Warning: Spoilers for DC All In Special #1Darkseid is well-known as the enemy of all life and free will. For decades, he has been trying to take over the DC Universe and subjugate the minds of everyone in it to serve him. Every time, Superman and the Justice League have risen against him. Now, nearly twenty years after he first said it, an ominous Darkseid quote has finally come to fruition.
The DC Multiverse has recently changed forever with the addition of the Absolute Universe, a dark new world where hope is the enemy, which debuted in DC All In Special #1 by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere, Wes Craig, and more. Created from the energies of Darkseid, this universe is everything he ever wanted: a realm where he is the ultimate ruler over everything and everyone – except a few heroes who want to disrupt that order. Strangely, this universe seems to have been prophesied in Final Crisis by Grant Morrison, JG Jones, Alex Sinclair, and Rob Leigh.
While the new Absolute Universe is darker than Earth Prime, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are still every bit the heroes they always were. Even though this world is corrupt and evil, they still want to fight for hope and bring some joy to the world. This role reversal of having Darkseid’s way of life being the natural way and having the hero’s way being an aberration means that Darkseid’s Final Crisis quote is finally coming true.
The Absolute Universe Is Darkseid’s Final Crisis Wish Come True
Panel from the “Omega” Story by Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder, Wes Craig, Mike Spicer, and Steve Wands in DC All In Special #1
Darkseid has always sought utter control over free will, which is why he’s constantly searching for the Anti-Life Equation. With the power of Anti-Life, Darkseid would be able to instantly take control of all free will. He’s been attempting to get the equation for decades, and in the pages of Final Crisis, he finally succeeded. Earth and dozens of heroes were enslaved and transformed into Darkseid’s servants, and only a handful of humans survived and tried to resist this dark rule.
When the universe itself is Darkseid, when everyone is Darkseid, will Superman become the enemy of existence?
Darkseid very nearly succeeded in taking over the universe but was stopped due to Metron granting the heroes the answer they needed to break the mind control. It was the moment when Darkseid was closest to victory, and after seemingly killing Batman, Darkseid taunts Superman with an iconic line. Darkseid questions what Superman will do: when the universe itself is Darkseid, when everyone is Darkseid, will Superman become the enemy of existence? It was a haunting question, and readers are finally getting the answer.
Superman Is Now the Enemy of Existence in the Absolute Universe
Superman Wants to Spread Hope in a Universe of Darkness
In a universe created by Darkseid, hope is an aberrant force. Everything lives to serve Darkseid’s will and his idea of evil, making the Absolute Universe a dark and twisted place and putting Superman and the rest of the heroes into a perfect role reversal. On Prime Earth, they’re fighting to uphold the status quo with Darkseid trying to spread tyranny and destroy all hope. But in the Absolute Universe, there isn’t any hope, meaning that Superman and the heroes going against the natural order of Darkseid’s universe to try and bring hope forward. This new way of being makes them the enemy of all existence, just as Darkseid is for the Prime Universe.
To learn more about the Trinity of the Absolute Universe, check out their new 2024 series:
Absolute Batman
by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta,
Absolute Wonder Woman
by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman, and
Absolute Superman
by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval.
This change isn’t just making the evil characters in control of the universe either, as it’s shown that Darkseid has his own legion of superheroes, which means even some heroes were corrupted in this universe by Darkseid’s influence. It seems that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are truly unique in that, while Darkseid has altered their lives, their goals haven’t changed.
Darkseid’s Influence on the DCU Is Finally Absolute
Can the DC Trinity Change rhe Nature of an Entire Universe?
The DC Trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman has saved the universe countless times. They’ve constantly fought against overwhelming odds to prevent the universe from falling into darkness. Darkseid, the Anti-Monitor, Nekron, and even the Dark Multiverse have all failed to destroy the universe. But those battles were fought in a universe that wants to be good. In the Absolute Universe, Darkseid’s influence reigns supreme, and it’s going to take everything the Trinity has to change that.
Related
Absolute Superman Makes His Official Debut, As DC Sets the Stage for a More Powerful Hero Than the Original
The Absolute Universe is born and a new Superman has arrived, but what makes this Man of Steel so different from his Prime counterpart?
Final Crisis was a major event that completely changed how DC used the New Gods, and it was the first time that Darkseid nearly won. While almost everyone – fans and characters alike – has put Final Crisis behind them, that one haunting line has returned. With Darkseid creating his very own universe, the only way that Superman will be able to save the world is by becoming the enemy of all existence and fighting to save a universe created in Darkseid’s image.
DC All In Special #1 and Final Crisis are both available now from DC Comics!
Darkseid
Darkseid is a tyrannical supervillain in DC Comics, ruling the hellish planet Apokolips. He seeks the Anti-Life Equation to control all sentient life and eliminate free will across the universe. With immense strength, energy manipulation, and Omega Beams that disintegrate targets, Darkseid is a relentless foe of Superman, the Justice League, New Gods, and free people everywhere.
- First Appearance
- SuperMan’s Pal Jimmy Olsen
- Alias
- Uxas
- Race
- New God
