Editorial: You, Me, and the Multiverse

To put it simply, the universe is an extremely complicated place. Over the last hundred years or so, our understanding of the rules and principles of the universe have increased significantly, but we’re still in the dark about a lot of things too. We’re still figuring out how the universe expands, and how it even got started. Things gets even more complicated if this whole multiverse idea is true.

I wonder how different each iteration is? Could I get a loan
from a me that's won the Lottery?

The easiest way to put it is that, according to the theory, we exist in one version of reality, one that exists on a continuum of countless (but sometimes countable) parallel universes. Each possible reality would have some similar elements, and some pretty jarring differences. Because this is largely a philosophical theory, the rules seem to change pretty drastically sometimes, but for simplicities sake I’ll stick with the most common version, that there are an infinite number of parallel worlds, and essentially if you can imagine it, that universe exists. Watch an episode of The Adventures of Rick and Morty if you want to see how weird things can get.

This is some complicated stuff, so I’ll try and break it down a little more. I exist because of a choice. My Great-Great Grandparents (mother’s father’s family) immigrated to America around the turn of the last century. Great-Great Grandma and pa Neary already had a decent sized family at the time, we’re Irish, enough said, but decided to have another child because (To quote my Grandpa Jack) “They wanted a Yankee.” This choice led to my Great-Grandmother Irene, to my Grandpa Jack, to my mom, and then to me. As well as over a hundred other folks. Again, Irish. While I’m happy with these results, according to the Multiverse idea, there is a version of reality, heck hundreds of versions, that didn’t turn out that way. There are versions of reality where my G-G Grandparents were happy with the number of kids they had, so they didn’t try for another. Ones where the young Irene Narry died in infancy, or adolescence, or adulthood. Ones where Irene Neary never met Raymond Arland and thus never had my Grandpa Jack and his siblings. One choice, one person, and yet a lot of people are effected by the existence of said person. And all of your lives become a little emptier because you don’t have me to fill your heads with knowledge.

Lots and lots of Supermen.

You’re probably asking yourself why this bit of info on my family tree is important. Because it is. Comic books, and like 95% of sci fi, follow this chain of thought, that there are multiple iterations of reality that exist outside of the one the characters live in. They’ve all done it, X-men, Spider-man, the Avengers, Superman, Batman, the Justice League, all the rest of Marvel and DC and their related franchises, the various Star Treks, Adventure Time, The Adventures of Rick and Morty, Gargoyles, and Darkwing Duck (to name a few) have all dabbled with the concept of parallel worlds. Usually to show an evil parallel universe where the heroes are the bad guys, the bad guys are the good guys, and everyone is screwed. This is called a “Mirror Universe” and things can get pretty messed up. You can’t tell me you’ve never wondered what an Evil Superman would do. Or an evil Batman. God that scares me more than an Evil Superman. For good reason.

The best example of the Mirror Universe idea is in the DC animated film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. In it, a good Lex Luthor from a parallel world escapes the evil Justice League of his universe, known as the Crime Syndicate, by jumping between parallel dimensions. He arrives in a good DC Universe and enlists the help of Superman, Batman and the League to fight their evil counter parts Ultraman, Owlman, and the Syndicate. As the movie progresses the parallel worlds angle gets more important as it’s discovered the evil Owlman is attempting to do something bat-shit insane. Feeling that an infinite number of parallel worlds makes life meaningless, he intends on locating the “Original Earth” and setting off a super bomb that would destroy Earth Prime and hopefully cause a chain reaction that would destroy all other parallel worlds. He feels this matters because it’s the only logical action that wouldn’t result in the creation of a new parallel world. Because, you know, no more worlds. Crazy little jerk, isn’t he?

From center right, Ultraman, Owlman
Superwoman and Johnny Quick.

Another important use of the parallel world idea as it relates to the Superhero media is that its another way to bring back dead characters. A character dies, everyone who knows him/her is sad for a while, they move on, and once the grieving process is finished the character is replaced by an exact duplicate from a parallel world. This copy, or alternate version, had a very similar life and background, gets along fine with their new team just as well as their own home team and everyone’s happy. I think they did this to the Blob, but don’t quote me on that. Writers are always finding ways to bring dead heroes and villains back, and I have to admit that this is one of the more unique ways to do it. Better than a clone, crazed look alike, or some other faking death scenario for the umpteenth time.

Another reason to use the multiverse idea is that it allows us to explore the big “What if’s” that exist in comics. What if Spider-man had saved Gwen Stacey? What if Superman was raised in Communist Russia? What if Bruce Banner was never exposed to Gamma Radiation? What if Batman never lost his parents? And so on. The end result is usually pretty awful. For example, Spider-man marries Gwen, but then immediately has to go on the run because the still alive Goblin tells the world Spider-man is Peter Parker. Not good. The scary ass USSR Superman helps the Soviet Union conquer Earth, has a change of heart in the end where he and a good Lex Luthor save the world, and then retires from public view to watch history literally repeat itself as Lex’s descendent Jor-L, living on an Earth where our Sun became a red giant, sends his only son back in time to 1938, making the whole things a giant self-contained predestination paradox. Also not good. Bruce Wayne and Bruce Banner live comfortable lives without their super identifies but always seem to get tied up in crises whenever they pop up. Meh, their lives are more boring now.  Very different worlds, no? These are all short lived, “What If” stories, they take it to the next level with the Marvel Ultimate Universe and DC’s the New Fifty Two.

They're bringing everybody.

The Ultimate Universe is described as a more realistic universe. Ages are changed, events happen differently, and the big thing, death is permanent. Thor, Beast, and Peter Parker are the three most prominent deaths of this reality. The New Fifty Two created several separate universes, one of which includes only the Golden Age heroes Jay Garrick, Alan Scott and their buddies, in their own universe. No Superman, no Batman, no other Flashes, no GL Corps. Makes for a very different universe. This allows us to see characters in a new light, as well as create entirely new heroes, like the Ultimate Universe favorite Miles Morales the Ultimate Spider-man. It also puts heroes in more… difficult scenarios, like the Ultimate version of Captain America having to fight and overcome a series of doubts created by the Vietnam era Captain America, Frank Simpson. Rather dark stuff. A more lighthearted series that I believe started just a few weeks ago is entitled Spider-Gwen. In this version of reality, Gwen Stacey is bitten by the radioactive Spider instead of Peter Parker and becomes the Web Head. I really hope they don’t do a role reversal thrown to death bit. That’d be a little too messed up.

I have slain... me. Confusing.

There have been instances of traveling between dimensions, Peter Parker has worked several times with alternate Spider-men, and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four even has a council of Reeds from across the multiverse. Huh, really Reed? Don’t want to include a couple of Hank Pym’s, Hank McCoy’s, Peter Parker’s, T’Challa’s, or a few of the less Narcissistic Tony Starks? Just Reeds? Okay. Peter had fun with his alternate versions, even bonded with and posthumously forgave Miles Morales for the Ultimate Universe Peter Parker’s death in one outing. And when he got back home he was quite heartbroken to discover something awful had befallen the Miles of his own universe. They never expressly say what happened to the main universe’s Miles, but I think it’s safe to say he is not among the living. Sad stuff. And then there is Deadpool, who traveled to a parallel Marvel Earth and killed everyone.

Yep, I Un-Alived the Marvel Universe. All of your favorite heroes skewered on my twin katana. Or blown to bits with my bullets. Or just otherwise horribly killed in ways that only my twisted brain could conceive. Hooray me!

They had all been turned into evil self-aware Zombies.

Don’t diminish my exploits with Facts. They still had their superpowers. And while Zombie Spidey was still a whiner, (boohoo, he ate Mary Jane. YOU ATE A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN HER PARKER, show some respect!) he did try to eat my face. How terrifying is that? I got to end them all, Captain America, Spider-man, Hulk, Wolverine, myself. How many chances does someone get to end an evil version of themselves?

Most people, few. You… Isn’t one of your bad guys an evil version of yourself made of stitched together parts you “lost?”

Yeah, it’s fun fighting him. And a little confusing, not going to lie.

That enough screen time for ya?

Honestly, I want to hear the story behind Chunky
Reed Richards.

For now. I’ll go take care of that Parasite fella then. I need to stay out of arms reach or he’ll take my powers and get a glimpse into my cracked mirror. To do this, I’ll use my new Rocket Launcher, Betsy.

Don’t use the rocket launcher. I want you to make it hurt, not kill him, or people in the surrounding area.

Fine, I’ll use my new sniper rifle, Helen.

You do that. Good luck Deadpool. He’s so easy to manipulate sometimes. Back on task.

This Multiverse could also help ya’ll reconcile the fact that Batman and Spider-man are once again going to be in a new set of movies that do not relate to their existing movie franchises. The Dark Knight movie trilogy, the original Spider-man, and the old school Batman could be considered to exist in their own separate universes. Places where A. there are no other superheroes, or B. they just haven’t met them yet. If you care about that sort of thing, if you don’t continue with your “it’s just a movie mentality.”

There you have it, a small explanation of the Multiverse, and why it’s important to Superheroes. I hope you enjoyed my ramblings. So the next time you feel miserable about your life, just remember there could be several worse alternatives. I’d hate to be the me living in a nuclear wasteland after WW3, or the me living in Nazi controlled America, or the me that snapped, killed someone and is now in prison. It’s all about perspective folks. Next time, I’ll cover Thor’s first replacement, Beta Ray Bill. It’s going to get weird.

http://listverse.com/2013/02/22/10-mind-bending-implications-of-the-many-worlds-theory/

 http://www.comicvine.com/images/1300-3037230

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League:_Crisis_on_Two_Earths
 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533184043359958704/
 http://www.comicvine.com/zombie-deadpool/4005-33654/
 http://marvel.wikia.com/Interdimensional_Council_of_Reeds_%28Multiverse%29