RECORDER
(unrevealed designation)

Real Name: Recorder (numerical designation unrevealed)

Identity/Class:  Extraterrestrial (Rigellian) android (Recorder)

Occupation: Recorder of data

Group Membership: Recorders of Rigel/Rigellian Intergalactic Survey

Enemies: Mangog, Tarakis, "Thanos" (one of the Thanosi doppelgangers)

Known Relatives: He may consider other Recorders as his siblings, while the Rigellians are the creators of the Recorders (and could be considered as parental figures)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly mobile;
    formerly Rigel-3, third from the sun in the star system that was presumably designated as Rigel after it was adopted as the new Rigellian homeworld, although any previous designation is unrevealed; Milky Way Galaxy

First Appearance:  Thor 2000: second story (2000)

Powers/Abilities: (Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#9) see comments> Recorders are a humanoid-shaped android constructed from some extraterrestrial ferrous alloy and designed for information-gathering and analysis. 

    Recorders' information-gathering instrumentation is located in their head components, and is analogous to eye and ear placement on humanoid beings. The eyes of the Recorder takes in data across the whole electromagnetic spectrum (radio to gamma rays), not simply the visual portion of the spectrum. Their auditory units are vastly superhuman; they can register sounds from .3 to 150 deciBel (see comments). Recorders also possesses pico-processors, the olfactory register of which covers almost 90 mega-cubits of data space. 

    The sampling rate for average events is every .01 seconds; for relatively more interesting events it is .001 seconds. 

    Recorders' computer fluid resolution data/pico-processing system fill the entire chest cavity and have massive data storage capacity (see comments).

    Recorder units are equipped with vocoders permitting them to communicate verbally, and are able to understand and speak over 11,000 languages spoken throughout the Milky Way Galaxy (covering at least 96,000 cultures) and others explored by the Rigellians.

    He could discretely attach a microtrack device to another being that would allow him to track that being across interstellar (at least) distances.

    This Recorder demonstrated a greater capacity for emotions and/or a desire to protect others (even sacrificing his own existence while appreciating that it was most likely in vain), rather than solely recording the events around him, as programmed.

History:

(Thor 2000/2 (fb)) - Despite their scientific accomplishments, the Colonizers could offer little in the way of adequate defenses. The Grand Commissioner authorized the use of the Sun Shredder, willingly obliterating 422 square blocks of their capital city in an effort to save the greatest number of lives on their world.However, the Mangog was unharmed and continued its relentless rampage.

(Thor 2000/2 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, the Thanosi duplicate entered the Rigellians' defense bunker in preparation of confronting the Rigellians there.

(Thor 2000/2 (fb) - BTS) - After over nine hours of continued assault by the Mangog, Rigellian losses were so catastrophic that an evacuation order was issued. The Rigellians scurried into immense space arks, although one of these succumbed to the Mangog's brutal assault, and 12, 216 Rigellian passengers perished.

(Thor 2000/2 (fb)) - Fearing the end was near, the High Commissioner Emeritus and his staff -- accompanied by the Recorder -- fled into a massive defense bunker built to withstand any attack conceivable. However, they encountered the already present "Thanos" who demanded they give him the Fire Jewel, which he would use via the Map of the All-Ending to locate the true path to the Designate (Tarene). 

    The High Commissioner Emeritus refused this request, after which the ship of Thanos let loose a searing radiation burst that ripped across the planet's surface with indescribable speed: In 11.7 seconds, the planet's remaining population was cut by 50%; in 24.2 seconds, only 12% of the people remained alive. 

    Feeling that he had no choice, the High Commissioner surrendered the location of Fire Jewel that Thanos sought -- despite the protestations of Tana Nile and others -- in order to save the remaining population.

    The ship of "Thanos" then ripped the protective vault out of its locks, taking the invaluable Fire Jewel.

(Thanos I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Per Thanos (the real deal, not the Thanosi duplicate), more than five million Rigellians died under this assault.

(Thor 2000/2) - After Thor arrived on Rigel-3 and learned its fate from an unidentified Recorder, Tana greeted Thor, noting that "Thanos" (see comments) was headed to the planet M'Hass. 

    After Thor departed for M'Hass, the Recorder considered that these hours it currently documented would most surely be their last.

(Thanos I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Rigel-3 was so badly damaged that the Rigellians abandoned it and established New Rigel-3.

(Thor II#22 (fb) - BTS) - The Recorder accompanied Thor to M'Hass.

(Thor II#22) - As they approached M'Hass, the Recorder noted that this world was know to few and its location was noted on only the most advanced star charts. It noted that it seemed devoid of any potential for space travel and concluded that these traits made it quite suitable for victimization by Thanos.

    As the unidentified natives (M'Hassians?) approached and spoke to them, the Recorder's translation equipment swiftly interpreted their language, noting that the being was describing a raid by a powerful pair seeking their most sacred religious artifact. He further concluded that the descriptions were indicative of Thanos and Mangog and that they sought the Illumination Stone, which was housed in the distant collection of pyramids.

    As Thor battled the Thanosi duplicate, unleashing a bolt of anti-force in combination with the power of M'Hass' most powerful of storms against him, the Recorder considered that it had never before witnessed such a display of might turned against one being. Sensing that the furious onslaught of surging energy and the storm seemed capable of tearing the entire planet apart, the Recorder concluded that Thanos could not have survived.

    Thor claimed the Illumination Stone, which the Recorder noted to be said to be capable of revealing the true nature of any who gazed into it. When Thor noted that Thanos needed the Stone to identify the Designate, the Recorder replied that it was believed that no one knew the Designate's true appearance.

    However, further discussion was interrupted when Mangog burst forth from the ground and incapacitated Thor. The Mangog's effort to consume Thor was interrupted by the unharmed Thanosi doppelganger, who claimed the Illumination Stone and told the Mangog to drop the Asgardian, after which they departed to confront the find the Designate.

(Thor II#23 (fb) - BTS) - Thor subsequently sought to speak with the Millennium Monarch but was opposed by her Guardian of Stone.

(Thor II#23) - As Thor battled the Guardian, Firelord -- sent by the Seers of the Universe -- arrived and greeted the Recorder and Thor.The Recorder observed that the Guardian was formidable but opined that Thor's power was superior.

    After Thor shattered the Guardian, he gladly accepted Firelord's help, after which Millennium Monarch appeared before them. The Recorder then stated that she was said to have knowledge of all that transpired on that world. Noting that she was not sure whether Thanos' threat to the universe could be averted, the Millennium Monarch shared the story of X'Hoss, his creation and scattering of the Illumination Stone, the Map of All-Ending and the Chalice of Ruins, the means to locate the Designate, who was destined to unify the universe.

   When Thor replied that he would journey to stop Thanos but knew not where to find him, the Recorder revealed that, since it was his task to chronicle significant events, he had attached a microtrack unit to Mangog whom he assumed would be at Thanos' side. 

   Thor, Firelord and the Recorder immediately left M'Hass in pursuit of Thanos and Mangog, with the Recorder leading the way after isolating his tracking unit's signal.

    When they arrived at the site, the Recorder noted that its sensors indicated that Mangog should be there, but that there was no planet at that location. Firelord then explained that world of the Designate was not meant to be seen by beings not born there, but with the cosmic powers he possessed from Galactus, he made the planet appear visible to them all. However, as they approached the planet, the Recorder observed that getting there before Thanos had succeeded no longer mattered. As they found that everyone on that world had been slain, and that Thanos and Mangog had departed with the Designate, the Recorder discovered his tracker, discarded amongst the wreckage.

(Thor II#24) - After the Recorder reiterated the threat again, notably how Thanos planned to use the power of the Designate to unleash a wave of death that would extinguish life throughout the cosmos, he advised Firelord and Thor of his conjecture that Thanos find a centrally located planet devoid of life to serve as his platform, likely guided by the Map of All-Ending. Although a multitude of worlds fit that description, Firelord's cosmic senses tracked the essence of the Illumination Stone, and Thor opened a dimensional portal through which Firelord could guide them.

    After they arrived on the desired planet, Thor engaged Mangog while Firelord battled Tarakis. After Tarakis had frozen Firelord, the Recorder stated that as he was programmed to chronicle of momentous events, he watched, rather than engaged in the struggle before him. In recognition of what was at stake, however, he wondered if he should intercede for the sake of them all. Regardless, the Recorder had no opportunity to act as Thanos, irritated by him, released an energy blast that shattered the Recorder.

    Still aware but lying in fragments, the Recorder watched as Mangog hanged the defeated Thor from an icy spike as Thanos prepared to start the ritual and summon the end.

(Thor II#25) - The Recorder nonetheless continued to chronicle the events around him, and he considered it an indisputable fact that the end was near.

    After Thanos commanded Mangog to break Thor to cause the Designate to cry for her would-be savior, the Recorder considered that while he was without emotion, he could not help but feel a strange sensation he assumed to be regret, as he knew full well that if Tarene shed a single tear that there would be no tomorrow.

(Thor II#25 (fb) - BTS) - Tarene indeed wept at Thor's battering, and Thanos caught the tears in the Chalice of Ruins.

(Thor II#25 - BTS) - Drinking the tears from the Chalice, Thanos was vastly empowered, and he unleashed the first lethal wave of obliteration.

(Thor II#25) - At the Designate's query, the Recorder noted his wish that he could do something, but that he had been rendered useless; however, he advised her that hope was not lost as the revived Thor confronted Mangog anew and defeated him by unleashing Mjolnir's anti-force down Mangog's throat.

    When Thor confronted Thanos, however, Thanos used his new power to trap him in a field of excruciating energy. When Thor nonetheless vowed to fell Thanos, the Recorder stated that while Thor's bravery was unquestionable, the truth of his words was not.

    As the Recorder crawled toward him, the Designate asked what he was doing. Stating that Thor's chances of escaping the energy field were .000012% and further appreciating that his own chances of altering that were not much better, the Recorder resolved that he nonetheless must try.

    Declaring that while he was a Recorder of events, he would rather die than chart life's end, the Recorder stuck the remains of his right arm into the energy field around Thor, further devastating the Recorder's form but failing to free Thor. Seeing the fallen Recorder, Thor vowed that he would be avenged.

(Thor II#25 - BTS) - Having escaped Tarakis' ice prison, been summoned to Asgard, returned with armor forged by the troll blacksmith Jagrfelm and blasted Tarakis, Firelord blasted Thanos' field, freeing Thor.

    Donning this armor, imbued with Odin's power, Thor battled Thanos, ultimately crushing the Illumination Stone and depriving Thanos of his enhanced power. Thor subdued Thanos, and Tarene shed her tears upon him; unprotected by the Illumination Stone, the Thanosi duplicate was apparently destroyed.

(Thor VI#24/3)- As the Recorder -- unable to speak -- made the internal notation that his power supply was nearly exhausted and his ability to observe and record was fading.

    After Thor noted that he was going to repair and restore the Recorder via the power of his new weapons, Odin appeared along with Balder and told Thor that the Belt of Power, Shield of Life and Gauntlet of Tomorrows were seductive and that they would drain the noble and righteous character of the bearer until he was left without empathy or moral heading.

    When Thor refused, Odin cast an illusion making Balder appear to be a revived Mangog, and when Thor resolved to murder him, Odin dropped the illusion and forced him to see how the weapons had influenced him. After Thor discarded the weapons, Odin then reignited the spark of life within the Recorder, restoring his form, power supply, function and intellect.

    Choosing to fly back to Asgard under his own so he could consider the day's events, Thor then departed the world with the Recorder who echoed Thor's sentiment that one must listen to the word of Odin.

(Thor II#26) - Thor returned to Asgard alongside the Recorder, who answered Thor's query, stating that Asgard's beauty was well-documented by a neutral observer such as himself and that describing it as a kingdom without equal was quite appropriate. Arriving on Bifrost and greeted by Heimdall, the Recorder subsequently accompanied Thor to Odin's chambers. There they found the exhausted Odin preparing to enter the restorative Odinsleep while having chosen Sif to watch over Asgard during his slumber.

(Thor II#26 (fb) - BTS) - Thor subsequently departed Asgardian, apparently leaving the Recorder behind...or perhaps transporting him somewhere before returning to Earth.

Comments: Created by Dan Jurgens and Jose Ladronn.

    Thanks to Donald Campbell for reminding me that the Recorder's reconstruction was eventually revealed by Dan Jurgens in Thor VI#24 (Legacy#750).

    As far as I know, this Recorder wasn't seen again after Thor departed Asgard in Thor II#26. I would think it most likely that Thor transported him back to Rigel-3 (which was subsequently abandoned and the population moved to New Rigel-3). Given the Recorders' virtually identical appearance, it is certainly possible that he was actually one of the Recorders in the clarifications, such as this one, seen on New Rigel-3.

    It is not the true Thanos in this story, but rather one of his Thanosi doppelgangers (this particular "Thanos" will get his profile in the relatively near future). However, it gets tedious to keep repeating the Thanosi doppelganger, so he is called Thanos in the text after the first few references.

    It's frustrating when the character appears in multiple issues and the writer doesn't bother to identify him...just give a Recorder a number, dagnabbit!
    Dan Jurgens' birthday is June 27 (1959), so 627 is reasonable, as is any combination of those numbers.

    The units and descriptions for superhuman hearing ranges noted in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe for beings such as Daredevil, the Recorders, etc. has been called into question. This is not an area of medicine in which I was trained, and so I honestly have no idea how to resolve it. 

    When the original handbooks came out, they were reported as being able to store 40 terabytes of data, which was an insane amount of data capacity back in 1982. I don't know what it is now, but I am certain it is orders of magnitude greater than 40 terabytes.

    This profile was completed 06/19/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event to represent Thor's 2000s' decade of characters and stories

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
This Recorder should be distinguished from:

• RECORDER#127 - formerly contained the full details of the interplanetary Timely Incorporated's Project 616--Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy
  
• RECORDER #211 - see ANALYZER—Thor I#132
• RECORDER #336 - badly damaged observing Galactus' consumption of a world, recovered and used as jukebox at Pandubundy's in Adjufar City; memories transferred into Recorder #127 so they could be returned to Rigel--Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot. Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket and Groot: Steal this Galaxy
  
• "RECORDER #RE-404" - possibly altered by the Supreme Intelligence, reprogrammed by Kree, sought to engineer violence and other conflicts for itself to record--Force Works#1 
• RECORDER #451 - evolved beyond original programming to extent that it saw itself as godlike and felt need to fix the universe. To do this, 451 allegedly conspired with Howard Stark to genetically manipulate Stark's son, enabling the son to pilot Godkiller armor, capable of destroying or defending any planet--Iron Man V#6
• RECORDER #498 - destroyed but in the possession of the interstellar Timely Incorporated with "sustain" boot-system bolted to the side of his head to preserve his memory files energetically--Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot: Steal this Galaxy
  
• RECORDER #901-E - warned Rigellians of Axi-Tun attack--Starmasters#3
• RECORDER # - present on Rigellian Colony World#827; observed Sundragon's battle with the Dance--Cosmic Powers Unlimited#2/3
• RECORDER # - present when Thanos did his penance to the Rigellians, destroyed when Galactus' Punishers destroyed Sanctuary--Thanos#2
• RECORDER # - present with Intergalactic Council during events of Maximum Security--Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet
• RECORDER # - auctioned for knowledge--Deadpool and the Mercs for Money#1
  
• RECORDER # - stolen from Rigellians by Black Novas, given to Chitauri who attacked the ship by Titus; they rebuilt the Recorder and used its knowledge to build their own Ultimate Nullifier--Nova V#4
• RECORDER RIGEL TYPE ZETA-9 - Recorder acting as She-Hulk's bailiff when she was a Magistrati, placed under control of the Recluses so they could monitor whether she was a threat to them, replaced Holden Holliway as acting head of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway when Holliway went after Southpaw, secretly (even to him) under the control of "Reckoning War" instigator who destroyed Z-9 after it finished gathering the needed information - aka Artie Zix--She-Hulk I#7
  
  and some alternate reality recorders, unique from ones known to exist in Reality-616

• RECORDER #417 of Reality-829 circa 24th century - sent with Hercules to record his exploits in the Andromeda galaxy--Hercules I#1
• RECORDER of Earth-2081 - sent to Earth to confirm humanity's extinction, left behind Vidbot to observe Banner's death--Hulk: The End
• RECORDER 3B02 of Reality-37642 - aka Cora--Marvel's Wastelanders: Old Man Star-Lord#1
• RECORDER # of Reality-60166 - assistant of future incarnations of Reed and Sue Richards--Fantastic Four: The Wedding Special#1
• other Recorders characters, groups, items, events, races or places, Rigellian or otherwise...
  

Appearances:
Thor 2000: second story (2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Jose Ladronn (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#22 (April, 2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#23-25 (May-July, 2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Dick Giordano (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#26 (August, 2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Erik Larsen (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor VI#24/3 (June, 2022; Legacy#750) "The Seduction" - Dan Jurgens (writer & penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Kaitlyn Lindtvedt (assistant editor), Wil Moss with Alanna Smith (editors)

First posted: 09/06/2026
Last updated: 07/07/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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