Warning: contains spoilers for The Incredible Hulk #3!Hulk’s newest villain is the most powerful in the Marvel Universe – and it is not even close. Marvel’s new Incredible Hulk title is returning the character to his horror-based roots, introducing chilling new supernatural menaces. One of these new foes the Jade Giant will take on is the Mother of Horrors, and in Incredible Hulk #3, readers learn she is powerful enough to fool even Marvel’s most powerful character.
The Incredible Hulk #3, part two of “That Old-Time Religion,” is written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, drawn by Nic Klein, colored by Matthew Wilson and lettered by Cory Petit. The Hulk has been targeted by the Eldest, who seeks to bring back the Mother of Horrors.
A text piece at the end of the issue, titled “The Remembrances of Eldest Udru, ‘Brother Deep,’' reveals the horrifying truth the Mother of Horrors – and it stretches all the way back to the beginnings of the Marvel Universe and the One-Above-All.
The Mother of Horrors Is Marvel's Newest, Most Powerful Villain
According to the text piece in Incredible Hulk #3, creation began with the One-Above-All – except for the Mother of Horrors, which “sprang from no creator, only from itself.” The Mother came to resent the One-Above-All, and swore the One would have no dominion on Earth. The Mother of Horrors hid the planet from the One-Above-All, and created the demon Udru. Eventually, the One-Above-All discovered the ruse, killed Udru, and rid Earth of the Mother. Still, the Mother's feat was truly impressive, as the One-Above-All is essentially Marvel’s God. The Marvel Universe is full of powerful cosmic beings, such as Eternity, the Living Tribunal, and the In-Betweener, but they exist under the One-Above-All.
The Mother Of Horrors Toyed With Marvel's Most Powerful Character
The One-Above-All has made a handful of appearances, most notably in the recently-concluded Defenders Beyond, when the team traveled back to the First Cosmos – the first iteration of the Marvel Universe – and saw the One interact with its creations: the Celestials. The One is believed to be the highest power in the universe and the source of creation – but now the Hulk’s newest villain has been revealed to be powerful enough to fool the One. As the Mother of Horrors is able to essentially fool God, hiding an entire world from their purview, this is the clearest indication yet of how powerful she will be. '
The One-Above-All's presumably omnipotent and omniscient is tested by the fact that the Mother of Horrors was able to hide herself, and let Earth slip into degeneracy. The One-Above-All has its own antagonist in the One-Below-All, whose existence was revealed during Al Ewing's Immortal Hulk run. Meanwhile, Defenders Beyond implied there were forces even beyond the One-Above-All. Along with the Mother of Horrors, the One-Above-All clearly has its own rogue’s gallery. How the Mother of Horrors relates to Marvel’s grand cosmology will be revealed further as the current Incredible Hulk story arc progresses. It is possible she will have something to do with the return of the Elder Gods to the Marvel Universe.
The Elder Gods, ancient beings of great evil, are an integral part of Marvel’s history. Al Ewing, writing of Immortal Hulk, recently introduced the beings of the Utgard-Realm, who may be the returned Elder Gods. It could be that the Mother of Horrors is somehow tied into these Ur-Marvel entities. These beings would most certainly be in opposition to the One-Above-All, and the Mother of Horrors would certainly fit in with them. Whatever the case, the Hulk’s new villain is clearly one of Marvel’s most powerful, able to pull the wool over the eyes of its most powerful being.
The Incredible Hulk #3 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
