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Darkseid

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Darkseid
File:Darkseid.png
Darkseid from X-Men/New Teen Titans.
Art by Walt Simonson
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (November 1970)
Created byJack Kirby (writer & artist)
In-story information
Alter egoUxas
SpeciesNew God
Place of originApokolips
Team affiliationsDarkseid's Elite
Secret Society of Super Villains
Notable aliasesDark Side
AbilitiesSuperhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability and Genius-level intellect
Energy, Matter and Reality manipulation
The Omega Effect
Psionic powers
Immortality
Regenerative healing factor
Dimensional and time travel abilities.

Darkseid is a fictional alien supervillain, in the DC Comics Universe created by Jack Kirby as part of the Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. He first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (November 1970). Darkseid has risen in popularity, and become one of the most powerful and well-known villains of DC Comics.

Publication history

Darkseid has appeared all over the DC universe, battling Superman and the Justice League several times.

As with gods in other mythologies, Darkseid is incredibly powerful, but cannot escape his ultimate destiny. It has been foretold that Darkseid will meet his final defeat at the hands of his son, Orion, in a cataclysmic battle in the fiery Armaghetto of Apokolips.

Presumably this outcome would occur at the climax of the New Gods series, but the title's unforeseen cancellation instead brought Darkseid's story arc to an unceremonious end, and both he and Orion were brought into the mainstream DC Universe, while Jack Kirby moved on to other projects.

According to writer Mark Evanier, Jack Kirby modeled Darkseid on actor Jack Palance.[1]

Fictional character biography

Origins

Son of Yuga Khan and Heggra, Darkseid is the ruler of the planet Apokolips, a post he obtained after assassinating his mother. He is obsessed with finding the Anti-Life Equation in order to use it to rule the universe; this goal also includes conquering his rival planet, New Genesis, ruled by the Highfather. A destructive war between the two worlds was stopped only with a diplomatic exchange of the sons of Highfather and Darkseid.

File:Newgods12.png
Cover to New Gods #12. Art by Jack Kirby.

Darkseid's second born son Orion from his wife Tigra is surrendered to Highfather, while Darkseid receives Scott Free, who later becomes the master escape artist Mister Miracle. This turns out to be a setback for Darkseid with his biological son growing up to value and defend the ideals of New Genesis in opposition to his father. Darkseid's first born son is Kalibak the Cruel, and his third born son is Grayven.

Darkseid's greatest ambition is to eliminate all freewill from the universe and re-shape it into his own image. To this end, he seeks to unravel the mysterious Anti-Life Equation, which will allow him to control completely the thoughts and emotions of all living beings in the universe. The Anti-Life Equation has often been portrayed as a quasi-mystical power that forces a listener to agree with whatever the wielder says, while other times, it is portrayed as a comprehensive scientific theory on how to dominate any living mind, whatever its nature may be.

While he has yet to obtain a complete working copy of the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid has tried on several other occasions to achieve dominance of the universe through other methods. He has a special interest in Earth, as he believes humans possess collectively within their minds most, if not all, fragments of the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid intends to probe the minds of every human in order to piece together the Equation.

Seeing other gods as a threat, Darkseid invaded the island of Themyscira in order to discover the secret location of the Olympian gods. He planned to overthrow the Olympians and steal their power. Refusing to aid Darkseid in his mad quest the Amazons battled his parademon troops, causing half of the Amazon population's death. [2] During the Our Worlds at War storyline it is explained that Wonder Woman was able to gain her revenge against Darkseid for killing so many of her sisters by placing a portion of her own soul into Darkseid. This supposedly weakened the god's power as he lost a portion of his dark edge. [3]

Drax, Darkseid's brother, became the Infinity-Man.

Superman/Batman

Darkseid recently attempted to attack Earth by kidnapping Supergirl. He had used Black Kryptonite to brainwash Supergirl, thus providing him with a leader for his Female Furies, as well as a warrior on par with Superman. However, Batman and Superman were able to save Supergirl. This set forward a plan of revenge by Darkseid to destroy Supergirl; this plan also fails as Supergirl is teleported out at the last minute. Superman is set into an unparalleled fit of rage as he hurls Darkseid into the sun where they attempted to destroy each other. Superman beats Darkseid unconscious enough to throw him into the Source Wall, where Superman declares that, "For years and years, you've tried to learn the secrets of ultimate power from the other side. But you will never get the answers—just like the others who are entombed here. This is where you belong. Along with all the other failures in the universe." The mysterious appearance of the Maximums in the next story arc (see below) has been linked to Darkseid.

During the Superman/Batman story arc "With a Vengeance" (issues 20-25), the Joker attempted to control Darkseid when the Clown Prince of Crime gained powers similar to Mister Mxyzptlk. It was later revealed that Bat-Mite was inside the Joker the whole time. (Bat-Mite literally crawled out of his mouth). Darkseid actually attempted to vaporize the Joker with his Omega Beam, but failed to hit his target.

To pay a debt incurred to an alternate reality Darkseid and in order to realign the timeline, Superman recently freed Darkseid from his entombment in the Source Wall.

In Superman/Batman #25, Mister Mxyzptlk revealed that Darkseid's destiny was yet to be written and that their futures were tied together via the cryptic statement "From the fourth world into the fifth dimension. Kinda like the ring tone of that, Big D."

Countdown

Main article: Countdown (DC Comics)

The upcoming DC Comics event known as Countdown apparently has Darkseid playing a major role. A teaser poster for the event reads "Unto Man Shall Come a Great Disaster", with Darkseid's visage visible at the bottom. In addition, one of the promotional pins for the event reads "Darkseid Rules."

It is currently unknown just what role Darkseid will play in the event, and if the 'Great Disaster' is the same disaster referenced in Kamandi, another Kirby work.

Powers and abilities

Darkseid is an incredibly powerful being with many god-like abilities.

File:Darkseid Large.jpg
The Omega Beams in action. Art by Joe DeVito
  • Darkseid's main power is the Omega Effect, a form of energy that he fires from his eyes. It is not only a relentless attack, but it is also capable of teleporting the target to any location Darkseid chooses and recall them later or erase the target from the universe and similarly reform them. Darkseid has pinpoint control over his Omega Beams, and his unerring aim allows it to travel in straight lines or bend, twist, or curve around corners. The Omega Effect can apparently pass through matter and energy. In the third part of the Hunter/Prey storyline, he claimed that no being had yet withstood the full force of the Omega Effect, but Doomsday nonetheless survived the attack. Both Superman and the Cyborg Superman have also withstood a blast from the Omega Beams, but with severe pain and damage as a result. The full might of the Omega Effect has even had some effect on the Spectre himself. Darkseid's third son Grayven uses a weaker version of the Omega Effect.
  • Darkseid possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and durability that at least rival, but most likely surpass, those possessed by Superman.
  • Additionally, Darkseid possesses a regenerative healing factor as well as immortality, which are common among the more advanced beings of the Fourth World.
  • Darkseid also possesses incredible psionic abilities. He once mentally dominated nearly three billion Daxamites simultaneously. It should be noted that this happened after Darkseid had absorbed the energies from certain mystical artifacts, as well as from Legion of Super-Heroes enemies Mordru and the Time Trapper.
  • Darkseid can transmute matter at the molecular level, as he demonstrated by turning the Daxamite warrior Ol-Vir into dust, and Slo-bo into a statue, and Secret from a spirit into a living girl. He is also able to dissipate and disperse the molecules of any object or organism, effectively erasing them from existence.
  • Darkseid has the ability to generate mental avatars, and is able to levitate himself and others telekinetically with ease.
  • As a god-like being, Darkseid has several powers that surpass most other beings in the known universe. He can imbue humans with great power, as he did when he made an unnamed Earth woman over into the being known as Stayne, created as a rival for Takion.
  • He can travel through time and between dimensions as easily as any New God.
  • Darkseid also possesses a superhuman level intellect; he is a master planner and strategist.

Other versions

File:Darkseid 7s.gif
Darkseid as "Dark Side" in 'Seven Soldiers' Mr. Miracle.
  • In Grant Morrison's 2005 Mister Miracle miniseries, it was revealed that Darkseid finally discovered the Anti-Life Equation, which he then used to destroy the Fourth World altogether. The New Gods fled to Earth, where they hid: Highfather and his followers are now a group of homeless people, Metron is an epileptic, the Black Racer is an old white man in a wheelchair, Desaad is an evil psychiatrist, Granny Goodness is a pimp for the Female Furies, and Darkseid himself is now an evil businessman who is referred to only as "Dark Side". It is revealed in Seven Soldiers #1 that Darkseid actually gave the Sheeda North America in return for Aurakles, Earth's first superhero. This is, in turn, purely in order for Darkseid to get Shilo Norman, whom he considers the "Avatar of Freedom," in his clutches so that he can eventually destroy the New Gods. How much of this change is actual, or how much a re-imagining of the New Gods as archetypes of the real world is unclear. As it stands though, the series ended with Darkseid in his current form as "Dark Side" claiming the beginning of the "Dark Era."
  • In the Great Darkness Saga, Darkseid survived into the 30th century. Having been forgotten by almost everyone, he defeated the era's two most powerful villains (Mordru and the Time Trapper) and absorbed their powers, subsequently using those abilities to enslave the entire population of the planet Daxam. Commanding an army of billions of Daxamites(each with the same powers as Superman), as well as "dark" clones of Superman and other super powered beings, he launched a full-scale assault on the United Planets. Only the efforts of the Legion of Super-Heroes and its allies were able to prevent him from conquering the entire known universe.

As a result of his defeat by the Legion, Darkseid sought revenge against Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. When Saturn Girl was in labor, Darkseid stole one of her twin children, warped him into the monstrous Validus and sent him into the Legion's past, where he became one of the Legion's deadliest foes as a member of the Fatal Five. Later, when his ploy was discovered, he restored Validus to his original form. (After the events of Zero Hour this origin of Validus was removed from continuity.)

  • In the miniseries Kingdom Come, Orion has now deposed Darkseid, fulfilling the prophecy, and is ruler of Apokolips. However, the changes that he wished to make (democracy, freedom) quickly failed, making him bitter and cynical. Superman is disappointed in Orion's progress and says his new demeanor is more like Darkseid than ever.
  • A very distant possible future of the DC Universe was shown in DC's 1998 line-wide crossover event DC One Million. Here, in the one-shot Martian Manhunter #1,000,000, it is shown that by the year 85,271, Darkseid had long since died in a final battle with Martian Manhunter (which cost the Martian his physical form, causing him to be merged with Mars).
  • In Superman: Red Son, a statue of Darkseid is visible within Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
  • A much closer alternate future was seen during Rock of Ages, a JLA story written by Grant Morrison. Here, in a story roughly fifteen years from the "present day," Darkseid has found the Anti-Life Equation and become absolute ruler of Earth. Darkseid is rendered into a vegetative state at hands of Green Arrow and the Atom, before the whole Earth is blown up by Orion in order to kill Darkseid for good.

In other media

DC Animated Universe

Superman: The Animated Series

File:Animated Darkseid.jpg
Animated Darkseid in 1996's Superman: The Animated Series.

Darkseid appears most prominently in Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe, where he is voiced by Michael Ironside. Timm explained that Darkseid was brought into the series in an effort to boost Superman's rogues gallery and give him a more powerful villain with whom to contend.

After making a series of brief "teaser" appearances throughout Superman: The Animated Series, Darkseid was featured prominently in a pair of popular two-part episodes. "Apokolips...Now!" shows Darkseid leading his forces in an invasion of Earth. Darkseid confronts Superman and offers him a place at his side, but Superman rejects the offer, leading Darkseid to declare: "If you will not be my knight, you will be my pawn." Although Superman is outmatched, Darkseid's plan is foiled by the appearance of armies from New Genesis, the leaders of which declare Earth to be under Highfather's protection. Just as Darkseid leaves, though, in one of the most shocking moments of the series, he tells Superman that no victory comes without a price, and before he steps through the portal to Apokolips, uses his Omega Beams to vaporize Dan Turpin, a hard-boiled police officer who had been Superman's friend, whom Bruce Timm had based on Darkseid's creator Jack Kirby. In the audio commentary for this episode, Timm explains that Turpin's funeral was intended as a tribute to his death, going so far as to hire a real-life rabbi to deliver the fictional flatfoot's eulogy.

Later, in "Legacy," the two-part series finale for Superman: The Animated Series, Darkseid makes good on his promise of making Superman his pawn. He captures the Man of Steel and brainwashes him into thinking that he is Darkseid's adopted son. Darkseid sends Superman on several conquests throughout the galaxy before sending him to invade Earth. When Superman regains his memory, he finds that he has destroyed parts of Metropolis, nearly killed Supergirl, and lost the world's trust. Traveling to Apokolips, Superman seeks revenge on Darkseid and engages him in a brutal fistfight. This is the only time Darkseid engages in a direct fight throughout the show, ending with Superman managing to turn Darkseid's Omega Beams back on him. Superman then tosses Darkseid's battered self down to his slaves, telling them that they are now free to do what they want. To his shock and disgust, the slaves pick up Darkseid and carry him away, promising to help him. Darkseid tells Superman that "I am many things, Kal-El... but here, I am God."

Justice League

Darkseid later returned in the Justice League episode "Twilight," where he teamed up with Brainiac to destroy the Justice League. Now harboring a severe hatred towards Darkseid, Superman initially attacked Darkseid when he arrived in the Watchtower and refused to aid him against Brainiac, justifying his behavior by claiming that Darkseid was only setting up the League to betray them. Ultimately proven correct, Superman had to be dragged away from a fight with Darkseid by Batman, who had actually goaded Superman into helping Darkseid in the first place.

Following an explosion at Brainiac's headquarters, Darkseid disappeared for a time, evidently dead. In Justice League Unlimited, a civil war broke out on Apokolips between Granny Goodness and Virman Vunderbarr during his absence.

Justice League Unlimited

File:Brainseid.png
A transformed Darkseid in Justice League Unlimited.

In the DC Animated Universe, Darkseid died off-screen in the Justice League episode "Twilight" and was reconstituted in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Alive!".

In the two-part series finale of Justice League Unlimited, Lex Luthor tries to resurrect Brainiac by having the Legion of Doom transform their base into a spacecraft to find lost pieces of Brainiac's last base; but with Tala's help, Gorilla Grodd attempts a coup to retake control of the Legion, leading to a battle between members loyal to Grodd and Luthor.

In the end, Luthor defeats Grodd and disposes of those loyal to Grodd. When the Legion reaches the location, Luthor uses Tala as a magic conduit to restore Brainiac, killing her in the process, but instead resurrects Darkseid, who is now infused with the essence of Brainiac. In a DVD commentary on the episode Alive!, producer Dwayne McDuffie mentions that he imagined Tala ressurecting Darkseid instead of Brainiac intentionally, as "her final 'screw you' to Luthor."

Darkseid rewards Luthor for his help by giving him and the Legion a quick death. The remnants of the Legion soon appear alive and well back on Earth, having been saved by a force field created by Sinestro and Star Sapphire, and go to the Justice League to warn them of Darkseid.

Darkseid makes his way to Earth, sending his forces around the globe with drilling machines to make it like Apokolips. Darkseid himself eventually engages Superman in a lengthy battle across Metropolis. The battle at first leans towards Darkseid's favor until Superman finally decides to "cut loose" with everything he has after witnessing Batman's valiant attempt to fight Darkseid himself. From this point, Superman dominates the battle until Darkseid uses the Agony Matrix, a pain induction weapon, against him, describing its effects: "Direct neuro-stimulation of pain receptors - all of them. Imagine the worst pain you have ever felt in your life, times a thousand. Now imagine that pain continuing forever. Oh, that's right... you don't have to imagine."

Darkseid is about to cut out Superman's heart with a Kryptonite knife when Lex Luthor appears and shows him the recently acquired Anti-Life Equation, which he attained with the aid of the New God Metron. Although Luthor seemingly perishes with Darkseid in an explosion of light, Batman remarks that they will likely see the two again.

Film

Darkseid might be a villain considered to appear in the untitled Superman Returns sequel, as director Bryan Singer has stated Superman may fight an alien villain.

Video games

Notes and references

  1. ^ http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2006_11_10.html#012391
  2. ^ Wonder Woman Vol. 2, #102-104
  3. ^ Wonder Woman Vol. 2, #173
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