A YJA Moment - The White Lantern

 At the dawn of time, when there was nothing but the cold lifeless existence of the forming Universe, there was The Entity. Some believe it was an angel, others claim it was the very first being to achieve self-awareness.  This being of light drifted through the cosmos, using its almost unlimited power to seed the first life in the universe.  From its manipulations, grew the First Ones and the Celestials, who would take up the cause of the Entity and further spread the gift of living things to all the planets in all of known existence.

After untold eons of toiling, the Entity disappeared, sinking into some far-off world to sleep until it was needed again.  While many civilizations have told legends about this being, few have ever found where its resting place lies. Those that have divined its resting place guard it carefully for they know it's important for it to have its well-deserved sleep.  Despite this, it has been partially roused by great calamity and has gifted a chosen few with a powerful artifact to battle evil and injustice.  A White Power Ring.

Believed to be the inspiration for the Rings wielded by the Various Lantern Corps, the White Lantern Ring shares much of the abilities of the Green Lantern Corps - flight, energy blasts, and solid light constructs.  In addition, the light it generates possesses healing properties, capable of regenerating damaged tissue and even reviving the recent deceased.  Unlike the other Lanterns, the White Lantern does not have a central power battery.  The ring draws power directly from the Entity and never depletes.

Only a few times in its history has a White Lantern appeared.  The very last time was during The Shadow War, when the alien Caleen wielded the ring against the forces of darkness himself, even clashing with the likes of Sauron and Darkseid. 

Since then, the legends of where he found the Entity has endured to modern times and many would-be wielders of the Light have sought out the lush world that is said to be the Entity's resting place. Few know that the Galactic Empire almost succeeded when they used a tiny moon known as Endor as a base of operations during the Galactic Civil War. 

A YJA Moment - The Forces of Nature

Those in the mystic community are aware that all life is connected on a supernatural level.  In self-aware beings, this is manifested through things like the Dreamtime and Universal Mind.  Animals and plants have a similar underpinning, through what is known colloquially as the Forces of Nature.  These Forces are largely driven by instinct, though they gain motivation and intelligence through Avatars and Parliaments.

Some individuals are chosen to be the voice of Nature to the human world, becoming powerful being known as Avatars.  Many of these Avatars have become heroes and villains in the world, depending on who is chosen and what they believe.  When an Avatar dies they become part of the Parliament, the ruling body of that Force of Nature.

The three main Forces are The Red, The Green, and The Grey.

The Red represents the connection that all animals share. This also includes humanity and other sentient beings, though the spiritual nature of souls dampens their link with others. Embodying both predator and prey, the Red tends to be filled with strong emotions, threatening to overwhelm those who attempt to access it.  Nonetheless, it grants powerful abilities to those who gain its favor, such as shapeshifting. The Parliament of Limbs has chosen Bernard Baker, the Animal Man, as its Avatar of the Red.  His ability to transform into any beast made him a perfect vessel of the Red's will.

The Green encompasses all plant-based life. Unlike the Red, the Green is much calmer, serene, and slower to act.  That does not mean that it is passive and few can stand against it, once it's vengeful it's turned upon them.  Most plant controlling metahumans in some way tap into the Green, though few are aware enough to properly communicate with it  Those that are fully aware of its existence can learn to sense and communicate with other Green-based individuals over great distances. The Green is led by the Parliament of Trees, who have selected Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing, as its Avatar.

The Grey, known by some as The Rot, represents the demise of all living things.  Tangentially related to Death, it remains largely separate from the Lords of the Underworld.  That is because the Grey also represents renewal, with the breakdown of once-living material helping to seed brand new life in its stead.  That being said, the Rot has on numerous occasions gone out of control, forcing the Avatars of Green and Red to intervene and reset the balance.  The Avatar of the Parliament of Bones is the hulking Solomon Grundy who was recently chosen for his ability to resurrect.

A YJA Moment - The Mark of Cain

 Sometime in the distant past, before the Three Ages of Middle Earth, the first intelligent beings with souls walked the Earth.  It is said that one of those beings, a Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal, took up a weapon against their fellow tribespeople and slew them.  At that moment the universe was unprepared for the occurrence, for the soul was an eternal gift of the One-Above-All and had not lived long enough to have earned a place in the heavenly or infernal realms.  As a result, the spirit of the slain person carved its own domain, resulting in the formation of Limbo, the formless domain of souls which would eventually become known as the Underworld.

To the murderer, the backlash was immediate, creating a visible symbol of both their crime and its effect on the metaphysical world.  This is what has become known as the Mark of Cain. Though its exact appearance varies from person to person, it generally is a floating sliver of dark flame which floats a few inches in front of the individual's forehead.  With practice, the bearer can make the Mark invisible from mundane eyes, but all those with awareness of magic, supernatural, or death can see the Mark clearly.  It is like a beacon to the powers of the paranormal.

The Mark of Cain bars the bearer from ever passing on to the afterlife.  It does this specifically by preventing that person from ever dying.  As long as they bear the mark, they will regenerate any damage their body takes even if they are reduced to atoms.  Ironically, the bearer can enter the Underworld whenever they choose, instantly passing into whatever Kingdom of the Dead they desire.  However, The Mark bearer is forever a visitor to these realms and never a dead denizen.

A side effect of the Mark is its ability to create, command, and destroy Vampires.  Though the Mark itself does not draw from or interact with the Anti-Life Equation, its power of death is so great that it can force someone into the state of Undeath.  Through this many Vampires have been created over the years by the Mark, with whole Houses being formed (and eliminated) by those that bear it.  It is for this reason that many Houses refer to Cain as the King or Father of all Vampires. Indeed a man known as Cain did bear the Mark for many years, though it is unclear whether he was the same as the individual depicted in the Book of Genesis.

When someone becomes a Bearer, it remains a part of them for the rest of their existence. The Mark can be taken from someone and many people have wielded the Curse of Cain over the millennia.  In order to steal the Mark, the Bearer must be damaged to a point where the Mark is the only thing sustaining them.  Then the user can pull the Flame from the Bearer's forehead and claim the power for their own.  The former wielder of the Mark then instantly dies, their soul plunged into oblivion.

From its creation, there has been speculation on who bore the Mark of Cain.  Beyond its name-sake, it is believed that Ashwathama, Nicolas Flamel, Galahad, Gilgamesh, Imhotep, Koschei, Longinus, Qin Shi Huang, Rama Khan, and Ziusudra all possessed the Mark for a time. The current bearer of the Mark is the being known as Vandal Savage.  Already an Immortal due to the energies of an alien meteor, claimed the Mark from its previous owner, the Comte de Saint Germain, in 1784.

Savage currently resides in the planet-sized battle-moon known as Warworld, doing the bidding of his master Darkseid.

A YJA Moment - Vampires

The Anti-Life Equation makes a copy of everything it desires, attempting to replace the laws of the universe with crude facimilies that serve as a mockery of everything that exists.  The cycle of life-death-and-rebirth has been subverted by Anti-Life, creating what is known as Undeath.  Though various creatures such as Liches and Spectres utilize Undeath to remain alive, the most famous are the blood-suckers known as Vampires.

While the curse of vampirism itself is believed to lie within the biblical Cain and his dreaded Mark, the first recorded Vampire was a being known as Thuringwethil, a servant of Sauron during the closing years of the fabled First Age.  It is said she possessed a form of immortality, forever holding her between life and death but shunning the light of the sun.  What happened to her is unknown, but she was believed to have been slain sometime before the Second Age.

Her curse could be spread, and throughout the intervening years, the blight of Vampirism has fallen upon mortals throughout the world.  The most notable was Vlad Tepes, who would be immortalized in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula.  He became the most powerful Vampire to have ever lived, second to perhaps Thuringwethil herself, founding both the powerful House of Dracul, but also the feudal system that most of the Undead adhere to.

House Dracul dominates much of Europe, forcing the other Houses into a subservient position.  Under the might of the Dragon, Houses like Corvinus, Damaskinos, and Lioncourt continually warred for those assets not claimed by Dracula himself.  Because of this eternal struggle, many small houses find themselves fractured and outright destroyed by the machinations of the House Elders, leading many to migrate across the group for new territory.

Some of these minor Houses and rebel Vampires fled to The New World, often migrating to what would be known as New York.  These disparate Undead would form an alliance which in the modern nights is known as House Erebus.  As the most powerful Vampire House in the Americas, its power rivals that of Dracul, though it has neither the age of prestige as House of Count Dracula.  Recently, House Erebus has been under siege, most notably by hunters such as Blade.

On the West Coast, the House of Aurelius is the most established coven, despite the loss of its Elder due to the actions of a supernaturally-imbued vampire-slayer and her allies.  Smaller Houses such as Maximillian and Santanico are allowed to rise and fall, as long as the dictates of Aurelius are not disobeyed or their direct territory trespassed.  This has led to a free-for-all, not unlike the 19th Century "Wild West" in its culture.

A YJA Moment - The Children of Thanos

During the Mad Titan's campaign for the Infinity Stones, perhaps the most fearsome tools Thanos had was his "Children".  These were not his flesh-in-blood, mind you, but individuals he gathered from his many conquests.  Brainwashed and enhanced, the members of his family would be sent on dangerous missions that he could not trust the Chitauri or his other allies to complete by themselves. Of all those in his family, the two most capable were Nebula and the renegade known as Gamorra.

It is ironic the Children saw little front-line action during the Infinity Crusade, as many of their tasks were often behind the scenes.  Whether maintaining the loyalty of allies or conducting raids on enemy worlds, the Children of Thanos rarely fought in the open.  The most powerful of the Children were the Cull Obsidian, or The Black Order - Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Black Dwarf, and Supergiant.  It was these five individuals who served as Thanos' honor guard and were stationed on his flagship,  the Sanctuary II.

With the death of Thanos, the Children fragmented.  The majority, including the entirety of the Black Order, made the decision to swear oaths to Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips. The remainder have either remained with their father's former allies or have struck out on their own.  Those that have set on their own path, find freedom is a double-edged sword - though their reputation gains them instant respect, they are often the target of retribution from both Apokolips (who sees them as traitors) and the forces of Known Space (who seem them as war criminals).

Despite having adopted dozens of children, Thanos does have a biological child, conceived with a Human during his many adventures on Earth.  Born with the metahuman ability to drain life energy, Thane grew up in a world that feared and hated him like many other metahumans.  Instead of his powers, however, he was detested for his lineage and even the Xavier Academy did not admit him for fear of his father's wrath.  While Thanos attempted to reconcile with his child, their differences in worldview eventually tore them apart.  Thane wanted no part of his father's mad attempt to please Death, and the Mad Titan rejected his son's desire for a quiet life.

One of the unexpected results of Thanos' death at the hands of Kentauride, the Chitauri were unable to function without a leader.  Much of their cybernetics systems were keyed to obeying the Mad Titan and thus were lost without them.  Finding the members of the Black Order lacking, they sought out Thane and demanded he become their leader, to which after some time he reluctantly agreed.  The remaining members of the Children of Thanos do not trust Thane but because of his lineage, find themselves unable to move against him due to his newfound allies.

With Darkseid gathering a new Army of Darkness to let begin a Second Shadow War, one wonders whether Thane will join with his grandfather in order to have vengeance on the people who slew his father.

A YJA Moment - A New Dawn in Paradise (Island)

 The Amazons were created by the goddess Artemis, who cast the souls of murdered women into new ageless bodies.  Artemis led the majority of the sisters to an island in the Atlantic Ocean which they named Thermyscira.  This island would be cloaked magically, allowing the sisters to remain sequestered away from the World of Men, developing themselves into peerless warriors.  Only a few women ever have left the island for any reason, the most famous of which was Princess Diana who would be known throughout Known Space as Wonder Woman.

Because of Wonder Woman, the forces of Apokolips considered Thermyscira a prime target and launched a vicious assault against the island.  With hundreds of immortal warriors and scores of ancient relics at their disposal, the Amazons were ultimately victorious but at a terrible cost.  It is said that Hippolyta herself sacrificed her life in order to collapse the Boom Tube and cut the Parademons from reinforcements.  It is said that almost half of all Amazons perished that day.

In the wake of the assault, Diana was forced to return to Paradise Island and take the throne as its Queen.  She was immediately forced to confront the tragedy that had struck her people and deal with the effect the loss of thousands of her sisters had on their society.  Her land was defenseless and without the vital skills needed to rebuild.  She considered calling for S.H.I.E.L.D. assistance, but she knew that they would demand concessions that she could not give them and maintain their independence.

So she started an ambitious plan to recover her nation.  She allowed the immigration of young women across the globe to become a new generation of Amazons.  They would have to renounce all ties to nations and family, committing themselves to the culture and laws of Themyscira.  Given a mystical potion created from the blood of Diana herself, they were granted the same mystical longevity and abilities as any of the original Amazons.

In addition, she accepted the offer of Regent Kentauride of Outland to join the Sword Nations, adding the mystical knowledge of Paradise Island to their arsenal.  This was a difficult decision because of her ties to the rest of Earth, but S.W.O.R.D. was very much a mutual defense pact with little interest in changing the cultures of the member governments.  

Things have not been smooth, however, for there has been a clash between the old Amazons, who still cling to conservative Therysciran values and the Immigrants who often hold more egalitarian and liberal philosophies.  In this situation, the Queen has been well equipped to bridge the ideological divide between the generations - the old guard respects Diana for her prowess and lineage, while the new guard grew up with tales of Wonder Woman.

This mutual respect has dampened the scandal of Diana marrying an icon of the World of Men and allowing him to live on the island.  While there is a threat of civil war between the various factions the influence of Kentauride and the rest of S.W.O.R.D. is the best bet to integrate Paradise Island with the outside world.

A YJA Moment - The Wizard

The individual known as Shazam has served as the Wizard for millennia, protecting the universe from those who would misuse or abuse the mystic arts.  As the Guardian of Magic and the keeper of the Rock of Eternity, his identity has remained a closely guarded secret.  Few know that long before he was known as The Champion, in a forgotten pre-historic era, he walked amongst humanity as another Wizard.  A Wizard who was known by many names, but most notably as Gandalf the White.

Gandalf began life as Olórin, who was one of the Angels who served the Valar, the celestial caretakers of the early incarnation of Earth known as Middle-Earth. Unlike the conventional Nephilim of the Grigori, the Wizards were not angelic offspring but spirits who were transformed into material forms by the power of the Valar.  Formed fully grown, they were sent to Middle-Earth in order to help the peoples there to defend against the Dark Lord Sauron and his Army of Darkness during the legendary Third Age.

During this Third Age, Gandalf was instrumental in gathering the forces that would thwart and ultimately meet Sauron in battle at the gates of Mordor.  Though the conflict would cost him dearly, he and his allies were triumphant and forever ended the Dark Lord's presence on Earth. In the Fourth Age, legends state that Gandalf helped the fractured nations of Middle-Earth for a time before journeying to Valinor with a number of his friends and traveling companions.

The legends were wrong.

Gandalf did not leave Middle-Earth, choosing to help the free peoples survive in the Hyperborean Age before the rise of the historical kingdoms of Sumer.  Much of his work remains unknown, but he attracted many followers, many of them who would become his apprentices, including a young man who would become known as Agamotto.  It was Gandalf who taught Agamotto the secrets of the Istari School of Magic, inspiring the mystical prodigy into developing his own style that became the basis for most of the mystic arts.

As a new era of civilization grew, Gandalf traveled the ancient world and witnessed the rise of its great religions.  Because his style of mystic practice was very subtle, most believed he had no magical ability. He used his power to overcome the trials of the ancient gods, gaining a portion of their power. Being reborn as The Champion, the former Wizard became a protector of the people, ultimately leading to an encounter with Agamotto, who had ascended to the role of Guardian of Magic.

Agamotto asked The Champion to take over custody of the Rock of Eternity, to which he agreed.  Again reborn as The Wizard Shazam, Gandalf served as the Guardian of Magic for thousands of years.  He briefly shed his physical form to walk again with the Angelic Host but returned to take the role of Wizard away from Billy Batson, when it was clear that both Captain Marvels would be needed in the final battles with the Army of Darkness.

A YJA Moment - Magical Schools

Though many individuals throughout history have wielded metahuman abilities, few are as powerful or least understood as the mystic arts. Sorcery is the ability of an individual, through the use of special components, to impose their will to change reality.  Depending on the Mage, the spell, and the technique used, the effect can be very subtle or be very obvious.  Almost every species in Known Space has had some sort of Mystic Tradition (known as Schools) in their history.  On Earth, there is a rich magical history, though a few Magical Schools have stood out over the millennia.

The oldest school of magic utilized by Humans was arguably the Istari School, which had the same roots as the Eldar School practised by the Elves.  It was introduced by the Nephilim Wizards Alatar, Gandalf, Pallando, Radagast, and Saruman during the Third and early Fourth Ages of Middle-Earth and it would continue to be practised by small covens centuries later.  Few today practise the Istari School, though rumours that the Wizard Shazam is well versed in its lore.   It would ultimately serve as the building blocks for the magical revolution that was overseen by arguably the greatest mortal magic-user in history, Agamotto.

Very little is known about Agamotto himself, other than he was a gifted practitioner of the mystic arts.  He took as his foundation the Istari school, but combined elements from the Eldar school and dozens of other smaller traditions of magic, forging them into what has become known as the Agamotto School.  This robust and comprehensive technique would ultimately lead him to claim the title of the Sorcerer Supreme and led to many of the traditions that will-workers follow today.  Indeed, the Agamotto School has served as the basis for almost every other modern school and is still practised today by Doctor Stephen Strange and Doctor Fate.

Of the other magical traditions a few are notable:

The Ollivander School took the Istari practice of consolidating magical power into implements such as a staff and made it a core feature of their magic.  Practitioners of the style utilize wands to focus their magic and cast their spells.  While their style is very potent they are so dependent on their implements that they cannot cast spells if they don't have access to their wands.  This style is taught and practised primarily within the British Isles through the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and other schools approved by the United Kingdom's semi-secret government department, the Ministry of Magic.

Long before the island sank, the Atlantean School developed as an attempt to develop the ultimate School of Magic.  They attempted to alter the human genome to sense the paranormal and better channel magical energies.  The result would be the Homo Magi, a divergent subspecies of humanity whose sorcery is inherited and almost instinctual.  Practitioners often develop their own personal techniques of casting magic, unaware that it's largely unnecessary.  Known users of the Atlantean style are Arion the Immortal, Zatanna Zatara, and Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch.

A YJA Moment - Hobbits

There is none so mysterious an ancestry as the Hobbits, a diminutive people who first were discovered living on Middle-Earth during its Third Age.  There are no records, not in the annals of the immortal Elves or even within the Hobbits themselves of their origins.  They have never been known for their use of magic or technology, yet there are enclaves of Hobbits throughout known space.  In short, they are a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

In almost every enclave, which they all refer to as The Shire, life continues on at a technological level of pre-industrial England.  In an agrarian culture, the Hobbits spend their time tilling the soil, producing foodstuffs, and managing the other needs of their settlement.  Only a few law enforcement representatives, named Bounders exist to keep the peace, which usually involves neighborly disputes or rough-housing at the local pub.

The original Shire on Middle-Earth only came about during the Third Age, long after the War of the Last Alliance had defeated Sauron for the first time.  They did not involve themselves much with the other people, save for setting in and around the village of Bree, one of the main human settlements in eastern Eriador. Indeed, the very thought of "adventures" was anathema to the dwellers of the Shire, and they viewed anyone who enjoyed such endeavors with suspicion.

During the War of the Ring, they remained sequestered save for a handful of Hobbits who undertook one of the most important missions of the entire conflict.  Two of them had stumbled upon the One Ring, the dark magical trinket infused with the power of Anti-Life.  They traveled across the continent to the dark lands of Mordor, where they cast the ring into the magma beneath Mount Doom, ending Sauron's resurrection once and for all.

Beyond the countless worlds and populations where Hobbits inexplicably find themselves represented, there are two main Shires in Known Space.  The Grey Shire lies on the planet Valinor, the only non-Elven settlement allowed by the White Council.  There, under the magical energies of Alfheim, the Hobbits enjoy long and healthy lives.  The second is the original Shire which still exists in a pocket dimension crafted by Gandalf, who set secret passages in hidden locations known only to a few.

A YJA Moment - Dwarves

Dwarven history starts on Middle-Earth, during the fabled First Age.  They believe they were fashioned from stone and given life by the enigmatic Aulë, whom the Elves revere as one of the angelic Valar.  They would eventually form seven great Clans from which they studiously track their lineage - Blacklocks, Broadbeams, Firebeards, Longbeards, Stonefoots, and Stiffbeards.  Each of these took up territory on various locations on the continent of Middle-Earth, both in Eriador and into the West.

Due to their affinity with stone, they were able to construct magnificent subterranean cities which burrowed deep into the earth.  They also were master artisans with metal and jewels, creating magnificent weapons and armor.  They also have the strange metal Mithril which was lightweight but stronger than any metal, allowing the craft potent magical devices.  People from around Middle-Earth traveled to the Dwarven stronghold in order to barter for these treasures, making the Clans very wealthy.

They also developed an enmity with the Orcish hordes which lived underground to escape the light of the sun.  A continual state of war existed between the two peoples, which led to the Dwarven Clans uniting against both Melkor the First Fallen and the Dark Lord Sauron at the end of both the First and Second Ages.  When news arrived that Sauron and his Army of Darkness were again on the move, the Clans not only fought on Middle-Earth but joined the battle into outer space.

After the Shadow War, many members of the Dwarven expeditionary forces found themselves on many new worlds.  Many of these formed an alliance with Bor the Allfather of the Asgardians, who granted them rights to settle in the Nine Realms, on the system called Nidavellir.  There they constructed a giant orbital ring around their star, harnessing the fusion power of the stellar body in order to fuel the fabled Starforges.  It is in these forges that the hammer Mjolnir and the sword Excalibur were forged.

In the Fourth Age, the Dwarven Kingdoms on Earth found little reason to trade with the remains of the human kingdoms.  Long before the establishment of Indus and Sumer, they had retreated underground, expanding their tunnels far into the Earth. At some point, the Dwarves placed themselves in hibernation, locking themselves in ancient caskets which magically kept them young in eternal slumber.

Occasionally, some Dwarves would emerge to engage with the world of humans.  The most notable instance was in the Märchenwald in Germany in the 16th Century, when a small group belonging to the Stiffbeards Clan, aided a young lady from escaping the clutches of an evil noble-woman.

A YJA Moment - Elves

Of all the species in Known Space, none are more self-assured and driven to excellence as the Elves. One of the few peoples blessed with true immortality, the Elves once were pivotal in the events of the universe.  Today, most of them refrain from involving themselves in the affairs of the "young peoples", preferring to remain apart in their well-guarded homeworlds.

The Elves believe that they were chosen to be above all other species by the Valar, the central angelic figures of their original religion.  They were created by the Valar on Cuiviénen, their ancient homeland where it was said that they communed with their creators and learned the secrets of the universe. Without the threat of old age and death, they were able to hone their skills like few others.  It would remain this way until the Great Schism, which fractured their people and wounded their spirit.

Though there are conflicting stories of the Schism, this part is known: that two-thirds of the original Elven population refused to heed the Valar.  The resulting war split the Elves into three Nations.  The Dark Elves were exiled to the desolate Svartalfheim, while the loyal Light Elves settled on the verdant Valinor which eventually became known as Alfheim.  Those who refused to involve themselves in the conflict became known as the Grey Elves, who cast off their immortal nature to become what would be the Vulcan and Romulan peoples.

The Light Elves had retained much of the knowledge of their forebears and developed a rich tradition of magic.  They opened portals to several worlds to establish colonies such as the ones on Middle-Earth.  In contrast, the Dark Elves remained on Svartalfheim because they no longer had the mystical or technical means to travel off-world.  They would eventually be contacted by The Shadows and that would allow them to merge magic and machines into the arcane devices they use today. Finally, the two branches of Elvenkind would meet during the Shadow War, though few actually met face-to-face.  

The Dark Elves were locked in battle with the Asgardians, who drove them back to Svartalfheim and decimated their homeworld.  The primary theatre of the Light Elves was on Middle Earth, where they aided the Human kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan against the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron in the War of the Ring. 

 At the end of the Shadow War, the Dark Elves isolated themselves on Svartalfheim to bury their dead and rebuild their fallen cities.  Most of the Light Elves too retreated from Middle-Earth and their Grey Havens on other worlds, to return triumphantly to their homes in Valinor.  There the White Council vowed never again to involve themselves in the affairs of Mortal Races, which they have kept these many centuries up until the modern-day.

A few enclaves of Light Elves still remain in Known Space, most notably on Earth, wherein this Fifth Age some have taken rulership over the fae folk.

A YJA Moment - Orcs

In the history of Earth, few creatures have generated so much fear as the species known as Orcs, Though not appearing physically opposing, Orcs were slightly faster, stronger, and more resilient than Humans,  They also possessed heightened, though their eyes had issues adjusting to sunlight.  The main advantage of the Orcs was their numbers - their masters were able to generate legions in a short period of time.

Born from the genetic code of captured Elven stock, the Fleshcrafters of Melkor the First Fallen engineered the perfect species to serve in the massive Army of Darkness.  These Orcs were birthed in vast underground labyrinths, born from artificial birthing pods. It is unclear how many were made in the First Age, but the ancient tome The Silmarillion hints it may have been in the millions.

The means to make Orcs continued into the Second and Third Ages, where they were the mainstay of the forces of Sauron, the Dark Lord who succeeded Melkor as leader of the Dark Armies of Mordor.  It would lend the knowledge to the Nephilim Wizard Saurman, who modified the Orcs in order to create his more capable Uruk-Hai.  The Uruks did not fear the sun's rays and were physically more imposing than their Orcish brethren, but took longer to gestate.

Despite a strong belief amongst the ancient humans to the contrary, Orcs were not intrinsically evil. Though they were birthed by foul magics, they possessed free will and a soul, granting them the ability to be noble if they decided to be.  However, the Orcs in the service to the Dark Lords were under a geasa of servitude, backed by an imposed culture of brutality that encouraged cruelty and viciousness over reason and compassion.

Orcs were a major presence in Middle-Earth until the end of the Third Age.  The final defeat of Sauron ended the Dark Kingdom of Mordor and sent the Orc tribes scattered across the continent.  The remains of the armies of  Rohan and Gondor, as well as the last few Elves and Dwarves pursued the Orcs and slaughtered as many as they could.  The rest presumably died out in the years of the Fourth Age before the founding of ancient Sumer.

Yet it's believed that like the Dwarves, there are birthing chambers full of Orcs far underground, awaiting the call of a new Dark Lord to awaken.

A YJA Moment - Darkness and Light

Before the various species in Known Space walked upright there were the First Ones.  These beings walked in the shadow of the Celestials, crossing the stars in the primordial Universe.  Few of these First Ones remain - although there are a few remaining examples of each race, there are only a few examples of First Ones surviving in their original form.

One of the most powerful of these First Ones was the enigmatic group known only as The Shadows.  This arachnid-like species evolved on the desolate planet Z'Ha'Dum, becoming a space-faring race long before the Maltusians had emigrated to Oa. In their great biological ships, they reached out into the stars becoming aware of a host of inferior species evolving in Known Space.  Believer in a radical form of eugenics, the Shadows sought to forge the Universe into the strongest, most capable iteration.

Every few millennia, the Shadows have emerged from Z'Ha'Dum, spreading across Known Space. Species that are found to be strong are offered alliances and technology; those perceived as weak were culled.  They do not stop their crusade until either the Universe has been properly scoured, or until powerful groups, the Vorlons, the Manhunters, or the Green Lantern Corps directly intervene.  After being pushed back, they would return to their homeworld to rebuild and hibernate until its next crusade.

Its only rivals were the Vorlons, energy beings that had long cast aside their mortal forms.  Believers in protecting the status quo, they nonetheless interfered in the development of many species, hoping to prepare them for the next Shadow Crusade.  To hide their true form, which many cultures believed was angelic, they crafted biological encounter suits that were tailored after the biological starships within which they traveled.

The last time the Shadows would launch their crusade, they had unexpected help.  Darkseid and the forces of Apokolips had been gathering an Army of Darkness in an attempt to seek out the Anti-Life Equation.  Though the Shadows cared nothing for the New God's goals, they saw this as an opportunity to prune Known Space on a level previously unseen.

The Shadow War was a pivotal moment in the Universe's development, but it wasn't the success that the Shadows had hoped.  Lost in their own agendas, the individual forces that made up the Army of Darkness began to squabble amongst each other which led to open in-fighting.  The Shadows found they were fighting against the Dark Elves, the Engineers, and the Technomages; factions which they had granted the technology which was now turned against them.

Finally, in the Orion System, the last of the Shadow Fleet was destroyed by the Army of Light, ending the Shadow War.  What remained of these First Ones set their automated facilities to rebuilding their decimated forces, preparing for the next crusade that would be released upon Known Space.  It's been thousands of years since they hibernated and soon the time for their awakening is at hand.

Yet the Shadows remain unaware that bargains with those of the Fourth World are eternal....

A YJA Moment - The Sword Treaty

 In the wake of the Treaty of Novigrad and the cementing of centralized control over Earth, the members of the former Mythic Avengers took stock of their situation.  The New Earth Government and S.H.I.E.L.D. had dismantled the old order, raising up new legal and policing institutions.  Included in this was former-American Senator Joseph Keene's systematic closing of the legal loopholes which had allowed superheroes to operate as law enforcement individuals adjacent to conventional police.

And though liaison Monica Rambeau swore that Earth had no intention of extending its dominion to Outland, Kentauride was not convinced.

After rescuing former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury from protective custody, Kentauride began a political movement in order to counter the N.E.G.  Gathering together Atlantis, Khandaq, Krakoa, and Thermyscira, they held a hastily-arranged conference in  Outland, they hashed out an agreement in which Outland lent its extra-dimensional authority (and legality) to their nations, officially making them not a part of the Earth government.

The Sword Treaty was largely a mutual defense pact and did not impose any limitations on the political systems in place in the nations.  The Mythic Avengers had no aspirations of creating an Empire, only keeping their friends safe.  King Orin, Black Adam, Queen Diana, the Quiet Council, and Regent Kentauride would continue to control their nations without interference.

As a provision of the Treaty was the symbolic creation of the shared-security organization to counteract the influence of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Dubbed the Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Division (or S.W.O.R.D.), this group would provide intelligence and if necessary, military assistance to whatever treaty nation required it. 

A YJA Moment - Changing of the Guard

In the wake of the passing of a dozen U.N. Resolutions, the fractured nations of Earth took a giant, if unsteady step into a single world government.  Labeled the United Earth agenda by some of the press, the chief representatives of Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, and the United States gathered together to debate the implementation of this new world order.

Though much of the ability to govern Earth had been eradicated during the Apokolips Invasion, politics was a beast that was much harder to kill.  Despite the need for a strong central government in order to take care of the multitude of crises, nationalism remained strong throughout the planet.  China and the U.S.A., in particular, balked at the idea that a citizen from another country would have jurisdiction over their people. 

This extended to S.H.I.E.L.D.  The agency had enjoyed a broad range of emergency powers during the first weeks after the Invasion,  there was much division within the U.N. Security Council, regarding its continued operations. Although Nick Fury was widely regarded for his impartiality, each power block wanted someone more closely aligned to their interests in control of the agency.

In the end, compromises were made.  The United Nations Security Council would be reformed as the Global Security Council, with each seat on the body having administrative control of a particular region of Earth.  That region would choose its representative based on whatever model the populace wanted.  An interim councilor would be chosen until such times as a representative was chosen.

In terms of S.H.I.E.L.D, most of the senior staff, including Director Nick Fury and Deputy Director Maria Hill were asked to submit their resignations in order to clear the way for a brand new set of appointees.  In the top spot of Director, retired United States Army General Thaddeus Ross was chosen; Fang Zhifu, decorated P.L.A. soldier and former member of the Great Ten as the August General in Iron became Deputy Director.

Ross and Zhifu immediately took command of all teams currently operating under The Avengers banner, including those that were not directly controlled by the agency.  Using the broad language used in the U.N. Resolutions they were able to convince, intimidate and outright threaten those heroes to either join the new Avengers Initiative or retire from active duty.  Though S.H.I.E.L.D. has not immediately banned what it called "vigilante heroism", all collaborations with non-Initiative heroes were immediately terminated.

On September 1st, 2021 the remaining nations of the Earth signed the Treaty of Novigrad, formally enacting the resolutions into a formal binding agreement.  Though it would be many years before the United Nations would become completely unified, this New Earth Government was the end of the old guard and the beginning of something new.

There was no going back.

A YJA Moment - The Spy Within

During a scouting mission on earth led by elite Rhomann Dey of the Nova Corps, high-school student Richard Ryder accidentally discovered their spaceship and found himself a stowaway as it left the planet to Xandar.  After being discovered, he was forced to stay in the Nova Empire as law enforcement prevented him from further contaminating Earth with knowledge of interstellar space. This despite many Terrans having direct knowledge or contact with alien species.

Ryder grew up on Xandar, finishing his required basic education regime albeit with much difficulty.  He was recruited into the Nova Corps, where he served with distinction for many years.  In order to better understand the events going on Earth, he was assigned to the planet masquerading as a hero.  He for a time he was part of the short-lived New Warriors along with Firestar, Marvel Boy, Namorita, Speedball, and team leader Night Thrasher.  

Eventually, he was recalled back home where he was assigned to the Xandar Intelligence Apparatus.  He had shown an aptitude for espionage work during his induction into the Corps but never had shown no interest in spy work.  However, his particular biometric parameters were perfect for him to impersonate an infamous bounty hunter in order to infiltrate both the Mandalorians and the greater Bounty Hunters Guild.

Dal Norren was a well-known bounty hunter that was instantly recognizable for his jet-black armor.  He had been killed in a shoot-out with the Nova Corps, but the Apparatus had kept his death secret from the general populace, allowing the Ryder to use his identity in this operation.  Posing as Norren, Ryder then infiltrated the Mandalorian Clans which had joined Thanos, though too late to relay useful information before the alliance was fractured by the Mythic Avengers.

The Apparatus left Ryder embedded within the Mandalorians in order to provide them with more intelligence on the clan's aims and capabilities.  It turned out to be much more beneficial than they could have realized.  News started to drift within the clans that their former "allies", the Sith Order, were allying with a very old ally which they had long ago pledged their service.  Though the Mandalorians had served with the Sith with Thanos, they never forgot the betrayal of the Galactic Empire and the purging of their homeworld.

Ryder found himself with a cadre of elite Mandalorians who infiltrated the ancient Sith citadel on Khar Delba.  Utilizing a combination of stealing technology and enchantments bartered from the alien sorcerer Urthona, they were initially able to penetrate the citadel, only to be caught within the structure. Though the rest of his team were killed in the resulting attacks, Richard himself was able to escape with vital intelligence regarding the Sith.

In particular, Ryder discovered that the Sith had joined Thanos only because of the Mad Titan's association with someone from which they had pledged their service.  This was symbolized by an ancient talisman that he recovered from the vaults of the citadel.  The talisman was made of something which resembled obsidian but seemed nearly indestructible.  Etched on its surface were two symbols - the original sigil of the Sith'ari rebels of the Jedi Order, and another symbol that appears to look very similar to the omega symbol.  The symbol of Darkseid.

A YJA Moment - War of the Ring

Before recorded history on Earth, when the isle of Atlantis was still known by its ancient name of Númenor, the minions of darkness sought to destroy all goodness and light.  Sauron, the demonic lieutenant of Morgoth the First Fallen, had gathered up his armies of Orcs, Trolls, and the Conquered Kingdoms to make war on the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth.

Centuries prior, in what was then known as The Second Age, Sauron had discovered the Anti-Life Equation and forged a great ring to harness its power.  During the War of the Last Alliance, he was defeated by the combined might of the Light Elves and the remains of the Numenorians who escaped their sinking isle.  Corrupted by The One Ring, Sauron could no longer take corporeal form and was forced to bide his time until he could once again be a threat.

Through The Third Age, the One Ring would find itself passed through many hands but few knew its full power and danger. When it was discovered by a Hobbit, a diminutive species of near-human which lived in isolated communities, it came under the notice of the Nephilim Wizard Gandalf. He notified the rest of the White Council, who convened a summit to deal with the emergency.  In the end, a fellowship of Hobbits, Humans, Elves, and Dwarves were sent to destroy the Ring where it was forged, in the fires of Mount Doom.

The journey would start small but the stakes increased at every juncture.  Sauron had managed to emerge as a great lidless eye and commanded both the Orcs of Mordor, but armies of subjugated humans and the forces loyal to the rogue Wizard Saruman. As the forces of the Dark Lord hunted the Ring-Bearer, the Council was rekindling old friendships and alliances.

In a great battle at the base of Mount Doom, the Armies of Humanity did battle with the forces of Sauron.  The celestial beings called Asgardians, Eternals, and Olympians revealed themselves in order to aide the Army of Light, while Parademons and Darkseid himself arrived on the battlefield field in order to ensure victory for his forces.  

Yet it was all a ruse in order to keep the forces of Shadow from noticing the Ring-Bearer sneaking into Mount Doom and destroying The One Ring.  With the artifact destroyed, the link to the Anti-Life Equation was severed.  Sauron has utterly torn apart and the hold he had on his forces was permanently broken.  No longer sensing the Anti-Life equation and injured from attacks from Zeus and Ares, the Armies of Darkness left Middle-Earth.

In the aftermath of the War of the Ring, the Elves would leave Middle-Earth for their home on Alfheim, while the Dwarves would barricade themselves inside their subterranean kingdoms.  The Human Kingdoms were shattered and it would be many years before the tribes of people living along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates would found the first civilization of The Fourth Age, ancient Sumer.

A YJA Moment - The Last Great Time War

Though it is listed as but one of the many fronts in the Shadow War, few conflicts have had such a widespread impact on reality as what became known as the Last Great Time War, or simply The Time War.  Though many smaller factions and species would be caught up in its wake, the war itself was centered on two time-traveling empires, the Darleks and the Time Lords.

At some point in history, a race of near-humans from the planet Gallifrey found the Time Stone, which they named the Eye of Harmony.  Using the power of the Eye, they created T.A.R.D.I.S. time which allowed them to travel in the time stream.   To prevent their enemies from attacking them, they moved their entire world out of the space-time continuum into the null zone at the end of history which was known as Vanishing Point.  

Being close to the Eye also changed their physiology, granting them a measure of immortality through what they called Regeneration - After a few centuries of life they would completely rejuvenate themselves and become a new person entirely.  While they shared memories of their past life, their apparent age, appearance, and even gender would change.  This new ability would give each Time Lord millennium of knowledge and experience.

The Time Lords set up the Celestial Intervention Agency as their agents in the universe.  The Agency devoted itself to deal with anomalies or existential threats to existence.  They also worked to prevent other species from getting the ability to breach the time barrier.  Chief amongst these were the Darlek Empire, the most dangerous alien race Gallifrey had ever encountered.

Born on the planet Skaro, the scientist known as Davros made a race of cyborg war machines to end the war on their planet but ended up destroying all life that wasn't their own.  Over the years they expanded their empire across known space, only pausing when significant upgrades required a civil war to weed out the inferior models.  They almost achieved temporal awareness several times if not for the swift action by The Agency.

However, one did not account for The Master.  The rogue Time Lord gave the Darleks the technology they need as part of the pact with the forces of Apokalips.  The Celestial Intervention Agency tried to stop the Darlek Empire but it wasn't able to withstand the might of a time-travel-capable armada.  Only their extreme experience with time travel allowed the Time Lords from being completely overrun.

Raging from the Big Bang to the End of Time, the Time War became the most expansive and costly front in the Shadow War.  A thousand alternate timelines were created as each side attempted to eliminate various factions in the conflict, only to be countered by their opponent. The strain on the time-space continuum was momentous and the Agency feared time itself would unravel but were powerless to stop the War.

In the end, it would take another rogue Time-Lord known as The Doctor to end the Time War once and for all.  Breaking into the Forbidden Vaults on Gallifrey, he stole the weapon known as The Moment and issued an ultimatum for both sides to stop hostilities.  When they refused, he activated the weapon, which erased both Gallifrey and the Darlek War Fleet from existence.

Save for a few TIme Lords and a handful of Darleks, all combatants in the Last Great Time War were destroyed.  The Eye of Harmony seemed immune to its effects but disappeared into the time stream before it could be claimed by The Doctor or any of the survivors.  Without the Time Lords monitoring time, the universe gave birth to dozens of chrononauts - Cable, the original Captain Marvel, Chronos, The Flash, Kang the Conqueror, Per Degaton, Rip Hunter, and the Time Trapper to name but a few.

A YJA Moment - The Shadow War

Many millennia ago, Known Space was torn about by a terrible conflict that cost the lives of trillions of sentient beings. It is a pivotal event in history, changing the destinies of Empires across Known Space.  It is known by many names throughout history - The Great Darkness; The Shadow War; The Time War; The War of the Ring; and the Last Great Conflict. Strangely enough, few know the full story of those times.  Perhaps only in the Book of Oa, the ancient records of the Green Lanterns does there still remain a full record of the conflict.

Darkseid of Apokolips initiated an immense gathering of forces to descend upon the civilizations of Known Space.  Each of these groups had different goals in the conflict and most knew nothing about the New God's ultimate aims.  Few understood that Darkseid sought the Anti-Life Equation and was using the conflict as a pretense to scout out its location.  The Equation synergized with violence and oppression, and this great war was the best chance to discover where Anti-Life was hidden. 

The Army of Darkness was immense.  It included some of the most powerful forces that the universe had seen up to that point. -  Dark Elves, the Drahk, Ego the Living Planet, the Darleks, Deviants, the Predator tribes, the hordes of Sauron, the Shadows of Z'ha'dum, the Sith Order, the original Technomages, the Skrulls, the Rakatan of the Infinite Empire and their Warworld, and the dreaded Xenomorphs of the Engineers.  All were led by the forces of Apokolips and the Darkseid Elite.

Opposing them in the Army of Light were a rag-tech collection of disparate forces: the Asgardians, the Atlanteans, the convergence of First Ones, the Dwarven Clans,  the Light Elves, the Eternals, the Green Lantern Corps, the Jedi Order, the Old Imperium, the combined space fleets of the unaligned Core Worlds, the ancient Kree Empire, the Minbari Triune, the Olympians, the Time Lords of Gallifrey, the Vorlons, and the White Council.

The War raged on multiple fronts across the then-Known Space, but one of the main battlegrounds lay on a seemingly insignificant planet known as Midgard, Middle-Earth, or simply Earth. In particular, Sauron was seeking a magical item known as The One Ring which the Dark Lord had forged to tap into the Anti-Life Equation, which it knew existed on Middle-Earth.

Even with the last-minute appearance of Darkseid and his Parademons, the White Council and its powerful allies were able to destroy the One Ring, exorcise Sauron back the Infernal Planes, and scattered his forces.  This massive defeat for the Armies of Darkness was but a taste of future events. For where the Army of Light was unified in protecting the universe, their opponents were not.

Because the various species brought together for the invasion had joined for a myriad of reasons, fractures started to appear in their ranks.  Old rivalries flared and disputes emerged between the factions in the Army of Darkness.  The Army of Light was able to capitalize on the dissent and scored significant victories.  This only intensified the animosity forming the ranks of Darkseid's forces, , eventually leading to outright civil war.

The final battle took place in the Orion system, which is known to humanity as Ross 614.  There the last of the Apokolips Armada, the Shadow Vessel Fleet, and Dark Elven Arks were obliterated, officially ending the hostilities.

Though the cost was high, the survivors believed that this would be the last time the Universe would see such warfare.  But the ancient bonds between darkness are being rekindled.  Darkseid moves to remind ancient forces of the oaths that they swore and the commitments they have made.  A new Army of Darkness is forming, and once again Known Space will know fear and death.  

A YJA Moment - The Sinister Six

Though super-villain teams are not a new thing, very few of them have a lasting legacy.  Perhaps second only to The Light, the group of Spider-Man-hating adversaries known as the Sinister Six have time and time again persisted, re-formed, and re-invented themselves.

The group had a simple beginning.  After suffering a number of defeats himself, Doctor Octopus gathered together a group of villains who had all suffered defeats at the hands of Spider-Man. He recruited Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Sandman, and The Vulture.  Seeking to succeed as a group where they failed on their own, they attacked Spider-Man en masse.  They would have succeeded if their own petty need to be the one to kill the wall-crawler didn't cause the group to dissolve into inter-team conflict.

Though initially unsuccessful, the pattern of the Sinister Six (as it was known amongst the super-villain community) had been set.  Over the next few years, Peter Parker saw a number of super-villain team-ups occur under the auspices of the Sinister Six.  Most of these were created by Doctor Octopus or one of the original members of the team.

Most of the iconic Sinister Six remained members of the team, though some were unavailable due to incarceration or death.  When there were gaps, the leader would invite a temporary replacement.  Some of the notable recruits were The Beetle, Captain Boomerang, Chameleon, The Green Goblin, The Hobgoblin, Jack O'Lantern, Lizard, Morbius the Living Vampire, The Rhino, Scorpion, Shocker, The Trapser, and Venom.

In a current departure, the diabolical Black Spider has emerged to craft his own brand-new Sinister Six which he calls his Superior Six. His hand-picked choices are virtual unknowns to the Spider-Family: Constrictor, Hydromancer, The Prowler, Superior Octopus, and Toxin.

The original Sinister Six have clashed with the Superior Six on several locations, stemming from the fact that the "Superior Octopus" was a failed clone of Otto Octavius, the man known as Doctor Octopus.

A YJA Moment - Symbiotes

An alien organism of unknown origin the beings that are known on Earth as Symbiotes have had an increasing influence on the metahuman community and by extension the rest of society.  In its native state, the Symbiote is semi-intelligent and exists in a viscous state that can move under its own power.

It requires a host in order to fully unlock its full potential.  Those who are infected gain super-strength, durability, and the ability to extrude and shape the symbiote in various ways.  They are also capable of adapting to the host, identifying and permanently mimicking certain of their abilities, and even enhancing others.

The most famous one is the symbiote which bonded to Peter Parker, the hero known as Spider-Man.  When Parker realized that the symbiote was manipulating his emotions and feeding on his metabolism, he cast it off.  Having copied his powers the symbiote would end up choosing Parker's rival Eddie Brock, becoming the sometimes-villain, sometimes-antihero Venom.

The Venom symbiote would end up infecting crazed serial killer Cletus Kasady after thwarting a prison escape.  The symbiotic fragment, which had somehow mutated by Kasady's latent metahuman physiology, became the vicious mass-murdering entity known as Carnage.

Yet this is not the first time Earth has come into contact with the symbiotes.  Ever since Apollo 17 returned contaminated rocks from a lunar valley on the Moon, the United States government has been keenly aware of the presence of the symbiotes.  Weapons Plus has devoted thousands of man-hours attempting to harness its abilities.

The Covert Action Team known as Wetworks was the first major test subject, exposing a variety of normal and latent metahumans to symbiotes in order to see their reactions to the infection. Unfortunately, during at least one mission, symbiotes fragments were released and became independent.

These fragments would infect artist Reno Bryce turning him into the metamorph known as Warblade.  Another would unsuccessfully attempt to bond with a vampire, altering it significantly before it eventually merged with Amanda Reed to become Taboo.

A YJA Moment - Coalition of Planets

As the last memory of The Old Republic, the Nova Empire had taken on the responsibility of maintaining diplomacy throughout Known Space.  Lying in a strategic and pivotal location in the galaxy, it was able to keep various aggressive species, such as the Romulans, Klingons, and Kree from expanding into defenseless worlds.

When Thanos brought together the Chitauri, First Order, Mandalorians, Ravagers, Sinestro Corps, and the Sith Order in his attempt to gain the Infinity Stones, much of the governments in the Local Group became concerned that the Mad Titan would engulf the galaxy into warfare.  In response. Xandar and the Nova Corps sought out an alliance for mutual protection and aid.

Meeting on the planet Babel, representatives from the Nova Empire, Shi'ar Protectorate, the Tellarite Alliance, and the Vulcan Confederacy formed the Coalition of Planets which provided a framework for both military and civilian cooperation.  It was instrumental in dealing with the various incursions by Thanos on their systems.

However, the Coalition's real test was a humanitarian one, aiding Earth after the terrible assault by the forces of Apokolips.  With millions dead and billions without basic needs, the various member worlds devoted themselves to protecting and helping this backwater planet which had become so important in recent years.

Though the destruction of Xandar by the Warworld and the fragmentation of the Nova Empire seemed destined to spell the end of the Coalition, it has had the opposite effect.  The other members of the Coalition helped defend Empire worlds from the Kree, Romulans, and Klingons.  The unity shown by the member nations encouraged the Minbari Triune to sign the treaty, and the Andorians even negotiated a peace treaty with the Vulcans in order to join.

With the Coalition of Planets growing within the galaxy, a multi-planet group has suggested a more integrated and permanent alliance be negotiated.  So far the idea of the United Planets is still an optimistic dream, but its proponents believe that continued support and cooperation will make their vision a reality.

A YJA Moment - Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips

As the last remaining god of the Fourth World, Darkseid is nearly unchallenged in his own realm and is feared in all others.  He presides over the harsh world of Apokolips, a volcanic planet filled with technological horrors, vicious servitors, and untold thousands of conquered slaves all following his every dark command.

Darkseid is powered by the fabled Omega Force, powerful energy which infuses his every cell.  Few realize that this is not an inborn power to the New Gods or any inhabitants of Apokolips; it was an ancient secret that was discovered. It is said that he traveled to the desolate world on the fringe of the Universe to discover a temple older than the Celestials, where he obtained both the power and a potent vision.

In that vision, he was granted knowledge of the true nature of the universe, the role of the Fourth World, and the existence of The Source. He was also granted awareness of the Anti-Life Equation, the energy that opposes the Source and seeks to turn everything into a mockery of reality.

In another timeline, his ambitions would have been opposed by the New Gods of New Genesis, his equal and opposite number.  But in a stroke of good fortune, he encountered time travelers, who enabled him to travel back in time and destroy Highfather and the other New Gods at the moment of their creation by the Godwave.  Little did he know their essences would form the Infinity Stones that would herald the Final Gods.

Poised now in what he believes to be the eve of the conflict that will end the Fourth World, he gathers his forces and his allies and prepares his armies to secure dominion in a new Fifth World.  His lightning attacks on the Nova Empire was an opening salvo intended to prevent his enemies from mounting a consolidated defense.  Yet all this work may be unnecessary as the Lord of Apokolips is on the verge of a revelation.

What Darkseid does is starting to realize that the Omega Force is itself an emanation of the Anti-Life Equation, in much the same way as the Cthonic Sorcery is to Magic and the Negative-Speed Force is to Speed Force.  Within him lies the key to unlocking the full power of Anti-Life, given enough time, sufficient willpower, and the required patience.  Unless he is defeated, all of existence could fall into his grasp.

A YJA Moment - Darkseid's Elite

 While there is only one true New God in Apokalips, Darkseid is attended by a number of powerful individuals whose power could challenge any Olympian or Asgardian.  They are known throughout Known Space as Darkseid's Elite and where they walk, the master of the Omega Beams is sure to follow.

Desaad serves as the master of the Birthing Pits on Apokalips, where generations of Parademons are designed and bred.  His mastery of the sciences serves his master well, and he also serves as his chief interrogator and torturer.  Unfeeling and uncaring, the rest of the Elite gives Desaad a wide berth, lest they become the subject of one of his latest experiments.

Capable of enthralling almost anyone with his words, Glorious Godfrey serves both as an infiltrator and as the eventual herald of Darkseid when the invasion is set to begin.  Capable of shape-shifting into various forms, Godfrey currently resides on Earth, where he is a political pundit on Morgan Edge's TV network.

Gathered from around Known Space, the Furies are enhanced and brainwashes by Granny Goodness to serve as leaders in the Parademon armies.  Granny operates her operations like a twisted version of an orphanage, bringing in young bodies and then systematically molding them into hardened killers for Darkseid.

Kalibak is the only surviving son of Darkseid and heir to the throne of Apokalips.  Seen as unworthy by his father, he nonetheless strives to prove his worth at every opportunity.  Granted the title of Force Commander after the demise of Steppenwolf, Kalibak plans on a glorious crusade to bring Known Space to its knees.

Steppenwolf was the commander of the hordes of Parademons and Hunger Dogs which comprised the bulk of the armies of Apokolips.  In the early days of Darkseid's rule, he proved himself a loyal ally and keen tactician, earning himself a privileged position within the Elite.  He was, unfortunately, slain during the Invasion of Earth, forcing Darkseid to look to his son to lead his forces

A YJA Moment - Home of the Final Gods

New Genesis was to be the home of the New Gods, living in a glorious technological city floating in the upper atmosphere of their planet.  The divine powers of the Fourth World were able to look down on the mortal species that lived on the planet, while they contemplated the mysteries of the cosmos.

Then it was all put to ruin, turned to a cinder by Darkseid's time-traveling agents.

Through the actions of the Mythic Avengers, a new home for the Gods has been created.  Umbra the Afterworld is the underworld, where the souls of those slain in the Fourth World or their citizens are destined to reside.  It is a lush world filled with monochrome trees, plains, and lakes.

Circling the planetary afterlife is the Starlit Citadel, a glittering crystalline metropolis that serves as the domain of the Final Gods, the recipients of the Infinity Stones which granted them the powers of the Fourth World.  Powered by the might of the Gods themselves, the Citadel is impenetrable and almost indestructible.

Much like Earthly reincarnation, those that dwell on the Afterworld's surface have an opportunity to return to the world of the living.  Umbra chooses the worthy, who are granted new bodies by The Sentinel's reality-changing powers.  They are then made citizens of the Starlit Citadel, unable to leave the structure but able to live productive and happy lives.

The core of the inhabitants and the leaders of the Citadel remains the Final Gods - The Champion, The Savant, Sentinel, Thunderstrike, The Time Master, and Umbra the Afterworld.  The rest of the citizenry is composed of the reincarnated souls and the select few from outside the Fourth World, who are given leave to resettle there.

As a new conflict with Apokalips begins, the Final Gods know that the Fourth World is ending and a Fifth World is dawning.  However, they worry that it will be Darkseid himself that will rule this brand new domain, utilizing the power of the Anti-Life Equation to dominate everything in the multiverse.

A YJA Moment - Santa Prisca

The island nation of Santa Prisca has a storied history, one that is steeped in manipulation and global influence.  The island was first colonized in the 17th century by an infamous pirate Captain William Scumm, who subjugated both the native population and Spanish colonists as his personal fiefdom.  For many years the island was the personal property of Scumm's successors until a popular revolt took control of the island.  However, the leader of that revolution turned out to be no better than the family they deposed.

Since that time, the nation has suffered under a succession of dictators which stifled any attempts at democracy.  During the Cold War, these juntas and warlords were backed either by the United States or the Soviet Union.  The nations of the world were content to lead the people of the island suffer as long as it remained out of the other faction's hands.

After the fall of the USSR, the island came under the control of General Juan Paolo Sebastion, who had been installed by the Russians after a successful coup.  He was particularly ruthless and brutal compared to even the worst of the previous dictators on the island.  It was he who built the infamous prison Peña Duro, which filled the brim with anyone the General saw as a threat.

One of the prisoners of Peña Duro was the man who would become the super-villain, Bane.  After his escape from incarceration, he led his own uprising against the Sabastion, overthrowing his regime.  Instead of installing himself as President of the island, he declared Santa Prisca "free from all forms of tyranny".

The new law of the land was simple.  Anyone who lives on Santa Prisca is not allowed to harm anyone else and must defend the island if it ever falls under attack.  These rules are enforced by the Revolutionary Guard, who are the only ones allowed to inflict violence on anyone.  Bane himself keeps his soldiers from abusing their powers though violations still occur.

In order to keep the world powers from interfering, Bane invited the world's richest and most connected to the island, giving them land in order to build their opulent mansions.  He also included many powerful super-villains to make their secret bases here.  Anyone willing to obey the island's rules is welcome, no matter what crimes they have committed in the past.

This arrangement has put Santa Prisca on the radar of S.H.I.E.L.D. but as the island has managed to remain peaceful and well-supplied even after the Apokalips Invasion. Nick Fury has allowed the island to remain unmolested for the moment.  Even Bane knows that there will be a reckoning, but as long as his people are safe, he is willing to accept whatever may befall. 

A YJA Moment - First Salvo of the Final War

The attack by the Warworld on Xandar took everyone by surprise.  

Everyone in Known Space was aware that the artificial planetoid known as Warworld was unaccounted for.  It had been last seen in the Sol System when Mongul attempted to use it to destroy the planet Earth.  It has been captured by the world's champions but was later stolen and moved out of the system by forces unknown.  The Green Lantern Corps has notified all law enforcement agencies about Warworld, but most believed it had been moved past The Rim.  They were wrong.

Warworld appeared just outside the Xandarian Solar System undetected, indicating that it had been upgraded with significant stealth systems since its last appearance.  The Nova Corps was in the midst of loading a new relief shipment to Earth and was completely unprepared for the appearance of a moon-sized battle station on their doorstep.  They rushed to put up some sort of defense but it was already too late.

The platform launched a blistering assault that bypassed the planetary defenses and aimed for the world itself.  White-hot plasma beams carved into Xandar's crust and straight into the planet's core. The world convulsed and split apart as if torn apart by an animal.  Thirty Billion lives were immediately snuffed out, followed closely by the millions in orbital habitats.  

The Nova Corps that survived were soon cut down by the secondary cannon as the Warworld moved through the region.  A few of the Corps members managed to make it out of the system, to rendezvous with the main fleet.  By the time the reinforcements had arrived, it was too late; Xandar had been reduced to an asteroid field and the Warworld had disappeared.

Warping through hyperspace, the captain of the Warworld rose from his control throne and walked to the viewscreen.  Wordlessly he commanded the onboard computer to replace the carnage that had just taken place.  He smiled at what he saw - the enhancements his master had given him were well worth the wait.  

The Captain opened a communications link.

"Vandal Savage to Darkseid - Xandar has been destroyed.  Warworld is on the move".

A YJA Moment - The New New Gods

With the defeat of Mumm-Ra the Ever-living and the retrieval of the final Infinity Stone from the Sword of Omens, the Mythic Avengers have now completed their current mission.  Instead of putting them in a gauntlet and attempting to conquer the universe, the Avengers have decided to bring back the New Gods and restore balance in The Fourth World.

Alan Scott had sacrificed himself in order to use his Starheart energy to empower the Green Lantern Central Power Battery on Oa.  He was given the Reality Stone for which he used to craft a new body to become The Sentinel.

They drew Hippolyta, the former queen of Paradise Island who fell in battle during the Apokalips Incursion, out of the Underworld and back into the lands of the living.  She was given the Power Stone, becoming The Champion.

Mogo was the largest of the Green Lanterns and the offspring of Ego the Living Planet.  Given the Soul Stone, it left the service of Oa and transformed itself into the new underworld for the Fourth World - Umbra the Afterworld.

Thor Odinson has been a thundergod, a king, and a superhero.  Having given up all these roles, he is ready for his new life.  Drawing on the Space Stone, Thor has cast away Mjolnir in order to become Thunderstrike, the god of space.

Although Rip Hunter had apparently died to save the Justice League and the Avengers from the machinations of Darkseid and The Light, it is hard to kill someone skilled in time travel.  Drawing upon the Time Stone, Rip has become The Time Master. 

Possessing near-immortality due to the power of the Infinity Formula, the great renaissance man Leonardo Di Vinci has gained vast knowledge about the world.  Now imbued with the power of the Mind Stone, no secret is safe from The Savant.

A YJA Moment - Eternia and Etheria

No one knows when the alien warlord known as Nordor first tried to conquer Known Space, but it was The Celestials themselves that struck down his growing empire and banished him to the Negative Zone.  The power vacuum would allow much of the territory to be conquered and colonized by some of the nation-states of the planet Triterra.  Untold centuries before the rise of The Enshrouded One, the decline of Triterra left the planets of Eternia and Etheria to gain their independence.

Millennia after his exile, Nordor was able to access the material plane from the Negative Zone, using the power of a magical mishap on the planet Etheria.  Under the guise of Horde Prime, he conquered Etheria and launched a war on its sister world.  The swift action of the King of Greyskull defeated the armies and banished its Horde back to the Negative Zone.  While Eternia is still free today centuries after the conflict, Etheria remains under the rule of the Horde, led by Hordak, a clone of Horde Prime.

Both Eternia and Etheria lie in the same orbit around their sun, The Starseed, but lie at opposite ends of that orbit.

Etheria was beautiful with a glorious magical history, but today it has become a poor, blighted world, with most of its inhabitants living under the boot of Hordak.   The remains of the storied pastoral lands have slowly been consumed by the industrial sprawl of the Horde, a vast region that is known as The Fright Zone amongst the populace.  Despite the overwhelming presence of the Horde, a nascent rebellion has formed, led by the mysterious She-Ra.  Few know that She-Ra was once Princess Adora of Eternia, who had been brainwashed to be a brutal Force Commander for the Horde.

The sister world to Etheria, is Eternia .  At one time a highly technological world, the war with Etheria caused the world civilization to crumble.  The world is divided between the Kingdom of Eternia and its vassal states, and the ever-shifting alliances and holdings of the Warlords of Snake Mountain.  Empowered by the mythical Castle Greyskull and its guardian The Sorceress, the Eternian champion He-Man protects the throne and its people from the might of Snake Mountain and its leader Skeletor.  He-Man is secretly Prince Adam, crown prince of the Kingdom of Eternia.

A YJA Moment - The Enshrouded One

The secret history of human interstellar flights is a fascinating topic.  The planet was skilled in the magic arts and their gods were attuned to the realities of the cosmos.  It was only inevitable that the ancient nations of Earth would travel the stars.  

Inspired by the foundation of New Caledon by the Greeks, an ancient Egyptian sorcerer-priest Wahankh opened an arcane portal to a world very similar to Earth, there they founded a colony in the shadow of a new alien empire that had risen the ashes of a previous civilization.

While exploring the surrounding territory, Wahankh discovered an ancient power deep within an alien temple.  The ancient peoples of this world had given worship to entities from a planet known as Apokalips.  Seizing the opportunity, the sorcerer gave homage to the Lords of Apokalips, the beings he referred to as the Ancient Spirits of Evil.

Granted seeming vast magical power, Wahankh turned the colony to a shrine to the Lords of Apokalips, erecting a huge black pyramid-temple from the ebony rocks of the surrounding landscape.  The task ultimately hastened the sorcerer's demise and he was mummified and entombed in the Pyramid by the last remaining colonists.

Untold years later, Darkseid sought out the Wahankh in his crusade to hunt down The Infinity Stones. With his Omega power, he infused the sorcerer's corpse with a fraction of the anti-life which he had scoured from the cosmos, embuing him with undead might.

Under the guise of The Enshrouded One, he arose from his grave to see that many Empires had risen and fallen in his place.  With his great magical power, he was able to bring the current nation to its knees and took the throne as Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living.

Mumm-Ra tasked an elite combat band of uplifted felines known as The ThunderCats into the cosmos to collect them these Infinity Stones.  In preparation for their return, he set about forging a suitable receptacle which would be known as the Gauntlet of Plun-darr,

In his arrogance, The Enshrouded One was not prepared for his trusted commander Leo to betray him.  The ThunderCat leader recruited a host of heroes to take the Stones and use them against Mumm-Ra.  Despite his great magical power, Wahankh could not withstand the might of the Infinity Stones and their masters The Infinity Watch.

Defeated, the remains of The Ever-Living was re-entombed in his Black Pyramid, which was sealed by power both arcane and mundane.  There it is hoped that he would never return to plague either the new Kingdom of Thundera or the rest of Known Space.

Yet with the rise in the power of Anti-Life, something once again stirs with the Black Pyramid.  How can anything which bears the name Ever-Living, ever be truly killed?

A YJA Moment - The Space Ghost

Thad Bak was a Xandarian Peacekeeper, a law enforcement agency that existed before long before The Nova Corps.  He was a good cop and family man, who strived to uphold the dictates of the Xandar Constitution and the Protections of Sentient Peoples.  

As his first assignment, he was sent to one of the protectorates of The Nova Empire, a lawless world of Galee VIII that had just come through a divisive civil war.  He was paired with Temm Pel, a brutal enforcer of the law who would rather execute criminals than bring them in for judgment.  Needless to say, they didn't get along.

When Thad discovered that Temm had murdered a suspect instead of arresting him, he planned to report his partner to the authorities.  Unfortunately, he was ambushed by Temm and badly wounded, leaving the Peacekeeper to die out in the wastes of Glee VIII.  He was instead rescued by Salomon, a rogue engineer who had made his workshop in the wastes.

Recovering under Salmons's care, he had the engineer devise him a suit composed of the various technologies that he had collected over the years:  Yautjan Stealth Technology; Kree Nega-gauntlets;  Galadorian flight Systems;  Controller Exo-Mantle.  

Wearing this new suit, Thad Bak declared himself dead, as Temm Pel intended.  He would now be a criminal-hunting specter, protecting those that law cannot.  He would be a Ghost.  A Space Ghost.

A YJA Moment - Shredder and the Foot Clan

Not much is known about the man who would take the identity of The Shredder, other than his name - Oroku Saki.  He joined The Hand at a young age, after years of living on the streets of Tokyo.  He was chosen by the master ninja Hamato Yoshi, who saw in the young boy the elements necessary to be an assassin

Though Saki had raw talent and ambition, he lacked in planning and etiquette. While his superiors were pleased with his ability to complete his mission, they were less than thrilled with the collateral damage which surrounded any of his operations.  Only his continued success convinced the Great Finger Nobu Yoshioka, the leader of the New York Hand, of his continued usefulness.

Nonetheless, his weaknesses proved a stumbling block to his goals.  While he rose in prominence in The Hand, he was never promoted by the leadership and remained under the leadership of his former teacher, Hamato Yoshi. This did not concern Oroku, for he understood that if he was ever to become one of the Masters, he would have to take it himself.

Therefore he instigated an argument with Master Yoshi while they were having tea.  Saki purposefully escalated the conflict until Yoshi took action against his former student.  Little did Master Yoshi realize his former student had drugged the tea, dulling his senses and leaving him at the mercy of Saki.  After slaying his teacher, he took his place as one of the Masters serving under the Great Finger.

When Apokalips and S.H.I.E.L.D. decimated The Hand, Oroku Saki attempted to take command of the remaining ninja in New York.  Many refused his offer, joining other breakaway clans or leaving New York altogether to rejoin The Hand in Japan.  Still many chose to serve Saki, despite not having a good reputation as a credible leader.  He then took his forces and offered them to the rest of the remaining grandmasters of The Hand.

Rejected by the other four surviving Great Fingers, Oroku Saki took those loyal to him and forged his own Ninja clan, calling it The Foot in mockery of his former allegiance.  Fearful that The Hand would seek to assassinate him, he donned a suit of bladed armor and took the code-name of The Shredder.

Now a full member of Underside, Shredder, and the Foot are one of the key players in New York's crime families, serving as intelligence and covert operations for the others in their alliance.

A YJA Moment - Cobra

During World War Two, the Soviet Union fielded a group of elite soldiers that were known as The Cobra Unit.  Years before Task Force X, the Russians had a unit composed of metahumans, which they had recruited from various regions of their country.  Although they officially ceased operations in 1947, the Cobra Unit continued during the Cold War, conducting black operations throughout Western Europe against NATO forces.

They remained in operation until 1964 when they were taken down by one of the United States government’s Covert Action Teams.  All they remained was a young GRU officer, a marksman who was the son of the Cobra Units leader, The Commissar. He would later defect from the Soviet Union and join Task Force X himself, taking the identity of the Vigilante that had once been used by Greg Saunders.

This Vigilante would end up betraying the team, passing information to the revolutionary terrorist organization known as The Flag-Smashers.  Discovered by his teammates, his commanding officer William Stryker. activated his implant bomb and summarily executed him for his treachery.  Eight months after his death, his girlfriend would bear him a son;  a man would later become infamous as The Commander.

Joining HYDRA as a teenager, The Commander rose through the ranks quickly, his tactical mind and ruthlessness appreciated by The Council of Nine.  This culminated in 2013 when he promoted to lead an elite cadre of soldiers, which had defected from S.H.I.E.L.D. months prior.  Under the assumed name of Rexford Lewis, he forged his team into an elite fighting force capable of eliminating both highly-trained human and metahuman threats.

The Commander's forces were stationed in New Jersey during the Apokalips Invasion.  Ordered to reinforce their enclave on Santa Prisca, they were prepared to disembark when they received a request for support from A.I.M. personnel stationed in New York, which they were promptly ordered to ignore by the HYDRA leaders which operated under the Red Skull.

Believing that his superiors had succumbed to cowardice, The Commander disobeyed his directives, turning his transports towards New York City. He aided both A.I.M. and various other criminal groups which had joined together during the crisis.  Providing support and security for their operations, they became part of what would be known as Underside.

Taking inspiration from his grandmother, The Commissar, The Commander re-named his group Cobra.  Since its foundation, Cobra forces have grown exponentially, aided by a disaffected populace and the ready availability of surplus military hardware.

A YJA Moment - G.I. Joe

The Joint Operations Executive was formally founded in 1964 by General Colton as a direct result of the events in the Caribbean Sea that year. The actions of metahumans during attempting to influence the Cuban Missile Crisis put President Kennedy on edge, prompting Colton to propose a radical new fighting force.

The "Joes" (as they were affectionately known) were a multi-branch combat unit composed of soldiers drawn from the United States Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force.  In addition, soldiers from other NATO countries would be able to transfer, lending their unique skills to the team.

For decades the Joes served with distinction across the globe, fighting both conventional and unconventional enemies.  Among their most common foes were the worldwide terrorism organization HYDRA and the Soviet Union Red Shadows agency and their elite October Guard.

Throughout their tenure, the J.O.E. program had to content with finances and they were often slashed by successive Presidencies looking for budget savings. This forced the Joes to continually upgrade their existing weapons and vehicles instead of being replaced by new models.

This was ironic because the team was often chosen to field-test experimental technology in the field.  While the rest of the United States Military are using M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and F-35 Strike Fighters, G.I. Joe made do with surplus MBT-70 "M.O.B.A.T." Tanks and XF-14F "Skystriker" Aircraft. This despite fielding soldiers equipped with energy rifles and other advanced technology.

In 1980 the J.O.E. organization was superseded and absorbed by the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), though little changed in their operational chain of command.  Major General Lawrence Flagg, the commander of SOCOM, felt that the secret of the Joes' success was in their independence.

Nonetheless, in 2020 after almost 55 years of service, it was announced that the Joint Operations Executive program would be discontinued; its members being transferred back to their original service branches.  It had been intended to slowly phase out the program, but with the Apokolips Invasion, that has been put on hold by S.H.I.E.L.D.

The current Joe's commander, Colonel Conrad "Duke" Hauser, has been tasked with dealing with a new military faction that has splintered from HYDRA, known only as Cobra.

A YJA Moment - Hercules

The demi-god known as Hercules is well known in the ancient world.  Born of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena, he grew up to be incredibly strong and resilient.  He was heralded as the greatest of the Greek Heroes, emulated by many throughout the years.

Although in his life he did great things, it seemed everything Hercules did came at a terrible cost.  He opposed the great goddess Hera, which ended up costing him his family.  During his great labours, he subdued the Amazons but committed great crimes against them which made them their lasting enemy despite all attempts to atone for his sins.

At some point, he left for the stars using the great Star Chariot with his good friend Dorian to found the colony world of New Calydon.  Joined by Newton and Tewt (actually the centaur Nikomedes and the satyr Thoön), he had many adventures before returning to Earth.

In the modern-day, Hercules found himself without much of a purpose.  His attempts to become a hero in New York City ended when he ran afoul with Thor, a frequent rival. Their spectacular brawls in midtown Manhattan ruined his reputation in the city and made him an enemy of Thor's team The Shield.

When he learned of fabled monsters in the sewers underneath the Big Apple, Herc took up his mighty club and descended into the depths of the city to earn glory and rehabilitate his reputation.  He ended up turned to stone when he gazed upon the Gorgons living in an abandoned subway station.

And so, that appeared to be the end of the Son of Zeus, until the fates decreed otherwise.  During a conflict in the Underworld, Hercules's soul was whisked away by the Reality Stone to serve in the Grail Wars.  When he was not called into service, his essence simply disappeared.

Awaking on a strange planet, Hercules had been returned to life, but in a mortal body. Undeterred by this, he called upon his mighty Star Chariot and traveled to New Caledonia, the planet he had once called home.

There he reconnected with his centaur and satyr companions and retrieved his mighty Tempest Band, a magical ring that contained a lightning bolt stolen from the Wizard Shazam.  Wearing the ring, he called down the lightning and was again empowered to do mighty deeds.

Now traveling the space-lanes, Hercules seeks to forge a new legend amongst the hundreds of species in Known Space.