"I want the Orb for my collection very much. It is such a deliciously potent object."
―Taneleer Tivan[src]
The Orb is an artifact that contains one of the six Infinity Stones. Appearing billions of years ago as a remnant of one of six singularities, the Infinity Stone within it is a powerful weapon capable of granting a person great, cosmic power, but is highly likely to kill any organic beings that touch it. It was coveted by Thanos, who employed the Kree warrior Ronan the Accuser to bring it to him. However, before Ronan obtained the Orb, it was stolen by Star-Lord on Morag, prompting a galaxy-wide hunt that resulted in the Orb being given to the Nova Corps for safe-keeping. The Orb represents Power.

Contents[show]
History
Origin
Power Stone-Clean
The Power Stone
The Power Stone is a remnant of one of the six singularities which existed before the universe. After the universe came into existence, the Cosmic Entities used the energies of these singularities to forge six immensely powerful objects known as Infinity Stones. Hence its name, the Power Stone represented the destructive nature of the universe, and was incredibly powerful, capable of annihilating entire planets.[1]

Unification
In the distant past, the stone was used by the Celestials as a means of placing judgment upon worlds and their populaces. However, the stone was just as dangerous to its handler as it was to the societies against which it was used, as its insufficiently powerful handlers were destroyed by its power.[1]

Containment Device
Infinity Orb
The first Orb.
Millennia after its creation, the Power Stone was used by nine Cosmic Beings who linked themselves together. However, the effects were short-lived, as the energy of the stone disintegrated all nine beings after a few moments. Eventually the Orb was hidden with the stone stored inside, on the planet Morag, storing it in a secret tomb that was hidden beneath the planet's vast ocean. The ocean would recede every 300 years, making the tomb accessible.[2]

Quest for the Orb
KorathGrabTheOrb-GOTG
Millions of years later, the Orb became the desired object of various different parties. Thanos and his allies, the Kree fanatic Ronan the Accuser, Korath the Pursuer, Nebula, and Gamora had been seeking it for some time, and traveled to Praxius IX under false leads. Taneleer Tivan also sought to add the Orb to his collection, and hired Gamora to betray Thanos and give it to him.[2] Peter Quill, a member of the Ravagers, discovered the Orb's location on Morag, but just as he recovered it from the tomb, he was attacked by minions of Korath. Barely escaping from the attackers, Quill took the Orb to Xandar where he had made a deal to sell it through the Broker. However, when the Broker learned that Ronan also desired the Orb, he refused to take it, fearing for his life.

Quill was then attacked by Gamora and the criminal duo of Rocket Raccoo...

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