The Grandmaster is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics, he first appeared in Avengers #69. He is one of the ageless Elders of the Universe and has mastered most civilizations' games of skill and chance.
Although his exact origin is mostly unknown, he is one of the oldest living beings in the universe, coming from one of the first intelligent races to evolve after the Big Bang.
His preferred game is pitting two opposing teams against each other. He has used the Squadron Supreme, Daredevil, the Defenders, the East and West Coast Avengers.
During the Contest of Champions miniseries, he challenged Death to a game of strategy, and won; this led to Death becoming angered with the Elders, preventing them from ever entering her realm - in other words, making them effectvely immortal.
Beyond never dying himself, he can also raise mortals from the dead, although that power is thought to be limited to those who have died sufficiently recently.
By the same cosmic force, he can also simply will other people to die, and bestow his life and death powers to a mortal for a limited time.
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