Beyonder
Real Name: Inapplicable
Occupation: Inapplicable
Identity: The Beyonder's existence is unknown to the general populace of Earth.
Legal Status: Inapplicable
Other Aliases: Frank
Place of Birth: Inapplicable
Place of Death: An underground sanctum beneath the Colorado Rocky Mountains
Known Survivors: None
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: (voice only) MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS #1, (in physical form) SECRET WARS II #1, (in primary physical form) SECRET WARS II #3
Final Appearance: SECRET WARS II #9
History: Originally, the entity known as the Beyonder comprised all of the otherdimensional universe, called the "Beyond-Realm," in which he existed. The entity was entirely unaware of the existence of other beings until, several years ago, the atomic accident that transformed laboratory worker Owen Reece into the superhuman Molecule Man opened an interdimensional "pinhole" between the Beyond-Realm and the multiverse in which Earth exists. Through this gap the Beyonder observed the Earth for a number of years. The Beyonder was fascinated, since he himself was his entire reality, but each denizen of Earth was but a single entity that was part of the greater whole that was the multiverse. Hence, each sentient being on Earth, in the Beyonder's point of view was "incomplete," and strove to remedy its incompleteness. Hence, the Beyonder believed, the driving force of the minds of all sentient beings was desire; in other words, wanting to have or become something one is not. Indeed, now that the Beyonder realized that he himself was not all that existed, he saw himself as incomplete and felt desire.
To investigate the nature of desire, the Beyonder undertook an experiment. Various adventurers based on Earth, most of them possessing superhuman powers, including the Hulk, Spider-Man, and members of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, went to New York City's Central Park to investigate an enormous circular construct which had materialized in the park's Sheep Meadow. Entering the construct, the adventurers and the construct were teleported to an area of outer space near a galaxy far from Earth's. Similarly, a large number of costumed criminals, including the Absorbing Man, Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, the Enchantress, Kang, the Lizard, the Molecule Man, Ultron, the Wrecker and the Wrecking Crew, as well as the planet-devourer Galactus, found themselves in another construct in the same area of space. Aboard the constructs the passengers watched in awe as the galaxy nearest to them was annihilated by an unseen force, except for a single star. Then, before their eyes, a planet, which became known as Battleworld, was created to orbit that star. Finally, a rift opened in space, from which a blinding light poured, and the passengers on the constructs heard a voice that told them, "I am from beyond! Stay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!" The passengers on the constructs were then sent down to Battleworld. There, over the next several days, they engaged in a "secret war" among themselves; most of the criminals sought to destroy the heroic adventurers in order to gain the prize that the Beyonder had promised.
In the course of the "secret war," Doctor Doom used technological means to steal the Beyonder's apparently unlimited power and absorb it into himself. Too weakened to strike back against Doom, the Beyonder secretly took possession of the body of Klaw, who had been resurrected on Battleworld after his seeming destruction by the Dazzler. The Beyonder took control of Klaw's subconscious mind and thus motivated him to encourage Doom's fears of his superhuman opponents in the "secret war" and Doom's doubts over his own ability to control his newly gained power. The Beyonder also had Klaw persuade Doom to grant him some of his new power. Then, when Doom was struggling to control his power while in battle with Captain America, the Beyonder left Klaw's body and reclaimed his full power. The Beyonder then vanished, and the participants in the "secret war" returned to the places from which they had come.
Months later, the Beyonder arrived on Earth to continue his study of humanity and of desire. He had never possessed a true form of his own before, but now he created for himself a physical form that resembled a composite of the bodies of various participants in the "secret war," in order that he could walk among humanity and fulfill his desire for experience in this world. Next he gave himself a body identical to that of the Molecule Man. To study the effects of enabling someone to fulfill his fantasies, the Beyonder transformed television writer Stewart Cadwall into the armored Thundersword. Cadwall ran amok in his new identity, and was opposed and defeated by various costumed adventurers.
Subsequently, the Beyonder gave himself a body identical to that of Captain America. The Beyonder encountered a number of costumed adventurers, but found it difficult to understand the counsel about the nature of life that he received from some of them and other human beings. The Beyonder then met an underworld figure named Vinnie, who, seeking to make use of the Beyonder's superhuman powers, became his guide to the world. Under Vinnie's influence the Beyonder sought wealth, pleasure, and power over others. The Beyonder further altered his physical appearance, giving himself black, curly hair; he maintained the form he now had for most of the rest of his existence on Earth.
The Beyonder finally parted company with Vinnie, and used his powers to take complete control of every mind, and, in fact, every atom of matter on Earth. But the Beyonder found himself dissatisfied: he took no pleasure in having everyone serve him if they were compelled to do so as if they were automatons. Hence, the Beyonder released everyone and everything on Earth from his control, and also wiped out everyone's memories of his conquest of Earth, although he allowed some people to retain a vague reminiscence of it.
The Beyonder continued to experiment with experiencing love affairs with human beings. On a journey to the Andromeda Galaxy to locate the Avengers, he was responsible for the escape of their foe Nebula. To study the effects of the desire for revenge, the Beyonder transtormed Thor's enemy, the Dark Elf Algrim, into the powerful menace Kurse. The Beyonder also saved Kathryn Twoyoungmen, then known as Talisman, from entrapment in an otherdimensional world. The Beyonder sought to make Alison Blaire, the Dazzler, his lover, and even went so far as to bestow half of his power upon her so that they would be equals. However, she was not in love with him, and the disappointed Beyonder, once mom in possession of his full power, parted from her.
Now the Beyonder's mood began too change. He found desire a nuisance, and wondered whether he should continue to study it or just return to the Beyond-Realm, where he would feel complete unto himself. He briefly had the young superhuman mutant called Boom-Boom as a companion, and terrified her when he threatened to destroy the entire universe on a whim. She alerted the Avengers to his threat, and they in turn informed other superhuman champions.
Deciding he could not simply return to the Beyond-Realm and forget he had ever experienced desire, the Beyonder remained on Earth, but fell into despair. The sorcerer Doctor Strange advised him to find a purpose in life, and so the Beyonder decided to become a champion of life like Strange himself. He acted as a "super hero" both on Earth and on other planets, but still seemed uncertain of his role in the universe, especially after Captain America and Mister Fantastic advised him of their fears that humanity would become overly dependent on the Beyonder to solve their problems for them. Encouraged by his aide, a journalist named Dave, the Beyonder overcame his own doubts. The Beyonder then obliterated Death itself from the universe, thus earning the wrath of Mephisto, the satanic ruler of an otherdimensional realm of the dead. The Molecule Man, however, convinced the Beyonder that existence was meaningless without death, and so the Beyonder brought Death back into existence by using his power to kill the reporter Dave, who willingly sacrificed his life.
The Beyonder went to a South Seas island to contemplate. There an army of superhuman criminals assembled by Mephisto attacked him, but he was saved by the. Inspired by the Thing's heroism, the Beyonder decided to inspire others in turn to find their true role in life. But, again, the Beyonder used his powers to control the minds of others to do so. After the Puma failed to kill him, the Beyonder became convinced that he was wasting his time in trying to enlighten others.
Furious, the Beyonder now believed he had no role in the universe, and decided he would be happier if he destroyed the multiverse so he would be alone once more. He slaughtered most of the New Mutants and did battle with the Avengers and Rachel Summers, alias Phoenix.
