Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (race unrevealed) (pre-Modern era)
Occupation: Secret mentor to mankind; (as Tom Smith) janitor
Group Membership: His fellow "Watchers"
Affiliations: Henry Fletcher
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Tom Smith
Base of Operations: Mobile throughout the universe;
formerly a lab facility in an unidentified American city
First Appearance: Amazing Adventures I#5/2 (October, 1961)
Powers/Abilities: Appearing to be a reptilian humanoid in his true form (see comments), "the Watcher" (and presumably other members of his race) was a benevolent extraterrestrial; he probably had some form of mental telepathy, which he used to plant helpful ideas and inspiration into the minds of others.
"The Watcher" could alter the form of his body to appear to be human, such as when he assumed the identity of Tom Smith--it was unrevealed whether this power was a physical shape-shifting ability, or some form of mental illusion-casting. He also demonstrated the power to fly by some means.
Height: 6'; (as Tom Smith) 5'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 200 lbs; (as Tom Smith) 150 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: None; (as Tom Smith) white (balding)
History:
(Amazing Adventures I#5/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of "the Watcher" is shrouded in mystery, but at some point he
came to Earth and eventually took the identity of Tom Smith, a humble
and elderly janitor at a lab facility used by Professor Henry Fletcher.
(Amazing Adventures I#5/2) - One evening, after receiving a scientific achievement award for his work in anti-matter formulas, Fletcher drove back to his lab and felt the need to discuss a theory he had with someone. Fletcher found janitor Tom Smith working late, so he told him about his incredible hypothesis--Fletcher believed that perhaps fate (see comments), destiny, or even superior beings from a more intelligent world were watching over Earth's civilization and guiding it by planting new ideas into various human minds--Fletcher's notion was that perhaps those same entities had even provided him with the inspiration for his anti-matter formulas and his other works.
Fletcher continued to tell the old janitor his theory--he further speculated that maybe unseen super-intelligent beings had lived amongst humanity for ages, and they had been guiding and helping mankind's progress since the dawn of civilization--perhaps those beings had inspired primitive men to create fire, and later gave ideas to influence the works of such greats as Ben Franklin, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein.
But the incredible theory was too much for the simple-minded Tom--the skeptical old janitor told Fletcher that his wild ideas were probably just the result of his working too hard and spending too much time alone. After considering Tom's comment, Fletcher thought to himself that perhaps his theory was just a wild idea, or perhaps just a case of wishful thinking--Fletcher decided to take Tom's advice, and he went home to rest.
Standing alone in the lab, Tom Smith wondered how Fletcher ever dreamed up such a wild theory...but he and his people always knew that sooner or later some human was bound to suspect the truth. After returning to his true form (see comments) and opening a window, "the Watcher" took flight into the night-sky. Having realized that Professor Fletcher had reached the stage where he could govern his own destiny, "the Watcher" left Earth, for there were other beings on other planets who would now need his help; but "the Watcher" knew his unseen brothers would remain on Earth to help guide other humans, until all of humanity had come of age...
Comments: Created by Stan Lee (writer) and Don Heck (artist).
This character was never actually called "The Watcher," but this 5-page story's title was "The Watchers!" so I just based the name on that.
Maybe that reptilian form we saw was not "The Watcher's" true appearance, but actually the likeness of the dominant life-forms of the next world to which he was traveling.
Since Fletcher speculated that perhaps fate was somehow involved in mankind's advancement, maybe "The Watcher" was actually an agent of the Fates.
These "Watchers" would seem to be the antithesis of their better known namesakes (see clarifications), who took an oath against interfering with other races after an incident with the Prosilicans-- Ron Fredricks
Original profile by John Kaminski. Expanded by Ron Fredricks.
CLARIFICATIONS:
"The Watcher"/Tom Smith has no known connections to
Henry Fletcher has no known connections to:
|
Professor Henry Fletcher was a brilliant and award-winning scientist whose
works included anti-matter formulas. |
|
images: (without ads)
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p5, pan5 (Main Image - "The Watcher" transforming from Tom Smith to his true form)
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p5, pan6 (Headshot - "The Watcher")
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p2, pan1 ("The Watcher" (disguised as Tom Smith) speaks with Henry Fletcher)
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p5, pan7 ("The Watcher" takes flight out of window of lab facility)
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p2, pan6 (Henry Fletcher begins to tell Tom Smith about his theory)
Amazing Adventures I#5/2, p5, pan1 (Henry Fletcher bids Tom Smith good night as he leaves lab)
Appearances:
Amazing Adventures I#5/2 (October, 1961) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Don Heck (pencils and inks)
First Posted: 05/20/2006
Last updated: 04/19/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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