth's heroes, most famously during the coming of galactus. He was the universe's ultimate secret-keeper. Nick Fury, in parallel, was Earth's ultimate secret-doer. As the “Man on the Wall,” he operated completely outside of any government or superhero jurisdiction, committing morally gray acts to neutralize threats before they reached Earth. He was the planet's silent, unseen guardian. In the end, Fury killed Uatu not out of malice, but as a mercy to a dying friend and to prevent his secrets from falling into the wrong hands. His punishment was poetic: the man of action was condemned to become a man of pure observation, inheriting Uatu's burden as The Unseen.
The unlikely teams formed by Fury were designed to create friction and showcase diverse skill sets.
While Nick Fury is the story's central figure and killer, the primary antagonists driving the plot are a trio of villains seeking to weaponize the Watcher's power.
The core 8-issue series (plus a #0 issue focusing on Uatu and Sam Alexander/Nova) contains the central murder mystery plot. Written by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Deodato Jr., it follows the investigation from the discovery of Uatu's body to the final confrontation with Nick Fury on his orbital station. This series is where all the major plot points occur: the formation of the teams, the revelation of Fury as the “Man on the Wall,” the “truth bomb” explosion, Thor's unworthiness, and Fury's transformation into The Unseen.
This five-issue tie-in miniseries, also written by Jason Aaron, directly follows up on the secret revealed to Thor about his long-lost sister. Guided by one of the Watcher's dislodged eyes, Thor and Loki discover the existence of Heven, the Tenth Realm, which Odin magically severed from the World Tree. They journey there and confront the Angels, ultimately finding and battling their sister, Angela. The story ends with Angela learning her true Asgardian heritage and leaving Heven, becoming a wandering figure in the Marvel Universe.
This five-issue anthology companion series explored some of the smaller, more personal secrets that were revealed to various characters. Notable stories included:
Many ongoing series at the time featured tie-in arcs exploring their protagonist's specific “sin.”
Nick Fury's transformation into The Unseen was not a temporary plot device. He has reappeared in this form in several major storylines since.
While not a direct adaptation, the core concept of Original Sin—a single event that reveals devastating truths—is a powerful storytelling trope seen across various media. Within Marvel's own adaptations, the idea of a “sin” from the past coming back to haunt the present is a recurring theme. The MCU's version of The Watcher in What If…? grapples with the same core dilemma as his comic counterpart: when is it right to break an oath of non-interference for the greater good? His decision to intervene and form the Guardians of the Multiverse is a direct violation of his purpose, mirroring Uatu's own history of bending the rules. The event's legacy in the comics remains significant, as it permanently altered several of Marvel's most iconic characters and set the board for the universe-redefining Secret Wars of 2015.