Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)

Mysterium
Name	Dr. Thomas Joseph Lightner
Current Alias	Mysterium
Aliases	Blacksun, Nth Man, Joseph Lightner, Wizard Supreme, Stranger, Entity, Operative X
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Former member of Nth Command (division of Roxxon Oil), Project Pegasus (saboteur)
Relatives	Raymond Lightner (father, deceased); Lucinda Lightner (mother); Janice Lightner (twin-sister)
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	6′1″ (1.85 m)
Weight	190 lbs (86.18 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Blue
Hair	Brown
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human mutate
Living Status	Deceased
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Stony Point, New York
Personal Information
Identity	Secret
Citizenship	American
Occupation	Wizard Supreme of Earth-712 Formerly world devourer, scientist, cosmic energy researcher
Education	Ph-D. in Solar Physics
Base of Operations	Earth-712 Formerly seven unnamed dimensions; formerly Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. Facility, Adirondack Mountains, New York, United States of America on Earth-616
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Bill Mantlo, Ron Wilson
First	Marvel Two-In-One #21 (August, 1976) (as Blacksun) Marvel Two-In-One #58 (September, 1979) (as Nth Man) Squadron Supreme: New World Order #1 (August, 1998) (as Mysterium)
First	Marvel Two-In-One #21 (August, 1976) (as Blacksun) Marvel Two-In-One #58 (September, 1979) (as Nth Man) Squadron Supreme: New World Order #1 (August, 1998) (as Mysterium)
Death	Squadron Supreme (Vol. 4) #9 (July, 2016) (Off-Panel)
Death	Squadron Supreme (Vol. 4) #9 (July, 2016) (Off-Panel)

History

Human Form

Dr. Thomas Lightner was a scientist who rebuilt his relative's Sky Cannon after his father Raymond disappeared during a mishap with the device. A similar mishap with the rebuilt device caused the energies from Raymond to merge with Thomas, giving Thomas the powers of a black hole. Taking on the name Blacksun, Thomas was opposed by the Thing, Human Torch, and the time displaced Doc Savage, who were summoned by Thomas' sister Janice in the present, and his relative Lucinda in 1936. Gaining increased power from the stars around him, Thomas' body could not contain these vast energies for long, and he collapsed and returned to his normal form.

Blacksun

Lightner needed immediate medical attention, so the Thing and Torch took him to Doctor Donald Blake for medical attention. However, the Thing and Thor (Blake's alter-ego) were pulled into the realm of Celestial Heliopolis to battle the Egyptian death god Seth. The pair were able to defeat their foe so that Thor could return to Earth and resume his guise of Donald Blake. Blake was able to perform the surgery needed to save Lightner's life, restoring him to human form in the process.

Nth Man

Lightner was later contacted by the Roxxon's Nth Command to infiltrate and sabotage Project PEGASUS. Lightner hoped to use the project's Nth Projector to regain his previous powers. Lightner released Nuklo and allowed Thundra and the Grapplers in to cause destruction and distract the facility's staff. Lightner was supposed to use the Nth Projector to send the Project: Pegasus facility into another dimension, but instead used it on himself. Lightner was transformed into the Nth Man, a "living interdimensional vortex." Like a black hole, the Nth Man absorbs all nearby matter and energy into himself. All of the heroes at the facility were absorbed into him, and Wundarr the Aquarian was able to use his null field to shut off the Nth Man's powers.

Becoming Mysterium

Instead of being destroyed, the Nth Man entered an alternate world, where he continued to expand until the entire universe was destroyed, at which point he passed into another world. In total, his expansion destroyed seven realities, until he passed into the Earth of Earth-712. There, he threatened to consume the sun, but the Squadron Supreme defeated him at a great cost and were banished to Earth-616 for a time. Lightner became Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-712 by switching places with Benjamin Jones who restored the damage Lightner caused. When the Squadron Supreme returned to their reality and found their world fell under the totalitarian rule of the Global Directorate, Lightner, who called himself by his new identity as Mysterium, implored the Squadron to repair what had begun by their efforts in the Utopia Program and charging them with contacting other members of their team.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

• Magic: After exchanging powers with Benjamin Jones Lightner became Earth-712's Wizard Supreme.
  • Teleportation'
  • Dimensional Travel
  • Extra-Dimensional Communication
  • Levitation
  • Possession
  • Matter Transmutation: Lightner displayed the ability to manipulate matter.As soon as he gained his powers he transformed the rag he was wearing into a new set of clothes.]]

Former Powers

• As Blacksun, he could absorb all heat and light, and possessed a powerful gravity well, much like a black hole. He possessed great strength (Class 100) and durability. He could also bend matter and energy about his body to prevent them from striking him. Dr. Raymond Lightner's mind was dominant, although both were active.

• Living Black Hole: As the Nth Man, he served as a living space warp, "a sentient singularity, drawing matter and energy into the nigh-infinite dimensions" of his own form. He could absorb all forms of matter and energy, growing larger and more powerful as he did so. There was no limit to this, and he would continue to enlarge until he absorbed an entire universe, at which point he would break through the dimensional barriers into another universe, and start the process all over again. He was vulnerable to nullifying his powers, such as via the null-field of the Aquarian. As he grew larger and more powerful, even this sort of attack, as well as attempts to shunt him into another dimension, would have limited effect.

Trivia

• Thomas Lightner's identity as the Mysterium is a possible pastiche of DC Comics's Phantom Stranger.

See Also

• 12 appearance(s) of Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)
• 4 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)
• 4 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)
• 7 image(s) of Thomas Lightner (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Thomas Lightner on Wikipedia.org
• Mysterium on Marvel Appendix
• Marvel Universe Appendix - Nth Command
• Marvel Two-In-One Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Home Page - Marvel Two-In-One #21
• Marvel Two-In-One Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Home Page - Marvel Two-In-One #22
• Marvel Two-In-One Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Home Page - Marvel Two-In-One #53
• Marvel Two-In-One Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Home Page - Marvel Two-In-One #57
• Marvel Two-In-One Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Home Page - Marvel Two-In-One #58