Glossary:Protectors of the Universe

Protectors of the Universe

The Protectors of the Universe are champions chosen by the cosmic being known as Eon to protect life in the universe from threats that arose from time to time. Following Eon's demise, his offspring Epoch took on his role. Almost all of the Protectors chosen by Eon or Epoch received the Quantum Bands, powerful energy-manipulating devices that helped with their tasks and were also symbols of their station. Captain Marvel was meant to acquire the Quantum Bands, but through happenstance over which Eon had no control, they fell into the wrong hands. Possessing the Quantum Bands does not automatically make the wearer into the Protector.

After they die, fragments of the Protectors of the Universe would go to the White Room where they would inhabit colorless, immovable duplicates of their bodies.

Those known to have held the title include:

• Stygian Starbender
• Ree
• Trantra
• Andwella
• Captain Marvel
• Quasar
• Past Protectors include a female Shi'ar, an Elan, and many others.

Quasar (Phyla-Vell) called herself the Protector of the Universe after she retrieved the Quantum Bands from Annihilus but she was never actually chosen by Epoch.

The only person to whom Epoch has offered the role of Protector of the Universe was Gravity but, after using up the extra power that he had received from her while protecting her from Galactus, he stated that he didn't want the job so she accepted his decision and told him to leave with her gratitude.

In the Earth-691 timeline, after Quasar died during the War of the Worlds, Era asked the Silver Surfer to become the new Protector of the Universe but he declined and did not accept the offer until centuries later.

Following the Silver Surfer's disappearance in the early 26th century, Firelord assumed the mantle of Protector of the Universe and performed missions for Eon even though the Quantum Bands had disappeared with the Silver Surfer.

In the now erased 61st century of Earth-6160, Captain Marvel, the wielder of the Omni-Bands, proclaimed herself to be the Protector of the Universe. It is unknown if she was chosen to be the Protector of the Universe or it is just a self-attributed title.