Infinity Gems

Infinity Gems
Thanos with the six Infinity Gems (here referred to by their original name, the Soul Gems)
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Soul Gem: Marvel Premiere #1 (Aug. 1972); Power & Time Gem: Marvel Team-Up #55 (Mar. 1977); All Six Gems: Avengers Annual #7 (1977). as The Infinity Gauntlet: The Thanos Quest #2 (Oct. 1990)
In story information
Type	Jewels
Element of stories featuring	Adam Warlock; Thanos

The Infinity Gems, originally referred to as Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful fictional gems appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Whoever holds all six gems and uses them in concert, such as in the Infinity Gauntlet, gains virtual omnipotence and omniscience. In later storylines, crossovers and other media, a seventh Infinity Gem is sometimes added to the primary six. The Gems play a prominent role in the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where they are known as the Infinity Stones.

The Soul Gems first appear in The Power of Warlock. All six appear together for the first time in the second "Thanos War" storyline in Avengers and Marvel Two-In-One annuals. Thanos harnesses their latent energies to power a giant gem to extinguish every star in the universe.

In the third volume of the Silver Surfer title, the Surfer refers to the gems as "Soul Gems" for the first time. They are gathered by the Elders of the Universe, who intend to use their combined power to drain Galactus of his lifeforce and then recreate the universe with themselves as the oldest beings in it (Galactus was the last survivor of the Universe that existed prior to the birth of the current Marvel Universe). This plot is thwarted by the Silver Surfer, and several Elders and the gems are lost in a black hole; Galactus consumes some of the other Elders. In a follow-up story, Galactus is poisoned by the Elders he consumed. Silver Surfer, Mr. Fantastic, and the Invisible Woman journey through the black hole to recover the gems. Invisible Woman becomes possessed by the sentient Soul Gem, awakening her evil Malice persona. She is later subdued, and the gems are used to remove the Elders from Galactus' body. The Elders later reclaim the gems.

In the limited series The Thanos Quest Thanos refers to the entire set as "Infinity Gems" for the first time. Thanos systematically subdues the Elders one by one to gather all six gems. Once in his control, he sets the gems into a gold glove (the left gauntlet of his customary attire) which he refers to as the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos explains the origin of the gems to the Runner, one of the Elders of the Universe: the set are the remains of a once nigh omnipotent but lonely being. Unable to endure eternity alone, the being committed suicide, although a fraction of its essence remained and became the Infinity Gems.