Many-Angled Ones

• Core Identity: The Many-Angled Ones are a race of ancient, eldritch, extra-dimensional beings of immense power from a corrupted reality, who seek to impose their cancerous, undying “life” upon all of existence by eliminating the cosmic abstract of Death.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: They are the ultimate cosmic horror threat, rulers of a universe called the Cancerverse (Earth-10011) where life has metastasized into an eternal, monstrous plague. They represent the philosophical and physical antithesis to the natural order of the multiverse.
• Primary Impact: Their most significant act was the successful murder of the abstract entity Death in their home reality, which transformed it into the Cancerverse. Their subsequent invasion of the prime Marvel Universe (Earth-616) during The Thanos Imperative event was one of the most dire threats the cosmos has ever faced.
• Key Incarnations: The Many-Angled Ones are exclusively a concept from the Marvel comics and have not appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The MCU does, however, feature thematically similar concepts like Dormammu's Dark Dimension, a timeless realm seeking to consume other realities, and eldritch beings like the one identified as Gargantos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The concept of the Many-Angled Ones was crafted by the writing duo Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, affectionately known by fans as “DnA”. They were the architects of Marvel's cosmic renaissance in the late 2000s, revitalizing characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. The Many-Angled Ones were conceived as the ultimate antagonists for the cosmic saga that began with Annihilation and culminated in The Thanos Imperative. Their introduction was a gradual build-up, creating a sense of growing, unknowable dread. They were first mentioned by name in Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #17 (October 2009). Their nature and the horrifying reality they ruled, the Cancerverse, were slowly unveiled throughout the Realm of Kings storyline (2009-2010). Their full, terrifying debut as the main antagonists occurred in the epic 2010 miniseries, The Thanos Imperative. The creation of the Many-Angled Ones draws heavily from the cosmic horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. Their name itself is a likely reference to Lovecraftian concepts of non-Euclidean geometry and beings that exist in the “angles” of reality. Their nature as ancient, god-like abominations from beyond normal space, served by fanatical cultists, directly mirrors the Cthulhu Mythos. This creative choice elevated them beyond typical comic book villains into a more primal, existential threat.

The origin of the Many-Angled Ones is inextricably linked to the damnation of an entire alternate universe, Earth-10011.

The rise of the Many-Angled Ones began not with a conquest, but with a desperate prayer. In the reality designated Earth-10011, the heroic Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell was dying of cancer, just as his Earth-616 counterpart had. Unlike the prime Mar-Vell, who accepted his fate with dignity in the seminal graphic novel The Death of Captain Marvel, this version refused to succumb. In his final, desperate moments, he made a Faustian bargain with the dark powers that lurked in the spaces between realities: the Many-Angled Ones. In exchange for his life and the “cure” for death itself, Mar-Vell agreed to become their avatar. He performed a dark ceremony known as the Ritual of the Necropsy. This blasphemous rite targeted and successfully murdered his universe's incarnation of the abstract entity, Mistress Death. With the fundamental force of entropy and finality erased, the universe was fundamentally broken. Life, without end, became a curse. It grew unchecked, like a cosmic cancer, twisting and corrupting everything it touched. Immortality was not a gift but an eternal torment of grotesque transformation and undeath. This universe was reborn as the Cancerverse. The Many-Angled Ones, ancient beings such as the demonic Shuma-Gorath, became the new gods of this reality. They were worshipped as the bringers of “true life,” a life without the “flaw” of death. Their new avatar, the corrupted and fanatically zealous Lord Mar-Vell, led this new “Church of Un-Death” and prepared to spread their cancerous gospel to other, “dying” realities. Their first target, after discovering a gateway, was the prime universe, Earth-616.

To date, the Many-Angled Ones and the Cancerverse do not exist and have not been mentioned in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They remain a comic-exclusive concept. However, the MCU has explored themes and entities that are conceptually similar, providing fertile ground for their potential future adaptation. The most direct parallel is Dormammu's Dark Dimension, as seen in Doctor Strange (2016). Like the Cancerverse, the Dark Dimension is an alternate reality with fundamentally different physical laws, ruled by a powerful, malevolent entity. Dormammu's goal is to absorb Earth into his dimension, granting its inhabitants eternal life but stripping them of their individuality and subjecting them to his will—a clear echo of the Many-Angled Ones' twisted gift of immortality. Another point of comparison lies in the introduction of eldritch magic and Elder Gods. WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced the Darkhold and its creator, the demon Chthon. Chthon is an ancient, powerful being trapped in another dimension who seeks to influence and enter the prime reality through magical means, corrupting those who use his power. This mirrors the corrupting influence the Many-Angled Ones have on their followers. Furthermore, the creature Wanda Maximoff summons in Multiverse of Madness, named Gargantos, is a clear visual homage to Shuma-Gorath, one of the most prominent Many-Angled Ones. While the name was changed for legal reasons, the appearance of a giant, one-eyed, tentacled monster from another dimension signals the MCU's willingness to embrace the cosmic horror aesthetic that defines the Many-Angled Ones. A future MCU saga, particularly one dealing with multiversal incursions or the fallout from the collapse of realities, could easily introduce the Cancerverse as a universe that “won” its incursion by eliminating Death, positioning the Many-Angled Ones as a terrifying, post-Kang level threat.

The Many-Angled Ones are not a traditional species or organization but a fundamental force of corrupt, eternal life.

The core philosophy of the Many-Angled Ones is that death is a universal flaw, a disease to be cured. They offer “life eternal,” but it is a cancerous, metastatic existence devoid of meaning, change, or peace. Theirs is a universe of endless, agonizing sensation where nothing is allowed the mercy of an end.

• Cosmic Parasites: They function like a multiversal parasite, latching onto a reality, killing its concept of Death, and converting it into a new vessel for their own being—the Cancerverse.
• Eldritch Horror: They are beings of pure chaos and alien geometry. Mortals who gaze upon their true forms are often driven insane. Their very presence warps reality.
• Anti-Abstracts: They are the direct antithesis of the established cosmic pantheon. Where Eternity represents the potential of life and existence, they represent life's corruption. Where Death represents finality and the natural cycle, they represent a horrifying, unnatural permanence.

The Cancerverse is the physical manifestation of their power and philosophy. It is a universe in perpetual, agonizing undeath.

• Grotesque Immortality: Nothing can die. Beings that suffer mortal wounds are simply reborn, often in more monstrous forms. The ground is made of compacted flesh and bone, and the very air thrums with a choir of eternal screams.
• The Revengers: The primary military force of the Cancerverse is the Revengers, twisted versions of Earth-10011's mightiest heroes. This includes a monstrous, multi-mouthed Hulk, a Thor whose hammer is an extension of his flesh, and a Captain America who fanatically serves their cause. They retain their powers but are stripped of their morality, becoming instruments of cosmic consumption.
• Bio-organic Technology: Their ships and structures are bio-organic, living things that pulse and writhe, reflecting the nature of the universe itself.

The Many-Angled Ones are a multiversal-level threat, capable of conquering and converting entire realities. Their power is vast and defies easy categorization.

• Reality Warping: They can alter the fundamental laws of a universe, as proven by their ability to eliminate the concept of Death.
• Cosmic Energy Manipulation: They command immense cosmic power, granting their avatars, like Lord Mar-Vell, abilities on par with cosmic heralds or skyfathers.
• Known Members: While often spoken of as a collective, some individual members have been named or identified, linking them to existing Marvel lore:
  • Shuma-Gorath: The most famous of their kind. A classic Doctor Strange villain, ruler of hundreds of dimensions, and a Class-One demon. His inclusion retroactively established the vast scale and ancient nature of the Many-Angled Ones.
  • Kthl, N'Gabthoth, Yot-Soter: Other names whispered in forbidden texts, clearly inspired by Lovecraft's “Great Old Ones” like Cthulhu and Yog-Sothoth.

As they have not appeared, their specific attributes in the MCU are purely speculative. However, drawing from existing conceptual parallels, we can theorize how they might be adapted.

If introduced, the MCU's Many-Angled Ones would likely be presented as a threat originating from outside the known multiverse, possibly from a reality destroyed by an incursion.

• Incursion Survivors: They could be the final, monstrous evolution of a universe that found a terrible way to “survive” its own destruction: by eliminating the concept of finality itself.
• Magic and Science Hybrid: The MCU often blurs the line between advanced science and magic. The Many-Angled Ones could be portrayed as beings who operate on a level of “biological science” so advanced it appears as demonic magic, capable of rewriting the code of reality itself.
• Threat Beyond Kang: With the Multiverse Saga focusing on Kang the Conqueror, a threat who operates within time and the multiverse, the Many-Angled Ones could be positioned as the next great threat—a horror that exists outside of it, for whom the entire multiverse is merely a food source. Their power would not be technological or temporal, but biological and existential, presenting a new and horrifying challenge for the heroes.

The Many-Angled Ones do not form alliances in the traditional sense; they corrupt and absorb. Their “allies” are more accurately described as extensions of their will.

• Lord Mar-Vell (Earth-10011): Their most important agent. As the first convert and the one who performed the Necropsy, he is their high priest and field commander. He genuinely believes their cause is righteous and that they are saving the multiverse from the “curse” of death. His charismatic leadership and immense power make him the primary face of the Cancerverse invasion.
• The Revengers (Earth-10011): The corrupted heroes of the Cancerverse serve as the command staff for the Many-Angled Ones' armies. They are not merely puppets but retain their strategic minds and personalities, now twisted in service of their dark gods. Their familiarity with the tactics of their Earth-616 counterparts makes them particularly dangerous foes.

• Death (Abstract Entity): Their ultimate and most fundamental enemy. Death represents the natural order they seek to destroy. The very existence of Death is anathema to them, and its avatar is their greatest threat. Their entire invasion of Earth-616 was an attempt to perform the Necropsy ritual on a second universal constant, thereby strengthening their hold on reality.
• Thanos: The Mad Titan is known as the “Avatar of Death” for his lifelong obsession with and worship of the entity. Because of this profound connection, he was a living weapon against the Cancerverse. His touch could inflict true, final death upon its inhabitants. He was resurrected by the heroes of Earth-616 specifically to serve as their trump card against the invasion, a role he played with brutal and gleeful efficiency.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy: The team led by Star-Lord was on the front lines of the war against the Cancerverse. They were among the first to understand the nature of the threat and were instrumental in formulating the plan to stop it. The conflict culminated in the heroic sacrifice of Star-Lord and Nova, who trapped themselves in the collapsing Cancerverse to ensure its destruction.

• The Cancerverse (Earth-10011): This is their home dimension and power base, a universe remade in their own image.
• Elder Gods: Conceptually, they belong to the same category of ancient, primordial cosmic entities as beings like Chthon and Set. They are forces of nature from the dawn of creation that represent fundamental aspects of existence, though in their case, it is a corrupted and cancerous aspect.

This storyline served as the direct prequel to the main invasion. At the climax of the War of Kings event, a massive bomb detonated, tearing a wound in the fabric of spacetime known as The Fault. The Fault acted as a gateway to another reality. Initial probes sent by various cosmic factions like the Kree, Shi'ar, and Nova Corps returned with horrifying reports of a universe teeming with monstrous, undying life. This was Earth-616's first glimpse into the Cancerverse. Realm of Kings masterfully built a sense of cosmic dread, slowly revealing the nature of this aggressive, hostile universe and its fanatical devotion to “life,” setting the stage for the inevitable invasion.

This is the quintessential Many-Angled Ones storyline. The forces of the Cancerverse, led by a triumphant Lord Mar-Vell, pour through The Fault in a full-scale invasion of the Marvel Universe. Their goal: to capture Thanos and use him as a sacrifice to kill Earth-616's Death. The heroes of the cosmos, including the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Nova Corps, and the empires of the Kree and Shi'ar, form a desperate alliance. Recognizing the unique threat, they are forced to resurrect their nemesis, Thanos, to fight on their side. The storyline is a brutal, high-stakes cosmic war. The heroes' greatest challenge is the fact that their enemy cannot be killed by conventional means. The climax sees Star-Lord's team venture into the Cancerverse on a suicide mission to find a way to reintroduce Death to that reality. They succeed by tricking Lord Mar-Vell into wounding Thanos, which summons Mistress Death herself. Her mere presence causes the Cancerverse to begin to collapse as the concept of an ending is violently reintroduced. To ensure Thanos, now on a rampage of destruction, cannot escape, Star-Lord and Nova tackle him and hold him in the collapsing reality, seemingly sacrificing their lives to save their universe.

While not a direct storyline about the Many-Angled Ones, a tie-in issue in the Guardians of the Galaxy series during the Original Sin event revealed the aftermath of The Thanos Imperative. It was shown that Star-Lord, Nova, and Drax the Destroyer had not died in the Cancerverse's collapse. They had been trapped there for a time, fighting off the surviving forces and the lingering influence of the Many-Angled Ones. This story established that the Cancerverse, though critically damaged, still existed as a pocket dimension and that the threat of the Many-Angled Ones was not entirely extinguished, leaving the door open for their eventual return.

The most significant “alternate version” related to the Many-Angled Ones is the Cancerverse itself. It serves as a dark mirror to the prime Marvel Universe, answering the question: “What if the heroes won, but at the cost of their very souls?” It showcases corrupted versions of beloved characters, transforming heroic ideals into fanatical dogma. The Revengers—a grotesque mockery of the Avengers—are the most potent example of this, a warning of what happens when life is untethered from the natural order.

Before being identified as one of the Many-Angled Ones, Shuma-Gorath had a long history as a standalone villain in Earth-616, primarily as an adversary of Doctor Strange. He is an ancient, inter-dimensional demon-god who ruled Earth in its prehistoric era before being banished by the sorcerer Sise-Neg. His goals have always been to return to Earth-616 and reclaim it, plunging it into chaos. The retcon that established him as a Many-Angled One brilliantly connected the magical/mystical side of the Marvel Universe with the cosmic/sci-fi side. It suggested that many of Earth's ancient “demons” and “elder gods” were, in fact, members of this singular, cosmic-level threat, expanding the history and scope of both Shuma-Gorath and his newfound brethren.

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, America Chavez and Stephen Strange are attacked by a giant, one-eyed, tentacled creature named Gargantos. This creature is a clear stand-in for Shuma-Gorath, with the name changed due to rights issues concerning Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian stories, where the name Shuma-Gorath first appeared. While Gargantos is shown to be a summoned beast under the control of the Scarlet Witch, rather than a cosmic deity in its own right, its appearance represents the MCU's first step toward the specific brand of eldritch horror that the Many-Angled Ones embody. It confirms that such beings exist within the MCU's multiverse and could be a precursor to a more faithful adaptation of Shuma-Gorath and his Cancerverse kin.

• cancerverse
• the_thanos_imperative
• shuma-gorath
• lord_mar-vell
• death_(marvel_comics)
• guardians_of_the_galaxy
• nova_(richard_rider)
• thanos

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