Elders of the Universe

The Elders of the Universe are a group of supervillains in Marvel Comics, each the last survivor of their respective race, some of the first intelligent races to evolve in the universe. Each Elder has gained near-immortality through their obsession with a specific pursuit and cosmic powers and knowledge related to that pursuit. They are not true cosmic entities, but all have achieved some level of cosmic power. The Elders rarely associate with each other outside of the Grandmaster's schemes. They initially appeared as individual characters before being defined as a group. Some notable Elders include the Collector, the Grandmaster, the Champion, the Gardener, and the Contemplator. They have clashed with Earth's heroes, such as the Avengers, multiple times and have attempted to reshape the universe by killing Galactus. Despite their immense power, they are often driven by their obsessions and foiled in their various schemes. While they are usually not aligned, they have occasionally joined together for common goals, such as vying for the Infinity Gems or competing in contests of champions.