In 2023 Marvel has released a gnostic christian allegory. No not on Disney+, or in a comic, because the comic has been out since 1972. Its Guardians and the Galaxy volume 3 which is based on a 1972 Adam Warlock tale written by Roy Thomas.
Gnosticism for Beginners
The lens of Gnosticism interprets the gospel story in a certain way. The Jewish deity is seen as the bad creator, the Demiurge who is surpassed by the messianic Jesus. Gnosticism explains the shift from Judaism to Christianity without the complication of the Trinity. The gnostic explanation is a simpler narrative lighter on dogma and doctrine.
Gnosticism continues to hang on the fringes of Christianity. Mostly due to the similarities they both share, the strongest being salvation through personal spiritual revelation. The difference being that the Christian identifies through the revelation of Jesus and his salvation work on the cross.
The conflict of course is the Demiurge, the flawed or bad creator that Jesus comes to replace. It is a common theme. A cosmic conflict between good and bad with the creation caught between them. It fits so well into the binary of hero versus villain that is core to superhero comics.
The Power of Warlock
Inspired by Jesus Christ Superstar, Roy Thomas began his gnostic allegory in Marvel Premiere #1 The Power of Warlock. It faithfully follows a gnostic interpretation of the gospel. The High Evolutionary is the Demiurge, the evil Man-Beast is Satan and the perfect golden man Adam Warlock, is Jesus.
The High Evolutionary creates a Counter-Earth, the Man-Beast corrupts it and Adam Warlock saves it. The High Evolutionary has regrets about creating and wants to end this experiment. Warlock has to argue with the High Evolutionary and fight the Man-Beast at the same time. It leads to Warlock getting crucified. Of course he resurrects and devolves Man-Beast back into a fox.
Can You Pick the Gnostic Marvel Movie?
How much of this tale inspired James Gunn’s development of Guardians of the Galaxy volume 3 is questionable. While we may know allegories like C.S Lewis’ Narnia series, how many of us recognise the gnostic tale in media? Did you pick it in The Eternals?
Yes. The Eternals narrative is pretty much the same tale as Adam Warlock versus The High Evolutionary. In the Eternals the Celestials make worlds to grow new Celestials. When the Celestial hatches it consumes the life-force of the planet, this includes humanity. To save humanity Sersi must convince her fellow Eternals to kill the newly hatching Celestial. That’s right they have to kill their god.
As Christian’s we adhere to a narrative. As consumers we spend time reading and watching so many stories. How alert are we when reading these narratives? While I do enjoy good storytelling and assert that you can find God and the Gospel in many of them, was The Eternals a bridge too far?
Phillip Hall has been too long in Melbourne to see AFL in the same light as those back in Fremantle. East Fremantle born and bred, he would love to see the Dockers back in the eight. But would settle for just beating West Coast twice a year.
