CHAOS

Real Name: None

Identity/Class: Artificial lifeform of extraterrestrial origin (Titan);
possibly an avatar of an Abstract Concept (Chaos), (See Comments)

Occupation: Nihilist; Would-be usurper of Infinity (See Comments)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: ISAAC (Central computer of Titan); Thanos (Creator);
Tartarus, Dionysus, Elysius, ISAAC-Prime, Lord Gaea, Stellarax (ISAAC’s Agents); possibly other Abstract Entities (See Comments)

Enemies: Captain Mar-Vell; Drax the Destroyer; Elysius, Eternals of Titan;
possibly agents of Order (See Comments)

Known Relatives: None known;
Tartarus called him his brother--this is most likely figurative;
possibly other Abstractual Entities, especially those concerned with destruction/disorder (i.e. Oblivion, Master Chaos, Death, Un-Being, Mistress Hate);

Aliases: the Deity of Space; "Infinity"

Base of Operations: Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.

First Appearance: Captain Marvel I#61 (March, 1979)

Powers: Chaos had the ability "to swallow the stuff of Reality," of which it was composed. By expelling this star-stuff outward, Chaos could cover a given area that would slowly increase in size. Within this area, Chaos could form a vortex (probably a variation of a black hole) that could engulf a single, human-sized target. This vortex presumably led to an alternate dimension, more than likely chaotic in nature. It was unknown if various dimensions could be accessed or only the one that was depicted. The "dimension" Chaos accessed was apparently the realm where Tartarus, Titanian God of the Abyss, dwelled, and it contained a gravity well that prevented those drawn into it from escaping.

The longer Chaos expelled its star-stuff, expanding into the universe, the more powerful and larger it grew. As this occurred, Chaos went from stellar-looking to white in color. As Chaos increased in power, it may have been able to engulf even larger targets within its vortex. When resurrected, Chaos’ power had been increased tenfold; it appeared larger in size and could fire blasts of energy. It was unrevealed if the energy blasts were a product of the power increase or not.

Weaknesses: When in physical contact with life or life-giving energies (such as Captain Mar-Vell’s photonic energy), Chaos, and even Tartarus, could be injured/destroyed/incapacitated.

 

History: BTS—Thanos initiated his "legacy" following his death (Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2), activating a preprogrammed system within ISAAC, the main computer of his homeworld, one of Saturn’s moons, Titan; this included dominating the Titan-spawned Elysius, imprisoning the native Eternals (at least the threatening members) behind a forcefield, and creating several beings in Life-Baths.

Drax the Destroyer sensed Thanos’ participation in this and attracted Captain Mar-Vell in the process.

(Captain Marvel I#61) - One of the beings within the Life-Baths, Chaos, was released by ISAAC following the rebellion of Elysius and the freeing of the captured Titanian Eternals. While the liberated Eternals dealt with ISAAC’s robotic drones, Captain Mar-Vell, Drax, and Elysius faced Chaos. Chaos released its essence of reality around the renegades, and pulled Captain Mar-Vell into the dimension of Tartarus. Using the same life-giving solar energy that reinvigorated the newly freed Eternals against Tartarus, Captain Mar-Vell defeated the God of the Abyss. Shortly after, Elysius and Drax overcame Chaos by entering its destructive heart. Once Chaos was crushed, Mar-Vell returned to reality, in the bowels of Titan’s computer, ISAAC, damaging several image-related relays that gave the computer visual substance in the process.

(Marvel Spotlight II#1-2) - Alongside Stellarax, Lord Gaea, and ISAAC-Prime (the robotic form of Titan’s computer still under Thanos’ influence), Chaos was resurrected with MORE power than before. They faced off against Captain Mar-Vell and Drax,. After a brief scuffle, ISSAC-Prime transported everybody into his control room which contained the Eternals, incapacitated from oxygen depravation. Chaos blasted Drax, stunning him. Mar-Vell responded by blasting Chaos with his photonic energy, making the construct inert.

 

(Journey Into Mystery I#627 (fb)) - Chaos attended the Devil's Advocacy to talk about the Serpent (Cul)'s actions on Earth.

 

Comments: Created by Doug Moench and Pat Broderick.

Chaos could have been Thanos’ answer to Terrex.

Given Thanos’ knowledge/intelligence and love /attraction toward Death, Chaos may have been a physical representation for the "darker/ more malevolent" Abstractional Entities listed above as Known Relatives (especially Chaos), but this is just conjecture. Chaos even referred to itself as Infinity, but this was probably more than likely hyperbole designed to intimidate rather than anything else or was a prediction, as Chaos imbibed Infinity/Eternity while growing.

What kind of numbnuts cancelled Captain Marvel in the middle of this story? Perhaps the wheels had already been in motion, but the run by Moench and Broderick is a highpoint in the series, comparable to Starlin's original Thanos saga. Meanwhile, during the final days of this title, there's an ad for this great new series: The Human Fly! It's a crazy world we live in, kids. --Snood

Even after his death, it seemed that the writers at Marvel couldn’t come up with another foe for Captain Marvel or Adam Warlock which came even close to Thanos, as evidenced by this post-mortem use of the Mad Titan. This isn’t to say that these "legacy" stories were bad (as pointed out above by Snood)—they were just a testament to the potency, power, and presence of Thanos’ character (not including Thanos’ latest lame treatment in the "Infinity Abyss").
I loved Infinity Abyss. Thanos is cold, calculating, arrogant, manipulative, and very powerful--just the way I like him. I'm ready for the next part of this trilogy--Snood.

The Life Baths still exist, and the recipe for [Chaos] and his cronies must still exist somewhere in ISAAC's programming. In fact, there's no reason to think his power-amplified form died at all. I'd love to see these guys go after Genis-Vell. –Snood

Variations of the Life Baths appeared in the "Infinity Abyss" series mentioned above to create (insert your interjection of disgust here, folks) Thanos-clones, and please don’t argue with me if you disagree with the assessment that they were clones; all sorts of pseudo-jargon/terminology can be used to say they weren’t this cliched plot device, when, in fact, they were.
--I don't disagree with the terminology, but I do think the plot was very well written. Don't get turned off at the mention of a particular plot device, just because someone (or some group) overdid it, or did it badly. More Starlin!!!!!!!--Snood.
Once more, the Life Baths used in Infinity Abyss can give further versimilitude to the argument that Chaos was a potential abstract entity since the Thanos-clone Omega was created from an abstract being (Galactus).

Clarifications:
Chaos has no known link to:

Tartarus has no known connection to

Titan

The Eternals of Titan should be distinguished from:

Stellarax has no known connection to:

Thanos’ legacy should be distinguished from:

By: Kyle Sims

Tartarus, God of the Abyss

Tartarus encountered Mar-Vell after the hero was dropped into a Chaos created void containing the God of the Abyss. It could be injured/destroyed/incapacitated by contact with life or life-giving energies, which occurred after Mar-Vell blasted it with his photonic energy. Other than being extremely ugly, Tartarus could use tentacles to grapple its prey.
While on the topic of appearance, Tartarus bore a striking resemblance to Shuma-Gorath. If not Shuma itself, Tartarus could have been an unknown offspring of the self-same Lord of Chaos that was recogniz ed by the Titanian Eternals. This could be a possibility because I believe the Dragon of the Moon (Titan/Eternal-known demonic entity) was a heretofore-unknown offspring of the Elder God Set, while Set's offspring (Sligguth) has been directly linked as an agent of Shuma-Gorath. From this, the Dragon of the Moon and Tartarus may share a direct link as Titanian demonic entities, and they may have an indirect link to each other as relatives through the Elder Gods Shuma-Gorath and Set, as well.
Also, the Dragon of the Moon inspired Thanos to slay his fellow Eternals, which almost extinguished the Titanian offshoot of his species and definitively established Thanos's evil reputation.
--Captain Marvel I#61

Hmm....I was thinking that they were just all creations by ISAAC, but you do present some good arguments. Where is the Dragon of the Moon linked to Set? If that's really the case, then this may be a possibility.
Same with naming him as a relation to the abstract entities. I'd have considered Chaos only a pawn/creation of ISAAC, but he could be something more, much like Deathurge was to Maelstrom's Minions.
Hmmm....--Snood.

Appearances:
Captain Marvel I#61 (March, 1979) - Doug Moench (writer), Pat Broderick (pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Marvel Spotlight II#1-2 (July-September, 1979) - Doug Moench (writer), Pat Broderick (pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Journey Into Mystery I#627 (November, 2011) - Kieron Gillen (writer), Richard Elson (art), Ralph Macchio (senior editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First Posted: 09/25/2002
Last Updated: 08/16/2012

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters