Time Variance Authority

{{short description|Fictional organization appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics}}

{{Infobox comics organization

| image = Time Variance Authority.jpeg

| imagesize =

| caption = The Chronomonitors of the Time Variance Authority in the Halls of Chronometry being greeted by Mobius M. Mobius

| publisher = Marvel Comics

| debut = Thor #372 (October 1986)

| creators = {{Plainlist|

| type = {{Plainlist|

| organization = y

| base = Null-Time Zone

| owners = Mr. Alternity
He Who Remains

| employees = {{Plainlist|

Mobius M. Mobius
Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble
Mr. Ouroboros
Mr. Paradox
Mr. Tesseract
Minutemen
Chronomonitors}}

| fullroster =

| cat =

| subcat = Marvel Comics

| sortkey = Time Variance Authority

}}

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.

The TVA appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Disney+ series Loki (2021–2023), and the film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

Publication history

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) first appeared in Thor #372 (October 1986).Thor #372 (October 1986). Marvel Comics. Created by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema, the TVA originally paid homage to long-time Marvel writer/editor and continuity expert Mark Gruenwald: the TVA staff were all visually designed as clones of Gruenwald (the classification system for alternate realities—the Marvel multiverse—was devised, in part, by Gruenwald).{{cite web|url=http://www.marvunapp.com/list/appalte.htm#Rules |title=Alternate Earths |publisher=Marvunapp.com |access-date=2015-06-21}}

In July 2024, Marvel Comics announced the five-issue comic book series TVA, written by Loki season two writer Katharyn Blair with art by Pere Perez, to debut in December 2024. The series sees the comics' version of the TVA blended with the one established in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) along with the comics debut of some MCU characters. Blair called TVA her "comics interpretation" of the organization following Loki's sacrifice at the end of season two, calling the comic a "funny, in-between awesome space". The series features Mobius, O.B., Casey, B-15, and Miss Minutes from the series, along with comics characters who are stranded outside their timelines such as Jimmy Hudson, Captain Peggy Carter, a variant of Gambit, and stranded Earth-65 resident Gwen Stacy.{{Cite web |date=July 26, 2024 |title=SDCC 2024: Marvel Announces an All-New 'TVA' Comic Series |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/tva-comic-series-katharyn-blair-pere-perez-sdcc-2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130093547/https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/tva-comic-series-katharyn-blair-pere-perez-sdcc-2024 |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |access-date=February 6, 2025 |website=Marvel.com}}{{Cite AV media |author=The Official Marvel Podcast |date=December 11, 2024 |title=Creating What If...?, Inside the TVA, and More! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LestgxsoZY |access-date=February 6, 2025 |time=12:51–18:11 |publisher=Marvel Entertainment |via=YouTube}}

=Antecedents=

==Squadron Sinister/Squadron Supreme==

Writer Roy Thomas and Sal's brother, artist John Buscema, had previously explored the concept of a Marvel multiverse with Marvel's evil Justice League correlates, called the Squadron Sinister, in Avengers #69 (1969).Avengers vol. 1 #69 (October 1969). Marvel Comics. Thomas later introduced a heroic version of the Squadron Sinister named the Squadron Supreme, which first appeared in Avengers #85–86 (February–March 1971), and which was co-created with John Buscema.{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |date=2017 |publisher=DK |isbn=9781465455505 |page=148 |edition=Updated and expanded}}

In 1985–1986, Mark Gruenwald wrote a deconstructionist multiverse storyline featuring the Squadron Supreme in a self-titled twelve-issue limited series.Squadron Supreme #1–12 (Marvel Comics, Sept. 1985 – Aug. 1986).

==Captain Britain and the Dimensional Development Court==

The concept of a timeline monitoring organization had previously been explored in a Captain Britain story arc originally published in the Marvel UK series The Daredevils #6–8 (1983). Written by Alan Moore and Alan Davis, Captain Britain is brought outside of time to the Supreme Omniversal Tribunal in Eden Place to testify before Lord Mandragon, Majestrix of the Dimensional Development Court, on behalf of the former majestrix, Opal Luna Saturnyne. Saturnyne is accused of failing to protect the multiverse from the creation of a deviant version of Earth-238.The Daredevils #6–8 (June–August 1983). Marvel Comics.

Before Captain Britain's testimony, Mandragon declares that the Earth-238 universe must be "removed" from the multiverse before it destroys the continuums of the other universes.The Daredevils #7 (July 1983). Marvel Comics. Saturnyn's legal counsel, a faceless being referred to as Lord Chancellor, objects, as the destruction of the Earth-238 universe will destroy material evidence of Saturnyne's innocence. Lord Mandragon overrules the defense's objection, citing Ominversal Writ clause 723-801-(d). He then proceeds to remove the dangerous deviant timestream using crystal technology.ibid.

It is revealed during the trial that the prime Earth that exists in Marvel Comics is Earth-616. Because of this story, Alan Moore is usually credited with naming the mainstream Marvel Universe "Earth-616." However, Alan Davis has said that it was invented by Dave Thorpe, the previous writer of the UK-published Captain Britain stories.{{Cite web|url=http://www.marvel.com:80/blogs/Tom_Brevoort/entry/719|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211074823/http://www.marvel.com:80/blogs/Tom_Brevoort/entry/719|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-12-11|title=Marvel.com Blogs - Blah Blah Blog by Tom Brevoort|date=2008-12-11|access-date=2019-08-21}}

=TVA as homage to Gruenwald and Captain Britain=

While Captain Britain's 1983 story arc does not mention the Time Variance Authority, the Dimensional Development Court contains elements that were plainly retconned by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} and in subsequent incarnations (such as the TVA employees—chronomonitors—functioning and appearing in new universes in the same manner as the Captain Britain Corps). According to Mark Gruenwald's widow Catherine, Gruenwald's 1985 Squadron Supreme limited series was the work about which he was the proudest.See "Introduction" in Squadron Supreme (TPB, 352 pages, 1997, {{ISBN|078510576X}}). Marvel Comics.

Fictional background

The TVA claims responsibility for monitoring the multiverse and can prune timelines if they are deemed too dangerous to exist. They also take action to prevent other beings from altering the past or future. They were first seen allowing Justice Peace, a lawman from the future, to travel to the 20th century in order to stop the killer {{visible anchor|Zaniac}}. Peace is able to succeed in his mission thanks to the assistance of Thor.Thor #372 (October 1986). Marvel Comics.

Despite their claims,{{vague|date=January 2024}} the TVA's influence over time is not absolute. The scope of their influence is bordered by Alioth in the distant past as well as Kang the Conqueror, the Delubric Consortium, and Revelation at different eras throughout the timescape.Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #3 (Nov. 1993). Marvel Comics. There have also been numerous incidents of time travel or reality tampering where the TVA has failed to interfere.

At the End of Time, the last Director of the TVA, known as He Who Remains, creates the Time-Keepers, the last three beings who exist in the remaining timeline in the universe, who subsequently enslave Immortus. The process also ends up creating the Time Twisters, a trio of beings who imperiled all realities until stopped by Thor and other members of the Avengers.

The TVA are next seen using the law-firm that She-Hulk works for. Jurors for cases are plucked from time soon before they actually die, minimizing the effects on the time stream. This also establishes the tendencies for time-travelers to go through genetic scrambling, also to minimize the effect on the time-stream. Notably, the scrambling tends to cause similar appearances among various males who undergo the process. A defendant who is found guilty in one of these trials is executed with a weapon called the Retroactive Cannon, or Ret-Can (a reference to retroactive continuity, or "retcon", a practice used by storytellers to add previously unknown material to an event or remove previously established material from an event in a previous story), which erases the victim, deleting their existence from the universe by undoing their birth and entire history. She-Hulk herself was handed this harsh sentence, but it was overturned as a reward when she helped defeat the villain Clockwise.She-Hulk vol. 2, #1-4 (Dec. 2005–Mar. 2006). Marvel Comics.

During the "Venom War" storyline, the Time Variance Authority arrives following a fight with the Zombiotes to bring in Jimmy Hudson because he is from another universe. When Deadpool mentions a multiversal threat, Mobius M. Mobius disappears with Jimmy and the TVA agents stating that it's not his department.Venom War: Deadpool #3. Marvel Comics.

Employees

Lower-ranked TVA employees, called Chronomonitors, are literally faceless. They are created artificially, using "quantum technology". The moment a new reality appears, a new faceless agent is created to monitor it, along with the necessary equipment (a personal computer-like device, plus a desk and a chair) to do so. Cloned managers of the Chronomonitors resemble Mark Gruenwald—and, later, Tom DeFalco—both longtime Marvel Comics writers. The most frequent recurring manager is Mobius M. Mobius, a Gruenwald clone.Fantastic Four Annual #24 (1991).

On occasion, the TVA hires mercenaries for use in the more dangerous missions, such as Justice Peace and Death's Head. These mercenaries often lose limbs which the TVA replaces with clunky robotic parts. Another example of their seemingly anachronistic technology is a time machine shaped like an old locomotive. Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble, a pastiche of the Doctor,Power Man and Iron Fist #79 (Mar. 1982).Avengers Annual #22 (1993). is a renegade from the TVA.

=Known staff members=

Mr. AlternityFantastic Four Annual #27 (1994). Marvel Comics. – Upper management
First Secretary{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2009}}
{{visible anchor|Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble}} – A former employee, resigned and stole one of the time capsules
Justice MillsThor #372 (Oct. 1986). Marvel Comics. – A member who appears briefly in a flashback.
{{visible anchor|He Who Remains}}Thor #245 (Mar. 1976). Marvel Comics. – The last survivor of the Time Variance Authority who is present at the end of time.
Mobius M. MobiusFantastic Four #346 (Nov. 1990). Marvel Comics. – A bureaucrat and middle management, attempted to discipline the Fantastic Four for violations of the TVA's laws
Mr. OuroborosShe-Hulk vol. 2 #3 (Feb. 2006). Marvel Comics. – A future clone of Mr. Paradox, ceased to exist when Clockwise used the Retro-Active Cannon on Paradox. A redesigned version of him based on the MCU version later appeared in the comics.Web of Spider-Man Vol. 3 #1. Marvel Comics.
Mr. Paradox – He ceased to exist when Clockwise blasted him with the Retro-Active Cannon
Mr. Tesseract (Junior Management) – A subordinate to Mobius, he was assigned to reconstruct the lost data from Earth-616
Time Zone Manager{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2009}}
Time Variance Authority Police DepartmentDeathlok vol. 2 #32 (Feb. 1994). Marvel Comics. – A time police group that accompanied Justice Peace in effort to capture Godwulf
Justice PeaceThor #371 (Sept. 1986). – A former freelance agent. He was punished for infractions of time travel. Currently a member of the Federal Police and Special Services Units that are based in Brooklynopolis
Justice Might, Justice Truth, and Justice LibertyFantastic Four Annual #27 (May. 1994). Marvel Comics. – Three time police officers who aided Mobius in recapturing the Fantastic Four while they were running loose inside the Null-Time Zone.
Justice LoveShe-Hulk vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics. – A TVA agent and Justice Peace's partner. She appears to have legal training.
Justice Goodwill – A court officer. He ceased to exist when Clockwise blasted him with the Retro-Active Cannon.
{{visible anchor|Time-Keepers}}Thor #282. (Jan. 1979). Marvel Comics. – A group of beings created by He Who Remains to protect time.
{{visible anchor|Minutemen}}Fantastic Four #352. (May 1991). Marvel Comics. – The armored agents of the TVA who are assigned to guard the TVA's facilities from the Null-Time Zone and extract the disruptive entities that come from the other time periods. Each of its members are either a clone, a cyborg, or a robot.

In other media

=Marvel Cinematic Universe=

File:Time Variance Authority Logo.svg]]

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) appears in the Disney+ series Loki (2021-2023),{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/loki-disney-plus-villains-time-variance-authority-explained-marvel-mcu|title=Marvel's Time Variance Authority Explained: Why Is Loki Imprisoned in the Disney Plus Series?

|last=Schedeen|first=Jesse|work=IGN|date=February 3, 2020|access-date=February 3, 2020}} consisting of Mobius M. Mobius (portrayed by Owen Wilson),{{Cite web |last1=Polo |first1=Susana |last2=Patches |first2=Matt |last3=McWhertor |first3=Michael |date=December 11, 2020 |title=All the Easter eggs in Marvel's Loki and Falcon and the Winter Soldier trailers |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/11/22169507/loki-trailer-falcon-and-the-winter-easter-eggs-marvel-comics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211181415/https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/11/22169507/loki-trailer-falcon-and-the-winter-easter-eggs-marvel-comics |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |access-date=December 11, 2020 |website=Polygon}} He Who Remains (portrayed by Jonathan Majors),{{cite web |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title='Loki' Season One Finale Postmortem: Director & EP Kate Herron On Whether He Who Remains Is Really Immortus |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/loki-season-one-finale-postmortem-director-ep-kate-herron-on-whether-he-who-remains-is-really-immortus-1234794570/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=July 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716203332/https://deadline.com/2021/07/loki-season-one-finale-postmortem-director-ep-kate-herron-on-whether-he-who-remains-is-really-immortus-1234794570/ |archive-date=July 16, 2021 |date=July 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine |last=Agard |first=Chancellor |date=July 16, 2021 |title=Loki director Kate Herron and star Jonathan Majors on his pivotal character's wild debut |url=https://ew.com/tv/loki-kate-herron-jonathan-majors-kang/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716221403/https://ew.com/tv/loki-kate-herron-jonathan-majors-kang/ |archive-date=July 16, 2021 |access-date=July 16, 2021 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} Hunter B-15 (portrayed by Wunmi Mosaku),{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Jamie |date=April 5, 2021 |title=Loki: New Images From Marvel's Disney+ Series Released |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/loki-series-images-disney-plus-marvel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405151447/https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/loki-series-images-disney-plus-marvel/ |archive-date=April 5, 2021 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |website=Comicbook.com}} Hunter C-20 (portrayed by Sasha Lane),{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Joanna |date=June 7, 2021 |title=Loki: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Marvel's New Show |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/loki-everything-you-need-to-know-primer-premiere-date |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607182319/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/loki-everything-you-need-to-know-primer-premiere-date |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=Vanity Fair |url-access=limited}} receptionist Casey (portrayed by Eugene Cordero),{{Cite magazine |last=Sepinwall |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Sepinwall |date=June 9, 2021 |title='Loki' Premiere Steps Into the MCU Time Machine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-recaps/loki-premiere-recap-disney-1179472/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609162954/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-recaps/loki-premiere-recap-disney-1179472/ |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |access-date=June 9, 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} Ouroboros (portrayed by Ke Huy Quan),{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Toussaint |date=July 31, 2023 |title=Loki season 2's trailer sees the God of Mischief coming unstuck in Kang's timeline |url=https://www.polygon.com/2023/7/31/23813968/loki-season-2-release-date-trailer-ke-huy-quan-jonathan-majors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731181049/https://www.polygon.com/2023/7/31/23813968/loki-season-2-release-date-trailer-ke-huy-quan-jonathan-majors |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=Polygon}} Ravonna Renslayer (portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw),{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Jamie |date=April 5, 2021 |title=Loki: New Images From Marvel's Disney+ Series Released |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/loki-series-images-disney-plus-marvel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405151447/https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/loki-series-images-disney-plus-marvel/|archive-date=April 5, 2021 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |website=Comicbook.com}} and Miss Minutes (voiced by Tara Strong).{{Cite web |last=Ankers |first=Adele |date=May 19, 2021 |title=Marvel's Loki: We Now Know Who that Weird Cartoon Clock Character Is |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-loki-tv-spot-cartoon-clock-character-revealed-miss-minutes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526190613/https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-loki-tv-spot-cartoon-clock-character-revealed-miss-minutes |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=June 10, 2021 |website=IGN}} This version of the organization was created by He Who Remains, who sought to stop other variants of himself from coming into being after a "multiversal war" waged between them led to him destroying the multiverse to stop them, by keeping the "Sacred Timeline", a collection of universes that did not have a variant of himself in it, such as Earth-616, isolated and in check. In building the TVA, he pulled variants of various people from across time, erased their memories, made them believe they and the TVA were created by the Time-Keepers (voiced by an uncredited Majors), and built androids to serve as the Time-Keepers.{{Cite web |last=Polo |first=Susana |date=July 14, 2021 |title=Loki built up to the reveal of an even bigger Marvel Comics villain |url=https://www.polygon.com/22576948/loki-he-who-remains-kang-the-conqueror-actor-jonathan-majors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714171809/https://www.polygon.com/22576948/loki-he-who-remains-kang-the-conqueror-actor-jonathan-majors |archive-date=July 14, 2021 |access-date=July 14, 2021 |website=Polygon}}

The TVA appear in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024),{{Cite magazine |last=Romano |first=Nick |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Deadpool 3 trailer breaks the Marvel multiverse with Wolverine at Super Bowl 2024 |url=https://ew.com/deadpool-3-trailer-super-bowl-2024-ryan-reynolds-hugh-jackman-8558987 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212000551/https://ew.com/deadpool-3-trailer-super-bowl-2024-ryan-reynolds-hugh-jackman-8558987 |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} with Paradox (portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen) appearing prominently{{Cite web |last=Pulliam-Moore |first=Charles |date=February 11, 2024 |title=The first Deadpool & Wolverine trailer is one big joke about Marvel's past |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/11/24070042/deadpool-and-wolverine-super-bowl-2024-trailer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212005153/https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/11/24070042/deadpool-and-wolverine-super-bowl-2024-trailer |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |access-date=February 12, 2024 |website=The Verge}} while Hunter B-15 makes a cameo appearance.