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"Superman. I'm here to kill you. Is this a bad time?"[1]

Doomsday was a monstrous being that was created with the ability and desire to kill Superman.

History

Creation

Doomsday was created under the auspices of Project Cadmus as a superior clone of Superman. He was made from a genetic sample by Emil Hamilton, but was engineered to be his superior. He was repeatedly subjected to brainwashing simulations that humiliated him and fueled his rage towards Superman. Ultimately, Doomsday was to be the Project's fail-safe in the case Superman ever went rogue again.[2] He became increasingly difficult to control so Amanda Waller arranged for him to be imprisoned in a rocket and blasted off into space.

First Fight with Superman

Doomsday managed to break free and forced the rocket back to Earth, landing near Metropolis.[1] He then proceeded to go on a rampage only to encounter the Justice Lords. After he had apparently physically beaten the Justice Lords, Justice Lord Superman included, into submission, the Justice Lord used his heat vision to lobotomize Doomsday, temporarily sidelining him.[3]

Second Fight with Superman

Doomsday was recovered by Cadmus and he slowly recuperated with his advanced healing powers. He was prematurely freed by a bitter Dr. Milo after he had just been dismissed from Cadmus by Waller, Doomsday convinced Milo that he would help Milo get revenge. Doomsday then killed Milo, and fled the Cadmus compound via a rocket ship to the volcanic island of San Baquero. He targeted Superman, who in the midst of the Justice League's evacuation of the island in preparation for an imminent volcanic eruption. A ferocious battle ensued with Doomsday beating the Man Of Steel to exhaustion. Desperate to stop him, Superman even tried to lobotomize the creature with his heat vision the same way his Justice Lord counterpart did. However, Doomsday's evolution power simply shrugged off the attack, with him taunting that he couldn't be beaten the same way twice. Superman trapped Doomsday in molten lava. During the Justice League's inquiry of Doomsday, J'onn J'onzz failed to read his mind as he was modified to be unreadable by telepaths. When it became apparent that Doomsday would not reveal anything or change his murderous nature, Superman decided to banish it to the Phantom Zone. Doomsday just sneered that they would regret this.[1]

Powers and abilities

As a clone of Superman, Doomsday possessed strength, speed, senses, stamina, a computer-like mind, reflexes, dexterity, combat skills, and invulnerability on a level equal or superior to that of the Man of Steel. He was capable of surviving in any environment even space, as seen briefly when Milo explained his past.[1] He was nearly invulnerable to almost all forms of attack, self-sustained and immortal. When injured, he could rapidly regenerate or resurrect over time and adapt to the weakness that allowed him to be hurt or killed. Doomsday's brain is immune to being read or controlled. Although he was capable of physically matching or besting Superman, he lacked some of Superman's more exotic abilities such as flight, heat vision, and freeze breath.

Background information

Doomsday was created for, and first appeared in, the comic-book serial The Death of Superman. The comic book version of Doomsday was not created on Earth, but was instead the result of an alien experiment attempting to create a perfect warrior species. This Doomsday would regenerate and evolve from every fatality so that he could never be killed in the same manner twice. The planet where the experiment was conducted was Krypton, during its prehistoric age, before the evolution of the sentient Kryptonian race. At this time, the world was hostile and deadly to all but the hardiest forms of life, which Doomsday's creator saw as the perfect place to create "The Ultimate". Killing its creator, Doomsday went on an interstellar rampage, coming into conflict with Darkseid (where they rendered a planet uninhabitable), the Khundians (uniting the normally polarized clans), and the Green Lantern Corps (where he killed hundreds of Lanterns and one Guardian). After being subdued by an alien race known as the Catalons, Doomsday would be banished in a prison ship that accidentally crashed into Earth. The creature broke free and went on a rampage towards Metropolis killing several civilians and hospitalizing nearly the entire active roster of the Justice League. Superman intervened, battling the monster to a standstill on the streets of Metropolis as the entire world watched via television. In a final clash, Superman and Doomsday swung simultaneously: Superman snapped Doomsday's neck with a two-handed blow to the monster's chin; Doomsday inflicted massive head trauma on Superman with a thunderous punch. Both combatants were declared dead at the scene. Both would return, of course. Superman's body was healed by solar radiation and revived by the robots at his Fortress of Solitude, and Doomsday's natural abilities brought the creature back to life, now further resistant to Superman's punches. They would battle again repeatedly, with Superman narrowly escaping defeat each time. Doomsday later gained true sentience and renounced his vendetta against Superman. However, in an alternate timeline, he would bear witness to the true death of Superman. Under his name, he led the armies of the Earth again against the deadly foe that had killed Superman, Gog. Many years later, Gog, a being of near-divine power, offered Doomsday the opportunity to revive Superman, at the cost of losing his sentience. Accepting, a seemingly once-again mindless Doomsday attacked the heroes of Earth during the Infinite Crisis.

During the initial running of Superman: The Animated Series, Doomsday was considered to make an appearance, but Paul Dini refused to include Doomsday in the series, so the production team decided to accept his opinion.[4] However, the production team later changed its mind and introduced Doomsday in Justice League.

Appearances

Justice League

Justice League Unlimited

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 McDuffie, Dwayne (story) & Goodman, Robert (teleplay) & Riba, Dan (director) (February 19, 2005). "The Doomsday Sanction". Justice League Unlimited. Season 1. Episode 16 (airdate). Episode 16 (production). Cartoon Network.
  2. Fogel, Rich (writer) & Geda, Curt (director) (February 5, 2000). "Legacy, Part I". Superman: The Animated Series. Season 4. Episode 2 (airdate). Episode 49 (production). Kids WB!.
  3. Berkowitz, Stan (writer) & Riba, Dan (director) (November 1, 2003). "A Better World, Part I". Justice League. Season 2. Episode 11 (airdate). Episode 37 (production). Cartoon Network.
  4. Unused Villains Database - Doomsday at The World's Finest

External links


Project Cadmus
Members
Leader Amanda Waller
Sponsor Lex Luthor
PR / Manager Maxwell Lord
Division Heads
Genetics Emil Hamilton
Psychology Hugo Strange • Moon
Splicing Milo
Mysticism Tala
Military Tactics Wade Eiling
Agents
Captain Atom • Doomsday • Galatea
Ultimen Downpour • Juice • Shifter • Long Shadow • Wind Dragon
Task Force X Captain Boomerang • Clock King • Deadshot • Rick Flagg • Plastique
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