Living in harmony with Earth remains humanity’s greatest challenge. Before colonization, all living beings lived in balance by showing respect and honour for each other's existence through ceremony and traditions.

Today, that balance has been altered due to the internal struggle of all human beings; the conflict of humility and ego. This is known to some Indigenous communities as The Great Conflict of the Thunderbird and Horned Serpent.

Sacred Defenders of the Universe tells the story of how The Great Conflict gave birth to four superheroes, known as the Four Sacred Elements: Water (Aqueous), Fire (Embers), Earth (Terra) and Wind (Aireus). These sacred defenders rediscover their universal gifts of elemental energy which are found inside all human beings – gifts passed down through the ancient ancestral teachings.

Will humanity learn to restore balance between humility and ego before the consequences of indifference on Earth are irreversible? This story is a reminder to look deep within ourselves to rediscover our own unique gifts because there is a hero inside of us all.

The newest digital immersion experience at TELUS Spark Science Centre,  Sacred Defenders of the Universe,  transforms the 3,000 square-foot space into a vibrant floor-to-ceiling journey inside a graphic novel that follows four Indigenous superheroes - Aqueous, Embers, Terra and Aireus - as they seek to bring back the balance on Earth between humility and respect for the land, and the excessive destruction of human ego.

Visitors will become immersed in the story - interacting with each of the digital elements, creating waves and wind with their movements, igniting their senses with sparks and fire, and growing plants and mycelium. Through the story, visitors will discover Indigenous science through the Circle of Life, the four elements and directions, and key words in local Indigenous languages.

Sacred Defenders of the Universe  was created and built by TELUS Spark Science Centre. This Indigenous-led story was created by Justin Jack Bear and Earl Benallie, animated by a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, and produced in partnership with Supply and Demand.

Aligning with Spark’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, the creative and production teams consulted closely with local and national Indigenous community members and the Spark Indigenous Advisory Circle to connect the story with local Treaty 7 stories and the lands across Turtle Island.