MAGISTRATIMAGISTRATI
Membership: None identified;
formerly She-Hulk (Jen Walters)
Rigel-Type Recorder Z-9 (RT-Z9) served as a bailiff, but not a member
Purpose: Serving as judges, jurors, and advocates of the universe, as well as serving the will of the Living Tribunal
Aliases:
Affiliations: Beta Ray Bill, Gamora, Gladiator (Kallark), Holden Holliway, Living Tribunal, Emperor Merkra of Honchi, Empress Merkra of Honchi, Pip the Troll, Recorder RT-Z9, Prince Rollo of the Sloggs, She-Hulk (Jen Walters), Skard race, Southpaw (Sasha Martin
she may have considered them enemies due to being forced to spend time
off Earth and with She-Hulk, although she helped resolve the case
against the Champion);
most races apparently respect their authority, notably including the Blurzz, Honchi, Recluses, Skard, Sloggs, people of Slumbar 7, Titans (Eternals of Titan, specifically Eros and Mentor/A'Lars), Watchers (specifically Qyre, Uatu, and Zoma)
Enemies: Champion (Tryco Slatterus), Mephisto, Recluse race, whoever slaughtered the Recluses
Base of Operations: Star Chamber (possibly some pocket dimension associated with the Living Tribunal's realm);
also utilized (presumably many of the Magistrati judging on cases had their own) the Cosmic Claims Court and the Omniversal Wardrobe
Infinite Embassy (sitting at the top of Earth's cluster of dimensions, overlooking them all)
First Appearance: She-Hulk I#7 (November, 2004)
History:
(Avengers: Roll Call: Magistrati) - While some Magistrati appear to be bodiless beings consistenting solely of bodiless beings consistenting solely of robes and golden masks, other members are draw from the universe's greatest lawyers.
(She-Hulk I#7 (fb) - BTS) - They only made contact with the prominent legal circles of any planet.
(Journey into Mystery I#627 (fb) - BTS / Avengers: Roll Call: Magistrati) - The Magistrati oversee the Living Tribunal's Infinite Embassy, an interdimensional nexus meeting place for gods, demons, fairies, ghosts, the better class of magicians, anyone who is "unearthly-yet-of-Earth," and "things beyond your puny mortal knowledge" (per Mephisto).
(She-Hulk I#7 (fb) - BTS / She-Hulk II#20 (fb)) - Refusing to be watched, the Recluses demanded their privacy. They petitioned an audience with the Magistrati -- the judges, jurors, and advocates of the universe who serve the will of the Living Tribunal -- claiming the right of cosmic privacy.
(She-Hulk I#7 (fb) - BTS / She-Hulk II#20 (fb)) - As the Recluses didn't wish to be seen even in court, they were given a Rigellian Control Unit, so they could speak through Recorder RT-Z9.
(She-Hulk I#7) - One of the Magistrati presided over a boxing match between the Champion (Tryco Slatterus) and Beta Ray Bill, the latter of whom was seeking to end the Champion's tyrannical rulership of Skardon, which was ruled by the mightiest as determined by a martial match. Before the fight, the Magistrati reminded Bill that Skardon law this was a contest of strength, speed, and skill, and that at any extranormal abilities or weapons were forbidden. After Bill tossed away his hammer, Stormbreaker, the Magistrati announced they would proceed.
Silently noting how the Champion had never lost a fight and that the outcome was never in doubt, the Magistrati held his judgment until the moment Bill actually would fall, as that was the way of the Magistrati.
The Magistrati subsequently awarded the Champion victory after compling a ten-count knockout for Beta Ray Bill. After the Champion demanded a worthy challenger or he would make Skardon suffer as never before, Adam Warlock accepted the challenge, and the Magistrati granted a new trial by combat and asked for the next challenger. After Gladiator arrived and the fight started, the Magistrati noted how Gladiator was an excellent choice and reviewed his great strength and durability, but nonetheless considered that Gladiator, too, had no hope of winning. Nonetheless, he withheld judgment until the Champion knocked out Gladiator. As soon as the Magistrati awarded Champion victory, Champion demanded another challenger, and the Magistrati directed the request to Adam Warlock, who -- unable to find a suitable challenger -- stepped into the ring itself. Soon after, Gamora threw in the towel to save Warlock from what might be a fatal beating, and the Magistrati declared the Champion winner by forfeit.
As there were no further challengers, the Magistrati asked Pip if they would like the Magistrati to supply them with a court-appointed advocate to adjudicate on their behalf.
(She-Hulk I#7 (fb) - BTS) - Pip accepted their offer.
Meanwhile, a trio of Magistrati appeared before She-Hulk (Jen Walters), Southpaw (Sasha Martin), and Holden Holliway, offering Jen a place in their order (although Holliway initially misunderstood and thought he was being asked). At Holden's strong urging, Jen accepted the offer, and the Magistrati told her they would leave for the Star Chamber, where she would receive her robes of office, as well as instruction; as they departed, they assured Jen she would not be gone for long.
(She-Hulk
I#9 (fb) - BTS) - She-Hulk received her Magistrati badge of office.
(She-Hulk I#7 (fb) - BTS) - She-Hulk received her robe and was directed down the stairs to the Star Chamber.
(She-Hulk I#7) - She-Hulk encountered the Living Tribunal who prepared to teach her about universal law.
She subsequently introduced herself and began presiding over the Star Chamber's Cosmic Claims Court. Her bailiff -- a Rigel type Zeta 9 Recorder, aka Z9 -- introduced a series of cases on which she judged, including Merkra vs. Merkra, a familial dispute between the emperor and empress of the planet Honchi (in which they induced binary fission in the child so each parent could raise the child as he or she saw fit); a territorial dispute between the chronally-challenged Sloggs and the hyper-accelerated Blurzz (in which the Blurzz became impatient and left); and a case of the Recluses against the Watchers (in which Uatu and Zoma watched as Qyre agreed to be silenced and not attend future Watcher gatherings to allow him to continue observing the Recluses while maintaining their privacy). After the cases were successfully resolved, Z9 noted that the Magistrati were wise to choose Jen.
Afterwards, Z9 informed She-Hulk of her next assignment on Skardon
Note:
The events of the fights and the recruitment and employment occurred
roughly simultaneously, with Pip accepting the offer for an advocate
seconds before Z9 received this request and passed it on to She-Hulk.
(She-Hulk I#8) - Z9 showed She-Hulk her personal omniversal wardrobe within the Star Chamber, which would allow her to choose an outfit suitable for dispensing justice on any number of alien worlds. He then prepared her for her role on Skardon; as she changed her top, Pip teleported in, having been sent there to transport a Magistrati back to Skardon. Pip then transported Jen, as well as Southpaw and Z9, to Skardon; though she didn't think she had a chance against the Champion, after Pip explained how Champion was threatening to make the Skard suffer until he was defeated in combat, and after Adam Warlock expressed confidence in her due to her Magistrati membership, she agreed to try.
After She-Hulk took a beating from the Champion, the other Magistrati stopped the fight as she was woefully outmatched and declared the Champion to be the victor. When She-Hulk argued that she could still go on, the Magistrati granted her an appeal, noting that they would reconvene in 3 solar months for a rematch. Having won clear and undisputed victories since the dawn of creation, Champion confronted the Magistrati, grabbing its robes, and questioning the matter since there was a Magistrati presiding as well as one as the challenger. Reminding the Champion that the Magistrati spoke with the Living Tribunal, the Magistrati convinced Champion to stand down and accept the ruling.
(She-Hulk I#8 (fb) - BTS) - Recalling that her strength as She-Hulk was exponentially increased from her strength as Jen Walters, she spent that time strength and boxing training as Jen Walters under Gamora.
(She-Hulk I#8) - In the subsequent battle, She-Hulk noted that the Power Gem the Champion held should also be considered a foreign object, and she insisted he remove it before the fight. Accepting this and still considering himself to be more than a match for her, he further accepted She-Hulk's demand that he also promise to never again wear the Power Gem; in return, he insisted that if she lost, she would become one of his many wives and bear him many strong sons.
She-Hulk swiftly defeated Slatterus, and the Magistrati proclaimed that Slatterus was Champion no more. The Skard were released from his control.
(She-Hulk I#9) - Pip transported She-Hulk back to Earth; departing, he told her if she ever needed him, just use her space-lawyer doohickey (Magistrati badge of office) to page him, and he would teleport to her right away.
(She-Hulk II#20 (fb) - BTS) - As the Recluses lived in fear that She-Hulk might one day reverse her decision, it was decided that they would keep the control unit and that they would have their own Recorder watch over her.
(She-Hulk II#20 (fb) - BTS) - Z9 was sent to watch over She-Hulk, taking the identity of Artie Zix and convincing Holden Holliway to allow him to run his business while he sought out his daughter, Southpaw.
(She-Hulk II#20 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, an unidentified being (see comments) captured and bound Qyre, slaughtered the Recluses, and took control of Z9's control unit -- though not necessarily in that order.
(She-Hulk II#12) - As Eros of Titan was put on trial on Titan, a trio of Magistrati appeared, stating that the trail was unjust -- a gross miscarriage of universal justice-- as the defendant had been accused of offworld crimes. When Mentor (A'Lars...Eros' father) angrily questioned what gave them the right to question Titan's legal system, they noted that while they respected his power, he must respect theirs, and that they represented the Living Tribunal. They continued that Eros was accused of breaking Earth's laws, of violating the minds of its inhabitants, and that they demanded their Earth-bound agent, She-Hulk, be allowed to observe this trial. Having been suspected of manipulation by She-Hulk, Eros was distraught to hear this.
(She-Hulk II#12 - BTS) - The Magistrati instructed Recorder Z9 to summon She-Hulk to Titan.
(She-Hulk II#12) - Z9 appeared before She-Hulk, telling her of the Magistrati's need for her and replacing her outfit with her robes of office. She-Hulk willingly accompanied Z9, until learning she was to be an impartial observer at Eros' exoneration trial. When she refused, the Tribunal appeared before her, reminding of her oath to serve the Tribunal and promote universal law, and showing her She-Hulk's face under the Tribunal's masked face, which represented necessity.
Shortly thereafter, She-Hulk arrived on Titan, defended her right to be
there, and then the trial started. She-Hulk contributed her memories of
her experiences with Eros and allowed his to be shared/compared with
hers, but she became violently enraged upon learning that Eros had used
his powers on her to make her fall in love with John Jameson (which had led to her marrying Jameson).
(She-Hulk II#12 / She-Hulk II#13 (fb) - BTS) - She-Hulk calmed down and resumed her duties upon the arrival of Thanos (actual a duplicate created by Thanos for this purpose), whose memories made it appear that Eros' powers had influenced Thanos to fal in love with Death.
(She-Hulk II#13) - Observing the expression of "Thanos," She-Hulk invoked her Magistrati authority and demanded to re-examine the evidence. Entering the minds of "Thanos" via Moondragon's aid, she discovered this Thanos was a duplicate created by the true Thanos for this purpose, and that his ally Seductra had influenced Eros' memories to facilitate the deception. She further discovered that Eros only made her fall in love with John Jameson after being manipulated by Thanos.
Via this information, Eros was somewhat exonerated, although he agreed to have Moondragon remove his powers until he had apologized to everyone he had manipulated and restored his good name.
(She-Hulk II#20 (fb)) - Still in her Magistrati robes, She-Hulk/Jen Walters explained to Stargod/John Jameson how she wanted an annulment, and he reluctantly accepted this.
(She-Hulk II#20 (fb)) - She-Hulk was plucked out of time and space for her final case by the Living Tribunal, who had discovered the existence of the "cleaner, simpler, and more elegant Ultimate Universe" (Reality-1610), was debating replacing Reality-616 with this reality, and asked She-Hulk to speak on Earth-616's behalf.
Arguring that Reality-616 wasn't just convoluted, it was legendary; not confusing but having character; and that it was most importantly fun, She-Hulk convinced the Tribunal not to replace Reality-616 with Reality-1610.
(She-Hulk II#20) - Seeking to assure the Recluses (actually their slaughterer, though Z9 did not know this) that She-Hulk was not a threat to them, Z9 revealed his true identity and gained information to fill in the blanks in his database. This included that She-Hulk was no longer involved with Stargod and that Jameson could not even become Stargod; that she had lost her powers as a result of Tony Starks nannites during Civil War; and that she was no longer part of the Magistrati.
(She-Hulk II#20 - BTS) - Via the control unit, Z9 sent his report intended for the Recluses that they were safe from She-Hulk reversing their decision; however, the Recluses' slaughterer then revealed he was the one holding the control unit, just seconds before he detonated Z9 to prevent his discovery.
The slaughterer was pleased that -- thanks to She-Hulk's ruling -- only one being could look into this dark sector of space: Qyre, who obviously wouldn't be telling anyone. This would leave him free to use the Recluses' hidden/dark space spector to plot and plan and prepare his forces, the perfect beachhead for his war on creation: "Years, centuries, however long it takes. And when the time is right, there shall be a reckoning!"
(Journey into Mystery I#627 (fb)) - One of the Magistrati refused to allow Mephisto entrance into top floor, in which the Council of Godheads was meeting. Mephisto argued that he was not merely a devil, but the Magistrati member told him that one devil was much like another and that he may not enter.
Comments: Created by Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo, and Marcelo Sosa.
We don't really know too many details about the Magistrati:
The slaughterer of the Recluses has yet to be revealed. Dan Slott had a lot of build up for the future Reckoning War of which She-Hulk was to have been the cause, and the slaughterer was associated with that. Perhaps some day Slott will tell the full tale...
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS: ;
The Magistrati have no known connections to:
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Presumably within the Star Chamber, this was the courtroom from which the Magistrati member -- in this case, She-Hulk -- tried cases brought to her attention. --She-Hulk I#7 |
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Also presumably within the Star Chamber realm, this housed the robes suitable for rulings on various worlds. On Skard, where all matters were decided by fighting, boxing shorts and gloves (and a sports bra form females) were suitable robes for the Magistrati (although, perhaps just for She-Hulk as they wished her to fight; the Magistrati member who was presiding over the actual contests wore the standard Magistrati full body robe and face mask. On Slumbar 7, a world of sleepers where all court cases are tried in a collective subconscious of shared dreams; the Magistrati wear pajama-like robe and cap for cases on this world. --She-Hulk I#7
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The Star Chamber seems to be the realm from which the Magistrati are based, with the Tribunal having his own chambers there. It would seem likely that the Cosmic Claims Court and the Omniversal Wardrobe were part of this realm. --She-Hulk I#7 |
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images: (without ads)
She-Hulk I#7, pg. 8, panel 5 (face showing through mask);
pg. 10, panel 5 (She-Hulk and Southpaw in stairs to
Star Chamber; scan from Avengers Roll Call);
pg. 11 (Living Tribunal in Star Chamber);
pg. 13, pg. 4 (She-Hulk presiding over Cosmic Claims Court; scan from Avengers Roll Call);
#8, pg. 1, panel 2 (omniversal wardrobe);
pg. 3 (attire for Slumbar 7);
pg 5 (attire for Skardon);
#9, pg. 5, panel 3 (Badge of Office);
She-Hulk II#12, pg. 2, panel 1 (trio of Magistrati; scan from Avengers Roll Call);
pg.4, panel 3 (Z9, in profile; scan from Avengers Roll Call);
#13, last page (She-Hulk in Magistrati robes; scan from Avengers Roll Call);
Appearances:
She-Hulk I#7-8 (November-December, 2004) - Dan Slott (writer), Juan Bobillo (penciler),
Marcelo Sosa (inker), Molly Lazer, Andy Schmidt, & Nicole Wiley (assistant
editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
She-Hulk I#9 (January, 2005) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Pelletier
(penciler), Rick Magyar (inker), Molly Lazer, Andy Schmidt, &
Nicole Wiley (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
She-Hulk II#12-13 (November-December, 2006) - Dan Slott (writer), Rick Burchett
(penciler), Cliff Rathburn (inker), Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
She-Hulk II#20 (September, 2007) - Dan Slott & Ty Templeton (writers), Rick Burchett
(penciler), Cliff Rathburn (inker), Molly Lazer (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Journey
into Mystery#627 (November, 2011) - Kieron Gillen (writer), Richard
Elson (artist), John Denning (assistant editor), Ralph Macchio (senior
editor)
Avengers: Roll Call#1 (2012) - Jeff
Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan, Stuart Vandal, & Sean McQuaid (head
writers), Rob London, Markus Raymond, Patrick Duke, Patrick D. Ryall,
Madison Carter, Ronald Byrd, Anthony Cotilletta & Anthony Garcia
(writers)
First posted: 05/27/2016
Last updated: 10/07/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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