Nexus Beings are some of the most powerful and unpredictable figures in the Marvel Universe. They’re beings who possess the ability to affect the surrounding universe — and in the process, the future itself. That, naturally, makes them key figures in the progression of the time stream. There is supposedly only one true Nexus Being within each reality in the multiverse. With their varied abilities and techniques, Nexus Beings can cause entire shifts in the universe, and could even use their powers to cause massive shifts in the multiverse itself.
With hints toward Nexus entities appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in WandaVision and Loki, it’s worth remembering which figures from across the Marvel Universe are considered such powerhouses — and what they’ve already done to affect reality.
Scarlet Witch
A former villain and longtime Avenger, Wanda Maximoff is one of the most powerful people in the core Marvel Universe. Wanda draws her magical skills from her innate ability to control Chaos Magic, allowing her to alter reality. As a result, her Hex Bolts affect probability in all forms, and can essentially do whatever she needs them to do. Wanda’s abilities have allowed her to shift reality around her with ease — such as when she de-powered the majority of the mutant race in the aftermath of House of M. She’s considered the Nexus Being of Earth-616, giving her an intrinsic connection to her universe itself. Other versions of the Scarlet Witch from across the multiverse (such as the women known as Lore and Eleyn) were also Nexus beings.
Kang the Conqueror
Nathaniel Richards, aka Kang the Conqueror, is one of the more confounding foes of the Avengers. A time traveler from the 30th century, and a distant descendant of Reed Richards (and possibly Doctor Doom), Kang hails from Earth-6311. In a technologically advanced world, Nathaniel grew to become one of his world’s most impressive inventors. Discovering a time machine, Kang set out to create an empire that spanned space and time — only for his most frequent foes, the heroes of Earth-616, to be constant thorns in his side. Thanks to his technological advancements, Kang can affect entire realities and the ways they’re supposed to play out.
Merlyn
The Merlin of the Marvel Universe has an origin shrouded in mystery. A master mystic who reached the magical realm of Otherworld, Merlyn became a crucial guardian of the omniverse. At the heights of his powers, he possesses the ability to shift entire worlds. It was through him and his daughter, Roma, that the Captain Britain Corps was assembled, serving as multiversal protectors. He was a frequent ally of the original Excalibur, although he also frequently manipulated the team. Most recently, Merlyn returned to Otherworld, and feuded once more with his daughter. That resulted in him becoming the king of his own personal faction of Otherworld, the Holy Republic of Fae.
Sise-Neg
Sise-Neg hailed from the 31st century of his reality, Earth-74113. This was a world where humanity had largely mastered magic, and, as a result, drained the universe of much of its mystical energy. Traveling into the past, and across realities, to gather then-unclaimed magical forces, Sise-Neg came up against Doctor Strange and Baron Mordo of Earth-616. Strange then followed Sise-Neg across the timeline as he stole mystical energy, part of his mission to absorb enough power to change the universe. But after draining power from even the likes of Shuma-Gorath, Sise-Neg gained a level of omniscience and decided the universe should carry on as it did before his interference — restoring Earth-616.
Lore and Eleyn
The concept of Nexus Beings played a central role in 1994’s Scarlet Witch miniseries by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, John Higgins and Mark McKenna. The evil Lore was essentially a variant of the Scarlet Witch who tried to take over other dimensions by killing their Nexus beings with her innumerable magical abilities. While she summoned many different types of demons to help her, she also possessed Eleyn, the nexus being of the Amazar dimension, and used up her power until her death. Ultimately, the Scarlet Witch was able to defeat Lore and helped the souls she absorbed attain their final peace.
Leonard Tibbit
While Leonard Tibbit might not have an impressive alter ego, this Avengers villain proved why he’s strong enough to be considered a Nexus Being in his 1972 debut in Avengers #101, by Harlan Ellison, Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler. Given immense cosmic powers by the Watcher, Tibbit committed a series of murders that he believed were essential to stopping a nuclear apocalypse. In reality, the Watcher sent him down that path to attract the Avengers’ attention. After the Avengers stopped him, the Watcher revealed that Tibbit was the true threat.
Vision, Odin, Jean Grey and Franklin Richards Variants
The “Timequake” storyline from Marvel’s What If? focused on Nexus Beings from across other realities, and how they were targeted by the Time-Masters. Recruiting a version of Immortus to move between realities and siphon away the power of the Nexus Beings, others remained across the multiverse. They included Frankin Richards of Earth-772, Vision of Earth-90110, Phoenix of Earth-9250, and Odin of Earth-9260. While this Vision had appeared as a peaceful conqueror of humanity in an earlier issue of What If?, the other variants debuted in this issue.
Notably, Nexus Beings were capable of bringing about the destruction of the Time-Keepers. They created so much chaos that Uatu the Watcher had to work with the TVA to preserve the multiverse.
