epic heroes time travel

The Top 10 Time-Travelers in the Marvel Universe

The past, present, and future have nothing on these characters who have rewritten the rules of time.

You may think of time as a one-way boulevard or a two-way express lane, but the Marvel Universe’s definition is quite different. Our concept of time is like a highway jam-packed with commuters, all shifting back and forth throughout the continuum of spacetime and the Multiverse itself.

While it seems like just about every major character has made a journey to the past (or future), several visitors from various Marvel timelines have traveled to Earth-616 and made a major impact. Here’s our roundup on the Marvel time-travelers who have left a mark on the prime Marvel Universe!

TWO-GUN KID

Since the beginning, the House of Ideas has made space for a variety of genres, including the fan-favorite Western. Series TWO-GUN KID originally saddled up in 1948 and came out sporadically for the next decade-plus showcasing Clay Harder's masked adventures. And, in 1962’s TWO-GUN KID #60 , the title's status quo got upended by introducing Matt Hawk who trained in the ways of the gunfighter and took the name Two-Gun Kid from dime store novels he read (presumably starring Clay Harder). He then went on to have his own adventures, becoming one of the Wild West's most prominent do-gooders.

He and other Western heroes were stunned to find their era visited by Kang the Conqueror , Immortus , Thor , and Moondragon in AVENGERS (1963) #141-144 . After helping the future heroes, Two-Gun asked them to bring him to the future, which they did. Becoming an Avengers reservist, he and Hawkeye: Clint Barton palled around together, but he returned to his home time in AVENGERS #175 after being kidnapped by the Collector .

Back in the Wild West, he assisted an offshoot of his old squad in WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #18-23 , dealt with Kang's forces again in AVENGERS FOREVER (1998) , and fought Loki with King T'Challa in BLACK PANTHER (1998) #46-48 . Then, in SHE-HULK (2005) #4 , he returned to the present when She-Hulk requested the Time Variance Authority free him from Limbo. He kicked around for quite a while after that, even getting involved in the first Super Hero Civil War .

THE (ORIGINAL) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Today the Guardians of the Galaxy might be well-known for members like Star-Lord , Gamora , Groot , and Rocket , but when the original squad debuted in MARVEL SUPER-HEROES (1967) #18 , the team looked totally different. That issue introduced the world to Charlie-27 , Martinex , Yondu and “ Major Victory ” Vance Astrovik. The quartet came together in the year 3007 on Earth-691 to combat the Brotherhood of the Badoon invasion of the United Lands of Earth.

While they would eventually go on to star in their own self-titled series that spanned 62 issues , the Guardians made a variety of guest appearances. Having met Captain America , the Thing , and Agent 13: Sharon Carter in MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE (1974) #5 , they appeared in the present in GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS (1974) #5 . In addition to helping the title team deal with Eelar, a young Vance Astrovik met the team he would eventually join, including his future self!

The Guardians continued to appear in DEFENDERS (1972) #26-29 , though Doctor Strange noted that the coexistence of Vance's younger and older selves was causing problems in the timestream. To fix the issue and help their new companions, the Defenders transported the Guardians to their home time and helped them free the humans to defeat the Badoon on Earth.

Later, the Guardians met with a new group of Earth's Mightiest Heroes to combat Korvac , a villain from their own time period who had attained godlike powers. Throughout the “Korvac Saga” in AVENGERS #167-181 , the Guardians fought valiantly to save the past. Before heading home, they fought alongside Carol Danvers , Spider-Man , and the Thing in MS. MARVEL (1977) #23 , MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #86 and MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE (1974) #69 respectively.

Speaking of Korvac: This time-traveler has threatened reality on a variety of occasions! In the aforementioned “Korvac Saga,” he traveled from the future of Earth-691 to Earth-616, but before that, Michael Korvac betrayed humanity to the Badoon who later cut off his legs and fused him to a hovering computer module. Seeking revenge, he decided to take over the Badoon empire, but was first brought to the present by Elder of the Universe Grandmaster in GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS (1974) #3 . Using his machinery’s ability to absorb energy, he syphoned off some of the Grandmaster’s power, which allowed him to travel through time on his own.

Returning to the present, Korvac visited Galactus ’ ship and managed to absorb some of the Power Cosmic, which allowed him to restore his body and take control of all things. He eventually fought the Avengers and the Guardians but took his own life when he felt that his partner Carina lost faith in him.

Korvac came back in his own time-hopping mini-crossover called “The Korvac Quest” (playing out across FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #24 , THOR ANNUAL #6 , SILVER SURFER ANNUAL #4 and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL #1 ), but was ultimately turned into a baby in the future. He has returned as an adult to the present several times, including in AVENGERS ACADEMY (2010) #11-12 . Members of the team accidentally transported Carina to their base which drew Korvac's attention. When she rebuked him, it led to a huge battle with all the Avengers involved!

Planning another attack, Korvac went back to Earth-616 and began slowly dismantling time. In GUARDIANS 3000 (2014) , the original Guardians felt it in their own time and went back to discover the cause: Korvac. His plans wound up falling apart because of the Incursions leading into SECRET WARS (2015) . After reality was put back together, he appeared regularly in IRON MAN (2020) and attempted to bring peace to Earth by ending all life. Thankfully, the Armored Avenger and his allies stopped Korvac once more.

OLD MAN LOGAN

More than most super-powered groups, the X-Men are no strangers to time-travelers joining their ranks. One of the more recent additions came from Earth-21923 , a world in which the villains worked together and manipulated Wolverine into killing the X-Men before dividing up the whole nation amongst themselves. Afterwards, Logan attempted to live a normal, non-violent life, but returned to action when an older Hawkeye needed help with a mission. Wolverine ultimately killed the Red Skull of his time but returned home to discover that his wife and children had been murdered by the Hulk Gang.

This “Old Man Logan” version of Wolverine wound up in the Earth-616 present after the entire Multiverse was rewritten during 2015’s SECRET WARS. Though he began a mission of preemptive vengeance almost immediately in the pages of OLD MAN LOGAN (2015) , he slowly allowed himself to be integrated into the larger X-Men family, taking the place of his past self who had died before his arrival. This more experienced, (more tragic) James Howlett regularly appeared in his own book as well as EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN (2015) , X-MEN: GOLD (2017) , and WEAPON X (2017) .

During his time in the present, he met many of Earth’s heroes, and even participated in the Second Superhuman Civil War . In DEAD MAN LOGAN (2018) , the hero said his goodbyes in the present and returned to his future to live out the rest of his life.

KATE PRYDE (EARTH-811)

While many of the characters on this list have made several trips to the present, others managed to change the course of human history in just one journey. In the classic “Days of Future Past” story (1981’s UNCANNY X-MEN #141-142 ), readers were introduced to Earth-811, a possible future in which Senator Robert Kelly, Charles Xavier , and Moira MacTaggert were killed by mutant terrorists on Halloween 1980.

That attack prompted the government to unleash the Sentinels and create three designations for living beings: H (baseline humans), A (anomalous humans), and M (mutants). The mutants that were not killed were placed in concentration camps, but that did not destroy their hope to change the past.

Working with her fellow alternate future X-Men, Kate managed to send her consciousness back to 1980 to inhabit the body of her younger self, Kitty Pryde . She got the attention of the X-Men and explained the future to them, noting that they could fix the whole thing by going to Washington, D.C. to prevent the assassination. They did exactly that by stopping Mystique and the Brotherhood of Mutants . Not bad for a one-time time-traveler!

With origins in yet another future where mutants were rounded up and imprisoned ( Earth-1191 ), Lucas Bishop became a member of the X.S.E. (Xavier Security Enforcers) AKA the mutant police. During one mission he was chasing Trevor Fitzroy , a rebel-turned-criminal mutant whose powers allowed him to travel through time. Bishop wound up in the present as seen in UNCANNY X-MEN #282-283 , and although both of his X.S.E. partners were killed, he succeeded in sending his quarry Fitzroy back to the future. Though initially uneasy of the X-Men, Bishop decided to stick around with the team in hopes of stopping the event that triggers his future.

During his time in the present, Bishop went on scores of missions with the X-Men, but he became incredibly important during the AGE OF APOCALYPSE event as the catalyst for returning everything to the way it had been before Charles Xavier was killed by a time-traveling Legion .

Further down the line, Bishop found himself at the heart of the “Messiah Complex” crossover which featured a variety of factions trying to track down the first mutant born since HOUSE OF M , Hope Summers . Bishop revealed that, in his timeline, this “mutant messiah” would kill one million humans. To that end, he fought against many of his old teammates—including fellow time-traveler Cable —to kill the child Hope. Bishop eventually saw the error of his ways and has since made amends with his fellow X-Men.

[ RELATED :  Bishop's Complete Marvel History ]

On the island of Krakoa , Bishop became an inaugural member of  Kate Pryde’s  Marauders, and added Red Bishop  of the Hellfire Trading Company to his resume. He was also one of Krakoa’s  Great Captains , established by the  Quiet Council of Krakoa . Then, in  INFERNO (2021) #1 ,  Cyclops  stepped down from the position of Captain Commander, the leader of all Great Captains, and promoted Bishop to the role.

SPIDER-MAN 2099

Back in 1992 , Marvel launched a forward-looking lineup of series that took place in the year 2099, a not-so distant alternate future of Earth-616. Miguel O’Hara was 2099’s Wall-Crawler, carrying on Peter Parker's legacy of arachnid heroics in SPIDER-MAN 2099 (1992) . Though there were a few meetings between the 2099 and Earth-616 Spidey, Miguel did not travel back to the prime reality for a long period of time until SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (2013) #17 . During that time, Miguel was not only stranded in the past , but encountered Otto Octavius in the body of Spider-Man!

Taking on the identity of Michael “Mike” O’Mara, Miguel began working for Alchemax, the company that were a critical part in his life circa 2099. Down the line, Spider-Man 2099 has played major roles in the multiversal SPIDER-VERSE and SPIDER-GEDDON events, helping to save not just the present reality, but countless others too.

[ RELATED :  Meet Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man 2099 ]

THE GOD(S) OF THUNDER

To battle the threat of Gorr the God Butcher , God of Thunder Thor needed all the help he could acquire in fan-favorite series THOR: GOD OF THUNDER (2012) . So, who better to recruit than versions of himself?

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To cut off the source of Gorr’s universal god-killer “the Godbomb,” the past’s “Young Thor” and the future’s “King Thor” collaborated with the present Odinson. These three cross-time Thors were also assisted by King Thor’s granddaughters Frigg , Ellisiv and Atli all of whom worked together to save godhood.

The three goddesses would later travel back via Time Diamonds to meet the legendary Jane Foster after her initial stint as Thor . Though they took her flying, they did not tell her about the epic story ahead in the WAR OF THE REALMS event, at the end of which the Fantastic Four used Doctor Doom’s Time Platform to recruit King Thor and Young Thor to end the conflict. WAR OF THE REALMS also resurrected Jane as Thor once more.

THE ENTIRE SUMMERS FAMILY

Warning: The Summers-Grey kids know how to alter a timeline.

Thor and his selves get around the time stream regularly, but not nearly as much as the Summers’ mutant family. Dad Cyclops alone has traipsed through time on a variety of occasions, so let’s start with that. As a kid, he and his fellow original X-Men traveled to the present as versions of their younger selves in ALL-NEW X-MEN (2012) . And don't forget about the time that he and his wife Jean Grey took a trip several thousand years into the future in ADVENTURES OF CYCLOPS & PHOENIX (1994) to save Scott’s son Nathan Summers, AKA Cable.

Oh, and remember Kate Pryde from the “Days of Future Past” timeline? Well, she's not the only one from that future who came to the present. Kate was followed by Rachel Grey/Summers —the daughter of that era's Scott Summers and Jean Grey—who had telepathic powers like her mother, but had been turned into a mutant-hunting Hound following the destruction of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. After Kate’s mission to the past, Rachel eventually made contact with the Phoenix Force which allowed her to physically, not just mentally, travel to the present of Earth-616 in UNCANNY X-MEN #184 . Since then, Rachel has allied herself with Xavier's other students and teams, defending the denizens of the present for years, now under the codename Prestige.

But it’s son of Cyclops, Cable—whose mother is Madelyne Pryor , a Mister Sinister -created clone of Jean Grey—that has made his way through time more often than even his half-brother X-Man . Following Nathan’s birth in UNCANNY X-MEN #201 , Apocalypse infected the infant with a techno-organic virus that threatened his life ( X-FACTOR #65-68 ). To save his son, Cyclops agreed to let Sister Askani, a member of a religious anti-Apocalypse cult, take the child to the far future where they could better manage baby Cable’s affliction.

The Clan Askani saved Nathan's life but could not fully cure him of the virus. When he was still a child, the mysterious “Slym and Redd” stepped in to raise him. Though Cable didn’t know it at the time, this couple was a temporally displaced Scott and Jean. While Scott and Jean returned to their present in ADVENTURES OF CYCLOPS & PHOENIX #4 , the boy grew to become an incredibly resourceful soldier of the future. Though a younger version of him did come to the present in X-FORCE (2018) , the most well-known version of the man known as Cable debuted in NEW MUTANTS (1983) #87 , though he would not reveal his history, or connection to the Summers family, for some time.

Since then, Cable has been involved in just about every major X-event. He was at the forefront of defeating his own time-traveling clone Stryfe in the “X-Cutioner's Song” storyline , and also ensured Hope Summers’ survival during “Messiah Complex” and throughout CABLE (2008) . Hope Summers not only represents the reinvigoration of the mutant race, but as a member of The Five , she's an integral part of the mutant resurrection process, making her one of the most important beings in the continuation of Krakoa.

[ RELATED :  The Secrets of Mutant Resurrection ]

KANG…ALL OF THEM

If you had to take notes to keep track of some of these temporally adventurous individuals, now's the time to break out the cork board, red string, and pushpins because Kang’s got them all beat! Born to Earth-6311, a reality in which humanity evolved to the point where peace reigned supreme, a man named Nathaniel Richards—related to either present-day Reed Richards or Doctor Doom —grew bored and desired conquest.

[ RELATED :  The Many Faces of Kang ]

To that end the conquering Nathaniel built his own time ship which was stocked with future tech and traveled to Ancient Egypt where he took on the identity of Pharoah Rama-Tut in FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #19 . While in that era, he encountered many heroes traveling from Earth-616’s present. However, after surviving a time storm, “Rama-Tut” decided to switch things up by becoming the Scarlet Centurion ! Those attempts to destroy Earth's Mightiest Heroes early in their tenure—as seen in AVENGERS ANNUAL (1967) #2 —proved a failure.

Leaving that identity behind, Richards became Rama-Tut once more, but overshot his home in the 30th century and wound up in the far more dangerous 40th century where he took on the name Kang the Conqueror , the character who debuted in AVENGERS (1963) #8 . Thus began Kang’s recurring attempts to defeat the heroes of the present. Though he has come close several times—like during the “Kang War” story in AVENGERS (1998) #38-55 —the Conqueror has never truly lived up to his name, though it appears that he never stops trying just like the interminable march of time.

But not all Kangs are bad. (And thanks to parallel and offshoot timelines there are plenty.) In one unusual blip of the timestream, a teen version of Kang, Iron Lad , traveled back to the present and became a founding member of the Young Avengers . He even succeeded in killing his older self, but that led to a time storm of epic proportions, so much so that Iron Lad undid the murder and returned to his proper period, knowing he’d eventually become the corrupted Kang.

But as readers have learned over the years, “Kang” isn't even this character's endpoint. The Lord Immortus —who first appeared in AVENGERS #10 —pops up from time to time to mix it up not only with the heroes of the present, but also with Kang himself. (As seen in tales like “ Celestial Madonna ” and “ Destiny War .”) You'd be surprised how many times Kang has tussled with himself and the wild results—but that doesn't stop the Kangs from interfering with each other’s intricate plots for power!

Regardless of which variant of Kang we’re talking about, no character has traversed time as often and as freely. And while these stories take place across the expansive Marvel Multiverse including all of time and space, they can all be read in one place: the Marvel Unlimited app !

To read your Marvel comics digitally, download the  Marvel Unlimited app  for  iOS  and  Android  devices. Gain an expansive catalog of 30,000+ comics spanning Marvel Comics history, plus access your entire digital library including comics redeemed from print.  

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You need to watch the most unique time-travel epic ASAP

This Marvel movie doesn’t need any more recognition, but its handling of time travel is frankly remarkable.

The most startling thing about Avengers: Endgame isn’t its victorious finale but its touching portrait of defeat.

Still one of the highest-grossing movies of all time three years later — at $2.798 billion, it is second behind James Cameron’s Avatar — Avengers: Endgame is surprisingly thoughtful and intimate at times, no matter how inconceivably massive the action is. Trying to bill the movie as a moving drama to Oscar voters was frankly hilarious, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit as one.

This has been a weird preamble to discuss the movie’s most out-there science fiction element: Time travel. Endgame is not just a crazy superhero crossover but a time-travel odyssey. Marvel’s ensemble of heroes — some entirely in CG — disperse throughout Marvel’s canonical history to pluck out some extra Infinity Stones to fix what they’ve broken. But one could argue that the movie’s willingness to travel back in its own time as a metaphor for self-examination makes Endgame one of the most truthful and authentically human movies in the entire Marvel canon.

For Inverse’s special issue on time travel, Avengers: Endgame is perhaps the best sci-fi movie in the time travel canon you can revisit right now on Disney+.

THE RULES OF TIME TRAVEL is an Inverse special issue exploring the evolution of science fiction's most imaginative sub-genre. From Marty McFly to Avengers: Endgame .

Avengers: Endgame is a big, unwieldy movie, even without the time travel. But somehow, the time travel element is maybe the best and most thought-out part.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely begin Endgame with a simple question: Where did we go wrong?

Picking up from the previous Avengers film, the heroes make a desperate final play to move on Thanos (Josh Brolin). But when they find him, he’s not the imposing warlord they know him to be. He’s living like the Dexter finale, alone on a farm, making stew from ingredients he grows. Thanos has also destroyed the Infinity Stones. He achieved his mission and ensured no one else could use the stones. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) beheads Thanos in a hasty moment, an act that will haunt him for at least the next five years.

The Avengers spend the next half-decade wallowing and dealing with the fallout in their individual ways. It isn’t until a rat serendipitously brings back Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) that the Avengers discover the quantum realm, and an impossible solution — traveling in time — to undo the destruction Thanos left behind.

The brilliance of Endgame isn’t merely using time travel as a means for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to high-five itself and revisit memorable corners. Nor is it how it allowed the Avengers to probe themselves, both in their wins as a superhero team and losses as individual people. Instead, it’s how Endgame interpreted time travel that makes it distinct.

Endgame was a victory lap through memory lane for the MCU, but its trip was thoughtful and careful, not braggadocious.

In subverting expectations established by literally every other sci-fi movie ever made — observe Rhodey (Don Cheadle) count them all — Endgame asks the audience to accept it on its own terms, not the preconceived notions of how this genre is supposed to work.

“If you travel to the past,” a breathless Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) explains, having synergized his big brain into the Hulk’s big green bod, “that past becomes your future. And your former present becomes the past. Which can’t now be changed by your new future.”

It’s a clumsy explanation, but apparently, the science checks out.

Sean Carroll, Research Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology, author of the nonfiction science books Something Deeply Hidden and From Eternity to Here , and host of the science podcast Mindscape , was one of several consultants for Avengers: Endgame . I spoke to him recently for a story about the multiverse , but along the way, Endgame came up, and Carroll jokingly took full responsibility for the movie’s understanding of time travel.

“So you’re saying Back to the Future is just bullshit?”

“I don’t claim too much credit,” Caroll told Inverse , acknowledging Marvel Studios had other experts to weigh in on the scripts, “but what we talked about is how time travel works.”

He continues: “If you go to the past and mess around with it, what are the effects? The law I tried to push was its simplest and most coherent. If you can go to the past and do things, you're not actually changing the past. Whatever you did back there in the past happened already, even though you don't know because it's in the past.”

Carroll said he “very strongly argued against the Back to the Future kind of time travel,” which famously popularized an idea of time travel via disappearing in a photograph. “That just makes no logical sense whatsoever,” Carroll says.

So, even in a world where there are talking raccoons and gamma radiation results in swole green biceps, Carroll insisted on grounding something in some scientific logic. “If you watch Endgame and they’re talking about time travel, and Paul Rudd says, ‘So you’re saying Back to the Future is just bullshit?’ That was my fault.”

Avengers: Endgame is a juggernaut movie, but it’s arguably underrated in the realm of time travel movies.

Avengers: Endgame is one of the biggest movies of all time, with a climax so inconceivably huge that I still can’t believe it was ever done all these years later. That the movie still works as a movie about coping with failure is all the more astonishing. I cannot say enough good things about the first hour of Endgame , which is endlessly rewatchable and maybe the first time the MCU’s dull gray and brown color palettes are actually appropriate.

But Endgame doesn’t get nearly enough praise as a time travel movie, one that’s willing to play by its own rules as informed by some actual science. That might not make it as influential as Back to the Future. But in charting its own way, Marvel decides its own future, rather than relying on what was done in the past.

Avengers: Endgame is now streaming on Disney+.

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• Marvel Universe

10 Best Time Travel Moments In Superheroes Movies

Time travel isn't always used in superhero movies, but when it is, it leads to some of the most creative uses of the classic sci-fi plot device.

Quick Links

• The Flash Entered the Speed Force
• Superman Turned Back Time by Flying Really Fast
• The Teen Titans Broke Then Fixed DC History
• Deadpool Achieved the Golden Ending
• The Avengers Traveled Back to The Avengers (2012)
• Thanos Brought Vision Back to Life Just to Kill Him
• The Flash Watched the Justice League Fail Over & Over Again
• Logan Returned to the Future
• Batman Received a Letter From a Different Time
• Doctor Strange Bargained With Dormammu

Time travel is one of the most ubiquitous and convenient plot devices in all fiction. Naturally, it found its way into superhero movies . Whether it was done through a certain superhero's powers or a futuristic device, time travel or time manipulation were used in superhero movies to save the day or significantly alter recent history.

As overused as time travel may feel in genre fiction, superhero movies found new and fun ways to play with it. That being said, it's worth noting that few superhero movies used time travel as their central crux. More often than not, time travel and manipulation were used as a last-ditch effort to save the day or as a temporary boost.

10 The Flash Entered the Speed Force

Zack snyder's justice league, zack snyder's justice league (2021).

Determined to ensure that Superman's ultimate sacrifice wasn't in vain, Bruce Wayne recruits a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.

One of the biggest omissions from Justice League's theatrical cut was The Flash's greatest triumph, which was thankfully restored in Zack Snyder's Justice League. When the League failed to stop Darkseid's arrival, Flash pushed himself beyond his limits to tap into the Speed Force. In brief, he discovered how to travel back in time.

The Speed Force's debut in a live-action movie didn't disappoint DC Comics fans. This was one of the DC Extended Universe's most visually arresting scenes and one of the best depictions of super speed in the superhero genre. The scene becoming something of a meme thanks to the 2022 Oscars didn't diminish its impact.

9 Superman Turned Back Time by Flying Really Fast

Superman: the movie.

An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.

Superman: The Movie is both famous and notorious for ending with one of the most literal and obvious examples of a deus ex machina seen in the superhero genre. After failing to save Lois Lane, a grieving Superman flew around the Earth so fast that he rewound time. This allowed him to redo the entire finale and save Lois as well.

Although Superman's take on time travel had no build-up whatsoever and came out of nowhere, it actually aligned with the classic Superman's habit of pulling out random powers he only used once. Either way, it was an appropriately silly and outlandishly imaginative way to wrap up Superman's legendary big-screen debut.

8 The Teen Titans Broke Then Fixed DC History

Teen titans go to the movies.

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As polarizing as Teen Titans Go! is, it's hard and outright unfair to deny that some of its fourth-wall-breaking jokes about DC's history hit their mark. Their big-screen adventure, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies featured their most irreverent take on DC's legacy yet. Here, the Titans erased DC's heroes by undoing their origin stories.

This led to a montage where the Titans bullied a young Wonder Woman and killed a young Aquaman with six-pack rings, among other things. They later restored DC history by "fixing" it. They did so by letting Krypton explode and throwing the Waynes into Crime Alley. These were some of the most morbidly fun uses of time travel in film.

7 Deadpool Achieved the Golden Ending

Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (a.k.a. Deadpool) assembles a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy with supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling cyborg Cable.

While it was still a raunchy comedy, Deadpool 2 was more dramatic and self-serious than a Deadpool comedy should've been. This was why the epilogue where Deadpool messed around with Cable's time travel watch was such a welcome return to form. Instead of brooding again, Deadpool rewrote the past in hilarious fashion.

Deadpool nullified Deadpool 2's entire point by saving Vanessa Carlysle. He then killed his highly unpopular variant in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, then his actor (Ryan Reynolds) before he could star in the infamous Green Lantern. Deadpool ending his time travel adventures by wondering if he should kill a baby Adolf Hitler perfectly wrapped up the sequel.

6 The Avengers Traveled Back to The Avengers (2012)

Avengers: endgame.

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.

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The one thing besides the epic battle for Earth that viewers loved about Avengers: Endgame was the three-pronged time traveling heist the Avengers did to get the Infinity Stones. The best of these three missions was the one in New York City, specifically right after Loki's forces were defeated at the end of The Avengers.

The entire section set in what would become the Avengers Tower was loaded with fun callbacks to previous MCU movies. Popular inside jokes and memes were even acknowledged by the Avengers themselves. Avengers: Endgame was described as a celebration of the MCU, and the time heist proved this point magnificently.

5 Thanos Brought Vision Back to Life Just to Kill Him

Avengers: infinity war, avengers infinity war.

The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

More often than not, time travel is used for good reason in superhero movies. Avengers: Infinity War subverted this to horrifying effect when Thanos used the Time Stone to bring Vision back to life mere seconds after Wanda Maximoff killed him. Worse, Thanos rewound time just so that he could kill Vision himself.

Thanos resurrecting Vision to rip the Mind Stone from his head was one of the most brutal yet memorable uses of time travel in superhero movies. Although Thanos' use of the Time Stone's time-manipulating abilities was very brief, it was still an effective way to show just how ruthless he was and how dangerous time travel could actually be.

4 The Flash Watched the Justice League Fail Over & Over Again

Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future.

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The Flash was the DCEU's messy and ultimately failed attempt to celebrate its history the way Avengers: Endgame did, but it wasn't bereft of interesting and even dark ideas. In the movie's darkest hour, both versions of Barry Allen helplessly watched Batman and Supergirl die horribly during General Zod's attack on Earth.

Barry's failed and desperate attempts to save the heroes and win emphasized how futile things were. This was a notable subversion of how most superhero movies ended in the heroes' triumph, especially if they had access to time travel. This grim moment's impact was, unfortunately, wasted on a thematically confused resolution.

3 Logan Returned to the Future

X-men: days of future past.

The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.

Like the iconic arc, it was loosely based on X-Men: Days of Future Past , which concerned one of the X-Men (Wolverine, in this case) traveling from a hopeless future to the past to rewrite history for the better. After suffering for decades in both the past and the future, Logan woke up in the peaceful present that he never thought he'd see again.

This wasn't just a cathartic way to end X-Men: Days of Future Past's time travel story, but a heartfelt send-off to the original generation of cinematic X-Men as well. Logan found himself once more with the cast of the first X-Men movies. He ended the movie happily in the knowledge that everyone would get to live long and peaceful lives.

2 Batman Received a Letter From a Different Time

Justice league: the flashpoint paradox.

The Flash finds himself in a war torn alternate timeline and teams up with alternate versions of his fellow heroes to return home and restore the timeline.

In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox , The Flash discovered that he could travel back in time to rewrite history and make Batman cry. He did this by giving the typically stoic Bruce Wayne a letter from Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father, who was only alive in another reality where Bruce died on that fateful night in Crime Alley.

Like the comic it adapted, The Flashpoint Paradox was filled with many cool and edgy alternate takes on DC's lore that could only happen through time travel, but the movie shined during its more human moments. Seeing Batman, of all superheroes, become emotional was a rare yet greatly appreciated scene in superhero movies.

1 Doctor Strange Bargained With Dormammu

Doctor strange.

While on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.

Since he was the Time Stone's keeper, the once-obscure Doctor Strange was unsurprisingly responsible for most of the MCU's best time travel moments. His greatest feat was undoubtedly his hard bargain with Dormammu, whom he trapped in a time loop. Dormammu killed Doctor Strange countless times in the loop but was unable to escape.

Doctor Strange's use of the Time Stone wasn't just a unique way to end a superhero movie but the culmination of his growth as a person. He completed his transformation from being narcissistic to becoming selfless. The superhero genre has yet to think of another use of time travel and manipulation this creative and meaningful.

Screen Rant

10 marvel movie characters who time traveled (& how).

Many Marvel characters have used time travel for various purposes, and many different means of traveling through time have been introduced.

• Time travel has been a key element in various Marvel movie franchises, allowing characters to learn new information, affect their own futures, and even save the entire universe.
• The MCU, Fox's X-Men Universe, and Marvel Television's Agents of SHIELD have all utilized time travel in a variety of storylines, with many different characters having traveled through time.
• Loki, Wolverine, Deadpool, Ms. Marvel, and Kang the Conqueror are just a few of the iconic Marvel characters who have used time travel to complete various missions.

Time travel has been used by various characters in the MCU and other Marvel movie franchises, with many different means of traveling through time having been introduced into Marvel's live-action superhero universes. While many early projects in Marvel movie franchises dealt with smaller-scale stories and introductions to now-prominent superheroes and villains, larger concepts have been introduced in recent years, expanding the worlds of these franchises beyond belief. The complex concept of the multiverse has been explored in the MCU and Sony's Spider-Man Universe, but the idea of time travel has also been used as a vehicle to drive the overarching narratives of these franchises forward.

Although most prominently seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fox's X-Men Universe also included several time travel narratives. While exploring the idea of time travel had the potential to feel like a gimmick in some instances, it has always been used organically in storylines, allowing characters to learn new information, affect their own futures, and, in some cases, save the entire universe. Time travel has been a crucial element in the storylines of many characters, both in the MCU and other Marvel franchises , and studios have often found clever and unexpected ways to throw their characters through time.

Outside the main MCU continuity and Fox's X-Men Universe, time travel was used throughout Marvel Television's Agents of SHIELD , as Phil Coulson and his team journeyed to a variety of different timelines, particularly in the series' epic final season.

Avengers: Endgame's Time Travel Explained (Properly)

10 time travel was a huge part of loki's storyline, loki season 1 (2021) & loki season 2 (2023).

Time travel was never a key element in the original storyline for Tom Hiddleston's Asgardian God of Mischief, Loki, but the Loki series on Disney+ explored the concept in great detail. After escaping from the Avengers during Endgame , the MCU's current variant of Loki was taken captive by the Time Variance Authority, an organization that exists outside of time and is able to travel to any time period through the use of TemPads and Time Doors. Loki season 1 also saw Loki travel to the end of time, coming face-to-face with the creator of the TVA, Jonathan Majors' He Who Remains, a variant of Multiverse Saga villain Kang the Conqueror .

Loki season 2 expanded on this idea even further, as Loki himself was imbued with a time traveling ability known as "time-slipping". Initially, this was shown to be a violent and unpredictable process, shifting him between the past, present, and future seemingly randomly. However, Loki soon learns to control his time-slipping ability, which becomes paramount in him saving the multiverse in Loki season 2's finale . After using his time-slipping to revisit He Who Remains before his death, and say a final farewell to Mobius and Sylvie, Loki transforms into the God of Time , taking his final position at the end of time, watching over the infinite branches of the multiverse.

9 Doctor Strange Used The Time Stone In The MCU's Infinity Saga

Doctor strange (2016) & avengers: infinity war (2018).

Benedict Cumberbatch's MCU debut in 2016's Doctor Strange saw him quickly harness the power of the Time Stone, an Infinity Stone that had command over the concept of time. Using the stone, Strange turned back time to thwart the invasion efforts of Dormammu and his zealots, and later stuck himself and Dormammu in a time loop in an effort to bargain with the ruler of the Dark Dimension. Later, in Avengers: Infinity War , Doctor Strange uses the Time Stone while waiting for Thanos on Titan in order to look forward in time to see possible futures and try and plan a way to defeat the Mad Titan.

8 Wolverine's Consciousness Was Sent To 1973 In Days Of Future Past

X-men: days of future past (2014).

2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past was the first project in Fox's X-Men Universe to explore the concept of time travel, but rather than an entire individual being thrown back in time, Kitty Pryde uses her ability to send Wolverine's consciousness back into his body in 1973. This allows Hugh Jackman's Wolverine to retain the knowledge of the future, and enlist the help of the younger Professor X, Magneto, Beast, and Mystique in stopping the development of the Sentinel robots at the very start, preventing a destructive future war. When Wolverine returned to the present day, he still remembered the war that never happened, having changed his own timeline .

7 Cable Traveled From The Future To Save His Family

Deadpool 2 (2018).

Taking place in the new rebooted version of Fox's X-Men Universe, 2018's Deadpool 2 saw Josh Brolin's Cable travel back in time from the future in an effort to prevent the deaths of his family at the hands of a dangerous mutant. Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool had inadvertently formed a partnership with said mutant, young Russell Collins, so initially butted heads with Cable. Even so, Cable eventually sacrificed his only means of traveling home in order to save Deadpool's life, safe in the knowledge that the future had already been changed, and his family would be safe. Cable time traveled using a futuristic device that resembled a wristwatch.

Josh Brolin also portrayed the Mad Titan Thanos in the MCU proper. It's possible that he could return in Deadpool 3 or beyond to portray Cable alongside Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, having previously signed a four-picture deal with Fox, but Marvel Studios has yet to confirm his involvement in future MCU projects.

6 Deadpool May Have Caused Many Problems With His Time Traveling

While Cable's time traveling device had been exhausted, Yukio and Negasonic Teenage Warhead fixed the device in Deadpool 2's post-credits scene, allowing the Merc-with-a-Mouth himself to travel back through his own history. Deadpool used his new time traveling power to save Vanessa from her death at the beginning of the film, avoid human X-Force member Peter's gruesome death, repeatedly shoot the version of Deadpool from 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine and meet Hugh Jackman's Wolverine for the first time, and shoot Ryan Reynolds in the head moments after reading the script for 2011's reviled Green Lantern . This is sure to have repercussions for Reynolds' upcoming MCU debut in 2024's Deadpool 3 .

5 Ms. Marvel Broke The MCU's Time Travel Rules In Phase 4

Ms. marvel (2022).

The MCU's time travel rules were laid out fairly clearly in 2019's Avengers: Endgame , suggesting that a character time traveling would create a branching timeline, rather than affecting their own personal timeline. However, Phase 4's Ms. Marvel broke this rule , as Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan was transported back in time by her mystical bangle. Kamala found herself in 1942 during the Partition of India. There, Kamala used her hard-light ability to guide her grandmother back to her great-grandfather, ensuring her own birth many decades later. This causal loop broke all of Endgame's rules, but provided an exciting story for Ms. Marvel in her MCU debut .

2023's The Marvels confirmed that Kamala Khan's bangle is one of two Quantum Bands in the MCU, adapted from the powerful Marvel Comics devices wielded by Nova, Phyla-Vell, and Wendell Vaughn, a.k.a. Quasar.

4 Thanos & The Black Order Came Forward In Time To Battle The Avengers

Avengers: endgame (2019).

While the majority of Avengers: Endgame's time travel focused on the Avengers themselves traveling through time to collect the Infinity Stones, the epic Phase 3 film also saw a major MCU villain travel through time. In an alternate 2014, the Mad Titan Thanos caught wind of the Avengers' actions, and, after capturing the future version of Nebula, used Pym Particles to transport himself and his entire army into the future of the MCU's 2023. Once there, Thanos immediately attacked and destroyed Avengers HQ, and fought the Earth's Mightiest Heroes in an effort to retrieve the completed Infinity Gauntlet, though he and his fleet were ultimately eradicated by Tony Stark.

3 Kang The Conqueror Is The MCU's Master Of Time Travel

Ant-man & the wasp: quantumania (2023).

After Thanos' demise, Marvel Studios introduced Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror as the MCU's next primary supervillain. In Marvel Comics, Kang is a master of time travel, having used his time traveling equipment to create many different versions of himself throughout time. In the MCU, his story has been slightly changed, as Kang uses his machinery to travel between various different timelines and realities , though there are still an infinite number of Kang variants posing a huge threat to the future of the MCU. Recent controversies surrounding Jonathan Majors have thrown Kang's MCU future into jeopardy, but currently, he is still set to appear in 2026's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty .​​​​​​​

Kang the Conqueror's backstory and motivations have yet to be explored in detail, but 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania revealed that he has already obliterated many alternate timelines and realities in the MCU, proving he is a major threat to the franchise's heroes.

2 The Avengers Saved The Universe By Time Traveling

Perhaps the most notable use of time travel in the MCU's history occurred during Avengers: Endgame , which picked up five years after Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half the population of the universe. Realizing time works unpredictably in the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang revealed to the surviving Avengers that the Quantum Realm could be used to travel through time, allowing the heroes to collect the Infinity Stones from the MCU's history , and use them to bring their fallen friends back. This plan ultimately succeeds, with the Avengers traveling to key moments in the MCU's past, though it came at the cost of Black Widow and Iron Man's lives.

During Avengers: Endgame's Time Heist, Scott Lang's Ant-Man, Bruce Banner's Smart Hulk, Steve Rogers' Captain America, and Tony Stark's Iron Man journey to 2012's New York to acquire the Time Stone, Mind Stone, and Space Stone. Rogers and Stark later travel to 1970's Camp Lehigh after failing to retreive 2012's Tesseract. Thor and Rocket travel to 2013's Asgard and collect the Reality Stone from Jane Foster, while Nebula and Rhodey's War Machine collect the Power Stone from 2014's Morag before Peter Quill can. Natasha Romanoff's Black Widow and Clint Barton's Hawkeye travel to 2014's Vormir for the Soul Stone, with Romanoff sacrificing herself to Barton can return with the stone.

1 Captain America Retired By Time Traveling To The Past

After the Time Heist and the Battle of Earth, Earth's Mightiest Heroes took a moment to memorialize their fallen friends, Natasha Romanoff, Vision, and Tony Stark, before Steve Rogers embarked on his final mission: returning the collected Infinity Stones to their original timelines. Rogers set out on this mission alone, returning each stone to where they came from, but instead of returning as planned, he decided to retire as Captain America and remain in the past with his long-lost love Peggy Carter. This was the perfect ending for Steve Rogers' Captain America in the MCU , and proved just how valuable time travel was in completing his Marvel journey.

Key Release Dates

Captain america: brave new world, marvel's fantastic four, marvel's thunderbolts, blade (2025), avengers: the kang dynasty, avengers: secret wars.

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Summary ? ? ? Time Travel Heroes ? ? ? ====================================== ============????? No.1 Time Travel Theme Game????? ???? ?Cross-Platform MMO Game ????? ===================================================Press Review:?Not only about the classic Three Kingdoms, but also fancy for its time-travel theme.?It’s an ideal choice for t ... Read More

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Epic Hero: Definition and Activities

Epic hero definition.

Protagonists come in many varieties. Some are relatable and easy to identify with. Others are constantly struggling and easy to sympathize with. An archetypal protagonist is the "epic hero", a main character with impressive superhuman capabilities who completes awe-inspiring deeds such as taking on a battle with superhuman foes. It was the Greeks who first defined the protagonist known as an epic hero. These heroes of a tragedy must evoke in the audience a sense of heroism through legendary, awe-inspiring lore. An epic hero must be someone whose fortune is brought about by his own admired characteristics. Many of the famous epic poetry, such as The Odyssey and The Iliad, contain these larger-than-life heroes and their deeds. King Arthur, Beowulf, Siegfried, Gilgamesh, and Rama are all examples of epic heroes.

What are the Characteristics of an Epic Hero?

The seven traits of an epic hero.

All epic heroes or epic characters have the same epic hero qualities. According to the epic literary definitions, these characteristics are as follows:

• Noble Birth: Usually a king, prince, demi-god, or god-like nobleman of some capacity.
• Superhuman Abilities: The skilled warrior has the potential for greatness based on their attributes, e.g. cunning, bravery, humility, wisdom, virtue, making them seem to have superhuman abilities and superhuman strength.
• Vast Traveler: Known for making travels to another world or going on a perilous journey to exotic locations by choice or chance, usually to battle against evil.
• Unmatched Warrior: Typically has a reputation for being a larger than life figure, even prior to the beginning of the story.
• Cultural Legend: Before an epic hero can be universally known, he must first be a legend in his culture.
• Humility: The hero performs great deeds for their own sake rather than glory and they demonstrate humility. Heroes that boast, or exhibit hubris may be punished and humbled.
• Battles Supernatural Creatures: The superhuman foes and obstacles he faces are usually supernatural beings, e.g. Grendel, Poseidon, or a cyclops.

Epic Hero Examples

Most epic heroes are larger-than-life, possess heroic qualities, and embody the values of their culture. Here are some examples of epic heroes:

• Beowulf: The protagonist of the Old English epic poem "Beowulf." He is a warrior who fights against monsters and becomes a king.
• Odysseus: The central figure of Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey." He is a Greek hero who faces many challenges on his journey home from the Trojan War and has all the traits of an epic hero.
• Gilgamesh: The protagonist of the Mesopotamian epic poem "Epic of Gilgamesh." He is a powerful king who embarks on a quest for eternal life.
• Achilles: From Homer's epic poem "The Iliad", the hero Achilles is known for his incredible strength and is considered the greatest warrior of his time.
• Arjuna: From the Hindu epic "Mahabharata", he is a skilled archer and warrior who must face a moral dilemma before a great battle.
• King Arthur: This legend was the king of Britain who appears in many medieval tales and romances. He is known for his bravery, his sense of justice, and his wise leadership.

These are just a few examples of epic heroes from different cultures and time periods.

Why Teach Students About Epic Heroes?

Epic heroes are often taught in literature and history classes for a variety of reasons. Here are a few possible reasons:

• Cultural Significance: Epic heroes often come from ancient cultures and societies that are no longer in existence. Studying epic heroes allows us to gain insight into these cultures and the values they held dear.
• Literary Analysis: Epic heroes are often the protagonists of epic poems or narratives, which are significant literary works in their own right. By studying epic heroes, we can learn about literary techniques such as metaphor, symbolism, and characterization.
• Moral Lessons: Epic heroes often embody certain virtues such as courage, loyalty, and perseverance. By studying their stories, we can learn valuable moral lessons and apply them to our own lives.
• Historical Context: Many epic heroes are based on real historical figures or events. Studying them can give us a better understanding of the historical context in which they lived.

Overall, the study of epic heroes can help us gain a deeper understanding of literature, history, and the human condition.

How to Teach Students About Epic Heroes

Introduce the concept of epic heroes.

Start by defining what an epic hero is and provide some epic hero examples from literature or mythology. Explain the traits of an epic hero that make a hero "epic," such as strength, courage, intelligence, and noble qualities.

Read and Analyze Epic Poems or Stories

Choose an epic poem or story such as Beowulf , The Iliad , or The Odyssey , and read it with your students. Encourage them to take notes and analyze the story as they read. Discuss the themes, characters, and plot of the epic, and how they relate to the hero's journey.

Analyze the Hero's Journey

The hero's journey is a common theme in epic literature. Discuss the stages of the hero's journey, such as the call to adventure, the initiation, the challenges faced, and the return home. Have students identify these stages in the epic story they read.

Compare and Contrast Epic Heroes

Have students compare and contrast different epic heroes from different stories. This can be done through group discussions, class debates, or individual essays. Encourage them to analyze the similarities and differences between the heroes and their journeys.

Create your Own Epic Hero

Ask students to create their own epic hero, complete with their own journey, challenges, and character traits. Have them present their hero to the class and explain why they chose certain qualities and characteristics.

Overall, teaching about epic heroes can be a fun and interactive way to engage students with literature and mythology. By analyzing epic poems and stories and creating their own heroes, students can develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the hero's journey. Check out our sample lesson below!

Example Epic Hero Lesson Plan

Overview of the lesson.

What is an epic hero and how do I know who they are? Teach students the literary device and ask them to think deeply about their attributes and how they affect the work as a whole.

Time: 45 Minutes

Grade Level: 8-12

Lesson Specific Essential Questions

• What are the characteristics of someone who has an extensive reputation?
• Can you distinguish an epic hero from a typical character in a work of literature?
• What do we learn from the virtues of an epic hero?

Students will be able to define epic hero, list epic heroes from works of literature, film, or television, and take away the effects of an epic hero on plot.

What students should know and be able to do before starting this lesson: Students should be able to list heroes and villains from popular works of literature or movies and television.

Instructional Materials/Resources/Tools

• Before: Epic Hero Activator Worksheet
• During: Elements of an Epic Hero Template
• Example/After: Odysseus Epic Hero
• Access to Storyboard That

Instructional Tips/Strategies/Suggestions for Teacher

Be specific when asking students to create a storyboard that shows the qualities of an Epic Hero. Make sure that students include an explanation of each attribute as well as a quote that backs up their claim. If they are doing this as a project, having the students download their storyboards to a PowerPoint is a perfect way for them to present an explanation of each cell.

Lesson Details/Procedure

Lesson opening.

Activator: Students will be given Epic Hero Activator Worksheet and instructed to fill in the boxes to the best of their ability. If students cannot fill in Box 3 (List Epic Heroes) then tell them that they may leave it blank. After five minutes ask students to compare lists with someone sitting near them. Then ask each pair to say one hero or villain out loud and make a list on the board. Once that is complete, ask them why they know the lists on the board are heroes or villains? As a class, come up with definitions for each and a list of attributes they possess.

During the Lesson

Teaching the term: Next, ask all students if anyone had prior knowledge and knew what an epic hero is or if anyone has a guess or list of this type of character. If they did, write down on the board what they give for an answer. If no one knows, begin to front-load the term. After giving students the definition, ask them to think of characters from movie, TV, and literature that they think would fall in this category and make a list. Repeat with a think, pair, share and make a list of characters and a list of attributes.

Lesson Closing

Defining the term: After students have come up with a list of attributes that they believe an epic hero possesses, go over definition and characteristics of a hero. Ask students to fill out and keep track of the attributes that make the protagonist of your work an epic hero by writing in the answers to Elements of an Epic Hero Template.

Lesson Extension

After students have finished reading the novel/play, reinforce this lesson by asking them to complete their storyboard that shows each attribute using a scene and quote from the text. This lesson extension coupled with a slide show presentation will help students master the concept of the epic hero.

Add a Presentation

Students can be assessed after their final storyboard project is completed and presented.

Related Activities

Check out these epic hero activities from our guides on Greek Mythology: The 12 Labors of Hercules , Divergent , and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky .

How to Identify Archetypal Patterns in Epic Hero Stories

Understand archetypal patterns.

Introduce the concept of archetypal patterns to students, explaining that they are recurring themes, symbols, or narrative structures that appear across different stories and cultures. Discuss the significance of archetypes in understanding the deeper meanings and universal elements of epic hero stories.

Study Epic Hero Characteristics

Teach students about the characteristics of an epic hero, such as extraordinary abilities, noble qualities, and a transformative journey. Help them recognize these key traits that define an epic hero and differentiate them from other types of heroes.

Identify Hero's Call to Adventure

Guide students to identify the hero's call to adventure, which marks the beginning of the epic hero's journey. Help them recognize the moment when the hero is summoned or motivated to embark on a quest or undertake a significant task.

Analyze Mentorship and Supernatural Aid

Explore the presence of mentorship and supernatural aid in epic hero stories. Help students identify the wise mentor figures who guide and assist the hero throughout their journey. Discuss the role of supernatural elements or assistance that aid the hero in overcoming challenges.

Examine Challenges and Ordeals

Guide students to examine the challenges and ordeals the epic hero faces on their journey. Help them recognize the trials, conflicts, and obstacles that the hero must overcome to achieve their goal or fulfill their quest. Discuss the significance of these challenges in the hero's growth and development.

Evaluate the Hero's Transformation and Return

Encourage students to evaluate the hero's transformation and return. Help them analyze how the hero undergoes personal growth, acquires new knowledge or skills, and returns to their community or ordinary life with a greater understanding or a boon to share. Discuss the impact of the hero's journey on their character and the world around them.

Frequently Asked Questions about Epic Heroes

What is an epic hero.

The epic hero meaning is a character in literature or mythology who is larger than life and possesses heroic qualities such as courage, strength, wisdom, and cunning. Epic heroes are often the central figures in an epic hero story or an epic poem, and are typically portrayed as being on a quest or journey to accomplish a great feat or to save their people.

What makes an epic hero a hero?

What makes an epic hero a hero is their ability to demonstrate extraordinary feats of bravery, wisdom, and strength in the face of great adversity. The epic hero archetype embodies the virtues of their culture, serve as role models for others, and often exhibit a strong sense of honor and self-sacrifice.

What are the 9 characteristics of an epic hero?

The nine epic hero characteristics are:

• The epic hero at any heroic age is a leader in some way.
• Oftentimes the epic hero is a demi-god or has a weapon that has godlike powers.
• Epic heroes take on a test of courage, skill, and strength.
• Willingness to take on challenges that no one else is willing to take on.
• Epic heroes must prove themselves by taking on a foe or challenge that is greater than the hero.
• Epic heroes show excellence, courage, and strength.
• These heroes have a great deal of cultural abilities and qualities.
• Engages in a final battle with the antagonist/supernatural creatures.
• Epic heroes have a fatal flaw of some sort that show their humility and relatability.

What is the difference between a hero and an epic hero?

The difference between a hero and an epic hero is that epic heroes are larger-than-life figures who embody the virtues of their culture and serve as a symbol of that culture's ideals. While a hero may also possess admirable qualities, they are often more relatable and human than an epic hero, who is typically portrayed as almost godlike in their abilities and accomplishments.

What is an example of an epic hero?

Perhaps the most well known on the epic heroes list is Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey." Odysseus is a noble and courageous warrior who embarks on a long and perilous journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. He faces many obstacles, including battles with mythical creatures and the wrath of the gods, but ultimately succeeds in returning to his homeland and reclaiming his throne. Odysseus embodies the qualities of bravery, cunning, and wisdom that are highly valued in ancient Greek culture, making him a classic example of an epic hero.

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How to plan an epic summer trip to a national park

We’ve got insider tips on the best times to visit the most popular parks, timed entry passes, and where to stay.

As summer approaches, the siren call of national park adventures grows stronger. However, these iconic sites are bringing in unprecedented crowds.

In 2023, the National Park Service (NPS) reported over 300 million visits , a four percent increase from the previous year. This surge isn’t limited to famous spots; lesser known parks such as Congaree and Dry Tortugas are also experiencing record-breaking numbers. To manage the influx, park authorities are implementing innovative strategies to improve the guest experience.  

( These are the 10 most popular national parks .)

From snagging the perfect stay to timing your bookings just right, we’ve got insider tips to ensure your national park vacation is nothing short of epic. Here’s what you need to know.

Best time to visit

Timing is crucial in planning your summer getaway, especially if you’re eyeing popular national parks. Finding affordable lodging and activities during the high season can be tricky.

During the shoulder seasons—early- to mid-spring and late fall—you can expect pleasant weather and a reprieve from the crowds, but there are a few trade-offs to consider. Some hotels and lodges might close during the off-season and reopen later in the year, potentially limiting your accommodation options. Additionally, parks at higher elevations, such as Glacier or Lassen Volcanic , may not have all their trails open and could require snowshoes or traction cleats to get around.

( Here’s why Yellowstone in the off-season is great for families .)  

Arriving before sunrise has its perks, too. Typically, most visitors don’t arrive until mid-to-late morning, allowing you to enjoy attractions like Arches ’ Windows or Delicate Arch with minimal crowds, provided you arrive early enough.

When permitted, exploring the parks in winter offers a unique perspective that few experience. Yosemite Valley, for instance, transforms into a winter wonderland —a sight cherished by photographers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Tony McDaniel, a Yosemite   Mariposa County spokesperson, says the best way to plan a visit is to avoid taking a “checklist approach” to your visit.

“Slow down and immerse yourself in the destination,” McDaniel says. “There’s no place on earth like Yosemite National Park , and it’s best seen slowly and outside of a vehicle where you can fully embrace the sights, sounds, and smells.”

What parks require timed entry passes?

Timed entry reservations typically provide access within a two-hour window. The price of the pass, however, does not include the standard park entry fee. But, a separate timed entry permit is unnecessary if you already have campground reservations, a wilderness permit, or bookings for a pre-arranged, park-sponsored activity. Additionally, if you plan to stay inside the park for multiple days, only one timed entry reservation is required—just make sure not to leave the park during your visit.

Although these passes can reduce a trip’s spontaneity, NPS spokeswoman Kathy Kupper says they also lead to better park experiences.

“Visitors love the timed entry system,” Kupper says, “because it gives them increased confidence that they’ll be able to get in and get where they want to go.”

If you miss out on a timed entry reservation, don’t fret. Ditch your car and opt to walk or bike into the park at any time of day. Glacier National Park adjusts its timed entry program annually, including relocating entry gates beyond the visitor center, where guests can hop on a shuttle bus to access the park.

( Ready to plan your fall hike? Read this safety advice first .)

Arches: Timed entry reservations will be required from April 1 to October 31. The reservation system operates on a rolling basis. For example, June 1–30 bookings opened March 1; July 1–31 reservations opened April 1. A limited number of reservations will also be released at 7 p.m. MST the day before, providing some flexibility for last-minute planners to Utah.

Glacier: For travelers intending to drive along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road or head to North Fork, Montana, a vehicle reservation is mandatory between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. from May 24 to September 8. Similarly, from July 1 to September 8, a reservation is required to access Many Glacier between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. These reservations can be secured up to 120 days or approximately four months in advance, starting at 8 a.m. MST. Additionally, a limited number of next-day vehicle reservations will be released at 7 p.m. MST for those seeking entry on the following day on a rolling basis.

Mount Rainier : Two areas of this Washington State park—Paradise Corridor from the south and Sunrise Corridor from the northeast—will require reservations from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 24-September 2, and July 4-September 2, respectively. Each corridor requires a separate vehicle reservation, valid for a single day per vehicle. Note that reservations are unnecessary when entering the park from a different entrance.

Rocky Mountain :   Between May 24 and October 20, reservations are required for entry into this Colorado park. Two types of reservations will be available: one granting access to the entire park, including the bustling Bear Lake Road Corridor from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and another from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that excludes access to this corridor. Reservations for May 24 to June 30 can be secured starting at 8 a.m. on May 1. Subsequent reservation releases will follow, with reservations for July becoming available on June 1, and so forth.

Yosemite: Reservations are needed from April to October. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (May 27, June 19, September 2, and October 14) from April 13 to June 30 and August 17 to October 27, reservations are required from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. From July 1 to August 16, reservations are needed daily during the same hours.

( Discover the best day hikes in Yosemite National Park .)

What parks require a specific area pass?

Acadia : In Maine, Cadillac Mountain Summit Road vehicle reservations are required from May 22 to October 27. About one-third of them can be purchased 90 days in advance, while the rest become available two days before, starting at 10 a.m. Reservations cost $6 and are sold only at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/400000 .

Great Smoky Mountains : While you don’t need a timed entry reservation to enter this Tennessee-North Carolina park, you will need a parking permit to stop for more than 15 minutes. Passes are $5 (daily),   $15 (weekly), and $40 (annually). Permits can be purchased in person or online . Passes are good for one vehicle only.

( See fireflies magically light up this national park .)

Haleakalā : To park at Hawaii’s Haleakalā summit for sunrise, you’ll need a parking pass from 3 to 7 a.m. throughout the year.

Shenandoah : Visitors hiking Virginia’s Old Rag Mountain must obtain a $2 day-use ticket in advance from March 1 to November 30. Of the 800 tickets issued daily, 400 will be released 30 days in advance, with the remaining 400 released five days beforehand on https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/10088450/ticket/10088451 .

Zion: You’ll need a timed permit to hike Angel’s Landing in Utah. Lotteries open for June-August hikes on April 1, September-November on July 1, and December-February on October 1. A limited number of next-day licenses will be available at 12:01 a.m. the day before. Hiking groups of up to six people can apply for a permit. Winning groups will be charged an additional $3 per person.

( Not a hiker? That’s not a problem at these eight national parks .)

Best alternatives to national parks

If you’re visiting in the summer, don’t have a reservation, and couldn’t get into the park early enough, you still have options. State parks and national forests surrounding official national parks often offer similar views but with few visitors.  

( Go wild—and skip the crowds—at these 7 spectacular parks .)

For example, if you get shut out of Utah’s Bryce Canyon , you can always drive 15 minutes away to the picturesque Dixie National Forest . Instead of being shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of other visitors on the trails, you’ll be almost entirely alone while overlooking nearly identical scenes.

Where to stay in or near a popular park

Most NPS campgrounds can be reserved six months in advance on a rolling basis through Recreation.gov, but the most popular sites, including Yellowstone ’s Slough Creek or Watchman in Zion , can sell out within minutes. Even if you miss out, you still have plenty of options.  

“For something similar to camping in Yosemite Valley, Housekeeping Camp or Curry Village are as close as you’ll get to camping, plus you don’t need to bring a tent,” says McDaniel. “In areas like Wawona, Yosemite West, and Foresta, there are cabin rentals that will still get you into the park. Outside the park, there are hundreds of more options in great locations and historic towns that are generally more budget-friendly and put visitors close to more dining options.”

( These historic lodges are the perfect way to see North America’s wild parks .)

Nearby national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas typically offer established campgrounds or free dispersed camping (areas outside a designated campground). Sites are generally first-come, first-served. Arrive at an established campground between 10 a.m. and noon to score a recently vacated site.

Apps like AllStays and sites like freecampsites.net and Campendium can help tremendously. Signal Mountain Campground in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park sells out almost immediately, but on a recent trip to the park, I found an incredible mountaintop dispersed campsite, in   Bridger-Teton National Forest . The view of the Tetons was spectacular, made even better because the campsite was free.

Related Topics

• NATIONAL PARKS
• ADVENTURE TRAVEL

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'Family Guy' Season 22 Is Cancelling Christianity in Epic Time Travel Finale

Brian is using Stewie's time machine for nefarious purposes again.

The Big Picture

• Jesus returns in an epic time-travel finale for Family Guy Season 22.
• Brian falls for a religious woman and tries to go back in time to cancel Christianity so she'll sleep with him.
• The Family Guy finale promises the show's trademark offensive humor and some unexpected twists.

Our dear lord and savior returns to Family Guy in the Season 22 finale. At this point, Jesus has made so many appearances that he might just move in with The Griffins . It's been a while since he's appeared to clarify some things or respond when he's called upon, but tonight he returns in an epic time-travel episode. In an interview with TV Insider , showrunners Richard Appel and Alec Sulkin previewed the season finale, which airs tonight on Fox, and what Jesus has to do with it all.

This time around, he doesn't appear to the characters, and like when he was crucified all those millennia ago, he is seemingly innocent. His only crime is being associated with a religion that puts a damper on Brian's (voiced by Seth MacFarlane ) plans. In the "Faith No More" episode, the official episode synopsis (below) teases another one of Stewie (voiced by MacFarlane) and Brian's classic adventures.

"Brian becomes romantically interested in someone and it inspires him to use Stewie's time machine. Strange consequences result from their journey"

Brian Falls In Love With A Religious Woman

The dog is in love again. He falls in love with a devout vet technician (voiced by Mae Whitman ) and pretends to be religious himself to score with her. However, things don't play out in a neat rom-com manner, something Sulkin calls a mislead. "You go a little bit down a road with something that seems like it could be a Family Guy story, and then it turns into something else," he said.

What does a dog have to do to get frisky when his girlfriend has decided she's not having sex until marriage because she doesn't want to go to hell? For Brian, however, the answer is obvious. The dog will use Stewie's time travel tech . The goal? To cancel Christianity. How? By stopping Jesus before religion was invented and evolved to ruin his chances in the present. Stewie is not one to be left behind during a time-travel adventure, so the duo will jump back in time together.

They find themselves in medieval Israel circa A.D. 30, and they've already messed up. What can go wrong in a place and time they don't understand? And all this just so the dog can get lucky? The last time Jesus was on the show was in Episode 10 of Season 19, as Peter faced off with his mortal enemy: The Giant Chicken. It seems that we should be ready for another round of humor that will most definitely be deemed offensive , with Appel saying, “I never thought I’d hear myself say this as a writer, but the Standards and Practices department at Fox is easy to work with and pretty good with us.”

Catch the Family Guy Season 22 finale tonight on Fox. Stream past episodes on Hulu.

WATCH ON HULU

Epic Journey Across Time: Cyprus, Rhodes & the Turquoise Coast on Emerald Azzurra

April 9-18, 2025

Group Size: 100 travelers across all sponsors Price: Starting from $8,999 per person double occupancy, $13,499 single occupancy Co-sponsored with: National Trust for Historic Preservation, Museum Travel Alliance, Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, The Alumni Associations of Colombia, Tufts, and Vanderbilt Universities

Trip Overview

Sail through millennia of history on a beautiful, seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise aboard the acclaimed new Emerald Azzurra . Journey from Cyprus, one of the world’s best-kept secrets, to the legendary Greek island of Rhodes and Türkiye’s pristine Turquoise Coast, where you will board private glass-bottom boats for a fascinating perspective on the submerged ruins of an ancient city. With experts guiding you through the extraordinary history of this less-traveled region, you’ll be enriched by this in-depth look at the rise and fall of ancient empires—from the Mycenaeans, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Lycians to the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans—and the historical interplay of Christianity and Islam. An optional prelude is available in Istanbul, one of the world’s most splendid cities with its ancient mosques and palaces, and the otherworldly landscapes of Türkiye’s Cappadocia region.

Schedule by Day

Depart for Larnaca, Cyprus, on an overnight flight.

Arrive this morning and transfer to the Indigo Hotel Larnaca for check-in. Guests who opt for the suggested flights will meet tour representatives at the airport and join the group transfer to the hotel.

This evening, attend a welcome reception with dinner at your leisure.

Overnight:  Radisson Blu Larnaca

This morning, you may choose between tours of Nicosia or Kition, fascinating sites featuring millennia of cultural treasures.

Explore Cyprus’s millennia-old capital, Nicosia, once ruled by Byzantines, Venetians, and the British. Nicosia is “the world’s last divided capital,” with a UN-monitored buffer zone between the Greek Cypriot-controlled south and the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north. Visit the Cyprus Museum and its extensive array of archaeological artifacts and ancient Cypriot art. After lunch, see the elaborately beautiful Selimiye Mosque, which was originally constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries as the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Sophia and later converted into an Ottoman mosque.

Alternatively, explore Larnaca starting with the ancient city of Kition, where Mycenaean Achaeans arrived in the 13th century B.C., followed by Phoenicians in the ninth century B.C. Join your expert guide to explore Kition’s remains, including the Temple of Aphrodite-Astarte, built by the Phoenicians, and a 60-foot-long Roman mosaic. After lunch, transfer to the Troodos Mountains to view the world’s largest group of painted Byzantine churches and monasteries. This UNESCO-recognized collection of monuments, richly decorated with frescoes and murals, highlights the evolution of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus over 500 years. These monuments range from small churches to monasteries such as the ornate Monastery of St. John Lampadistis, with its blend of Italian Renaissance and Byzantine art. 

All participants continue to Limassol and embark Emerald Azzurra . Enjoy a private performance of Cypriot dance on board and raise a Champagne flute on deck as we cruise out of the harbor in the late afternoon.

Overnight:   Emerald Azzurra

Meals: B, L, D

Step ashore in Paphos, the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite, according to legend. Established by Greek settlers during the Mycenaean era, the city was eventually captured by Ptolemy I of Egypt and later the Romans, who claimed it as the island’s capital. On a guided walking tour of the Archaeological Park of Nea Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage site, visit the exquisite Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, and Aion, ancient Roman villas built from the second through the fifth centuries A.D. Marvel at their beautifully well-preserved mosaic floors depicting mythological and hunting scenes. View the medieval ruins of the Castle of Forty Columns, a seventh-century fortress named for its many granite columns.

Transfer to the Church of Chrysopolitissa, originally founded by the apostles Paul and Barnabas in 46 A.D. See the ruins of its fourth-century basilica and medieval Ottoman baths. View the modest yet famous St. Paul’s Pillar, said to mark the spot where the apostle Paul was whipped during his first missionary journey to Cyprus. After lunch on board, visit the Tombs of the Kings, followed by a visit to the Monastery of St. Neophytos. Carved out of the mountains, it houses a noteworthy ecclesiastical museum containing icons dating from the 16th century.

Return to the ship and set sail forTürkiye. .

Overnight:  Emerald Azzurra

Attend a morning lecture as the ship sails to Antalya, Türkiye’s largest Mediterranean city, renowned for its Greek, Roman, and Byzantine landmarks against a backdrop of the Taurus Mountains.

First, head south along the coast to the ancient trade center of Perge, once claimed by Lycians, Greeks, and Romans. Perge’s archaeological site features well-preserved bath complexes, an agora, basilicas, a theater, a stadium, and impressive fortifications. Nearby is the Antalya Archaeological Museum, notable for its collection of sculptures unearthed from the ancient site. In Aspendos, stop at the renowned Roman amphitheater built during Marcus Aurelius’s reign, known for its acoustics.

Return to Antalya and Emerald Azzurra , gathering for the captain’s welcome reception and dinner this evening.

Meals: B, L, R, D

Anchor off Türkiye’s fabled Turquoise Coast, named for the beautiful blue color of the waters, and board a tender into Kas, an ancient Lycian trading port.

Explore the remarkably restored, 4,000-seat limestone Hellenistic Theater, a rare relic of the ancient Lycian city, constructed in the first century B.C. Also, behold a well-preserved Lycian tomb located in Kas’s historical center. After a transfer to Kekova Bay, board glass-bottom boats and cruise for a mesmerizing perspective on the ancient submerged city of Simena. Below your feet, watch as ruins and rock-cut tombs appear in the clear turquoise waters.

Return to the ship and set sail for the island of Rhodes.

The ancient Lycians, initially nomads, settled in mountainous southwestern Türkiye in the eighth century B.C. and became known for their cliffside rock-cut tombs. Arrive in the beautiful port of Fethiye and transfer to the UNESCO-listed ancient Lycian capital of Xanthos, set on a cliff overlooking the Xanthos River, and delve into its rich history dating back to the eighth century B.C. Join an expert guide to explore its acropolis, Byzantine basilica, theater, and rock-cut tombs, remnants of its cosmopolitan past as a cultural, commercial, and political hub. Uncover connections between the Lycians, Greeks, and Persians, and remnants of the city’s later conquest by the Romans.

While here, discover the Nereid Monument, an intricately crafted tomb built in the fourth century B.C., showcasing a fusion of Lycian, Greek Ionic, and Persian architectural styles. An early example of Greek-style temple-tombs and a precursor to the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the monument was named after sea nymphs from Greek mythology.

Continue to nearby Letoon, the ancient Lycian sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Leto and her twin children, Artemis and Apollo. See Letoon’s temples and colonnaded galleries that shed light on the religious practices and mythological beliefs of the Lycians.

Return to the ship for lunch and depart for Rhodes.

The island of Rhodes was known in antiquity for its schools of philosophy, rhetoric, and sculpture, including its mythical Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. From 1309 to 1523, the the Knights of St. John occupied the city, surrounding it with fortifications they expertly maintained. Upon morning arrival, explore the UNESCO-listed fortified town, one of Europe’s best preserved medieval cities. Walk along the Street of the Knights, overflowing with mosaics, finely carved portals, balconies, and coats of arms. Then visit the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, housed in the medieval Hospital of the Knights, and see its collection of vases, figurines, Hellenistic mosaic floors, and more.

After morning arrival into Bodrum, delve into the history of Halicarnassus, visiting the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, which showcases ancient artifacts from shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea.

Have lunch on board as the ship sails to Izmir.

After an afternoon at sea, celebrate your journey at the captain’s farewell reception and dinner.

Disembark this morning in Izmir and transfer to the airport for your flights home.

Accommodations

• One night accommodation at Radisson Blu Larnaca
• Seven nights aboard Emerald Azzura
• Optional Post-tour extension: Istanbul (April 18-20, 2025) Details coming soon

What to Expect

Busy pacing may include multiple hotel changes plus internal flights or long drives. May involve exposure to the outdoors, full days of touring, and walking up to two hours.

Study Leader(s)

Mode of travel.

Related Trips

For more information.

Please email [email protected] or call our office at 800-422-1636 or 617-496-0806.