EPIPHANY
Real Name: Probably inapplicable
Identity/Class: Cosmic entity
Group Membership: "The Seven Friendless"
Occupation: Unknown, perhaps none, inapplicable, or being a force in the universe
Affiliations: Captain Marvel, Entropy, Rick Jones, possible association with Shinga Doon
Enemies: Eternity (see comments)
Known Relatives: Empathy, Enmity, Entropy, Eulogy, Expediency, ("siblings"), Eternity ("father"), unknown relationship to other cosmic entities
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Currently unknown, mobile throughout this universe and others, formerly the micro-verse
First Appearance: Captain Marvel VI#3 (November, 2002)
Powers/Abilities: Largely unrevealed and undefined. It can be assumed that she has vast cosmic power since she is the offspring of Eternity, who is the embodiment of the very universe. However, she was never observed doing anything out of the ordinary. She did commonly inspire sudden flashes of insight when around others.
History: Very little is known about the purpose of Epiphany, but she is the "daughter" of Eternity, and presumably billions of years old, perhaps created shortly after Eternity himself. Her activities throughout the ages until her first meeting with Rick Jones are completely unrevealed.
(Captain Marvel VI#3) - Epiphany came looking for Shinga Doon (or more likely, came looking for Rick Jones), but Doon had been killed by Entropy. Rick continuously tried to contact Marvel, to whom he was molecularly bonded. Rick went on to narrate Marvel's actions to Epiphany.
(Captain Marvel VI#4 (fb)) - Epiphany guided Rick down the mountain he was trapped on and led him to civilization.
(Captain Marvel VI#4) - Rick had finished playing music for a bunch of women wouldn't leave afterward. Eventually, Epiphany told Rick to tell them to leave. Rick started to lecture Epiphany about how he didn't know anything about her or even her name, but then said that he didn't know why he wanted her so badly. Epiphany told Rick her name and kissed him.
Later, after Rick woke up in a bed but didn't remember how he got there, he ran into the bathroom and found Epiphany arguing with Entropy about what his agenda was.
(Captain Marvel VI#5) - After Marvel tried to kill himself in Earth-616, Rick Jones almost died himself due to their connection. Rick woke up a month later and was welcomed by Epiphany. Epiphany listened to Rick's story of what Marvel was up to.
(Captain Marvel VI#6) - After Marvel destroyed Eternity and thus the universe (see Entropy's profile or this won't make any sense), Epiphany, one of only 4 survivors in the universe, witnessed Marvel and Rick Jones arguing. Epiphany told Marv to leave Rick alone. Epiphany was there as Entropy realized that by destroying Eternity he had fulfilled his only mission and had nothing left, just as Epiphany was also there when Entropy recreated the universe becoming the new Eternity. Epiphany said that the only thing that had changed in this new universe was that Marvel was still insane (see comments). She kissed Marvel and then he was teleported to where he was when the whole ordeal began.
It was also revealed that Epiphany had helped Rick a lot as far as mental discipline goes and helped him learn to psionically launch an attack on Marvel through their link.
(Captain Marvel VI#16) - When Captain Marvel, still insane, went to visit his father's grave, he met Epiphany there (This may have just been a delusion in his head, see comments). Epiphany thanked him for helping Entropy recreate the universe. They made love soon after. Epiphany watched as Marvel resurrected Rick Jones and tried to figure out why his cosmic awareness had been thwarted earlier.
(Captain Marvel VI#17) - Epiphany accompanied Captain Marvel to Titan in search of his newly resurrected mother and other Titans. Epiphany and Marvel discovered that the other Titans had put themselves "out of phase" to avoid Marvel. Epiphany repeatedly encouraged Marvel, telling him that the Titans were afraid of him etc. Rick Jones then told Marvel that there was nobody there, and he had been talking to thin air, that Epiphany was only in his head. Epiphany repeatedly assured Marvel that she was real.
(Captain Marvel VI#18) - After Captain Marvel had been allegedly cured of his insanity, Epiphany appeared to Marvel again and asked him if she were right in thinking that he was still really insane and was just playing it closer to the vest and was fooling everybody. Rick Jones simultaneously asked if it were good to be on the side of the angels again. Marvel answered, "You're absolutely right,"
Comments: Created by Peter David, Chris Cross, and Chris Sotomayor.
From issue#16 and onward, Epiphany may have indeed been a delusion inside of Marvel's head due to his insanity. However, Epiphany's abilities are undefined and she may have been visible only to Marvel, although it was probably just a delusion.
Marvel remained insane because when he recreated the universe, he recreated everything in it, including himself. In this recreated universe, Marvel had saved Elysius from death, and Elysius had also had another child via Mar-Vell's genetic material: Phyla. When Marvel entered the new universe, he replaced himself, and thus retained his insanity. This was all revealed in Captain Marvel VI#18.
Because she's "related" to Eternity, she is also related to a ton of other cosmic entities, but it was never made clear what her exact nature was and what her connection is to other cosmic entities would be just speculation (I'd be hard pressed to call Death her "aunt" and Galactus her "uncle").
I'll clarify why I put Eternity as her enemy. Though there is no evidence she ever acted against or even bothered Eternity personally, she knew that Entropy was trying to kill him and apparently never did anything to try to stop him. In fact, I'm almost completely sure she was in cahoots with him.
Of all the cosmic entities in the Marvel Universe, Epiphany is the most human to me. In fact, she is the only one that really strikes me as human.
So where in the world is Epiphany? What exactly was she? What was she capable of? What force in the universe did she represent, or did she represent anything? The world may never know (and we're the only ones who will ever care).
This profile has a ton of holes in it. To get a better scope of the story, see Entropy's profile through the link above.
I don't know what David's plans were with Epiphany or Marvel's vestiges of insanity. The series ended with#25. A true shame! I can never understand how certain series can just stink for years and years, but great ones, like PAD's Captain Marvel and Christopher Priest's Black Panther struggle so much.
PROFILE BY STUNNER
CLARIFICATIONS: None
image:
Stunner can't recall. Can you?
Captain Marvel VI#3-6 (November 2002-February 2003)
Captain Marvel VI#16-18 (December 2003-February 2004)
First Posted: 08/09/2004
Last updated: 08/09/2004
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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