Omega Beams

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

However, the text confirms Darkseid is a New God whose skin turned to stone after seizing the 'fabled Omega Force' by murdering his brother Drax. This acquisition of power rechristened him as Darkseid. His ultimate goal involves finding and controlling the Anti-Life Equation to enslave the multiverse. The only specific turning point regarding this power in the text is its role in his rise: Uxas claimed the force, his skin turned stone, and he became the supreme monarch after orchestrating the deaths of his mother Heggra and wife Suli. While the source mentions Darkseid's life essence endured death in Final Crisis and fell back in time as 'Boss Dark Side,' it does not explicitly attribute this survival to the Omega Beams themselves.

In Their Own Story

There are no descriptions of beams striking Superman, Metropolis, or any other location. The source details plot points such as Uxas murdering Drax to claim the Omega Force, Darkseid forcing the trade of his son Orion for Scott Free, and his eventual death at the hands of Orion in Final Crisis where his heart was ripped out. It mentions Darkseid using minions like Glorious Godfrey to control minds with his voice and Intergang to employ Apokoliptian technology, but it never describes a specific instance where Omega Beams are fired or their visual effects on a target.

Reader's Guide

Based strictly on the source provided, there is no guide for evading or countering Omega Beams. The text does not state that the beams ignore line of sight, curve around obstacles, or require line-of-sight to lock onto targets. It does not mention specific defenses like cosmic power or New God intervention against this weapon. The only related information is that Darkseid uses his will and minions (such as DeSaad, Granny Goodness, and Glorious Godfrey) to achieve dominance. He attempts to probe human minds for the Anti-Life Equation fragments but relies on superpowered minions and Intergang rather than solely on beam attacks to overthrow Earth. The source notes that in Final Crisis, Darkseid's life essence endured his physical death, but does not explain how this relates to the Omega Beams.

Did You Know?

• Darkseid's face was modeled by Jack Kirby on actor Jack Palance.
• Kirby based Darkseid's personality on both Adolf Hitler and Richard Nixon.
• The character first appeared in a cameo in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (December 1970).
• Mark Evanier noted that while Kirby usually pronounced the name like 'dark side,' he once went along with a fan calling him 'dark seed.'
• Darkseid is credited by Marvel creators as the direct inspiration for their villain Thanos.

Origins and Creation

Jack Kirby created Darkseid for the 'Fourth World' metaseries, modeling his face on actor Jack Palance and basing his personality on Adolf Hitler and Richard Nixon. The character first appeared in a cameo in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (December 1970) before his full debut in Forever People #1 (February 1971). Kirby's creation is credited as the inspiration for Marvel's Thanos. While 'Darkseid' is often pronounced like 'dark side,' Mark Evanier noted that Kirby once allowed a fan to call him 'dark seed' without correction.

Rise to Power

Prince Uxas, second-in-line to Apokolips behind his brother Drax, murdered Drax when the latter attempted to claim the fabled Omega Force. Upon seizing this power, Uxas's skin turned to stone, and he rechristened himself Darkseid. His rule was cemented through betrayal: after his mother Queen Heggra ordered the poisoning of his beloved Suli, Darkseid had DeSaad poison Heggra in revenge. He then forced a marriage to Tigra, fathering Orion, whom he tried to break as a weapon against New Genesis before trading him away.

Cosmic Ambitions

Darkseid's goal is to find the Anti-Life Equation to enslave the multiverse by eliminating free will and hope. He believes humans collectively hold fragments of this equation within their minds. To achieve dominance, he has used minions like Glorious Godfrey, whose voice controls minds, and the crime syndicate Intergang, which employs Apokoliptian technology. Darkseid often works behind the scenes to probe human minds, clashing frequently with Superman and the Justice League in his quest to supplant the Presence as the Supreme Being.

Legacy and Adaptations

Darkseid made his live-action feature debut in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), portrayed by Ray Porter. Voice actors include Michael Ironside, Andre Braugher, Tony Todd, and 'Weird Al' Yankovic. In the future timeline of The Great Darkness Saga, Darkseid returns after being absent for centuries to fight the Legion of Super-Heroes. He swaps Apokolips with Daxam, giving its inhabitants Kryptonian-like powers under a yellow sun, but is defeated by the Legion. He also invaded Themyscira seeking Olympian power, causing half the Amazon population's death before Wonder Woman weakened him.