Marvel Comic books are a record of the life and times of Earth’s superheroes delivered to us for our enjoyment. But in this fictional universe exists a race of people recording everything that happens. They are the Watchers. One, in particular, is responsible for watching over Earth, his name is Uatu. You may be familiar with him as he was introduced in Fantastic Four #13 (1963) by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee–and he subsequently served as a narrator for multiple stories he observed from his home in the Blue Area of the Moon.
Who are The Watchers?
A highly evolved and ancient species in the multiverse, the Watchers are a peaceful and intellectually advanced species, and their society is built around the concept of non-interference. They believe that knowledge is the key to enlightenment, and they have dedicated themselves to observing and recording the events of the universe. It was not always the case. They tried to help another race by giving away technology which led to a catastrophe.
They learned from that mistake and took a vow to avoid repeating it. Nevertheless, one of them broke that vow in order to help Earth’s heroes. His name is Uatu.
Uatu The Watcher Who Does More Than Watching
We wouldn’t be here today, talking about Uatu the Watcher, if he hadn’t decided to change his way and intervene. Galactus would have destroyed the Earth, the Marvel Universe would have perished. The End. The first time the Fantastic Four met Uatu, they impressed him to the point he decided to not erase their memories–his usual modus operandi. After that, he warned the FF about the coming of Molecule Man and even dealt with the menace himself once the dust settled.
But Uatu’s most memorable act during that period was when he intervened to stop himself a major event from happening. He tried to prevent the Silver Surfer from bringing Galactus, the planet-devourer, to the Earth. Then he helped the Human Torch to find what he needed to win the fight.
All of Uatu’s interventions were not commendable. His opposition to Captain Marvel even led him to face his own people who realized they needed to address his constant oath-breaking ways. He only regains his liberty by promising to not intervene again. And for a long time, he just observed, even if he occasionally was put at the center of conflicts–as Abraxas came after him to know where to find a powerful weapon.
Behold The Watcher’s Powers
Uatu, like other Watchers, is immortal. He also masters vast psionic abilities which help him to change his appearance, sense what is happening almost everywhere on Earth, and more. He can fly, manipulate energies, project illusions, and even communicate via telepathy. Of course, he is highly intelligent and can travel through hyperspace, otherwise he couldn’t do what he does.
All of that didn’t stop his death–it was at the igniting event for the Original Sin crossover. That said, in the Marvel Universe, almost nobody stays dead forever. Following the “Empyre” storyline, he is brought back to life and delivered a warning that a war is coming. He tries to find help to stop it, but the Watchers do not and will not intervene. It is then that a scenario of what the Earth would look like if he hadn’t acted against Galactus so many years ago, but the reality is not what he thought in the first place and his resolution is stronger than ever.
You can still count on one rebel Watcher to do more than watching.
Uatu The Watcher: Recommended Reading
If you’re interested in reading stories featuring the character, you may want to take a look at the Fantastic Four, especially the original Galactus trilogy by Lee and Kirby ( Fantastic Four #48-50) and the Over-Mind storyline (FF #113-116). The Captain Marvel #39 from the Mar-Vell era. And for an alternate version of the character, you could take a look at Earth X Trilogy.