Red Dawn

January 27th 1985

The Space Shuttle Discovery was returning to Earth. The details of the mission remain classified, but the world knows one thing. Five men went up. Six came down. As the shuttle descended towards Earth, a bright red and gold comet was seen through the sky following them. A singular masculine figure of a deep red with gold stripes escorted the shuttle from descent to landing. The figure touched down and stood there, watching...

Commander Thomas Mattingly stepped out of the shuttle. With the world's eyes on him he approached the being. The two appeared to talk for a few moments, and fifteen minutes later it took flight leaving CDR. Mattingly. CDR Mattingly has since declined to details of the conversation, save for one.

"His name is Heimdall."

Heimdall was the first in what was dubbed the age of Gods, capes began to appear around the world. Some benign, some malicious. A super powered arms race had begun, with Heimdall only appearing on the rare occasion to observe. His influence would not be truly felt until April of 1986. The first appearance of what would come to be known as Endbringers. The Chernobyl incident. A strange, almost alien like creature had appeared, and Russia's capes rallied together but it wasn't enough. The only survivor of the incident was Heimdall who managed to drive the creature away. The Chernobyl plant was destroyed and the area became a wasteland. The beast returned every year thereafter growing larger in size and power and people had given it a name. Jörmungandr. 1989 saw the death of the beast, heroes and villains had rallied together, Heimdall himself even stepped in to battle the creature near the end and it was slain. The world was safe from the Endbringer. "The world was finally safe" they believed.

In 1992 they would be proven wrong.

Each year sees the appearance of a new creature. They act with determination towards a singular, devastating goal. Parahumans, as they're now called, must act carefully yet swiftly for with each victory the creature claims it grows exponentially in strength. Furthermore with the death of each Endbringer, a new one arises to take it's place. What fresh horrors await down the line? Will there ever be a final Endbringer? Who is Heimdall? These questions alone are the basis of many thesis by prospective students with hopes that one day, we'll figure it all out.