Darkseid

Revision as of 22:23, 26 February 2008

Darkseid

The Lord of Apokolips, Darkseid is a powerful, god-like being who seeks to conquer Earth and ultimately obtain power over all life.

Superman and Jimmy Olsen first encounter Darkseid through the agency of his minions, including Morgan Edge II, in November 1970 when they battle the Mountain of Judgement alongside the Newsboy Legion (SPJO No. 134: "The Mountain of Judgement").

In January 1971, Darkseid's servant Simyan notes that he is "stern, but he rewards his loyal and efficient servitors." Darkseid's own words, however, betray a personality that is less sanguine:

    Yes but who can deny the power of the other
    side?  Death can eclipse life!  A great
    lie can smash truth!  And the answer to a
    finely disciplined Superman is ... a chaotic
    fury of a thing --an uncontrollable organic
    murder machine!

(SPJO No. 135: "The Evil Factory")

Character History

Darkseid was born as Uxas on the planet Apokolips, son to Yuga Khan and Heggra. Early in life he murdered his brother, Drax (who would become the Infinity Man) in order to obtain the Omega Effect. His father was entombed in the Source Wall after unsuccessfully trying to learn the barrier's mysteries, and his mother Heggra then took the throne. Darkseid fell in love with a witch named Suli, who attempted to curb her lover's violent ambitions, and she was successful for a time. Heggra did not like the woman's influence over her son, and so ordered her to be murdered by Desaad. After the death of the only woman he ever loved Darkseid became even more ruthless, and in time took his vengeance by killing his mother and taking the throne of Apokolips himself.

Ever since that time Darkseid has been a scourge to the universe, a supremely powerful and ruthless villain who seeks to control all of creation. To this end he has sought the elusive Anti-Life Equation, a highly complex mathematical formula that he believes will allow him to erase all free will in the universe once solved. In recent years he has come into numerous conflicts with Superman, one of the few beings in existence who can claim to be a legitimate threat to him.

Super-Powers

The Omega Effect, manifesting itself in the form of beams from his eyes, is Darkseid's most fearsome power. It is capable of producing anything from gentle warmth to matter-annihilating heat. These eye-beams are guided by Darkseid's mind toward his desired target and are capable of amazingly catastrophic destruction. They can also teleport a foe through time or space and even bring back beings that were previously destroyed by the Omega Effect. Darkseid once proclaimed that no living being had ever survived the beams, but Superman, Doomsday, and the Spectre have all withstood the Omega Effect. Wonder Woman has deflected the energy with her bracelets. Batman is the only being known to have effectively dodged the deadly rays.

In addition to the Omega Effect, Darkseid also possesses incredible levels of super strength, speed, and stamina that rival the corresponding traits of Superman, though he has lost in direct combat with the Man of Steel, and vice versa.

Darkseid has also been portrayed as a highly potent telepath. He harnesses many god-like abilities; he has been shown capable of creating life from nothing, and of resurrecting the dead. He can also gift mortals with great power, or simply devolve them into oblivion.

His considerable physical characteristics are aided by his immense intelligence. Darkseid has a genius-level mind and is a master military strategist.

Relatives

• Yuga Khan Darkseid's father, an extremely powerful New God. Khan ruled Apokolips when his wife, the queen Heggra, until he foolishly attempted to unravel the mysteries of the Source. He tried to pass through the Source Wall but was promptly absorbed by it, and remained its prisoner for many thousands of years. He at one point managed to escape and returned to Apokolips where he quickly overthrew his son. Yet he was soon thereafter reclaimed by the Source Wall, and it can only be assumed that he is still trapped there.
• Heggra Darkseid's mother, Heggra ascended to the throne after her husband's imprisonment. Heggra did not like the influence that Darkseid's peace-loving wife, Suli, had on her son, and she ordered the woman murdered. Heggra would herself meet her death at the hands of her child, who then took the throne of Apokolips for himself.
• Suli Darkseid's wife, and the only woman her ever loved. She was murdered by Desaad upon Heggra's orders. She gave birth to Darkseid's first child, Kalibak.
• Kalibak Darkseid's first son, born of Suli. Kalibak was loyal to his father, who treated the child harshly and never showed him any amount of love. Kalibak was jealous of his brother, Orion, who was favored more by Darkseid. Kalibak met his end at the hands of the mysterious God Killer.
• Orion Second son of Darkseid, Orion was traded to New Genesis as part of a peace agreement between his father and New Genesis's leader, Highfather. Orion ultimately came to value the ideals of New Genesis, though he inherited his father's rage. Darkseid held much more respect for Orion than he did for either of his other two children. When Orion was defeated by the God Killer, Darkseid sensed his death and seemed to be saddened.
• Grayven Darkseid's third son, born of an unknown mother. Grayven did not learn of his heritage until the death of his mother, at which point he attempted to invade and conquer Apokolips. He failed. Grayven was able to wield a much weaker version of the Omega Effect than that utilized by his father. He was the first of Darkseid's children to be slain by the God Killer.

External Links

• Wikipedia entry on Darkseid