Why does the watcher watch?

[Link]

This is a question I've asked since I was a kid, along side many others that don't seem to have an answer. What's the purpose for the watcher keeping an eye on current events and chronicling everything? I thought this was going to be explained in Original Sin but I don't think it was.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

They inform other Watcher of other dimensions of what dangers that could arise.

[oasis1313]

His TV is broken.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

He's keeping an eye out for the guy who might kill him.

[Of Atlantis]

Because he's your homie and is always watching your back, jack

[Professor Moriarty]

female super models taking showers.

[evolutionaryFan]

Maybe the Watchers need to be renamed the Stalkers or the Voyeurs.

[Of Atlantis]

Maybe the Watchers need to be renamed the Stalkers or the Voyeurs.

Or the Pervs

[gurkle]

Same reason we watch: because we've got nothing better to do than stare at these people's lives. The Watcher is us, except he likes Reed Richards and we don't.

[Marvel_Is]

He's bald and wears a dress. Do you really wanna know the answer?

It's like getting the answer to this:



Some things are better left to the imagination.

[Iron Maiden]

I actually read this in the latest Marvel Masterworks edition called "Marvel Rareties". It included the Tales of the Watcher back up stories that appeared in Silver Surfer #1 - 7 written by Stan Lee and and illustrated by Gene Colan. The first installment is called the Wonder of the Watcher and Uatu tells of how Uatu and his father Ikor petitioned the High Tribunal and proposed that they should help those who are less powerful. It is an somewhat expanded version of the origin that first appears as a featured story in Tales of Suspense #53 by Stan and his brother Larry Lieber.

Uatu's people wanted to "bring the gifts of health and wealth to other races". Emnu, one of the leaders of the High Tribunal disagreed but he was outvoted. Some of them had a selfish reason for this endeavor and were seeking to have these lesser beings pay homage to them. Then they picked a planet called Prosilicus and told the people they have come to "enrich their lives". They gave them the knowledge of how to harness nuclear energy to help them develop their industries and journey to the stars. They promised it would advance their civilization by a thousand years. After Uatu, Ikor and the rest of them completed their work they left the planet figuring they could manage on their own. An aggressive faction soon took over and built nuclear warheads and seized power and began a war to take over the planet. Once they killed the opposition, they looked towards their neighboring planets. They launched an attack but the other planet was just as advanced. Their counterattack destroyed most Prosilicus even as their own planet was being devasted. Eventually, Ikor and the others came back to check on their progress and saw how their plans had backfired. One of the survivors of Prosilicus cursed them for bringing them the advanced knowledge before they were ready for it. Ikor than vowed that they would never tamper with the destiny of others again and would only observe and record.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Female superheroes taking showers.

[mr_crisp]

Because they don't know the words.

[ZNOP]

I actually read this in the latest Marvel Masterworks edition called "Marvel Rareties". It included the Tales of the Watcher back up stories that appeared in Silver Surfer #1 - 7 written by Stan Lee and and illustrated by Gene Colan. The first installment is called the Wonder of the Watcher and Uatu tells of how Uatu and his father Ikor petitioned the High Tribunal and proposed that they should help those who are less powerful. It is an somewhat expanded version of the origin that first appears as a featured story in Tales of Suspense #53 by Stan and his brother Larry Lieber.

Uatu's people wanted to "bring the gifts of health and wealth to other races". Emnu, one of the leaders of the High Tribunal disagreed but he was outvoted. Some of them had a selfish reason for this endeavor and were seeking to have these lesser beings pay homage to them. Then they picked a planet called Prosilicus and told the people they have come to "enrich their lives". They gave them the knowledge of how to harness nuclear energy to help them develop their industries and journey to the stars. They promised it would advance their civilization by a thousand years. After Uatu, Ikor and the rest of them completed their work they left the planet figuring they could manage on their own. An aggressive faction soon took over and built nuclear warheads and seized power and began a war to take over the planet. Once they killed the opposition, they looked towards their neighboring planets. They launched an attack but the other planet was just as advanced. Their counterattack destroyed most Prosilicus even as their own planet was being devasted. Eventually, Ikor and the others came back to check on their progress and saw how their plans had backfired. One of the survivors of Prosilicus cursed them for bringing them the advanced knowledge before they were ready for it. Ikor than vowed that they would never tamper with the destiny of others again and would only observe and record.

I have always bee a big fan of the OHOTMU (vol. 1) here is the Watchers entry for comparison.

[Tofali]

You should listen to CGS podcast there is a lovable presenter who is a big fan of OHOTMU