RIGEL-18RIGEL-18
Official Name: Rigel-18
Nature: Extraterrestrial world (destroyed);
formerly part of the star/solar system of the star designated (at least by Thanos) as 1857-C
Natives: None known
Population: Zero;
formerly an unidentified number of Rigellians
Capital City: Unrevealed
Government: None;
there was likely a planetary leader serving under the Grand Commissioner
Languages: Formerly Rigellian
Planetary Defense: None;
formerly unrevealed
Places of Interest: None
Visitors: Galactus (Galan), Grand Commissioner of Rigel, Hunger, Recorder (designation unrevealed), Thanos, Adam Warlock
First Appearance: Thanos I#2 (January, 2004)
History:
(Thanos
I#3 (fb) - BTS / Thanos
I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Requring
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> - A "problem"
arose on Rigel-18 as Galactus arrived on the planet and began
activating his technology.
(Thanos I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Following his recovery after sacrificing the power of the Heart of the Infinite in the process of recreating the universe he had destroyed, Thanos transported Adam Warlock (acting as his advisor) and himself to New Rigel-3, offering to be of service to them to make amends for his Thanosi doppelganger's devastation of the previous Rigel-3.
(Thanos I#2 - BTS) - Per Adam Warlock's recommendation, the Grand Commissioner cautiously accepted Thanos' offer, with the goal of not enraging him by refusing his aid, but hoping to expedite Thanos' departure without conflict.
The Grand Commissioner noted that a problem had arisen on Rigel-18 a few days ago that would require great power and guile.
A coup was initiated against the Grand Commissioner and led by Zygo, in part due to the Grand Commissioner's handling of the encounter with the Thanosi (although the Rigellians did not know that that was not Thanos himself), for his handling of the crisis on Rigel-18, and for his dealing with Thanos.
After Thanos and Warlock put down the coup, the Grand Commissioner noted that Rigel-18 desperately needed his 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.
(Thanos I#2) - After the Grand Commissioner provided the coordinates, Thanos opened a teleportational window, though which he, Warlock, the Grand Commissioner, and an 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. Their presence was noted by Hunger, who considered that all went as planned.
After Thanos noted that Galactus did not tend to linger over a meal (meaning he did not typically wait days before consuming a planet's life energies), Warlock further noted that the urge that had led him to cross paths with Thanos had quieted, indicating that Rigel-18 had been his destination. Despite the magnitude of the threat, Thanos noted 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) - Via assistance from Moondragon (Heather Douglas), Thanos met with Galactus on a psychic plane, seeking to learn the purpose of his actions. When Galactus resisted divulging this information, Thanos tried to psychically overwhelm him, but Galactus cast him out.
(Thanos
I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Thanos' meeting with Galactus at least delayed Galactus
sufficiently that the Rigellians could be evacuated from Rigel-18.
Additionally, Thanos had Pip the Troll, who retained teleportational powers from his previous possession of the Space Gem, plant a number of recording devices on Galactus' ship.
(Thanos I#3) - Thanos' involvement caused Galactus to hasten his course of actions, and he activated his array. Observing this remotely, Thanos noted how Galactus had tapped into Rigel-18's molten core, releasing and directing unidentifiable energies into his orbiting parabolic transmitter.
Thanos knew not what the energies were being converted into, but he watched with fascination as the transformation appeared to be complete and the energies were transmitted into the heart of Rigel-18's sun.
Appreciating that the energies were radically altering the star's structural integrity and causing its mass to increase dramatically, Thanos concluded that Galactus was causing the star to go nova. Thanos then had his ship, Sanctuary, rapidly depart the star system, just before the sun went nova.
As Thanos watched, Galactus transported himself to the core of the exploding star. Thanos then had his computer conduct a full spectrum scan of the star 1857-C, which allowed him to detect an interdimensional aberration materializing at the dying star's heart. Thanos appreciated that the star had been chosen as it was a pulsar with highly unique qualities, and he reasoned that this opening could only be created under strictly limited conditions.
Galactus then reached through the portal into Reality-93060 and retrieved the skeleton of Rune, with an Infinity Gem (apparently the Space Gem; see comments) on its sternum, after which Galactus teleported back into his ship. Background radiation prevented Thanos from identifying what Galactus had obtained.
Frustrated that Galactus' swift actions had prevented him from saving
Rigel-18, Thanos nonetheless resolved that the affair was yet to be
concluded.
(Thanos I#4 - BTS) - After Thanos deciphered Galactus' files, he discovered Galactus' goal but also realized that Galactus was mistaken about the energies being identical.
Galactus' Punishers then assaulted Thanos' ship and ultimately stole the Soul Gem from Adam Warlock -- both leaving Warlock incapacitated and giving Galactus the sixth and final Infinity Gem -- and destroying Thanos' ship. Thanos, Pip, and Warlock escaped this destruction.
Galactus subsequently had his robotic drone UB--747, place the Soul Gem in its proper positon on the Focusing Crux, and he prepared to activate it.
(Thanos I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Thanos placed a "sizable nuclear arsenal" on the previous Rigel-3.
(Thanos I#5 - BTS) - Realizing the magnitude of whatever had led someone to manipulate Galactus, Thanos had Pip transport them both aboard Galactus' ship, where Pip planted strategic explosive charges while Thanos sought out Galactus via his ship's scanners.
(Thanos I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Thanos arranged a timed cut-off of Galactus' craft's power.
(Thanos I#5 - BTS) - Thanos futilely sought to convince Galactus to shut down his Focusing Crux. His logic affected by Hunger's manipulation, Galactus forced a confrontation, and Thanos was unable to stop him. Ultimately, Hunger began to emerge through the portal opened by Galactus. Taking control of Galactus' ship, Hunger prevented Galactus from shutting down his craft.
(Thanos I#5) - The charges placed by Pip then devastated Galactus' ship, causing it, Thanos, Galactus, and Hunger, to crash on Rigel-18. Hunger placed a force field around the Crux, preventing Thanos or Galactus from destroying it, and continued to pour into Universe-616.
(Thanos I#6) - Thanos had Pip transport Galactus some distance away from Hunger, but still on Rigel-18. Thanos's prearranged timed cut-off of Galactus' ship's power then took effect, deactivating the Crux and preventing Hunger from continuing to bring his full self into Universe-616. Thanos then used the Rigellian planetary defense system to transport the devastated Rigel-3 into close proximity with Rigel-18).
Having placed the nuclear arsenal at Rigel-3's point of impact, Thanos allied the gravitational pull to cause the two planets to crash together, and the nuclear explosion seemingly destroyed Hunger (a small remnant survived). Galactus survived this explosion, after which Thanos lectured him on acting rashly.
Comments: Created by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom.
The Infinity Gems (before they were reimagined as Infinity Stones) each
have different colors: Mind (blue), Power (red-pink), Reality (yellow),
Soul (green), Space (purple) and Time (orange-red). We know that
Galactus got the Soul Gem last, and it was green as planned. The stone
Galactus retrieved in Thanos#3 was pretty clearly intended to have been
retrieved from the vampiric Rune of Earth-93069 ("Ultraverse"), but
regardless, it was purple, like the Space Gem.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Rigel-18 has no known connections to:
  (Thanos I#3) - Galactus tapped into Rigel-18's molten core, releasing and directing unidentifiable energies into his orbiting parabolic transmitter. Thanos knew not what the energies were being converted into. Nonetheless, he watched with fascination as the transformation appeared to be complete and the energies were transmitted into the heart of Rigel-18's sun. Appreciating that the energies were radically altering the star's structural integrity and causing its mass to increase dramatically, Thanos concluded that Galactus was causing the star to go nova. Thanos then had his ship, Sanctuary, rapidly depart the star
system, just before the sun went nova. As Thanos watched, Galactus transported himself to the core of the exploding star. Thanos then had his computer conduct a full spectrum scan of the star 1857-C, which allowed him to detect an interdimensional aberration materializing at the dying star's heart. Thanos appreciated that the star had been chosen as it was a pulsar with highly unique qualities, and he reasoned that this opening could only be created under strictly limited conditions. Galactus then reached through the portal into Reality-93060 and retrieved the skeleton of Rune, with an Infinity Gem (apparently the Space Gem; see comments) on its sternum, after which Galactus teleported back into his ship. Background radiation prevented Thanos from identifying what Galactus had obtained. --Thanos I#3 |
images: (without ads)
Thanos I#2, story pg. 15-16 (Galactus' mechanisms on Rigel-18);
#3, pg. 16, panel 1 (tapping the core);
panel 4 (beaming energies into the sun);
pg. 19, panel 2 (Galactus in star 1857-C);
#6, pg. 8, panel 1 (crashing into Rigel-3)
Appearances:
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)
Thanos I#4 (March, 2004) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Thanos I#5 (April, 2004) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Thanos I#6 (April, 2004) - Jim Starlin (writer/penciler), Al Milgrom
(inker), Marc Sumerak, Andy Schmidt & Nicole Wiley (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
First posted: 03/26/2022
Last updated: 03/26/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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