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Horde (Race) from Avengers Vol 8 5 0001

The Horde are a species of insect-like beings that serve the Fulcrum, balancing the universe on the opposite side of the Celestials. After the Celestials visit a planet and enhance one hundred specimens into Eternals and another hundred into Deviants, they leave them to their own devices for nineteen cosmic cycles. Once the planet is ready for reaping, the aggregate energy from the base species is channeled to the Fulcrum. If the planet's aggregate energy signature is consistent with the Deviant life-force, the life-force is transferred to the Horde. Otherwise, it's transferred to the Celestials. Whereas the Celestials are instruments of creation, the Horde are used as an instrument of destruction.[3] While the Horde prefer to feed on infant worlds, they can also target Celestials due to the great energy flowing within them.[4]

Roughly four billion years into the past, the Horde infected the Celestial Progenitor. In the agony of death, the Celestial fell to Earth, where he perished. The Horde proliferated through the primordial surface of the planet, with countless eggs becoming buried deep underground as the centuries passed. In 1,000,000 BC, Zgreb the Aspirant travelled to Earth in search of the Progenitor and came into contact with the plague that felled its fellow Celestial. Instead of killing Zgreb, the Horde mutated it into a rabid Dark Celestial, the first of its kind. The Avengers of the Stone Age came into conflict with Zgreb. They knocked it down and buried it deep underneath the surface.[4] Not long afterwards, the First Host of Celestials visited Earth to investigate the disappearance of the Progenitor and Zgreb. Learning of the Horde infection, the Celestials chose to keep Zgreb buried deep underground to keep the plague contained.[4] It was also deduced by the Avengers that the First Host decided to contain the Horde infection because they believed humanity's capacity for mutagenesis and superhuman change caused by the Progenitor's arrival meant they possessed the potential to adapt and cancel out the Horde.[5]

In modern times, the Horde was drawn to Earth after the Dreaming Celestial awakened, [2] but they were eventually repelled when the Dreaming Celestial convinced the Fulcrum to spare Earth. [1]

Countless Horde insects started hatching from the dormant eggs deep within the Earth and making their way to the surface when the Final Host of Dark Celestials came to Earth to destroy it. The Horde was additionally used by the Dark Celestials to infect and kill all existing Celestials.[6] During the final battle against the Dark Celestials, the Horde reanimated the bodies of the Celestials they killed. After the Avengers realized that humanity's genetic makeup contained the key to the Horde's defeat. Having been given the secrets on how to summon the Uni-Mind by the Eternal Ikaris, Iron Man rallied the Avengers to join their energies to form a Uni-Mind. Using the Ghost Rider as a conduit for the Uni-Mind, the Avengers rendered the Horde dormant, which additionally freed the Celestials under their control.[5]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

The Horde devour worlds. It is said that even the Celestials cannot beat them.[1] The Horde can infect Celestials, weakening them and causing them great pain; eventually, the infection either kills them or turns them into Dark Celestials.[4] For the colossal Space Gods, the Horde can be considered "giant cosmic germs."[7]

Weaknesses

While unstoppable as a large swarm, Horde members can be defeated if alone or in a small enough group.[8] Additionally, the super-powered beings of Earth have energies that can cancel out the Horde.[5]

Trivia

  • The Horde are similar to the Exterminators in that they are both instruments of death and destruction used to balance out the Celestials' life and creation.

See Also

Links and References

References

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