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The Preserver was an alien creature that ran a cosmic zoo which housed the rarest creatures in existence: each was the last of its kind. Once, he hired Lobo to capture Superman, the last Kryptonian. However, after getting Superman, he betrayed Lobo and captured him as well since Lobo was the last Czarnian.
History
There is no information about how the Preserver decided to become a preserver of species. However, for centuries he had taken it upon himself to capture and preserve the last of every species in his cosmic zoo. This mission led him to go from planet to planet so that he could find and save as many species as possible. On occasion he had visited Earth to preserve species from that planet as well.
Superman and Lobo
The Preserver mostly made it a point to capture and contain only non-sentient beings, however, he was not above capturing sentients if they were the very last of their planets. At some point in time, the Preserver had learned that in spite of the fact that Krypton was destroyed, there was a survivor: Superman. Looking to preserve the last Kryptonian he called upon Lobo: the last Czarnian to capture him. After Lobo managed to bring Superman into capturing range, the Preserver betrayed him and placed him into his Zoo as well.
A very knowledgeable being, the Preserver studied the weaknesses of his "exhibits" and exploited them, keeping Superman under a red sun lamp and Lobo with robots that would discharge a gas capable of canceling his strength. He refused to release his prisoners claiming that because they were the last beings from their home worlds their place was there in his zoo. However, the Preserver hadn't counted on his new exhibits coming up with an escape plan.
After Superman and Lobo escaped, the Preserver sent out security proves to capture them. These probes were armed with non lethal weapons used to force the exhibits back to their enclosures. However, after the probes were destroyed, the Preserver grew angry and apparently forgot about his mission to preserve the species. He dropped Superman and Lobo into a pit with a giant snake-like creature that attempted to eat them.
When the duo managed to escape, the Preserver enlisted the aid of Lobo's rival Gnaww to capture them. However, even after it became apparent that Gnaww and his gang intended to kill, not capture their targets the preserver did nothing.
The Preserver transformed
Finally deciding that he'd have to subdue and capture Lobo and Superman himself, the Preserver went to wait for them in the South Hangar where their vehicles were stored. Upon Lobo's arrival the Preserver ordered him to return to his enclosure, but when Lobo refused he transformed into a more powerful being. Apparently losing all desire to preserve both Superman and Lobo, the Preserver attacked them with lethal force, even trying to impale Superman on his claws. However, during the fight with Superman Lobo managed to open the hangar doors and the Preserver was sucked out into the vacuum of space.
Powers and Abilities
In his untransformed state, the Preserver was a being capable of defying gravity. He would travel by floating around in the air by no visible means of doing so. He was also capable of generating a force field around his body that repelled an attack from Lobo but there was no indication if this was of his own ability or a device.
After transforming, the Preserver seemingly lost his ability to levitate but gained massive strength and invulnerability. His strength level was on par with that of Superman as he was able to fight him to a virtual standstill, but in spite of his greater size, his strength didn't appear to be that much greater than that of his enemy.
Appearances
Superman: The Animated Series
Batman Beyond
- "The Call Part II" (Cameo)