Thus, they are among the most powerful and sought-after items in the Marvel Universe; playing important roles in several storylines, in which they were wielded by characters such as Thanos and Adam Warlock.

The Gems have appeared in several media adaptations outside of comics, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe film franchise, where they are called Infinity Stones and have their colors altered.

[2] The main six Gems appeared when the death-obsessed villain Thanos attempted to use them to extinguish every star in the universe.

[6][full citation needed] In the miniseries The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos uses the Gems to become nearly omnipotent and kills half the universe's population as a gift to his love, the cosmic embodiment of Death.

Adam Warlock then recovers the Gauntlet and, by order of the Living Tribunal, divides the Gems that fit in the gauntlet among a group he calls "the Infinity Watch", consisting of himself, the superheroes Gamora, Pip the Troll, Drax the Destroyer, Moondragon, and his former adversary Thanos.

In a story arc of the Thanos series (2003–2004), Galactus gathers six of the Gems but accidentally allows an interdimensional entity named Hunger access to the Marvel universe.

[citation needed] The Gauntlet is subsequently claimed by Black Panther, who uses it to keep the Beyonder-enhanced Doom occupied until Mister Fantastic can disrupt his power source.

In Marvel Legacy #1, the Space Stone (now colored blue) appears on Earth where a Frost Giant working for Loki steals it from a S.H.I.E.L.D.

[21][full citation needed] A future version of Ghost Rider is revealed to possess a shard of the Time Stone (now colored green),[22][full citation needed] while in the present the complete stone restores the ruined planet of Sakaar and is claimed by the Super-Skrull.

[citation needed] The Mind Stone (now colored yellow) is found on Earth in the hands of petty crook Turk Barrett,[23] and the Soul Stone (now colored orange) is mentioned to Adam Warlock to be in the hands of his dark aspect, the Magus;[24][full citation needed] however, Ultron is able to claim it after ambushing and killing him.

[30] In the Ultraverse, after merging into their original form of Nemesis, the Gems were again separated after a battle with Ultraforce and the Avengers.

[34][full citation needed] In the Contest of Champions miniseries, an alternate version of Tony Stark uses the Reality Gem to win the superhero civil war and affect the outcome of a presidential election.

[44] The Mind Gem (stolen by Hydra) is used by Modi (Thor's son) to control both Director Flumm and Cassie Lang, but are stopped by the Ultimates.

[46][full citation needed] Kang the Conqueror later allies himself with the Hulk, Reed Richards and Quicksilver as part of a plan to steal the two Gauntlets, which results in the destruction of the Triskelion.

[47][full citation needed] Richards is later able to recover another of the Gems, which is found lodged in Tony Stark's brain.

He informs Stark that the Infinity Gems are needed to save the world from a coming cataclysm that will destroy the entire universe.

With Iron Man replacing Ghost Rider, they were the only heroes available to fight Thanos when he initially assembled the Infinity Gauntlet.

[52][full citation needed] The Infinity Stones appear in Lego Marvel Super Heroes - Guardians of the Galaxy: The Thanos Threat.