The Living Tribunal is a vastly powerful humanoid entity who has existed as long as the universe itself, and whose function is to safeguard the multiverse (the continuum of alternate universes) from an imbalance of mystical forces. Possessing untold power, the Tribunal will act to prevent one of the universes from amassing more concentrated mystical power than any of the others, or upsetting the cosmic balance and threatening the other universes. The Tribunal will also act to prevent a grave imbalance between the mystical forces allied with good and those allied with evil within one universe. Usually the Tribunal leaves matters involving a mystical imbalance affecting only Earth's universe to be monitored by the universe's "abstract" entities Lord Chaos and Master Order, and to be dealt with by their creation, the In-Betweener.

The Tribunal is willing to obliterate an entire inhabited planet to safeguard an entire universe or the multiverse itself, and is fully capable of doing so by an exercise of his own power. One of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, the Tribunal can turn a star into a supernova with a single force bolt.

The Living Tribunal manifests itself as a being with three faces, which represent the three sides of the Tribunal's personality. Its front face, through which it usually speaks, stands for equity. The completely hooded face on the right side of its head represents necessity, and the half-hooded face on the left side stands for just revenge. All three sides of the Tribunal's mind must be in agreement when judging a case requiring possible action before the Tribunal can intervene.

The Living Tribunal's first known encounter with a being of Earth was with Earth's Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange. He later met the Galadorian spaceknight Rom and the vastly powerful extradimensional Beyonder.

First Appearance: STRANGE TALES #157