Does Adam Warlock have a Soul?

[SW3D]

I'm a big fan of Adam Warlock. And I see there are many fans here as well. And it is to those fans, and cosmic philosophers that this question is directed to: Does Adam Warlock have a soul?

 

I ask such a question, because knowing his origin, it begs me to question that he does.

 

For those that are not acquainted with his origin: Adam Warlock (originally known as HIM), is an artificially created superbeing (See Fantastic Four Volume 1, Numbers 66 & 67). Created by a group of scientists calling themselves The Enclave, HIM was meant to be the first of a super race of humanoids to lead mankind to the next step of evolution and beyond.

 

But can humans, scientists, and the greatest minds our world has to offer, replicate, what in my humble opinon, only the Universe can bestow a sentient being?... a Soul?

 

What is a Soul? Is it the guiding spritual life force of all sentient beings?

 

In my limited knowledge and capacity to understand such things, I've come up with my own idea to what a soul is and its function. I believe, the Soul represents a small fabric or sample of the Universe. It is transferred into the body, embuing us with an incorporeal life force and a pre-designed mission that can only be revealed to its unique host. The soul, gathers information, through the host's five senses and other latent psychic senses... information about Emotions, Life, Death, and the Point of View of living beings that are Earthbound and transitory on the Physical Plane. Once our mission is completed, and we face the end of our Physical Life/Death, the Transmigration of the Soul occurs, and this information is fed into the Universe. If unsatisified, the Universe will send the Soul back to be reincarnated, to repeat the cycle. If satiated, the Soul acquiesces with the Universe... the Supreme Reward! and then on to the next journey to another world... a higher spiritual plane of existence (a higher dimension), to gather further information for the Universe. And it goes on and on and on. The ultimate reward... the great knowledge of the Universe and its many secrets which always lie beyond!

 

Anyway... enough of my ramblings.

 

Does Adam Warlock have a Soul?

 

As much as I love him... I find it difficult to believe an artificially created being has a Soul.

 

So initially... my answer is No... he does not.

 

However... if Adam Warlock does not have a Soul, then it represents a HUGE PLOT HOLE!... for how can Adam Warlock be the bearer of The Soul Gem? And if indeed he is a souless artificial being, The Magus Saga, The Annihilation Conquest, and many other Adam Warlock plots can never have really happened.

 

But they did! So how?

 

So here's my answer... Adam Warlock does have a Soul! Yes he does. But it's not a Soul that was created by The Enclave.

 

So who created Adam Warlock's Soul?

 

I posit... Adam Warlock's soul is a traveling fabric of The Universe meant to inhabit the host body which eventually becomes Adam Warlock.

 

Yes, it sounds crazy... but that is my belief. Perhaps it is an idea to be further explored by Marvel Comics as an adjunct revamped origin story much like Alan Moore did for Swamp Thing.

 

I'm curious to know what you think... Does Adam Warlock have a Soul?

 

And if you believe he does... do you believe The Enclave created it?

 

If not, how did Adam Warlock obtain the Soul?

 

Please share your opinions, and, if possible, provide anything from his mythology that can support your opinion.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

SW3D

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

[BettrFastrStrongr]

 

After reading Warlock #10, I had no doubt about Adam's "soul". Avengers Annual #7 cemented the thought. His pain over the death of his friends and, when he himself dies, his soul goes to "Heaven". Starlin, throughout his Warlock run, always had a dark outlook/ tone for Adam. It was almost too sad to read. When Adam does go into his Soul gem though, i could not believe the joy I felt for him. Reading it years later, that moment is very heavy handed but damn does it still get my eyes misty. Look at that smile on Warlock's face. No souless being could feel such peace and happiness.

[prez]

Sure, why not...

[SW3D]

 

After reading Warlock #10, I had no doubt about Adam's "soul". Avengers Annual #7 cemented the thought. His pain over the death of his friends and, when he himself dies, his soul goes to "Heaven". Starlin, throughout his Warlock run, always had a dark outlook/ tone for Adam. It was almost too sad to read. When Adam does go into his Soul gem though, i could not believe the joy I felt for him. Reading it years later, that moment is very heavy handed but damn does it still get my eyes misty. Look at that smile on Warlock's face. No souless being could feel such peace and happiness.

 

Well said! And I agree... Warlock must have a soul... but the question remains... How did he get his soul?

 

We know he's an artificial being. And it is safe to say, an artificial being would not have a soul. So I ask, how do you suppose he got his soul?

 

SW3D

[BettrFastrStrongr]

I always assumed he was being assimilated by his gem.

[Unca Ben]

Well said! And I agree... Warlock must have a soul... but the question remains... How did he get his soul?

 

We know he's an artificial being. And it is safe to say, an artificial being would not have a soul. So I ask, how do you suppose he got his soul?

 

SW3D

 

Maybe it was a "Velveteen Rabbit" type thing.

[Dr. Balls]

I always thought he had a soul. As for an artificial being not having a soul, I disagree. (see TNGs 'Measure of a Man' ). Adam Warlock is clearly sentient, and he can have a soul - it's just differs from that the parameters of how we define what a soul is. That's my

[SW3D]

Well said! And I agree... Warlock must have a soul... but the question remains... How did he get his soul?

 

We know he's an artificial being. And it is safe to say, an artificial being would not have a soul. So I ask, how do you suppose he got his soul?

 

SW3D

 

Maybe it was a "Velveteen Rabbit" type thing.

 

I like that... never read the children's story... but there are similarities.

[SW3D]

I always thought he had a soul. As for an artificial being not having a soul, I disagree. (see TNGs 'Measure of a Man' ). Adam Warlock is clearly sentient, and he can have a soul - it's just differs from that the parameters of how we define what a soul is. That's my

I always thought he had a soul. As for an artificial being not having a soul, I disagree. (see TNGs 'Measure of a Man' ). Adam Warlock is clearly sentient, and he can have a soul - it's just differs from that the parameters of how we define what a soul is. That's my

 

I agree that Adam Warlock must have a soul, for he clearly displays the attributes and characteristics of one that does.

 

But I'm still trying to figure out how he obtained it.

 

Can a soul be created by Man through cloning or other means?

 

I always felt a soul was a special thing that could never be recreated except by the hand of God or the Universe. And, if a synthetic being is given the spark of life through science, but does good deeds, and is worthy of a soul, they are usually granted this special gift by an omnipotent being (God, the Universe, or what have you). I feel that Adam Warlock was born without a soul, but through growth and learning, and heroic and self-sacrifice has earned a soul... and it was probably gifted to him by a higher power. And I'd like to see such a thing explored by Marvel... or their explanation to how he obtained his soul.

 

SW3D

[BettrFastrStrongr]

Sometimes its better not to know. Look what happened in the prequels and the Halloween reboot. Marvel will mess around and ruin it for everybody.

 

 

[vaillant]

I am not enough learned to give you the correct definition of soul by either traditional philosophy or revealed theology, but what I have come down to when reflecting about the same topic on the Vision (I never doubted Him/Adam Warlock wasn’t "human", as you have to have a rational soul, and not just a sensitive soul like animals to be human) is a simple consideration:

 

This goes also for any generic "synthetic" being brought to life in fiction. Let’s remember we are considering fiction, as much likely as it might be, remains a fantastic hypothesis without actual reference to reality.

 

– Since the Vision is introduced as human-like, his life essence is basically human, and since he has been brought to life, of course the soul he has is not something man-made. But the very fact that he is brought to life grants him a soul, because it’s the soul which grants life to live beings, and thus a human-like android, which is stated as "alive" has to have a soul which is – if we can say so – "acquired" from the very secret depths of the structure of being as set-up by the Creator.

 

This imaginative consideration is generic, but it’s what I apply to each and every character brought to life, other examples could be Brother Power the Geek (whose life is sparkled accidentally by electricity) or Astro Boy, just to make a pair of examples.

 

Can a soul be created by Man through cloning or other means?

 

Obviously not. The body is just what sustains our physical life, any manipulation doable in advanced medicine (and cloning individual is not exactly medicine, it would just bring disasters) pertains to the physical plane alone.

[SquareChaos]

The 'soul' is a religious concept, and therefore, a supernatural concept. Logic need not apply - so HIM was originally an artificial construct created by rogue super science? So what, your all powerful being of choice decided to intervene and pop a soul into HIM. Mystery solved.

[Dr. Balls]

I tend to believe a more simple, scientific explanation: the neurons and synapses that make up our brain functions and activities are our 'soul' and if you have some sort of higher brain function, whether man-made or not - you've got a 'soul' in religious terms.

 

Warlock, being created/born with brain parts that are meant to function like a human being has a 'soul' simply because that is the nature of how a brain works.

[jaeldubyoo]

It's comics (fiction). If you can suspend your belief system to accept people flying around, having super powers, and super senses; I don't think it's a great leap of faith into thinking a being has a soul. The writer (creator) can say whatever they want about their characters. You, as a reader, can choose to accept any or all of what the writer is writing and fill in the gaps of what you read.

[SW3D]

I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions!

 

Fiction or non-fiction, I am always curious to know the great mysteries both in literature and life.

 

I feel the Soul is not a religious concept, nor a biological or scientific one, but a Spiritual and Cosmic one. Although Science can replicate life (through DNA and other means), I still doubt, at this juncture, it can recreate a Soul.

 

Further, I believe all life, sentient or not, have souls... some big and some small depending... including this beautiful planet we are blessed to be on.

 

And that's why I'm in a quandry with Adam Warlock and the Soul he is host to.

I firmly believe he is an artificial being, but through his deeds and actions has been found worthy to host a soul. I for one, would love to see Marvel discuss this estoteric concept in greater detail. It would make for great storytelling.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

 

SW3D