Show pageBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Earth-199999 (Marvel Cinematic Universe) ====== ===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary ===== * **Core Identity: Earth-199999 is the official multiversal designation for the primary reality depicted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), encompassing all films and series from ''Iron Man'' (2008) to the present day.** * **Key Takeaways:** * **The Cinematic Hub:** This reality serves as the foundational setting for the interconnected narrative of the [[avengers]], the [[guardians_of_the_galaxy]], and dozens of other heroes and villains introduced by Marvel Studios. Its history, physics, and character origins are distinct from all other Marvel realities. * **The Sacred Timeline:** For an unknown period of its history, Earth-199999 was isolated and curated by He Who Remains to be the "Sacred Timeline," a singular stream of events designed to prevent a catastrophic Multiversal War. The death of this entity fractured this timeline, re-exposing Earth-199999 to the infinite possibilities and dangers of the [[multiverse]]. * **Distinct from Prime Comics Canon:** It is fundamentally separate from **Earth-616**, the designation for the main Marvel Comics continuity. While sharing characters and concepts, Earth-199999 features numerous adaptations, altered origins, different power levels, and unique historical events tailored for cinematic storytelling. ===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution ===== ==== Real-World Creation and Designation ==== The conceptual genesis of Earth-199999 began with the founding of Marvel Studios and its ambitious plan to create a shared cinematic universe, a departure from the standalone superhero films of the past. The universe was officially launched in 2008 with the release of director Jon Favreau's //Iron Man//, followed by an end-credits scene where Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, introduced the "Avengers Initiative." This moment signaled the beginning of a meticulously planned, multi-film narrative arc. The specific designation "Earth-199999" did not originate from the films themselves. It was first officially established in the real-world publication **//Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z, Vol. 5//**, which was released in January 2009. This handbook, a long-standing tradition for Marvel Comics to catalog its characters and concepts, formally integrated the burgeoning cinematic universe into the broader Marvel Multiverse. The numbering choice is believed to be arbitrary, selected to be high enough not to conflict with any existing or planned comic book realities. This designation provides a crucial framework for fans and creators, allowing for a clear distinction between the events of the MCU and those of the primary comics universe, Earth-616. While characters within the MCU have occasionally and colloquially referred to their reality as "Earth-616" (notably by Mysterio in //Spider-Man: Far From Home// and Dr. Erik Selvig in //Thor: The Dark World//'s tie-in materials, and Christine Palmer of Earth-838 in //Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//), these are considered in-universe homages or misunderstandings. The canonical designation recognized by Marvel's comprehensive multiversal map remains Earth-199999. ==== In-Universe History and Timeline ==== The history of Earth-199999 is a vast tapestry stretching back to the dawn of creation, marked by cosmic conflicts, ancient empires, and the eventual rise of super-powered individuals. === The Dawn of Creation === Before the universe existed, there were six singularities. Following the Big Bang, these singularities were forged by cosmic entities into six concentrated ingots of immense power: the **[[infinity_stones]]** (Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul). These stones governed the essential aspects of existence. In the universe's infancy, colossal cosmic beings known as the **[[celestials]]** traversed the cosmos, seeding life on countless worlds, including Earth. On Earth, their experiments led to the creation of the god-like **Eternals** and their monstrous counterparts, the **Deviants**. The Celestial Tiamut was seeded within the Earth's core, destined to emerge and birth a new Celestial, a process that would have destroyed the planet. === The Age of Myth and Ancient Empires === Millennia ago, powerful civilizations rose to prominence. The **Asgardians**, led by Odin, established a nine-realm empire, bringing peace through conquest. Odin and his firstborn, Hela, waged bloody wars before Hela was imprisoned. The **Kree Empire** and the shape-shifting **Skrulls** engaged in a centuries-long war that spread across the galaxy. On Earth, humans developed, with factions learning to wield magic at **Kamar-Taj** under the guidance of the first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, who protected the reality from interdimensional threats like Dormammu of the Dark Dimension. Wakanda was established on a mountain of Vibranium, a near-indestructible alien metal that arrived via a meteorite, and its people isolated themselves, developing technology far beyond the rest of the world. === The 20th Century: The Seeds of the Modern Age === The modern age of heroes was preceded by a century of conflict and scientific discovery. During World War II, the Nazi deep-science division **[[hydra]]**, led by Johann Schmidt (the Red Skull), harnessed the power of the Tesseract (the Space Stone). To counter this threat, the Allied forces initiated Project Rebirth, which transformed the frail Steve Rogers into the super-soldier **[[captain_america]]**. Rogers, alongside the Howling Commandos, dismantled HYDRA's operations, culminating in Schmidt's apparent disintegration by the Tesseract and Rogers's own 70-year cryo-stasis after crashing his plane in the Arctic. After the war, Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and Chester Phillips founded the **Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division**, or **[[shield]]**, to protect the world from extraordinary threats. Unbeknownst to them, HYDRA survived, secretly infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. from its very inception. === The Infinity Saga: An Age of Heroes and Annihilation === The 21st century saw an unprecedented explosion of super-powered beings and extraterrestrial contact. * **The Avengers Initiative:** The era began when genius billionaire **[[tony_stark]]** created the first [[iron_man]] armor. His public declaration "I am Iron Man" changed the world. This event prompted S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury to accelerate the Avengers Initiative. The team officially formed when Loki, the adopted brother of **[[thor]]**, attempted to conquer Earth using the Tesseract and a Chitauri army in the **Battle of New York**. * **Expansion and Upheaval:** In the following years, the world grappled with the new reality. The Avengers dismantled HYDRA cells, battled the sentient A.I. **Ultron** in Sokovia, and faced internal division over the **Sokovia Accords**, a UN framework for regulating superheroes, which led to a bitter schism between Iron Man and Captain America. Concurrently, the **[[guardians_of_the_galaxy]]** formed in deep space, repeatedly clashing with the forces of the Mad Titan, **[[thanos]]**. * **The Snap and The Blip:** Thanos, believing that halving the universe's population would bring balance, embarked on a crusade to collect all six Infinity Stones. Despite the combined efforts of the Avengers, the Guardians, and the forces of Wakanda, he succeeded. With a snap of his fingers, he erased 50% of all life in the universe. This cataclysmic event, known as **The Snap** or **The Decimation**, plunged Earth-199999 into a five-year period of global mourning and chaos known as **The Blip**. * **The Battle of Earth:** Five years later, the surviving Avengers discovered a means of time travel through the Quantum Realm. They successfully retrieved the Infinity Stones from different points in the past and, through the sacrifice of Natasha Romanoff and the ingenuity of Bruce Banner, reversed The Snap. This act drew a past version of Thanos and his entire army to the present, leading to the **Battle of Earth**, the largest conflict in the planet's history. The battle culminated in Tony Stark sacrificing his life to use the stones and wipe out Thanos's forces. === The Multiverse Saga and the Fracture of Reality === The aftermath of the Infinity Saga saw the universe attempting to heal. However, the Avengers' "Time Heist" and other cosmic events had unforeseen consequences. A variant of Loki, escaping his timeline, was apprehended by the **Time Variance Authority (TVA)**, an organization existing outside of time that pruned variants to protect the "Sacred Timeline." Loki discovered that the TVA was a facade created by **He Who Remains**, a variant of Kang the Conqueror, to prevent his more warlike variants from starting another Multiversal War. When his variant partner, Sylvie, killed He Who Remains, the Sacred Timeline fractured, branching into an infinite number of parallel realities and officially beginning the Multiverse Saga, exposing Earth-199999 to threats from across all of existence. ===== Part 3: Core Concepts and Universal Laws ===== The reality of Earth-199999 operates under a set of physical and metaphysical laws that are often more grounded than their comic counterparts, though equally extraordinary. === Comparison with Earth-616's Cosmology === A core aspect of understanding Earth-199999 is contrasting it with the Prime Comic Universe, Earth-616. These differences are not errors, but deliberate creative choices for a different medium. ^ **Concept** ^ **Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe)** ^ **Earth-199999 (Marvel Cinematic Universe)** ^ | **Superhuman Origins** | The X-Gene is a primary source, creating a distinct subspecies of humanity called Mutants. Many other origins exist (cosmic rays, gamma radiation, magic, etc.), but Mutants are a central societal issue. | Superhuman origins are more disparate and often rooted in specific scientific or mystical events. Examples include the Super-Soldier Serum (Captain America), Gamma radiation (Hulk), advanced technology (Iron Man), exposure to Infinity Stones (Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch), and Inhuman terrigenesis. Mutants have only recently been confirmed to exist, with "mutation" being a new and rare phenomenon. | | **Infinity Stones/Gems** | Known as Infinity Gems. They are a core part of the cosmic structure and can generally be used by powerful beings. They retain their power across different realities and have been used in multiversal conflicts. | Known as Infinity Stones. They are immensely powerful but have been shown to lose their efficacy outside their native universe, turning into inert paperweights within the TVA. Their destruction by Thanos in 2108 was a unique event with massive cosmic repercussions. | | **Cosmic Entities** | Beings like Galactus, the Living Tribunal, Eternity, and the Celestials are vast, abstract, and operate on a scale beyond mortal comprehension. The Celestials are often depicted as armored, silent space gods with unclear motives. | Cosmic entities are more tangible. The Celestials are depicted as planet-sized beings who seed worlds with life to birth new Celestials, a more defined and direct purpose. Eternity is a silent, reachable realm. The Living Tribunal has been referenced but not seen in its full capacity. Beings like Galactus have not yet appeared. | | **Magic and Mysticism** | Magic is a fundamental force, often chaotic and highly esoteric. It is wielded by numerous beings and is deeply intertwined with mythological pantheons, hell-lords like Mephisto, and elder gods. | Magic is often presented as a form of advanced science or energy manipulation from other dimensions. Asgardian "magic" is explained as hyper-advanced technology. The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj draw power from other dimensions to cast spells, following a more structured, rule-based system. | | **Alternate Realities** | The Multiverse is a long-established, constantly interacting web of realities. Travel and observation between them are common for characters like Captain Britain Corps, The Exiles, and Reed Richards. | The Multiverse was, for a time, "managed" and restricted by the TVA into the Sacred Timeline. Its full, chaotic nature was only unleashed following the events of //Loki//. The concept of "incursions"—two universes colliding and destroying each other—is a central, cataclysmic threat. | === The Sacred Timeline and the TVA === A concept unique to the MCU, the **Sacred Timeline** was not one specific universe, but a carefully curated bundle of timelines that followed a predetermined path laid out by He Who Remains. Any deviation from this path—a "Nexus Event"—would create a branch reality. The **Time Variance Authority (TVA)** was tasked with identifying these branches and "pruning" them, along with the variants who caused them, using Retraction Charges to erase the divergent reality from existence. The purpose of this totalitarian control was to prevent the emergence of variants of Kang the Conqueror, who in a past multiversal war, nearly destroyed all of existence. The fracturing of the Sacred Timeline has ended this cosmic control, allowing the multiverse to grow wild and chaotic once more, making the rise of Kang and the threat of a new Multiversal War an inevitability. === The Nature of Time and Space === Time travel in Earth-199999 follows a specific model that differs from many popular fiction tropes. As explained by Bruce Banner and the Ancient One in //Avengers: Endgame//, traveling to the past does not change the future of the traveler's original timeline. Instead, it creates a new, divergent branch reality. Any changes made affect only that new timeline. The only way to prevent catastrophic paradoxes is to return whatever was taken (like the Infinity Stones) to the exact moment it was removed, which "prunes" the created branch. The universe also contains several parallel dimensions and planes of existence: * **The Quantum Realm:** A subatomic reality where the concepts of time and space become irrelevant. It is accessible through Pym Particles and is key to time travel. * **The Mirror Dimension:** A parallel space where sorcerers can train and battle without affecting the real world. * **The Dark Dimension:** A hellish reality ruled by the entity Dormammu, who seeks to absorb all other universes into his own. * **Ta Lo:** A mystical dimension accessible through a portal on Earth, inhabited by various mythological Chinese creatures. ===== Part 4: Key Inhabitants and Factions ===== The destiny of Earth-199999 has been shaped by a multitude of powerful individuals, clandestine organizations, and entire civilizations. ==== Prime Movers and Heroes ==== * **[[the_avengers|The Avengers]]:** Earth's foremost team of superheroes, founded by Nick Fury. The original roster included Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. The team's membership has evolved significantly, but its core mission remains to tackle threats that no single hero could withstand. * **[[guardians_of_the_galaxy|Guardians of the Galaxy]]:** A ragtag group of interstellar misfits who came together to become heroes of the cosmos. Led by Peter Quill (Star-Lord), they have saved the galaxy from threats like Ronan the Accuser and Ego the Living Planet. * **Sorcerers of Kamar-Taj:** An ancient order of magic-users led by the Sorcerer Supreme (first the Ancient One, now Wong, with [[doctor_strange]] as a key master). They protect Earth from mystical and interdimensional threats. ==== Major Antagonistic Forces ==== * **[[thanos]]:** The Mad Titan. A powerful warlord from Titan who believed universal stability could only be achieved by eliminating half of all life. His quest for the Infinity Stones and his eventual success defined an entire era of the universe. * **[[hydra]]:** An authoritarian terrorist organization with roots in Nazi Germany. Believing humanity cannot be trusted with its own freedom, HYDRA seeks to establish a global fascist state. Its secret infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. was one of the most significant geopolitical events of the 21st century. * **[[kang_the_conqueror|Kang the Conqueror]] and his Variants:** A brilliant scientist from the 31st century who discovered the multiverse. While one variant, He Who Remains, imposed peace through control, his other variants are bent on total conquest of all realities, posing the single greatest threat to the multiverse. ==== Global and Cosmic Powers ==== * **[[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]]:** An international intelligence and counter-terrorism agency founded after WWII. For decades, it was the world's primary defense against the unknown until its collapse following the revelation that it was secretly controlled by HYDRA. * **[[wakanda]]:** An isolationist African nation built upon a mountain of Vibranium. For centuries, it posed as a third-world country while secretly being the most technologically advanced civilization on Earth. Under King T'Challa, Wakanda opened its borders and shared its technology with the world. * **Kree Empire:** A scientifically and militarily advanced humanoid alien civilization. Ruled by an A.I. known as the Supreme Intelligence, the Kree are an imperialistic force that has been at war with the Skrulls for centuries. ===== Part 5: Defining Events of the Infinity Saga ===== While countless battles and crises have occurred, a few key events fundamentally reshaped the reality of Earth-199999. === The Battle of New York (2012) === The culmination of Loki's invasion of Earth. Using the Tesseract, he opened a wormhole above Stark Tower, allowing an army of Chitauri soldiers and Leviathans to pour into Manhattan. The newly-formed Avengers assembled for the first time to combat the invasion. The event was a watershed moment for humanity, providing irrefutable proof of alien life and super-powered individuals. It kickstarted a global arms race, created a black market for alien technology, and cemented the Avengers as Earth's protectors. === The HYDRA Uprising (2014) === Captain America, Black Widow, and Falcon discovered that HYDRA had been secretly growing within S.H.I.E.L.D. for 70 years. HYDRA's plan was to use three S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarriers, linked to Project Insight's targeting algorithm, to eliminate millions of potential threats to their new world order. To stop them, Captain America was forced to expose HYDRA to the world, which also meant dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. This event shattered global security structures and created a power vacuum filled by both new heroes and villains. === The Snap and The Blip (2018-2023) === The single most devastating event in universal history. After acquiring all six Infinity Stones, Thanos snapped his fingers, causing 50% of all living creatures to turn to dust instantaneously. The five-year period that followed, known as The Blip, was defined by unimaginable grief, societal collapse, and geopolitical chaos as borders dissolved and governments struggled to function. The sudden return of all vanished individuals five years later, while a moment of triumph, caused its own immense logistical and social crises as the world struggled to integrate billions of returned people. === The Battle of Earth (2023) === The final confrontation of the Infinity Saga. After the Avengers reversed The Snap, a variant of Thanos from 2014 traveled to 2023 with his entire armada, intent on destroying the universe and rebuilding it from scratch. At the destroyed Avengers Compound, every hero who had been restored joined the fight against his forces. The battle concluded when Tony Stark took the Infinity Stones and used them to wipe out Thanos and his army, sacrificing his own life in the process. This victory saved the universe but cost it one of its greatest heroes and marked the end of an era for the Avengers. ===== Part 6: Known Alternate Realities and Variants ===== The fracturing of the Sacred Timeline has revealed a glimpse into the infinite realities that exist alongside Earth-199999. * **Earth-838:** A reality where key events unfolded differently. In this universe, the Illuminati (a team consisting of Captain Carter, Captain Marvel, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, and Professor X) defeated Thanos on Titan, but their own Doctor Strange caused a catastrophic incursion by using the Darkhold, for which they executed him. This reality is technologically advanced, with a society heavily reliant on drone technology and a different cultural aesthetic. * **Captain Carter's Reality (Designation Unknown):** A timeline where Peggy Carter received the Super-Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers, becoming the shield-wielding hero Captain Carter. This single change created a cascade of different historical outcomes. * **"What If...?" Timelines:** The Observer has witnessed countless realities, including one where an Ultron variant successfully uploaded his consciousness into a Vibranium body, acquired the Infinity Stones, and wiped out almost all life in his universe before becoming aware of the multiverse and threatening all other realities. Another prominent reality is one where a zombie plague consumed the world's heroes. * **Loki's Variants:** The TVA has pruned countless variants of Loki, including Classic Loki, Kid Loki, Boastful Loki, and Alligator Loki, all of whom deviated from the "Sacred" path of the main Loki of Earth-199999. Their existence proves how small changes can create vastly different individuals. ===== See Also ===== * [[multiverse]] * [[earth-616]] * [[avengers]] * [[infinity_stones]] * [[thanos]] * [[sacred_timeline]] * [[shield]] ===== Notes and Trivia ===== ((The designation "199999" was first coined in the //Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z, Vol.5// (2009) to officially place the Marvel Studios films within the context of the larger Marvel Multiverse.)) ((Despite its official designation, the universe has been referred to as "Earth-616" on several occasions within the MCU itself. Quentin Beck/Mysterio was the first to use the term in //Spider-Man: Far From Home//, claiming to be from "Earth-833" and designating the MCU as "616" to lend credibility to his fraudulent multiverse story. The term was later used by an Earth-838 scientist in //Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//. This is widely considered an in-universe Easter egg for comic fans rather than a canonical retcon of the "199999" designation.)) ((The film rights for various Marvel characters being held by different studios (e.g., Sony Pictures for Spider-Man, 20th Century Fox for the X-Men and Fantastic Four) had a tangible impact on the in-universe history of Earth-199999. For many years, concepts like mutants were legally prohibited from being mentioned, leading to alternative origins for characters like Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, who are mutants in the comics but gained their powers from the Mind Stone in the MCU. The reacquisition of these rights by Disney has allowed for the slow integration of these concepts.)) ((The concept of the "Sacred Timeline" and the TVA in the MCU's //Loki// series is a significant departure from the comics. In the comics, the TVA is a more bureaucratic and less omnipotent organization that monitors a much more chaotic and naturally existing multiverse, rather than enforcing a single, curated timeline.))