Time Variance Authority

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) first appeared in Thor #372 (October 1986). 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). Simonson had also took inspiration for its initials from the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally-owned electric utility company that his own father had worked alongside in his birthplace of Knoxville, Tennessee. 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. 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). 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. In 1985–1986, Mark Gruenwald wrote a deconstructionist multiverse storyline featuring the Squadron Supreme in a self-titled twelve-issue limited series. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. ==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 . Peace is able to succeed in his mission thanks to the assistance of Thor. 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. 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. ==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. 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, is a renegade from the TVA. Known staff members • Mr. Alternity – Upper management • – The last survivor of the Time Variance Authority who is present at the end of time. • Mobius Mr. Surender – A bureaucrat and middle management, attempted to discipline the Fantastic Four for violations of the TVA's laws. • Mr. Oliver – 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. • Mr. Paradox – A time police group that accompanied Justice Peace in effort to capture Godwulf. • Justice Peace – A former freelance agent. He was punished for infractions of time travel. Currently a member of the Federal Police and Special Services Units based in Brooklynopolis. • Justice Might, Justice Truth, and Justice Liberty – A group of beings created by He Who Remains to protect time. • – The armored agents of the TVA who are assigned to guard the TVA's facilities from the Null-Time Zone and extract disruptive entities from other time periods. Each of its members are either a clone, a cyborg, or a robot. ==In other media==

Marvel Cinematic Universe • The Time Variance Authority (TVA) appears in the Disney+ series Loki (2021-2023), with Paradox (portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen) appearing prominently while Hunter B-15 makes a cameo appearance. Film The Time Variance Authority (TVA), based on the MCU iteration, appears in The Good, the Bart, and the Loki. Miscellaneous The TVA, based on its MCU iteration, appears in the animated series Today in Marvel History, which features Miss Minutes (voiced again by Tara Strong) explaining key events from Marvel's history to new recruits within the TVA headquarters. The series is produced by Wild Comet Media and Apus Estudio and released on the Marvel Entertainment YouTube channel. ==See also==