Thanos of Titan has many times brought the universe to the cusp of destruction, and each time is has taken a hero of great worth and power to stop him. He is a deadly foe for he has powers to rival Galactus himself and intellegence which cannot be confined. While Thanos of Titan was long ago seeking the love of his Mistress Death he began a Universe wide search for artifacts of power to aid him in his dark goals. He and his minions tore through planets both full and deserted, laying waste to all that came in their path. For a great time Thanos was in doubt he would ever be fulfilled in his quest.

It was by chance that he came upon a long dead planet, buried in a deep corner of the galaxy. Beneath the ruined surface he found vaults of knowledge, left by those who had once managed to live upon the spinning globe. It was in this very place that he found a scroll which was carefully wrapped and locked away. Holding no favor for a long dead race, the Titan tore it from its place and began to read the language of the long forgotten.

The scroll spoke of six beautiful and deadly gems. Items of such power that their mention was spoken in fear, and only by the mightest and most knowing of men. Very little was known to those who spoke about those gems, and their history was clouded and forgotten centuries ago. Thanos could not resist the lure of this boon, and sook the gems out for his own.

In the years when this universe was young, many of the wisest of beings were aware of the presence of the Gems, but would not speak of them. Count Abyss found a footnote mentioning them while he ransacked his own tomes of knowledge for something to return his soul. So it is known that here and there, in the oldest of books, one may find the mention of an emerald jewel... and his brothers five.