New Gods/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Apokolips

The dreaded domain of Darkseid. It is the polar opposite of New Genesis.

Darkseid

AKA: Uxas

New Genesis is a stinking cosmic sewer. I have fouled paradise beyond repair and broken in the mire the shining cities of the gods. I have won! Is this vanity? Then I will remake the entire universe in the image of my soul, Desaad. And when at last I turn to look upon the eternal desolation I have wrought, I will see Darkseid, as in a mirror, and know what fear is.
—Darkseid, JLA #13

Evil Overlord. Galactic Conqueror. Omnicidal Maniac. Physical God.

None can even begin to describe Darkseid -- Darkseid IS.

A creation of Jack Kirby (though made famous by Legion of the Super-Hero writer Paul Levitz, in "The Great Darkness Saga"), Darkseid stands tall among the New Gods, ruling dread Apokolips as he wages a constant war for control of the universe and possession of the Anti-Life Equation, which will allow him to either conquer the universe or destroy it, Depending on the Writer.

First appearing in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, Darkseid is a character within the Fourth World, a Jack Kirby series that was originally supposed to be self-contained and finite. However, Executive Meddling prevented the conclusion that Kirby originally intended, which would have killed most of the New Gods and ended their storylines, and Darkseid was drafted into the DCU at large along with the rest of the New Gods. Darkseid has served as the Big Bad for numerous DCU heroes and titles in the decades since his first appearance. Since Jack Kirby was never able to introduce the conclusion to the New Gods that he originally wanted, Darkseid has often drifted without clearly defined goals and roles within the DCU, and at times this results in rather drastic Badass Decay when authors try to fit him into stories for which he was not originally intended. This led writer Grant Morrison to put an end of it in Final Crisis - Crisis Crossover in which Darkseid not only regains his badassery and motives, but even manages to Took a Level in Badass and become God Of Evil, who's been killing entire Universe just by existing.

Darkseid has been featured in several animated TV series after his comic introduction, primarily serving as an opponent to Superman while continuing his search for the Anti-Life Equation. These series include:

He has his own article, so read more about him there.

Darkseid's Elite

Darkseid's inner circle. After the God of Tyranny himself, these are the most potent and evil beings of Apokolips and the main instruments through which Darkseid works his dark will.

Amazing Grace

One of Darkseid's greatest minions, she pretends to organize a rebellion every once in a while. When it inevitably fails, the people are left hopeless again, solidifying Darkseid's control once more. She is Glorious Godfrey's sister.

Desaad

Darkseid's advisor and chief interrogator. This spineless, wormy little man dreams of one day ruling Apokolips himself. He is Bernadeth's brother.

Desaad possessed Mary Marvel during Final Crisis, apparently revelling in turning the pure young heroine into an oversexed murderer. He was exorcized when Captain Marvel Junior used Shazam's lightning to turn Mary back to her mortal self.

Devilance the Pursuer

The god of the hunt, Darkseid's chief tracker. He was a recurring foe of the Forever People. Devilance was eventually killed by Lobo.

Doctor Bedlam

Darkseid's chief scientist, who is a disembodied entity who inhabits a number of robotic clones called "animates".

Glorious Godfrey

AKA: G. Gordon Godfrey / Rev. G. Godfrey Goode

Darkseid has Godfrey pose as a televangelist to turn the people against their superheroes and preach the gospel of "Anti-Life" -- unthinking obedience, making them easier to conquer. He is Amazing Grace's brother.

During Final Crisis, Glorious Godfrey possessed a human man and posed, again, as a televangelist to distract people from Darkseid's plan. He dies when his host body burns out and Darkseid refuses to create a new body for him.

Granny Goodness

The leader and trainer of the Female Furies. Although she is an elderly woman, she is one of the most wicked and dangerous beings alive.

Granny incarnates on Earth in Final Crisis, first as a human pimp and later in the body of the Apokolips-born Green Lantern, Kraken. In this form, she captures Batman for the Evil Gods and nearly conquers Oa in Darkseid's name, but is exposed by Hal Jordan.

  • Apron Matron: A sick parody of one.
  • Bad Samaritan
  • Beware the Silly Ones: Commonly treated as a joke by comic fans, Granny Goodness has the best track record of not getting her butt kicked by super-heroes and the New Gods AND commits acts of horrific abuse without any consequences ON CHILDREN 24-7 on Apokolips.
  • Break the Cutie: A flashback story established this as why she's evil: she was made to train alongside an attack dog named Mercy, who she felt love for. Rather than kill it as her final test of loyalty to Darkseid in order to gain entrance into Darkseid's inner circle, she argued to let Mercy live as the dog was a loyal and powerful servant. Darkseid then ordered Mercy to kill Granny and when Granny killed her beloved pet in self-defense, Darkseid was so impressed that she actually fought back and killed Mercy, that he granted her inner-circle status. And Granny pretty much lost what little remaining goodness in her heart as a result of having to kill the only being she ever loved.
  • Combat Sadomasochist

Granny: Did that hurt? Good. It was supposed to.
Amanda Waller: Yeah, it hurt. (rifle-butts her) Does this? It's supposed to!

Granny: That's all right, dearie. Granny likes pain.

  • Complete Monster: Basically the Patron God of Child Abuse on Apokolips.
  • Cross-Dressing Voices: Portrayed by Ed Asner in The DCAU.
  • Fluffy the Terrible: Not only does her name count, but her lethal attack dog was called "Mercy".
  • High Octane Nightmare Fuel: In Final Crisis, when she's reduced to an evil spirit, who possesses a Green Lantern and creates centipede energy constructs.
    • Her capturing Batman also counts, as far as Granny not only single-handedly defeating Batman but also her speech where she exclaims how completely and utterly fucked Batman is now that she has him prisoner.
  • I Was Quite a Looker: She was downright gorgeous (in a harsh, spartan sort of way), as shown in a flashback.
  • Moral Event Horizon: If you see her in her orphanage, expect to see Granny committing at least one of these minimum.
  • Orphanage of Fear: She runs these, to break children's spirits and weed out potential recruits.
  • Terms of Endangerment
  • Torture Technician
  • Undying Loyalty: There's a reason Granny is so highly placed in Darkseid's inner-circle: she genuinely worships him, and it shows in her training. Granny has trained the Female Furies to be loyal to Granny first, but Darkseid foremost, meaning that in a test of loyalty, the Furies will choose Darkseid.
  • What Could Have Been: Grant Morrison originally conceived Granny's Final Crisis visual as a warped version of a Real Doll fetishist. Granny would wear a corset and rubber catsuit to make her look skinnier, on top of wearing a doll-themed latex face mask to hide the fact that she was an elderly woman.

Kalibak the Cruel

Darkseid's son by his first wife Suli. His greatest wish is to prove himself a worthy heir to his father, but that will never happen.

In Final Crisis, Kalibak first possessed a human thug; after his host died, Darkseid's scientists created a bestial tiger-man body for him to inhabit. He was killed in combat by Talky Tawny.

Kanto

AKA: Iluthin

Darkseid's personal assassin. Kanto is a master of both courtly intrigue and fencing, and ruins men just as efficiently with the pen as with the sword. He dresses in the manner of a Renaissance nobleman.

Mantis

Mortalla

Steppenwolf

The uncle of Darkseid and general of the armies of Apokolips. Steppenwolf is one of Darkseid's most loyal and trusted servants. He is a genius tactician who rides a hover bike with the same power as Orion's Astro-Harness.

Virman Vundabar

The Deep Six

The Female Furies

Darkseid's elite female warriors, founded and led by Granny Goodness. They serve him without question. Supergirl, Mary Marvel, and other powerful women have served on this team, usually thanks to Brainwashing.

Alianna Hubbard

A human woman recruited by the Furies. Do not underestimate her.

Artemiz

The Furies' resident archer.

Bernadeth

Co-field leader of the Furies. She shares this duty with Lashina, who she doesn't get along with. She is Desaad's sister.

Bloody Mary

A vampire that can control her victims and use telekinesis.

Gilotina

Her swords, and karate chops, can slice through any matter like a hot knife through butter.

Knockout

AKA: Kay

A Fury who decided to escape to Earth when she saw the opportunity. She eventually joined the Secret Six. She was killed during the Death of the New Gods storyline.

Lashina

Co-field leader of the Furies. She also works undercover as a prostitute when Granny Goodness requires it.

Mad Harriet

A psycho with razor-sharp claws.

Malice Vundabar

A little girl dressed like Alice Of Wonderland. She has her shadow monster, Chessure, devour her victims.

Speed Queen

She skates along at extreme speed.

Stompa

This beefy woman's legs are so strong that she can generate earthquakes with her stomps.

Wunda

She has light based powers.

Grayven

Justifiers

Parademons


New Genesis

The domain of Highfather. It is the polar opposite of Apokolips.

Bekka

Big Barda

AKA: Barda Free

A former leader of the Female Furies. She defected and married Mister Miracle. The pair were also members of the Justice League of America in the "Justice League International" era.

Forager

The Forever People

A group of five young New Gods from New Genesis, who went to Earth to fight against Darkseid. They acted much like Kirby's idea of flower children at the time the stories were published. The five of them were able to summon "Infinity Man" in emergencies.

In Death of the New Gods, the Forever People died in a Bus Crash before the story began. Grant Morrison published vaguely goth designs for their new incarnations in a Final Crisis sketchbook, but the actual story revealed that their new counterparts were actually the Japanese "Super Young Team".

Mark Moonrider

Mark Moonrider is the team's unofficial leader. He has a "Megaton Touch" that shoots energy from his hands.

Vykin the Black

The keeper of the Mother Box, Vykin has powers of magnetism and technopathy.

Big Bear

The team's muscle. Big Bear is a hulking young man who drives the Forever People's super-cycle. He can alter the density of objects.

Serifan

Serifan is a young and wistful young man who dresses like a cowboy. He has no powers but carries two pistols that shoot "cosmic cartridges".

Beautiful Dreamer

Possessed of psychic powers that allow her to cast illusions, Dreamer is the team's heart. She is romantically linked to Mark Moonrider.

Highfather

AKA: Izaya the Inheritor

Ruler of New Genesis. He is Darkseid's good counterpart. As part of the pact between New Genesis and Apokolips, his son, Scott Free, was given as hostage to Darkseid, while Darkseid's son Orion was given to Izaya; Orion became the New Gods's greatest hero, while Scott escaped Apokolips and became a hero as well. Of all the New Gods, Izaya has the closest connection to the Source, which he often consults in times of need.

During Genesis, Izaya's physical form was killed by the Olympian war-god Ares, but his spirit lived on inside the Source. He sometimes returned to aid New Genesis by possessing the body of his hand-picked replacement, Takion. After the end of the Fourth World, Izaya incarnated on Earth as a homeless man and led the struggling good gods. Following Final Crisis, he has been resurrected to lead the gods of good in their new home.

Himon

Lightray

AKA: Sollis

A fun-loving god, and Orion's best friend.

Mister Miracle I

AKA: Scott Free

The son of Highfather, but raised on Apokolips as part of Highfather's peace treaty with Darkseid. Darkseid left him to the mercies of Granny Goodness, who did her best to break his spirit -- and failed. He eventually escaped and settled down on Earth with Big Barda. He and Barda were also members of the Justice League of America during the Giffen "JLI" era.

Orion

The Dog of War. The son of Darkseid, but raised on New Genesis as its greatest champion according to the terms of Highfather's peace treaty with Darkseid.

Final Crisis begins with Orion found dying of a bullet wound and foretelling doom with his last words; the murder investigation kicks off the story.

Takion of the Source

AKA: Joshua Saunders

One of the few mortals to ascend into the New Gods, Joseph Saunders was a blind human whom Highfather appointed guardian of the Source because he was apparently "without fate", meaning he would not be missed. Izaya made Saunders a "Source elemental" and his own avatar. In Genesis, Izaya was killed, and Takion took his place as Highfather, sometimes serving as a conduit for Izaya's spirit. He died in the Fall of the New Gods.


Other Gods

Black Racer

AKA: Willie Walker

The god of Death, as even the New Gods must die, someday. He looks like a knight with skis.

Infinity-Man

AKA: Drax

Metron

The god of knowledge. A mysterious being that observes the events of the universe. Metron traverses time and space in his Mobius Chair. He is highly amoral, and has worked with both Highfather and Darkseid to further his own ends, but always keeps his word.


Mortals

Mister Miracle II

AKA: Shilo Norman

Oberon

Sonny Sumo

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