Characters / Superman: The Animated Series – Apokolips

Superman: The Animated Series character index
Main Characters (Superman) | Allies (The Flash) | Earth Antagonists (Lex Luthor) | Apokolips | Alien Antagonists

---

A planet-sized Mordor on the other side of the galaxy, Apokolips knows little beyond conquest, corruption, and cruelty - and few would dispute that the twisted beings who rule it number among Superman's deadliest foes.

In General

• Adaptational Early Appearance: Until the New 52, Darkseid and his forces don't usually come into contact with Earth until years after the Justice League of America exists. Here, they fight Superman years before the League forms.
• Always Chaotic Evil: Every single inhabitant of Apokolips is a violent brute who seeks nothing other than to appease Darkseid, indulge in pointless plundering and torture to sate their sadism, and nothing else. Even the tortured slaves are rendered this as they are mentally incapable of standing up for themselves and are so conditioned by their treatment that they legitimately see Darkseid as their patron god and rush to help him after his beatdown from Superman.
• Crapsack World: It's not for nothing that Apokolips is the New Gods' equivalent of Hell. The general populace is put into an eternity of enslavement and abuse, those that aren't are vicious, unfettered monsters who serve Darkseid unfailingly and are eager to invade other worlds and kill their inhabitants. Even the general climate and environment seem to be very unwelcoming, being nothing more than ominous buildings and settlements and exclusively volcanic terrain. Yeah, Apokolips isn't exactly a great place to live in.
• Dark Is Evil: Apokolips and most of its inhabitants is identified by their darker colors and shades in contrast to New Genesis's more brighter and vibrant color tone. For example, Darkseid's gray and cragged skin and dark blue shades on his clothing are parallel to Orion's lighter color scheme of bright red, blue, yellow, and silver.
• Dystopia: Apokolips is a planet that is wholly dominated by the tyranny and cruelty of Darkseid. As a result, the entire populace lives in tortured slavery where they are so mentally impaired by years of abysmal treatment that they end up helping Darkseid recover rather than leaving him to die.
• Green and Mean: A number of Apokoliptians wear green, such as Kalibak, Steppenwolf, and Granny Goodness, and they are about as ruthless and dangerous as they could be for an average denizen of the planet.
• Evil Power Vacuum: When Darkseid dies in "Twilight," Apokolips collapses into an Enemy Civil War that isn't resolved until his return. It most likely resumed after Darkseid disappeared for good.
• Mordor: The planet is almost exclusively volcanic by its design; the terrain is reddish brown, the skies are a shade of yellow, orange, and red, and there's lava at damn-near everywhere else. In fact, Apokolips is easily identifiable with giant lava geysers that can be seen from space. It's so prevalent that the only places that don't look to be volcanic in appearance are settlements and buildings that the New Gods have established, meant to be their personal base of operations as well as keeping slaves and prisoners. Sauron would be proud of how Apokolips looks.

Darkseid

Darkseid

"I am many things, Kal-El, but here, I am God".

Voiced by: Michael Ironside

Voiced in Latin America by: Paul Gillman (Superman: The Animated Series), Framk Maneiro (Superman: The Animated Series), Néstor Araujo (Justice League, Unlimited)

Voiced in French by: Marc de Georgi (Superman: The Animated Series), Bruno Dubernat (Justice League), Marc Alfos (Justice League Unlimited)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League

"As I told you once Superman, if you would not be my knight, you would be my pawn."

The superpowered, diabolical tyrant of Apokolips. Darkseid's ultimate goal is dominion over all life and existence: to that end he is forever seeking the 'Anti-Life Equation', a form of cosmic knowledge which could be used as an ultimate weapon. His recurring efforts to manipulate, conquer or depopulate the Earth have earned him Superman's hatred: Superman will stop at nothing to see his end.

---

• Abusive Dad: He is, quite simply, not a good person and his children do not receive special treatment. Kalibak, The Unfavorite is neglected and deprived of an ounce of respect or affection at the best of times, suffers constant verbal abuse, and is implied to be tortured by his father for going behind his back to fight Superman. His adopted son, Scott Free aka Mister Miracle, the biological son of Highfather, was handed over to Granny Goodness as a child to be raised in a prison where he was tortured and brainwashed to be a willing slave of Darkseid, becoming the only person whoever managed to resist and escape. Even Orion, his favorite son, isn't spared from his wrath. Though he respects him for his strength, he won't hesitate for a second to murder him if Orion gets in his way.
  Darkseid: [smirking after snapping Orion's spine] Spare the rod.
• Action Dad: Terrible parenting, aside, Darkseid is the biological father of two boys and the adoptive father of another, and is powerful enough to beat down the Man of Steel himself.
• Adaptational Jerkass: Lacks the tragedy of losing his wife, leaving only an even more hateful cipher in his place.
• Adaptational Wimp: "Wimp" is relative, but this version of Darkseid lacks the comic version's Resurrective Immortality and eldritch abominational nature.
  • This is taken way far up in Superman 64. Not only is Darkseid significantly nerfed and a pushover joke of a boss, no thanks to the game's poor A.I. implementation, but the storyline tells that Darkseid is working for Lex Luthor. Not with, for, which is something that Darkseid would never have done in any adaptation or in the comics.
• Agony Beam: His Omega Beams normally kill, but he can dial them down to this to amuse himself.
• Arch-Enemy:
  • A case could be made that he shares this role with Lex Luthor for Superman. While Lex battles Superman more frequently and has dedicated himself to his destruction, no one has caused as much harm to Superman as Darkseid's done. He murdered Superman's friend Dan Turpin as an act of petty spite, brainwashed Superman into fighting his adopted planet and nearly killing Supergirl, turning Superman into a pariah for years. After the events of "Legacy", Superman hates him so much that he actively tries to kill him.
  • Highfather, his opposite as the benevolent ruler of New Genesis, serves as this to him. Though they don't interact much in the series, they've been at war for countless years and each stands as the embodiment of everything the other fights against.
• Archnemesis Dad: To Orion, his biological son who was raised on New Genesis. In a twist, while Orion absolutely despises Darkseid, Darkseid views his son as a Worthy Opponent and likes him more than his brother Kalibak, despite the latter's Undying Loyalty.
• Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Utterly assured in his own strength to the point of delusion. When facing off against Superman in "Destroyer", he states that Superman was "barely able to hold [his] own" against him in their last fight, when in actuality Superman beat him into the ground and would have killed him if not for Brainiac's self-destruction getting him first. Superman proceeds to handily disprove his notions with his "No More Holding Back" Speech.
• Art Evolution: When Darkseid appeared in the Justice League episode "Twilight", he received a redesign in his physical appearance; He keeps the same costume that he wore back in Superman: TAS, but his body was redesigned to be more Kirbyesque in appearance: he’s slimmer, less blocky, and his face is less stylized and more craggily and rock-like in appearance (this could possibly be due to the events of "Legacy," where Superman caused the Omega Effect to backfire, blowing up Darkseid's head).
• Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Lex Luthor finally achieves what Darkseid had sought, the Anti-Life Equation, and hands it, a floating white ball of energy, to Darkseid. Both of them grab hold of it and disappear without a trace, assimilated into the Source Wall, as per Word of God.
• Asshole Victim: Rather, Darkseid turns others into Asshole Victim characters.
  • Can you honestly say that Bruno Mannheim didn't deserve the harsh treatment (and later abandonment and death) that Darkseid subjected him to?
  • He sends Steppenwolf on a suicide mission against New Genesis and doesn't bat an eye as he dies, then later vaporizes Desaad for questioning him in a moment of carelessness. Given that the former hunts people for fun and the latter is the God of Torture, it's hard to pity either of them.
  • Darkseid also outsmarts and backstabs Brainiac once he felt the robot outlived his usefulness. Brainiac being the android who destroys planets for their data with no regard for sentient life, nobody's complaining.
  • He does this again to Lex Luthor in "Alive!" by terrifying him and his Legion of Doom after they attempted to resurrect Brainiac. None of them are angels by any means, so them getting fried wouldn't have caused much mourning.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: This is shown perfectly in the penultimate episode of JLU. He was killed three seasons before and Apokolips is in the middle of a Civil War for who will take his place. After getting resurrected, he returns to Apokolips in the middle of a battlefield, halting the war completely. Usually, on a planet full of starscreams and after being dead for a few years, you would think that someone would try to rebel. In this case, however, Darkseid doesn't even have to say anything. He just stands there and everyone immediately bows down to him. "Darkseid Is," indeed.
• Ax-Crazy: Don’t let his seemingly calm demeanor fool you, he is a force of planetary genocide and conquest, and is shown to sadistically enjoy beating people down.
• Back from the Dead: He was killed by Brainiac's exploding asteroid Supervillain Lair, but gets brought back when Luthor uses Tala as a Living Battery in an attempt to restore Brainiac. According to the DVD commentary, Tala did it on purpose just to spite Luthor. Hell hath no fury, indeed.
• Baritone of Strength: As the undisputed master of Apokolips he has the voice to prove it. Michael Ironside does a deep and menacing voice, making his boasts all the more memorable. In Latin America, his first voice actor, Paul Gillman, tried this but the results were mixed, with him sounding like a Dr. Claw clone, but his third voice actor, Nestor Araujo, gave him a voice very similar to Ironside, making his boasts in Justice League all the more menacing.
• Badass Boast: He has lots of 'em.
  • On his first appearance on Superman: The Animated Series, he answers Superman's "Who are you?" by blasting him to his knees and walking away. On his second, he easily defeats Superman and presents him, bound and exhausted (both physically and mentally), in the center of Metropolis, while addressing every single person on the planet.
    "People of Earth, I am Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips! Here is your savior, cowed and broken. I have crushed him as easily as I have crushed all who have dared to oppose me throughout the cosmos. I am power unlike any you have ever known: absolute, infinite, and unrelenting. You have no choice but to prepare for a long dark future as my subjects and my slaves."
  • "I am many things, Kal-El. You couldn't begin to imagine half of them, but for now, I shall take the role of your executioner."
  • "I am many things, Kal-El...but here, I am God."
  • "Super or otherwise, you're merely a man. And I am a god."
  • "Had I known one human's death would pain you so, I would have killed more."
  • "This is where you belong, Superman. Under. My. Heel."
  • "I hope you appreciate, Kal-El, that everything that happens from this point on will be on your head. The skies will rain fire, the oceans will boil, the streets will run red with the blood of billions. Only then, after your last pitiful hope is extinguished, will I end your life. Let's go."
  • "Let the universe howl in despair, for I have returned!"
• Bad Boss: Servants are regularly abandoned once they are no longer useful, you are sent to the slave-pits or vaporized for questioning him, and with Kalibak he combines this trope with utter contempt for his son and his efforts to please him.
• The Bad Guy Wins: "Legacy". Superman might have finally defeated Darkseid, but his victory proved hollow when he threw Darkseid down to his slaves and instead of turning on their oppressor, they helped him. This was on top of Darkseid succeeding in damaging Earth's trust of Superman.
• Bald of Evil: He has no hair.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: His driving goal is obtaining the Anti-Life Equation, which he believes will allow him to enslave every being in the universe. In the Grand Finale to Justice League Unlimited, Luthor gives him the equation. Darkseid calls it beautiful as it envelopes them both and causes them to disappear in a flash of light. After obtaining his life's ambition, Word of God reveals that it absorbed them into the Source Wall, where Darkseid will be unable to ever interact with the universe again, meaning the tool he thought would give him ultimate power actually deprived him of everything.
• Berserk Button: Do not question his orders. Mannheim and Desaad both found this out the hard way.
• Big Bad: Of Superman: The Animated Series Seasons Two and Three. He, Luthor, and Grodd are in the running for this fifth season of Justice League.
• Blatant Lies: He tries to underscore that Superman beat him twice, especially in Unlimited where he pretends that Superman could barely hold his own in their last fight when in truth Superman would have killed him if it wasn't for Batman.
• But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Reacts this way to Superman's And This Is for... Dan Turpin punch.
  Darkseid: Had I known one human's death would pain you so, I would have killed more. And kill more I shall.
• Came Back Strong: He comes back intermixed with Brainiac remnants, and claims to be more powerful than ever - which is backed up by Superman having to drop all his usual self-control and still losing the moment Darkseid changes tactics.
• Character Tic: Darkseid is frequently depicted with his hands folded behind his back.
• The Chessmaster: "I told you once, Superman, if you would not be my knight, you would be my pawn."
• Cold Ham: Despite his menacing baritone, Darkseid almost always speaks in a subdued manner, rarely raising his voice. Yet his grandiose choice of words and matter-of-fact boasts make him come across as an incredibly theatrical figure regardless.
• Conflict Killer: After his resurrection in Alive, Darkseid's mere presence was enough to stop the civil war that was about to commence in Apokolips, with both warring factions dropping their weapons to bow to him instead.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Up until "Legacy", all his fights have Darkseid dishing one against Superman, and even though he had the upper hand for most it with Superman's blows pissing him off more than actually hurting him. Subverted when it's revealed that Darkseid only did so well in their first bouts because Superman underestimated him and held back. When Superman is actually mad and motivated, it's a different story. Their fight in "Legacy" is close and leaves them both injured and exhausted mainly because Darkseid got in a bunch of Omega Beams at the very beginning, but "Twilight" and "Destroyer" show that Superman can utterly decimate Darkseid when he gets serious. "Twilight" actually ends with Superman leaving him a bloody mess that can't even move under his own power.
• De-power: In the Justice League Beyond comics that take place after Unlimited Darkseid loses his sight and his Omega Force after gazing directly into the Source.
• Deal with the Devil:
  • Allowed Bruno Mannheim to use technology from Apokolips for his crimes, and later offered to make him a "king" in exchange for helping him with his invasion of Earth. It turns out that Darkseid only meant "a king of fools".
  • Entered one with Brainiac in "Twilight". Darkseid's ranks depleted by a recent skirmish with New Genesis, leaving Apokolips helpless against Brainiac's invasion. Darkseid cut a deal to bring Superman to Brainiac for the AI's use in exchange for sparing Apokolips, but as it turns out, he was still the Devil in this arrangement as well, as the entire deal was just a ploy by Darkseid to get control of Brainiac with a Mother Box. Fitting for the trope, the plot goes awry for Darkseid and he ends up dying alongside Brainiac when his base self-destructs.
• Deadpan Snarker: He has something of a dry wit, though unlike most other examples of this trope it’s not played for comedy.
• Defiant to the End: In "Twilight", he insults Superman right before he is killed when Brainiac's ship explodes, taking pleasure that his greatest foe was unable to kill him.
• Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: Best exemplified in Superman: The Animated Series when Dan Turpin throws some parting insults at him while he abandons his invasion of Earth in "Apokolips... Now!" and ends up dying almost in the time it takes Darkseid to look at him.
• Dystopia Justifies the Means: Darkseid's goal is to make a universe of complete order in his own image, one where the hellish landscape of Apokolips is duplicated on every planet, and every being in the universe is a broken slave that lives only to serve Darkseid's will.
• The Dreaded: Practically everyone is terrified of him, even his own servants. In fact, he terrifies the members of the Legion of Doom enough that they are willing to enter into an alliance with the Justice League against him.
• Dying Smirk: In the Justice League episode "Twilight", he scoffs and calls Superman a "loser" after Batman boom tubes Clark and Orion away right before Brainiac explodes.
• Electric Torture: "It's called the Agony Matrix. 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."
• Emotion Eater: Mother Box describes him as a demonic being that psychically feeds off of the suffering and despair of others. While this isn't elaborated on any further in the DCAU it would explain the hellish conditions of his planet.
• Enemy Mine: In "Twilight" he asks for the Justice League's help when Brainiac is attacking Apokolips. With his forces decimated from a battle with New Genesis, his planet faces extinction without their aid. While Superman is tempted to just let Darkseid and Apokolips be wiped out, the rest of the League talks him into teaming up with Darkseid because they know once Brainiac is done on Apokolips, he'll continue his quest of galactic genocide, endangering trillions more lives. Unfortunately, it turns out that Superman was right on it being a trap, with Darkseid having bargained with Brainiac to spare Apokolips in exchange for delivering Superman to him. Then Darkseid betrays Brainiac too by reprogramming and empowering him so that Brainiac will consume the universe and Darkseid can remake it in his image.
• Establishing Character Moment: What's the first thing he does when he meets Superman face-to-face? Blast him with his Omega Beams until he's on his knees. Who is he? That is who he is, Kal-El.
• Even Evil Can Be Loved: Despite his cruelty, sociopathy, and his general disregard, Kalibak not only genuinely loves Darkseid but does whatever he can to please his father and be the one warrior he can be most proud of. It's deconstructed as whatever Kalibak does, regardless of if he's doing it for glory, or to gain the respect and affection of his father, would never really come partly because Darkseid always saw Kalibak as a disappointment and he's simply incapable of showing any positive emotion, let alone love and affection.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Darkseid has only one loved one, his son Orion. While he recognizes that he will probably have to destroy him eventually, he is proud of Orion and considers him a Worthy Opponent. Even then, Darkseid remains an Abusive Parent, and goes out of his way to treat Orion worse than The Un-Favourite Kalibak, just to force Orion to be stronger, and even tries to kill him in "Twilight".
• Evil Is Petty: He murdered Dan Turpin for no other reason than to stick it to Superman, choosing Dan Turpin as his victim for trying to get in the last word against the tyrant. Once he learns just how much it hurt Superman, he promises to kill many more humans.
• Evil Overlord: As one would expect from Darkseid.
• Evil Sounds Deep: Comes with being voiced by Michael Ironside.
• Eviler than Thou: Even Brainiac can't compete. In the Grand Finale, Darkseid not only assimilates Brainiacs' remnants into himself to become stronger than ever, he launches an invasion of Earth that unites the Justice League and the Society against him, meaning he is so evil and dangerous than even the other villains want to stop him.
• Exact Words: Darkseid promised Bruno Mannheim he would make him a king if he helped his invasion, but leaves him to die once he no longer needs him:
  Bruno Mannheim: You said you'd make me a king!
  Darkseid: And so you are. A King of Fools.
• Eye Beams: His Omega Beams.
• Face Death with Dignity: Even knowing there's no way he can escape Brainiac's exploding base under his own power after Superman's assault and Batman left him to die after dragging Superman and Orion away, Darkseid can't help but sneer and take solace in the fact that Superman was denied the satisfaction of killing him with his own two hands, calling him a "loser".
• Fate Worse than Death: Word of God stated that his final fate is this. He winds up fused to the Source Wall in the end, trapping him immobile at the ever-expanding edge of the universe with no way of interacting with any reality ever again.
• Faux Affably Evil: Has a calm, elegant way of speaking, but he’s condescending, and is usually ordering horrific atrocities.
• Final Boss: Of Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League.
• For the Evulz: Darkseid is prone to hurting or killing others for no other reason then because he can.
• Galactic Conqueror: Has conquered an unspecified number of planets prior to the series.
• Genius Bruiser: He is powerful and has a 12th level intellect.
• A God Am I: He is a literal alien god, but Darkseid goes one step further as he is actually worshipped as God even amongst his own people, having established a personality cult around himself. It is so all-pervasive that even his army of slaves, who hate and fear him and whom he treats abominably, help him rather than overthrow him when the opportunity presents itself, simply because he controls them so thoroughly and completely.
• God of Evil: More specifically, the God of Tyranny.
• Godzilla Threshold: He's the one villain that Superman does not hold back on, and he's the one villain that Superman is perfectly willing to kill.
  Superman: ...this time, I'm not going to stop until you're nothing but a greasy smear on my fist. Let's go.
• Greater-Scope Villain: He is also considered to be this for the entire DC Animated Universe along with Brainiac. By brainwashing Superman in the series finale, "Legacy," he is indirectly responsible for Cadmus being formed after Superman's rampage in Justice League Unlimited (and to an extent, causing Superman's ally Emil Hamilton to pull a Face–Heel Turn and join Cadmus). He also shares this title along with the Justice Lords, whose existence also upgrades Cadmus' agenda.
• Hates Being Touched: He spends much of the fight in "Legacy" being quite detached and soft-spoken, until Superman manages to punch him in the face. That's when he gets mad.
  Darkseid: YOU DARE STRIKE ME?!
• Hoist by His Own Petard: His first on-screen defeat is due to Superman covering Darkseid's eyes as he's firing his Omega Beams, detonating the energy right in his face.
• I Have No Son!: Towards Kalibak; Orion, not so much.
• Invincible Villain: During Superman: The Animated Series. Darkseid's plans against Earth ultimately fail, but Superman isn't able to defeat him until "Legacy". Even then, Darkseid was a Victorious Loser.
• It's Personal: By a wide margin the single villain Superman detests the most, Darkseid being responsible for the murder of Dan Turpin as well as brainwashing him and turning him against Earth, something that also nearly led to the death of Supergirl as a side-effect. Superman hates him so much that he eventually puts aside his Thou Shalt Not Kill rule and makes at least two attempts to outright kill the bastard, one of which actually succeeded (at least temporarily).
• It's What I Do: Quotes this trope word for word when Brainiac calls him out for betraying him.
• Jerkass: Not only is he a vicious tyrant, he’s also an Abusive Parent, and he’s quite capable of mocking his enemies in petty ways.
• Karma Houdini Warranty: Due to Superman: The Animated Series being cut short, Darkseid never suffered any punishment for villainy despite almost causing an apocalypse on Earth, twice. Justice League finally sees him die for his villainy in "Twilight".
• Kick the Dog: When forced to retreat in "Apokolips...Now!" he kills Dan Turpin just to spite Superman. Following that up in "Legacy", Darkseid says if knew the death of one human would have hurt Superman, he would have killed more, and promises that he will kill more in the future.
• Knight of Cerebus: Any time Darkseid shows up, whether it's in Superman: TAS or JL, things get a lot more serious.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: When Highfather's forces from New Genesis show up on Earth and declare the planet is under their protection, Darkseid chooses to withdraw rather than trigger a war against his most powerful enemy. At least until he can think of subtler ways to conquer or destroy the planet without violating the treaty.
• Lack of Empathy: Darkseid shows absolutely no sign of empathizing with the people he torments and kills. In fact, he expresses pride in the suffering he has caused.
• Large and in Charge: Rules Apokolips with an iron fist, and towers over almost every other character in the DCAU.
• Loophole Abuse: At the end of "Apokolips...Now!", he is forced to agree to stop trying to invade Earth or face the wrath of New Genesis. He spends the rest of the series scheming various ways to strike out at Earth without violating the letter of his agreement. After gaining Brainiac's powers, he no longer has to worry about violating the treaty, because he is confident he can destroy New Genesis if they try to stop him.
• Manipulative Bastard: Near the end of Superman: The Animated Series, he convinced Superman that he was his surrogate son so that he could be a loyal soldier to him.
• Mercy Kill:
  • He was brought back to life by Luthor and the Secret Society and "thanks" them with attempted murder.
    Darkseid: It seems I have you to thank for my resurrection. Though your world will suffer slowly, I grant you a quick death.
  • He even gives one to Superman in their last fight, when he's got him in a trap that gives endless pain, he admits he feels enough mercy for Superman and tries to end his life then and there by cutting out his heart.
    Darkseid: Still alive. You impress me, Kryptonian. More, your valor has touched my heart. Oh yes, there is still some small part of me that knows mercy. I will end your pain...with something special I've been saving for just this occasion. *pulls out a kryptonite knife*
• Movie Superheroes Wear Black: "Animated Super Villain" in this case, but this version of Darkseid wears a black outfit with blue highlights rather than the blue outfit of the comics.
• Nigh-Invulnerability: He is capable of taking a lot of damage; even Superman has trouble doing any lasting (or visible) harm to him. The only time he's seen wounded in Superman: TAS is after Superman hit Darkseid with his own attack. This is partly why Superman stops holding back on him in Justice League.
• Not So Above It All: Calls Superman a "loser" in a very childish manner right before his first death.
• Not So Stoic: He's almost always calm and composed, even as commits cold-blooded murder. The first time he even raises his voice is after Superman lands a hit on him.
  Darkseid: You dare to strike me?!
• Offing the Offspring: During "Twilight" he attempts to do this to Orion during their fight. After all, Darkseid won't allow anyone to stand in his way, not even his favored son.
• Oh, Crap!: Watch Superman's World of Cardboard speech and Darkseid's face of utter horror as the Man of Steel hurtles towards him. He knows shit has hit the fan.
• Omnicidal Maniac:
  • When Superman states that the people of Earth won't submit to his rule, Darkseid shows no hesitation at the idea of killing every human on Earth. When New Genesis prevents him from invading the planet, he tries to destroy the planet by directing a comet into it. As he states; "What I cannot have, I destroy."
  • After taking control of Brainiac during the events of "Twilight" Darkseid plans on using the Krpytonian supercomputer to obtain the Anti-Life Equation, then consume the galaxy and rebuild it in Darkseid's own image. He starts off by making Brainiac attempt to assimilate New Genesis.
• Order Is Not Good: It’s his goal to bring order to the universe, but considering the state of Apokolips under his rule, it’s very clear that his version of an orderly universe wouldn’t be a pleasant one.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Darkseid's power and evil are made clear by Superman's very uncharacteristic behavior toward him.
• Parental Favoritism: Darkseid has openly shown a small amount of respect and acknowledgement towards his younger son Orion. While Orion serves his greatest enemy and opposes him with a fiery passion, Darkseid is nevertheless impressed by Orion's ferocity and reputation of being the greatest protector of New Genesis. It also helps that Orion is clearly stronger and more competent than Kalibak.
• Pet the Dog: He doesn't punish the Female Furies for failing to defeat Superman and Supergirl. And after the comet that Granny Goodness arranged to smash into the Earth is prevented from doing so, Darkseid once again does not blame the Furies and simply orders them to torture Granny.
• Physical God: He is an actual god who happens to also be an alien. Darkseid is immortal, Nigh Invulnerable, possesses Super-Strength on par with Superman, and has various other powers. In a universe of superhumans, sorcerers, demigods and aliens, Darkseid is still one of the most powerful characters in the series.
• Playing Both Sides: Does this in the conflict between Superman and Brainiac in Justice League. Even though neither of them trust him, he puts them both in situations where they feel they need to work with him. He almost wins.
• Polluted Wasteland: His entire planet.
• Pragmatic Villainy:
  • After Bruno Mannheim installs an explosive at an important laboratory with the help of a few Parademons on Darkseid's orders, Darkseid leaves Mannheim to die in the explosion, but right before doing so, he uses his Omega Beam to teleport the Parademons away. Mannheim's usefulness is over, but the Parademons can still serve as frontline troops in the upcoming invasion of Earth. No sense in being wasteful.
  • Even after Scott Free escaped, Darkseid continued to honor the peace treaty with New Genesis, and he was absolutely unwilling to outright go to war to claim Earth. At most, he opted for subterfuge or loopholes rather than be caught openly violating the treaty. Darkseid maintaining the deal with Highfather is usually the best way to keep his only real opposition from directly interfering in his agenda, so he is (mostly) content to play nice and search for the Anti-Life Equation. It's only at the very end of JLU (where he has gained a massive power increase) that he has absolutely no concern for New Genesis retaliating against him for attacking Earth.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: His eyes are red and he is (very) evil.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: His motive for invading Earth in the JLU finale after being resurrected is to get revenge on Superman for killing him, first by forcing him to see Earth burn, then by cutting his heart out with a Kryptonite knife.
• Scars Are Forever: In "Twilight", he still sports the scars that Superman gave him at the end of "Legacy".
• The Sociopath: He has no sense of guilt or empathy, and is very manipulative and cruel.
• Soft-Spoken Sadist: Except when he's really angry, Darkseid rarely raises his voice above a whisper. He doesn't have to mind- when Darkseid speaks, people listen and obey. His voice alone is a reminder of his power as no matter how calm he sounds, you never forget that he is in charge.
• Storyboarding the Apocalypse: Darkseid loves doing this and is damn good at it.
  Darkseid: I hope you appreciate, Kal-El, everything that happens from this point is on your head. The skies will rain fire, the oceans will boil, the streets run red with the blood of billions. Only then, when your last pitiful hope has been vanquished, will I end your life. Let's go.
• Story-Breaker Power: Definitely Darkseid's Omega Beams, especially when he sets them to "vaporize"; they will never stop chasing you no matter how far you run. However, Batman shows there is a way to avoid them.
• Super-Strength: He's strong enough to hold his own against Superman.
• Tranquil Fury: Throughout Superman: The Animated Series, Darkseid relied primarily on his minions for his dirty work, and often simply observed them, hands clasped behind his back and seemingly passive. Then Superman punches Darkseid... and Darkseid not only takes it, he proceeds to give the only Curb-Stomp Battle in the series with Superman on the receiving end. Superman only barely survives by a desperation move that hurts both of them so much that the fight cannot continue.
• Truer to the Text: Darkseid in the DCAU resembles his formidable comic book counterpart more than his first, weaker depiction. His baffling fascination with Wonder Woman, tendency to play second fiddle to Superman, the lacklustre Omega Beams, and his preference for scheming over fighting are gone. Instead, Darkseid possesses raw intellect and strength, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with the Man of Steel. He is portrayed as a looming threat, forcing Earth's heroes and villains to unite against him in the finale of Unlimited. And the Omega Beams are a one-way ticket to doom, as Dan Turpin tragically discovered.
• Ungrateful Bastard:
  • In "Twilight", despite Brainiac agreeing to spare Apokolips, Darkseid still betrays the android by repogramming him into doing his bidding so he'll find the Anti-Life Equation.
  • In "Alive", he repays the Secret Society for resurrecting him by destroying their base and leaving them to die in the vacuum of space. Then again, Darkseid thinks that a quick death compared to what he plans to do to Earth is gratitude.
• Uriah Gambit: The episode "Legacy" has him kidnap and brainwash Superman into believing Darkseid is his adopted father. Darkseid's ultimate goal is to send Superman to attack Earth, resulting in him being killed by Earth's defenders but devastating the planet in the process. Afterwards, Darkseid plans on conquering the planet under the pretext of "helping" the survivors rebuild.
• Victorious Loser: Twice!
  • In "Legacy", despite losing to Superman, his enslaved subjects decide to take him and nurse him back to health to Superman's shock, with him only reaffirming that he is "God" on Apokolips.
  • In "Twilight", despite being beaten within an inch of his life by Superman and Left for Dead in Brainiac's exploding base, Darkseid dies smirking at the fact his greatest foe was denied the chance to kill him personally, calling him a loser as the base explodes and kills him.
• Villain Respect: Gives one to Batman in the finale when he manages to dodge Darkseid's Omega Beams, a feat that no one, not even Superman managed to accomplish.
  • He also admits to being proud of Orion.
• Villainous Valour: Darkseid has no qualms about going out into the field, and never shows any signs of fear or cowardice, even in the face of death.
• We Can Rule Together: Makes the offer to Superman during "Apokolips...Now!" Darkseid's ego is such that he never would consider Superman an equal, but he does give Superman the chance to become his knight in exchange for showing a modicum of restraint in conquering Earth rather than turning it into an all-out massacre. Naturally Superman refuses and Darkseid says if Superman won't be his knight, he'll be his pawn.
• Worthy Opponent: The closest thing he can feel to liking someone is considering them this. He's proud of his son Orion for his strength (which is why he does his best to make his life hell, so he'll grow stronger), and he promises Superman a Mercy Kill after complimenting his valor in resisting for so long.
• Xanatos Gambit: He pulls off a grand version of this in "Legacy". Living up to his promise that if "[Superman] won't be [his] knight, then [he] will be [his] pawn", he kidnaps and brainwashes the Man of Steel into believing that he raised him on Apokolips to act as his right hand, then sends him to Earth to conquer it. If Superman succeeds, he not only has a new world to rule, but he suspects that the sort of chaos that will unfold will lead Highfather to beg for Darkseid to take it over, all unaware that Darkseid violated his treaty with New Genesis in the process. If the military succeeds in killing Superman, he's rid of his greatest foe and Earth no longer has their savior, making it ripe for him to conquer later. If Superman broke free of the brainwashing and survived (which is what ended up happening), Darkseid has succeeded in destroying the world's trust in Superman, costing the Man of Steel his reputation, and scoring Darkseid a personal, if not a strategic, victory.
• You Will Be Spared: When he tries to convince Superman to join him as his vassal, he offers in return a "modicum of restraint" in his conquest of Earth, implying that he'll save the violence only toward the immediate military threats while sparing civilian cities and settlements like Metropolis from his wrath.

Kalibak

Kalibak

Voiced by: Michael Dorn

Voiced in Latin America by: Luis G. Sánchez (Superman: The Animated Series), Armando Volcanes, Régulo Ríos, Ricardo Omaña (Justice League, Unlimited)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League

Darkseid's deformed and rather slow-witted son. He fights on his father's side for his approval, desperately seeking something he will never have.

---

• The Brute: He's super strong, and not much else.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Batman humiliates him without Kalibak being able to land a single hit.
• Determinator: His fight with Superman in his first episode. He will NOT give up.
• Dumb Muscle: While not your usual Manchild type, he knows nothing about subtlety and is easily manipulated.
• The Dutiful Son: Sort of; he will sometimes disobey Darkseid, but only if he believes that the success would both aid Darkseid and possibly make him proud of Kalibak's efforts.
• Evil Sounds Deep: It helps that this version of Kalibak is voiced by Michael Dorn.
• Foil: To his brother, Orion. They're both hotheaded warriors, but they're on opposite sides and morality. Orion is also far more competent when it comes to fighting, whereas Kalibak consistently just charges in like a brute and suffers for it. And of course, Kalibak yearns for their father's approval as much as Orion wants to kill the guy.
• The Grotesque: Perhaps part of the reason why Darkseid frowns upon Kalibak is that he's one of the ugliest New Gods; despite Darkseid himself being no wall painting. Kalibak is a hunchbacked guy with an exaggerated top heavy build, a vaguely leonine appearance (cat-like ears, mane of black hair), and his father's exaggerated, heavy features.
• Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: He repeatedly fails to make his father proud, which is the only thing he wants — there's no real evidence he enjoys killing and slaughtering for its own sake, it's just that these are the only things his dad has any interest in.
• Leeroy Jenkins: His "strategy" when confronting Superman.
• Nigh-Invulnerability: While not as durable as Superman, he's still pretty tough, as shown by him being unaffected by Batman shooting him with a missile.
• Overlord Jr.: Well, he tries to be one, but it never works.
• Save the Villain: Virman Vundabar hoped to use his status as Darkseid's son to legitimize a claim on Apokolips and discredit Granny Goodness in the process. To save Oberon from Granny, Flash, Mister Miracle, and Barda had to go rescue Kalibak (who was quite embarrassed to have to rely on his enemies for help).
• Sibling Rivalry: There's no onscreen interaction between him and Orion, but he's clearly aware of who the favorite is in Darkseid's eyes. He looks quite disappointed when Darkseid (fresh off complimenting Orion's skills) coldly orders him to get going back to Apokolips. Also, Kalibak has little regard for his stepbrother, Mister Miracle, openly calling him a traitor.
• Super-Strength: He is very strong.
• Sweet Tooth: He likes cake.
• Tragic Villain: He shows shades of this; while a villain firmly on the side of evil, Kalibak's ultimate goal is not to take over the universe or even gain ultimate power, but it's a very mundane and relatable one; wanting approval and respect from his father. Unfortunately, his father happens to be Darkseid, and he's always seen Kalibak as a disappointment. No matter how much he tries, Kalibak doesn't really succeed in his fights and efforts and thus is treated like trash by his father. It's even sadder when it seems that Kalibak only engages in fights and challenges because he wants to prove his worth. Overall, he could never get his biggest desire due to the circumstances of having a genocidal sociopath for a father and being ignored in favor of a younger brother who looks to be more accomplished than him, despite Orion and Kalibak's differing allegiances.
• The Un-Favourite: Darkseid views him as nothing more than a lowly grunt with no brains, and treats him as such. All of Kalibak's failed attempts to prove himself only fuel his father's disdain for him.
  Darkseid: A technicality of his birth. As far as destiny is concerned, I don't have a son.
  • Ironically, Darkseid acknowledges Kalibak's half brother Orion as his son, despite the latter openly opposing him and fighting on the side of good.
• Villain Decay: His first appearance was a whole-episode slugfest where he stood toe-to-toe with Superman. In subsequent appearances, he's little more than a doorstop; Superman punches him out in less than a minute in "Legacy", and although he beat Wonder Woman, he loses to Batman in Justice League.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: To Darkseid; Kalibak, above all else, wants his approval and to be the one being Darkseid could be proud of. Unfortunately, even with Kalibak's own incompetence, Darkseid couldn't care less about Kalibak's desires.
  Darkseid: I can't believe he's blood.
• The Worf Effect: He gets subjected to this a lot after his first appearance in the DCAU (ironic, considering who voices him). This is most notable in the Justice League episode "Hereafter" when Kalibak crushes Wonder Woman (perhaps the second physically strongest League member) with ease and brags about this feat to Batman. Superman scoffs at this and takes him down with one punch.

Desaad

Desaad

Voiced by: Robert Morse (Superman: The Animated Series), René Auberjonois (Justice League)

Voiced in Latin America by: Renzo Jiménez (''Superman: The Animated Series')

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League

A resident of Apokolips and Darkseid's personal assistant.

---

• Dirty Coward: He may act high and mighty, but when the tables are turned, he runs for it.
• Evil Genius: He creates many machines for Darkseid's army (mostly for torture) and is his right-hand.
• Eye Scream: He has lost his left eye when he appears in Justice League.
• Killed Off for Real: Darkseid eventually gets fed up with his bullshit and Omega Beams him, and unlike Kalibak who just disappears (due to being transported elsewhere), we see Desaad's body shredding apart into nothingness.
• Manipulative Bastard: He deceives Kalibak into thinking that trying to confront Superman head-on will earn his father's approval. As expected, it only pisses him off.
• Sadist: He enjoys making people suffer for his own pleasure. After all, he IS Darkseid's torture specialist.
• Smug Snake: Desaad has a very high opinion of himself.
• Too Dumb to Live: Criticizing Darkseid after his latest invasion backfired, yeah, real smart.

Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf

Voiced by: Sherman Howard (Superman: The Animated Series), René Auberjonois (Justice League)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League

The master hunter and general of Apokolips' army.

---

• Blood Knight: He enjoys the thrill of hunting down others.
• The Dragon: He stands out as one of the deadliest of Darkseid's minions.
• Killed Off for Real: He's killed in battle by the forces of New Genesis in "Twilight".

Granny Goodness

Granny Goodness

Voiced by: Edward Asner

Voiced in Latin America by: Frank de Carip (Superman: The Animated Series), Luis Pérez Pons (Justice League, Unlimited)

Voiced in French by: Olivier Proust (Superman: The Animated Series, Season 2), Gérard Surugue (Superman: The Animated Series, Season 3), Jean-Louis Rugarli (Justice League Unlimited)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League Unlimited

"Let me tell you tadpoles how I work: I seek out the lost little lambs society has cruelly abandoned, I take them lovingly under my wings, give them the power to face the cold heartless world...and kick its butt!"

An inhabitant of Apokolips and the leader of the Female Furies. She also served as one of Darkseid's strongest lieutenants.

---

• Amazon Brigade: She formed and leads the Female Furies, a group of female super-powered warriors from Apokolips.
• Arch-Enemy: To Mister Miracle, who remembers her Orphanage of Fear all too well.
• Big Bad Wannabe: Once Darkseid was out of the picture, she set out to take over Apokolips, with Virman Vundabar her only real competition. Neither villain could overcome the other, though J'onn is certain whoever won would still pose a threat to Earth. The second Darkseid does return, she doesn't hesitate to bow before him.
• Chekhov's Gunman: First introduced as a cameo in a flashback, where she is seen proceeding to the exchange between Highfather's and Darkseid's children. She is brought back one episode later as the new leader of Intergang and Supergirl's Starter Villain.
• Evil Old Folks: Apokoliptans don't necessarily age at the same rate as Earthlings, of course, but she was already an old woman way back when Orion and Scott were exchanged as infants. And as for evil, well, it's child abuse and endangerment seven days a week at Granny's house.
• Evil Versus Evil: Following the "Twilight" two-parter, she attempted to takeover Apokolips and was challenged by Virman Vundabar. The ongoing Enemy Civil War proved to be a stalemate, which the League was happy to let go on since it prevented Apokolips from directly threatening Earth and the rest of the galaxy.
• Fat Bitch: She's rather plump and evil as they come.
• Faux Affably Evil: Granny Goodness speaks in a faux-sweet style at all times, professing to "love" her children and showing fake concern. Beneath that saccharine veneer, she's a horrific abuser, a vindictive sadist and pure evil.
• Gone Horribly Right: She trained the Female Furies to obey her first, but Darkseid foremost. It backfires on her when Darkseid orders them to torture her, which they do without hesitation.
• Hope Crusher: The reeducation in her Orphanage of Fear was predicated on convincing the children "that hope is a lie" by any means necessary. With the exception of Scott Free, it worked on every single one of them.
• I Control My Minions Through...: Fear. Granny likes to think (or at least pretend) that she's instilling genuine loyalty in her minions, but they're simply terrified of her. When she's in trouble, they'll either bail on her or turn on her.
• Ink-Suit Actor: The design of Granny's face resembles her (male) voice actor.
• Ironic Name: She's old alright but there's nothing good about her, at all.
• Never Mess with Granny: She never fights Superman directly, but she is one of Apokolips' elite, meaning she's a lot stronger than a normal human.
• Orphanage of Fear: She operates one on Apokolips, where the many orphans of that world undergo reeducation; she tried to start a similar facility on Earth, but it got shut down.
• Shout-Out: An obscure one. Norm Peterson wisecracked that Ed Asner would be the ideal actor to play his never-seen wife, Vera. The creators of Superman: TAS must have remembered and been inspired by that one-episode remark.
• Starter Villain: She is the first supervillain met by Supergirl, and the one whose plan she foils to prove her value to Superman.
• Terms of Endangerment: This is Granny Goodness we're talking about here, so duh!
• Third-Person Person: Granny refers to herself as 'Granny'.
• Vocal Dissonance: And Ed isn't even trying to hide it.
• Where Did We Go Wrong?: Her attitude towards Scott Free. She was able to crush the hopes of every other child in her care and shape them into loyal drones, but Scott just kept trying and trying to escape until he finally succeeded. Even years after his escape, she can't understand why she was unable to break Scott.
• White Hair, Black Heart: She has white hair due to being an old woman, and definitely not a nice person.
• Would Hurt a Child: Her orphanages are designed to torture Apokoliptian children, both physically and psychologically, into becoming loyal servants of Darkseid.

Female Furies

The Female Furies (Lashina, Mad Harriet, and Stompa)

Voiced by: Diane Michelle (Lashina), Andrea Martin (Mad Harriet), Diane Delano (Stompa), Jennifer Hale (Bernadeth)

Voiced in Latin America by: Astrid Fernández (Lashina), Anabella Silva (Mad Harriet)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League Unlimited

Three women from Apokolips who serve under Granny Goodness.

---

• Amazon Brigade: A group of female super-powered warriors from Apokolips pretty much fits the bill.
• Brawn Hilda: Stompa is the chunkiest and plainest-looking of the Furies. However, she's got a vaguely Brooklyn Rage accent.
• Kiss Diss: Lashina is on the receiving end from Superman. When the Furies confront him upon his return to Apokolips after being freed from Darkseid's brainwashing in "Legacy", Lashina flies in front of him and mockingly flirts with him, asking him to give her a kiss. But when she puckers up and leans in for one, he simply tells her to get out of his way before flying past her, to her anger.
• Lightning Lash: Lashina wields an energised whip as her weapon.
• Perpetual Smiler: Mad Harriet is almost always seen sporting a Cheshire Cat Grin.
• Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: To quote this post: "the episode "Legacy", released at the end of Superman: The Animated Series' run, has Darkseid brainwash Superman into becoming his slave. One of these moments has Darkseid send the brainwashed-but-clearly reluctant Supes to "enjoy the fruits of his conquest" with an entourage of Female Furies...who we later see him half-dressed in bed with, while they later call him "boy-toy" and "lover" to mock him when he regains his mental agency..." It's implied Superman had sex with them while his mental agency was too impaired to give any sort of consent.
• Starter Villain: Since Granny Goodness is Supergirl's first villain, she naturally meets Granny's cronies as well.
• Super-Strength: Stompa is the strongest of the Furies, using tremor-inducing kicks and stomps to shake enemies off of their feet or crush them underfoot.
• "Take That!" Kiss: When they confront Superman when he returns to Apokolips after being freed from Darkseid's brainwashing in "Legacy", Lashina flies in front of him and mockingly welcomes him back while referring to him as "lover", before asking him to give them a kiss, puckering up and leaning in for one before he tells her to get out of his way.
• Wolverine Claws: Mad Harriet fights with retractile spikes on her knuckles.
• Woman Scorned: It was heavily implied Lashina started a sexual relationship with Superman while he was brainwashed by Darkseid. When Superman is freed though, and Lashina and the other Furies confront him, Lashina continues to mockingly flirt with Superman and asks him for a kiss, puckering up and leaning towards him as if expecting one. When he just tells her to get out of his way though, she attacks him in anger, stating she's not through with him yet, calling him "boy-toy".
• Would Hurt a Child: Or specifically, would hurt a teenage Argoan.
• Villainesses Want Heroes: Lashina takes an interest in Superman shortly after meeting him. While he was brainwashed by Darkseid she takes the opportunity to get close to him, with it being heavily implied that the two had sex. Once Superman returns to Apokolips after returning to normal she continues to call him pet names like "lover" while asking him for a kiss and leans in for one.

Kanto

Kanto

Voiced by: Michael York (Superman: The Animated Series), Corey Burton (Justice League Unlimited)

Voiced in Latin America by: Renzo Jiménez (Superman: The Animated Series), Héctor Indriago (Justice League, Unlimited)

Voiced in French by: Igor De Savitch (Superman: The Animated Series), Jérôme Frossard (Justice League)

Appearances: Superman: The Animated Series | Justice League Unlimited

A resident of Apokolips and servant of Darkseid.

---

• Evil Brit: Despite not being human, he still sports a British accent.
• Louis Cypher: His first appearance has him supplying alien weapons, not revealing his true origins as a part of a race of god-like powerhouses until the end of the episode.
• You Have Failed Me: He loans Apokoliptian weaponry to Intergang so that they can kill Superman. When they ultimately fail, he leaves them to their fate, even mocking Bruno Mannheim when the crime lord begs for another gadget.

---