Darkseid
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Real Identity: Uxas
Appearances (STAS): Tools of the Trade, Father's Day, Apokolips...Now! Part One, Part Two, Little Girl Lost Part One, Part Two, Legacy Part One and Part Two
Appearances (JL/U): Twilight Part One, Part Two, Alive! and Destroyer
Appearances (JLI Comics): The Crack'd Mirror Part Two
Powers: Super strength, Near invulnerability, Omega Effect and Agony Matrix
Family: Kalibak (son) and Orion (son)
Voiced By: Michael Ironside
Darkseid is the dictator of the planet Apokolips and rules with an iron fist and absolute authority over his subjects. An outside analysis would view his rule as a dictatorship operating on a virtual slave state. Darkseid maintains several roles to his subjects; master, god and executioner. Darkseid many centuries ago, usurped control of Apokolips from his uncle, Steppenwolf and instigated a bloody war with the New Gods of Genesis.
After being transformed by the Godwave, Darkseid attained super strength, near invulnerability and the Omega Effect, a devastating laser beam projected from his eyes that can instantly vaporize almost any organiz material.
Eventually, the war between Apokolips and New Genesis reached a stalemate of equal bloodshed. Darkseid and Highfather came to a truce and exchanged sons in what was known as "The Pact." Darkseid continued his conquest relatively unchecked. His ultimate goal is to obtain the solution to the Anti-Life Equation. With it, Darkseid would have control over all living things and the power to destroy the forces, of what he views as, of the chaotic universe. He would then rebuild a new order in his image.
In modern times, Darkseid focused his attention on the planet Earth. He set forth an elaborate plan to turn the core of the planet into a radioactive hot zone similar to Apokolips. To avoid the attention of the New Gods, Darkseid decided to manipulate a human into performing the initial phases of the plan. He chose the head of Metropolis' Intergang, Bruno Mannheim. Through his agent, Kanto, Darkseid supplied Mannheim with Apokoliptian technology. However, Darkseid encountered opposition in the form of Superman.
Darkseid assigned his lackey, DeSaad to gauge Superman's powers and skills. DeSaad sent forth the Scream Machine to Earth but it was easily destroyed. Darkseid went forth unabated. He guided Mannheim to the Ayers Island Power Plant with an incinderary to take out the cooling system. The radioactivity would melt through the Earth's core and create burn holes. Superman still managed to prevent the cataclysm. Darkseid appeared and beat Superman with ease. However, the people refused to surrender and were led by Inspector Dan Turpin. The New Gods appeared in time and declared Earth was under their jurisdiction. Darkseid left without further conflict but took the life of Turpin before his departure.
Darkseid decided to subtly influence control of Earth. He assigned Granny Goodness to arm runaways with weaponry and steal technology of Earth origin. In secret, she built the Doomsday Magnet. It would attract the passing Fleischer's Comet and cause a devastating impact. Darkseid planned to step in and help rebuild. A fledgling Supergirl, with Jimmy Olsen, stumbled upon the plot. Goodness summoned her Female Furies squad for aid but Superman arrived. He was overpowered and taken to Apokolips to view Earth's destruction. Supergirl arrived and helped Superman escape and save Earth.
Superman became the primary target of Darkseid's next plan. He lured Superman into a deep space trap with a false distress call. Granny Goodness was then charged with erasing Superman's memory and making him believe he was the adopted son of Darkseid. Together they would bring order to a lawless universe. Eventually, Darkseid would order Superman to invade Earth and taint his public image in the process with a legacy of hate and fear. Lois Lane managed to jog his memory but a Kryptonite warhead, courtesy of Lex Luthor and General Hardcastle, ended the invasion. Superman was charged with treason and held captive until Lane snuck in and freed him and an ailing Supergirl. Superman decided to return to Apokolips and take down Darkseid once and for all. Superman came close until he witnessed Darkseid's human slaves come to his aid. Supergirl convinced Superman to return home and clear his name.
Years later, Darkseid allied himself with Brainiac. In reality, Darkseid wished to subvert Brainiac in an effort to expedite his search for the solution to the Anti-Life Equation. The combined intervention of the Justice League and Orion prevented Darkseid from achieving his means to an end. He was left to die in the self-destruction of Brainiac's base. His death sparked a civil war on Apokolips between his elites, Granny Goodness and Virman Vunderbarr, to consolidate power.
Lex Luthor attempted to reconsitute Brainiac from debris floating in space. He was unaware that Darkseid's remains were also present. Instead of Brainiac, Darkseid was resurrected. After destroying the Legion of Doom base, Darkseid returned to Apokolips and quelled the civil war. Darkseid rallied his people in a new campaign, to take Earth, New Genesis and then, find the Anti-Life Equation. The remnants of the Legion of Doom and the JLU and several unaffiliated super heroes stood against him. While battling Superman, Darkseid unleashed a new ability called the Agony Matrix. It is an electrical impulse that directs neural stimulation of pain receptors 1000 fold and in a continuous fashion. Darkseid also fashioned a custom made Kryptonite Dagger to deliver the killing blow to Superman. Lex Luthor intervened with ultimate knowledge and offered the Anti-Life Equation to Darkseid. The two disappeared and their survival is unknown. The forces of Apokolips retreated and retreaded into civil war.