As it turns out, Robert's suspicions about Earth's Dimensional Consciousness weren't misplaced. The moment Robert began disappearing and reappearing during his trips to the Void, Earth's Dimensional Consciousness had already sensed his failure to locate the Celestials.
In an effort to divert the Avengers' and Robert's attention—or perhaps simply to keep the heat off itself—Earth's Dimensional Consciousness decided to unleash some of its hidden "assets."
These so-called "monsters" are known as Deviants, a species created by the Celestials. To allow for greater variability and potential within the species, the Celestials intentionally made the Deviants' DNA highly unstable and prone to mutation.
The Celestials' expertise in genetic engineering is unparalleled, considering they are responsible for sparking life and civilization in countless galaxies. Within this cosmological framework, Eternity created the Celestials, and the Celestials, in turn, created life and civilizations, making them akin to the gods of countless mythologies.
However, Deviants were not the only race created by the Celestials on Earth. They also created the Eternals. Both races were essentially tools—living instruments designed to accelerate the development of civilizations.
Yes, tools. It's reminiscent of an old saying: "Angels and demons were created by God to maintain balance." The Celestials literally play this trope, manipulating opposing forces to spur progress.
Due to their unstable DNA, the Deviants are inherently aggressive toward all other life forms, even among their own kind. They harbor no familial bonds and are prone to infighting. A father and son Deviant could look entirely different and feel no connection to each other.
The Deviants' purpose is straightforward: they create crises by attacking and preying on humanity, forcing human civilization to advance under pressure and threat.
But why had the Deviants never been seen on Earth before? Why hadn't even Kamar-Taj heard of them? The answer is simple: they were nearly exterminated long ago.
Unbeknownst to the Celestials, Earth turned out to be an extraordinary anomaly. From the earliest days of human civilization, Earth had been a hotspot for all manner of supernatural forces and beings. The Deviants never even got the chance to become a significant threat—they were promptly dealt with by the gods of the Age of Myth.
Of course, the gods didn't realize these creatures were the Celestials' creations. They simply assumed they were demons or beasts and destroyed them accordingly.
With the Deviants wiped out, the Eternals—meant to play the role of angels and defenders of humanity—became redundant. Even after the Celestials forcibly ended the Age of Myth, the Eternals never had a chance to emerge. Earth continued to produce its own defenders: superheroes, mystics from Kamar-Taj, and various other guardians.
Over time, the Eternals on Earth fell into a state of hibernation under the influence of the Celestials' power, while the Deviants were subdued and ceased to grow as a population.
However, this was a unique situation limited to Earth. Across the universe, the Eternals were actively fulfilling their role as guardians of civilizations, helping to guide and protect them. Their purpose was to ensure that the civilizations they guarded reached the necessary conditions to nurture a new Celestial to "hatch" from within their planets.
Interestingly, the Eternals were exactly what Robert had previously speculated—a race created by the Celestials to monitor and intervene on Earth. The only reason they hadn't been discovered before was that they'd been in a deep slumber.
Now, with the Celestials having fled this universe, Earth's Dimensional Consciousness had taken it upon itself to awaken both the Eternals and the Deviants. To ensure the Deviants posed a real threat, the Consciousness artificially enhanced their power, making them far stronger than the Eternals.
At the same time, the Consciousness tampered with the Eternals' memories, implanting them with the belief that they were superheroes meant to protect Earth.
This was a calculated move. Given the Eternals' lack of historical presence on Earth, Earth's Dimensional Consciousness was confident they could seamlessly integrate into Earth's current chaotic state.
From the Consciousness's perspective, the Avengers were still outcasts, reviled by humanity despite the recent Galactus incident. It was likely the Avengers would remain reclusive, leaving a power vacuum for the Eternals to fill. After all, if even a "bootleg" superhero group like the Seven from Vought could gain public favor, how could the Eternals—backed by the legacy of the Celestials—fail to succeed?
What the Dimensional Consciousness underestimated was the Avengers' vigilance. It was nearly impossible to hide anything from them, let alone both the Avengers and Kamar-Taj at the same time.
The sudden emergence of powerful individuals who clearly belonged to the same group was a glaring red flag to the Avengers.
"These monsters are strong, but these other newcomers are just as powerful. Judging by their attire, they seem to be part of the same group," Tony Stark commented as the Avengers deployed across the globe.
After leaving the Savage Lands, the team split up to combat the Deviants. Real-time surveillance footage of the events played in the HUDs of several Avengers' suits, allowing them to exchange observations.
"Yeah, they seem more like a proper Avengers replacement than those clowns in Vought's Seven. That one guy with the laser eyes? He's more Kryptonian than Homelander could ever hope to be!"
"He's not Kryptonian," Robert interjected, delivering a devastating punch that obliterated a Deviant. "His energy signature is entirely different. In fact, their energy signatures are all strikingly similar to one another…"
Robert wasn't in a rush to wipe out the Deviants entirely. The Galactus incident was still fresh, and most people were still hunkered down in shelters, waiting to see if the danger had truly passed.
Under these circumstances, the Deviants hadn't caused significant casualties yet. What intrigued Robert more was the peculiar distribution of the Eternals. Each region seemed to have exactly one Eternal, and the Deviants appeared to instinctively prioritize targeting them, as though they harbored some deep-seated hatred.
In truth, the Deviants and Eternals on Earth didn't have a direct history of animosity. However, across the broader universe, the two species were natural enemies—like angels and demons. This enmity was encoded in their very DNA, a feature the Dimensional Consciousness had exploited.
Despite enhancing the Deviants' power, the Consciousness didn't want them to wreak too much havoc on Earth. Its ultimate goal was still the rapid growth of Earth's population and civilization, and excessive casualties would be counterproductive.
"Who's that guy? He doesn't seem to be part of the new group," Tony suddenly asked, bringing up footage of a golden-clad figure wreaking havoc on the Deviants with incredible efficiency.
It was Sentry.
After the Galactus incident, Sentry had lingered around the solar system, uncertain about whether to return to Earth. He feared another cosmic threat might descend upon the planet.
Only after Silver Surfer confirmed that Galactus had retreated did Sentry feel comfortable heading back. Even then, his newfound humility kept him cautious.
Upon arriving, he quickly detected the Deviants and decided to intervene. Having faced Galactus, Sentry knew he wasn't the strongest being in the universe—but these Deviants were far from his level. He dispatched them with ease, proving to be one of the most effective defenders against the threat.
Meanwhile, the Eternals were observing the battlefield just as closely as the Avengers were observing them.
"Are these the Avengers? Their strength is impressive," one of the Eternals remarked, though their focus quickly shifted to Sentry. "But that one—his power is extraordinary."
"Tch! He's not that strong," Ikaris scoffed, his pride stung. "If I weren't holding back, he wouldn't stand a chance!"
Ikaris considered himself the strongest of the Eternals. If not for Ajak's authority as their leader—and her unique ability to communicate with the Celestials—he would've challenged her leadership long ago.
The Eternals were already beginning to show cracks in their unity. Though they had been programmed with reset memories, their differing personalities and ideologies were bound to cause rifts over time.
For now, they followed Ajak's lead. She had convinced them that their mission was to destroy the Deviants and publicly declare their presence as Earth's protectors.
"Humanity has faced far too many crises. Remaining in the shadows is no longer an option," Ajak declared in a transmitted message to her team. "Once we've eradicated the Deviants, we'll stand before humanity as their saviors, leading them into a brighter future."
Her words stirred a sense of purpose among the Eternals, though they remained unaware of their true history—or lack thereof.
As the Avengers, Kamar-Taj, the Eternals, Sentry, Silver Surfer, and even the remnants of Vought's Seven worked together, the Deviants were swiftly eradicated.
Like their brief resurgence in ancient times, the Deviants were extinguished as quickly as they had appeared—leaving no lasting trace on Earth.
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