Darkseid

From Batman Wiki

Darkseid
Real name:	Uxas
First Appearance:	Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (November 1970)
Created by:	Jack Kirby
Affiliations:	Darkseid's Elite Intergang Secret Society of Super Villains
Abilities:	Possessor of the Omega Force Superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and intellect Psionic powers Immortality
Portrayed by:	Frank Welker (Voice) Michael Ironside (Voice)

[edit] Character History

Dark Lord of the planet Apokolips, Darkseid is a powerful alien god who has battled many DC heroes. Usually an enemy of Superman, Darkseid has recently taken on great significance in the life (and "death") of Batman.

Part of a race known as the New Gods, Darkseid and his people were born from the fall of the Old Gods. Locked in perpetual rivalry with the planet New Genesis, Darkseid has ever sought the Anti-Life Equation, a mathematical formula that would give him control over life and death. His search for the Equation has often put him in conflict with Earth, which he believed to be key to his quest. Recently, Darkseid finally achieved the secret of Anti-Life, leading to the enslavement of Earth.

In Final Crisis, Darkseid begins to take over Earth with the aid of the corrupted Mary Marvel, Libra, Mr. Simyan, and Mokkari, and the astral forms of his fellow evil New Gods, who like Darkseid now possess human bodies.

Using Metron's abandoned Mobius Chair, Darkseid assassinates his son Orion via a "time travel" bullet fired into the past following Orion "killing" his father at the end of Countdown to the Final Crisis. He also arranges for detective Dan Turpin to be lured into the Dark Side Club, where Turpin is turned into Darkseid's "final host", as his "Boss Dark Side" body has begun to mummify due to Darkseid's foul astral presence. With his legion of followers and allies aiding him as he undergoes his latest "rebirth", Darkseid successfully conquers the Earth with the unleashing of the Anti-Life Equation onto mankind. However, the re-birthing process is still far from complete as Dan Turpin's mind and soul, while corrupted by Darkseid's essence, still remains in firm control over his body. However, at the same moment Shilo Norman (Mr. Miracle), the Embodiment of Freedom, is apparently shot to death by S.H.A.D.E. operatives, thus signaling the Victory of Evil.

Darkseid wins control over Turpin's body, now twisted in a close copy of his Apokoliptian former appearance, and wearing an updated copy of his battle armor. In Final Crisis #5, Darkseid gains the fullest of his power, his "fall" having the effect of compressing and crumpling space-time around Earth. He is also the first to be summoned to the Fifth World. In Final Crisis #6, Batman shoots Darkseid with the same Radion bullet that killed Orion, while Darkseid simultaneously Omega Sanctions Batman. Darkseid is hit in the shoulder, but not before his Omega Sanction "kills" him, giving him a "death that is life", where he will live multiple lives, each worse than the previous. Batman's charred remains are found by Superman on the last page on Final Crisis #6.

[edit] Powers and Abilities

Darkseid is among the most powerful New Gods, sometimes depicted with a variety of god-like abilities at his disposal. His main power, the Omega Effect, is a form of energy that he fires from his eyes as either concussive force or beams of disintegration, capable of transmuting or erasing most objects and organisms from existence as well as to reform or resurrect them. Darkseid has pinpoint control over his Omega Beams, and his unerring aim allows them to travel in straight lines, bend, twist, or curve around corners, and can pass through matter and energy. Darkseid at one point claimed that no living being had ever survived the full force of the Omega Effect, but extremely powerful beings, such as Doomsday and Superman, have survived them, and they have been shown to be ineffective against the bracelets of Wonder Woman. Darkseid is also able to project the Omega Effect as energy blasts from his hands. Another type of Omega Effect is the Omega Sanction. The Omega Sanction traps the organism in a series of alternate realities, each worse than the previous one.

In addition, Darkseid possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and durability equivalent to the corresponding traits of Superman. Countdown To Final Crisis #2 reveals that he also possesses the ability to increase his size. Darkseid possesses the power of telepathy and has also shown the ability to create psionic avatars and to lift objects with his mind (telekinesis). He is even able to open Boom Tubes under his own power, and can travel through time, space, and other dimensions with ease. Darkseid is also, being a god, virtually immortal, having returned from the dead a number of times and having lived for several thousand years at the very least.

Despite his great might, Darkseid is generally unaccustomed to physical combat; he is a master schemer and strategist. On Apokolips, Darkseid commands all of its vast military resources. He has access to the full technological resources of Apokolips.

[edit] In other media

Darkseid is portrayed by Frank Welker on the animated series, Super Friends.

Darkseid is potrayed by Michael Ironside on Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.