The Marvel Cinematic Universe has thoroughly explained the complex histories of key players like Captain America and Tony Stark, but there are still many fascinating characters featured in the MCU whose pasts remain shrouded in mystery.

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Though The Grandmaster and The Collector play important roles in certain movies, very little is known about their rich backstories according to the series of films. Luckily, this is where countless comic books and graphic novels come in handy with providing more information.

They Are Elders Of The Universe

The Grandmaster and The Collector have never shared a scene together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but their lives have been consistently intertwined according to comic book lore. They belong to an ancient group of beings called the Elders of the Universe, an assembly comprised of the sole survivors of various extinct races. Though they have real names, many of them go by titles linked to each of their obsessions, such as collecting, mastery of games, architecture, stars, and other unique interests.

The Grandmaster Has Powers Over Death And Life

Thor: Ragnarok portrays the Grandmaster as a comically hedonistic dictator of the trash planet Sakaar, but in the comic universe, there is so much more to him than gladiator games and public executions with his melt stick.

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The Grandmaster - also known as En Dwi Gast - has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, and one of them is his power over death itself. He has the ability to heal others, no matter how severe the injury, and he can also bring someone back from the dead...but only if they haven't been dead "too long".

The Collector Is A Shape-Changing Telepath

The Collector was the first of the Elders introduced in Marvel, and made his comic debut back in 1966. He has lived for billions of years, and is immensely powerful. His age has not only provided him with the vast amount of knowledge that comes naturally with living such a long life, but he also has various super abilities that he has had plenty of time to hone. He can alter his appearance, and appears as an older human, despite being an alien with a different form. He also has the powers of telepathy and precognition.

They Are (Sort Of) Brothers

The Elders of the Universe are the last remaining being of each of their species, and thus have no true blood relatives left in the universe. The fact that they are the last of their kind bonds them, and because of this, many of the Elders have formed close friendships or familial connections with each other. The Grandmaster and The Collector consider themselves brothers of sorts, despite neither of them being biologically related.

The Grandmaster Is A Expert Strategist

The Grandmaster is a man of many skills, interests, and pleasures. Aside from his powers over death and life, he also has super intelligence, specifically when it comes to games, strategy, and calculating probabilities.

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He has spent his millions of years of life learning and perfecting countless games that exist across the galaxies. He is extremely cunning, and a skilled manipulator, which gives him another clear advantage over most opponents.

The Collector Has A Zoo

True to his name, The Collector has many exotic and valuable possessions, and with an extensive collection of precious items, comes those who want to take them from him. One of his strangest assets is a zoo filled with wild, alien creatures, including a snake-like beast with powers of hypnosis. This odd menagerie of alien creatures also function as protection, and can be used to attack his enemies if necessary.

The Grandmaster Had A Romance With One Of The X-Men

Ragnarok's interpretation of The Grandmaster is a bit of a flirt. He bats his eyes at Loki, he comes up with cutesy nicknames for Thor, and he has a ship exclusively to host his orgies, but in the comics, The Grandmaster had genuine romantic feelings for a member of the X-Men. Alison Blaire, also known as Dazzler, caught the Elder's eye. One of the game-lover's shows of affection involves staging a roller derby that puts Dazzler against a league of supervillains. Needless to say, she is not impressed.

The Collector Once Had A Wife And Child

Before he was known as The Collector, Tanaleer Tivan lived for millions of years with a family of his own, consisting of a wife and child. His wife, Matani, was also immortal, but eventually, she made the decision to give up her immortality.

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The passing of Matani gave birth to Tanaleer's biggest hobby that also became his namesake. Knowing that he would need a new focus in life, he became fascinated with collecting rare and unique items.

The Grandmaster Was In A DC Crossover

In the early 2000's, the Avengers and the Justice League band together against a DC supervillain in an epic crossover. When evil villain, Krona, comes to the Marvel Universe, The Grandmaster himself is the one who arranges the meeting between the two groups of superheroes. The comic is a wild ride that involves a scavenger hunt, and a legendary team-up between Batman and Captain America.

They Are Both Virtually Immortal

The Grandmaster is immune to the typical, human rigors of illness and aging, but thanks to him, all of The Elders of the Universe have virtual immortality as well. The Master of Games can't help himself, and challenges Death to a game of strategy, using the Avengers as his pawns. This results in Death banishing him and the other Elders from her realm forever, which basically means that none of them can ever die. Thanks, Grandmaster!

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