OVERMIND
of the Scarlet Centurion's 40^th century (see comments)

Real Name: Presumably Grom (he wasn't identified as Grom in the story)

Identity/Class: Presumably an alternate reality/divergent counterpart of the extraterrestrial (Eternals of Eyung) mental collective (see comments);
    active in this incarnation circa 40^th century apparently Earth-712 (see comments)

Occupation: Would-be universal savior (at time of apparent death);
    presumably former gladiator, self-proclaimed galactic conquerer (see comments);

Group Membership: In his reality, he is presumably one of the Eternals of Eyung;
    otherwise unrevealed (see comments)

Affiliations: Scarlet Centurion associated with Reality-712, Squadron Supreme of Earth-712 (Dr. Spectrum/Joe Ledger, Haywire/Hal Danforth, Hyperion, Lady Lark/Skylark/Linda Lewis, Moonglow/Arcanna Jones, Power Princess/Zarda, Whizzer/Stanley Stewart)
    otherwise unrevealed (see comments)

Enemies: N^th Man (Thomas Lightner) of Earth-616 (although the "encounter" took place in Universe-712's modern era);
    presumably the Gigantians of his reality;
    otherwise unrevealed (see comments)   

Known Relatives: None known

Aliases: Presumably the Champion of Champions

Base of Operations: Currently unrevealed;
    he died in Earth-712's modern time period's solar system, but his body was taken back to the Centurion's time;
    formerly the Scarlet Centurion's palace at the hub of a continent-wide megalopolis in the 40^th century (see comments);
    presumably formerly the planet Eyung (now destroyed), Andromeda galaxy (although the reality in which this occurred is unrevealed);

First Appearance:  Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (1989)

Powers/Abilities: The Overmind possesses vast psionic powers, including telepathy, projection of illusions, and telekinesis. He can transmit his thoughts across thousands of miles, at least.

    The Overmind's physical form has superhuman strength, endurance, and durability, as well as enhanced longevity, with an extended lifespan lasting untold millennia. He obviously aged, but at a much reduced rate (see comments).

    At his peak, the Over-Mind could presumably lift approximately 10 tons without his psionic energies. With the aid of those energies, he can lift  70 tons.

Height: 10' (perhaps slightly reduced in extreme age)
Weight: 750 lbs. (perhaps slightly reduced in extreme age)
Eyes: Black
Hair: White (formerly red; presumably formerly black)

History:
The Overmind of the Scarlet Centurion's 40^th century reality likely shares a significant portion of his history with Reality-616's Over-Mind (see comments). He possessed the collective mental powers of the Eternals of Eyung.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (fb) - BTS) - The Centurion took in a future incarnation of the Overmind (possibly his own era's), allowing him to stay in the royal palace for an unrevealed duration.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe) <New Year's day of 3979 (by their current calendar, the 45th year of the the Centurion's reign> - As the Centurion sat in his palace's amphitheater and blasely watched a pair of women engaging in mortal combat, his ally, the Overmind challenged him to a wager to liven up the action (see comments): Ten thousand drednas.

    The Scarlet Centurion unenthusiastically agreed, and his warrior initially gained the advantage, but the Over-Mind -- considering that he had been a bit hasty in his estimate of the combatants relative merits -- then mentally paralyzed the Centurion's champion, allowing the Over-Mind's champion to triumph.

    After the Centurion admitted he had cheated and asked if this aroused his ire, the Centurion told him, "No...very little arouses much of anything in me these days."

    Noting his appreciation for the Centurion's generous hospitality and his desire not to offend his host, Overmind asked if the Centurion would permit him an observation. When the uncaring Centurion told him to "feel free," Overmind warned him that his ennui might prove his undoing if left unchecked for too long, further noting that he had seen this happen countless times to long-lived overachievers like themselves: "Without some passion...you lose the will to live."

    Removing his own helmet, the Centurion cut him off, noting he already knew this, but he had indeed lost his passion and was no longer motivated by conquest, nor was he interested in victory, defeat, life, death, love or hate.

    When Overmind asked if he had achieved every single thing he intended to achieve in this life, the Centurion noted that there was only one era he had coveted but not conquered, but that one was no longer worth the effort.

    They were then interrupted by one of the Centurion's aides, who informed the Centurion of news on the veil over Earth-712's modern era. Intrigued, the Centurion replaced his helmet and excused himself; Overmind was only able to appreciate that something about Earth from long ago actually excited him.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe - BTS) - Learning of a mysterious threat to modern day Earth-712 (the N^th Man), the Centurion traveled to the past and enlisted Master Menace and the Squadron Supreme against this threat.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (fb) - BTS) - The Centurion brought Menace back to his time period so he could create a weapon to stop the immense N^th Man; it took 15 years for the device to be completed and miniaturized sufficiently for the Centurion to transport it through time.

    It would seem likely that they encountered the Overmind during this 15 year period, but that is unconfirmed.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe) - With all efforts against the Nth Man having failed, the Centurion traveled back to his future with a new plan.

(Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (fb) - BTS) - Returning to his palace, the Centurion recruited the Overmind -- with a monumental amount of persuasion -- to try to turn back the entity.

    (Three hours and 50 minutes before the N^th Man would engulf Earth) - The Centurion physically traveled to Menace's ship along with Overmind (now obviously much older; see comments), and told Power Princess and the others present that the Overmind would unleash his incomparable psionic force upon the intelligence of the expanding entity to order it to go back where it came from.

    Power Princess noted how the Overmind was able to override the brains of nearly every human on Earth, but now he looked so old and haggard. She wondered if he was really up to the task.

    Silencing everyone and announcing he would begin, the Overmind exerted his full power, commanding the entity (N^th Man) to go back.

    As Power Princess noted the horrible strain on Overmind's face, he incoherently rambled, and then his head exploded, and his body dropped to the ground.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Ryan, Al Williamson;
    based on the original version created by Stan Lee, John Buscema, and Joe Sinnott.

    The Reality-616 was Over-Mind in his initial appearance, which was certainly to be the precedent, but he's most consistently been called "Overmind."
    The counterpart in this story was certainly only called "Overmind."

    Is the Scarlet Centurion's empire in the far future of Earth-712? Or some other reality?

• Normally, I'd give a future designation its own reality number, as we can't lock in the future of any reality, because any subsequent story can contradict it. H
• However, since the Centurion could not see the time period of the modern era of Earth-712, it's quite likely that he lives in the future of Earth-712.
  
• The Centurion, a master of time travel, divergence, etc., wondered what divergence had allowed his own reality line to exist if the Earth of Reality-712's modern era
  
• I wish I could ask Gru!

    Why, why, why is the Overmind involved with the 40th century Scarlet Centurion in the Squadron Supreme's future?

• Who knows?
• Obviously, Reality-616's Over-Mind traveled to Earth-712, so that's the connection...but Over-Mind-616 was rendered mindless and possessed by the psychic collective known as Chorus, then traveled back to Reality-616 and had a whole set of adventures before regaining his collective mind and assaulting the Squadron Supreme when they came there (although that was chronologically after the Squadron opposed the N^th Man) and...well, anyway, we have no idea when or whether the Overmind in this story diverged from Reality-616's version.
      Maybe this Overmind is the previously unseen version of Reality-712's Overmind...or maybe he's from another reality altogether.
  
• Additionally, since we don't know if he diverged from Over-Mind-616 at some point or whether he was from a non-divergent alternate reality, we don't have any idea of his history, affiliations, and enemies.
  
• I PREsume that his origins were similar to his Reality-616 counterpart.
  
• Beyond that, you can review the profile for Over-Mind-616 for potential past history, etc.
• So...Who knows?

• Obviously it took a monumental amount of persuasion to convince the Overmind to help, maybe he visited him once every hundred years until the Overmind agreed to help.
• Maybe the Overmind was actually that old when first shown alongside the Scarlet Centurion, but he used illusion to appear younger...but then didn't waste any of his mental power on such illusion when confronting the N^th Man.
• Who knows?

    It looked to me that the Over-Mind was betting in favor of the blue gladiatrix, but his thoughts and actions, and then the resolution, indicate the opposite.

    The story said the veil was "enshrouding the latter half of the 20^th century," but that's a topical reference. Maybe 12-15 years have occurred since the Fantastic Four's space flight (Spider-Man was 15 when he got his powers...how old is he now?), so there is a sliding timescale in the Marvel Universe. As this story was only 6-7 years ago in the sliding timescale, that's already 21^st century...we call the current/active time period starting with Fantastic Four I#1 "the modern era."

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Overmind should be distinguished from:

• Over-Mind of Reality-616 --Fantastic Four I#113
• Other "Over" or "Mind" characters, etc.
  

images: (without ads)
Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe, story pg. 1, panel 1 (younger form, cheering);
    pg. 2, panel 6 (younger form, face);
    pg. 68, panel 1 (older form, mostly full);
       panel 3 (older form, face in profile);
       panel 5 (sending out mental command);
    pg. 69, panel 3 (overwhelmed);
       panel 4 (head explodes)

Appearances:
Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)

First posted: 07/10/2020
Last updated: 07/10/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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