GRAND COMMISSIONER of Rigel
GRAND COMMISSIONER
of Rigel
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Rigellian)
Occupation: Ruler of the Rigellians
Group Membership: Rigellian race
Affiliations: Moondragon (Heather Douglas), various Recorders (notably Recorder 211; the Recorder on New Rigel-3 that was destroyed by Galactus' Punishers aboard Thanos' ship; and the one on Rigel-3 when Mangog and one of the Thanosi devastated that world), Pip the Troll, Thanos, Thor Odinson, Adam Warlock;
Rigellians in general, notably the Scientist Supreme, Tana Nile, Colonizer 12, Monitor 12, Observer 3B-Y
formerly General Zygo;
indirectly responsible for the creation of Ego-Prime;
Rigellians mutants formerly served as workers on Rigel-3;
Enemies: Ego the Living Planet, Galactus (Galan), High Evolutionary (Herbert Wyndham), Hunger, the Mangog, Rhunians ("Black Stars"), "Thanos" (Thanosi doppelganger), Xorr the God-Jewel, General Zygo,;
Rigellians mutant were considered a sub-species
at least formerly Thanos;
indirectly Hercules (Heracles/Alcaeus);
he mistakenly believed the Celestials to be a direct
threat (as opposed to the potential threat that they indeed were)
Known Relatives: None;
formerly engaged to Tana Nile
Aliases: High Commissioner, High Commissioner Emeritus, Imperial Colonizer Emeritus
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
(at least formerly) New Rigel-3;
formerly Rigel-3 (devastated by one of the Thanosi, destroyed by Thanos);
formerly Control Central and the Tower of Telescopes on Rigel-3 (destroyed by Rhunians);
First Appearance: Thor I#132 (September, 1966)
Powers/Abilities: A Rigellian, the Grand Commissioner may be able to increase his density and strength and/or use mind-thrusts, but he has not demonstrated such abilities.
He commands the Rigellian Empire, ruling over colonization, defense, evacuation, etc.
He has control over advanced Rigellian technology, including the Indestructibles, ionic probe-scopes, the Matter Transmitter/Structural Dissembler/Structural Restorer, the Null Bomb, Observo-Lenses, the Recorders, the Space Lock (presumably similar and/or related to the Planet-Lock and Planetary Defense System), Sun Shredder
The Grand Commissioner reportedly attained his position of leadership for having the highest intelligence quotient (IQ) of his entire race.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'5")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 110 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White (beard and eyebrows, at least; I am not aware of him
being shown without his helmet; many Rigellians lack hair on the top of
their heads)
Distinguishing features: Like other Rigellians, the Grand Commissioner typically has a small body frame with a relatively enlarged
head.
Rigellians have
sometimes been pictured in a more human configuration/proportion
(notably the Grand Commissioner has been pictured in such varying forms
despite being the same person); given their technological and psychic
abilities, it seems likely that they sometimes used illusions to appear
more humanoid in configuration; however, that is purely speculative.
History:
(Thor
I#132 - BTS) <Decades before the main story> - Although he never
desired to be Grand Commissioner of Rigel, as he considered the burdens
of his supreme office to be too much for any one man, as his
intelligence quotient rating was the highest in his sector, the
Rigellian who ascended to that title accepted that it was his duty to
serve. (Thor I#130 (fb) - BTS / Thor I#134 (fb) - BTS) - Although Rigellian culture ideally prided itself on transcending “outdated” emotions, Tana fell in love from afar with the Colonizers’ head, the Grand Commissioner, a crush she held for years.
(Thor I#132 - BTS) - Thor approached Rigel, fighting past various Rigellian forces (including an "Indestructible") in an effort to convince the Rigellians to release Earth from the Space-Lock in which it had been placed for Tana Nile.
Meanwhile, a deadly beam from within the Black Galaxy (presumably from Ego) destroyed a Rigellian space cruiser.
(Thor I#132) - From
Rigel-3's Control Central, Observer 3B-Y reported to the Grand
Commissioner that a being from Earth (actually Thor, from Asgard) had
destroyed the Indestructible and now sped toward their space lock
sector.
Aware of this via his own monitoring, the Grand Commissioner commanded 3B-Y "Begone!"
Concerned of the dual
threats of
the Black Galaxy and the invader from Earth's solar system; however, he
conceived of a way to solve them both. The Grand Commissioner then had
an attendant activate the matter transmitter to send him to their Power
Planetoid; stepping into the structural dissembler, he emerged in the
structural restorer on the closely-guarded Power Planetoid.
Swiftly arriving there, the Grand Commissioner confirmed that their observo-lenses were still tracking the invader's approach, after which he noted that they must protect the Space Lock at all costs. Tractor beams pulled Thor away from the Space Lock as he approached it, bringing him down to the planetoid where he overpowered Rigellians seeking to stop him. When Thor turned anew to the Space Lock, the Grand Commissioner bade him halt, introduced himself, and told him of the threat of the Black Galaxy.
Taking Thor to the Tower of Telescopes, the Grand Commissioner showed Thor the Black Galaxy and promised to release Earth from the Space Lock if he could stop the the menace that threatened to break out of its shadowy confines and which would presumably destroy Earth and eventually the universe.
After Thor agreed to enter the Black Galaxy, the Grand Commissioner had Recorder#211
accompany him and record whatever he learned in case he never
returned.
(Thor
I#133 - BTS) - Thor defeated Ego, who vowed to seal itself off in his
bio-verse and to never again attack Rigel or other galaxies.
(Thor I#134 - BTS) - Thor returned the Recorder to Rigel, after which Rigellians brought Thor back to Earth, where they informed Tana Nile that the Space Lock on Earth had been removed and that Earth was not to be colonized. Once they entered the ship, the other Rigellians told Tana that since Rigel had been saved from the threat of the Black Galaxy, she would receive the highest reward for her part in their good fortune: The High Commissioner had chosen her to be his wife, and she would rule a galaxy alongside him. Having loved the Commissioner from afar for years, Tana was happy to return to Rigel.
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(Thor I#155) - On the world of the Colonizers, presumably from Control Central, the Grand Commissioner noted to a colleague (the Scientist Supreme?; see comments) that their ionic probe-scopes were detecting deadly pulsations from the other end of the universe that were so powerful they "could only mean the end of all of life is near at hand." Suspecting that the menace lied
within the Black Galaxy, the colleague noted, "We must dispatch the robotic Recorder! Only he can enter the forbidden Black Galaxy. Perhaps 'tis there the menace lies!" Recorder#211 was indeed dispatched to investigate that realm. (Thor I#155 - BTS) - Investigating the Black Galaxy and Ego itself, the Recorder observed that all was as it had ever been, and it concluded that the threat must be found elsewhere. |
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(Thor I#160 (fb) - BTS) - To
address the threat of the immensely powerful Galactus and the weakening
shield that had hidden the Rigellians from Galactus' detection (which
threatened not only the worlds of Rigel but its neighboring star
clusters), Tana
Nile was sent to recruit Thor's aid via Rigellian spacecraft. (Thor I#160) - Tana informed
Thor of a threat to many worlds (and galaxies). After Thor agreed to
help, she led him aboard her ship, and they departed Earth; en route,
she detailed the threat of Galactus, and they observed a number of
ships and beings fleeing Galactus-ravaged worlds. (Thor I#160) - Presumably within Control Cental, Tana and Thor soon after met with the Grand Commissioner, who told Thor that his people had hidden from Galactus in the past via a shield that was growing weaker over time. After the Commissioner noted that if Galactus was not checked, Asgard itself might fall, Thor agreed to help. The Grand Commissioner assigned the Recorder to join Thor against Galactus, and when the two greeted each other warmly, the Commissioner noted that while machines could not feel, even those who had created the Recorders did sometimes wonder. The Commissioner gave them a craft set on automatic, designed to sense Galactus and bear them to him, and they departed Rigel. (Thor I#162 - BTS) - Having saved Ego from Galactus, Thor and the Recorder were returned by Ego to Rigel, and the Recorder asked the Rigellians who met them to bring them to the Grand Commissioner. (Thor I#162) - Via the Grand Commissioner's porta-communiscreen, Thor's success was electronically flashed throughout the galaxy, and the Grand Commissioner praised Thor 's strength and valor, after which he instructed the Recorder to step forward for the removal of the Recorder's memory bank and its transmission to Tana Nile, followed by the Recorder's subsequent deactivation.However, Thor argued that such a noble ally could not be so callously discarded, and when the Grand Commissioner argued that the Recorder was merely a complex machine, Thor countered that the Recorder had demonstrated feelings and possessed a soul. The Grand Commissioner accepted Thor's argument, and the Recorder was allowed to remain active and retain his memories. Thor then departed via Mjolnir, returning to Asgard. |
(Thor I#201 (fb)) - The Grand
Commissioner summoned Tana, telling her that while they could not
colonize Earth, they needed an Earth-type world for unspecified
reasons. With only primitive planets of that type available, the Grand
Commissioner sent Tana on a mission into the Bioverse/Black Galaxy.
(Thor I#201 (fb) - BTS) - Tana landed on the surface of Ego, blasting free a living slab of stone and placing it within a special isotope container on her ship.
Tana then sped to the the galaxy's "eastern rim" and landed on a planet (which was somewhere in the stone age, with Neanderthal like people being present) called Blackworld by humanity while being nameless to the Rigellians.
While Blackworld was rapidly terraformed using the portion of Ego, the portion of Ego itself evolved into Ego-Prime.
(Thor I#216) - In a Rigellian city, Rigellian music could be heard in the distance.
Ignoring this, the Grand Commissioner -- curious
as to why Tana Nile had not reported back since being sent to terraform
Blackworld -- demanded to see a report of Tana's current activities.
One of his men showed him a tablet with imagery and told him that Tana
and several Asgardians were involved with Xorr the God-Jewel.
Interested that Xorr had at last awakened, he noted that they must
observe the situation carefully in case Xorr became a threat.
(Thor I#216 (fb) - BTS) - Monitor 12 received an image...
(Thor I#217 (fb) - BTS) - ...of the Black Stars approaching Rigel...
(Thor I#216 (fb) - BTS) - ...via the viso-scanners, and he rushed to show it to the Grand Commissioner.
(Thor I#216) - Monitor 12 the
rushed in and delivered the report to the Grand Commissioner.
Appreciating a calamity the likes of which Rigel had never seen, the
Grand Commissioner ordered the readying of the transport ships so they
could flee the planet at once.
(Thor I#217 (fb) - BTS) - For six days, the Grand
Commissioner watched the multitudes board the giant vessels of the
Rigellian fleet, each day praying that the threat might turn aside.
(Thor I#217) - As the Rigellians continued to board the giant ships, the Grand Commissioner spoke to an aid, considering that perhaps they should face their foes and die with honor. However, he ultimately resolved that it was his duty to preserve their race and that leaving their homeworld was not so terrible as they were the Colonizers and that it was their destiny to wander, colonize, and rule. When an aide reported the the Black Stars would reach Rigel within a fortnight, the Grand Commissioner dismissed him, aware of what he must do and wishing to hear no more.
(Thor I#217 - BTS) - In Asgard, Tana listened as Odin announced a threat that
would first destroy the world of the Colonizers and then the worlds of
men.
(Thor I#218 - BTS) - Tana joined
Balder, Silas, Sif, and Thor aboard the Starjammer in an Odin-directed
mission to investigate the menace to the Rigel.
(Thor I#218 / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
II (Deluxe Edition)#11: Rigellians (see comments)) - As the deadly Black
Stars (led by the Rhunians) approached, the nine billion Rigellians still
living on Rigel-3 escaped aboard a fleet of gigantic starships via the plan of
the Grand Commissioner.
Over seven hundred such ships were part of this fleet, with each ship having 5000 chambers, each of which held thousands of Rigellians.
(Thor I#218) - Colonizer 12 reported to the Grand Commissioner as the last of the ships had taken off and the command planet was deserted. While Colonizer 12 praised this as a miracle, the Grand Commissioner lamented that they should not boast of their cowardice and that there was no honor in what they had done, merely expedience. Nonetheless, the Grand Commissioner agreed that there was no hope to withstand the Black Stars and that there would not have been honor in facing them.
The Grand Commissioner further noted that this flight was only a temporary solution as the Black Stars would eventually reach them wherever they went.
(Thor I#218 - BTS) - The Starjammer -- which contained Tana Nile, Silas Grant, and multiple Asgardians -- arrived on Rigel-3, where they ultimately recruited the Rigellian mutants Bolaa, Gerr,
Jukka, and Tryx to join them in locating the rest of the Rigellians.
Shortly after
the Starjammer's departure, the Black Stars arrived and destroyed
Rigel-3, shattering it with multi-blasts of cosmic energy. 
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II (Deluxe Edition)#11: Rigellians) - Virtually all of the mutant worker race were left behind and destroyed along with Rigel-3.
(Thor I#218 - BTS) - Guided by Jukka's knowledge of Rigellian navigation charts he had glimpsed, the Starjammer caught up to the Rigellian fleet.
(Thor I#218) - When the Colonizer ship nearest them fired on the strange craft approaching (as the Grand Commissioner had ordered that none may impede their journey), Thor flew to the attack, and the Rigellian mutants donned their spacesuits to join him in battle.
(Thor I#218) - Soon after Thor's allies joined the battle, the Grand Commissioner ordered an end to hostilities and invited the Asgardians, Tana Nile, and Silas Grant aboard; however, they insisted that the mutants remain aboard the docked Starjammer.
The Grand
Commissioner explained that the mutants could not come aboard because
if his people learned of their presence aboard the woefully-overcrowded
flagship, they would rebel. Acknowledging that it was a barbaric
custom, the Grand Commissioner noted that these were barbaric times and
that the danger of a potential riot was inconceivable. The Grand
Commissioner then related the immense threat of the Black Stars.
(Thor I#219) - The Grand
Commissioner further stated that they were doomed by a menace no man or
god could defeat, and that while the Colonizers fled, it was pure
futility, as no one could escape the Black Stars.
While Thor was initially convinced
that the cause was hopeless, encouraged by Sif, Thor and his allies
resolved to end the threat of the Black Stars. The Grand Commissioner
advised them that if they were to strike, they must do so quickly, as
the Black Stars became more powerful with each world they consumed.
The Grand Commissioner monitored their journey.
(Thor I#219-220 - BTS) - The Rigellian mutants joined
with Thor and his other allies to confront the Rhunians and peaceably
end their threat.
(Thor I#221 (fb) - BTS) - The
Asgardians brought Tana and Silas Grant to the Colonizers' fleet, where the
Starjammer/Spacejammer was repaired.
(Thor I#221 (fb)) - The Grand Commissioner thanked the Thor, noting that they owed them more than they could ever repay, a sentiment that Silas echoed, adding that he had become good friends with Tana and had decided to stay with her.
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(Avengers Annual#17 - BTS / Thor I#406 (fb) - BTS / Thor I#407 (fb) - BTS) - At the conclusion of the "Evolutionary War," Hercules (Heracles/Alcaeus) and the High Evolutionary (Herbert Wyndham) were super-evolved. While their fates are unrevealed, their cosmic essences somehow merged with the Black Galaxy...and at some point, their physical forms were contained and/or merged with what appeared to be smaller versions of the heads of Celestials on a planetoid within the Black Galaxy, where they watched over by the Celestial known as Tefral the Surveyor. These events caused upheavals within the Black Galaxy that affected other worlds, including Rigel-3. (Thor
I#406 (fb) - BTS) - The Rigellian homeworld was plagued by earthquakes.
(Thor I#406) - An aide reported to the Grand Commissioner a recurrence of the earthquakes on their homeworld, noting that the seismograph indicated that the tremors grew more violent with each new assault. Considering that their entire command planet would soon be in jeopardy and feeling that he needed to preserve their world at any cost, the Grand Commissioner traveled via the Rigellian matter transmitter to the Scientist Supreme's private laboratory in a planetoid in the asteroid belt. After the Scientist
Supreme revealed the source of the mysterious upheavals to be
originating from mysterious upheavals within the nearby Black Galaxy, the Grand Commissioner
-- considering the area to be the most dangerous and unexplored region in the entire universe -- ordered the arming of the Null Bomb to destroy the Black Galaxy in
order to save the Rigellian home world. (Thor
I#406 - BTS) - Count Tagar sent a group including Thor and Kevin
Masterson into the Black Galaxy to search for the missing Hercules;
therein they encountered immense, cosmic forms of Hercules and the High
Evolutionary, who had apparently merged with the Black Galaxy. (Thor I#407 (fb) - BTS) - The Scientist Supreme dispatched Recorder#211 to the Black Galaxy to objectively record the Null Bomb's use. (Thor I#407) - From "the
constellation of Rigel, home of the Colonizers," as another earthquake
threatened their command planet, the Grand Commissioner advised the
Scientist Supreme that it was his responsibility to put an end to these
massive tremors. After the Scientist Supreme reiterated the cause and
the nature of the threat causing the tremors, he advised the Grand
Commissioner to employ the Null Bomb, which was designed to cause a
super-implosion, which would eradicate all life within "that hated
realm" (the Black Galaxy). Acknowledging this, the Grand
Commissioner ordered the bomb to be launched via the Matter
Transmitter, after which he asked how they would know when the
Null-Bomb had successfully completed its task. The Scientist Supreme
replied that he already dispatched an observer (Recorder #211) to the
Black Galaxy to objectively record the event. When the Grand
Commissioner noted that the Null-Bomb would destroy all life, the
Scientist Supreme assured his excellency that this being was also quite
expendable. (Thor I#407 - BTS) - The Recorder informed Thor of the Null Bomb's approach, and Thor ultimately diverted the bomb's explosion, reigniting a dying sun light years away. (Thor
I#407 (fb) - BTS) - The Recorder informed his masters and requested a
spaceship. While displeased with the resolution of the Null-Bomb, they
eagerly awaited the Recorder's full report. (Thor
I#408 - BTS) - Thor, Hercules, the High Evolutionary, and Eric
Masterson returned to the High Evolutionary's Citadel of Science. Thor
I#419) - In the constellation of Rigel, apparently aboard the Scientist
Supreme's private laboratory, the Scientist Supreme discussed with the Grand Commissioner that
their command planet could be in dire jeopardy, as scanners had
detected that a Watcher was observing the Black Galaxy, and that events
within that region were obviously about to reach a critical juncture.
Noting the Black Galaxy to be the most mysterious and unexplored area
in the universe, the Grand Commissioner questioned how great was the
danger to their planet and what were their options. In hopes of learning the nature and extent of the threat, the Scientist Supreme dispatched Recorder#211 into the Black Galaxy. (Thor I#419 - BTS) - The Recorder discovered the High Evolutionary's ship and was incapacitated after encountering the High Evolutionary and learning of his plans to use the Black Galaxy's bioverse to create a new race of gods. (Thor I#423) - As shockwaves from the Black Galaxy grew in geometric proportions, the Scientist Supreme and the Grand Commissioner discussed that their new homeworld faced imminent destruction. The Scientist Supreme detected an enormous object, which was not alone, entering their space quadrant; considering it inconceivable and that they faced immediate extinction, resolved that their only hope was to abandon the planet, and a massive fleet departed this Rigel (see comments). This "enormous object" was not specified, but it would appear to be a massive group of Celestials traveling into the Black Galaxy to witness the birth of a new Celestial, who were shown a few pages later. Presumably the Rigellians returned to Rigel-3 when the seeming threat had passed. |
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(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#11: Tana Nile (fb) - BTS) - Tana returned to the Rigellian Empire and was reconciled with her people.
(Thor 2000/2 (fb)) - Despite their scientific accomplishments, the Colonizers could offer little in the way of adequate defenses. Within moments of the battle's start, the Rigellians realized the need for the ultimate counter-measure. 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 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.
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 original, 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 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. |
(Thanos I#3 (fb) - BTS / Thanos I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Requiring an entrance from within Universe-616 to access that reality, the interdimensional universe-devouring parasite Hunger manipulated Galactus to this end by making him believe the energy patterns of the Infinity Gems matched the biospheric energy Galactus derived from consuming planets. His systems of logic manipulated, Galactus believed he could use the gems to end his planet-devouring needs.
(Thanos I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Galactus acquired four of the Infinity Gems (most likely the Mind, Power, Reality, and Time Gems; definitely not including the Soul Gem; see comments).
(Thanos I#3 (fb) - BTS / Thanos I#4 (fb) - BTS) - To acquire the fifth Infinity Gem (presumably the Space Gem; see comments), which was located in Reality-93060 (the "Ultraverse"), Galactus plotted to utilize the power of star 1857-C, the sun of Rigel-18.
(Thanos I#2 (fb) - BTS) <Three days before the main story> - Galactus arrived on the planet -- his approach was too rapid for the planetary teleportational defense system to be utilized -- and began activating his technology. The Grand Commissioner was uncertain how to respond to this threat.
(Thanos I#1 - BTS) - Seeking to make amends for his
Thanosi
doppelganger's devastation of Rigel-3, Thanos teleported himself and
his associate Adam Warlock to just outside the Grand Commissioner's
royal palace. A number of drones were dispatched to attack
Thanos, but
he swiftly destroyed them. Ground troops then assaulted Thanos
fruitlessly, but he surrendered and offered his services to the
Rigellians.
(Thanos
I#2 (fb) - BTS) - While Adam Warlock met with the Grand Commissioner to
convince him of Thanos' sincerity, General Zygo and his troops led
Thanos into the palace. Thanos allowed General Zygo to imprison him
within a photon block. 
(Thanos I#2) - With the conference witnessed by an unidentified Rigellian Recorder, the Grand Commissioner agreed to Warlock's advice that he accept whatever Thanos would do for them with the goal of not enraging him by refusing his aid, but hoping to expedite Thanos' departure without conflict. The Grand Commissioner informed Warlock that a problem had arisen on Rigel-18 a few days ago that would require great power and guile, and Warlock told him that that was Thanos' specialty.
(Thanos I#2) - As the Grand Commissioner and Warlock (and an unidentified Recorder) prepared to meet with Thanos, he considered it odd to find the corridor lined by numerous guards, and he asked General Zygo why this was so. Zygo then informed him that it was so they could arrest him and his "vile companion" (Warlock), after which he explained that the military had determined to relieve the Grand Commissioner of his duties due to incompetence. Zygo notably referenced the reasons for this as the Grand Commissioner's handling of the encounter with the "Thanos" on the previous Rigel-3 (the Rigellians did not know that that was not Thanos himself); for his inaction concerning the crisis on Rigel-18; and for his willingness to consider dealing with Thanos.
(Thanos I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Zygo left his troops to deal with the Grand Commissioner and Warlock, and he presumably returned to ascertain Thanos' demise (or perhaps to retrieve an experimental molecular disrupter weapon).
(Thanos I#2 (fb) - BTS) - When Zygo's troops prepared to crush Thanos within the photon block, Thanos instead broke free and slew the 12 Rigellian troopers present with a brief, high-level gamma radiation burst.
Thanos subsequently entered the adjoining
chamber, bypassed security measures and accessed the central data bank.
He subsequently built in new safeguards to better ensure the system's
security. Analyzing
New Rigel-3's current geopolitical status, Thanos devised several means
to improve the Rigellians' situation. He evaluated the genetic problem
limiting beta-soy production, and he determined the solution to be
adding "a couple of rungs to the plant's genetic ladder." He adjusted
their planetary teleportational defense such that it would now come on
line in half the time previously required. He also added file
370VSHS-H0773, containing designs that would vastly improve the
propulsion systems of their star fleet. 
(Thanos
I#2) - When Zygo and his forces attempted to imprison Warlock
(considering that he might prove useful in the future), Warlock easily
evaded and then subdued the soldiers despite their technologically
increasing their mass so that they
were physically stronger than Warlock and their possession of blaster
weapons capable of subduing him. Warlock noted their martial skills to
be lacking, their offensive tactics to be basic, their defense to be
pathetic and their marked lacking in fighting spirit. The shocked Grand
Commissioner noted these to have been the elite of their armed forces,
and Warlock replied that, if the Rigellians wanted to stay in the
colonizing business, that they needed a higher grade of soldier.
Warlock led the Grand Commissioner and the Recorder to rush to try to save the guards who were with Thanos, but they found the guards dead. The Grand Commissioner was surprised to learn that Thanos had escaped imprisonment within a photon block, but Warlock advised him that Thanos had never truly been imprisoned (meaning Thanos had only allowed himself to be contained and could have escaped at any time). Summoning them to the adjoining room, Thanos detailed all of the improvements he had determined from a brief evaluation of their systems. As Zygo prepared to use a molecular disruptor weapon on Thanos, Thanos instead slew Zygo with an eyeblast, noting that in a single act he would guarantee the loyalty of the Grand Commissioner's armed forces and improve the quality of their gene pool.
Offering his gratitude, the Grand Commissioner noted that Rigel-18 desperately needed Thanos largess, but that their difficulties may be more than he wished to get involved with. After Thanos assured that he had vowed to aid the Rigellians in any way he could, the Grand Commissioner noted that his resolving this matter would more than make up for any injury Thanos had done to his people in the past.
At Thanos' request, the Grand Commissioner provided the coordinates, and Thanos opened a teleportational window, though which he, Warlock, the Grand Commissioner, and the unidentified Recorder passed, arriving on Rigel-18.
Observing Galactus' presence, Thanos noted that the Grand Commissioner's notation of a "serious problem" was deficient, as this was a major catastrophe; Thanos further considered that Galactus did not typically wait days before consuming a planet's life energies. Despite the magnitude of the threat, Thanos confirmed that he would honor his pledge to the Rigellians. He resolved that if they could determine Galactus' intentions, they might be able to induce him to relocate his operation; failing that, they might have to slay him.
(Thanos I#3 - BTS) - The Grand Commissioner observed remotely (presumably from New Rigel-3) while the Recorder was present within Thanos' Sanctuary/dreadnought as Thanos -- via assistance from Moondragon (Heather Douglas) -- met with Galactus on a psychic plane, seeking to learn the purpose of his actions and his plans for Rigel-18. When Galactus resisted divulging this information, Thanos tried to psychically overwhelm him, but Galactus cast him out.
(Thanos I#3) - At Warlock's query, the Grand Commissioner confirmed that Thanos' meeting with Galactus at least delayed Galactus sufficiently that the Rigellians could be evacuated from Rigel-18.
(Thanos
I#3) - Thanos' involvement caused Galactus to hasten his course of
actions, and he caused
Rigel-18's sun to go nova, devastating the planet while using the energies to open a dimensional
portal and retrieve the skeleton of Earth-93060's Rune and the
(apparently) Space Infinity Gem (see comments in the Rigel-18 profile).
(Thanos I#4 - BTS) - The Recorder was destroyed when Galactus' Punishers attacked Thanos' ship, stealing Warlock's Soul Gem and destroying Thanos' ship in the process. Thanos escaped with Pip and Warlock.
(Thanos
I#5 - BTS) - Via his Focusing Crux, Galactus accessed the power of the
Infinity Gems and unwittingly opened the portal that allowed the
(Thanos I#6 (fb) - BTS) - After Thanos received the gratitude of the Rigellians, who assured him that any debt owed them was thoroughly discharged. They subsequently urged that he carry on with his travels.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby , and Vince Colletta.
In Thor I#155, the colleague speaking to the Grand Commissioner seemed
to be speaking to him as equals, rather than the rest of the observers,
assistants, technicians, etc. When I originally wrote the profile, I
identified that character as the Scientist Supreme, but re-reviewing
the issue, I don't see him receiving any sort of designation.
Nonetheless, this scene is mirrored somewhat in Thor I#407, where a
similar conversation occurs, and it is the Scientist Supreme who
dispatches Recorder #211 to investigate the Black Galaxy.
Despite the differing uniform, I suspect this to be an earlier appearance of the Scientist Supreme.
The Grand Commissioner had a
markedly different appearance in Thor I#201, 216-219, and 221. all
drawn by John Buscema. Maybe he shaved his beard, had some surgery or
other anti-aging treatments, used an illusion-projecting device, etc.
And maybe he reverted back to his classic appearance later.
Or, since the Grand Commissioner is a title, rather
than a person, perhaps the previous Grand Commissioner became ill, or
perhaps another person challenged and defeated him at at contest of
wits. Perhaps the beardless and younger looking Grand Commissioner
either lost a subsequent challenge to the original, or maybe he stepped
down or died (perhaps even committed suicide) after having reigned over
the abandoning and destruction of Rigel-3?
Similarly, the Grand Commissioner does have marked
variation in his physical appearance and body conformation between
appearances. Most notably, there is a variation between artists drawing
Rigellians in a human conformation vs. the tiny-bodied/big-headed
forms. This may be artistic license, or perhaps the Rigellians
sometimes project illusions of more human conformations?
There has not been any reference to the Grand
Commissioner being a successor or replacement. Many stories have him
refering to his previous encounteres, but not every story directly
confirms that this is the same person. Stories and the Official
Handbooks and the Official Indexes all treat the Grand Commissioner as
the same being.
Further comments/discussion of the
Grand Commissioner as a solitary being vs. a series of successors
courtesy of Donald Campbell.
I didn't realize it until I saw "his"
whole life laid out in one place, but the appearance of "the" Grand
Commissioner really did change a lot. From yellow-skinned and clean-shaven to
pink-skinned with facial hair to yellow-skinned and clean-shaven to
yellow-skinned with facial hair to pink-skinned with facial hair. The most
consistent thing about "him" is that "his" facial hair is
always white, presumably as a sign of his aged wisdom.
Of course, the whole switching between pale
yellow and darker yellow and pink skin is a problem that has afflicted many
Rigellians over the years, and it's something I really don't understand. I
mean, once the Colonizers were established as being a yellow-skinned race, why
would so many subsequent creators depict them as being pink-skinned?
Anyway, back to the Grand Commissioner. While
your suggestion that maybe "he" was one individual who, for some
as-yet-unexplained reason, chose to significantly alter his appearance from
time to time is not impossible, I prefer the other suggestion, that instead of
a single Grand Commissioner, we readers have actually been seeing two (or
three) Grand Commissioners over the course of almost forty years of stories (although this would only be like 8-10 years Marvel Time--Snood).
The fact that he was never known by a personal name, only his title, makes that
at least possible.
Since "he" lacks a name, the one way
to potentially distinguish between Grand Commissioners would be their
relationships with others. Since Thor has met "the" Grand
Commissioner on several occasions and doesn't seem to have commented on
"his" change in appearance, does that prove that it was the same
person? Or was Thor perhaps being tactful when he refrained from asking,
"Hey, what happened to the Grand Commissioner I met last time?"
Then there's the matter of Tana Nile, who became
engaged to the Grand Commissioner at the end of the first storyline to feature
the Colonizers. As far as I can remember, none of her subsequent interactions
with "the" Grand Commissioner (at least those that have been depicted
in-story) have mentioned their engagement or demonstrated any sign of closeness
between them. Maybe Colonizer society disapproves of Public Displays of
Affection?
Finally, did Tana
Nile actually claim that she had been branded a traitor and disavowed by her
fiancé, the Grand Commissioner? That would seem to confirm that the Grand
Commissioner who was in power at the time ("1997") was the same
person as the Grand Commissioner who had chosen her to be his wife back in "1966."
--Yes,
Daydreamers#2 has Tana referring to the Grand Commissioner
who branded her a traitor as her fiance, so would seem to confirm that
it has indeed been the same Grand Commissioner all along (or, at least
that it was the same one around the time of the Daydreamers series).
--Snood
Evacuate!
In Thor I#419 (July, 1990), the "command
planet" of the Colonizers is identified as being close to the Black Galaxy
and in Thor I#423 (Late September, 1990) this planet was identified as being
the new homeworld of the Colonizers but was then abandoned when the Colonizers
detected a vast host of Celestials entering their space quadrant. Maybe they
came back later?
--Donald Campbell
The
Rigellian Command Planet Rigel-3 (II as per the OHotMU ME) seen in Thor
I#419-423 was abandoned due to a threat that was resolved. They either
reclaimed that world or found yet another world and called it Rigel-3.
I prefer to think that they returned to this command planet after the
threat was resolved.
--Snood
The Evacuation in #423 took place almost instantly, compared to the evacuation of the previous Rigel-3 , which occurred in Thor I#218 and took at least six days to prepare
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Grand Commissioner of Rigel should be distinguished from:
Appearances:
Thor I#132 (September, 1966) - Stan
"The Man" Lee (writer/editor), Jack "King" Kirby (penciler), Vince "The
Prince" Colletta (inker)...also Smilin' Stan Lee, Jolly Jack Kirby, and
Vivacious Vince Colletta
Thor I#134 (November, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#155 (August, 1968) - "Smilin'" Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jolly Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#160 (January, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#162 (March, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor I#201 (July, 1972) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Thor I#216 (October, 1973) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#217 (November, 1973) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Sal Buscema (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#218 (December, 1973) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#219-221 (January, 1974) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor I#221 (March, 1974) - Gerry Conway (scripter), John Buscema (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor
I#406-407 (August-September, 1989) - Tom DeFalco (writer, co-plotter),
Ron Frenz (penciler, co-plotter), Joe Sinnott (inker/finisher), Ralph
Macchio (editor)
Thor I#419 (July, 1990) - Tom DeFalco
(writer, co-plotter), Ron Frenz (penciler, co-plotter), Joe Sinnott
(inker/finisher), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor I#423 (Late September, 1990) - Tom DeFalco
(writer, co-plotter), Ron Frenz (penciler, co-plotter), Joe Sinnott
(inker/finisher), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daydreamers#2 (September, 1997) - J. M. DeMatteis (plot), George Broderick, Jr.
(script), Martin Egeland (penciler), Howard M. Shum (inker), Mark
Bernardo (editor)
Thor 2000: second story (2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Jose Ladronn (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thanos
I#1 (December, 2003) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Thanos I#2 (January, 2004) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Thanos I#3 (February, 2004) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#11: Tana Nile (January, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen,
Stuart Vandal, & Sean McQuaid (head writers/coordinators), Mike
Fichera, Madison Carter, Markus Raymond, & Mike O'Sullivan
(coordination assistants), Mike Zeck (artist), Jeff Youngquist &
Jennifer Grunwald
First started 09/02/2022
Last updated: 10/05/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
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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.!
(Daydreamers#2 (fb) - BTS /
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
A to Z hardcover#11: Tana Nile entry) - Back among the Rigellians
following the Axi-Tun conflict, Tana perhaps came to perceive the
Rigellian
Empire’s forced colonization practices as a possible precursor to the
Axi-Tun’s willingness to slaughter other races. No
longer able to abide their "warped sense of manifest destiny," Tana,
via logical discourse and passive resistance, she took her
message to the powers that be. However, her fiance', the Grand
Commissioner, branded her a traitor and disavowed Tana to the Control
Panel. 
(Thor 2000/2 (fb) / Thanos I#1 (fb) - BTS) - The
ship of "Thanos" (actually one of the Thanos-duplicates known as the
Thanosi, but unknown to any involved at the time) entered the
atmosphere of "Rigel" without warning, effectively evading (per one of
the Recorders) "the most sensitive and precise detection devices ever
invented" and then sent the
Mangog to devastate that world. 
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.