Out among the endless expanse of the cosmos, some of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful entities exist on a level that is almost unfathomable. From the massive and menacing Galactus to the likes of the living planet Ego, it seems as if there is nothing that doesn’t call the stars home. Unfortunately, no amount of celestial majesty could ever make up for the abject horrors that also call the depths of space their home. This is especially true when it comes to the cosmic horrors that hail from the farthest corners of the Multiverse, most of all the Phoenix devouring Goblin Force.
First seen in the pages of 1998’s Mutant X #4 by Howard Mackie and Tom Raney, the Goblin Force was an unstoppable entity with its origins in an alternate version of the Marvel Universe. After swapping places with another version of himself, Alex Summers, better known as the mutant hero Havok, found himself inhabiting a world where he had no family to help him in his journey as a young mutant. As such, Alex was left to help found the X-Men alongside Magneto and Charles Xavier. As the years went on, Havok would leave the team to form X-Factor, later known as the Six. It was during this time in his life when Havok was called upon by the government to battle one of their enemies, leaving his wife Madelyne Pryor to fall victim to the Goblin Force alone.
Marvel’s Goblin Force was Stronger Than the Phoenix
Rather than being twisted by the demons of Limbo to become the Goblin Queen like her counterpart from the Primary Marvel Universe, this Madelyne Pryor had that mantle thrust upon her by the unfathomable influence of the Goblin Force. This entity had previously preyed upon the Phoenix Force, and even the Devourer of Worlds. During its ancient assault on reality, the Goblin Force consumed entire galaxies, and would only be stopped by an army of Celestials, though even they could not destroy it. Despite not having any infernal origins of its own, the Goblin Force was more than capable of transforming Madelyne into its living vessel on Earth, and in turn using her to take control of nearly every hero on Earth.
It was only thanks to the primary Alex Summers inhabiting the body of a version of himself who was a living Nexus of All Realities that the Goblin Force was ultimately banished. As seen in 2001’s Mutant X #32 by Howard Mackie and Ron Lim, Havok managed to use this impossible power to not only save Madelyne, but to force a Goblin Force imbued Beyonder into exile outside of anyone’s reach. While this saga was certainly exciting for the time, the convoluted nature of the story and often tired parallels to the characters’ primary timelines has seen in relegated to abject obscurity, and that’s something the main Marvel Universe can be thankful for.
The Ultimate Fate of Marvel’s Goblin Force
Rather than providing any lasting influence as a concept or character, the Goblin Force was only ever a means by which another story could be brought to its supernatural conclusion. Havok’s status as a Nexus being is something that has largely been forgotten along with the Goblin Force. While that aspect of his character has been touched on in other titles, it was never something that was written to last. Of course, if it had been, then there would need to be a more concrete conclusion to the stories that were tied to it, which would mean bringing the Goblin Force back in some form or fashion.
On its own, the Goblin Force isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but it isn’t a necessary one, either. With so many cosmic entities like the Phoenix already inhabiting the Marvel Universe, not to mention having already established their own footholds within it, the Goblin Force would be little more than a footnote even if it made the leap to the main timeline. Considering how complicated doing so would be in the first place, it truly is best that the Goblin Force hasn’t made a comeback, and that it probably never will.
